Nelsena Christena Nielsen
29 August 1855 - 10 July 1932
Vitals
Birth
29 August 1855
Hjørring
Death
10 July 1932
Spanish Fork
Burial
1932
Place Unknown
Alternate Names
Given Name
Nelsena Christena
Given Name Alternate Spellings
Nelsina, Nielsena, Sceney
Last Name
Nielsen
Maiden Name Alternate Spellings
Nielson
Married Names
Nielsen, Nielsen
Family
Marriage
Children
Parents
Mother: Karen Erichsdatter (24 October 1815 - 7 August 1888)
Father: Niels Christian Nielsen (12 November 1810 - 12 April 1857)
Biography
Nelsena Christena Nielsen was born in Hjørring, Denmark on January 3, 1846 to parents Karen and Niels Nielsen. In 1852, her family converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because the family did not have enough funds to make the journey all together, they initially saved for and sent Christense and Berthel (two of Nelsena’s siblings) to Utah in December of 1853 with their friends. Two years later in 1855, the rest of the family journeyed to Utah. The family traveled first to Copenhagen, and from there to Liverpool. They intended to sail on the ship “John J. Boyd” however, got sick and thus postponed their journey. In February of 1856, they left for New York on the ship “Caravan”, arriving in the United States on March 27th. They proceeded to St. Louis so her father could work and earn enough money for the remainder of the journey. Unfortunately, he died of cholera in St. Louis in April of 1857. Her mother (Karen) continued the journey with her children by heading to Florence, Nebraska, and from there crossing the plains to Salt Lake City with the Christian Christiansen hand cart company. They finishing the journey in September of 1857, when Nelsena was 2 years old. Nelson’s mother married Jens Mickelsen, a young widower shortly after they arrived in Utah, and she and her siblings helped with her stepfather’s fishing business. On September 22, 1872, Nelsena married Peter Nielsen, becoming his second wife. The two had 14 children together. Nelsena’s family lived in Palmyra (separate from Peter’s first wife) and later moved to Spanish Fork. She learned to siphon oil from the fish they caught, which she sold by the barrel. Peter died in 1912, leaving Nelsena a widow of 20 years until her death at age 77.
Events
Profession
Emigration
Departure: 18 February 1856
Hjørring
Intermediary Places
St. Louis
Researchers