Kirsten Ericksen (1837-1910)

Kirsten Ericksen

--Alma Peter Benson (1860-1918)

----Daniel Alma Benson (1886-1954)

------Julia Elizabeth Benson (1909-1927)

--------Earl Kingsford (1936-)

----------Bryan Kingsford (1959-)

By Maude B. Jorgensen, Granddaughter, Transcribed by Annette Hancey Lunceford. (Edited 1998).

Kirsten Ericksen was born on 23 February 1837(1) in Dokkedal, Mov, Aalborg, Denmark and christened Kirsten Erichsen on 23 March 1837. She grew up in the village of Dokkedal, near the seacoast, east and south of the city of Aalborg. Her parents were farmers, and she liked to tell stories about farm life in Denmark. She told how they used to drive cows to pasture, and that a Danish mile was longer than one of our miles. She would tell folk tales of the little elves and when she worked butter she would always put a cross on it with the butter paddle. She said they always did that in Denmark so the elves wouldn't steal it.

She was an early convert to the church and was a handcart pioneer. Sometime after 1900 Kirsten dictated her "recollections" of the journey. Maud B. Jorgensen's father, John H. Barker, wrote it for her. Kirsten lever learned to write English.

This gives the story in her own words.

RECOLLECTIONS OF KIRSTEN ERICKSON BENSON COMING TO ZION IN 1857 (2)

I left Copenhagen April 18, 1857 with my father and mother and grandmother. I was 20 years of age and unmarried. We stopped two days in Liverpool and on April 25 we left there on the sailing ship West Moreland under Mathias Cowley, President, with 544 saints, and arrived at Philadelphia May 31, having been 5 weeks on the sea.

We were 11 days going from Philadelphia to Iowa City by rail and while on this journey I got separated from the company and was left behind and lost, a young girl in a strange land and no friends and could not speak English or make my wants known. I was telegraphed for and found by the description of the clothing I wore and was made to understand by the hands of a watch that I could go to my company by train at 6:30 that night.

At Iowa City we were organized a handcart company under Captain Christian Christianson. There were about 100 handcarts with 3 oxteams to help the sick and weak and to carry some supplies and the tents. We were only allowed to take 15 pounds weight of clothing to each person and our new clothing and even bedclothes had to be left laying on the ground as we left our camping place for no one would buy them from us. This was a very great trial to me, having brought good new clothing from Denmark, to leave laying on the ground for strangers to take.

We then started for Florence, Nebraska. Each handcart had 6 persons but I was assigned to a cart having only 4 persons, and old couple, a sickly girl, and myself. We were heavily loaded with provisions and the old gentleman and myself were the pulling team. We traveled through a settled part of Iowa for 3 weeks burying by the roadside some of the young and aged who had died by the exposure and hardships of the journey. We arrived at Florence in the later part of June and layed over one week to rest.

This three weeks of hardships had proved that my father and mother and grandmother who was 75 years old could not stand the journey and it was decided that they stay behind in Omaha (her mother was lame and walked with a cane.) I came to the conclusion that I could not leave my aged parents in a strange country and so I made up my mind to stay with them. The Captain of the company, C. Christianson came to me and advised me to leave my parents, and promised me if I would do so God would bless me and them and preserve us. This was a very sore trial to be but I put my trust in God and the promise of His priesthood, and He has brought them to pass. On the 15th day of June 1857, we started on the plains, a day I shall never forget, full of sorrow, in parting from my parents.

About the fifth day out I was so worn out caused by pulling over the rough roads, up hills and through sand, and I was discouraged because I did not believe that I could stand the journey and I came to the conclusion that I might as well die there, as to suffer longer, and I was lonely for I had no relatives in the company so I purposely stayed behind while the company were traveling on and I layed down on the grass expecting to die there believing there was no one behind me and I would not be found. Soon after, the Captain came along and found me and helped me along and promised me that when we came to a hill or sand he would come and help me pull, and he kept his promise and helped me. Soon after this the old couple who were with my handcart died and I was changed to another handcart that had 6 pullers and my task was easier than before.

It was now July and August and very hot on the plains and now my shoes were worn out. We had to get rawhide from the dead cattle along the road and make shoes so as to be able to pull, and crossing the creeks and rivers would make the rawhide soft and the hot sun and the roads would make them hard and our feet were nearly all the time sore and bleeding.

I being alone and having no bed clothes, had to sleep in an old shawl in the tent, and coming through the mountains the nights were cold and freezing, and having to get up in my turn to bake my bread, I was very often too warm on one side and too cold on the other.

When about 200 miles from Salt Lake City we were overtaken by the U. S. army under General Johnston going to Utah to war with our people but they treated us kindly and the army was a blessing to our people in Utah.

About two weeks journey from Salt Lake City the relief teams came to our help and how thankful I was to be allowed to walk and not have to pull the cart for I was sick and worn out with the journey. We arrived in Salt Lake City September 13th having been five months on the road and when I saw how poor the people were for clothing for they were ragged, I could not help thinking of and remembering the good clothing we had left behind.

When I arrived at Lehi I was so weak and sick that I was not expected to live and Brother Hyde, later Bishop of Hyde Park, and Brother Rigby were called in to administer to me, but I could not understand a word they said. Brother Benson being there, interpreted it for me. I found kind friends who cared for and nursed me until well.

The next year my father and mother and grandmother came into the valley safe and well (Ed: They crossed the plains in Capt. Iver N. Iverson's ox-train, which arrived in Salt Lake City 20 September 1858 (3)). And so were the promises fulfilled of our Captain C. Christianson, which he make to me when I left my parents in Omaha and so also have the promises of Brother Hyde when administering to me in Lehi City, and I realize that I have been blessed of the Lord and preserved for my obedience to the counsel of His priesthood.

Following her arrival, 13 September 1857 (4), she was cared for by Mette and her husband. Kirsten was married and sealed by Brigham Young in the President's office 1 November 1857 (5) to Jens Peter Benson, her sister Mette's husband, as a plural wife.

On 16 August 1862, a reunion of sorts was held in the endowment house. Kirsten's father and mother, Marcus and Kirsten, were there to be endowed and sealed. Jeppe and his new wife, Hannah Mathea Hansen, to be endowed and sealed, as well as Jeppe being sealed to Peter's mother, Maren Christina Maria Augensen, Kirsten and Peter were there to be sealed a second time (6), following Kirsten being endowed (7) that day. Peter's sisters, Karen and Martha were there with their husbands Jens Nielsen and William Bell.

In the spring of 1868, Peter moved Mette and her family to Clarkston. Kirsten, with her children, Alma Peter, Christina Martena, Samuel, and Marcus Joseph, stayed in Lehi that summer and raised a garden and that fall they also moved to Clarkston. Their first home was a log house. Life was hard, Indians frightening, and Kirsten said the first year or two in Clarkston she did not know what it was not to be hungry. When they moved to Clarkston they took along one of the Johnston's army cannon balls, and they used it to crush or grind the wheat for bread. While Kirsten was living in Clarkston, Alice Marie, Isaac, and Rastus were born, Rastus living only about eleven days. In the fall of 1869, Peter moved Mette and her family to Newton, leaving Kirsten and her family in Clarkston. In about 1874 Peter built a frame house in Clarkston for Kirsten and her family.

In 1876, Kirsten's sister, Mette, died of complications relating to the birth of their tenth child, who died the day he was born. Mette's death left six living children, the two oldest married. Kirsten and Peter decided she should care for the children in Newton. The home in Clarkston was sold to a Mr. Loosle, and Kirsten moved to the rock house in Newton, where Mette had lived. Kirsten now had a family of ten to care for (8).

In 1879 Peter married Christina Nielsen who had come from Denmark in 1878. He built her a frame home west of the rock house, in about the center of the block.

Peter died of "stomach troubles" on 21 June 1898, at the age of 67. Kirsten's youngest son, Isaac was married in December 1898 and he and his wife Lucy Atkinson of Clarkston made their home with Kirsten in the rock house. Lucy had a sweet disposition and was always very kind to Kirsten. They got along well together.

Kirsten Died 22 October 1910 (9) at the age of 73. She was buried on 25 October 1910, in Newton, Utah (10). She left two daughters and four sons: Alma, Christina, Marcus, Samuel, Alice, and Isaac, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

COMMENTARY BY MAUDE B. JORGENSEN:

I have many happy memories of that old (rock) home (in Newton), for I used to spend a lot of time there playing with my cousin. I remember so well the trap door in the board ceiling of one of the upstairs bedrooms that opened into the attic, a hiding place when the federal marshals came to town hunting for those who had more than one wife.

Besides the regular work of a home and family, there were many other tasks in a pioneer home, such as washing and carding wool, then spinning it into yarn and knitting socks and stockings, making clothing and hats from straw that was carefully gathered and braided with seven strands, homemade soap made with lye from wood ashes, making tallow candles and potato starch. They also made dye from plants and roots to dye the yarn. I remember the spinning wheel made by grandfather and remember seeing mother spin on it.

Some of the memory pictures I have of her are cooking meats, slicing bread, watching her make and fry doughnuts or crullers. She cut the dough in oblong pieces, made a slit in the center, gave them a quick twist, and popped them into the kettle. How we youngsters enjoyed them as soon as they were cool enough to eat! I can see her tending babies, rocking them in the cradle, see her peel apples and put them out to dry, cut and dry blue plums (the lot was full of fruit trees), canning fruit, carding wool, knitting socks and mittens, churning, working, and molding butter, making quilts, sewing and patching, reading her Danish paper, then pushing her glasses up on her forehead and forgetting where they were, and having everyone hunt around for them. My sister sue remembers how she loved to have someone brush and comb her hair. She prayed aloud, she didn't just say her prayers, she really talked to the Lord as if he were right bedside her. She was a small woman; I judge not more than five feet one or two inches, had blue eyes. She never lost her Danish accent, and when we youngsters were especially provoking she would scold us in Danish by saying "for shame on you." I remember the enlarged picture of her parents that hung on the wall in her room, and a beautiful cream-colored silk shawl that she used to wear to church in mild weather. I have a stole made from her black plush cape. She had a homemade carpet on her floor and a "feather tick" on her bed.

On the evening of 29 August 1910, my father, who had passed away in February, came to mother and told her to go tell grandmother he had found a place for her. I remember how pale and weak mother was that day, but she went over and delivered the message. Grandmother didn't take it seriously, at least outwardly. On 28 September She had a stroke and was unable to speak a word while she lay sick. Five of her six children lived in Newton, but Samuel at the time was on a homestead in Sublett, Idaho. Word was sent to him and after he came she seemed content, and on 22 October 1910 she passed away, aged 73 years and eight months. She was a dear, kind soul who passed through all the trials of pioneer life, and whose faith and testimony had grown stronger with every year of her life (11).

REMARKS BY ALMA PETER BENSON:

Kersten Erickson Benson was born on the 23rd day of February, 1837, at Dekkedall, Mow county, Denmark and besides being one of those who helped pull the handcarts across the plains, she was also one of the early settlers of Cache Valley, first residing at Clarkston where she lived a short time after which she moved to Newton and since that time lived in Newton until her death. She was stricken down with a paralytic stroke on September 28th shortly after 7 a.m. thereby losing the use of the entire right half of her body and also losing the power of speech and was unable to speak a word before her death which occurred on October 22 shortly after 3 a.m. 1910.

She was married by Brigham Young to Peter Benson. She died in full faith of a glorious resurrection.

Sources:

(1) FHL film 0410434

(2) Benson, Kersten Erickson, Autobiagraphy, (LDS Church Archives, Ms 12065, pp 1-3, Acc. #200259 and Ms 8237, reel 3, item #26: Acc #2091981)

(3) Utah immigration Card Index 1847-1868 ("Crossing the Plains Index")(FHL film 0298441)

(4) Arrival in Salt Lake Valley (FHL book 979.2 D27j #4-128)

(5) FHL film 0183395

(6) Live endowments Endowment House (FHL film 0183404)

(7) Sealings Endowment House (FHL film 0183395)

(8) Kirsten and family in Newton, Newton Ward Records (FHL film 0025609)

(9) Obituary, Death of Kirsten Benson, Newton Ward, Benson Stake (FHL film 0025610)

(10) Obituary, Funeral, and Burial, Newton, Cache, Utah, Deseret News, 27 October 1910 (FHL film 0026979)