History of
NIELS LOUIS CHRISTESEN
In the king's garden a short distance from Copenhagen, on October 19, 1828 in Hillerod, Zelland, Denmark, Niels Louis Christensen was born, the son of Christen and Dorthea Christine (Richter) Nielson. The parents of this child worked for the king. Niels Louis was the second child in a family of four boys and two girls. One girl was burned to death before she reached maturity. His grandfather on his father's side came from Viborg, Denmark. His grandfather on his mother's side wasn't a Dane, but was German.
Niels Louis' mother died when he was eleven years old and his father when he was twenty-one. After his Mother's death he made his own living by herding cows and geese. He had very little schooling. He was an apprentice to a mason while very young. After learning his trade he worked on a building which was near another building in which lived a blond girl. During their early acquaintance she brought him good things to eat. In return he brought her kindlings gathered from the building in which he worked. He learned to love this girl which finally ended in marriage. Her name was Hansena Bernadina Petrena Hansen. She was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, September 21, 1829. Niels Louis and Hansena B. P. Hansen were married June 10, 1849 at Copenhagen by a Danish Priest.
One evening while in Copenhagen, Denmark two of his wife's brothers finally induced Niels Louis to go along with them to a meeting which was held by some Mormon missionaries.
They together with their friends had attended one meeting previously and at this time had decided to have some fun by breaking up the meeting. With Niels Louis however it was one of those cases where men had gone to scorn, but remained to pray. Both of Niels' brothers-in-law were neutral in the meeting, but later joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Niels Louis was baptized December 1851 by Miller and confirmed by W. Minster. They left Denmark in the year 1852 with a company of Mormon converts.
Just as the boat was about to set sail, one of the families was disappointed and could not go. This made room for Niels Louis and his family. Unfortunately for him he was serving as a soldier in the king's service, and this was no time for getting a release if such could be secured. However, he sent his wife and baby down to the boat and that night after dark, he quietly slipped down to the dock and after hiding his uniform near the ocean, he swam out to the boat and came to America in civilian clothes. In this way bidding goodbye to the land of his birth. A land which he has never seen since, but he sent three of his sons and two of his sons-in-law and others of his descendants have gone to Denmark on missions. Here some of his sons met his three brothers. One of his brothers was a miller, one a gardener and the other a merchant. The Denmark army names probably read as follows: Private Hillard, for that was what he was called at that time, was drowned and his body never recovered.
They reached Salt Lake City in 1853.
The following children were born to Hansena B. P. Hansen and Niels Louis Christensen. Eight Children:
Polena Christensen - born November 13, 1851 Copenhagen, Denmark
Died: Julv 7, 1858 Salt Lake City, Utah
Anna Sophia Christensen - born January 7, 1855 - Salt Lake City, Utah
Married; 31 October 1870 Salt Lake City
Niels M Anderson They had no children
Louis Peter Christensen born September 5, 1857 Salt Lake City, Utah Four children
Died June 19, 1911 Redmond, Utah. Married
Anna Marie Hansen born December 18, 1862 - died January 29, 1891
Julius Bernard Christensen born October 12, 1860 Moroni, Sanpete County, Utah
Married Logan Temple
Mary A. Demgaard Two children
Heber Christensen born January 17, 1862 - Moroni, Sanpete County, Utah
Died Raymond, Alberta, Canada
Married 24 January 1884 - Salt Lake City, Utah
Christena Christensen of Gunnison, Utah. Four children
Died April 14, 1949 Raymond, Alberta, Canada
Joseph Christensen born February 18, 1864 Moroni, San Pete County, Utah
Benjamin Christensen born February 18, 1864 Moroni, San Pete County, Utah
Josephine Dianthia Christensen born January 26, 1866 Moroni, San Pete County
Niels Louis was ordained a Seventy at Salt Lake City December 12, 1853. He received his endowments in the Salt Lake Endowment House 1853. He was sent to the North Central States on a mission in 1855, he was released from his mission November 13, 1857
He was placed in charge of Scandinavian Saints who made the trip by handcart and covered wagon across the plains to Utah. Many of the party gave their lives on this wearisome journey. Among his experiences while crossing the plains, many rivers had to be forded. On one occasion he was carrying a woman. She became so frightened, she nearly choked him. He was compelled to set her down in the water before she would release him. In another case the water was so deep that the wagon box was taken from the gears, and went floating down the river with a blind woman in it. He being a good swimmer jumped into the water and rescued her before she knew she had been in danger.
The food they had to eat was the wild life they could kill and roots and berries they could gather. After they reached Salt Lake City he was called to act as policeman of the city. During his services as policeman he had many experiences.
In the year 1856 there arrived in Salt Lake City a Swedish girl named Caroline Nielson. Born Feb 13, 1839 Lillauppochra (Linkoping) Sweden, a daughter of Nels Anderson born September 15, 1802 Sweden and Kuina (Beigman) Anderson born 4 March 1797. He died March 13, 1857 and she died January 1853. Niels Louis Christensen married Caroline Nielson as his second wife June 8, 1857 in Salt Lake City. They lived in Salt Lake City two years. Caroline Nielson, her brother and sister and brother-in-law left Sweden November 19, 1854 bound for Copenhagen to sail with a company of saints leaving for America. They left on the steamer Cimbria, they reached Saint Louis the Seventh of March. From Saint Louis they went to Omaha. They left Omaha, August 5, 1855 and arrived in Salt Lake City November 8 (9) 1855.
Niels Louis worked on the foundation of the Salt Lake Temple and also on the State House building at Fillmore. He was also stationed in Echo Canyon to help stop Johnson's Army.
In 1859 together with others was called to settle Moroni, San Pete County, Utah. They moved there, Caroline being the fifth woman in the place. Caroline said she had taken three children out into the field and gleaned all day to get their bread, and washed wool and spun it to make their cloths. She was lucky to have one dress and Saturday evening washed it and ironed it in time to wear to church next morning. They went through many hardships there.
The following children were born to Niels Louis and Caroline (Nielson) Christensen.
Laura Hansena Christensen born March 18, 1860 Moroni, San Pete County, Utah
She married Fredrick Christensen born July 4, 1851. Laura died June 29, 1935. They had eight children
Edward Bent Christensen born 26 April, 1862 Moroni, San Pete County, Utah
He married Margaret Prandsen July 8, 1883. They had five children. He died January 2, 1939 at Redmond, Utah
Mary Ann Christensen born March 31, 1864 Moroni, San Pete County, Utah. She died July 12, 1865 Richfield, Sevier County, Utah
Anna Maria Christensen born April 30, 1866 Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. She married Christian Theador Nielson born April 18, 1860. He died February 1925. They were married July 1877. She died April 1, 1933 They had seven children - 6 girls and one boy.
William Frank Christensen born April 6, 1868 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah
He married Serena Gregerson May 14 1890. They had six children - Five girls and one boy. He died October 2, 1910
Ellen Christensen born March 30, 1870 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. She died April 30, 1870.
Louis Christensen born February 24, 1871 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. Died as a child.
Henrietta Wilhelmia Christensen born December 4, 1872 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. She married Chris Jorgensen, born 1861 and he died in 1937. She died 1911 Redmond, Utah. They had seven children.
Emily Caroline Christensen born December 22, 1876 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. Married Henry McKenna. They had seven children. She died in San Francisco, California 30 June 1955.
About the year 1865 Niels Louis was called to Richfield, Sevier County, Utah to settle that place. He had been there awhile when he sent a young boy with a yoke of oxen to move Caroline and family down there. This being when the Indians were on the warpath. They camped at what is called Christenburg. In the morning the oxen had strayed away. While the boy was hunting them there came a band of Indians. They were sure they would all be killed. Caroline prayed that they might be spared and they passed by and never bothered them.
When they arrived in Richfield they lived in a dugout and cooked on a campfire. There being no flour in Richfield, they took their turn grinding the wheat for bread in a small mill. The flour was so coarse that it was hard to make the bread hold together, and all they had with the bread was molasses made from table beets.
While here at Richfield they suffered greatly from the Indians. A horse was shot from under Niels Louis and was killed. They tried to burn him at the stake but he was rescued and another time was shot full of arrows.
Here at Richfield they lost a little girl July 12, 1865. Her name was Mary Ann. She was born in Moroni, March 31, 1864 and another girl was born April 30, 1866. Her name was Anna Maria.
After a short time they moved to Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. Here is where the other five children were born. In the year 1867 his first wife Hansena B. P. (Hansen) Christensen died in Ephraim. His second wife Carolina raised four of the children.
Then on the Fifth of June 1871 he married Christiana Clawson, born October 31, 1843, Denmark. She died the year 1896 Redmond, Utah. To this union were born two sons.
Erastus T. Christensen born November 7, 1872 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. He married Caroline Anderson. They had one adopted daughter.
Hans Walter Christensen born January 8, 1873 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. He married first wife - Emily Swalberg. She had one child. Second wife - Cordealia Hansen. She had three children.
On Sixteenth of December 1872 Niels Louis Christensen married Josephine A. Jensen born February 11, 1855 from Norway. She died March 9, 1888. The following children were born to this union.
George Albert Christensen born 20 January 1875 at Saint George, Washington County, Utah. He married Pauline Madsen. They had ten children and raised one other. He died August 31, 1950 Salt Lake City and buried at Sunset Lawn Cemetery.
Alice Jane Christensen born November 2, 1876 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. She married George Hansen December 26, 1894. She had two children. She died January 14, 1909 and was buried in Sterling, Sanpete County, Utah.
James Alvin Christensen born March 6, 1879 Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. He married Ora Nielson February 4, 1901. They had nine children. He died January 17, 1949. Ora his wife died March 5, 1968.
Mary Josephine Christensen born February 11, 1881 Manti, Sanpete County, Utah. She died November 20, 1907. She married Hyrum Jorgensen. They had three children.
Effie Armanda Christensen born July 17, 1883 Manti, Sanpete County, Utah. She is buried at Redmond, Utah.
Ida May Christensen born May 10, 1885 Manti, Sanpete County, Utah. Married (1) Hyrum Brimhall. They had three children. She married (2) July 1, 1931 William Westerman in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born October 5, 1902
Clide Bernard Christensen born July 9, 1887 Redmond, Utah. Married Evelyn Hansen. They had four children - three boys and one girl. He died 1918 of influenza.
Soon after Niels Louis married Josephine Jensen he was called to St. George to help build the St. George Temple and he stayed there until it was finished. When the Manti Temple was to be built he was chosen by President Brigham Young to act as master mason, but due to the fact he had no educational opportunities he suggested that E. L. Parry who had charge of the St. George Temple be made supervisor and him assistant. While he lived in Ephraim he acted as policeman of that city.
In the year 1879 he moved to Redmond, Seveir County, Utah. Josephine (Jensen) Christensen born February 1855 - his fourth wife died in Redmond March 9, 1888 and in a few years Christiana (Clawson) Christensen died August 2, 1896.
August 31, 1892 Niels Louis married Andrea Dorthea Christensen born November 27, 1865. She died February 1, 1928 Redmond, Utah. To this union were born the following children.
Leo Charles Christensen born May 31, 1894 Redmond, Utah. Married June 29, 1921 Ida R. Higginson by George F. Richards. Leo died January 26, 1967. They had four children.
Ruby Eliza Christensen born January 27, 1897 Redmond, Sevier County, Utah. She married Wilford Stevens August 18, 1915. They had seven children.
William Raymond Christensen born December 20, 1902. Married Lucile Jensen of Axtell . They had three children - he is still living.
Arden Niels Christensen born February 25, 1905 Redmond, Sevier County, Utah. He died of influenza February 19, 1921.
Niels Louis Christensen did mason work after moving to Redmond. He also farmed. He had a contract building on the railroad up Salina Canyon in 1903. He carried mail from Redmond to Redmond Switch. His wife Caroline Nielson Christensen died October 18, 1919 or 1920, at Redmond, Utah. Niels Louis was father of thirty children. There were ninety-nine grandchildren. He died February 7, 1921 after living a long useful life in his ninety-four year. He was laid to rest in the Redmond cemetery. His wife Andrea Dorthea Christensen died February 1, 1928 in Redmond, Utah. His posterity has scattered to many parts of the United States and Canada.