carl john capson - religious studies centerrsc.byu.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/pdf/03-c.pdf ·...

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CCarl John CapsonCCaarrll JJoohhaann MMåånnssssoonn

11882222––11990011

RReessiiddeennccee:: East Mill Creek, Salt Lake Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 12 September 1882MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Skåne ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 6 June 1884DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Panther

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 16 July 1822BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Skönabäck, Slimminge, Malmöhus län,

SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Capson, Måns Jönsson MMootthheerr:: Pärsdotter, MättaSSppoouussee:: Hanson, Ingrid Jorensson

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 23 August 1846SSppoouussee:: Malmgren, Johanna Caroline Bengtson

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 14 October 1855MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahSSppoouussee:: Kannen, Matilda Charlotta

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 17 February 1866MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 22 November 1901DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: East Mill Creek, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake

City, Salt Lake Co., Utah

As a youth, Carl worked as a gardener andwas well established in his trade when he

heard missionaries preach the doctrine of Mor-

monism. Carl was one of the first converts in Sweden.He was baptized on 10 August 1852 by Anders W.Winberg. After being ordained an elder in 1853, hewas called to preside over the Lund Branch, one ofthe first branches in Sweden. The first Latter-daySaint conference held in Sweden convened in hisbarn on 25 June 1853, and at this meeting the SkåneConference was organized (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 3:336–37).

Carl departed from his native land with his wifeand two children on 26 November 1853. After a shortstay in Denmark, they continued their journey toEngland and then crossed the Atlantic aboard theBenjamin Adams. They crossed the plains in an ox-team company to reach the Salt Lake Valley on5 October 1854 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Bio-graphical Encyclopedia, 3:336–37).

Carl worked as a gardener for President BrighamYoung. He resided in Sugar House, Salt Lake County,for six years before locating in East Mill Creek, SaltLake County, where he owned a large farm (see Jen-son, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia,3:336–37).

He temporarily left that farm and his family toaccept a mission call to Scandinavia in 1882. Hearrived in Copenhagen on 12 September 1882 andwas assigned to labor in the Skåne Conference. Aftercompleting an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 6 June 1884 aboard the Panther (seeJenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission, 267,269, 279). Carl died in 1901 in East Mill Creek at ageseventy-nine.

August Carlson11886611––11993377

RReessiiddeennccee:: Ogden, Weber Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 19 February 1892MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Stockholm ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 3 May 1894DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 4 April 1861BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Stora Jonstorp, Öttum, Skaraborgs län,

SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Andersson, CarlMMootthheerr:: Jonsdotter, Maja SSppoouussee:: Pehrson, Anna Benedikta

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 15 December 1881MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Endowment House, Salt Lake

City, Salt Lake Co., UtahSSppoouussee:: Anderson, Caroline Theblom

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 26 March 1896MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Ogden, Weber Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 2 May 1937DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Ogden, Weber Co., Utah

As August grew to manhood, he worked onthe family farm. At age sixteen, he left the

farm and worked delivering bread by horse andwagon in Stockholm. While in Stockholm, he ac-cepted the teachings of Mormon missionaries and wasbaptized on 28 December 1878 by C. G. Janson (see“A Short Story of August, Caroline T. Anderson, andAnna Benedikta Person Carlson,” 1).

After his baptism, he served as a local missionaryin Västerås (Västmanlands län) and the province(landskap) of Dalarna (Kopparbergs, and parts of

Värmlands and Gävleborgs län) from 1879 to 1881.This period in his life proved difficult even though hebaptized his first convert ten days after receiving hismission call. August was fined more than fifty kronorfor preaching the gospel. He became discouraged andwas ready to quit when his mother, who had been de-ceased for ten months, appeared to him and encour-aged him to continue. His wife Caroline recounts:

He was considering asking for a release from his mis-sion, as everything seemed dark and useless; so he de-cided to write to the mission president the next day. Inthe early morning of that day, which was the 6th ofFebruary 1880, he heard a knock on the door to hisroom. Thinking it was one of the people he was stayingwith, he said, “Come in!” To his surprise his own motherwalked in. . . . He stretched out his arms as to embraceher, but she said, “Touch me not, for I am only a spirit.I have asked permission to come to see you because Iknow of your hardships.” Then she . . . told him to befaithful and finish the mission . . . and promised himthat a way would be opened for him to get money sohe could immigrate to Zion. (“Short Story,” 1)

His mother’s spirit also told him to gather genealogi-cal information for temple work even though at thattime vicarious work for the dead was being practicedonly in the St. George Temple (see “Short Story,” 1).

The promise his mother’s spirit made was ful-filled. August completed his mission and immigratedto Utah in August 1881 and settled among hisSwedish friends in Ogden, Weber County. There hemarried Anna Pehrson, who was nine years older thanhe was and who was deaf. Their marriage ended in di-vorce (see “Short Story,” 1–2).

In 1892, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 19 February1892 and was assigned to be a writer for the Nord-stjernan (the Church’s magazine in Scandinavia) forsix months. For twenty-one months, he served aspresident of the Stockholm Conference. After com-pleting an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 3 May 1894 aboard the steamerMilo (see Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 327, 329, 337).

He served another mission to Scandinavia in1905, taking his family with him. He was assigned tobe the district president (see “Short Story,” 2). As such,he had an audience with King Oscar II of Sweden and

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had the privilege of introducing Elder Heber J. Grantto the king (see Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 445, 484).

He and his family returned to Ogden in the fall of1907. In 1908, they located in Salt Lake City, pur-chasing a home at 372 North Main Street. In 1916,August was ordained a high priest and was set apartas a counselor in the bishopric of the Salt Lake Nine-teenth Ward. He served for nine years in a bishopric.During those years, he experienced difficult financialcircumstances (see “Short Story,” 2). August died in1937 in Salt Lake City at age seventy-six.

August Wilhelm Carlson11884444––11991111

RReessiiddeennccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 27 September 1877MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Assistant in Nordstjernan office;

translated Book of Mormon into SwedishDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 7 September 1878DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Bravo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 28 August 1844BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Karlskrona, Blekinges län, SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Carlson, Carl GustafMMootthheerr:: Lundgren, Helen MarieSSppoouussee:: Spencer, Mary P.

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 22 April 1872DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 8 July 1911DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Co.,

CaliforniaBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake


On 15 May 1863, August was baptized amember of The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints. After his baptism, he labored as alocal missionary in the Göteborg Conference from1864 to 1865. From 1865 to 1866, he labored in themission office in Copenhagen. Later, he was assignedto the Millennial Star office in Liverpool, England(see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclo-pedia, 4:368).

August immigrated to America in December1871 and settled in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County,Utah. When a soap factory, a branch of the UnitedOrder, was formed in the Salt Lake Nineteenth Ward,

he became secretary of the branch on 27 May 1874(see Kirkham, Tales of a Triumphant People, 72).

In 1877, August accepted an unusual missioncall to Scandinavia. He was assigned to completethe translation of the Book of Mormon into theSwedish language. He arrived in Copenhagen on27 September 1877. He was assigned to be an assis-tant in the Nordstjernan office from 1877 to 1878and pro tem president of the Scandinavian Missionfrom 1877 to 1878. Before he departed from Copen-hagen on 7 September 1878 aboard the steamerBravo, two thousand copies of the Swedish transla-tion of the Book of Mormon were published (seeJenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclope-dia, 4:368; Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 229–34).

August returned to Salt Lake City in January 1878,where he was ordained a high priest on 8 May 1881.He served as a member of the Salt Lake City Councilfrom 1888 to 1889, regent of the University of Deseretfrom 1886 to 1890, and trustee for the State School forthe Deaf and Blind from 1886 to 1899. He was alsodirector of the Deseret National Bank, the DeseretSavings Bank, the Stake Bank of Utah, and Zion’sBenefit Building Society, as well as treasurer of ZCMI(see Lund, Scandinavian Jubilee Album, 72).

August was vacationing in Santa Barbara, Cal-ifornia, when he died. He was sitting on the verandaof the Arlington Hotel when his heart failed. Hedied shortly thereafter at age sixty-six (see “A. W.Carlson Is Called by Death,” Deseret Evening News,10 July 1911).

Gustav Wilhelm CarlsonGGuussttaaff WWiillhheellmm OOllooffssssoonn

11883377––11991122

RReessiiddeennccee:: Salem, Utah Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 29 April 1892MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Stockholm ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 5 April 1894DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Bravo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 15 March 1837BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Söderhagen, Ösmo, Stockholms län,

SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Carlsson, OlofMMootthheerr:: Pehrsdotter, Britta

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Black, Anderson, and Maness

SSppoouussee:: Johnson, Eva Elisa (Elizabeth)MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 15 October 1869MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 30 December 1912DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salem, Utah Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Salem, Utah Co., Utah

Gustav came from Sweden to the Salt LakeValley in 1869. He met his wife in Ogden,

Weber County. After their marriage, they settled inSalem, Utah County (see Taylor, Salem, the City ofPeace, 34).

Gustav accepted a mission call to Scandinavia in1892. He arrived in Copenhagen on 29 April 1892and was assigned to labor in the Stockholm Confer-ence. After serving an honorable mission, he departedfrom Copenhagen on 5 April 1894 aboard thesteamer Bravo (see Jenson, History of the Scandina-vian Mission, 328–29, 336).

Upon returning to Utah, he helped build acreamery in the Salem area (see Taylor, Salem, theCity of Peace, 34). Gustav died in 1912 in Salem atage seventy-five.

John Jacob CarlsonJJaaccoobb NNiillssssoonn oorr CCaarrllssssoonn

11886600––11994466

RReessiiddeennccee:: Pleasant Grove, Utah Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 9 May 1888MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Skåne ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 29 May 1890

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 10 June 1860BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Önneköp, Långaröd, Malmöhus län,

SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Romare, Nils Carlsson MMootthheerr:: Hansdotter, Karna (Caroline) SSppoouussee:: Christensen, Annie Christine

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 31 March 1881MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahSSppoouussee:: Jensen, Stine

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: about 1885DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 14 March 1946DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Draper, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Pleasant Grove City Cemetery,

Pleasant Grove, Utah Co., Utah

John’s parents joined the Mormon faith be-fore he was born, according to a note in

John’s birth records stating, “The father declaresthat he is a Mormon.” The family immigrated toAmerica and settled in Pleasant Grove, UtahCounty, Utah. John grew to manhood in that smallcommunity (see “Early Pleasant Grove PioneerDied at Draper on Mar. 14,” Pleasant Grove Review,15 March, 1946).

In 1888, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 9 May 1888 andwas assigned to labor in the Skåne Conference. Uponcompleting an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 29 May 1890 (see Jenson, History ofthe Scandinavian Mission, 307, 315).

After returning to Pleasant Grove, John movedhis family to Idaho. He served a mission in Canada,and later he and his family moved to Draper, SaltLake County. In Draper, John served as a high priestin the Draper First Ward. He died in 1946 at his homeat age eighty-five (see “Early Pleasant Grove PioneerDied at Draper on Mar. 14,” Pleasant Grove Review,15 March 1946).

Peter Cornelius Carstensen11883333––8877

RReessiiddeennccee:: Ogden, Weber Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 May 1872 MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Copenhagen ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 18 June 1874DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo

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BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 17 December 1833BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Holbøl, Åbenrå amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Carstensen, IverMMootthheerr:: Diederichsdatter, Ana Cathrina SSppoouussee:: Petersen, Karen

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 27 April 1864MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: aboard Monarch of the Sea

SSppoouussee:: Hansen, Elsie Sophie MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 14 December 1874

SSppoouussee:: Peterson, Dorthea MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 12 October 1894

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 31 March 1887DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Ogden, Weber Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Ogden, Weber Co., Utah

Peter was educated in Denmark. Throughouthis life he worked as a farmer and a shoe-

maker. He was baptized in Denmark, and he served asa local missionary. He was president of the Fyen Con-ference from 1862 to 1864 before departing fromCopenhagen aboard the steamer Sultana on 13 April1864. He immigrated to America aboard theMonarch of the Sea. On ship, he married Karen Peter-sen. They crossed the plains together to reach the SaltLake Valley. Once there, Peter was ordained a sev-enty (see Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men ofUtah, 622).

In 1872, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 28 May 1872and was assigned to labor as president of the Copen-hagen Conference. After completing this assignment,he departed from Copenhagen aboard the steamerMilo on 18 June 1874 (see Jenson, History of the Scan-dinavian Mission, 171, 181, 215, 219, 494, 498).

Peter died in 1887 in Ogden, Weber County,Utah, at age fifty-three. Funeral services took place inthe Fourth Ward schoolhouse on a Sunday afternoon.He was survived by one of his wives and eight chil-dren. It was said that he was “kind to his family, faith-ful to principle and true to his God; he was respectedand honored by all who knew him” (“Laid to Rest,”Ogden Daily Herald, 4 April 1887).

John Arvid Anderson Cederlund11886655––11991133

RReessiiddeennccee:: Montpelier, Bear Lake Co., IdahoAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 19 September 1891

MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Stockholm ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 10 August 1893DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 13 April 1865BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Allmungs, Havdhem, Gotlands län,

SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Cederlund, Olof Andersson MMootthheerr:: Ahlbom, Margaretha Christina Jacobina SSppoouussee:: Holmes, Ida Louisa

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 29 June 1887MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan, Cache Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 24 October 1913DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Logan, Cache Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Cache

Co., Utah

John’s parents were Baptists when he was born,so his name was not listed in the Lutheran

Church records. Instead, only the notation that a“male child” was born to the tailor Olof Cederlund on13 April 1865 was made.

The name Cederlund, by which John and his de-scendants are known, was given to his father, OlofAndersson, by the Swedish army because there weretoo many men with the surname Andersson in themilitary. The family kept the name Cederlund whenthey moved to the United States (see correspondencefrom Roy Lee Grover, 7 July 1999).

While a resident of Montpelier, Bear LakeCounty, Idaho, John accepted a mission call to Scan-dinavia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 19 September1891 and was assigned to labor in the Stockholm Con-ference. Upon completing an honorable mission, hedeparted from Copenhagen on 10 August 1893aboard the steamer Milo (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 320–22).

After returning to the States, John settled inLogan, Cache County, Utah. He served as the Sun-day School president for fifteen years in his localward. He died in 1913 in Logan at age forty-eight.His funeral was held in the Logan Fourth Wardmeetinghouse (see “Funeral Services for the LateJohn A. Cederlund,” Tri-Weekly Journal, 30 Octo-ber 1913).

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Andrew ChristensenAAnnddeerrss CChhrriisstteennsseenn

11883388––11992266

RReessiiddeennccee:: Fairview, Utah Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 5 June 1883MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Copenhagen ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 7 May 1885

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 19 December 1838BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Skuldelev, Frederiksborg amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Pedersen, Christen MMootthheerr:: Pedersdatter, KarenSSppoouussee:: Rasmussen (Severson), Anna

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 19 April 1863MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Endowment House, Salt Lake

City, Salt Lake Co., UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 12 February 1926DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Lot 1, Grave 85, Fairview Cemetery,

Fairview, Sanpete Co., Utah

In 1855, Andrew was baptized a member of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He

served as a local missionary before immigrating toAmerica aboard the William Tapscott in 1860. Hecrossed the plains in the Reuben Eldredge freightcompany to reach the Salt Lake Valley (see Jenson,History of the Scandinavian Mission, 274).

He was ordained a seventy in 1861, and he mar-ried Anna Rasmussen in 1863 (see Jenson, History ofthe Scandinavian Mission, 274). He resided in SaltLake City before moving to Brigham City, Box ElderCounty, Utah. By 1868, Andrew was residing inFairview, Sanpete County, Utah (see “Fairview Loses

Its Oldest Resident,” Ephraim Enterprise, 19 Febru-ary 1926).

In 1883, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 5 June 1883 andwas assigned to labor in the Copenhagen Conference.After completing an honorable mission, he departedfrom Copenhagen on 7 May 1885 (see Jenson, Historyof the Scandinavian Mission, 273–75, 292).

After returning to Fairview, he retained hismissionary zeal. His biographer wrote that he was “afaithful church worker, . . . with a testimony of theGospel.” Andrew was ordained a high priest in 1902by John B. Maiben. He died in 1926 in Fairview at ageeighty-seven. His funeral was held at the NorthWard chapel in Fairview (see “Fairview Loses ItsOldest Resident,” Ephraim Enterprise, 19 Febru-ary 1926).

Anthony ChristensenAAnntthhoonn CChhrriisstteennsseenn

11884499––11991166

RReessiiddeennccee:: Oak City, Millard Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 9 November 1891MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 16 November 1893DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Majestic

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 20 February 1849BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Østrup, Vognsild, Ålborg amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Sørensdatter, Bodil

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SSppoouussee:: Lovell, Castina (Kirstine) MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 14 April 1873MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Endowment House, Salt Lake

City, Salt Lake Co., UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 28 June 1916DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Oak City, Millard Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Oak City, Millard Co., Utah

Anthony was baptized a member of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

on 4 April 1861. Within a year of his baptism, hebegan the process of immigrating to America. On15 April 1862, he departed from Hamburg, Germany,aboard the Franklin with 413 other passengers. Hewas on the water for six weeks before docking in Cas-tle Garden, New York County, New York. He thenmigrated west with the Christian A. Madsen com-pany, arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on 23 Sep-tember 1862 (see “Christensen Pioneer TravelHeritage,” 1).

Anthony resided in Spanish Fork, Moroni, Mon-roe, Marysville, Gunnison, and Scipio before movingto Oak City, Millard County, in 1870. He served theChurch as a ward teacher, Sunday School teacher,and Sunday School superintendent in the Oak CreekWard (see “Anthony and Castina Christiansen,”26–72).

In 1891, Anthony accepted a mission call to Scan-dinavia. At the time, he had ten children ranging inages from seventeen years to one month old. Hearrived in Copenhagen on 9 November 1891 and wasassigned to labor in the Ålborg Conference, where helabored in the Fredrickshaven Branch (Hjørring amt).He wrote, “I enjoyed my labors, had the privilege ofbaptizing several persons” (“Anthony and CastinaChristiansen,” 72–73).

During the later part of his mission, he rekindledmemories of boyhood days and visited old schoolfriends. “Here I am standing on the hay land thinkingof old times I had while living here with my parents,”he wrote. After serving an honorable mission, he de-parted from Copenhagen on 16 November 1893aboard the Majestic with emigrating Latter-daySaints and other returning missionaries (see Jenson,History of the Scandinavian Mission, 333). When heneared the United States, he penned, “We could seeland . . . with joy in our hearts and tears in our eyes.

Home and friends were on our minds” (“Anthony andCastina Christiansen,” 73).

Approaching Oak City, “I met my sons strungalong the road like rocks and kissed them as I came tothem. I kissed my wife at the gate. We were so happy.”After this cordial greeting, Anthony purchased 160acres north of town, much of which was planted withfruit trees (see “Anthony and Castina Christiansen,”73–74).

He was a member of the 111th Quorum of theSeventy and became its senior president. In 1906, hewas a home missionary in Scipio, Millard County,Utah (see Esshom, Pioneers and Prominent Men ofUtah, 804). Then at age fifty-nine, Anthony re-ceived a second mission call to Scandinavia. “Theward gave me a farewell party. But the day before Iwas to leave I received a letter from the First Presi-dency releasing me from this mission due to my ageand the need for me at home.” The money collectedfor him was given to the ward chorister to buy musicand books for the choir (see “Anthony and CastinaChristiansen,” 74).

Anthony became critically ill in May 1916. Hedied at age sixty-seven. All thirteen of his sons anddaughters attended his funeral (see “Anthony andCastina Christiansen,” 74).

Antone Erastus Christensen11886644––11993300

RReessiiddeennccee:: Fountain Green, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 October 1890

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MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Christiania ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 1 September 1892DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Volo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 24 July 1864BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Moroni, Sanpete Co., UtahFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, Christen AntoneMMootthheerr:: Mortensen, Mette Marie SSppoouussee:: Andersen, Mary JosephineSSppoouussee:: Jensen, Annie Christena

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 11 April 1888MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan Temple, Logan, Cache

Co., UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 18 June 1930DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Shelley, Bingham Co., IdahoBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Shelley, Bingham Co., Idaho

Antone, a resident of Fountain Green, San-pete County, Utah, accepted a mission call

to Scandinavia in 1890. He arrived in Copenhagen on28 October 1890 and was assigned to labor in theChristiania Conference. In June 1892, he and ElderOle Sorensen Jr. spoke in an open-air meeting toabout three hundred people in Gudbrandsdalen(Oppland amt, Norway) (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 323).

According to family tradition, Antone wasasked to train some of the less-experienced mission-aries (see correspondence from Neda Gyllenskog,18 July 2001). He departed from Copenhagenaboard the steamer Volo on 1 September 1892 withtwo other returning missionaries—Andrew G.Johnson and Peter Christensen. These three mission-aries were in charge of fifteen emigrating Latter-day Saints on the voyage from Denmark to Hull,England (see Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 326).

Antone eventually settled in Shelley, BinghamCounty, Idaho, where he was recognized as one of theearly settlers. He attended the Shelley First Ward,but his attendance was sporadic due to several years’illness. Antone died in June 1930 in Shelley at agesixty-five.

Carl Christian Anthon Christensen11883311––11991122

RReessiiddeennccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 16 September 1887MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Copenhagen ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 17 October 1889DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Cameo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 28 November 1831BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Garnison-Copenhagen, Københavns

amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, Mads DuerupMMootthheerr:: Christensdatter, Dorthea Christiane SSppoouussee:: Harby, Eliza Rosalia

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 24 April 1851MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Liverpool, Lancaster, England

SSppoouussee:: Pettersen, Maren Frederikke MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 30 November 1868MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 13 July 1912DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., Utah

Carl grew to manhood in a family that suf-fered from poverty, discouragement, and

his father’s alcoholism. His resourceful mother madepaper silhouettes to entertain her children whenthey had no toys. Following her example, Carl be-came proficient at cutting out paper silhouettes. Atage eleven, he studied art in a state school for thepoor. There he met an influential patron who helpedhim gain admission to the King’s Royal Academy ofArts (see Bitter, “Carl Christian Anthon Chris-tensen,” 2).

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After Carl was baptized a member of The Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 26 September1850, he was so ostracized by his associates at theAcademy of Arts that he gave up his desire to becomean artist. Still, he graduated with high honors in Jan-uary 1853 (see Bitter, “Carl Christian Anthon Chris-tensen,” 2).

Soon after his graduation on 24 January 1853,Carl was ordained a priest and was called on his firstmission—a mission that would be fraught with perse-cution and poverty. He labored in West Sjælland,Sjælland island, Denmark, from January to July 1853.Later that year, he was ordained an elder and wascalled to serve in Norway. There he assisted CanutePeterson. Elder Peterson, discouraged about the lackof success and shortage of funds, was less than enthu-siastic about having Carl as his companion. But whenCarl sold his watch and contributed the money totheir missionary labors, they became friends and hadmuch success. Due to their efforts, a branch of ninemembers was established in Christiania on 8 Decem-ber 1853 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint BiographicalEncyclopedia, 1:378–79).

On 3 March 1854, Carl and his companion werearrested and imprisoned at Drammen (Buskerud amt,Norway). Carl was sentenced to five days on drybread and cold water, which he chose instead of afine. After his release, he was assigned to labor in theFrederikshald Branch (Østfold fylke, formerlySmaalenes amt, Norway). While there, he worked as apainter to pay for food and housing. Because he hadto work, he preached only on Sundays. From Fred-erikshald, he walked nearly three hundred miles oversnow and ice to reach the city of Mandal, Vest-Agderfylke, formerly Mandals amt, Norway. In that city, hewas arrested for preaching the gospel. But this time,instead of sentencing him, police sent learned men todebate with him. As a result of the debate, a numberof people joined the Church and government officialswere persuaded to hold a friendlier attitude towardMormonism (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographi-cal Encyclopedia, 1:378–80).

In September 1855, Carl became president of theChristiania Conference, which included all of Nor-way (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical En-cyclopedia, 1:380). After two years of service aspresident, he immigrated to America in April 1857.

He served as a division captain of the handcart com-pany that arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on 13 Sep-tember 1857—“practically penniless but with faith inGod and hope” (Bitter, “Carl Christian AnthonChristensen,” 4).

In Salt Lake City, Carl’s interest in art was rekin-dled. He obtained employment as a scenery painterfor the Salt Lake Theater (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:380).

In 1865, he accepted a mission call to Norway,where he again presided over the Christiania Con-ference. He supported himself by painting portraits.Upon his release from this mission in May 1868, he re-turned to Utah, where he painted murals for theManti, St. George, and Logan Temples (see Bitter,“Carl Christian Anthon Christensen,” 4).

From 1887 to 1889, Carl served a third missionto Scandinavia, this time as a writer and translatorat the mission office in Copenhagen. Before theterm of this mission was over, Carl’s son Erastus waskilled in an accident in Utah. Knowing he was neededat home, he asked for and received a release on17 October 1889 (see Bitter, “Carl Christian AnthonChristensen,” 5).

After this third and last mission, Carl distin-guished himself as a historian, poet, and painter ofMormon history. To create the collection of Mormonhistory panoramas that was shown in many settle-ments throughout Utah, he interviewed numerouseyewitnesses of Church events and asked their helpwith details (see Bitter, “Carl Christian AnthonChristensen,” 5).

In 1900, Carl was ordained a patriarch in theSouth Sanpete Stake. In 1901, he was assigned towork in the Church Historian’s Office. Much of hiswork serves as the basis for the official Churchhistory of the Scandinavian Saints (see Bitter, “CarlChristian Anthon Christensen,” 5–6). Carl diedin 1912 in Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah, atage eighty.

Charles John Christensen11886611––11992288

RReessiiddeennccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 September 1883MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Christiania ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 15 June 1885DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Panther

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 21 March 1861BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., UtahFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, Carl Christian AnthonMMootthheerr:: Harby, Eliza Rosella SSppoouussee:: Frost, Maria Elizabeth

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 14 April 1886MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan, Cache Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 13 January 1928DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Park Cemetery, Ephraim, Sanpete Co.,

Utah

Charles was the first boy born in Fairview,Sanpete County, Utah. Soon after his birth,

his parents moved with him to Mount Pleasant, San-pete County, where he spent the first nine years of hislife. From Mount Pleasant they moved to Ephraim,Sanpete County (see Christensen, “Charles J. Chris-tensen and Family,” 52).

Charles served three missions—one of them toScandinavia. In 1883, he accepted his first missioncall: to Scandinavia. He arrived in Copenhagen on28 September 1883 and was assigned to labor in theChristiania Conference. He wrote poignant lettersand poems to his wife and two children from the mis-sion field:

To My Wife—Elizabeth Christensen

Oh! Happy Day when we shall meet,Our joy and bliss will be complete.Then never more from you I’ll partThe fond affection of my heart.

Oh! Dearest Wife and Children two,I want to live my life with you.Now in my verse, I wish to sayGod bless my darlings far away. (Christensen, “Charles J. Christensen and Family,” 29)

In another poem, Charles recounted the loneli-ness of a cold Christmas Eve in Norway when he wasobliged to seek shelter in a barn:

Such was the life of a poor Morman [sic] boyThe night before Christmas while others had joyTho the night was unpleasant I thought of the LordAnd knew as His servant I’d get my reward. (Christensen, “Charles J. Christensen and Family,” 27)

Thoughts of the Lord and his family sustainedCharles on this mission. He served as president of theCopenhagen Conference from 1884 to 1885 beforedeparting from Copenhagen on 15 June 1885 aboardthe steamer Panther (see Jenson, History of the Scan-dinavian Mission, 273, 275, 290).

He became known in the Intermountain West byexhibiting a collection of paintings called the“Panorama”—painted by his father, C. C. A. Chris-tensen. He also lectured on Mormon history. Whennot traveling with the paintings, he taught school inEphraim, Sanpete County, and Sterling, SanpeteCounty, and was an agent for the Co-op Wagon andMachine Company (see Christensen, “Charles J.Christensen and Family,” 52).

In 1910, Charles went on a short mission tosouthern Utah. He later served another short missionto the northwestern states. He moved to Salt LakeCity in 1918 and died in 1928 at his home at agesixty-six (see Christensen, “Charles J. Christensenand Family,” 52).

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Christian Anton Christensen11883366––11990077

RReessiiddeennccee:: Fountain Green, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 30 September 1879MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 5 July 1880DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Leo (Cato)

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 20 February 1836BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Tulstrup Mark, Tulstrup, Århus amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Rasmussen Degn, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Rasmusdatter, MarenSSppoouussee:: Mortensen, Mette Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 11 July 1861MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Florence, Douglas Co.,

NebraskaDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 29 September 1907DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Smithfield, Cache Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Smithfield, Cache Co., Utah

Christian Christensen’s father and motherwere lawyers. It was said that his mother was

the better of the two. Christian and most of his familywere baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints on 25 August 1859 by Søren Pe-tersen. Christian immigrated to America with hisbrother, Rasmus Peter Christensen, aboard the Mon-arch of the Sea. At the time, he was twenty-five yearsold and listed his occupation as a farmer (see “Chris-ten Anton Christensen,” 1).

After arriving in America, he moved to Nebraska,where Elder Erastus Snow performed his marriage toMette Mortensen in Florence, Douglas County. Chris-tian and his bride journeyed together to the Salt LakeValley (see “Christen Anton Christensen,” 1).

They settled in Moroni, Sanpete County, for twoyears before moving to Fountain Green, SanpeteCounty. In 1876, while Christian was residing inFountain Green, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 30 September1879 and was assigned to labor in the Århus Confer-ence. After serving an honorable mission, he departedfrom Copenhagen on 5 July 1880 (see Jenson, Historyof the Scandinavian Mission, 238–39, 244).

Upon returning to the States, he built a store atthe south end of Main Street in Fountain Green, wherehe sold general merchandise. He later became one ofthe early independent wool growers of that commu-nity (see “Christen Anton Christensen,” 1).

In 1890, he and his family moved to Shelley,Bingham County, Idaho, where they lived for threeyears before moving to Smithfield, Cache County,Utah. He was a successful farmer and sheep owner inSmithfield. He was known for his skill in caring for ahundred beehives and seldom getting stung (see“Christen Anton Christensen,” 1).

As he grew older, Christian became hard ofhearing and nearsighted (see “Christen Anton Chris-tensen,” 2). He died in 1907 in Smithfield at ageseventy-one.

Christian Lauridsen ChristensenCChhrriissttiiaann LLaarrsseenn

11884411––11990000

RReessiiddeennccee:: Salem, Utah Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 24 September 1886MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 19 July 1888DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Cato

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 23 July 1841BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Ulvgraven, Sankt Hans, Hjørring amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen Høyen, LarsMMootthheerr:: Møller, Else BredahlSSppoouussee:: Frantzen, Grethe Sophia

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 20 December 1869SSppoouussee:: Hansen, Thea

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 16 January 1889DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 17 December 1900DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salem, Utah Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Salem, Utah Co., Utah

71


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Legacy of Sacrifice

In 1870, Christian emigrated from Denmark toAmerica. He settled in Salem, Utah County,

Utah, where he became known as a good farmer. Hewas also known as “a hat lifter to the ladies,” whichevidenced his courteous training in Denmark (seeTaylor, Salem, the City of Peace, 29).

Christian was residing in Salem when he accepteda mission call to Scandinavia in 1886. He arrived inCopenhagen on 24 September 1886 and was assignedto labor in the Ålborg Conference. After serving anhonorable mission, he departed from Copenhagen on19 July 1888 aboard the steamer Cato. Aboard ship, hewas responsible for 113 emigrating Latter-day Saintsand three other returning missionaries. On the voyage,the returning missionaries taught curious passengersabout the restored gospel (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 299–300, 306).

After returning to Utah, Christian and his wifeseparated, probably because he brought home ayounger wife from the mission field. He suffered a dis-abling stroke sometime before his death in 1900 inSalem at age fifty-nine (see Taylor, Salem, the City ofPeace, 27).

Hans Christensen11884400––11992233

RReessiiddeennccee:: Logan, Cache Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 6 May 1884MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 17 October 1884

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 20 February 1840BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Snarup, Rakkebye, Hjørring amt, Denmark

FFaatthheerr:: Laursen, Christen MMootthheerr:: Hansdatter, Gjertrud SSppoouussee:: Poulsen, Johanne Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 1 February 1863MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Pleasant Grove, Utah Co., Utah

SSppoouussee:: Jensen, Johanne CatherineMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 17 July 1876MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 5 February 1923DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Richfield Cemetery, Richfield, Sevier

Co., Utah

Hans attended school in the winter under thetutelage of J. S. Rosendell. During the other

seasons, he was a herd boy. At age sixteen, he leftherding and school to take care of the family farmand to learn the blacksmith trade (see “Autobiogra-phy of Hans Christensen,” 3–4).

As a result of his baptism on 18 May 1861 into TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he be-came estranged from his parents. Hans served twolocal missions in Scandinavia. In his autobiography,he wrote that he spent “many happy hours” teachingthe gospel with his companion, but few were baptized.During these missions, he served as president of theRold (Ålborg amt) and Wiebye branches (see “Auto-biography of Hans Christensen,” 8).

Hans borrowed fifty rigsdaler (about twenty-fivedollars) from his companion’s mother to immigrate toAmerica. He visited his own home before leavingDenmark and was disappointed to still be lookedupon as a prodigal son—except by his mother andsister. This was the last time he ever saw his mother.He departed for America on 6 April 1862 aboard thesteamer City of Berlin (see “Autobiography of HansChristensen,” 8).

After arriving in America, he journeyed with theJohn R. Murdock ox-team company to the Salt LakeValley. He arrived in the valley on 17 September1862. He resided with his brother in Kaysville, DavisCounty, for a time before settling in Milton, MorganCounty, then in Huntsville, Weber County, andfinally in Richfield, Sevier County, in 1873 (see“Autobiography of Hans Christensen,” 8–9).

On 26 March 1884, Hans received a mission callto Scandinavia. Although he was in debt, he gladlyaccepted the call, selling his property to cover missionexpenses. He arrived in Copenhagen on 6 May 1884

and was assigned to labor in the Århus Conference. Inthat conference, he visited his family. His father re-fused to shake his hand even though he hadn’t seenhim for twenty-two years (see “Autobiography ofHans Christensen,” 19).

On the mission, he had difficulty memorizingscriptures. He attributed the difficulty to a head in-jury that had occurred a few years before. Because ofill health, he was released early from an assignment inthe Århus Branch (see “Autobiography of HansChristensen,” 20; diary of Hans Christensen frommission, 1884). He departed from Copenhagen on 17October 1884 (see Jenson, History of the Scandina-vian Mission, 280, 282–83).

Returning to Richfield, Hans served in variouspositions of responsibility, including clerk of theRichfield First Ward and member of the Sevier Stakehigh council. He served his community on the boardof directors for the Richfield Co-op Institution and asa school trustee of the Richfield School District (see“Autobiography of Hans Christensen,” 16).

In 1890, Hans was imprisoned, he said, “for the seri-ous crime of treating my wives, as wives” (“Autobiogra-phy of Hans Christensen,” preface). His incarcerationgave him time to write a richly detailed autobiogra-phy. He died in 1923 in Richfield at age eighty-two.

Jens Christensen 11883388––11991177

RReessiiddeennccee:: Spring City, Utah Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 27 November 1877MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus and Ålborg conferences

DDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 23 June 1879DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Cato

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 16 January 1838BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Toje, Torslev, Hjørring, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Weverstip, Christen JensenMMootthheerr:: Madsdatter, Johanne Marie SSppoouussee:: Olsen, Mary HedwigSSppoouussee:: Estmann (Vertmann, Ertrann), Anna GertrudeSSppoouussee:: Albertson, Maria BodelDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 3 October 1917DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Spring City, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Spring City Cemetery, Spring City,

Sanpete Co., Utah

On 2 June 1861, Jens was baptized a memberof The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints in Denmark by Jens Nielsen. After his baptism,he labored as a local missionary in the VendsysselConference (Hjørring amt) before immigrating toAmerica in 1863 aboard the John J. Boyd. He contin-ued his journey across the plains to reach the Salt LakeValley (see “Jens [James] Christensen,” 1).

Jens settled in Spring City, Sanpete County. In1864, he journeyed to the Missouri River as a Churchteamster to help poor Latter-day Saints reach thevalley. He was endowed on 14 October 1865 inthe Endowment House in Salt Lake City. He served asan elders quorum president and as president of theScandinavian group in Spring City for many years(see “Jens [James] Christensen,” 1).

Jens served two missions to Scandinavia. The firstbegan when he arrived in Copenhagen on 27 No-vember 1877. He served a year in the Århus Confer-ence before presiding over the Ålborg Conference.He departed from Copenhagen on 23 June 1879aboard the steamer Cato (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 361, 363, 366). After return-ing from this mission, he was ordained a seventy on7 August 1884 and called to be a president of theEightieth Quorum of the Seventy (see Mount Pleas-ant Pyramid, 5 October 1917).

Jens served a second mission to Scandinavia inthe Ålborg Conference from 1897 to 1898 (see Jenson,History of the Scandinavian Mission, 361, 363, 366).

After returning to Utah, he was ordained a highpriest on 6 January 1906 by Christian N. Lund (see“Jens [James] Christensen,” 3). He died in 1917 from

73


general debility at his home in Spring City at ageseventy-nine. His funeral services were held in theSpring City Tabernacle. At the funeral, he was recog-nized as “one of the leaders of the Scandinavianpeople in the valley” (Mount Pleasant Pyramid, 5 Oc-tober 1917).

Jens Martin Christensen11884433––11990088

RReessiiddeennccee:: Manassa, Conejos Co., ColoradoAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 4 May 1886MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 7 April 1887DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Panther

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 29 April 1843BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Vester Hammerholt, Hørmested, Hjørring

amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Ovesen, Christen MMootthheerr:: Andersdatter, Kirsten Marie SSppoouussee:: Rasmussen, Maren Johanna

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 28 October 1866MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 7 July 1908DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Murray, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Murray City Cemetery, Murray, Salt

Lake Co., Utah

At age twenty, Jens left his home inHørmested and moved to Copenhagen. In

the city, he was employed as a captain of the Queen’s

Guard and attended Her Majesty on state occasionsand parades. It was during this employ that he metMormon missionaries and was converted to TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He wasthe only one of eight children in Christen Ovesen’sfamily to join the Church. He was baptized in Febru-ary 1866 at age twenty-three (see Mecham, “Historyof Erastus Snow Christensen,” 6).

Jens immigrated to America in 1866 aboardthe clipper ship Kenilworth, sailing from Hamburg,Germany, to New York (see Mecham, “History ofErastus Snow Christensen,” 6). He traveled with 201other Scandinavians across the plains in CaptainAbner Lowry’s pioneer company. It was in thiscompany that he met his future wife, Maren Ras-mussen. She was critically ill with cholera at theirfirst meeting. He carried her, gave her tiny sips ofwater, and held an umbrella over her to shield herfrom the hot sun during the pioneer journey (seeChristensen, “My Grandfather—Jens Martin Chris-tensen,” 1).

Jens married Maren, and they settled in Foun-tain Green, Sanpete County. In that community, theycontended with grasshoppers that destroyed theircrops, and later with Indians in 1866–67. In 1880,they were called by President John Taylor to settle inthe San Luis Valley. They accepted the call and setup a business selling butter, eggs, vegetables, etc., torailroad construction camps in the area. Jens alsoworked as an agent for the Deseret News for aboutfifteen years (see Mecham, “History of Erastus SnowChristensen,” 6, 10).

He was ordained a high priest by BrighamYoung and became a member of the first high councilorganized in the San Luis Valley. He later served as acounselor in the bishopric for fourteen years and assuperintendent of the local Sunday School. Much ofthat time, his wife served as president of the Relief So-ciety. After residing in San Luis Valley for twenty-five years, Jens and his family moved to Manassa,Conejos County, Colorado (see “A Few Notes on theLife of Martin Christensen, Sr.,” 1).

While residing in Manassa, Jens accepted amission call to Scandinavia in 1886. He was one ofthirty-one elders called to Scandinavia that year. Hearrived in Copenhagen on 4 May 1886 and was as-signed to labor in the Ålborg Conference (see Jenson,

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Legacy of Sacrifice

History of the Scandinavian Mission, 299–300). Hepreached in Hjørring and succeeded in baptizing oneof his brothers. He visited Maren’s family in Torrig(Birket Parish, Maribo amt), Lolland island, Denmark,but they rejected him and his message. Her mothersaid of Maren, “I don’t want anything to do with her orher d— religion” (“A Few Notes on the Life of MartinChristensen, Sr.,” 1). After serving an honorablemission, Jens led a group of 108 emigrants and nineother returning missionaries. They departed fromCopenhagen on 7 April 1887 aboard the steamer Pan-ther (see Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission,302).

By 1900, Jens’s health had begun to fail. Hopingto improve his physical well-being, he moved with hiswife to Murray, Salt Lake County, Utah. Jens died on7 July 1908 at the home of his daughter, Avilda, atage sixty-five (see Morgan, “Jens Martin Christensenand Maren Johannah Rasmussen,” 2).

Jens Moller Christensen11884466––11991155

RReessiiddeennccee:: Moroni, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 16 May 1881MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 15 June 1883DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Pacific (Milo)

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 8 January 1846BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Kirkeby, Hornstrup, Vejle amt, Denmark

FFaatthheerr:: Andersen, Christen MMootthheerr:: Jensdatter, Ane Margrete SSppoouussee:: Zakariesen, Ane Kerstine

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 23 June 1867MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: aboard the Manhattan

SSppoouussee:: Andersen, Petra Sophia MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 11 October 1883MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 7 January 1915DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah

Shortly after he was baptized on 31 May 1863,Jens was sent on a local mission for three

years. During this mission, he served as president ofthe Fredericia Conference in 1865 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia, 1:686).

In 1867, Jens and Ane Zakariesen immigrated toAmerica aboard the Manhattan. They crossed theplains with the Leonard G. Rice independent wagoncompany and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on5 October 1867 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Bio-graphical Encyclopedia, 1:686).

Jens and Ane settled in Moroni, Sanpete County,Utah. In that community, Jens served in a number ofChurch callings, including secretary and superinten-dent of the Sunday School, and director of the UnitedOrder from 1875 to 1878. He also served as a memberof the high council of the North Sanpete Stake from1874 to 1877. In 1877, he was elected mayor of Moroni.He later served as the local justice of the peace(see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclo-pedia, 1:686).

In 1881, Jens accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 16 May 1881 andwas assigned to labor in the Århus Conference. Heserved as a traveling missionary before becomingpresident of the conference. He departed fromCopenhagen on 15 June 1883 along with 17 other re-turning missionaries and 503 emigrating Latter-daySaints (see Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 269).

After returning to Utah, Jens was elected mayorof Moroni for two more terms. In 1891, he moved hisfamily to Salt Lake City so his children could have abetter education. In the city, he served as a counselorfirst to Bishop J. W. Bond of the Salt Lake FifteenthWard and later to Bishop Edward T. Ashton of the

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Salt Lake Twenty-fourth Ward (see Esshom, Pioneersand Prominent Men of Utah, 804).

He was president of the J. M. Christensen Pro-duce Company before accepting a mission call to thenorthern states. He began this mission on 11 Septem-ber 1899. In 1905, he was called to preside over theDanish-Norwegian Mission. He served in that capaci-ty until 1907 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Bio-graphical Encyclopedia, 1:686).

He died in 1915 in Salt Lake City at age sixty-eight, one day shy of his sixty-ninth birthday.

John ChristensenTThhyyggee CChhrriissttiiaannsseenn

11884444––11990055

RReessiiddeennccee:: Brigham City, Box Elder Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 4 May 1880; 9 November

1891MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: First date unknown;

22 February 1893DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Bravo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 4 July 1844BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Rolsgård, Astrup, Ålborg amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, (Johan) ChristianMMootthheerr:: Thygesdatter, Mariane SSppoouussee:: Jensen, Louise Dora

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 3 July 1876MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Endowment House, Salt Lake

City, Salt Lake Co., UtahSSppoouussee:: Jensen, Emma Elizabeth

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 4 November 1877MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 24 April 1905DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Brigham City, Box Elder Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Brigham City, Box Elder Co., Utah

John was baptized a member of The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 24 De-

cember 1861 by T. Andersen. He was ordained anelder on 10 April 1878 by Elias Smith.

John, a resident of Brigham City, Box ElderCounty, Utah, accepted his first mission call to Scan-dinavia in 1880. He was one of thirty-four elders

called to Scandinavia that year. He arrived inCopenhagen on 4 May 1880 and was assigned to theÅlborg Conference (see Jenson, History of the Scan-dinavian Mission, 250).

After returning from his mission, he continued toreside in Brigham City pursuing the occupation of amerchant. John was ordained a seventy on 27 Janu-ary 1881.

John served a second mission to Scandinavia in1891. He arrived in Copenhagen on 9 November 1891and was again assigned to labor in the Ålborg Con-ference. After serving an honorable mission, he re-turned from Copenhagen on 22 February 1893aboard the steamer Bravo (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 320, 337).

John died suddenly in 1905 in Brigham City atage sixty. The funeral was held in the Brigham CitySecond Ward (see “Sudden Death,” Deseret EveningNews, 27 April 1905). It was recorded that he “died infull faith” (Brigham Second Ward records, FHL0025805).

Lars Peter ChristensenLLaauurrss PPeetteerr CChhrriisstteennsseenn

11883377––11991188

RReessiiddeennccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 16 May 1881MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 15 June 1883DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Pacific (Milo)

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 17 January 1837BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Møhhusene, Vrejlev, Hjørring amt,

Denmark

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FFaatthheerr:: Laursen, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Hansdatter, GjertrudSSppoouussee:: Lee, Anne Marie Nielsen

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 16 May 1861MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: aboard Monarch of the Sea

SSppoouussee:: Petersen, Ane MarieMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 8 September 1866MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Milton, Morgan Co., Utah

SSppoouussee:: Jacobsen, Karen Jacobina Andrea MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 13 December 1883MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 25 July 1918DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., Utah

Soon after Lars’s baptism in 1858, he was or-dained an elder and called to preside over

the Taars Branch. He later presided over the Harrid-slev (Hjørring amt) Branch. During his years of serv-ice as a local missionary, he baptized eleven convertsbefore immigrating to America in 1861 aboard theMonarch of the Sea. He arrived in the Salt Lake Val-ley with an independent company on 22 September1861 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint BiographicalEncyclopedia, 2:211).

He settled in Kaysville, Davis County, beforemoving to Farmington, Davis County, and then Mil-ton, Morgan County, in 1863. He served as a secondcounselor to Bishop Charles Peterson for twelve yearsin Milton. Civically, he served as a captain of theUtah Territorial Militia in charge of 150 men (seeWarnock, Sevier Stake Memories, 446).

In 1875, Lars moved his family to Richfield, Se-vier County, where he was president of the UnitedOrder from 1876 until it was dissolved in 1881. He wasa farmer, blacksmith, and lumberman, furnishing tiesfor the Union Pacific Railroad (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:211).

In 1881, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 16 May 1881 andwas assigned to labor in the Ålborg Conference. Dur-ing the mission, he was president of the HjørringBranch for a year and baptized forty-one converts.After that presidency, he presided over the ÅlborgConference. He departed from Copenhagen on15 June 1883, bringing with him 122 emigrants (seeJenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclope-dia, 2:211).

In 1889, Lars was sentenced to three months inthe Utah penitentiary for unlawful cohabitation.After his imprisonment, he went into exile as a black-smith in Nevada. While visiting his families in Utah,he was arrested twice by U.S. deputies but was dis-charged on both occasions (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:211). Lars died in1918 in Richfield at age eighty-one.

Mads Frederick Theobald Christensen11883377––11991177

RReessiiddeennccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 13 November 1883MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 15 October 1885DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Cameo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 10 March 1837BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Brogade #6, Vor Frelser-Copenhagen,

Københavns amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen Duerup, Mads MMootthheerr:: Christensdatter, Dorothea Christiane SSppoouussee:: Rasmussen, Kirstine Sophie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 3 June 1861MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., Utah

SSppoouussee:: Larson, Fredrika Olsson MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 26 December 1863MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahSSppoouussee:: Larsen, Jensine Serine

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 7 June 1907MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Denmark

77


DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 14 July 1917DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., Utah

Due to the “heroic efforts” of his mother toovercome the prevailing poverty of her

family, Mads was educated at one of the best freeschools for boys in Denmark called the Ophan. Helater learned the trades of saddler and upholsterer(see “Autobiography of Mads Frederick TheobaldChristensen,” 1–2).

In 1850, when he was thirteen years old, hismother was baptized. Although he wanted to bebaptized at that time, the rules of his trade schooldid not allow such an action. His mother wanted totake her sons to America, but Mads was preventedbecause he was legally bound to his apprentice-ship. In order to go with his mother, Mads had topress charges against his master teacher. Hecharged the teacher with abuse and was allowed toemigrate. As Mads recalls, “The Lord opened theway seemingly to reward me for taking the courageto obey the requirements of the true gospel.” Hewas baptized on 8 April 1853 and then departedwith his family from Denmark on 20 December1853 (see “Autobiography of Mads FrederickTheobald Christensen,” 5).

Soon after arriving in the Salt Lake Valley on5 September 1854 with the Hans Peter Olson wagoncompany, Mads settled in Springville, Utah County.In that community, he endured poverty, starvation,and lice. Then in 1856, he was hired as a saddler inProvo, Utah County. Four years later, he moved toFairview, Sanpete County. He lived in a “hut with theroof made of willows, straw and earth” until he built alog cabin near the dwelling of his brothers Carl andWilliam (“Autobiography of Mads Frederick Theo-bald Christensen,” 10–16).

In 1864, Mads accepted a call from BrighamYoung to settle in Muddy Valley, about one-hundred miles south of St. George, WashingtonCounty, Utah. On the journey to the valley, his tod-dler Freddie was run over by a wagon but recov-ered miraculously. Mads’s growing family enduredpoverty and hardship in the valley. He and hisbrother William built a shingle mill, which theygave to the United Order, along with “machinery,sheep, cows, and farms.” In the valley, he madeforty-four thousand adobe bricks. After the United

Order dissolved, Mads worked for the SingerSewing Machine Company for eight years (see“Autobiography of Mads Frederick TheobaldChristensen,” 17–23).

In 1877, he and his brother C. C. A. Christensenexhibited a series of paintings called the“Panorama,” depicting the history of The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mads owned one-third interest in the “Panorama.” This interest pro-vided a good living until he accepted the positionof principal in the district school in Fairview in1879. He then sold his interest in the exhibit (see“Autobiography of Mads Frederick TheobaldChristensen,” 23).

In October 1883, Mads accepted a mission call toScandinavia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 13 No-vember 1883 and was assigned to labor in the ÅlborgConference. He labored in the editorial departmentas a translator and scribe for the ScandinaviensStjerne (see “Autobiography of Mads FrederickTheobald Christensen,” 25). He departed fromCopenhagen on 15 October 1885 aboard the steamerCameo (see Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 292).

In the fall of 1898, he was called on anothermission to Scandinavia to work as a translator andscribe in the mission office. On this mission, he revisedthe Danish hymnbook and several other Latter-daySaint books and tracts. He recalled that “the twoyears passed pleasantly” (“Autobiography of MadsFrederick Theobald Christensen,” 25).

Less than five years later, he went to Copen-hagen again to do the same kind of work. During thismission, his wife passed away, and he was given theoption to return home. He decided he could not be ofmuch use to his grown children, so he remained inCopenhagen (see “Autobiography of Mads FrederickTheobald Christensen,” 26).

Acting on the counsel of his mission president, heremarried before leaving Denmark in 1907. After re-turning to Utah, he supported his wife and their chil-dren working as a photographer in Mount Pleasant,Sanpete County. Mads died from a buggy injury andsickness in 1917 in Mount Pleasant at age eighty. Hisgranddaughter remembers him as a “very lovingman” who was “gifted in music—loved life verymuch” and who was “intelligent” (correspondencefrom Ruby C. Smith, 30 July 1999).

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Niels Christian Christensen11884477––8866

RReessiiddeennccee:: Levan, Juab Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 1 November 1884MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 2 April 1885 DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 5 February 1847BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Østrup, Vognsild, Ålborg amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Sørensdatter, Bodil SSppoouussee:: Thompson, Johanne Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 5 February 1868MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Gunnison, Sanpete Co., Utah

SSppoouussee:: Thompson, ChristianaMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 8 August 1870MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 5 June 1886DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Levan, Juab Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Levan, Juab Co., Utah

Niels grew up in a prosperous home in Den-mark. His father owned a large farm called

Østrupgaard and had a spacious home, several barns,and outbuildings. Although his family had heardanti-Mormon stories, they invited the missionaries tocome into their home. The family was baptized intoThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints inApril 1861 by C. C. A. Christensen. Niels was fourteenyears old at the time (see “Precious Testimonies: TheEternal Family of Christen and Boletta Christensen,Pioneers of 1862,” 10).

He and his family immigrated to America in1862. They settled in Levan, Juab County, Utah,where Niels fought in the Black Hawk War. He wasinformed of his United States citizenship on 2 May1871 (see “Precious Testimonies,” 13–15).

After being ordained a seventy on 26 January1884, he accepted a mission call to Scandinavia. Afterarriving in Copenhagen on 1 November 1884, he wasassigned to labor in the Århus Conference. While onthis mission, he gave financial aid to many whowanted to immigrate to Zion. His mission was cut shortdue to an accident. A tree fell on him and injured hisback. The damp climate aggravated his condition. Hewas granted an early release in 1885 (see correspon-dence from Mrs. Renon Jones). He departed fromCopenhagen on 2 April 1885 aboard the steamerMilo (see History of the Scandinavian Mission,282–83, 289).

After returning to Utah, he contracted Bright’sdisease and lived only six months. He died in 1886 athis residence in Levan at age forty-one (see “PreciousTestimonies: The Eternal Family of Christen andBoletta Christensen, Pioneers of 1862,” 15).

Otto Edward Wilhelm Thorwald Christensen

11884411––9955

RReessiiddeennccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 27 November 1877MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus and Copenhagen

conferencesDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 23 June 1879DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Cato

79


BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 13 February 1841BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen Duerup, MadsMMootthheerr:: Christensdatter, Dorothea Christiane SSppoouussee:: Christensen, Marianne

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 18 September 1861MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Fairview, Sanpete Co., Utah

SSppoouussee:: Andersen, Maren Annette MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 23 September 1865MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahSSppoouussee:: Petersen, Wilhelmine Severine Pauline

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 9 October 1877MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Manti, Sanpete Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 25 March 1895DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Vernal, Uintah Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Vernal, Uintah Co., Utah

Otto, the brother of C. C. A. and Mads Chris-tiansen, had childhood memories of their

alcoholic father and a life of abject poverty. As ayoung boy, he worked with a harness maker (see Holt,“The Life History of Otto Edward W. T. Chris-tensen,” 1).

His life dramatically changed when he andmany of his family members were baptized on14 October 1850. After his baptism, it was decidedthat Otto would go to America. In 1852, he voyagedin the custody of a missionary aboard the ForestMonarch to reach New York and then crossed theplains with the John Forsgren company to reach theSalt Lake Valley on 30 September 1853 (see Holt,“The Life History of Otto Edward W. T. Christensen,”2). Otto lived in Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah. Hebecame a schoolteacher. Some remembered himplaying the fiddle in theatrical productions andleading the local choir. Others remembered that hefought in the Black Hawk War to protect his com-munity (see Holt, “The Life History of Otto EdwardW. T. Christensen,” 3).

In 1877, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 27 November1877 and was assigned to labor in the Århus Confer-ence. He served as president of the Copenhagen Con-ference from 1878 to 1879 before departing fromCopenhagen on 23 June 1879 aboard the steamerCato (see Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mis-sion, 240).

After his mission, Otto colonized the San LuisValley in Colorado. He is credited with being thefirst postmaster in Manassa, Conejos County, Colo-rado. He later resided in Creede, Mineral County,Colorado, where he entered the hardware businesswithout success. His business was destroyed by firebut was later rebuilt. He served in a stake presi-dency, as stake superintendent of the SundaySchool, and on the local school board. In 1894, hemoved to Vernal, Uintah County, Utah (see Chris-tensen, “William Christensen,” 5). He died in 1895 inVernal at age fifty-four.

Peter Christensen11884455––11991122

RReessiiddeennccee:: Elsinore, Sevier Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 12 September 1882MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 9 June 1884DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 15 February 1845BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Dyrhedenshuse, Volstrup, Hjørring amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Sørensen, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Leissdatter (Siseman), Maren LarsenSSppoouussee:: Jensen, Mette Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 13 November 1865DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 12 December 1912DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Midvale, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Elsinore, Sevier Co., Utah

80

Legacy of Sacrifice

As a child, Peter was apprenticed to a wheel-wright. He was so small at the time that he

had to stand on a trough to put the harness on thehorses (see Warnock, Our Own Sevier, 192).

In 1871, Peter was baptized a member of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and wasordained an elder. He served a local mission until im-migrating to America in 1873. He settled in Richfield,Sevier County, Utah, before moving to Elsinore,Sevier County, in 1875 (see Lund, Scandinavian Jubi-lee Album, 81).

Peter accepted a mission call to Scandinavia in1882. He arrived in Copenhagen on 12 September1882 and was assigned to labor in the Ålborg Con-ference. After completing an honorable mission, hedeparted from Copenhagen on 9 June 1884 aboardthe steamer Milo. On the voyage, he was in chargeof 531 emigrants—406 were Scandinavians (seeJenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission,267–68, 279).

Returning to Utah, he served as second coun-selor to Bishop James I. Jensen from 1888 to 1893before being appointed first counselor. Peter sup-ported his family as an amateur inventor. He de-vised an elevator to hoist goods from one floor toanother, a lazy Susan, and a cart to use in plantinggrain. Civically, he served as the Elsinore townpresident from 1896 to 1897 (see Warnock, OurOwn Sevier, 192).

Peter accepted a second mission to Scandinaviain 1900. He arrived in Copenhagen on 27 November1900 and was assigned to labor in the Ålborg Confer-ence before presiding over the Copenhagen Confer-ence from 1901 to 1902 (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 355, 365, 382, 495). Peterdied in 1912 in Midvale, Salt Lake County, Utah, atage sixty-seven.

Peter Christensen11886622––11990066

RReessiiddeennccee:: Moroni, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 October 1890MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Christiania ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 1 September 1892DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Volo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 5 September 1862BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Moroni, Sanpete Co., UtahFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, Rasmus PeterMMootthheerr:: Swensen, MariaSSppoouussee:: Jensen, Helena

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 2 June 1886MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan Temple, Logan, Cache

Co., UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 20 January 1906DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Sunnyside, Carbon Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Moroni, Sanpete Co., Utah

Peter was born in a flooded dugout in Moroni,Sanpete County, Utah. He was baptized at

age eight (see Christensen, “Peter Christensen,” 1). In 1890, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-

navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 28 October1890 and was assigned to labor in the ChristianiaConference. He served in the district of Hedemarkenand later the city of Trondhjem, Norway. After serv-ing an honorable mission, he departed from Copen-hagen on 1 September 1892 aboard the steamer Volo(see Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission,316–17, 326).

Returning to Utah, he served an additional mis-sion lasting six months in Logan, Cache County. Helater served as a Sunday School teacher in Moroni,Sanpete County. He and his brother James had a cat-tle ranch in Moroni called Christiansen Brothers. To-gether they built a store, a post office, and anotherranch in Scofield, Carbon County (see Christensen,“Peter Christensen,” 1).

In 1906, Peter was killed in a snowslide whiletaking out props for a coal mine. He was in the presi-dency of the Thirty-seventh Quorum of the Seventyat the time of his death at age forty-three. He left be-hind a widow and nine children, who rememberedhim as a kind and patient man (see Christensen,“Peter Christensen,” 1).

81


Peter Christian ChristensenPPeeddeerr CChhrriissttiiaann CChhrriisstteennsseenn

11883300––11990088

RReessiiddeennccee:: Manti, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 May 1872MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 18 June 1874DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo (Humber)

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 8 June 1830BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Aså, Dronninglund, Hjørring amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Nielsen, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Christiansdatter, AnneSSppoouussee:: Sorensen, Ane Christine (Kirstine)

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 1849MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Denmark

SSppoouussee:: Christensen, Ane Margrethe MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 4 December 1854MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Denmark

SSppoouussee:: Michaelson, Fredrikka MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: May 1869MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 24 November 1908DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., Utah

As a child, Peter helped support his family.After his baptism on 24 October 1859 by

Niels M. Peterson, he served a local mission in theVendsyssel Conference for one year. He then immi-grated to America in 1861 (see Vest, “Peter ChristianChristensen,” 1).

He resided in various locations in Utah includingPleasant Grove, Utah County; Salina, Sevier County;Manti, Sanpete County; and Mayfield, SanpeteCounty. He claimed his many moves were due to In-dians destroying his crops and stealing his cattle. Tostop these problems, he accepted the commission ofFirst Lieutenant in the Black Hawk War (see Vest,“Peter Christian Christensen,” 2).

Peter served three missions to Scandinavia. Thefirst was in 1872. He arrived in Copenhagen on28 May 1872 and was assigned to preside over theÅlborg Conference. After honorably completingthis mission, he departed from Copenhagen on18 June 1874. His second mission was also served inScandinavia. From 1891 to 1893, he presided overthe Hjørring Branch. From 1895 to 1897, he servedin the Copenhagen Conference (see Jenson, Historyof the Scandinavian Mission, 211, 215, 219, 326,346, 359).

Between missions, Peter served in the Sixty-fifthQuorum of the Seventy. He was ordained a highpriest on 2 May 1900 by G. B. Mablen and was alsocalled to be a ward teacher. He earned a living as amail carrier, farmer, and sheep raiser (see Vest, “PeterChristian Christensen,” 1).

While escorting a young woman from the trainstation, Peter took a bullet in his arm to save her frombeing murdered by a rejected lover. As a result, helost his arm below the elbow. After the accident, hecontinued to deliver mail and passengers from May-field and Gunnison depots, a distance of eleven milesround-trip. He met all trains with horse and buggyregardless of the weather. He died in 1908 at ageseventy-eight after slipping on an icy railroad trackand being run over by a train (see Vest, “Peter Christ-ian Christensen,” 2).

His granddaughter said of him, “Grandfatherhad a very pleasing personality. He was always sur-rounded with friends. He was a firm believer in thegospel and spent much time and money working forit” (Vest, “Peter Christian Christensen,” 1).

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Legacy of Sacrifice

Simon Christensen11884466––11993355

RReessiiddeennccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 4 May 1880MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 16 June 1882DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Albano (Bravo)

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 13 August 1846BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Stensbøck, Bindslev, Hjørring amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Simonsen, Christen MMootthheerr:: Jensdatter, Anne SSppoouussee:: Jensen, Birthe Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 22 July 1872MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Endowment House, Salt Lake

City, Salt Lake Co., UtahSSppoouussee:: Jensen, Mette Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 1915MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Manti, Sanpete Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 30 June 1935DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Manti, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Richfield, Sevier Co., Utah

Simon was a member of the Lutheran Churchwhen he began investigating the teachings of

Mormonism. “I had a heavenly influence come overme to join the Church. This testimony which I re-ceived on that occasion has stayed with me throughmy long life,” he wrote (correspondence from Gwen C.Jackman, 26 June, 1999). He was baptized on 28 June1867 by Hans Jensen Hals (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:753–54).

Soon after his baptism, he was ordained an elderon 1 September 1867 and was called to serve a localmission in the Ålborg Conference. During this mission,

he met the woman he would later marry, Birthe MarieJensen. His missionary companion, who was releaseda year before Simon, was going to propose to Birthe,but she could not afford to immigrate to the UnitedStates at that time. Simon advised his companion tomarry another girl who had the needed funds to emi-grate. Birthe remained single until Simon was re-leased (see correspondence from Simon Christensen,29 September 1931).

After borrowing eighty-six dollars, Simon emi-grated from Copenhagen to Hull, England, aboard thesteamer Humber. After crossing England by rail, he em-barked for America at Liverpool on the steamerNevada. Once in the United States, he crossed the con-tinent by rail and arrived in Salt Lake City on 27 Sep-tember 1871. He married Birthe in the EndowmentHouse in 1872 (see letter to Clara C. Dalley from SimonChristensen, September, 1931, Manti, Utah). Theyresided in Salt Lake City. In the city, Simon was a “mis-sionary stone-cutter” for the Salt Lake Temple (Lund,Scandinavian Jubilee Album, 82).

In 1874, he and Birthe moved to Richfield, SevierCounty. In that community, Simon participated in theUnited Order until it dissolved. He worked in ZCMIas a clerk and later as superintendent. From themoney earned, he acquired a forty-acre farm (seeFlake, Portrait, Genealogical and BiographicalRecord of Utah, 293).

He interrupted his farming career to accept amission call to Scandinavia in 1880. At the time, hehad three small daughters ages seven, five, and three,and his wife was expecting another child. There wasonly one sack of flour and forty cents in the housewhen Simon left Richfield bound for Denmark (seecorrespondence from Gwen C. Jackman, 26 June1999). He arrived in Copenhagen on 4 May 1880 andwas assigned to preside over the Ålborg Conference.After serving an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 16 June 1882 (see Jenson, History ofthe Scandinavian Mission, 265).

Returning to Richfield, Simon worked as amason, store employee, farmer, and dairyman. Hewas a member of the city council for ten years, wason the school board for ten years, and was a justice ofthe peace for twenty-three years. He was also asso-ciated with the irrigation projects of Sevier County,promoting and developing the reservoir systemsin Central Utah (see Jenson, Latter-day SaintBiographical Encyclopedia, 2:753–54). He was a

83


counselor in four bishoprics and a member of the Se-vier Stake high council (see Warnock, Sevier StakeMemories, 446).

Simon served a second mission to Denmark from26 October 1907 to 19 January 1909. In 1916, he wasan ordinance worker in the Manti Temple. Six yearslater he was appointed to be the doorkeeper andrecorder in that temple (see Warnock, Sevier StakeMemories, 446). He held the position until 1933 whenhe had to quit because of illness (see “Funeral HeldWednesday for Old Resident,” Richfield Reaper,4 July 1935). Simon died in 1935 in Manti, SanpeteCounty, at age eighty-eight.

Thomas Christian Christensen (Fautin)11882255––9955

RReessiiddeennccee:: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 5 November 1881MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 15 June 1883DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Pacific (Milo)

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 17 June 1825BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Tranholm, Torslev, Hjørring amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christensen, ChristenMMootthheerr:: Thomasdatter, MarenSSppoouussee:: Olesdatter, Inger Cathrine

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 4 November 1857MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Elling, Hjørring amt, Denmark

SSppoouussee:: Davidson, Mary Diantha Catherine MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 13 June 1868

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 17 July 1895DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Mount Pleasant, Sanpete Co., Utah

Thomas was also known as Thomas C. Chris-tensen Fautin. He was drafted into the Danish

military. After his discharge he met his wife, and in1859 Mormon elders presented the gospel to them.They accepted the gospel message and were baptizedbefore immigrating to America aboard the WilliamTapscott. They pulled a handcart to Zion and arrivedin Salt Lake City on 29 August 1860. They lived inSalt Lake City before moving to Mount Pleasant,Sanpete County, Utah (see Carter, Treasures of Pio-neer History, 3:160–61).

Thomas was a farmer, one of many who sufferedwhen the crickets ate his crops. To supplement his in-come, he made molasses, and his wife wove clothing(see Carter, Treasures of Pioneer History, 3:160–61).

He accepted a mission call to Scandinavia in 1881.He arrived in Copenhagen on 5 November 1881 andwas assigned to labor in the Ålborg Conference. Aftercompleting an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 15 June 1883 (see Jenson, History ofthe Scandinavian Mission, 262, 264, 269). Thomasdied in 1895 in Mount Pleasant at age seventy.

Joseph Christenson11886655––11994477

RReessiiddeennccee:: Gunnison, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 September 1886MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Skåne ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 27 September 1888

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BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 19 April 1865BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: American Fork, Utah Co., UtahFFaatthheerr:: Christenson, JohnMMootthheerr:: Harling, Johanna SSppoouussee:: Brown, Lillian Rachel

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 24 September 1890MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan, Cache Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 17 November 1947DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake


At his birth, Joseph’s mother consecratedhim to the Lord. He spent his life fulfilling

that consecration by serving the Lord in any callinghe received. He was born into a polygamous familythat nearly starved during the grasshopper plaguein Gunnison, Sanpete County, Utah. Although theyhad no money, they were rich in faith. For example,after his mother pled with the Lord for bread, aneighbor came to their door with biscuits andtwenty-five pounds of flour (see Utah GenealogicalMagazine, October 1937, 147). In better times,Joseph played baseball and played the horn in aband. He was ordained a Seventy at the age ofeighteen (see correspondence from Shauna Sargent,7 September 1999).

Joseph served a mission to Scandinavia from1886 to 1888. He arrived in Copenhagen on 28 Sep-tember 1886 and was assigned to labor in the SkåneConference. He served this mission “without purse orscrip,” relying on the generosity of the Swedish peo-ple. On one occasion, he was asked to speak in aLutheran church. His words were well received. Hespoke four or five languages fluently (see correspon-dence from William Ickes, 7 July 1999). A number ofpeople joined the Church as a result of his missionaryefforts. After completing an honorable mission, hedeparted from Copenhagen on 27 September 1888(see Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission,299–300, 306).

In the spring of 1889, he was called to Salt LakeCity on a political mission and asked to vote in orderto keep the city from the “clutches of the anti-Mormons.” After the election, he served a home mis-sion in the Salt Lake Stake from 1890 to 1896 (seeUtah Genealogical Magazine, October 1937, 148).He then began selling sewing machines and workingfor the Church.

In 1893, he was hired to work in the Salt LakeTemple as a recorder—a direct answer to hisprayers. An avid genealogist, Joseph helped JosephFielding Smith establish the Genealogical Societyof Utah in 1894. He served as vice president of thesociety for thirty-seven years, a tenure unsurpassedat the time. He served as a home missionary againfrom 1897 to 1902 and as bishop of the Salt LakeTenth Ward for over twenty years. He was set aparton 12 June 1929 as second counselor in the Salt LakeTemple presidency and as first counselor on 10 June1935 (see Utah Genealogical Magazine, October1937, 148).

Joseph is also remembered as a faithful journalwriter. He recorded nearly forty volumes of his lifeexperiences. He died in 1947 in Salt Lake City at ageeighty-two.

Christian Johan ChristiansenCChhrriissttiiaann JJoohhaann SSøørreennsseenn

11885555––11992277

RReessiiddeennccee:: Fountain Green, Sanpete Co., UtahMMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus ConferenceAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 12 September 1882DDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 9 June 1884DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Milo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 17 April 1855BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Solbjergmark, Tiset, Århus amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christiansen, SørenMMootthheerr:: Loft, Caroline Theodora

85


SSppoouussee:: Oldroyd, Ellen JaneMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 29 May 1876MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 26 December 1927DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Fountain Green, Sanpete Co., Utah

Christian immigrated to Utah with his par-ents in 1860, sailing across the Atlantic

aboard the William Tapscott. He settled with hisfamily in Fountain Green, Sanpete County, Utah, in1861. He was baptized in May 1864 in Fountain Greenby William Huggens and was ordained an elder on24 May 1876 (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Bio-graphical Encyclopedia, 2:577).

In 1882, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 12 September1882 and was assigned to labor in the Århus Confer-ence. He served in the Vejle (Vejle amt) and Esbjerg(Ribe amt) branches before departing from Copen-hagen on 9 June 1884 aboard the steamer Milo withemigrating Latter-day Saints (see Jenson, History ofthe Scandinavian Mission, 279).

After returning to Utah, Christian was ordaineda high priest and was called to serve in the MantiTemple from 1888 to 1889. He was sustained as thefourth bishop of the Fountain Green Ward on 22 No-vember 1890. He also served as superintendent of theFountain Green Sunday School, ward teacher, andmember of the town council (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:577). He died in1927 in Salt Lake City at age seventy-two.

Frederick Julius ChristiansenFFrreeddeerriikk JJuuuull CChhrriissttiiaannsseenn

11882266––11992200

RReessiiddeennccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 2 May 1883MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 17 October 1884DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Bravo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 25 December 1826BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Hjørring, Hjørring amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Ruth, Christian Fredericksen MMootthheerr:: Christensdatter, MarenSSppoouussee:: Larsen, Johanna Marie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 2 May 1854MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Denmark

SSppoouussee:: Andersen, Kirstine Marie MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 13 January 1856MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: aboard John J. Boyd

SSppoouussee:: Jensen, Kirstine MarieMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 16 July 1864

SSppoouussee:: Larsen, Else MargretheMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 25 January 1868

SSppoouussee:: Poulson, MargaretMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 17 June 1880MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Manti, Sanpete Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 16 March 1920DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., Utah

In his youth, Frederick received a common edu-cation and learned carpentry and the trade of

making spinning wheels. During the war between Den-mark and Germany, he was drafted into the militaryand fought in the historic battles of Isted and Schleswigand was wounded in the leg (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:569).

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Frederick was baptized on 4 June 1853 in Den-mark by Peter Christian Jensen, against the wishes ofhis father (see “Autobiography of Frederick JuliusChristiansen,” 1). Soon after his baptism, he served alocal mission in the Vendsyssel Conference. In 1854,he married, and then continued his missionary workin and around the city of Sæby (Hjørring County). In1855, his wife died, and he suffered a serious illness forsix months. Despite these trials, he did not stop hismissionary efforts. He immigrated to the UnitedStates on 25 November 1855 (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:569).

Aboard the John J. Boyd, Frederick marriedagain. The newlyweds continued their journey to-wards Utah with the Canute Peterson Company andarrived in Salt Lake City on 20 September 1856.They settled in Brigham City, Box Elder County,where Frederick was a cooper and a maker of spin-ning wheels. In 1858, he moved his family to Ephraim,Sanpete County. In 1878, his family pioneered thecommunity of Mayfield, Sanpete County, whereFrederick was a school trustee (see “Autobiographyof Frederick Julius Christiansen,” 2–6).

In 1883, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 2 May 1883 andwas assigned to labor in the Ålborg Conference. Hewrote in his personal history that “the people [in thatconference] were just too prejudiced, and they gener-ally believed that one denomination was as good asanother” (“Autobiography of Frederick Julius Chris-tiansen,” 6). At the close of his mission, he departedfrom Copenhagen on 17 October 1884 aboard thesteamer Bravo (see Jenson, History of the Scandina-vian Mission, 275, 280).

In 1888, Frederick was sentenced to prison for un-lawful cohabitation. He served a four-month prisonterm in the Utah penitentiary and paid a fine of fiftydollars (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint BiographicalEncyclopedia, 2:570). After his release, he returnedto Mayfield to care for his farm and do some carpen-try work.

He continued to work in the local ward and Sun-day School “till I was released on account of old age.”He is remembered for frequently performing ordi-nance work in the Manti Temple at the end of his life.He wrote, “I have been to the Temple 269 times to beendowed and several times to have baptism done”(“Autobiography of Frederick Julius Christiansen,” 7).He died in 1920 in Mayfield at age ninety-three.

Fredrick N. ChristiansenFFrreeddeerriikk NNiieellsseenn

11884444––11993300

RReessiiddeennccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 4 May 1885MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Copenhagen ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 21 June 1886DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Otto

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 25 August 1844BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Østrup, Kirkerup, Københavns amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christiansen, NielsMMootthheerr:: Jensdatter, AnnaSSppoouussee:: Peterson, Karen


UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 29 March 1930DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., Utah

Fredrick was baptized a member of The Churchof Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 27 April

1875 in Denmark. He was ordained an elder by H. F.Peterson. Soon after his ordination, he immigrated tothe United States and settled in Ephraim, SanpeteCounty, Utah (see Ephraim South Ward Records,FHL #25,935).

On 7 August 1884, he was ordained a seventy byJohn F. F. Dorius (see Ephraim West Ward Records).In 1885, he accepted a mission call to Scandinavia.He arrived in Copenhagen on 4 May 1885 and wasassigned to serve in the Copenhagen Conference. Aftercompleting an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 21 June 1886 aboard the steamer Ottoalong with 290 emigrating Latter-day Saints and 10other missionaries. It was a stormy voyage marked byillness and death among the passengers (see Jenson,History of the Scandinavian Mission, 297).

Fredrick served a second mission to Scandinaviain 1901. He arrived in Copenhagen on 5 May 1901and was appointed to labor in the Århus Conference(see Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission,385–86).

He returned to Ephraim. He worked as a blacksmithduring his lifetime. He died at his home in 1930 at ageeighty-five after suffering from chronic heart trouble.

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Hans Jacob Christiansen11884488––11992233

RReessiiddeennccee:: Logan, Cache Co., UtahAArrrriivvaallss iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 4 May 1880; 20 April 1885MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Copenhagen Conference; Chris-

tiania ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurreess ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 August 1882;

19 June 1888DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Argo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 9 January 1848BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: St. Jørgensbjerg, Københavns amt,

DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Hansen, Christian MMootthheerr:: Jacobsdatter, Margrethe SSppoouussee:: Steffensen, Nikoline Emilie

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 1870 MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Roskilde, Københavns amt,

DenmarkSSppoouussee:: Larsen, Laura M.

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 28 October 1872SSppoouussee:: Haroldsen, Elise Anne

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 17 January 1875MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan, Cache Co., Utah

SSppoouussee:: Larsen, Inger MarieMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 30 August 1883MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 27 May 1923DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake


Hans was reared by his grandparents. Hisgrandfather was a sailor and encouraged

him to follow this occupation. Hans became a deckboy on the Valkyrien when he was fifteen years old.He visited South America and other ports and at onepoint had a narrow escape with a shark. In New YorkCity, he contracted typhoid, and he was also robbedof his money and clothing. After this incident, he washired on an American ship and saw the northern partof North America and had a “very hard experience”before returning to Denmark (Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:202).

When Hans was eighteen, his father died, leavinghis mother with six children to raise. Hans acceptedwork at the post office in Roskilde in hopes of support-

ing his family. At age twenty-one, he was appointed acorporal in the Danish army. During his military stint,he married Nikoline Steffensen, who died soon aftergiving birth to a daughter. Seeking solace, he turned tohis mother, who had converted to Mormonism. Sheconvinced Hans to speak with the Mormon missionar-ies. He was baptized on 26 December 1871 in Copen-hagen by Martin Williamsen (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:202).

In June 1872, he immigrated to America with396 other Latter-day Saints aboard the Nevada.After arriving in New York Harbor, he continued hisjourney to the Salt Lake Valley. There he supportedhimself by making saddles and harnesses. He marriedLaura M. Larsen, and on their wedding day he was or-dained an elder. In 1873 he moved his family toLogan, Cache County, Utah (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:202).

In 1880, Hans accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 4 May 1880 andwas assigned to be president of the CopenhagenBranch, and later president of the Copenhagen Con-ference. While on this mission, he “endured manyhardships and trials, witnessed numerous marvelousmanifestations of the power of God and baptizedeighty-seven persons” (Jenson, Latter-day Saint Bio-graphical Encyclopedia, 2:202). He departed fromCopenhagen on 28 August 1882 aboard the steamerArgo (see Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 250, 257, 265).

Upon returning to Logan, he resumed his trade.He served as an ordinance worker in the Logan Tem-ple from 1884 to 1885. In 1885, Hans accepted a secondmission call to Scandinavia—this time as presidentof the Christiania Conference, which included all ofNorway. On the three-year mission, he was taken tocourt several times for preaching the gospel and wasstrongly opposed by the Lutheran clergy. In spite ofthe opposition, he baptized 126 people before return-ing to Logan in July 1888 (see Jenson, Latter-day SaintBiographical Encyclopedia, 2:202).

In 1893, he again journeyed to Scandinavia aspresident of the Christiania Conference. A year later,he learned that his wife Laura and his daughter Emi-lie had died. Despite his grief, he continued on the mis-sion and baptized sixty-four converts before departingfrom Norway in August 1895 (see Jenson, Latter-daySaint Biographical Encyclopedia, 2:202).

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Hans labored in a number of Church positions inUtah, including serving in the presidency of theThirty-second Quorum of the Seventy, before servinga fourth mission to Scandinavia in 1902 as presidentof the Copenhagen Conference. He made manyfriends on this mission and baptized fifty-four con-verts. He returned to Logan in 1905. In October 1905,he was called on his fifth mission as a special mission-ary to the Scandinavian Saints throughout theChurch. From 1906 to 1914, he also served as editor ofthe Bikuben, a Danish newspaper published in SaltLake City for Scandinavian Church members (seeJenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia,2:202). He died in 1923 in Salt Lake City at ageseventy-five.

John Erick Christiansen11885511––8844

RReessiiddeennccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 2 December 1876MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Ålborg ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 7 September 1878DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Bravo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 29 September 1851BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: 231 Adelgade, Trinitatis-Copenhagen,

Københavns amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Christiansen, Christian MMootthheerr:: Bruhn, Christine Marie SSppoouussee:: Petersen, Georgine Dorcas


Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 21 December 1884DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., Utah

John is believed to be the first son born toLatter-day Saint parents in Scandinavia. His

parents were listed as members of the Church in hisLutheran birth record. In 1852, when he was one yearold, his parents immigrated to Utah, arriving in SaltLake City on 30 September 1853. From there, thefamily moved to Ephraim, Sanpete County, in 1860.John was baptized at age eight. He later served in theSunday School and as a district school teacher as wellas a stonemason in Ephraim (see Our Yesterdays, AHistory of Ephraim, Utah, 1854–1979, 115–17; Lund,Scandinavian Jubilee Album, 83).

In 1876, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 2 December1876 and was assigned to labor in the Ålborg Confer-ence. After “laboring with much success,” he departedfrom Copenhagen on 7 September 1878 aboard thesteamer Bravo (Jenson, History of the ScandinavianMission, 226–27).

John died in 1884 in Ephraim at age thirty-three.He left behind a wife and four children.

Joseph Christiansen11885544––9955

RReessiiddeennccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 1 May 1891MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Århus ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 11 May 1893

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BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 17 August 1854BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UtahFFaatthheerr:: Christiansen, Niels Christian MMootthheerr:: Mortensen, CatherineSSppoouussee:: Peterson, Hannah Mettetirine

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 31 January 1875MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Ephraim, Sanpete Co., Utah

DDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 6 March 1895DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Mayfield, Sanpete Co., Utah

Joseph was baptized at age eight and grew upin Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. In 1876, he

was a pioneer settler in Mayfield, Sanpete County. Hedevoted himself to building the community andserved as manager of the Mayfield co-op from 1880 to1891 (see History of Sanpete and Emery Counties,Utah, 540).

Shortly after the birth of a daughter in 1891,Joseph was called on a mission to Scandinavia. Heaccepted this call “with all his heart.” On 1 May1891, he arrived in Copenhagen and was appointedto preside over the Århus Conference. Six monthsafter leaving home, he learned that his baby daugh-ter had died (see “Joseph Christiansen,” 1). In spite ofthe tragedy, he continued his term as president ofthe conference. The last eleven months of his mission,he was president of the Scandinavian Mission, whichincluded Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. In thisposition, he generously paid for the passage of sev-eral Latter-day Saints to immigrate to America.Joseph departed from Copenhagen on 11 May 1893(see Jenson, History of the Scandinavian Mission,319, 322, 325–27).

When he returned to Mayfield, he found that therejoicing was mixed with sorrow over the loss of hisdaughter, although all agreed it was God’s will. Hereestablished himself as a businessman by purchasinga co-op store. He was also a leader in the irrigationeffort as well as in other local affairs. He was a stock-holder and director in the C. Andrews Company ofNephi, and a Sunday School superintendent for four-teen years (see History of Sanpete and Emery Coun-ties, Utah, 540). In 1888, he was ordained a high priestand called to be second counselor to Bishop Ole C.Olesen (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint BiographicalEncyclopedia, 4:370).

In 1894, he and his wife were blessed with an-other daughter, but she lived only three weeks. Againtheir grief was tempered by their faith in God’s will.This was not the end of their sorrows. Joseph con-tracted Bright’s disease and never recovered (see“Joseph Christiansen,” 1). He died in 1895 in Mayfieldat age forty-one.

Rasmus Erastus ChristoffersenRRaassmmuuss CChhrriissttoopphheerrsseenn

11883377––11991100

RReessiiddeennccee:: Lynne, Weber Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 16 May 1881MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Copenhagen ConferenceDDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 11 May 1883DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Bravo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 23 December 1837BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Sillestrup, Idestrup, Maribo amt, DenmarkFFaatthheerr:: Rasmussen, Christopher MMootthheerr:: Clausdatter, KarenSSppoouussee:: Bosen, Bodil Christine Jensen

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 13 September 1863MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co.,

UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 17 September 1910DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: Lynne, Weber Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Ogden Cemetery, Ogden, Weber Co.,

Utah

At age twenty-one, Rasmus was baptized on8 February 1859 at Sillestrup, Denmark.

He labored as a local missionary from 1859 to 1861 in

Jutland before immigrating to Utah in 1861 (seeJenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclo-pedia, 2:262).

He settled in Salt Lake City until being called toestablish a settlement in Circle Valley, SevierCounty, in 1863. Due to Indian troubles in that area,the settlement was abandoned until peace could beestablished (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographi-cal Encyclopedia, 2:262).

In 1866, he and his family were sent to Bingham’sFort (later called Lynne) near Ogden, Weber County.During his first years in that community, Rasmusfought in the Black Hawk War from 1864 to 1867 (seeJenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia,2:262).

In 1881, he accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 16 May 1881 andwas assigned to labor in the Copenhagen Conference.After serving an honorable mission, he departed fromCopenhagen on 11 May 1883 aboard the steamerBravo with eleven emigrating Latter-day Saints andthree other missionaries (see Jenson, History of theScandinavian Mission, 269).

Returning to Utah, Rasmus served as a consta-ble for four years, a water master for twenty-sixyears, a juror for seven years, and a school trusteefor six years. He also served as a counselor in theLynne Ward bishopric for thirty-one years from1877 to 1908. For his service to the ward, he wasgiven a beautiful armchair as a token of remem-brance (see Jenson, Latter-day Saint BiographicalEncyclopedia, 2:262).

Rasmus was a partial invalid for several yearsafter suffering a stroke. He died in 1910 at his homeat age seventy-two. His biographer wrote of him,“Thousands of travelers, beside the local residentswho have been in need, have had their wants liber-ally supplied through the kindness and hospitality of[Rasmus]” (Jenson, Latter-day Saint BiographicalEncyclopedia, 2:262).

Peter Olofsson CronquistPPeehhrr OOllooffssssoonn

11882288––11990022

RReessiiddeennccee:: Logan, Cache Co., UtahAArrrriivvaall iinn CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 28 September 1890MMiissssiioonnaarryy llaabboorrss:: Skåne Conference DDeeppaarrttuurree ffrroomm CCooppeennhhaaggeenn:: 11 June 1891DDeeppaarrttuurree sshhiipp:: Volo

BBiirrtthh ddaattee:: 1 September 1828BBiirrtthhppllaaccee:: Kialfhusen, Östra Strö, Malmöhus län,

SwedenFFaatthheerr:: Nilsson, Olof MMootthheerr:: Tufvasdotter, Karna SSppoouussee:: Wirfets, Anna Wilhelmina Ottosson

MMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 17 July 1853MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Lund, Malmöhus län, Sweden

SSppoouussee:: Pehrsson, ElnaMMaarrrriiaaggee ddaattee:: 9 September 1891MMaarrrriiaaggee ppllaaccee:: Logan Temple, Logan, Cache

Co., UtahDDeeaatthh ddaattee:: 30 October 1902DDeeaatthh ppllaaccee:: North Logan, Cache Co., UtahBBuurriiaall ppllaaccee:: Logan, Cache Co., Utah

After the death of his father, Pehr moved toLund and was apprenticed to a stonemason.

At age twenty-five, he married Anna Wirfets, who wasforty-three and had four children by a previous mar-riage. The oldest of her children was only five yearsyounger than Pehr (see “Peter Olofsson Cronquist,” 1–2).

In 1862, Pehr’s stepson Carl was baptized into TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The restof the family followed in 1863 and 1864. Pehr wasbaptized on 25 April 1863 in Malmö, Sweden, byS. Nilsson. In June 1866, he and his family sailed on

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either the Cavour or the Humbolt to America. Theysettled in Logan, Cache County, Utah (see “PeterOlofsson Cronquist,” 2).

In 1890, Pehr accepted a mission call to Scandi-navia. He arrived in Copenhagen on 28 September1890 and was assigned to labor in the Skåne Confer-

ence. At the conclusion of this mission, he departedfrom Copenhagen on 11 June 1891 aboard the steamerVolo with forty-two emigrating Saints and threeother returning missionaries (see Jenson, History ofthe Scandinavian Mission, 316, 319). Pehr died in1902 in North Logan at age seventy-four.

carl john capson - religious studies centerrsc.byu.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/pdf/03-c.pdf ·...

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