Christen & Marie Christensen
Mathilda
Back      Index
Ancestral Line
Christen Niels Christensen
Born:
Died:
Buried:
Married: Sept. 1, 1873 ~ Salt Lake City, Utah
Father:
Mother:
Marie Sophie Larsen
Born:
Died:
Buried:
Father:
Mother:

Kate C. Christensen, Richards ~ Neils Christensen
Marie Sophie Lassen
Dictated Dec. 1953 by Kate C. Richards
Salt Lake City, Utah
This is a sister to Mathilda

In 1773 the hold of Slevig-Holstien came into the hands of the Danish rule under Christian L. In 1815, the congress of Vienna gave Holstien back to the Germans . Through these warring periods Holstien had remained fundamentally and culturally German, even while giving allegiance to the Danish rule. Peace was not yet to come to the little country which had at one time held rule over England, Sweden, Norway and Iceland and Denmark. German sentiment flamed high in the 1830’s. Conflict waxed and waned and then ended in the summer of 1850, which was victory to Denmark. In 1863 under Bismark they lost face again and the little counties of Slevig-Holstien refused to recognize Christian LX because he, above and beyond his will, was forced to concede and signed to them their freedom. But the Danish were not satisfied and were in hopes for
help from some of their former holdings mainly England, Sweden, or Norway. However, none came, not even Napoleon III. In 1864, they had lost a third of their territory and two-fifths of her inhabitants. Between 1864 and the beginning of World War I all she fought was poverty. Because of royal matrimonial matches with England, France, Russia, Germany, Norway, and Sweden, she remained neutral. In 1918, at the Treaty of Versaille, she was given back North Slevig and still has it. It is in this area that our story takes place. Denmark is a lovely land, and Strode tells us, It is green and beautiful most of the year. When winter comes, there are sufficient beauties in the snow and ice to give joy to everyone who lives there.

At present time, and before World War II there were no poor, as we have them, in their country. Previous to the time that my parents had come to this country, Denmark had been for some time, in a prosperous condition and a lovely place in which to live. The Danes were not by nature a warring people—they loved peace and their fellowmen. They were clannish in a way—loved to get together and enjoy holidays. Dances would continue on sometimes all night, all the next day and on into the next night. They loved association with each other. Then came the war with Germany, over Slevig-Holstien. Denmark, being a much smaller country than Germany, and not so much prepared for war, lost that part of the Island of Jutland, very much to their sorrow. Many people who were caught in that area suffered persecution because of the language. It was difficult to make themselves understood to the German People. If they were caught speaking Danish it was thought that they were plotting against the Germans. My mother was born in a town near this area, Sonderoxe. My grandfather was called into that war.

The Danish children had no advantage of public schools. Some individuals took private students into their homes—some who had had training in reading , writing, and other essentials taught the children so that no one should have to grow up illiterate. My mother’s father, Carl Ludvig Lassen, was that type of schoolmaster. He had a number of boys who used to come to the house, whom he taught. My Grandmother as a young married woman, was educated to be a government midwife. Her name was Mette Marie Pedersen. She was furnished with a home, a cow, feed for the cow, fuel and in return she was expected to confine all peasantry free of cost. However, aside from that she had some liberties. The middle class people would pay her five droner for confinement. If she went up into the Royal family, she would be paid well for her services. Her circumstances were never really too bad. They always had the necessities of life. Kindness generally prevailed in the home, seeing that the children did their duties in the home while the mother was absent. My mother was the oldest girl. Two boys were older than she, but they were much of the time hired out, mostly because of their own choice. She cared for the little girls in the home when she was not in school. When she completed her confirmation in the Lutheran Church ( age 14 or 15) she was home most of the time to care for the children and the duties that were in every home. She learned to sew and cook, to knit, crochet and was inclined toward a happy mood, but frivolity was not a thing that was encouraged in their church. The Lutherian Church was at that time, the national church of the Scandinavian countries. Her family adhered quite closely to the demands of the church. They were a prayerful family and my mother especially became acquainted with God at a very early age, knowing little about his personality, disbelieving much in the ideas which were given by her church. She wanted something that could have been more tangible than the type of God which they worshipped. Because she was prayerful, she was led to a desirable culmination of this life, through which she came to rejoice a great deal. An invalid Aunt was brought to the home to be cared for, which increased her duties and her activities when her mother was absent. About this time, however, there was an unfortunate girl, who was a relative of the family, brought into the home to be cared for during confinement, and in as much as there was not enough work for two adult women, my mother was hired out to a family some three Danish miles from her home. There was no way to come home to visit, except by foot. The regulations at the farm were sharp and her day off was Saturday night after everything was done, until Monday morning when every thing began again. In order for her to visit her home, she had to go between 12:00 midnight Saturday and 12:00 midnight Sunday. ( Mother used to tell me that it was 21 English miles). Most of the walking was done in the dark. During that time prayer seemed to be the only thing that kept her on those walks. When she was going home one night, it happened to be a night when the moon was bright and full of tricks. About half way home, she thought she saw a nude man, walking along on his hands and knees, just waiting for anyone to come along and pounce on them. She was just petrified. Her first inclination was to turn back and run to the farm, which was quite a distance back. Then she thought she would scream for help, as there were a few people living at intervals along the road. But then she thought maybe some others were there, hiding and might jump out. In the long run, however, prayer prevailed and she hoped she would be protected. So she proceeded on. As she drew near, much to her amazement and amusement, she found that it was a newly shorn sheep, nibbling grass by the road.

Her father was a very understanding man and loved his children very much. He had a humorous side and often used it to get control of them. When she was very young, she had a desire to go out with the crowd, to dancing parties, and card parties, skating, etc. With her mother , usually away, it fell upon her father to give his consent. Sometimes, he could use that it was unwise for her to go. This time she wanted to go to a certain dance which occurred during some holidays, where they could dance maybe two nights and two days before returning home. The boys were filled with Swedish pet diggers.(?) It seemed that every time they would come to the dance, there would be a big fight. They would shoot out the lights and scare everyone. Her father was acquainted with this fact and did not want her to go to the dance this time. However, he did not want to hurt her feelings and wanted to give it a humorous trend , so she would not have ill feelings toward him. She cried a little bit, thinking, I suppose, that it would soften his heart. He went to the kitchen, got a pint-sized bowl and put it in front of her. “ Now my dear,” he said, “ If you can cry this bowl full of tears, you may go.” She was grateful later that she did not go, because there was a lot of shooting and a big fuss at the dance. She was the means of bringing her parents sorrow in a way, but it later turned to joy. Several times in returning back to the farm where she worked, after spending a visit at home, she came upon a group of Mormon missionaries, among which were gathered many people ridiculing them and making light of them in every way. She would sometimes stand and listen until she would have to hurry Lest she would not arrive at her work before the master would be around to wake them for their early morning tasks. Right at once she was fascinated in the things which they said. The first thing that interested her was the type of God in whom they believed. A God with body, parts and passions, immortal as they said she would also be. She thought of the possibility of sometime being able to touch the hand of the Savior or some of the chosen of the Lord and she was so fascinated by it, that she would continue to stand and listen. She believed what the missionaries said from the first, but knowing the vicious manner they were persecuted in the vicinity, she hesitated to tell her parents about it. She had a boyfriend whom she had known from the time of her school days. She thought that no one could ever take his place. His father, however, was a Lutheran Minister, so she didn’t feel she could confide in him.

She became frightened, not knowing what to do because of her love for this boy. She had no hopes that he would ever see the thing as she did. Eventually, some friend of his told him that she had been seen listening a number of times to the Mormons. When he saw her again, he told her that it was against his wishes for her to do that, and in as much as their life together had been partly planned, and sanctioned by their parents, he thought he had a right to forbid her to stop and listen to the Mormons again. He said,” if you persist in doing it, it will mean our separation.” She explained that she wanted to not listen because of him , but there is something I can’t help. I have believed from the first that they have knowledge of God in Heaven and He is the one I will have to spend my life with. He gave her a certain amount of time to think it over in hopes that she would change her mind. Otherwise, he would not come to see her any more. Of course she wept, and wondered what to do. Her love for him was great and her plans for the future were to help him and perhaps together they could have joy, but always the Gospel of the Later Day Saints came before her and blighted our any of these thoughts. She had heard of Joseph Smith and how he found the verse in the Bible, “if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.” She knelt by her bed and prayed to the Lord to show her what to do. This boy was considered a very good boy and it was quite a decision to make. That night she dreamed that two well dressed young men came to her father’s home and the one said to her, pointing to the other. “This is what the Lord will give you for your sacrifice.” He was a young handsome boy. She believed that she probably could love someone like that, and now she knew that it was the Lord’s wish that she accept the Latter Day religion. Soon after, however, she was stricken with a severe illness, and was bedfast for some time. She was missed at the meetings which brought the Elders to inquire after her. Of course, she didn’t say too much to them in her father’s presence, but she did tell her father about her dream, that her ambitions were to go to Utah, and that if she did, the Lord had a man for her who would take the place of her ex-fiance. Whenever any of the Elders came to the home to inquire of her or see her they told her she wouldn’t be able to emigrate unless she got her parents consent, which they withheld right along. The people in those old countries however were extremely superstitious. Any little thing might change their plans or upset their ideas. Marie was talking to her mother one day after her father had finally said that if her mother would remove her objection, her would too, because she was so determined. Her mother was very much against it, Marie said, “if I remain ill and if I should die without being baptized, you will be to answer for it when I meet my judgement.” Her mother said, “If you are determined you will go, you go with my blessings and consent.”

Marie sent word to some of the Elders who had been coming there that she was ready for baptism. They made a Couple of visits and then made arrangements for her to be baptized, in the fjord near her home. They would cut the ice with an ax and she would be baptized when no one knew anything about it, in the night. However, they had not counted on the frozen water which would melt with the warmth of her body and drip from her wet clothes as she retraced her steps home. In the morning, it was discovered that someone had been baptized in the Carl Lassen home. It wasn’t long before rocks began to fly at the Lassen home and the children would curse and shout at the Mormons who must be within.

Marie continued to wonder when she would meet this young man who would take the place of her fiancé. She wondered how she was to emigrate to Utah. She didn’t wish to remain at home and bring trouble to her parents, but the trouble was inevitable considering the feelings that existed against the Latter Day Saints. She continued to pray. Then one day her father opened the door to two missionaries who were some they had not seen before. The one asked in native Danish about the girl who had braved persecution and sickness and cold to be baptized. He had been strangely impressed since hearing of her. The father said, “Yes, she lives here, but she is ill.” The young man commended her for doing the thing which she had done. He promised her that the Lord would bless her and that she would get well. The other Elder finally had to insist on his coming away because he felt they were remaining too long. He reluctantly left, but made several trips back to visit Marie. After he had left the house the first time, her father posed the usual question to her. “Was that him?’ She had this time said nothing, just turned her head to the wall. “Yes, that was him,” her father said, turning away with a smile.

Helga Erickson, Christensen ~ Charlie ~ Bill
Neils ~ Mathilda ~ Christen Neils Christensen ~ Marie Sophie Lassen, Christensen ~ Kate ~ Florence
Unknown
NOTE: Neils is Helga Erickson's Husband
She regained her health and found some work so that she could save some money to emigrate. The young Elder, who was a Dane from Thisted in the North of Jutland, returned so frequently to visit her that finally the District President removed him from that area so that he could get some work done and put his mind on his mission. However, by that time their plans were made to come to Utah as soon as possible. His name was Christen Niels Christensen. He knew that his parents were selling everything they had in preparations to emigrate to Utah and they consented to allow him to include his choice of a wife in the family plans. In her preparation for the trip she did not forget to remind her parents that they would hope and pray for those left at home, to investigate and she asked the Elders to call often and explain the gospel to them. She knew they were honest people and they loved and feared God and really wanted to do right. Adversity was nothing to any of them if it was the right thing to do.

The journey overseas also had its difficulty. It isn’t too easy under any conditions for a girl of seventeen to leave Her home and cross a sea and then go thousands of miles besides, away from loved ones, facing the thoughts that this might be the last time she might see them. With her little times of brooding and the moving of the ship, she soon developed a sickness which was a very severe thing, and for days she remained on her bed. The noise of the children and the difficulties of the other members of the company who were seasick only increased her agony. She developed what may have been “Hysteria”, but probably the old wives tales would have called it a “spell” of some kind. They became a little bit frightened with her. She soon feared she would be buried at sea, so she called her love to her side and told him that if they were going to be a man and wife perhaps it would be better for them to be married on the sea and then if something happened to herm, he could be sealed to her and they could have each other in eternity. This was according to what they had learned from the Elders. He talked to the presiding officer of the LDS company about it, but he discouraged them. He came and gave her a blessing, telling her that if she would exercise her faith and be firm in her testimony;, she would regain her health and reach Utah, where they could be sealed for time and all eternity in the Endowment House. Of course, this was their desire, and her faith and hope were at once renewed. A few days later found her eating her meals and enjoying herself on the deck.

The little song, “ Think not whenYe Come to Zion” was certainly inspired by someone who had experienced it. Very few who had made the sacrifice to come to Zion in those early times found that Zion was a place where there was no strife, no evil. Instead, they must still struggle to retain their faith and hope and their love, as well as the religion which they had accepted. Young and not used to business habits, as well as not being able to speak English, made Christen the easy prey for men who were willing to oppress and take advantage of such people. They had a hard time for a number of years. They still felt that they should endeavor to build up a little surplus in the beginning before they started into a home of their own. They had come to Pleasant Grove, where Marie remained with others of the same company whom she had came over with. Christen went to Salt Lake to work in the smelters. This was new to him. The country was so different, dry and dusty in comparison to where he had always spent his life. It wasn’t long until he picked up a lot of difficulties that were prevalent among the workers at that time. He became leaded, as they called it, miners consumption. He was hospitalized for some time, but later was released and pronounced well. However, he continued to suffer from its effects all the rest of his life.

Not long after their arrival in Utah, his little sweetheart in Pleasant Grove, was having her share of difficulties too. She of course, was entirely true to the man with whom she had crossed the ocean. However, just at that time polygamy was very much in vogue and older women and older men thought such girls were foolish to marry these foolish guys who had nothing to support them and give them the luxuries in life. Many of these older men had farms, homes, and orchards which were in need of much work, both in the fields and in the kitchens. The women encouraged her to marry one of them. She was young and good-looking and received many proposals from these men. All this was very repulsive to her because of the fact that her mind had been set on beginning life with Christen, learning the mysteries of life with him, bringing a family into the world and learning the ways of the Lord together as they progressed. She finally decided that she could not remain in this country another minute unless her marriage could be consummated. How could she arrange it? How could she get from Pleasant Grove to Salt Lake to tell her sweetheart the thing which she felt? One night as she was thinking of it, she said to herself, “Well, it can’t be too long a distance, I will walk it.” In the morning, she packed her belongings and started out, little realizing the vast distances here in the west. Also, she did not know that walking here in this dry area was very different from walking in the fresh, moist, air of Scandinavia. She had not been going too far before she was very weary and wondering whether she would ever make it. She had probably gone as far as Lehi when she was overtaken by someone coming to Salt Lake with a wagon load of vegetables and fruit to be sold on the market there. He offered her a ride, and her trust was not betrayed, in choosing to ride with him, for the man was very kind and good to her. She explained the situation to him and he promised to get her as near to where Christen was working as possible. Finally she got to where her sweetheart was and told him that they would have to be married right away so she would have the protection of his name or else she would go back home. They went and talked to the Bishop there and told him of their desire. It was made possible for them to be married at once in the Endowment House on the first of September, 1873. After a short period, she returned to Pleasant Grove and found work. In the wintertime she did a great deal of sewing for others, having been well trained in that.

She lived in a little log house on the southern tip of Pleasant Grove. The country was so big and the mountains were so high that at times things seemed to appall her. To sleep alone at night in the dark was very difficult. So she would sleep much of the time during the day so she could sew at night. Indian tales were prevalent at that time and her neighbors were none too close. She lived there until she gave birth in October of 1874 to her first child, Niels Christen. Just the summer before this little son was born, her family, consisting of her parents and her sisters, emigrated to Utah. They had thought there must be something to this Gospel if it could cause their daughter to leave everything for it. They had continued to study and had accepted it. Her brothers had come over previously, but whether they came for opportunity or for the gospel is unknown. Her mother was here in time to confine Marie and love and thanksgiving herself, because she had been permitted to see things in their proper light.

Marie had no more cause to reflect over the things that she had left or the sorrow that she had had, because of the joy of the things which were now hers. How could she contain all this joy? It was so marvelous to have this wonderful son whom she would have through all her life and through all eternity. She used to lie in bed and watch him for hours, rejoicing in her heart that she had been brought here and that she had been given this wonderful gift. Throughout her whole life, she never forgot the joy she felt at his birth and perhaps never felt so keenly any birth of other children as she did that.

About this time the Church was promoting Sanpete County as a place for Scandinavian people to settle. They often tried to get certain groups to settle together so that the people could understand each other. The Poulsen family was going to Sanpete, so the Christensen family who were close friends, also went to Sanpete. Four of Marie’s children were born at Fort Ephriam. They were in the process of building Manti Temple at that time and Christen worked on it. He was a rock mason, having learned this trade from Poulsen. They then went to Wales, Sanpete County. Christen never owned any land in Sanpete County. His father lived in Ephriam. Christen and Marie worked hard and moved from one place to another. If things didn’t get too prosperous at one place they would move to another. Christen helped Poulsen move over to Orangeville at the Castle Dale River. Christen’s sister Else, had married and moved with her husband to Ferron, so they went to Ferron first, instead of going to Orangeville. He didn’t know where he would settle because there was so much land and that was not a problem. However, he finally decided that Ferron and Emery were too far away from a railroad. He knew the railroad would be closer at Enterprise. At Fort Duchesne were still some soldiers. He decided that he would go over on the Huntington River, take a piece of land there and settle with his family. He found a piece of land northeast in Huntington and took up a quarter section on the government land grant system. In order to have a place to put his family while he built a place, he dug a dugout. He also had his covered wagon in which he had moved, which supplied a sleeping place for part of his family. While they were living in the dugout, another child was born. Her name was Catherine Eugenia. Right away they called her Katie and she had been known all her life as Kate. (While they were in Ephriam, they had a daughter, Mathilda also)

In the spring of 1886, Christen started to build a three-room house of adobe. Before winter, it was completed with windows and a floor and a stove. They obtained straw to make mattresses, “ticks” as they called them. It wasn’t long before Marie had made rag carpets to cover at least two of the floors. She didn’t have a loom, but she used to use another ladies loom weaving for her also in order to use the loom. Christen freighted from Price to Fort Duchesne, bringing back gilsonite or other things. In order to get the water down on the land, each man had to make his own ditch. Coming from a beautiful green land, Christen no sooner settled on a spot of land than he planted. Everywhere the water went, he planted a tree, and they all grew. They were mostly poplars. He also got fruit trees from other inhabitants in Huntington and they were growing nicely. He got two or three stands of bees and acquired a couple of cows. Here in Huntington, five more children were born, but they lost each one of them soon after their birth. Another child was later born in Cleveland.

Marie also became a midwife, receiving her license to perform this. She brought about 500 babies to the residents of Emery County. She also went to Castle Gate to deliver some of her grandchildren to her son and his wife Helga. She was also the postmaster in Cleveland for many years. She lived just across the street from the school house and many of the school teachers boarded with her., There were no doctors and she was called to take care of the sick.

Submitted By: Claudia Starich, Cox   May 29, 2008