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- Viborg, Rødding, Haasum, Haasum, hus, 18, FT-1860
Niels Jacobsen 40 Gift ejer af huset Haasum sogn, Viborg amt
Mette Marie Knudsdatter 46 Gift hans kone Kloster sogn, Viborg amt
Laurs Nielsen 9 Ugift deres barn Haasum sogn, Viborg amt
Knud Nielsen 6 Ugift deres barn Haasum sogn, Viborg amt
Søren Nielsen 3 Ugift deres barn Haasum sogn, Viborg amt
Aarhus, Hasle, Aarhus Købstad, Aarhus Købstad 19, 415/øster Møllesti, 31, FT-1880
Lars Nielsen 29 Gift Husfader, Arbeidsmd. Hos Grosserer Mønsted Horsens
Karen Nielsen Født Petersen 33 Gift Hans Kone Spøttrup, Aarhus Amt
Marie Nielsen 2 Ugift Hans Datter Aarhus
Erik Nielsen Under 1 Ugift Hans Søn Aarhus
- Web
dåb
vielse Karen Pedersen
vielse Laurine Franciska
saints by sea københavn
saints by sea Liverpool
Find a Grave
- A BRIEF HISTORY OF
LARS NIELSEN, HIS WIFE FRANCISKA, AND THEIR FAMILY
Compiled by Leroy F. Nielsen [edited by Dan W. Nielson]
“I would like to extend my appreciation to those who have helped in the research of this
family history.
To my mother Hannah Nielsen, whose memory and clear recollection of so many facts and
events have been of such great help, and Colleen Harper, for the time she spent on it.
The cooperation and willingness of Doris Nielsen White to share the addresses, dates and
genealogy sheets which were so important, I appreciate very much.
Also, to my wife Ora to whom I am deeply grateful for her timely suggestions, and
thoughtfulness.
Leroy F. Nielsen [written circa 1971]
Lars Nielsen was born in Skiva, Denmark, on September 6, 1851, to Niels Jacobsen and
Metta Maria Knudsen. His name Nielsen, was taken from his father's first name, Niels, and
adding the word “sen," which means son in Danish. This was a common practice in those days
and accounts for his name being Lars Nielsen instead of Lars Jacobsen.
When he was a young man, he moved to Copenhagen to find work, where he met and
married his first wife, Karen Maria Pedersen who was born in Arhus. They had three children,
all of whom died at birth. Metta Marie died a short time later, October 1880.
Grandmother Nielsen, whose name was Laurina Christina Amelia Francisca Christensen,
was born in Skiva, Denmark, on August 20, 1858, to Peter and Annie Kirstina Christensen. She
was a studious girl, who loved school, and was considered scholarly and bright. She wanted to
be a nurse and, although her parents objected as they didn't believe it was ladylike, she
graduated with honors as a nurse in Copenhagen. She worked in the same hospital that she
graduated from and continued studying to get her doctor’s degree.
While there she met, and fell in love with a young doctor and they became engaged and
planned to be married. He had a bad cough which turned out to be tuberculosis. His condition
gradually became worse and before the summer had ended, he passed away, leaving
Franciska broken-hearted.
She devoted herself entirely to her work and shortly after took a nursing job on a ship that
transported lepers to an island where they were left to live the remainder of their lives. The
nurses and doctors on board were never allowed to get off the ship at the island. The sight of
these unfortunate people waving farewell from the shore was something she could never
forget.
Franciska was a very strong woman, although small in stature, with nerves of steel. She
was dark complexioned, a characteristic probably inherited from the French blood of her
fathers. She was a strong-willed woman and very determined, also a very loving and tenderhearted
mother and a truly refined lady.
Grandmother Franciska met Lars while attending his first wife, Karen Maria, who also
had tuberculosis. She learned to love and respect Franciska very much and when she knew
that the end was near, she gave Grandmother her wedding ring and told her she wanted her
to marry Lars after she passed away. Franciska thought she wouldn't do that but later, when
he was so attentive to her, she put the ring on her finger and, although she refused to marry
him at first, they met a few times when he could get away to see her. He was in the service
of his King, as a coachman and taking care of the royal horses.
This was a seven-year requirement for all the young men to act in the King's service.
He would go to her home and serenade her by playing is accordion. He won her heart
finally, and they were married February 2, 1881.
Grandfather Lars was a part-owner of a livery stable, where he took great pride in his
fine carriages and horses and were considered fairly well-to-do. He and Grandmother owned
two houses, one of which they rented out She was a proud and industrious person and was
known for her fancy needlework and even crocheted around her window curtains.
The Mormon missionaries visited their home in Arhus and through them, Lars and
Franciska learned of the gospel, of America with its wonderful opportunities, and the “Land
of Zion.” They were baptized into the L.D.S. church in the year of 1888.
Their new religion brought them a great deal of persecution from their neighbors and
friends and even some of their families turned against them. This and the things the
missionaries had told them of this wonderful country, made them decide to sell everything
they had and come over here and start a new home where they could be independent and
worship as they liked.
They found a group of Saints who were going to sail to America. So, in 1889, they
disposed of their property and started out. The group consisted of Grandfather and
Grandmother Nielsen with their five children, Annie, Hans, Niels, and the twins, Emily and
Louis. (Jacob Peter had died a few months after birth.)
Also with them were Grandmother's parents, Hans and Annie Christensen, and their
adopted daughter, Henrietta, who was called “Yetta.”
Their voyage took forty-one days and there was much illness, trouble and hardships.
The first ship they sailed on was wrecked and they were all taken aboard another ship
which later developed rudder trouble. They drifted around, unable to steer the craft but were
picked up by a third ship, which took them the rest of the way and they finally landed in New
York City.
Emily was very sick on this voyage, but the family prayers were answered and she
recovered.
When they arrived in New York there was no one to meet them and they were unable to
speak the English language hardly at all. They began to have doubts and feared perhaps
they had not been wise in going so far from home, but their money was nearly all gone. They
went to Chicago but didn't stay there long. Their desire was to head for a place called
Moroni, Utah, because this was where the missionaries lived who had convinced them to
come to America. By working a little here and there, they were able to get out west and finally
came at last to Moroni.
They were not accepted very well by the people of this community. Even their friends,
the missionaries seemed to have lost interest in them. They were given room to sleep in the
barn, which made them very disappointed with their friends in whom they had placed so
much faith.
They were not shown much hospitality, were given only the poorest king of meals by the
people where they stayed, so when they heard of a group of people going to Brigham City,
with much bitterness in their hearts, they left Moroni and headed north, hoping to find some
kind of employment. They got as far as Salt Lake City, where Grandfather Lars was given a
job on a pipeline. After working and living in this big city for a few weeks they head of some
Scandinavian people who lived in Pleasant Grove, a small community thirty miles south of
Salt Lake City. They went down and visited these people, who received them warmly and
convinced them that they could have a better life living down there. They were happy to find
someone who they could talk to and understand. This was to be their last move, this little
place nestled beneath the majestic Mt. Timpanogas, not far from Utah Lake.
Their first home there was very simple, actually a mere dugout, part of which have rock
walls and dirt roof. Grandfather went to work for the railroad as a section hand, and by
saving and working hard, they managed to later move to a better house. They had about two
acres of ground which they planted in orchard and berries, and had pasture for a cow, a
horse, a pig or two and some chickens. They always had a nice garden, which was very
essential in those days.
With the family growing larger all the time, they all had to work to make ends meet.
Their way of life was growing better, and the memories of the hardships they had to go
through before they got to their new home were growing dimmer. Although they still believed
the gospel of the L.D.S. church, they were very bitter about the way their missionary friends
had treated them upon their arrival in Moroni. It took many years before they could look
upon the new religion as they once did.
Even though they were happy in this new land and loved their home and community
they lived in, they sometimes grew lonely for the old country, and Grandmother used to sing
many songs about her beloved Denmark.
Grandfather studied the laws and Constitution of the United States and in October,
1890, he became a citizen of this country, and was very proud indeed. It was very hard for
both of them to learn to use the English language, but even though they both talked broken,
they managed to learn to talk and understand it fairly well.
Grandfather was janitor of the old tabernacle in Pleasant Grove for 27 years. He took
great pride in his work and spent a lot of time cleaning, and taking care of the meeting
house. He had an old Danish bible down in the boiler room which he had read through three
times while waiting for meetings to let out. He always drove a horse and buggy down and
back from home.
Grandmother Nielsen had done a lot of fancy work in Denmark, but she leaned to
embroidery when she was seventy years old. Her granddaughter, Cleora, who used to stay
with the old folks in the summer, taught her.
She always wanted to go to California but never did get a chance to while grandfather
was alive.
Grandfather died in Pleasant Grove, October 20, 1924. Her daughter Emma persuaded
her to come down and visit her and wile when was there she went to work caring for an
elderly lady who was crippled. She worked two years for her in the wintertime and came
back to Pleasant Grove in the summer. The lady died and grandmother took another job as a
part-time nurse for an old man for another year. She loved the warm weather in California,
but as she was getting a little more feeble all the time she decided to stay home in Pleasant
rove, where she passed away February 18, 1936.
The first of their twelve children, Jacob Peter, was born December 23, 1881, an died
January 16, 1882. This was the fourth child of Grandfather Lars that had died soon after
birth.
Annie Metta was born two years later, April 3, 1883, in Arhus, Denmark. She was the
oldest living child and with her brothers and sisters, she attended the Pleasant Grove
schools. Being the oldest girl, her responsibilities were many, helping her parents with the
younger children and housework. Her picture, with a number of classmates, was taken when
she was about 14 years of age and is presently in the book Timpanogas Town, written by
Howard R. Driggs, noted writer and author who was born and raised in Pleasant Grove, and,
incidentally, was the uncle of the famous King Sisters, a talented group of singers, whose
parents were born in Pleasant Grove also.
Annie married a young man from American Fork named William Benjaman Ralphs. He
was interested in farming and stock raising. Shortly after their marriage, they moved to
Burley, Idaho, where Ben became quite successful in farming, owning several large farms
around Burley and Albion, Idaho, also in Montana.
Annie had five children Jessie, Gladys, Eugene, Starling, and Buddy Clifford. Her main
concern was for her family and her children's education. They were very talented i music and
the four oldest at one time had an orchestra that played for dances all over Southern Idaho
for several years.
When their children had all grown, Annie and Ben sold their property and moved to
Nevada and California, where they went into the Motel business.
They lost their youngest son Buddy Clifford in 1942 and the same year, her husband
Ben, passed away. Annie died about one year later on September 30, 1843, and is buried in
Reno, Nevada.
Hans was born in Arhus, Denmark, July 13, 1884. He was the oldest living boy and his
brothers and sisters looked to him for advice. He also attended school in Pleasant Grove. He
had a talent for building and construction and became a very good carpenter. He did the
finish work on many large buildings in Salt Lake City, including the stage and interior of the
old Pantages Theater. He married a girl named Esther Pulley from American Fork, Utah. They
had five children, Cecil, Myrtle, Russell, Erma and Lavina. Cecil and Erma both died of
diphtheria.
Hans built a beautiful home for his family in Salt Lake, which he sold after his wife,
Esther died. Later he married a woman named Lucy Everett. They had two children, Michael
and Nadine.
He moved to Pleasant Grove and began raising fruit. He lived there until his death on
April 21, 1948.
Niels was born in Arhus, Denmark, on September 27, 1886. He was three years of age
when he came to America. He was sent to the Pleasant Grove school, but, as the family was
poor and the older boys were needed to help make a living, his schooling was limited. He had
a great love for music and wanted very much to play the violin. His parents couldn't see
much sense in him spending money for an instrument, but he managed to get one to
practice on. Never had a chance to study music but had a keen ear and became a very good
violinist, even though he couldn't read a note. At one time his father, becoming out of
patience with him for spending so much time sitting around playing, broke the violin to
pieces, but Niels never gave it up and eventually acquired another instrument. Years later he
made a one string affair out of a broom, using a cigar box to make the different notes. He
made some remarkably beautiful music on that. He also learned to play several other
instruments, namely the mandolin, harmonica and also the trumpet.
In order to help out, Niels had to work out at an early age, so he didn't get much
schooling. He was away from home very much, working at Bingham mines and the smelters
at Midvale.
He loved fishing and spent a lot of time doing this at Provo River and Utah Lake.
Grandfather used to smoke the trout and suckers the boys brought home, for, like most
Danish people, they were very fond of all kinds of fish.
Niels met a girl from American Fork named Hannah Thornton, daughter of Nathan and
Sara Singleton Thornton, who had a large family and had lost his wife when his children wee
young. Niels and Hannah were married January 16, 1905, at Provo, Utah, and lived in
Pleasant Grove, where Niels worked for the railroad for about two years. They then moved to
Burley, Idaho, where they hoped to get some land and make a living on a farm. They
homesteaded 80 acres of undeveloped ground out of town about 9 miles and worked very
hard for a number of years improving their place.
Farming without any capital was very hard life for all the family so Niels finally dispose
of his holdings and returned to Pleasant Grove, where he built a house on an acre of ground
and raised fruit. He made a living in the fruit business, buying and selling and worked for
wages in several different places, including Wendover, Bingham, Magna and Salt Lake City.
Niels was the father of six children, five of whom grew to maturity. They were Anona,
Hobert, who died when he was a small child, LeRoy Eva, Burton and Vernon.
In 1926 Niels and his family moved back to Idaho where he engaged in farming at
Declo where he also played the violin with the Ralphs family orchestra.
His health was getting bad and on May 18, 1927, he died with cancer of the stomach,
at the Rupert Hospital. He was buried in his hometown of Pleasant Grove.
Emily was one of a pair of twins. She was born in Arhus, Denmark, September 2, 1888,
and was only about one year old when she came to Pleasant Grove. She attended school in
Pleasant Grove. She was dark complexioned with large brown eyes, and grew up to be a very
beautiful woman. A very generous person, she was always concerned abut her brothers and
sisters.
She married a man from Salt Lake City, who was a schoolteacher, named Harley
Anderson. Five children were born to them but three died when they were quite young, and
the remaining two girls, Cleora and Harlene, grew up in Salt Lake City. They also spent most
of the time in the summers staying with Grandfather and Grandmother in Pleasant Grove,
where they helped in the fruit harvest.
Emily and her husband separated, and she later married Ed Baker, a railroad man. He
was a good husband and a devoted father to the girls. Hi work was mostly in Nevada,
California, and western Utah.
They were living in Winnemucca, Nevada, when Emily became ill and died April 6, 1946.
Ed lived a few years longer, and when he passed away, was buried by her side in
Winnemucca, Nevada.
Lewis, Emily's twin brother, was born September 2, 1888. He grew up in Pleasant
Grove, went to school there and like the other boys, he had to go to work to help support the
family so didn't get much education.
He met and married Elsie Pulley, a girl from American Fork, who was a sister to Han's
first wife Esther. They had three children, Marvel, Naomi and Duane. Elsie died when the boy
was a small child, and he died shortly after. They were both buried in the Pleasant Grove
cemetery.
Lew was an industrious man and worked at several trades. Meanwhile he married a girl
from Charlestown, Utah, named Etta Verle Lamb.
There were nine children born to Lew and Verl. Lewis James and Leonard died when
they were small. There remained Lila, Maxine, June, Donald, Betty Lou, LaGrande, and Billie.
Lew worked in a number of places, but he liked farming best, and finally settled in
Idaho, around Burley, where he raised livestock and operated a farm. Lew was an ambitious
man, very energetic, and was always busy running the farm, hauling logs from the
mountains when the harvest was over, and working at different jobs in the wintertime when
there was no work to be done on the farm.
Verl became ill and passed away December 10, 1934, leaving a large family of young
children. This was a very hard blow for Lew but his oldest girl, Lila, was very efficient, and
with Maxine, they managed their young brothers and sisters very well.
He married his sister-in-law Hannah, who had lost her husband, Niels. This marriage
didn't work out and they separated. Sometime later he married Pearl Jolley of Burley, Idaho,
who died with a stroke a few years later. He then married Ada Hague Coper of Burley. They
moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, where Lew died June 20, 1961, at the age of 73, older than any
f his brothers and sisters. He was buried in Burley, Idaho.
William Christian Nielsen was the next boy born December 6, 1890, in Pleasant Grove.
He passed away at an early age, October 4, 1891.
Emma was born July 13, 1893, in Pleasant Grove also. She was a very pretty girl and a
very good singer. She sang at church, for school entertainment and at many social
gatherings around Pleasant Grove. Dr. Richards of American Fork said she had the most
beautiful voice he had ever heard.
Emma married Dan Stauffer, a merchant from Salt Lake City. They lived in Boise, Idaho,
for a while and then moved back to Salt Lake. They had five children but two of them died
when they were very young. Robert, Virginia and Jenny are living.
They moved to California where Dan later passed away. Emma then married a man
named Frank Main but they separated. She became ill and died January 16, 195, at the age
of fifty-seven, and was buried in Englewood, California.
Joseph Wilford Nielsen, born July 13, 1897, was rather frail when he was a baby but
after a few years he managed to outgrow his problems and soon became a healthy happy,
fun loving boy. He was always a cheerful person and made life more pleasant for everyone
around him.
He went to elementary school in Pleasant Grove, but left home at an early age and went
to Idaho where he worked on the farm for his brother Lewis. While working in Burley, he met
and married a beautiful girl from Burley by the name of Verna Gibson, December 22, 1915.
They had a large family of nine children, four girls and five boys, all of whom grew to
maturity. They were Dena, Francis, Leslie, Max, Doyle, Bessie, Lane, Bonnie Jean and Buddy
Jack.
Verna was a loving and devoted Mother and although it was a hard job to feed and
clothe such a large family, they were very proud of all of their children.
Joe was very musical; he loved to sing and played the harmonica very well. He was an
excellent dancer and enjoyed having music in his home. He had a wonderful personality, and
made lots of friends wherever he went. His home was always open to everyone and the
hospitality shown by him, and his wife was spoken of by all who knew them.
He worked at many different types of work, mostly farming and marketing fruits and
produce.
He was killed in a truck accident July 16, 1938, leaving his wife and family brokenhearted.
Life for Verna was much harder after Joe passed away, and she died suddenly with a
heart attack [diabetes?] one year later.
They were both buried in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
Clarence, the youngest boy of the family, was born December 3, 1889. Like the rest of
the family, he also loved music, and because times were better then he was able to go to
school more than the others, also the school system was more developed by then and he
had an opportunity to study music. He played in the boy scouts band of Pleasant Grove, also
in the high school band. His favorite instrument was the trumpet, which he played for many
years. There is a picture of him at present with the scout banc in the book Timpanogas
Town, written by the noted Pleasant Grove author, Howard R. Driggs.
While in Burley, Idaho, he married a girl who came from Canada, named Alice
Chittendon. They later moved to Pleasant Grove where three children were born to them,
Eddie, Blaine, and Leo.
Clarence and Alice separated later on, and Clarence married a girl from Duchesne by the
name of Doris Young. They made their home in Pleasant Grove also where Clarence was in
the fruit business for many years. five children were born to them, Emily Clara, Clarence
Junior, Rex Earl, Keith D. and Dora Ann. Emily was taken by death when she was nine years
old.
Clarence and Doris later purchased an apartment house in Salt Lake and lived there for
a number of years. Clarence became active in mining and milling during the uranium boom
around Moab, Utah, but later sold the apartment and his mining interests and moved back
8
to their old place in Pleasant Grove. He spent his remaining years there and had many
friends in that vicinity. He died with a heart ailment September 9, 1966, at the age of 67. He
was buried in Pleasant Grove, Utah, the last of Lars Nielsen's children to live in the old town
they loved so well.
Lillie was the youngest member of the family and was born June 26, 1903, in the old
town of Pleasant Grove or Battle Creek as it was called in the early days.
She was a fair skinned girl, with blue eyes and sunny disposition. She loved her parents
and family very much and did all she could to make them happy.
Her girlhood days were spent in school at Pleasant Grove, where she attended the
grade schools and also graduated from high school. She was very talented in dramatics, art
and writing and was also a very good singer.
Her first marriage to Walter Butterfield, didn't work out very well and they separated.
She then married a man from Wyoming, an honest, hardworking westerner by the name of
Frank Rathburn. The family all loved Frank, and he had many friends.
Two girls were born to them, Francis and Dolly.
Frank was employed by the railroad, and they spent many years living in Wendover,
Winnemucca and several other places in California. Frank died while they were living in
Winnemucca, Nevada, and was buried there.
Later on Lillie married Tom Dwyer, who also died a few years later.
On June 26, 1969, Lillie married a man named Leonard Anderson, who had once been
a girlhood sweetheart. They lived in Canada and one year later while at her daughter, Dolly's
home, Lillie became ill and died on June 26, 1970—her birthday.
As was stated in the family history, we know our grandparents, Lars and Franciska
Nielsen came from their home in Denmark to be among L.D.S. people and to raise their
family where they could worship their new religion.
So, I think it should be mentioned that there have been six grandchildren who have
served on L.D.S. missions.
Jackie Peterson, son of John and Eva Peterson of Filer, Idaho, was sent to Scotland on a
Scotch-Irish mission where he served two years.
Terry Nielsen [Nielson], son of Leslie and Ila Nielsen [Nielson], of American Fork, Utah,
went on a New Zealand mission to Para Congo.
Sharon Nielsen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Nielsen, of Salt Lake City, Utah, spent
eighteen months on a North New Zealand mission, August 1970 until February 1972.
Ardell and Lila Dayley had two boys who served in the mission field.
Hal Ardell Dayley, Burley, Idaho, went to Toronto, Canada, June 1969 and returned June
1971.
Dan James Dayley, Burley, Idaho, serving two years in London, England. He left
September 1970 and will return September 1972.
Alan R. Murray, son of Leo and Betty Lou Murray of Murray, Utah, spent two years on a
Northern States mission from 1968 until 1970.
When this was written Lars and Franciska Nielsen had 12 children, 54 grandchildren,
151 great grandchildren, and 220 great great grandchildren.”
|
1851 - 1924 (73 år)
