Annie Marie Sena
Christensen Major Ellis
Written by her Daughter Ann Ellis Larsen
In a country town in Jutland, Denmark, lived a man named Peter Christensen, his wife Elsie Mortensen Christensen, and their two children Anna Marsinea and Christen Peter. In the year 1852 the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, came to this village to carry the message of the restored gospel. After much investigating, Peter Christensen and family with other members of the village, joined the church. Persecution prevailed against the members of the Mormon faith, and they were treated unkindly by their relatives and friends. In the year 1853 the converts of the new found church sold their homes and prepared to leave for Utah with a company of saints, that would set sail from Liverpool, England.
It was a cold blustery day, on the 26th of Dec. 1853 when this little group of saints left Copenhagen, Denmark for Liverpool, England. On the 28th of Jan 1854, they set sail from Liverpool on board the sail ship Benjamin Adams. There were 384 saints aboard the ship.
This was the beginning of a long and eventful journey for my mother, then a girl of ten years of age and her brother Christen Peter, a boy of five years. It was a strange and interesting journey for one so young. She saw several marriages aboard the ship and also witnessed the sad rites of burial at sea of some of the unfortunate saints. After nearly eight weeks on the ocean, they were happy to arrive at New Orleans, Louisiana.
On the 25th of March they continued their journey up the Mississippi River by steamboat. While sailing up the river, they saw alligators with Hugh mouths, sunning themselves along the banks of the river, also the burley Negroes rolling large barrels of molasses on the boat. This was a strange and interesting sight to the children. After several days on the boat, they arrived at St. Louis, Missouri. There they joined other saints, under the leadership of H. P. Olsen. The survivors of the two companies continued their journey by steamboat to Kansas City, Missouri, which had been selected for the outfitting place for the company.
Of all the saints that crossed the plains in the year 1854, the Scandinavians suffered most from cholera. Many died on the steamboat and while encamped at West Point near Kansas City.
They purchased their wagons, oxen and supplies for the long trek across the plains. There were 69 wagons in the company. They were all loaded very heavy and travel was very slow and rough. They left West Point in June for their long trek westward, full of hope and courage, and fond anticipations of reaching Zion, in the Rocky Mountains.
Again cholera, that dreaded disease, spread among them as they continued their journey westward, and many of the saints were victims of the disease. Their grief stricken relatives and friends laid them quietly to rest by the wayside and then continued their journey westward. The traces of these lonely graves, on the prairies have been lost to inquiring descendants and friends.
Seeing new land, and many things that were strange, was very interesting to the children - - little dreaming of the sorrow and hardships awaiting them.
It was on the plains near Mormon Grove where they suffered the loss of their mother, from cholera. Their mother prepared the evening meal, apparently in good health. She was stricken during the night and passed away before dawn, the children seeing her no more. Grandfather, in his grief, could not lay away the wife and mother without a coffin. He tarried behind the company and made a coffin from the top box of his wagon, and laid her peacefully to rest by the wayside. After traveling early and late he rejoined the company two days later. After the death of their mother, the journey was not so pleasant for the children. On account of the heavy load, mother walked most of the way across the plains. Many times after a long and dreary day, mother and her little brother, would lie down tired and weary and often fall asleep before grandfather could take care of the oxen and prepare the evening meal.
The Indians did not molest them while crossing the plains, and they obtained sufficient meat from the large herds of buffaloes that traversed the plains.
Fortunately the weather remained extremely mild and pleasant, and the survivors of the company reached Salt Lake City October 5, 1854 Here they waited to be assigned their place of destination by Brigham Young. Grandfather, with other Scandinavian saints, where sent to help colonize Ephraim, Sanpete County.
In the year 1856 grandfather married again, and mother and her little brother were happy with their new found step-mother and she was very kind to them. They shared the hardships of early pioneer life and pushed forward with unrelenting efforts in subduing the lands. Grandfather purchased a little pony from the Indians for mother. She named it Seelum. She rode the little pony while herding cows and was not molested by the Indians. They didn’t become troublesome until a few years later.
In the year 1857, a baby sister was born. They named her Mary. When Mary was three years old mother was again faced with great sorrow and disappointment. Grandfather was among the ones who became dissatisfied with conditions and prepared to go back to Nebraska with his family.
Mother was 16 years of age, and grandfather said, "My girl, I will not compel you to go with us, but my desire is that we all stay together, but if you choose to stay that is your privilege. I may live to see the day that I will want to come back to Utah." While mother did not approve of the change, it was too much of a sacrifice to be left along with only kind friends and she decided to go with them. Before they were ready for the journey eastward, mother had a dream that changed her course in life. She dreamed she saw her mother in a beautiful garden. She said, "Whatever you do, my girl, don’t go." Whenever mother tried to prepare for the long journey the dream flashed before her so vividly she could not go. No one except those placed in similar circumstances can depict her sorrow of parting with her father, only brother and a little three year old sister; also a kind and loving step-mother.
The saints were very kind to mother and tried in every way to make her feel that all was not lost, for the future held much in store for her. She learned many of the arts of pioneer life. She was very apt at carding, spinning, dyeing and tailoring. Through self-effort she learned to be a fluent reader and a fairly good penman, although she did not have the privilege of attending school. When she was eighteen years of age (1862) she married William Major and a few years later was left with one little girl. She was born Feb 11, 1863 and named Sarah Celestia Major.
In the year 1874 she married Joseph T. Ellis, my father. They made their home in Spring City, Sanpete County. She lived in the days of the trying Indian Black Hawk War and they were ever on guard for the savage red men. When the Indians were again peaceful, they would come to the settlers for food. One Indian, who had lost his squaw gave father and mother a little pappose girl to raise. They loved the little Indian girl, but she was not very strong, and she died at the age of sixteen years.
Anna Marsinea Christensen Ellis was the mother of eight children. Sarah Celestia Major Williams, Ralph Ellis, William F. Ellis, Ann Ellis Larsen, Olive Ellis Nunley, George Ellis, Mary Ellis and Ruth Ellis Dye.
Soon after the death of my father, Joseph T. Ellis, Sept. 26, 1898, she was called to part with her son William Ellis, Mar 8, 1899, also her daughter Mary C. On Dec 4, 1900.
Besides taking care of a large family, she did much sewing and dyeing, as well as nursing the sick in the community where she lived. In her last days she realized her desire of not living to be a burden on any one. She passed away May 24, 1918, after an illness of a few hours.
Contributed by Michael Larsen, gg grandson of Joseph Ellis
Brewer, William head, Feb 1870, 30, married 7 years, 2 children, Colorado, England, Denmark Sheepman
Catherine, wife, Nov 1875, 24, married 7 years, 2 children, Utah, Wales, Wales
Mabel daughter, Nov 1894, Utah, Colorado, Utah
Daniel W. Mar 1896, Utah, Colorado, Utah
Williams, Sarah C., Mom in law, Feb 1863, 37, widow, 7 children, 7 living, Utah England, Denmark
Sina C. sister in law, Feb 1883, 17, Utah, Wales, Utah
Bertha V, sis in law, Oct 1884, 15 Utah, Wales, Utah
Mabel M. sis in law, June 1886, 13, Utah, Wales, Utah
William H. B in law, Oct 1888, 11, Utah, Wales, Utah
Ruth E. S in law, Oct 1890, 9, Utah, Wales, Utah
Virginia, S in law, Jan 1894, 6, Utah, Wales, Utah
Hugh R. B. in law, Apr. 1896, 4, Utah, Wales, Utah
Sarah Celestia Williams, 46 married 2, seven children, 6 children, Utah, England, Denmark
Willis, son, 21, Utah, Wales, Utah
Virginia, daughter, 16, Utah, Wales, Utah
Hugh, son, 14, Utah, Wales, Utah
Hugh R. Williams 28, Utah, wales, utah
Sarah C. mother, 55, widow, Utah, England Denmark
Ruth Baken, sister, 27, married, Utah, Wales, Utah
Lois Baken, niece, 9 single, Utah, Utah, Utah
Ellis on the same street.
Williams, Sarah C. 66, Utah, England, Denmark
Baker, Ruth, daughter, 39 Utah, Wales, Utah laundress
Hooper, Mabel, 25, granddaughter, Utah, Utah, Utah
Hooper, Theodore, great grandson, Utah, Utah, Utah
Contributed by Michael Larsen, gg grandson of Joseph Ellis
Death: Burial Information: Williams, Sarah C. Major
Birth: //
Death: 3/24/1944
Burial: 3/27/1944
Place of Birth:
Place of Death: Midvale City, Utah
Cause of Death:
Grave Location: Midvale City Cemetery <http://www.midvalecity.org/public_works.cemetery.html> , Grave 1 Lot 86 E 1/2 Plat A
Source: Sexton / Grant
Comments: Age 81/1/13, Goff Mortuary