Lars Johansen and Family

The Lars Johansen group was part of a company of 301 Danish Saints, later, joined by 33 German Saints, under the leadership of Christian John Larsen. They traveled by boat from Copenhagen, Denmark to Keil, Germany; from there by train to Gluckstadt, by steamer down the Elbe River and on to Hull, England where they took a train for Liverpool, England. They departed Liverpool on 3 Jan 1854 on the ship “Jesse Munn”. They arrived in New Orleans on 16 Feb 1854. They arrived in St. Louis on 11 March 1854 and then traveled to Kansas City and on to Westport. They were joined by the Hans P. Olsen Company and Captain Olsen was put in charge. They arrived in Salt Lake City on 5 October 1854 before settling at Kingston’s Fort in South Weber. From there they settled in Spring City, with Christian J. and Barbara making their final home in Logan.

Larsen Immigrants

Lars and Margrethe Johansen

 
Lars Johansen age 59
wife, Anna Margrethe Sorensen Johansen age 57
son, Christian John Larsen age 23
his wife, Barbara Dorthea Olsen Larsen age 21
her brother, Waldemar Christian Olsen age 12 

 son, Soren Larsen age 32
his wife, Marie Fredericksen Larsen age 23

On 3 January 1854 a company of 335 Scandinavian and German Latter-day Saints sailed from Liverpool aboard the chartered square-rigger Jessie Munn, one of many Canadian- built vessels sold to English owners. Elder Christian Larsen presided over the emigrants, and Captain John Duckitt commanded the ship. After a "prosperous" voyage, during which ten children and two adults died and three couples were married, the vessel arrived at New Orleans on 20 February-a passage of forty-eight days.

The ship's name has been spelled "Jesse Munn" and "Jessie Munn" in different sources; however, the Liverpool registration and Lloyd's Register record the latter spelling. This three-master had one deck and a poop deck, a square stern, and a figurehead of a woman's bust. Principal owners of the ship were H. T. Wilson and John Duckitt, her master. In 1868 the Jessie Munn was abandoned at St. Peter's Bank.

Maren (Mary) Larsen

She married Jens Mathias Black as his second (plural) wife five years after he married her sister ·''Stena".  They had 5 children, 2 of whom died young. Jens did not treat Maren good and she later divorced him.  Her second husband was Christian Willardsen. She was his second (plural) wife.  She was sealed to him in the Endowment House.  They had 7 children.  Only 6 of her 12 children survived to adulthood.  They lived in Ephraim, Utah and were probably buried there.  She died at the age of 82.

Lauritz Larsen

His first wife was Maria Thompson. They had 2 daughters. His second wife was Louise Rasmine Jasperson.  They had 5 children.  His third wife was Ottomine Marie Christensen.  They had 2 daughters.  Lauritz and Maria married while crossing the ocean. He served as a missionary before leaving Denmark, and was called back on a mission from 1867 to 1870. He was 2nd counselor for 14 years, and a member of the Utah constitutional convention in 1895.  He was Justice of the Peace for 4 terms, and Mayor of Spring City for 2 terms.  He is buried in Spring City.  

 

Christen Greis Larsen

He married Caroline Maria Sorensen. They had 11 children.  His second wife was Anna Ungerman.  They had one daughter.  His third wife was Anna Maria Christiansen Olsen.  They had 2 daughters. His 4th wife was Annetta Johnson (Anna Jonsson).  They had 6 children.  His 5th wife was Caroline Anna Olson.  They had 2 sons.  Christen G. was born December 17, 1828 in Denmark and died June 1, 1911 in Castle Dale, Emery County, Utah.  He was baptized March 27, 1851.  He was a soldier and was appointed to preach to his comrades.  When he was out of the army he was called to the island of Bomholm on December 24, 1852.  In 1857 he was released to go to America.  He was a Bishop in Spring City. He held this position for 8 years.  Then he was called in 1873 on a special mission to Europe.  He presided over the Scandinavian Mission for two years.  In 1880 he was called to preside over the saints in Castle Valley as it's president.   He held that important position for 19 years, when he was forced to retire because of ill health (1899).  It was said of President Christen G. Larsen that he is one of the "most talented and successful missionaries which the Scandinavian Mission has produced.  He ranks high as a public speaker, his sermons being delivered with that force and earnestness which is intended to make a deep and lasting impression.  His indomitable will power and keen sense of justice makes him a true type of the Scandinavian race,, whose friendship is true and abiding as the everlasting hills, and whose enmity, if aroused, is correspondingly strong.  President Larsen, together with his brothers, John (Johannes), Lauritz, and Christian J. who have become widely known throughout the Church, will never be forgotten by the Saints of God.  Commencing their career as Latter-day Saint missionaries in their native land when they were mere boys, they have ever stood up manfully and fearlessly for truth and right, and never flinched from duty or responsibility. " Christen G. was also Mayor of Spring City.  His son Samuel Henry Larsen was also a Bishop.  Christen G. Larsen had 5 wives and 22 children.  He was buried in Castle Dale.

 

Cecelia Kjerstine (Sidsel Kirstine) Larsen

She was called "Stena" and was born on May 11, 1826.  She married Jens Mathias Black and they had

7 children.  She is also buried in the Spring City Cemetery in the north-east section.  The inscription on the 

new tombstone has the spelling she used in Utah (James M. and Cecelia Christina Black).  She died 

November 26, 1906 at the age of 70.  She was baptized August 24, 1851 along with her parents and 

came to America with her brother Christian J. who had also baptized them.  They too had trials with 

Indians (having to move to Ephraim for a time, and then back to Spring City).  Jens was a shoemaker.

 

Johannes (John) Larsen

He married Anna Jorgensen. They had 11 children.  He was the first in the family to join the Church, being baptized August 18, 1850.  He was a tailor and made soldier uniforms during the war. He took his brother Christian J. to a meeting and he was baptized August 19, 1850.  He did much missionary work, helped organize branches and presided over the conference and mission in Aalborg until his release in 1856 to come to America.  He and his wife suffered much hardship crossing the plains.  They nearly starved, and they buried a small baby near Green River. John suffered badly frozen feet and could not walk for six months.  He was a ward quorum president of the Seventies and the head teacher for many years.  He is buried in Spring City.

 

Soren Larsen

 He married Maria Frederickson or Hansen whom he met and married aboard ship on the way to America  They had 10 children. His second wife was Kristena Bertlesen (Nielsen) of Denmark  They had 6 children.  Soren was born March 28, 1822 in Denmark and died at the age of 69 on August 20, 1891.  He is buried in Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah.  He was a soldier in the Danish Army during the revolt of Holstein against Denmark in 1848. He came to America with his parents in January 1854.  He was a minute man during the Black Hawk War.  He was a carpenter and built an adobe house on the banks of Canal Creek in Spring City.  The House still stands.

 

Christian J. Larsen

I was born March 21st, 1831 in Gries, Veile County, Denmark.  I commenced to work in the Gries Woolen 

Mills when I was six years old, working twelve hours each day.  My schooling was from 7 p. m. to 9 p. m. 

after the days' work was done. When fourteen years old I started to learn the tailor trade, and when I was 

seventeen, on account of the war between Denmark and Germany, I went to Copenhagen.  On August 15th, 

1850 I had my conversation with Elder G. P. Dykes on the first principles of the Gospel, and on the 19th of 

the same month I was baptized by Elder P. 0. Hansen and confirmed on the 25th of August by Apostle Erastus

Snow. On this occasion the sacrament was administered for the first time in this dispensation in the country of 

Denmark.  In the month of October, 1850 I was ordained a Deacon by Elder J. P. Forsgren.  On March 12th,

1851 I was ordained a Priest by Apostle Snow and sent with Elder Christian Christiansen to Aalborg as 

missionaries. We reached our destination on March 16th.  I labored there until the latter part of July when I 

was called back to Copenhagen. On August 17th I was ordained an Elder by Apostle Snow and sent to my 

native village.  On the 24th of August, 1851 I preached my first Gospel sermon in my father's house, and on 

the same day had the pleasure of baptizing my Father, Mother, and eldest sister, and also a stranger.  This was
the first fruits of the Gospel in that part of Denmark.  The Lord blessed our labors so that by the 10th day of 

November we had organized three branches of the Church, namely; Fredaricia, Gries, and Store Lima.  On 

the 15th of November, 1851, in a general conference held at Copenhagen, Southern Jylland and Fyne was 

organized as a conference, and I was appointed its President.  In the spring of 1852 by the request of W. 

Snow, I performed a short mission to Falster and Lolland after some of the brethren had been unmercifully 

robbed and driven from those islands.  On the 15th of August I was appointed President over Brevig 

Conference in Norway and six other brethren were called to accompany me.  We arrived in Norway the 12th 

day of September and had very good success in laboring in the three branches already organized as well as 

among strangers until the 15th of October when we were all imprisoned.  I was released from prison on April 

2nd 1853.  In July I was called back to Denmark by President W. Snow and in August I was appointed 

President for Copenhagen Conference.  In the latter part of November I was appointed by President Van 

Cott to look after the interests of the first emigrant company and take charge of them.  On the 22nd of 

December I, with 301 emigrants, left Copenhagen and in Gloksta our company increased by 33 German 

Saints.  At Kansas we were joined with the second company from Denmark when crossing the plains. 

We arrived in Salt Lake City October 5th, 1854.  I settled in what was then called Kingston's Fort or South 

Weber.  In the fall of 1856 I was called as 2nd counselor to Bishop Thomas Kingston.  In the fall of 1857 I 

moved to Ogden.  On the 7th day of April I was ordained a Seventy by President John Van Cott.  Through 

the summer and fall I was under arms in Colonel Chauncey West's command in what was called the Buchanan 

War. In the winter of 1857 and '58 I was a Home Missionary in the Weber Stake and in the summer of '58 I 

had charge of one of the three small companies left to guard the city.  In November 1858 I moved with my 

family to San Pete where I lived and passed through all the trouble and difficulties of the Black Hawk War. 

On the 13th of August 1864, I and a 9 year old son of mine had a miraculous escape from an attack of about
twenty savages who emptied their guns at us when they were not more than about twelve feet from us.  In the

spring of 1867 when the grasshoppers destroyed our crops in San Pete I went on a visit to Cache Valley and 

on meeting Apostle Ezra T. Benson was persuaded by him to move to Logan.  It was over a year before I got

all my family moved. I was a Home Missionary in Cache Stake from 1872 to 1884,. and a high counselor 

while Apostle Brigham Young presided in this stake.  When Moses Thatcher became President of the stake I

was ordained by him a High Priest and set apart as 1st counselor to the Bishop of Logan Second Ward, which

position I held until 1890.  I was a missionary laborer in Logan Temple from March 1885 to May 1887. In 

October 1890 I was appointed Bishop of Logan Seventh Ward and on November 3rd was ordained and set 

apart to that office by Apostle Marriner W. Merrill.  This position I yet hold - September 23rd, 1901.  May 

3rd, 1908, set apart as Patriarch.  (At his death he had 19 children, 85 grandchildren, and 47 

great-grandchildren.  He led the 3rd company of emigrants from Denmark at the age of 22. 

He died at Logan, Utah, September 15, 1915 of general debility. )