By Eulalie N. Dorius
April 1, 1940
Anna Marie Christensen - My Mothers Life Story
My mother (Anna Marie Christensen) was born April 30, 1866 at Richfield, Utah. She was the daughter of N. L. Christensen and Caroline Nielson Christensen. To this union were born three girls and two boys. Laura, Edward, Frank Annie, Heneretta, and Emily. My mothers parents both immigrated from the Scandinavian Country. Grandfather from Denmark and grandmother from Sweden. They had both joined the church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) before sailing for the United States.
Grandmother (her mother) joined the church in the spring of 1854 and left Sweden in the fall of the same year. Due to the stormy weather they were forced back several times drifting on the high seas until December 9th. Having been forced back from Norway to Frederickshaven, they again started for England on December 20th. After many trying experiences they finally arrived at Hull. During five days on the high sea they were forced to take down the sails and let the boat drift. Grandmother says that it looked like a small basket tosting about on the water. They went with out food for five days and nights. Their prayers were offered to their Heavenly Father and at last they reached West India and the black natives came out to meet them with fish. This was the first food they had had for five days.
She traveled from Hull to Liverpool and was met by Apostle Willard Richards and saints. She left for America January 11, 1855 and arrived on American soil February 23 of the same year. She came to St. Louis March 4, where grandmother had to stay and get work, being with out money. She was just a girl of 15 years and with out relatives and unable to speak the English language. This was very hard for her. She worked in Western Omaha for four months. She left for Utah August 7, 1856 in Bishop Smoots Company
In Salt Lake City she met N. L. Christensen and they were married in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City 1857. This was during the days of polygamy. Grandfather had a first wife and children, however, his first wife died and grandmother was stepmother to his children. Later he married three other women. He was a mason by trade and was called to help build the St. George and Manti temples. They lived in Moroni, Richfield and Ephraim.
My mother was born in Richfield but the family moved to Ephraim when Mother was a small girl. The Indians were so troublesome at this time and grandmother put the children in the back of the wagon and covered them with quilts and hay and they were told to keep under cover all the way from Richfield to Ephraim. The children were too much afraid of Indians to try looking out of the covers. These were trying experiences and they happened very often.
Grandfather fought in the Black Hawk war. He was a tall dark complicated man and was very strong. Grandmother was a very small women and very thin. She was a nurse or (midwife) as they were call at that time. She spent a great deal of her time tending the sick and making medicine's of herbs for those who asked for it. She kept a very clean attractive house and grandfather was a good provider. Because of this fact they had one of the best furnished homes in Ephraim during this time. Mother said people would come to their place to see the fine States Carpet as it was called. It was the only carpet of this kind in town. The house, a two story building, is still standing in Ephraim.
Mother has told us of her experiences as a child, how all the children would march out to the edge of town when Brigham Young was expected to come through and they would stand in line with flowers for hours waiting to greet the President. One time her nose started bleeding and spoiled her nice white dress and she had to leave before President Young came.
At the age of 13 the family moved to Redmond Sevier County, Utah. They were among the first families to settle that town. At this time there was a young man by the name of Christian Teodore Nelson who was working for some people who lived neighbors to grandmother. He made his home there, but as their house was small his room to sleep in was out in the chaff house. One day grandmother saw this young man thrown from a horse. He got quite a bad cut in his head. Grandmother had him brought in to her place where she took care of him until he was well. During this time he became acquainted with mother then a young girl of about 14 years. He said he knew she was the one he wanted for his wife some day. He was six years older than my mother.
As time went on mother and this young fellow became better acquainted with each other. Grandmother liked him and she always did little kindnesses for him that he never forgot. She used to send mother to his place with clean pillows for his bed and other such courtesies. When mother was 17 years of age they decided to be married. They went to Salt Lake City in a wagon loaded with produce to be exchanged for other things very much needed. This trip took two weeks. At this time mother was afflicted with eczema. Her hands were so badly covered she was hardly able to dress her self. They were married March 15, 1883 in the endowment house. While there she was given a blessing for her health and was almost healed immediately. This was quite a testimony to both of them.
Soon after their marriage Father began getting logs to build them a small home. He went to the canyon and got timber to build the house and make their first set of furniture. Mother often said that was the happiest time in their lives. They were very poor, but Father was ambitious never afraid of hard work and Mother knew how to sew and make the most of what they had. She said she made his first suit of clothes from home spun cloth and was so proud of it and he was to. On April 10th, 1884 ten months after they were married a baby boy arrived. This happened to be grandmother Nelson's birthday too. Father had made a cradle for the baby. Mother almost gave her life for this baby. They had no Dr. and she suffered so long she begged to die. They named this baby Franklin Theodore, after her brother and his Father.
She tells how the rattle snakes were so bad at that time and their house being built right on the ground with out a foundation, it wasn't easy to keep them out. One day she went in to her baby just in time to grab him out of the cradle where a snake had curled up near the baby. This was the only boy born to them, as out of seven children six were girls.
On February 11, 1886 their second child was born and they named her Mary Ann. On May 27, 1888 another girl came. They called her Eulalia, which was myself. At this time when I was but three weeks old Mother moved with Father up in the Canyon. Here he worked getting out timber for the saw mill. One day a flood came and washed them down the canyon. Mother thought they would lose us all but nothing very serious happened.
On September 5, 1890 another baby girl arrived. They called her Katie Johannah, named after grandmother Nelson. One September 16, 1893 Anna Grace arrived. By this time they had moved to another place in town and built a two story adobe house. They had been able to accumulate quite a bit property: a farm, horses, cows, and a good home, we all loved so much, where Mother and Father worked for our interests that we might have the best chances in life.
They lived the gospel and set a worthy example for us to follow. Father was the Supt. of the Sunday School for eleven years. How proud and happy Mother was to have us all dressed in our best and go with Father to Sunday School. She would always prepare our clothes so every thing would be ready for Sunday morning. We always had family prayer. Mother was a very faithful Relief Society worker also teacher in other organizations. She always found time to help others in need when there was sickness. I remember one time when she went to a friend's place to help when a new baby had come to that home. She didn't get back until morning and it was the 4th of July and our dresses weren't finished. How she worked that morning to finish them so we could go to the parade.
Mother and Father were always planning surprises for each other on their birthdays or anniversaries. On Mothers 30th birthday Father went to Salina and bough a set of furniture for Mother. He got the neighbor women to visit with Mother while he drove in the back and unloaded all the furniture in to the house before she knew about it. She was thrilled to tears when he opened the door and told her to come in. It consisted of a bed and springs dresser with a large mirror on, an extension table and six chairs. We all liked to dust the furniture when it was new.
Father used to bring a load of timber down from the canyon and before coming home he would take the load by way of Axtel where he would exchange it at the store for clothing for us all. We would be so glad for the pretty prints he would bring home for our dresses, and he would bring some extra fine piece of cloth for Mother a dress. I have so many happy memories of our childhood home and appreciate Mother and Father's fine spirit of cooperation in dealing with their family problems.
One day Father received a call to go on a mission to Denmark. They wondered if it would be possible to find money enough for this. Mother said she was willing to sacrifice in every way if he would go. Father said he went out by a hay stack and knelt down in prayer. He said he had faith that if his Heavenly Father would bless them he would be able to go. It wasn't long before he was able to dispose of enough animals and implements to get enough to go. The ward helped him and all the Sunday School children gave their personal donations and some gave clothing. He leased the farm out and his team with it and this was to keep him in the mission field. On July 17, 1897 we all went with him to Salina where he boarded the train. Grandmother Nelson lived in Salina near the Depot. We said goodbye to him in her home as Mother thought it would be hard to say good bye to him at the train. When we got back home we thought it was so lonely we all cried with Mother, but not for long for she said, "Children we must not feel so bad, we haven't buried Father and he will come back.
We were blessed in every way during the two years and three months he was away. Mother corded wool and made yarn and knit all our long stockings. One time after she had finished the two pairs of long stockings a Saturday night, she wanted to dye them and have them ready for Sunday School in the morning. She hung them too close to the fire and found them all scorched to pieces in the morning.
After Father had been gone a year, one evening we saw our team Prince and Duke they were called, standing by the fence looking into our place. We were almost as glad as if it had been Father. We ran out to let them in. Soon the man who had leased the farm came and told Mother he didn't want to keep the farm any longer. Mother was quite worried not knowing what she could do. Only having one boy and he was only thirteen years of age. Almost too young to take over a farm. The problem was solved when the good people of Redmond came and prepared the ground and sowed the seed and after the first watering, with Mother's help Franklin was able to irrigate the land and we raised a good crop.
Fathers' letters to each of us was an inspiration to us and a great help to Mother. Father had always taken the responsibility of family prayer as was more the custom in those days the head of the house did all the praying. Now it was Mother's responsibility while he was away. She took her turn, but let each of us take our turn in family prayer.
They had their 16th wedding anniversary while he was on his mission. He wrote the following poem to her at this time.
"To My Darling Wife"
Sixteen years ago to-day love
You became my happy bride
In the temple of Jehovah
Wedlock's sacred bonds were tied.
As we knelt down by the Altar
Well's pronounced us man and Wife.
Then a life time seemed before us,
Full of happiness and glee
A dear boy soon joined the chorus
Which brought joy to you and me,
Heavenward then our thoughts they bore us.
Who were happier than we.
Four sweet darlings, Heavenly Treasures
Each one just as dear and fair
They have brought us hours of pleasure
Also times of toil and care.
They with us our joy can measure
None of them we have to spare.
There fore let us by example
In the true and holy cause
Of the meek and lovely Savior
Who once suffered on the cross
Teach them to keep Gods commandments
And the fullness of his laws.
So they'll be of Zion's beauties
Who his holy name revere
When the bridegroom will be calling
And his calling they may hear,
And forever be united
In that bright eternal sphere.
Oh! That we may only live so that in yonder worlds on high
Where no sickness rain or sorrow
And celestial Beings don't die.
All may safely on the morrow
Meet the Savior in the skies.
We had quite a touching experience while Father was away. We had such a fine dog, he had been a good battle dog and pet. It was time to pay the tax on him, but not having a dollar to spare, Mother thought we better get rid of him. Franklin wrote to Father asking about it, but before getting an answer the Marshal said we would have to get rid of him. Franklin got some one to kill him. We mourned over this for months. And to make it worse we received a letter from Father telling us to keep the dog but it was too late.
When Father was released we were all so happy to go to meet him. When the train arrived Franklin and Mary climbed right in to the train so eager were they to see him. Much to all our disappointments he failed to be there. The next day we couldn't all go to the depot, Mother was ill and I had a headache. He came that day July 20, 1899. He seemed so strange to us and we had grown and changed too.
A year after his return on May 11, 1900 another baby girl came. They called her Carrie Cleona. Mother had her first baby carriage for this baby. Kate and I enjoyed tending the baby because we liked to push a buggy around. At this time Father decided to sell the old home and get a larger place. It was a beautiful place with trees and a stream of water running through the lot near the house. The house was old but father soon built a nice six room brick house. Before we moved into the new house, the last baby girl arrived, October 18, 1903. They called her Afton Letha.
Franklin was the first to go away to college. He attended the A.C. at Logan for two years. Soon Mary was married and left the family circle. The year of 1906 Kate and myself went to Ephraim to attend the Snow Academy.(now Snow College) That same fall Franklin left for a mission to Denmark. This broke up the family circle and we were never all back home to stay again. Before Franklin returned I was married in 1908 and seven months later Kate was married. Franklin spent over two years in Denmark going over the same country as Father had about nine years before. This was also father's native country he having immigrated to this country at the age of twelve years.
In 1910 Franklin was married. This left just the three youngest girls at home to occupy the large home they had always needed. Soon Grace left to go to school in Ephraim, she also met her future companion there and was married in 1915. Father bought his first car at this time and he and mother and the two younger girls went up to Idaho to visit Mary and her family. Mother became a grandmother at the age of 39 and was a great grandmother at the age of 58.
Mother and father enjoyed life together. They were blessed financially and had fairly good health, nothing of a very serious nature had happened thus far. They enjoyed helping all of their children in times of need. They were always willing to pay donations and an honest tithing. The Xmas of 1920 they gave each of us $200.00 as a Xmas present. We all had a chance to go to college if we desired.
Cleon was married on June 22, 1921. Afton was the last one left at home. She graduated from high school in the spring of 1923 and received a call to go on a mission to the central states. She left July 12, 1923. Now our parents were alone but happy together planning and looking forward to a wonderful trip when Afton was through with her mission. They planned on driving to Missouri to get her. The following summer a year after Afton left father was stricken with an ailment he never recovered from. However, he recovered to the extent that he was able to be up and around, but not able to do any work.
Father and mother began to do some temple work. Father was getting his genealogy and having more time to work on it, but his time was cut short. He gradually grew worse, but he was determined to not give up, and he didn't want to think that he was seriously ill. When the Dr. said there was no hope they thought it best to send for Afton. It was now 19 months since she left. Father was very much opposed to it and it seemed as soon as he knew she was coming home he gave up. We were all at his bedside waiting for Afton. Sunday afternoon February 9, 1925, a few hours after Afton returned, Father passed away in her arms.
He was the first one of the family to be called home and how we all missed him. He would have been 65 years old if he had lived until April 18th. Mother felt that there wasn?t any thing left to live for, but she couldn?t give up. She would have sent Afton back on her mission, but they felt it was best for her to remain home. It was a very sad homecoming and a great disappointment for Afton.
Afton later attended school at Ephraim. Grace and family moved in part of Mother's home to be company for her in her lonely hours. She visited with us all at different time. Afton was married about a year after this. Grace had moved away and mother felt the home was too large for her alone so arrangements were made to exchange places with Franklin. His home was close by Kates home and mother thought that would be better. Kate was very poorly and had quite a family and lots of work to do, so mother would help her as much as her health would permit.
Two and a half years passed since Fathers death and another great sorrow came to the family. Kate gave birth to her seventh child August 7, 1927 and one week later she passed away. Mother wasn't very strong and she wanted to help all she could to care for Kates young children. This was a real sorrow. She said she would gladly have given her life if Kate could have been spared.
About four months after this Afton had her second baby. Afton needed help, her babies being so close. So mother went in to Ephraim and stayed with us. In the spring she came to Delta to visit with us. She was very sick while here. She stayed three weeks and when she was better she wanted to go home. We took her as far as Ephraim thinking it best to stay there for a while, but she longed to get home. We left her at Franklins home until her place could be put in order. This was on the 28th of April, two days before her 60th birthday. In the morning she had a stroke. We were called back to Redmond as the Dr. said she wouldn't live long. She did get better, however, but she had another stroke which for a time affected her speech and eyesight
Mother was in the Salina Hospital for some time. When she was better she was removed to her home where her nephew and wife came to live with her and care for her. Soon it was impossible for them to stay longer, so Mary moved home with her family and mother enjoyed this so much she said they were all so good to her. She could talk but unable to move out of her chair. She was so patient and never complained. She always said so many others had it harder than she did. She enjoyed having her children and grandchildren visit her. A month before she passed away her granddaughter, MorJorie wrote a poem as a tribute to Mother. She came and read it to her. Following is the poem:
A Tribute to Grandmother
I could not be so patient and so kind,
Take what your given and never mind
Sit patiently there the long hours through
Dear patient grandma as you have to do.
You're weary from sitting and waiting so long,
You're tired, but in your heart there's a song.
How can you be so light hearted and gay?
And sit so contentedly day after day?
If God would but grant me the power to give,
The joy that your heart so desires to live,
You'd have no more pain and sorrow and care,
Only happiness mingled with sweet content rare.
Dear Grandma, from now on I shall do,
All I can to comfort and solace you,
Just be patient and kind a few years more,
And God will give you choice blessings for
what you have borne.
This poem was read at Mother's funeral by her Grandson Ellis, Morjorie played a violin solo, "The End of a Perfect Day".
On the first day of April 1934 on Easter Sunday Mother passed away just as the sun was sinking in the west. We were all at her bedside, felt that Father's presence was there to welcome her to the home he had prepared for her above. They had lived worth why shouldn't it be that way. She had been an invalid for seven years.
About your months before her death Franklin had got the money for some land he had sold for her. He asked her what she would like to do with it. She said to give it to her children. Each one of us received a check for $400.00 She lived long enough to see how much good it did for us and she was so happy to do it.
One of the finest qualities I remember in Mother was that she never spoke anything but the best of her sons in law and her one daughter-in-law. If she made any criticism it was of her own children, but she always took the inlaws part. She went with out conveniences all her life to save that others might have. Father and mother had high ideals and their greatest desire was to set an example worthy for their children to follow. They taught us the Gospel and how to live it, if we haven't done it we can't blame them. They gave us the right foundation to build on. All but one has gone through the temple to be married. I hope I can do as well in raising my family as they have done. I appreciate my fine Parents and hope I can live worth to meet them some day.
There are many more things that could be said. I have only written the things I remembered. If any of the others wish to add to this I hope they will do so. At this time Mother has 35 grandchildren, 2 have passed away. 23 great-grandchildren.
Written by Eulalia N Dorius
Delta, Utah