NIELSEN, Jens Christian b. 10 Aug 1830 Fåborg, Ribe, Denmark d. 26 Dec 1920 Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, United States

1830 - 1920 (90 years)

Name	NIELSEN, Jens Christian
Birth	10 Aug 1830	Fåborg, Ribe, Denmark [4, 5, 6]
Christening	15 Aug 1830	Fåborg, Ribe, Denmark
Gender	Male
WAC	1 Jan 1861
_TAG	Reviewed on FS
Death	26 Dec 1920	Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, United States [4, 6]
Burial	29 Dec 1920	Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, United States
Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
Person ID	I51423	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

Family ID F25714 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Family ANDERSEN, Ane Maria , b. 16 Jun 1837, Dronninglund, Nordjylland, Denmark Dronninglund, Nordjylland, Denmarkd. 28 May 1872, Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, United States (Age 34 years)

Marriage 2 Oct 1856 Cottonwood, Salt Lake, Utah, United States [7]

Children

+	1. NELSON, Joseph , b. 30 Dec 1861, Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, United States Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, United Statesd. 30 Dec 1955, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 94 years)

Family ID F7933 Group Sheet | Family Chart

Last Modified 24 Jan 2022

Photos » Slide Show		Jens Christian Nelson.jpg
		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

Notes

Little education, poor family. At 17 apprenticed to cork cutter. At 21 joined LDS church. Missionary in Denmark, Germany, U.S. – persecuted. Pres. of Danish saints in St. Louis. Cooper, farming. Many civic jobs. Served 30 years in Manti temple. Serious.

Jens Christian Nielsen
(Husband to Ane Marie/Anna Maria Andersen, sister of Peter Christian Andersen)
His journal is written in Danish, one of his sons translated it. It is available at the LDS Church History Library.
BIRTHDATE: 10 August 1830, Faaborg, Faaborg Sagen, Ribe County, Denmark
DEATH: 26 December 1920, Moroni, Sanpete County, Utah, 90 years old, buried in Moroni, Utah
PARENTS: Niels Jensen and Maren Jeppeson
PIONEER: Canute Petersen Company arrived in Salt Lake Valley September 22, 1856
SPOUSE: #1 Ane Marie/Anna Maria Andersen, married 2 October 1856, died 1872
SPOUSE: #2 Karen Christensen, married 29 September 1873, died 14 march 1911
SPOUSE: #3 Ane Christine Petersen, married 14 June 1883 (plural wife)
SPOUSE: #4 Tomaline Petersen, married 26 September 1911
My parents were of the Lutheran faith. My father had moved from Ribe County to Vejle County to labor on the rich
estate of General Christian Petersen named Engelsholm as blacksmith and lead worker. Here my father labored until he
died on 1 January 1865. What little education I had I got in Noruf School, Noruf District, but as my parents were poor I
had to be out early working for my support.
I engaged myself to the Honorable N. St. Tagman in the city of Veile for five years for learning the business of cork
cutting, and when I had served four and a half years I was given to superintend the factory. And therefore everything was
looking good for me in the future, but matters soon took a turn. The last Sunday in January 1852 I went to a meeting for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Well, I really did believe that those mens testimony was the truth and
during the next week I could not think of anything else but Mormonism. The next Sunday I was baptized by Elder
Winberry in a river that had ice 4 inches thick and confirmed by Elder Johanas Larson in the small town of Greass. And I
received a testimony that I had done right and felt satisfied that I had embraced the truth and that Joseph Smith was in
truth a Prophet, and I felt to thank God for living in such a day. But I was not aware of the consequences of embracing a
new religion.
Frequently I bore my testimony to the truth of Mormonism, and it became generally known that I was a Mormon. As I
left the shop to go home to my boarding place, about 25 or 30 boys, or rather young men, met me in the doorway with
rocks and sticks to give me a good whipping. One fired a pistol at me and I had a very near escape in getting home that
night, and after that I did not get on the street and walk in peace, but rotten eggs and the like was thrown on me. One
night boys got me under a pump, in the month of February, forcing me to keep drinking until I was almost unconscious,
pumping water on me saying they were going to make an iceman of me, and I do not know but what they would have
killed me if a kind lady by the name of Goslav Snow had not come to my rescue. She made them raise me up, for I know
no more but she telling that she would report them. At her bidding she took me to her home, gave me dry clothing and hot
broth.
The Priest and the police were trying to scare me out of Mormonism, and others spoke to me of letting it go and have
peace. I soon learned that my life was in danger and made up my mind to leave the city and go to Hamburg, Germany as I
heard that Daniel Carn was there proclaiming the Gospel. I bid goodbye to my parents and friends and left for Hamburg
on the 4th of June 1852. I commenced work with B. Lambners (cork cutting). Lambners was satisfied with my work as he
kept me two years and three months until I was arrested and banished for preaching the Gospel. We continued our
meetings by changing from one house to another, for the police were on our track.
I was called and set apart as President of the Branch, also as clerk of the branch.
I was arrested for preaching, and brought to the Wenserbaun jail. My company was some of the worst kind of criminals.
The food was poor, however some of the Saints sometimes brought a little to eat of a better kind. We were not permitted
to speak to them. I was once a day by the warden took out in an alley and abused with the meanest kind of language. We
were brought to meet our accusers at the courthouse several times. Then we were brought back to the prison again. Our
accusers had much to say about our preaching and said we had been disrespectful against the authority in Hamburg. I
then bore testimony that I knew that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the Church of God.
I was banished from Hamburg. Two policemen took me to Altona/Altoma/Altonia and let me go in the street, not to
return, under severe punishment, Altona/Altoma/Altonia then being Danish territory. In the evening I could not help
going back into Hamburg to see my friends, but I did not find any of them. The next day I left for Kiel, and the day
afterward left Kiel for Kopenhagen.
At October 1854 Stake Conference Apostle Franklin D. Richards gave Pres. Wancot instructions to see that I got means
for my journey to Utah, as I had now spent all my money in prison and traveling. They asked the Saints to help me get
sufficient means to go to Liverpool, and $25.00 Danish money was handed me and I felt thankful for it.
I asked the Police for a pass for Flemborg so they would think I was going home. Then took the Steamer Slevg for Kiel
and went to see Captain Teller. He was out to sea but, Mrs. Teller arranged with Captain Folker to keep me in the cabin
before the Hamburg Police came to examine the passengers. As I got aboard the ship the police came, but I was all right.
Now we are sailing for Hull on Steamer Brittania. I could not understand a word of English. The next day arriving
Liverpool where I found Apostle F. D. Richards. Come to Loserei Conference House and housed and boarded there,
trying to study the language, and went to meetings and visited Saints.
December 20, 1854 I went on board the ship Helios for New Orleans as steward. I was to help in the kitchen in cooking
for the 100 Danish Saints on board. However, three days later the ship run back into the harbor or dock for repairs
because of some kind of damage. The immigrants got off and left the ship. I again slept in the boarding house.
January 8, 1855 I now got orders to make ready to go on the ship “Charles Buck”. I was to labor as steward or cook for to
pay my fare across the ocean to New Orleans. There were about 500 English and 100 Danish aboard that ship. I was put
right to work in the kitchen. I was without bedding and even a place to sleep and no reserve food was given me. Where I
worked in the ship’s kitchen, everyone brought their pot, and it was put on the stove and when done handed back to them.
But there was only place for 8 pots at a time, so that every family hardly could get one meal cooked a day. The Saints had
been kind to me and divided with me. Captain Ballentin then inquired as to the cause and on January 20 I got my portion
of provisions like the balance of the Saints. Two brethren volunteered to take one day each, every week in my place
cooking.
A little English boy fell overboard but nothing could be done to rescue him so they sailed on. Another child who had died
was wrapped in linen, fastened to a board and sunk into the ocean.
The rising and falling of the wind was not favorable to our progress on the sailing ship. When the weather was bad that
the pots slid from side to side, rations were not served because of the danger of fire.
One night I returned to my bed after having been up since 4 o’clock only to find that it had been scattered and a man who
had lost his mind laying in part of it. Some kind friends divided with me that night and from then on took care of my bed
for me.
We met another sailing ship which asked us for provisions but we were almost out ourselves. I was getting very weak
from lack of food but I did not get sick. The ship ran out of coal and also sugar and flour. We received 2½ crackers or
sea biscuits in place of the usual eight and were living on oatmeal soup and rice. The water began to run low so we were
given less to drink.
March 14, 1855 We came to New Orleans. The next day Brother Hagens spoke to the Danish Saints very kindly in my
behalf for a donation for me so that I might go with them to St. Louis. $4.15 was gathered for me. We left for St. Louis
up the Mississippi river on a steamer and the immigrants were packed in a dirty ship cabin, almost on top of one another.
I was in the back part and I froze. I did not sleep one hour. Provisions were delivered but I had to wait and see if any
could be left for me. I could not understand why I always must be the one on short rations, as I was a passenger as well as
the rest, but patience is good on a journey like this.
March 27 1855 We arrived in St. Louis. Apostle Erastus Snow met us. We that did not have any money were scattered
round among the Saints in St. Louis. I, together with 14 others, came in one house and were furnished with wood and
cornmeal bread, etc. and we go a washing and cleaning up, and we needed it very much after 10 weeks of travel on dirty
vessels. I was in bad condition.
The Branch President in that part of St. Louis came to inquire as to our circumstances, and we were all well and now I had
got so far in the English language that I could do a little business both for myself and others. I went everyday to hunt
work. President Erastus Snow said he desired me to go amongst the German people there and preach the Gospel, which I
did.
At a Danish meeting Apostle Snow spoke to the Saints that it was his mind that I should be the President of the St. Louis
Branch of the Danish Saints, and it was so made that I was sustained as President of the Saints in St. Louis, Weston, and
Mormon Grove. For the next few months my time was mostly spent visiting the Saints, holding meetings, rebaptizing the
Saints, as was the custom, and working odd jobs such as farm work and brick making. It was hard times for the Saints to
get work and to make a living. The Saints were counseled to build homes and plow up land at Mormon Grove, that it
might be a kind of resting place for those that did not have money to go any further. Then stop and gather means as soon
as they could for to continue their journey to Zion.
April 7, 1856 I was released from my mission and spent the next 2 months in helping the Saints and working odd jobs to
earn money for the trip.
June 26, 1856 I got a wagon and got my things packed off and left Omaha. I got a place to drive English Brother F.
Pollen’s team and paid Brother Samuel Lee the $30.00 necessary to take Ana Maria Andersen on his wagon. Brother
Morten Lund agreed to take Ana Maria’s younger sister at no charge. We came with the Knute Petersen Company.
When we came to the first river which was very deep it could not be crossed with teams. The wagons were took over on a
ferry boat and the oxen and cows swum over and there was many men that like to swim that water. I was generally at
hand to do all I could for the Saints. I did swim that river three times after cattle with my clothes on. That was all right
but after we got everything across, I was ordered to stand guard in the night and given no opportunity to get dry clothes
on. That was more than I could stand and the chills took hold of me and I suffered greatly for 400 miles in my driving
work and sometimes I thought I would die. But I did get over it.
We had our trials especially in crossing rivers and in the buffalo country. Many times our oxen stampeded. The man that
I drove for was run over and picked up for dead. But he came to. Laid him up in the wagon the balance of the road. At
another stampede a man was run over and died on the spot. Another time a hind axle was broke and no wheelright in
camp so it fell on me to make an axle of a green cottonwood and I made it and Bro. Lee had blacksmith tools, so I got it
all fixed up but that was a hard day for it happened on a sand hill and blowing almost a hurricane. We had many
stampedes but those were the worst. The oxen began to give out, got tender footed and some had to be shod, some dying
and the Saints had to unload their things on the plains and I saw some emptying feathers from their featherbeds. Then we
had to dig wells for water for our stock and sometimes it was not good when we found it. I do not know how many oxen
did die but some teams lost half.
When we came to the Sweet Water there was snow on the ground and very cold. The Green River was quite cold for
women to wade across and grass got scarce for our teams but I did not hear much grumbling. Many old ladys walked
nearly all the way from Florence. I will forever say that the Saints had much patience and would dance and sing around
campfires and bake bread with buffalo chips and praying, singing the songs of Zion. We arrived in Salt Lake City
September 22.
October 2, 1856 I married Ana Maria Andersen. Note, I did not in any way press Maria to marry me. She was as free as
the waters that flow from this mountain, and I was not in haste to marry for I was too poor, having nothing. Finally she
said to me in her honest way, “if you want me, you had better be at, for there are others that are offering home,” and I
knew it was true, so we got and Maria made a good wife and we worked together in those days of poverty.
March 20, 1857 I went to Salt Lake City for to see Bishop Hunter concerning a house in the Cottonwood area that was
said to belong to the Church and was for sale. He sold it to me for $50.00 to be paid in produce.
July 15, 1857- Rumor was that the army of the United States was on the road in here to do us harm. It was the order of
Governor Brigham Young to fight for our religion and freedom.
Nov 9, 1857- I got order to march right away, ready with 30 days provisions and clothing for camping out in the snow,
and went to my captain. We marched up Emigration Canyon. There was three feet of snow. We had no tents so we slept
on the snow under our Father’s bright tent. (under the stars) We went over the little and big Mountain to the mouth of
Echo Junction 23. Our company was building breastwork and we was always working at something.
April 6, 1858– Went to conference in Salt Lake City. There I was called the second time to go out in the mountains
prepared to fight the battles of the Saints. The next day I left my home. My wife sick and no one to tend to her, but I had
to go and I went. We went up the canyon and building fortification or defense works. We had no provisions with the
exception of a little meat, and the men began to complain some.
(Some histories state that the sister-in-law (Elise Maren or Christine Marie ?) took care of the new baby and mother while Nielsen made a wagon box.)
April 21, 1858– I came home and found my wife unwell; I believe give out, and our child looked like it could not live, but
the Lord had promised me when out in the mountains that because I was willing to go our child should not die. With good
care we got him all right.
May 19, 1858– I took my family to Spanish Fork. Dug a cellar, for all lived in cellars in that city. My cellar was 8 feet
square and I covered it with willows and dirt.
June 10, 1858 – Now a few words on the war and move south. All the settlements on the north of Salt Lake was included,
with stock and sheep and the roads was lined from Salt Lake to Provo with teams and stock and the cities and towns was
left with enough men to put every house on fire at the word, Salt Lake City not excepted. It was a sight to see. Men,
women and children walking, driving their cows and sheep, for there was many people already in Utah in the north. Our
instructions was to not spill a drop of that army only in self defense, and we did not. And we were promised if we obeyed
this order that not a man should be hurt unless in our own carelessness and it came to pass and I do bear my testimony of
the truth of this prophecy.
June 15, 1858 – General Johnson’s army was now coming in under a Mormon guard through the mountains, but was
stopped by the commissioner. The Nauvoo Legion was called to arms again. We came to Salt Lake and reported but as
the army was stopped we was sent home again. A proclamation from the President of the United States was read. It was
agreed the army could come in. The army was to march through Salt Lake City, not take or destroy anything and be
peaceable and uphold the law, etc. They came and done as agreed and the war was ended.
July 8, 1858 – I, together with wife, child, and my brother and family left Spanish Fork for Sanpete Valley. President
Brigham Young ordering Spring City, Mt. Pleasant and Moroni settled, and I did make up my mind to go to Moroni and
get a farm.
March 1859 – Coming to Moroni we made our wikiup or dugout in the north bank of the Sanpete River; me and my
brother-in-law built together (Peter Christian?). The first business was the clearing of the land. There was only 20 acres
left for us in the south field, and my hay lot was not of much account. The frost came early and froze much wheat, and
what the frost did not hurt, saleratus did. (Alkaline soil) I had two bushels of wheat the first year of my summer’s labor.
This summer we had much hard working making ditches and dams and getting the water to the farming land in the south.
We built our own houses and also a meeting house, made the adobes and covered it with lock poles and dirt, and using it
for a school.
At that time an incident happened to me that came very near costing me my life. Shortly after we settled in Moroni I went
up Birch Creek for some small poles. I seen some wild parsnips, and thinking they were real good, I pulled one parsnip
up and tasting it. It was sweet so I ate it all. I soon got very sick and everything turned black for me. I grasped a hind
wheel, put my arms in the spoke, and in that position sat for 5 or 6 hours unconscious until night when Niels Hegens came
down from the mountain. He put me on top of my load like a stick of wood put on my oxen. His boy drove my team.
The road being rough, after a little while I began to come to. They packed me home. For three days nobody got a
reasonable word out of me and they could not know what was the matter with me. By the blessing of the Elders I was
again restored to health. Dr. Roger told me later I had eaten enough to kill 15 men. After that I never will eat parsnips.
Moroni Saints were called on for help with teams and means for building of the Salt Lake Temple and the other 3. (St.
George, Logan, Manti)
1860 – I traded for another lot and built a bigger house, one story and a half high and got that covered with quaking aspen
lumber sawed by my brother in Mt. Pleasant.
1861 – Shortly after we settled Moroni we were called on to furnish four teams, four yoke of oxen for each wagon, to go
back to the Missouri River for poor Latter-day Saints. We, as a people, were not very well off, so it was not so easy to get
up that company but, of course, it was done. I had one yoke only, but for that purpose, I could let them go. I thought
much of them, and before they went I laid my hands on their heads and blessed them to have strength to do that journey.
Well, they went to the Missouri River and back without one single shoe gone, and had a good recommendation for
pulling. Now I think there is no wrong in blessing a yoke of oxen or any other team and being kind to animals.
1862 –The First Presidency then counseling the Saints in Moroni to move on higher ground. My new home was now the
south west corner lot in the new survey. I gave up my land for it became a saleratus bath. (alkaline) I then bought land 5
acres and another 16 acres. Now I will not follow all my trading and trafficking but will say that I did not run away
because of my bad luck but have hung to Moroni and have been buying all the land that I am owner of, for what I had
given to me proved to be no good.
My principal business was farming and coopering and we began to get along very well. Of course, I generally held some
public office, and a good deal of my time was took up in the services of the ward, was clerk of the Moroni Ward for 19
years. I was school trustee for eight years, I was also one of the first city council elected in 1866 and continued in there
for years, 3 times elected Mayor of Moroni; also President of a library and a store, and Justice of the Peace for six years.
I served as a horseman under Colonel R. Alright in the Blackhawk War in defending the Sanpete County communities
against the Indians.
1872 – My wife died. We had looked forward to having a new baby in the family but due to the earlier privations and
hardships my wife had gone through, the little fellow was rather stubborn about being born, so both mother and son were
buried in the family plot in the city cemetery, leaving me and six small children to get along as best we could.
A rather amusing incident which occurred just after his first wife’s death in 1872, is related by his son Ephraim. Brother
Fosgreen (who had given the farewell speech to members of the Mormon Battalion at Winter Quarters) came to Moroni to
visit J. C. Nielsen, and when he arrived it was discovered rather belatedly, that he had the small pox. Nielsen’s son
Andrew contracted the disease, and since the mother had just recently died, the father waited on him, and then came down
with the disease himself. Since Andrew was partly recovered by then he in turn took care of his father.
One day Nielsen decided he was well enough and although the quarantine flag had not yet been taken down he thought it
would not hurt anything to take a horseback ride. So the horse was saddled and he rode proudly up Main Street and on up
into the hills and finally back home. But when he arrived there Jerome Bradley, the Marshal, was waiting for him, he
arrested him immediately for quarantine and exposing the public and took him to the city hall for trial.
In side of a few minutes half the town had crowded into the little court room with him to hear the trial. They heard the
Marshal’s story, then he looked around at the crowd which had accumulated and at those out side who were trying to push
through the door to get in, and with a broad smile ordered the court room cleared and the case dismissed and Nielsen to go
home and stay there until the flag was taken down.
29 Sept 1873 – I married Karen Christensen in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City by Brother Daniel H. Wells.
She was the daughter of well-to-do parents and had been engaged to marry a Prince. After she joined the Church, the
engagement was broken, she was disinherited and disowned and had to take refuge with the Larsen family.
1874 - President Young made an effort to establish the United Order. I became a member and director, but it seemed to
me there was too much selfishness from head to foot. It was later dropped.
1876-1879 – I served a mission to Scandinavia. I was appointed President of the Aarhus Branch in 1877.
Since my wife’s family lived in Copenhagen and I had never seen them, I asked for the privilege of visiting them before I
began my labors and my request was granted. They were very much surprised to see me but did all they could to make
my visit both agreeable and pleasant. However they did not want anything at all to do with Mormonism.
A telegram came announcing the death of President Brigham Young and the whole branch mourned the passing of a great
man and a brilliant leader.
A few weeks later a bunch of young people decided to give the Elders a whipping and descended on them quite by
surprise, but as they began their dirty work one of their number dropped dead and in the excitement of carrying him out,
their purpose was forgotten and the Elders fled.
For some time now I had been troubled with sores on my knees of a very painful and burning nature. The first doctor
made it a lot worse. I knew I must get some help from somewhere or I would not be able to go home. I consulted the best
doctor in Aarhus and was told I had an incurable disease. He gave me a prescription to use for five days and then take a
bath, and that was all that could be done for me. I did as I was told but instead of helping it turned the eruption into a very
big blister and I suffered very much.
I had much work to do. There was my own packing besides helping 97 other immigrants who I had been placed in charge
of for the crossing. We left Copenhagen and then my knees took a change, they were like big boils and I suffered very
much. I called upon the Elders to administer to me. I went to sleep that night and from then on began to recover steadily.
It had only been a few weeks since I had been pronounced suffering from an incurable disease but the Lord had heard my
prayers and I was completely healed and the disease never bothered me again.
My sons came to Salt Lake City to meet me at the train and take me home. We arrived in dry bottom where we was met
by the people of Moroni in wagons and on horseback with the singing choir to bid me welcome home. Of course, I had
not expected that honor. I now felt to thank my Heavenly Father for his blessings and protecting care that has been over
me on this mission, for the Lord had truly been merciful to me and blessed me in laboring in His vineyard in this
dispensation. I found my family all well. For the same I feel thankful to the Lord.
1885-1887 – I was called to go a second mission to Scandinavia. Appointed President of the Randers Branch in the
Aarhus Conference (Stake).
I revived contacts with my wife’s family and later with my own family and visited many old friend and acquaintances but
there many new faces and many changes.
There was a big convention of all the working classes of the Nation held in the woods close to Randers. Thirty banners of
different Nations were being displayed besides the Danish. Every one seemed to be enjoying themselves and there was no
drunkenness to be seen anywhere. All seemed to be good and peaceful, but I could not help but wonder how it was that
out of so many otherwise good and orderly people there were so few who cared for the gospel, but they believed that the
goodness and mercy of God would save them without their doing anything themselves.
Received a letter from home telling me that my children had dyptheria. I was terribly upset but could only pray that the
Lord would preserve them and let them live. My prayers were answered and all recovered but it was only a month later
that my little daughter Dorothea had taken down with the disease again and my little 10 year old daughter Callie died with
it.
In March I went to a lecture given by a woman, Maria Solter in the Laboreres’ Union Hall in Randers. She was very
bitter against the Mormons and her speech consisted of thirty points all telling of the ‘horrors and indignities heaped upon
those poor misguided souls who were Mormons’. It was the greatest accumulation of lies I had ever heard in my life.
1887 – Hundreds of people in Denmark went out everywhere and were busy gathering oldengober and insects which at
times cause great destruction to crops. They act like grasshoppers and the government encouraged people to catch them
and would pay $.08 per MS for them. It reminded me of the terrible plague of the crickets and the pioneers and after
watching the Danish people struggle to save their crops, I wished that the miracle of the gulls might be repeated.
1888 – I was arrested in a charge of polygamy and brought before Commissioner Johnson, but the Marshal, failing to
prove me guilty and I was released to go home.
He spent the greater part of his time in Moroni after he settled there, but in his declining years he moved to Manti where
he could be nearer to the House of the Lord and do the work in the Temple for his people who had been less fortunate than
he. He worked in the Temple every day he was well for about 15-20 years. He had gathered genealogy for his ancestors
while on his missions in Denmark. He had expressed a desire to return to his old home to die and since his youngest son
James still was living there, his wish was granted. He died of causes incident to age. He will always be remembered as a
kind, generous, hard working, religious man who believed always in doing all the good he possibly could, both for his
God and his fellow men.
Source: Phyllis Reuckert

Ane Marie/Anna Maria Christensdatter/Andersen Nielsen
(Sister to Peter Christian Anderson)
BIRTHDATE:18 Jun 1837, Orso, Dronninglund, Hjorring, Denmark
DEATH: 28 May 1872, Moroni, Sanpete, Utah
PARENTS: Christen Andersen and Ane Catrine/Kathrene (Anna Kathrine) Pedersdatter/Pedersen
PIONEER: 22 Sep 1856 with the Capt. Canute Peterson Wagon Company
SPOUSE: Jens Christian Nielsen – also came with the Canute Peterson Wagon Company
MARRIED: 2 Oct 1856 Big Cottonwood, Salt Lake, Utah
CHILDREN: Daniel Christian 28 May 1858
Andrew 22 Jan 1860
Joseph 30 Dec 1861
Mary/Maria Minerva (Johnson) 30 Oct 1863
Ephraim 30 Sep 1865
Jens Christian 24 Sep 1867
Annie Nora (Hyler) 3 Sep 1869
Boy May 1872 (stillborn)
The children’s surname was legally changed to Nelson
Anna Maria was born 18 Jun 1837 in Denmark. She emigrated with her family from the Vendsyssel
Conference on the sailing ship James Nesmith, 7 Jan 1855. The family registered with the surname of Andersen
when they boarded the ship to come to America.
Anna Maria’s parents died of chills and fever (cholera) in Iowa late in 1855, leaving the children to care for
themselves. Anna Maria and her sister, Elsie, had the opportunity to cross the plains with the families of
Samuel Lee and Morten Lund. Jens Christian Nielsen, who was friendly with Anna Maria, gave her the $30.00
she needed to make the journey, arriving in Sep 1856. Anna Marie, Elise Maren and Jens Nielsen lived with
Jens’ brother Augustinus, in Big Cottonwood. Within two weeks, Anna Maria married Jens.
(There is no further mention of Elise Maren)
Jens said of the occasion, “I want to say a few words on account of rumors and talk of her relations that by
marrying that girl I was the cause of a young man’s fall that was living in Ephraim, whom she was acquainted
with in Denmark. Now, I did not in any way press Maria to marry me. She was as free as the waters that flow
from the mountains, and I was not in haste to marry, for I was too poor, having nothing. Finally, she said to me
in her honest way… “If you want me you better be at, for there is others that are offering a home.” …And I
knew it was truth, so we got. And Maria was a good wife and we were together in those days of poverty. We
did not have much but cornbread, skimming of molasses, and the flour of one bushel of wheat.
Finding it not safe for a woman to be alone in the Big Cottonwood Canyon they moved to Spanish Fork making
their camp at the West Wall. This wall was made of dirt and built 8 feet high to protect people from the
Indians. In July they left for Sanpete Valley. They got an old hand cart that had crossed the plains, put on all
their freight and yoked on two cows. When they came over the summit Anna Maria gave out and Jens had to
go back and take the baby. Two teams came along and one took her and the baby to Ephraim, but the other one
remained close, traveling together to protect them from Indians. The journey was very hard on Anna Maria and
her baby, but Jens and two teams helped get them to Ephraim.
In 1859 Brigham Young ordered Mt. Pleasant and Moroni settled, so Anna Maria’s family moved to Moroni
and bought a farm. After building homes and a meeting house, which was also used as a school house, Brigham
Young and Heber C. Kimball looked over the ground and considered it unfit for a townsite because the water
table was within two feet of the surface of the ground and was considered as an unhealthy location. The Saints
were counseled to move to higher ground and start over.
We have no details of the life of Anna Maria through the Indian fighting and the trials of building and
rebuilding but we know she had a large family and kept the home going while her husband was fighting,
farming, and building. We do know she possessed many wonderful talents and contributed much to not only
her family but the society she lived in and the myriads of people influenced by her children whom she loved,
taught and brought up in honesty and integrity.
Anna Maria died in 1872, after her last child was born- a little boy born dead – and is buried in the Moroni
Cemetery. She was 35 years old.
Source: Phylis Rueckert

Sources

[S101] GEDCOM file imported on 18 Oct 2001.
[S103] GEDCOM file imported on 23 Sep 2002.
[S32] Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Trees.
http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=32128504&pid=13607
[S218] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.Original data - Card index created by the Sons of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah.Original data: Card index created by the Sons of Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City, Utah.).
Birth date: 10 Aug 1830 Birth place: Faaborg, Ribe, Denmark Death date: 26 Dec 1920 Death place: Moroni, Utah
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=suppionmem&h=5132&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
[S231] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1), Year: 1900; Census Place: Moroni, Sanpete, Utah; Roll: T623_31077_4115261; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0126; FHL microfilm: 1241686.
Birth date: Aug 1830 Birth place: Denmark Marriage date: 1874 Marriage place: Residence date: 1900 Residence place: Moroni, Sanpete, Utah, USA Arrival date: 1855 Arrival place:
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=1900usfedcen&h=61755426&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
[S854] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.Original data - Biography Files. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Sons of the Utah Pioneers.Original data: Biography Files. Salt Lake City, UT, USA: Sons of the Utah Pioneers.).
Birth date: 10 Aug 1830 Birth place: Faaborg, Faaborg Sagen, Rebe County, Denmark Death date: December 26, 1920 Death place: Residence date: Residence place: Utah
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=sup18&h=442&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt
[S853] Ancestry.com, Unknown, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2001.Original data - Questionnaires compiled by Sons of the Utah Pioneers in Salt Lake City.Original data: Questionnaires compiled by Sons of the Utah Pioneers in Salt Lake City.).
Birth date: 18 Jun 1837 Birth place: Orso, Drunninghind S., Hjoring, Den Death date: 28 May 1872 Death place: Moroni, Sanpete, Utah Marriage date: 02 Oct 1856 Marriage place: Big Cottonwood Salt Lake, Utah. Residence date: Residence place: Moroni, Sanpete, Utah Arrival date: 22 Sep 1856 Arrival place: Salt Lake City, Utah Departure date: 26 Jun 1856 Departure place: Omaha, Neb.
http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=suppionbind&h=494&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt

NIELSEN, Jens Christian[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

NIELSEN, Jens Christian^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]}