Hans Madsen Funk

Hans Madsen Funk was born May 15, 1839 in Pedersker, Denmark to Diderik Espersen and Kirstine Madsdatter Funk.

History

Early Life and Westward Journey

After hearing the gospel from missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Funk family joined the Church and prepared their way to Utah in 1857. They shipped on the U.S.S Tuscarora and lived in Iowa for two years to get the money and means to travel west. They joined the James S. Brown Company and arrived in Salt Lake City in 1859. After hearing the news of a valley in the north available for colonizing, the Funk family moved to Richmond in 1860. Hans was 21 when he moved to Richmond.

Marriages and Family

Hans married Christena Swenson Dec 27, 1864 and they had seven children with only two living past the age of 8, Elizabeth Christena Funk and Minnie Victoria Funk. Unfortunately, both died before their adulthood. Christena would later die on May 12, 1886 in Newton, Utah.

Hans entered the practice of polygamy by marrying Anna Sophie Peterdotter Israelsson on May 24, 1869. They had three children with two living to adulthood. Hans also married Anna Elizabeth Larsen Dec 15, 1881 and they had no children.

Richmond, Weston, Newton

Hans lived in Richmond from 1860 - 1864 before moving to Weston, Idaho to settle the area with his brother Christopher, being some of the first settling families. After, it is assumed that he moved back to Richmond between 1846 - 1870. At some point, Hans was called to be bishop of Newton and lived in Newton for the rest of his life.

Missions

Hans served two missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first was in 1875 to the Native Americans in the Colorado River area. The second was when he returned to Denmark serving a full mission from 1879 - 1881

Epilogue