Conradine Albertine Mariager

Biography

(From the notes of Mary Kristi Harris Jolley) 

“Far north on the Jutland Peninsula, lies the little Danish village of Vennebjurg in Hjørring, Denmark. Here lived the village school master who had been commissioned by the Bishop of Aalborg to the position of Chaplain of the school, also its recorder. His name, Jorgen Sorensen Mariager. Recently he had married his cousin having the same surname, Else Madsen Mariager. Both were born in Gjol Hjørring, which is located on a small island in the Liim Fjord. He with his new bride moved to Vennebjurg to his new position.

Jorgen and Else had been married in Gol the 5th of Octorber 1837. Their first child, a lovely little girl, was born the 19th of October in 1838 in Vennebjurg. Here she grew up and was educated in her father’s school. This school consisted of one room in thor home. I might say this girl was Conradina Albertina Mariager and is the subject of this sketch. 

We have a description of this home and school given us by Amy Welch Larsen, a granddaughter of Conradina’s younger sister, Anna Helene. It is as follows:

‘Their home was a long building, with straw woven together like gunny sack thatched over the roof, with twelve windows on each side and a door and two windows on each end. One end was partitioned off for a school room, they had benches about the same as we had when two students sat in each bench. For heat they used a compressed brick that held heat for hours, they did not have coal, wood or oil as we do.

‘As each child completed his or her schooling, they received a book of recommendation, to show what he or she might be able to do, according to the judgment of the teacher.’

It was an eleven month school year for the students. The vacation was spent working on the farms so they could learn this important part of making a living. 

Jorgen had geese and ghosts and probably other domestic animals. Undoubtedly Conradina had to help care for these during her child and girlhood. Like all young ladies she had a sweetheart, Jason Peterson. They often strolled along the ocean and loved to enjoy each other’s company. How did Conradina leave all this, her home, her friends, and pioneer to Utah?

Her brother, Lawrence, writes in his journal, “I think it was in the year 1856 that the first Mormons came to our notice, and father would encourage them to come to our home in order to argue with them concerning their belief and to dispute their doctrines. However, mother and all the children (Conradina Albertina, Anna Helene, Aurora, Naomi Dagmar, which are my sisters, my brother Soren Alfred, and myself took a fancy to the Mormon Elders as they appeared to be men of God, and did not travel and preach for money, for the good they could do their fellow men by teaching them and building them up in the knowledge of the true plan of salvation.” 

The 2nd of November 1857, Anna Helene, Coradina’s younger sister, was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

This caused a lot of trouble in the family, the father being very bitter towards the Mormons. The trouble became so bad that Anna Helene had to leave home. As she was going out the door the father called to her saying, “Anna, I’d rather see you dead than see you leave this way.” Anna left for the United States in 1859 sailing on the sail ship, William Topscott. She married Hans Hansen and they settled in Logan, Utah and there raised a large family.

Trouble continued in the home until it resulted in the parents being divorced. The mother moved the Hjørring a few miles away taking with her the children committed to her, namely Coradina, Anna Helene, and Soren Alfred.

In April 1860 the mother asked the father for permission to take all the children except Anna Helene, who was now in America, to visit relatives living in the Isle of Gol. Permission was granted. They traveled to Aalborg by mail stage, and there were baptized and confirmed members of the Church. They were baptized about midnight to avoid notice as persecution against the Church would result. At just before midnight all were baptized. After midnight they were confirmed. These events took place at or near midnight 22-23 April 1860. Under fictitious names they left Denmark, taking the steamer Waldemar for Copenhagn, arriving there at sunrise as they came into Copenhagen. The next day they took cars to Korsoar, there they took a steamer to Keil, Germany and eventually by steamer to Hull, England, it requiring three days to travel from Hamburg to Hull. At Hull they passed through the routine of costumes inspections and examinations. When all were cleared they breathed a sigh of relief. 

They traveled on the railway to Grimsby, where they boarded with a private family to avoid having to register in a hotel. They were afraid their father would try to trace them and have them returned home. They stayed here two or three days until the Mormon immigrants from Denmark arrived. They joined them and went to Liverpool by rail, and by way of Birmingham and the city of Manchester.

After one day in Liverpool they boarded the sailing ship William Topscott, commanded by Captain Bell. This was the same vessel which carried their sister Anna Helene to America just a year before. They were thirty five days on the Atlantic. The Scandinavians aboard were 182 Danish, 80 Swedish, and 39 Norwegian. They sailed from Liverpool the 11th of May 1860. 

There was considerable sickness due to cold and change of diet. Then deaths occured, four babies were born and nine couples were married. June 3rd smallpox broke out. There were not fatalities. This delayed them being cleared to land as they were quarantined a few days. On the 21st of June the company left New York City by steamboat, the Isaac Newton, going up the Hudson River to Albany, where they took railway to Niagara Falls via Rochester. Here they had a seven hour layover, during which they saw the falls and wonders of it.

They continued on through Canada, along the north shore of Lake Erie to Windsor, crossing the river into Detroit, Michigan and on to Chicago which they reached by the 25th of June. From Chicago they continued on by rail to Quincy, Illinois, then crossed the Mississippi River to Hannibal, Missouri, thence on to St. Joseph, Missouri. Here they took a boat up the Missouri River to Florence, Nebraska. This route was arrange by George Q. Cannon of the Twelve Apostles in order to save many day with ox teams and hasten their arrival in Utah before winter. They arrived at Florence at midnight between June 30 and July 1st. 

As this group was approaching St. Joseph, Missouri, they met with an accident. Enemies of the Church learning that the train was full of Mormons, piled obstacles on the track. While running at high speed they hit this pile of material. The engine was derailed and they were held up until it could be righted. No one was seriously hurt. A few teeth were knocked out, bruises and a broken arm or two.

At Florence they were outfitted. Else, the mother, purchased four fine oxen, a good wagon and the necessary supplies. It is thought they left July 21, 1860 by ox wagon train. They had not gone far when Else Madsen Mariager, the mother, became very ill and passed away 23 July, 1860. There has been some misunderstanding about the place, due to Lawrence, the youngest son, then eleven years old listing the place as near the Big Horn River. The Big Horn is in Wyoming and they did not go near that part of Wyoming. Furthermore, they could not have made if from Florence to the Big Horn in two days. The wagon train log clearly stated it was near the Elk Horn River in Nebraska. Lawrence, not knowing English at the time and being only eleven, could have easily entered the wrong name. 

The wagon train paused for a funeral and then moved on. This was a terrible shock to these youngsters. Conradina was twenty-two and the oldest. Dagmar the youngest was nine. The wagon train roll listed Conradina as Caroline A. Mariager, the others as Aurora, Lorentz C. Mariager, and Naomi Dagmar, 9. Then Else is listed as 49. Soren is not listed on the wagon train, but he is listed on the passenger list of the William Topscott as a laborer. Much uncertainty exists regarding Soren Alfred. We have him listed as a passenger on the ship, but not on the wagon train. The Church Historian said it was possible he was not listed as he was not baptized. We hear no more of him until 1872 when he was baptized, and again in 1874 when he passed away. He may have stayed in New York to work. 

A tall, young, handsome wagon train captain took the little group under his care. He was always kind and thoughtful and saw that they were well taken care of. As friendship grew deeper, Nephi Johnson, the young captain, and Conradina felt a growing affection for each other. The love for Jason Peterson was fading as Nephi took his place. Jason had been so bitter towards the Mormons and Nephi was so kind and considerate. 

As they entered the Rocky Mountains, Nephi brought a large piece of venison to their wagon. Conradina placed this meat in a box in the front of the wagon. She was awakened during the night by the wagon shaking and the creaking of the wagon tongue. She saw the silhouette of a big bear making off with the meat. She was petrified with terror, but kept quiet so as not to frighten her brother and sisters. Next morning the bear tracks were clearly visible. Young Nephi told her she needed a protector and he would like to put in his application. The courtship continued until they reached Salt Lake City, where they were married and sealed in the Endowment House on 11 October 1860. 

Upon arriving in the valley, Nephi took them to Sessionsville (now Bountiful) to see their sister Anna Helene, who was now married to Hans Hansen. It was with great sorrow Anna learned of her mother’s passing. As they came to her house and she looked over the group and saw her mother missing, she knew the sad truth.