Brigham City Cemetery

Brigham City cemetery, Utah.  On our way to Bismarck, North Dakota we stopped by the Brigham City cemetary and thanks to Uncle Bruce and his cemetary map, were able to find the graves of Lars and Gedska Nelson.  It was fantastic to see the names of the people who have sacrificed so much so that we might have the gospel in our lives.  I cannot wait to meet them and say thank you.  You'll notice that Christian was not as enamored with the experience as I was.  On a side note, we've moved from Phoenix to Bismarck, ND and I have not had access to the internet for several months until this week.  I can't wait to get back into my hobby...of course Dave Barry said that there is a very fine line between a "hobby" and "mental illness" (25 things I have learned in 50 years, Dave Barry). 

Brigham City cemetery, Utah.  Further east in the cemetery is the plot for Charles Frederick Nelson and his wife Lena.  Charles was born in Denmark in 1852 (The headstone says 1853 but the records I have found show it is 1852) and came over with his father Laurs to America as a young boy about the age of 8 or 9 when they came over on the Monarch of the Sea in 1861.  I'm trying to get Andy to smile as he's so shy around cameras.  Christian has warmed up a little bit to the experience.  

Rasine Jensen Family: Daughter of Jens Rasmusen

Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. Me and my three willing "minions" went to the FHL in SLC on March 11 and 12th. Linda found this family in the parish records. These documents are for the family of Rassine Jensdatter who was the daughter of Jens Rasmusen. Jens was the brother of Laurs Rasmusen Nielsen.

Birth, Sonder Rind parish register, page 76. Birth of Rasine Jensen on May 24, 1853 to Jens Rasmusen and Kathrine Christensdatter who was 30 years old at the time. Rasine was the third of four daughters born to Jens and Kathrine.

Marriage, Sonder Rind parish register, page 77. Christen Pedersen, 28 years of Rind and Rasine Jensen, 26 years of Rind married December 2, 1879. Niels Johansen Berg and Jens Rasmusen both of Rind were the witnesses. Niels was the brother in law of Rasine as he had married her oldest sister Ane Jensen.

1880 Census, Sonder Rind parish, page 17. Christen Pedersen, age 29, and Rasine (spelled Rassine) Jensen, age 26 are living in the home of her father Jens Rasmusen. They have a daughter who is less than 1 year of age and is unbaptized. Christen is a farm laborer and born in Hem parish, Viborg county. Also living with the family is Ane Jensen and Niels Johansen Berg and their unbaptized 1 year old son.

1890 Census, Sonder Rind parish, page 4. Christen and Rasine (spelled Larssine) are 39 and 36, respectively. His occupation is in agriculture. They have several children living with them. Jenssine Pedersen, age 10, Bodil Kathrine Pedersen, age 8, Peder Pedersen, age 5, and Ane Pedersen age 1. Interestingly, Rasine is noted to be a weaver.

1901 Census, Sonder Rind parish register, page 96. This is the last census before Christen Pedersen dies in 1904. Here is listed as being born in 1851 in Hem parish. Rasine is born in 1853. Jenssine, Ane and Jens are living with the family. Bodil Kathrine and Peder are not listed.

Death, Sonder Rind parish register, page 100. Christen dies July 1, 1904 and is buried July 5. He is married at the time of his death. He was the son of Peder Pedersen and Bodil Kristensen. Wife is Rasine Jensen. He was 53 years old.

1906 Census, Sonder Rind parish, page 10. Rasine Pedersen (not Jensen) is a widow. Her birthday is incorrect at May 20, 1853. Her son Peter (spelled with a T), born in 1884 is living with her and is around the age of 22. I am not sure what the word is that talks about her occupation.

1911 Census, Sonder Rind parish, page 6. Peder, Rasine and Bodil Kathrine are living in the same house in Rind. Both the children are unmarried. Peder would be 27 and Bodil would be 29. Peder is in agriculture.

Death, Sonder Rind parish register, page 114. Rasine dies on January 6, 1921 and is buried on the 11th of January. She is listed as Rasine Pedersen born Jensen. Her birthday is May 24, 1853 and she is the daughter of Jens Rasmussen and Cathrine Christensdatter. Husband was Christen Pedersen who died July 1, 1904. She was 67 years old.

Hvorslev Church

Hvorslev Church in Hvorslev, Denmark. The official religion of Denmark is the evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark and 81.5% of Danes consider themselves a member of this church. Only 31% of Danes, however, believe "there is a God." This is the church building where our Hvorslev family would have attended meetings, been married, christened, and buried.

Inside the Hvorslev church. Note the art on the walls and the altar and "baptismal font" at the front of the church.

Here are great great great grandson Jerry Nelson and his wife Zeta Nelson at the altar location where Rasmus and Anne were married almost 200 years ago (1819). Thanks to Jerry and Zeta for these pictures as they visited this area at the end of their European mission.

Heather Shelton and Family

This is the Shelton family from Washington. Heather is holding their twins Breydon and Bethany, husband Todd is in the back and their oldest daughter Brienna is sitting on the bench on the right. Heather is a great, great, great, great granddaughter of Laurs and Gedska through Anne Marie Kirstine Rasmussen.

Heather has done a great deal of genealogy on her lines and I stumbled across a website detailing their family history: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~schick/

Newly Discovered "Cousin" Elaine

Elaine McIver is a relative we've connected with doing genealogy. Her father was Herman Nelson. Herman's father was Alphonso Nelson. Alphonso's father was Charles Frederick Nelson who was the son of Laurs and Gedska. Through Elaine we discovered that Dr. Steve Nelson who my family knew in the Upland, California stake, is her brother. She's pictured here with her "Just Lucky I Guess" husband Walt.

We were able to connect with them as they too live in Phoenix, AZ near the Mesa Temple. Top row from left to right is Walt, Elaine, Me (holding my son Christian), Devin (my "hairy" brother). Bottom row from left to right are my sons Blake, Andy, and Tyler.