Jan Sophus Jansen

Jan Sophus Jansen (February 2, 1870 - March 18, 1953) is believed to be the author and subject of the well known infinitely recursive folk song titled “My name is Jan Jansen” (pronounced in a heavy Danish accent as “Yon Yonson”).
Biography
Early life
Jan Jansen was born on February 2, 1870 in Amager, Denmark, the son of Ane Margrethe Jansen (née Madsen) and Crilles Jansen. After serving in the Danish army, Jan found employment as a ship’s carpenter on a seagoing vessel. At the young age of 23, Jan left his job when the ship was docked in the United States. He headed for Berlin, Wisconsin (which, he was told, had a large Scandinavian population).
Jan worked in a lumberyard in his early years, later becoming a skilled carpenter, cabinet maker, and wood pattern maker. Jan was well known for the playing of his concertina in the streets of Berlin, Wisconsin, while singing his namesake song. Jan claimed to have created the song so people would get to know him in his new hometown. Therefore, it is believed that the “Jan Jansen” song was created soon after Jan’s arrival in Wisconsin in 1893.
Marriage
Jan married Hannah Jansen (née Swenson) on December 2, 1899 in Berlin, Wisconsin. Hannah was born in Skane, Sweden, Wisconsin. She is the daughter of Sissa and Swen Swenson.
Sickness and death
When Jan was in his 70’s, he suffered from skin cancer. He died at the age of 83 on March 18, 1953, of myocardial degeneration due to bronchial pneumonia and influenza.
The “My Name is Jan Jansen” song
Lyrics
:My name is Jan Jansen
:I come from Wisconsin
:I work in a lumberyard there
:When I walk down the street
:The folks that I meet
:Say “Hello there. What’s your name? And I say”
:My name is….. (repeat)
The Jan Jansen name
Due to Jan’s heavy Danish accent, there have been found to be many misspellings of his name in public records. Some of these include: Jan H. Jansen, John Johnson, Jan Johnson, and Yon Yonson.
Jan eventually “Americanized” the pronunciation of his name, replacing the heavily Danish accented “Y” sounding “J” (i.e. Yon Yonson) with the typical American “J” sound in Jan Jansen.
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