Kirsten Larsen

Biography

Kirsten Larsen was born in St. Hans, Odense, Denmark in 1826. She served as a lady-in-waiting for the queen of Denmark but upon becoming pregnant at age thirty, twenty-year-old Peder Nielsen was found to marry her, in exchange for a lifetime lease on a large piece of land. Her first child (Lars) was born 2 months after their marriage. The couple went on to have four other children together. In 1862, Kirsten met the missionaries and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 8th of that year, with her husband following suit on October 7th. Hoping to join the Saints in Utah, the small family (now with Lars, Ane Marie, and Maren) left Denmark in May of 1865 for Hamburg, where they boarded the B.S. Kimball for New York. Unfortunately, a measles outbreak onboard caused the deaths of many passengers, including one-year-old Maren, who was buried at sea during the journey. Once they reached the United States in June of that year, the family proceeded to Wyoming, Nebraska, where they then joined the Atwood Company to complete their journey by wagon train. Though the company faced dangers (like warnings from US Army Officers that Indians would probably attack) the group wanted to proceed, and finally reached the Salt Lake Valley on November 8th, hiking through two feet of snow. Kirsten’s family made their way to Spanish Fork to settle. On February 1, 1869, Peder and Kirsten were sealed in the Salt Lake City Endowment House. In Utah, Kirsten had her last two children, Emma Nielsen and Caroline Nielsen. Caroline sadly died of canker not long after birth. Peder began a polygamous relationship by marrying other women, and it is noted that Kirsten was quite lonely in later years as Peder lived with one of his other wives. She is remembered as a well-dressed, neat person who never missed attending conferences or church meetings. She died on September 21, 1905, having lived a faith-filled life. Information gathered from histories written by descendants and Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude.