Lars (Pedersen) Mortensen (1842 - 1910)

Born 25 Jul 1842 in Haarbölle, Fanefjord, Præstø, Denmark

Husband of Cornelia Eliza (Lee) Mortensen — married 29 Dec 1863 in Parowan, Iron, Utah

Husband of Sarah Vilate Decker — married 11 Jan 1876 in St. George, Washington, Utah

Descendants

Died 27 Jun 1910 at age 67 in near Sanford, Conejos, Colorado

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Biography

This story was related by Amelia Jenson Topham:

Peter and Lane [Lena] Sanders Mortenson joined the church in Denmark and were anxious to come to Utah. It was a tremendous undertaking with a large family and a crippled father. Peter was so crippled with rheumatism that he couldn’t walk and had to be pushed in a wheel chair. Their oldest son was called to do missionary work in Denmark and one child had died.

Peter and Lena started out from Denmark with their eight children. The trip across the plains, in Willies Hand Cart Company, started just two weeks before the ill fated Martin Hand Cart Company, and suffered many hardships. Peter Mortenson, no being able to walk was pulled across the plains to Salt Lake in an old hand-cart by his family and on to Parowan in the winter of 1856. They arrived in Salt Lake City about November 9, 1856. They were immediately sent to Parowan, arriving here sometime in December, 1856. They were wonderfully blessed and made the trip without any serious trouble, being on the road a whole year.

Upon arriving at Parowan there was no place to house them so the Bishop very graciously opened the doors of the Log Council House to the weary travelers. The spacious fireplace afforded warmth and cheer as well as a place to cook their food. The good people weren’t long in bringing in the straw ticks to sleep on and soon they were comfortably lodged in the meeting house. How thankful they were to be at their journey’s end. Here they lived until a log cabin was ready for them but the nights were so cold that it froze the sack of potatoes that had been given in to them.

Peter Mortenson was a cooper and shoemaker by trade and although he was unable to walk he could still work with his hands. He helped to make many wooden tubs and buckets and was one of the main ones to help start and operate the wooden tub and bucket factory.

He managed to keep the little feet of his loved ones covered, making little slippers out of the tops of worn out boots. He’d tack them onto wooden soles made from scraps of lumber that he’d dress down with the grease from bacon rinds to make them hard and irresistible to water and wear; then he’d paint them. The children were Martin, Hans, Anders, Lars—who married Cornelia Decker, Stena—who married Yorgen Hanson, Mettie—who married Christian Rasmussen, Mary—who married Peter M. Jenson, and Caroline—who married Thomas Durham.

So the Log Council House was not only a church and recreation center, but a haven of rest to those weary feet that had trudged across a continent. As long as Peter Mortenson lived he was pushed and pulled to Church in the old handcart every Sabbath Day.

Note

• He sailed from Copenhagen on the ship "Rhoda," setting sail 23 Apr 1856, to England. He sailed from Liverpool on the ship "Thornton," setting sail on 4 May 1856.

• Pedersen was his birth name. After immigrating to the United States, he used his father's surname of Mortensen.

Marriage

Husband: Lars Mortensen

Wife: Cornelia Lee

Marriage:

Date: 29 Dec 1863

Place: Parowan, Iron, Utah

Husband: Lars Mortensen

Wife: Sarah Vilate Decker

Marriage:

Date: 11 Jan 1876

Place: St. George, Washington, Utah

Father: Peder Mortensen

Mother: Lene Pedersdatter

Child: Morten Mortensen

Child: Anne Kirstine Mortensen

Child: Anders Jorgen Mortensen

Child: Hans Jorgen Mortensen

Child: Peder Pedersen

Child: Lars Mortensen

Child: Mette Kirstine Mortensen

Child: Mary Mortensen

Child: Caroline Mortensen

Marriage:

Date: 9 Nov 1827

Place: Fanefjord, Præstø, Denmark^[1]

Census

Census: 1 Huus, No 50

Date: 1845

Place: Haarbølle Bye, Fanefjord, Mønbo, Præstø, Denmark^[2]

Census: 1 Huus, 259

Date: 1850

Place: Haarbølle, Fanefjord, Mønbo, Præstø, Denmark^[3]

Census:

Date: 7 Aug 1860

Place: Parowan, Iron, Utah Territory^[4]

Census:

Date: 2 Jun 1870

Place: Parowan, Iron, Utah^[5]

Census:

Date: 12 Jun 1880

Place: Parowan, Iron, Utah^[6]

Census:

Date: 21 Jun 1900

Place: East Dale, Costilla, Colorado^[7]

Census: 1st East

Date: 23 Apr 1910

Place: Sanford, Conejos, Colorado^[8]

Immigration

Date: 16 Jun 1856

Place: New York, New York, New York^[9]

Pioneer

Event: Entered Salt Lake Valley as part of the James G. Willie handcart company

Type: Pioneer

Date: 9 Nov 1856^[10]

Sources

1. ↑
   Data:
   Text: Fanefjord; Den Danske Folkekirke (Fanefjord, Praesto, Denmark), Marriages 1825 - 1838, Microfilm nr. 50567
   Name: Peder Mortensen
   Age: 22 years
   Gender: Male
   Birth Date: Abt.1805
   Marriage Date: 9 nov 1827
   Marriage Place: Fanefjord, Praesto, Denmark
   Spouse: Lene Pedersdr
   Spouse's Age: 19 years
   Spouse's Gender: Female
   Spouse's Birth Date: CA.1808
   Father: Morten Bodker
   Spouse's Father: Peder Sander
   Name: Lene Pedersdr
   [Lene Sander]
   Age: 19 years
   Gender: Female
   Birth Date: Abt.1808
   Marriage Date: 9 nov 1827
   Marriage Place: Fanefjord, Praesto, Denmark
   Spouse: Peder Mortensen
   Spouse's Age: 22 years
   Spouse's Gender: Male
   Spouse's Birth Date: CA.1805
   Father: Peder Sander
   Spouse's Father: Morten Bodker
2. ↑ Note: This is a transcription found at the site.
   Data:
   Text: Præstø, Mønbo, Fanefjord, Haarbølle Bye, , 1 Huus, No 50, FT-1845
   Name: Lars Pedersen
   Age: 3
   Marital status: -
   Occupation in household:
   Occupation: deres Børn [Peder Mortensen og Lene Pedersdatter]
   Birth place: Do [her i Sognet]
3. ↑ Note: This is a transcription found at the site.
   Data:
   Text: Præstø, Mønbo, Fanefjord, Haarbølle, , 1 Huus, 259, FT-1850
   Name: Lars Pedersen
   Age: 8
   Marital status: Ugift
   Occupation in household:
   Occupation: deres Børn [Peder Mortensen og Lene Pedersen]
   Birth place: Do [her i Sognet]
4. ↑
   Page: Utah Territory, Iron, Parowan, Page 13
   Data:
   Text: Page No. 183
   Schedule 1.--Free Inhabitants in Parowan in the County of Iron State of Utah enumerated by me, on the 7th day of Aug 1860. Jesse Bishop, Ass't Marshal. Post Office Parowan.
   Dwelling-House: <1648>
   Family: <1323>
   Entry: 11
   Name: Lars <Morton>
   Age: 18
   Sex: M
   Color:
   Profession, Occupation, or Trade of each Male Person over 15 years of age:
   Value of Real Estate:
   Value of Personal Estate:
   Place of Birth: <Den>
   Married within the year:
   Attended School within the year:
   Persons over 20 yrs of age who cannot read & write:
   Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict:
   Date: 7 Aug 1860
   ..\Pictures\Documents\Census Records\1860 US Federal Census, Utah Territory, Iron, Parowan, Page 13.jpg
5. ↑
   Page: Utah Territory, Iron, District 7 Parowan, Page 7, Entry 21
   Data:
   Text: Page No. 7
   Schedule 1.--Inhabitants in (7th District) Parowan, in the County of Iron, State of Utah, enumerated by me on the 2nd day of June, 1870.
   Post Office: Parowan. James Brooks, Ass't Marshal.
   Entry: 21
   1-Dwelling-House: 49
   2-Family: 49
   Name: Mortensen Lars
   Age at last birth-day: 28
   Sex: M
   Color: W
   Profession, Occupation, or Trade of each Male Person over 15 years of age: Farmer
   Value of Real Estate owned
   Value of Real Estate: 400
   Value of Personal Estate: 250
   Place of Birth: Denmark
   Parentage
   Father of Foreign born: /
   Mother of Foreign born: /
   If born within the year, state month:
   If married within the year, state month:
   Attended School within the year:
   Education
   Cannot read:
   Cannot write:
   Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict:
   Constitutional Relations
   Male Citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards:
   Male Citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards where rights to vote is denied on other grounds than rebellion or other crime:
   Date: 2 Jun 1870
6. ↑
   Page: Utah, Iron, Parowan, District 21, Page 18, Entry 38
   Data:
   Text: Page No. 18
   Supervisor's Dist. No. 136
   Enumeration Dist. No. 21
   Schedule I.--Inhabitants in Parowan, Parowan Precinct in the County of Iron, State of Utah enumerated by me on the 11 & 12 day of June, 1880.
   /s/ Daniel Page, Enumerator.
   Entry 38
   In Cities
   Name of Street:
   House Number:
   Dwelling houses numbered in order of visitation: <167>
   Families numbered in order of visitation: <166>
   Name of Person: Mortensen Lars
   Personal Description
   Color: W
   Sex: M
   Age at last birthday prior to June 1, 1880: 37
   If born within the Census year, give the month:
   Relationship ... to the head of this family:
   Civil Condition
   Single:
   Married: /
   Widowed, Divorced (D):
   Married during Census year:
   Occupation
   Profession, Occupation or Trade: Farmer
   Number of months this person has been employed during the Census year:
   Health
   Is the person sick or temporarily disabled... If so, what is the sickness or disability?
   Blind:
   Deaf and Dumb:
   Idiotic:
   Insane:
   Maimed, Crippled, Bedridden, or otherwise disabled:
   Education
   Attended school within the Census year:
   Cannot read:
   Cannot write:
   Nativity
   Place of Birth: Denmark
   Place of Birth of the Father of this person: Denmark
   Place of Birth of the Mother of this person: Denmark
   Date: 12 Jun 1880
   
7. ↑
   Page: Colorado, Costilla, East Dale, District 10, Image 1, Entry 28
   Data:
   Text: Twelfth Census of the United States
   Schedule No. 1. - Population
   State: Colorado
   County: Costilla
   Supervisor's District No. 2
   Enumeration District No. 10
   Sheet No. 29A
   Township or other division of county: East Dale Precinct
   Name of Institution,
   Name of incorporated city, town, or village, within the above-named division,
   Ward of city,
   Enumerated by me on the 21st day of June, 1900, /s/ Felix G. Esquibel, Enumerator.
   Entry 28
   LOCATION
   In Cities
   Street:
   House Number:
   Number of dwelling, houses in the order of visitation: 548
   Number of family, in the order of visitation: 558
   NAME: Mortesen Lars
   RELATION.: Head
   PERSONAL DESCRIPTION.
   Color or race: W
   Sex: M
   DATE OF BIRTH
   Month: July
   Year: 1843
   Age at last birthday: 56
   Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced: M
   Number of years married: 24
   Mother of how many children:
   Number of these children living:
   NATIVITY.
   Place of birth of this Person: Denmark
   Place of birth of Father of this person: Denmark
   Place of birth of Mother of this person: Denmark
   CITIZENSHIP.
   Year of immigration to the United States: Un
   Number of years in the United States: Un
   Naturalization:
   OCCUPATION, TRADE, OR PROFESSION of each person ten years of age and over.
   Occupation: Farmer
   Months not employed:
   EDUCATION.
   Attended school (in months):
   Can read: Yes
   Can write: Yes
   Can speak English: Yes
   OWNERSHIP OF HOME.
   Owned or rented: O
   Owned free or mortgaged: F
   Farm or house: F
   Number of farm schedule: 88
   Date: 21 Jun 1900
   Object:
   Format: jpg
   File: ..\Pictures\Documents\Census Records\1900 US Federal Census, Colorado, Costilla, East Dale, District 10, Image 1 (Anders Mortensen).
8. ↑
   Page: Colorado, Conejos, Sanford, District 17, Image 8, Entry 69
   Data:
   Text: Department of Commerce and Labor--Bureau of the Census
   Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910--Population
   State: Colorado
   County: Conejos
   Supervisor's District No. 2
   Enumeration District No. 17
   Sheet No. 4B
   Township or other division of county: Precinct No. 14 Sanford
   Name of incorporated place: Sanford Town
   Ward of city:
   Name of institution:
   Enumerated by me on the 23 day of April, 1910, /s/ Ira B. Whitney, Enumerator.
   Entry 69
   LOCATION
   Street, avenue, road, etc.: 1st East
   House Number:
   Number of dwelling house in order of visitation: 69
   Number of family in order of visitation: 73
   NAME: Mortensen Lars
   RELATION.: Head
   PERSONAL DESCRIPTION.
   Sex: M
   Color or race: W
   Age at last birthday: 67
   Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced: M2
   Number of years of current marriage: 45
   Mother of how many children.
   Number born:
   Number now living:
   NATIVITY.
   Place of birth of this Person: Den. Danish
   Place of birth of Father of this person: Den. Danish
   Place of birth of Mother of this person: Den. Danish
   CITIZENSHIP.
   Year of immigration to the United States: 1856
   Whether naturalized or alien:
   Whether able to speak English; or, if not, give language spoken: English
   OCCUPATION.
   Trade or profession of, or particular kind of work done by this person: Farmer
   General nature of industry, business, or establishment to which this person works: Own Farm
   Whether as employer, employee, or working at own address: OA
   If an employee-
   Whether or not at work on April 15, 1910:
   Number of weeks out of work during year 1909:
   EDUCATION.
   Whether able to read: Yes
   Whether able to write: Yes
   Attended school any time after September 1, 1909:
   OWNERSHIP OF HOME.
   Owned or rented: O
   Owned free or mortgaged: F
   Farm or house: F
   Number of farm schedule: 41
   Whether a veteran of the Union or Confederate army or navy:
   Whether blind (both eyes):
   Whether deaf and dumb:
   Date: 23 Apr 1910
   Object:
   Format: jpg
   File: ..\Pictures\Documents\Census Records\1910 US Federal Census, Colorado, Conejos, Sanford, District 17, Image 8 (Lars Mortensen).jpg
9. ↑
   Page: 1856, June, Thornton, Page 10
   Data:
   Text: District of New York---Port of New York
   I, Chas Collins Master of the Ship Thornton do solemnly, sincerely and truly affirm that the following List or Manifest, subscribed by me, and now delivered by me to the Collector of the Customs of the Collection District of New York, is a full and perfect list of all the passengers taken on board of the said ship Thornton at Liverpool from which port said ship Thornton has now arrived; and that on said list is truly designed the age, the sex, and the occupation of each of said passengers, the part of the vessel occupied by each during the passage, the country to which each belongs, and also the country of which it is intended by each to become an inhabitant; and that said List or Manifest truly sets forth the number of said passengers who have died on said voyage, and the names and ages of those who died. So help me God. /s/ Chas. Collins
   Sworn to this Jun 16th 1856.
   Before me /s/ ?????
   List of Manifest Of all the Passengers taken on board the Ship Thornton whereof Charles Collins is Master, from Liverpool burthen 1422 15/95 tons.
   Page 10
   Names: Lars <Peterson>
   Age
   Years: 13
   Months:
   Sex: <M>
   Occupation: <Farmer>
   The country to which they severally belong: <Denmark>
   The country in which they intend to become inhabitants: <Utah USA>
   Died on the voyage:
   Part of the vessel occupied by each passenger during the voyage: Lower between Decks
   Date: 16 Jun 1856
   Object:
   
10. ↑
    Page: Page 292

• Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude
  Publication: 1998, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers
  Page: Page 2061, 2064

• Peder and Helena Sandersen Mortensen Family
  Author: Jones, Fred & Mary (comp.)
  Publication: 2007, Book on CD
  Page: Part VI, Lars, Pages 1357-1364

• LDS Biographical Encyclopedia
  Author: Jenson, Andrew
  Page: Vol. 3, p. 801

• Temple Book: St. George
  Author: St. George Temple
  Publication: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Handcarts to Zion: The Story of a Unique Western Migration, 1856-1860
  Author: Hafen, Leroy R. and Ann W. Hafen
  Publication: University of Nebraska Press

• Denmark: Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Burials, Lists of Accession and Expunctions: 1825-1839 Call Number: FHL Film #50567

• Denmark Marriages, 1631-1900s
  Author: Ancestry.com
  Publication: Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.

• Census: Denmark: 1845
  Publication: Online - Dansk Demografisk DatabaseDansk Demografisk Database
  Address: http://ddd.dda.dk/ddd_en.htm

• History of Iron County Mission, Parowan Utah
  Author: Dalton, Mrs. Luella Adams, comp.
  Page: Page 285
  Data:
  

• LDS Euro Project
  Author: Horlacher, Gary T.
  http://www.ldsep.org/denmark/lfm/sp/55lmort.htm Data: Date: 30 Aug 2003

• Fanefjord, Præstø, Denmark: Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Burials, Lists of Accession and Expunctions: 1839-1853 Call Number: FHL Film #50568

• Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York: 1820-1897
  Author: National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration
  Publication: 1957, The National Archives Call Number: FHL Film #175519
  Text: National Archives Microfilm Publications
  Microcopy No. 237
  Roll 163
  June 10-30, 1856 (List Nos. 446-578)
  The National Archives
  

• Præstø, Mønbo, Fanefjord, Haarbølle, , 1 Huus, 259, FT-1850
  Name: Lars Pedersen
  Age: 8
  Marital status: Ugift
  Occupation in household:
  Occupation: deres Børn [Peder Mortensen og Lene Pedersen]
  Birth place: Do [her i Sognet]

• Fanefjord, Præstø, Denmark: Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Burials, Lists of Accession and Expunctions: 1839-1853 Call Number: FHL Film #50568

• Peder and Helena Sandersen Mortensen Family
  Author: Jones, Fred & Mary (comp.)
  Publication: 2007, Book on CD
  Page: Part VI, Lars, Pages 1357-1364

• Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847-1868
  Publication: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  Lars Mortensen