In October 1853, Lorenzo Snow (eventual President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) was given an assignment by Brigham Young to select 50 families to settle in what was then called Box Elder. There the pioneers would establish a system of self-sufficiency and cooperative living. Snow selected tradesman with various skills who would help them develop their community, and among them was Mads Christian Jensen.
Jensen was a Denmark native who was a Miller by trade. Snow hand selected Jensen to be a Miller for the new town. The Box Elder Flour Mill became one of the first important businesses to the early pioneers. While running the mill, Jensen also taught his sons the trade so they could one day take over the business.