Christence Nielsdatter

Biography

Christence Nielsdatter was born in Hjørring, Denmark on September 17, 1839 to Karen Erichsdatter and Niels Nielsen, who were unmarried at the time. She lived her first few years with her mother and grandfather, while it is presumed that Niels Nielsen saved money for an official marriage, which occurred in January of 1842. Her parents met the missionaries and were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, being baptized on January of 1852. Christence and her brother Berthel were baptized in 1853 prior to being sent to Zion. Her parents did not have enough money to move the whole family together, so Christence and Berthel made the journey together first, at ages 14 and 12 respectively. They traveled with Johanne Christensdatter, her children and servants. The group traveled first to Copenhagen and from there to Liverpool. In January of 1854, they sailed on the ship Jess Munn from Liverpool to New Orleans, and from there they journeyed to St. Louis, Missouri. During this time, there was a cholera outbreak on board and many of the passengers were killed, including Johanne Christensdatter and her children, leaving Christence and Berthel in the care of Anders Pedersen, Johanne’s former servant. In June of 1854, they started trekking across the plains as a part of the Hans Peter Olsen Company. Christence and Berthel walked the majority of the way, and walked over half the journey barefoot. They arrived in Utah in October of 1854. Though the siblings had left Utah in the care of guardians, their fate was uncertain as their friends had died, and no one seemed to want them. Though it is unclear how this occurred, Christence (at age 15) found a home with Josiah Howe Call in Fillmore while Berthel moved in with the Otteson family in Sanpete County. On January 14, 1856, 16-year-old Christence married Josiah Howe Call in Salt Lake City as his second wife. She had her first child (Malvina Call) that fall, but she died as a small child. She had her second child (Riley Howe Call) in September of 1858, but found out ten days after his birth that her husband has been killed by Native Americans, leaving her a widow with an infant at 19. Meanwhile, her mother and other family members had arrived in Utah and had made inquiries as to where Christence and Berthel were. Karen and her step-father, Jens Mickelsen, arrived in Fillmore and asked Christence to come live with them in Lake Shore, near Spanish Fork. Christence accepted, and she and her son lived comfortably, helping with the family fishing business. Her step-father encouraged her to marry Jens Peter, who he worked with and thought highly of. The two fell in love and married on January 1, 1859. They moved to Spanish Fork, built a one-room log house, nad had ten children together. Christence died in Spanish Fork 5 days after the birth of her 10th child, Christiantha Elvina on November 7, 1879 at age 40. She was known as a very good seamstress and a very dedicated member of the church. For her, family came first, and then the church. Information gathered from profile of Christence Nielsdatter.