Martha Reiersen Christensen was born in Roiseland, Norway on September 16, 1833 to parents Reier and Malena Røisland. In 1861, she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and began the journey to Utah. She crossed the plains with the Canute Peterson handcart company, arriving in Salt Lake in 1862. In 1865, she married Christian Nielsen Christiansen in the Salt Lake Endowment House, becoming his third plural wife of four. He died however in 1880, leaving her a widow for many years. Martha had four children, two whom (being Niels and Margaret) survived to adulthood. She died on the 25th of November, 1927, having lived a faithful life. Paraphrased from her obituary.