History of Niels Christian Christensen1 Niels Christian Christensen, one of the early settlers of Hyrum, Cache County, Utah was born July 11, 1844, at Starbrand, Randers, Denmark, the oldest of four children born to Niels Christensen and Kirstine Marie Nielsen. A brother, Christen, was born April 17, 1846; a second brother, Niels, was born January 17, 1848, and an only sister was born June 8, 1850, named Marie Christine (or Ane Marie). In 1858, the Mormon missionaries came to Denmark, and when Niels Christian’s father heard the gospel of Jesus Christ preached, he accepted it and became a member at the age of 42 years. The father, Niels Christensen, was very anxious to go to America where he could be among the Saints, and be actively engaged in the work of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Niels Christian, his two brothers and his sister were given the opportunity to choose for themselves as to whether they would go to America with their father or stay in Denmark with their wonderful mother. Niels Christian joined the church in Denmark and was baptized on December 23, 1859, and came to America with his father, two brothers and his sister. It was a very sad experience for these young boys and their sister to leave their sweet mother in the homeland, but the thought of being in a new land as members of the great church was enticing enough to prompt these four children to go with their father on this adventure. The parents of their mother, Kirstine Marie, were anxious to comfort and assist their loved one with her needs, as they were blessed with considerable property. (Refer to the history of Niels Christensen - Pioneer of 1860, for an account of the family’s travel from Denmark to Utah and for the early history of the Hyrum, Utah, settlement) On (December 21, 1868), Niels Christian Christensen married Karen Marie Sorenson, who came to America as a convert to the Church (with a large company—leaving Denmark in the spring of 1868). Karen Marie had come to Hyrum, Utah, to be with her mother, Karen Sorenson, who had left Denmark earlier. Niels Christian and Karen Marie were the parents of 11 children: Christian H. and a twin brother or sister - born November 17, 1869; Caroline Marie - born March 8, 1871; Ana Christine - born July 27, 1873; Emma Hedevig - born January 16, 1875; Peter - born December 28, 1876; Henry - born May 18, 1878; Nephi - born December 9, 1880; Willard Richard - born January 26, 1883; James G. - born March 20, 1884; John - born February 18, 1886. Niels Christian was a man of great faith (seemed to be especially gifted with the power of healing) and was called upon to administer to the sick often. Night or day, he was ready to give this service. He maintained a small home and a small farm in Hyrum, as well as purchased land in College Ward, which was about 15 miles to the northwest of Hyrum. He was always grateful for his condition in life and felt he had plenty for his own and some to share with widows who were in need. Each time he exchanged wheat for flour at the mill, he always found a place for a few sacks before he reached home with his share. His desire was always to be a devoted member of the Church; not one who wanted praise, just the quiet, humble servant. He was considerate of everyone’s needs; even driving along the road he would pull off of the road and allow others to pass in safety. He was a hard worker who spent long hours on the farm–not always doing his own work but helping anyone he met that was in need. Ever since he joined the Church, he worked with zeal and energy for the advancement of truth among his fellow men. His life span was 61 years. He underwent an operation for a hernia and did not survive the anesthetic (anesthesia?). In those days, doctors were not so skilled, nor did they have favorable conditions for their patients. The operation was performed in the home. He died April 1, 1905. This was a great shock to the family as he had always been so active. At the time of his demise, he held the office of High Priest in Hyrum, Utah. See following pages Farm Life of Niels Christian Christensen, My Grandfather by C.L.C. - Feb. 1989 Questions have been asked about the farm life of Niels Christian Christensen. To my knowledge there is hardly any detail written regarding his farming activities. However, there is some interesting information in the history book "Niels Christensen, Pioneer of 1860" and a second book covering the history of Hyrum from 1860 to 1969 that is relevant to this question. From the pioneer book the following information is given: "One thinks of the Danes as family more than a nation, for of all the European nations they are the most domestic. Denmark is a land of small farms and home industries, where farmers who work their own farms are the most influential part of the population. This was the environment which produced Niels Christensen, who chose to pioneer a new cause in a new country." In accordance with the life style that my great grandfather and family had been exposed to in Denmark, they were now some­what prepared for the life they had chosen on the new frontier of Hyrum, Cache Valley, Utah. History places them, in 1860, with other original settlers of Hyrum who for the first four years all lived in a fort for protection against the Indians. All of the planning for the town was under the leadership of the LDS Church officials. The distribution of land followed the policy established by Brigham Young in his Sunday sermon at Salt Lake City, July 25, 1847. The head of each family was allotted 20 acres of land, outside of the city, to farm as they wished. The heads of families selected their building lots by drawing numbers in a lottery. Each lot was large enough for a house, lawn, garden, orchard, livestock and poultry sheds. (The only cost was one dollar to pay for the survey.) Each family was to make their own soap, candles, bread. and butter. To stimulate and encourage marriage, a lot was also given to the eldest son in the family. Accordingly, my grandfather, who was the oldest son, received a lot. His lot was on the same block as his father's. The homes they built were described and shown in recent photos in an earlier history prepared during July 1988 by myself. A few years after receiving his lot, my grandfather was married on March 25, 1868, to my grandmother, Karen Marie Sorenson, who also came to Utah as a convert to the Church. She proved to be a very stable and devoted wife and mother. They were the parents of eleven children, five of which died as children or at childbirth. My grandfather maintained a small irrigated farm in the north Hyrum fields as well as purchased land in College Ward about 15 miles northwest of Hyrum. He, no doubt, raised the same principal crops as my father. These crops were wheat, barley, oats, alfalfa, pasture, and sugar beets. The sugar beet industry was instituted in 1890 in the Cache Valley and provided a good cash return. However, this crop demanded new machinery and many hours of hand labor. Most of the farming operation was centered around a small dairy operation. The crops consumed in the production of the dairy program were alfalfa, oats, barley, and pasture. Horses were utilized in the total dairy operation but were also needed to produce the cash crops and for general transportation. My grandfather was also a handyman as was his father and his son (my father). I remember my father doing all his own carpentry work, family shoe repairing, and family barbering. He was always a general handyman for all types of farm and home maintenance operations. He operated his own little home-made blacksmith shop. I believe my grandfather sustained about nine milk cows, which was the size of his cow barn. I have first-hand knowledge of this, because my father moved his father's barn, in 1920, to my father's new lot one block west. This same barn still stands today with two additions: one for horses and young livestock and the other was a special barn for hay storage only. This hay barn addition was built by my father and myself when I was a senior in high school. My grandfather's livestock would have included cows, horses, pigs and chickens. I'm sure my grand­father also maintained a large garden, as my father did, with a variety of vegetables, berries, grapes and fruit trees. Milk was produced by the family cowherd, from which the family needs of milk and butter were provided with the remaining being sold to the local creamery. The wheat crop was stored as grist at the local flourmill and any wheat not needed for the family was sold to the mill for other’s needs. In the early history of Hyrum, cows were pooled and herded in large uncultivated areas on a cooperative basis. This decreased the need for individual farm pastures. My grandfather was a participant in this program. Verbal reports from my father also indicated that, at times, some of his family members would hire out to a neighbor who operated a pottery business. Because my father and grandfather had much the same type of irrigated farming operations, possibly the same work schedule can be applied to both. A typical work schedule, which I experienced on my father's farm was as follows: Up at 6:00 a.m., milk cows and morning chores. Breakfast at 7:30 a.m.--out to the hayfield or beet field at 8:00 a.m. Lunch in the field, which had been carefully prepared by mother, at 12:00 noon. Back to work at 1:00 p.m. Travel home by horse and wagon 5:30 p.m. Drive cows from pasture 6:00 p.m. Evening meal at 6:15 p.m. Milk cows and chores at 6:30 p.m. Finish chores by 7:45 p.m. MIA or other activity from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The morning schedule started one hour earlier during the sugar beet and grain harvests. Also, the irrigation schedules covered all hours of the day and night. This highly structured schedule was repeated each working day except Sunday. Except for the irrigation of crops and routine chores, my father and grandfather never worked on the Sabbath, but were very involved in Church activities. The boys and girls in the family were both included in the cow milking and sugar beet thinning, hoeing and harvesting operations. The heavy work, of course, was accomplished by the boys and father. A sad incident occurred in my grandfather's family with his son Henry at the age of 12. During the early morning of the holiday, 4th of July, 1890, Henry was sent to the field to get a load of hay. As he was returning with the hay, he went to sleep and fell from the load and died with a broken neck. To me, this recorded incident emphasizes the fact that my grandfather, like my father, was always very eager to get the work done and took few occasions for himself or his family to slow down and relax. In spite of this eagerness, they were great family men and very successful in their own methods of farming and raising a family. I also believe my grandmother, like my mother, played an indispensable role in the success of the family and the farming operation.

Great-grandfather, Niels Christian Christensen, was a Mormon pioneer. He, with his father and brothers, emigrated from Denmark in 1860 and are listed among the first settlers in Hyrum, Utah. Niels Christian, was known as a man who lived close to the spirit. He was often called on to give priesthood blessings to the sick in the community. He also was quick to lend a helping hand or a sack of flower to the widows he knew. He ran a small dairy farm and engaged his family in a hard, life-sustaining work ethic. He was always a general handyman for all types of farm and home maintenance operations. He operated his own little home-made blacksmith shop. Some of his grandchildren remembered that he often showed them how he could step-dance. Niels Christian died at age 61 at home while undergoing surgery to repair a hernia.

NIELS CHRISTIAN CHRISTENSEN, THE UTAH SETTLER: Niels Christian___Christensen.. .was born July 11, 1844, at Starbrand, Randers, Denmark, the oldest of four children born to Niels Christensen and Kirstine Marie Nielsen.. .Niels Christian, his two brothers and sister were given the opportunity to choose for themselves as to whether they would go to America with their father or stay in Denmark with their wonderful mother. Niels Christian joined the church through baptism on December 23, 1859 at the age of 15 and came to America with his father and two brothers and sister. It was a very sad experience for these young boys and their sister to leave their sweet mother in the homeland, but the thought of being in a new land as members of a great church was enticing enough to prompt these four children to go with their father on this adventure.

KAREN MARIE SORENSON: On March 25, 1868, Niels Christian Christensen, then 24 years old, married Karen Marie Sorenson, who came to America as a convert to the Church at a time after the arrival of those in the large company who left May 2, 1860. Karen Marie had come to Hyrum, Utah, to be with her mother, Karen Sorenson, who had left Denmark earlier. Niels Christian and Karen Marie were the parents of 11 children: Christian H. and a twin brother or sister who died at birth — were born November 17, 1869; Caroline Marie — born March 8, 1871; Ana Christine — born July 27, 1873; Emma Hedevigd — born January 16, 1875; Peter — born December 28, 1876; Henry — born May 18, 1878; Nephi — born December 9, 1880; Willard Richard — born January 26, 1883; James 0. — born March 20, 1884; John —born February 18, 1886. Niels Christian was a man of great faith. He seemed to be especially gifted with the power of healing and was called upon to administer to the sick often. Night or day, he was ready to give this service. He maintained a small home and a small farm, as well as purchased land in Hyrum College Ward which was about 15 miles to the northwest of Hyrum. He was always grateful for his condition in life and felt he had plenty for his own and some to share with widows who were in need. Each time he exchanged wheat for flour at the mill, he always found a place for a few sacks before he reached home with his share. His desire was always to be a devoted member of the Church. He was one who wanted praise, he was just a quiet, humble servant. He was considerate of everyone’s needs, even driving along the road he would pull of for others to pass in safety. He was a hard worker who spent long hours on the farm; not always doing his own work, hut helping anyone he met who was in need. Ever since he joined the Church, he worked with zeal and energy for the advancement of truth among his fellowmen. He would often walk several miles out of Hyrum to work on the church farm. He would take a lunch, and at noon, he would wash his face and hands and ask blessing on the food and then eat. His life span was 61 years. He underwent an operation for a hernia and did not survive the anesthesia. In those days, doctors were not as skilled, nor did they have favorable conditions for their patients. The operation was performed in the home. He died April 1, 1905 in Hyrum, Utah. This was a great shock to the family as he had always been so active. At the time of his demise, he held the office of High Priest. (The picture of Niels Christian Christensen seated with his family is super imposed. Irven Christensen said that if it were true to life he would be much larger.)