Fred Mortensen
Fred Mortensen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 7, 1887 Fort Dodge, Iowa, USA |
| Died | June 13, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, USA |
Fred Mortensen (February 7, 1887 - June 13, 1946) was an early American Bahá’í.
Biography[edit]
Mortensen was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1887. He had a troubled upbringing and committed crimes in his youth being involved in fights, vandalism, and theft and he was involved in targeting and harassing members of the Jewish community.[1] Due to his behavior Mortensen was arrested and represented in court by Albert H. Hall who was a Bahá’í and taught him about the Bahá’í Faith. He became a Bahá’í and regretted his previous actions.[2]
In 1912 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited the United States and Mortensen learnt he was in the country and he traveled to Cleveland with a letter of introduction addressed to Alfred E. Lunt which Hall had written for him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was in Green Acre, Maine, and as he lacked finances Mortensen stowed away on cargo trains making his way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, from Cleveland.[2] Upon arriving in Portsmouth was able to meet with Carrie Kinney who offered him a bed and arranged for him to meet with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and he had a private audience with Him.[3] When departing Green Acre ‘Abdu’l-Bahá invited Mortensen to accompany Him and Mortensen traveled with Him to Malden, Massachusetts staying there for a week.[4]
Mortensen became an active member of the Bahá’í community traveling across the country to travel teach and he pioneered to Montana where he personally funded publicity for the Faith in newspapers across the state. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia in the fall of 1914 and remained there until the Spring of 1916 working in the mailing department of the Atlanta Constitution and teaching the Faith during his time there.[5] In 1916 he was appointed a representative of the Bahá’í Temple Unity responsible for organizing efforts to provide aid to Haifa, Syria, and Turkey.[4]
Mortensen ultimately settled in Chicago where he was an active member of the community. In the 1940's he began making plans to undertake a teaching trip across Austria following the end of the Second World War with Shoghi Effendi's blessing however he passed away due to a cerebral hemorrhage in 1946 before being able to undertake the trip.[4]
Shoghi Effendi conveyed the following message after his passing:
"Grieve passing beloved Fred. Welcome assured Abba Kingdom by Master. Praying progress his soul. His name forever inscribed Bahá’í history."[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1952?). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 11 (1946-1950), Pg(s) 483-484. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1952?). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 11 (1946-1950), Pg(s) 484. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1952?). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 11 (1946-1950), Pg(s) 485. View as PDF.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1952?). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. Wilmette, Ill. Volume 11 (1946-1950), Pg(s) 486. View as PDF.
- ↑ World Order, Vol. 26(4), p 33
