My family came from strong pioneer stock. Mother’s family came from England, Wales and France. Dad’s family came from Denmark. With an Italian-Hawaiian husband, our children were blessed with a rich ancestry filled with many stories. My mother’s great grandmother crossed the plains with a handcart company and some of her personal possessions are still among our family treasures. I love to think about her example of faith and perseverance that has influenced generations of our family.
Recently, the senior missionaries here in South Africa gathered for a Family Home Evening about the footsteps of faith our pioneer ancestors trod in gospel sod. I was asked to share a pioneer story from our family. I departed from my usual recounting of my mother’s heritage and felt inspired to tell about my father’s grandfather, Jens Hansen, who was born and died in July in a former century.
Jens (James) Hansen Jensen was born on July 2nd 1827 in a tiny Danish island in the North Sea called Bornholm. The inhabitants of this island were a sturdy lot and belonged to the Lutheran Church. James met a little peasant girl, Anne (Ane or Annie), who was a weaver. He gifted her with a beautiful lamb and she cared for it. Eventually, another lamb was born. She sheared and kept the wool until she had enough wool to spin and make into cloth. Her brother, a tailor, made the cloth into a suit for James. After a five year courtship, their friendship ripened into love and James wore his new suit for their marriage. It is said that a portion of Annie’s cloth is still treasure by one of her ancestors. Wish it were me!
On the 10th of July 1851, a small branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on the island and Annie believed and embraced it. Many people felt the joy of the spirit and were baptized. Those who made that choice were terrorized and subjected to cruel treatment by mobs of non-believers. The missionaries were persecuted and robbed on many occasions. They found a haven of rest and comfort in Hansen home. James and Annie were baptized on a bleak, cold January day after breaking through eighteen inches of ice to provide an entrance to the water and a place for the sacred baptism by immersion. At the time of that freezing display of faith, my great-grandmother was eight months pregnant with my grandfather’s little sister. (In the interest of time, I didn’t mention in my talk that my great-grandparents were baptized by Elder Christian Larsen.)
On the day before Christmas in 1853 the little family of four left their beloved homeland, family, property and estates and sailed for America via London on the ship “Jesse Munn.” After being tossed to and fro on the cold, rough seas for about six weeks, they docked at New Orleans. Cholera claimed many lives during the long voyage. Annie was one of the victims of the dreaded disease that was blessed to survive the ordeal once on land. They rested for a month so that she could recover and then joined a wagon train headed west. James put his few holdings and baby into the wagon and drove the oxen. Annie walked the entire distance except when she was nursing time for the baby. At those times she would sit on the back of the wagon with her feet dangling over the edge. After many long months of enduring hardships on the arduous cross-country journey, they reached the Salt Lake Valley in October 1854. They rested a few days and then proceeded north to Brigham City. Even after settling there, they suffered through many trials including fighting crickets to save their crops.
Eventually, James became one of the most successful farmers in the county. It is said that he never ate his breakfast after the sun came up, signifying that he was an early riser. Out of his means he sent money back to Bornholm to provide passage for many of the members of the church to come to America. His home was always open to new-comers and they would be fed and clothed until they could establish themselves. The poor and needy of the settlement were given flour and vegetables from his farm.
My great-grandfather’s word in his household was law and when he spoke the children obeyed without a thought of doing otherwise. He was very stern, but kind, and gained a wonderful respect from them as well as from his associates. Carving wood was a hobby he enjoyed. He taught his children to have a good work ethic and engaged them in learning many skills he possessed. He was a good friend to the Indians who never failed to stop at his farm to visit and receive of his hospitality. Old Chief Pocatello was especially fond of James.
In 1853, under the direction of church president Brigham Young, Lorenzo Snow founded Brigham City, Utah. Lorenzo and James became very dear friends and neighbors as they owned land adjoining one another. James was so successful as a financier he was able to do much good for the community and the church. At one time he donated 1500 sheep to the United Order or Co-op. Many times Lorenzo went to the Hansen farm granary for wheat to give to the poor. At one time he approached James and said that he had come again for wheat. He felt ashamed to ask for it because he had been there on the same errand so many times. My great-grandfather replied, “Help yourself, Brother Snow. Take what you need.” As a result of his generous heart he was promised that from then on not one member of his family should ever want for bread. As far as we know, this promise has been fulfilled. His mother died in Denmark the day after Christmas in 1876 probably during the period of time that Elder James Hansen served a mission there. His son, my grandfather Hans, also served a mission to Denmark. I expected to carry on that tradition but was sent on my first mission to the Plains Indians in America and now to Africa. My ancestral home of Denmark is on my “Bucket List.”
Now back to the Senior Missionary Family Home Evening where I told this story of my pioneer great-grandfather. At the conclusion of sharing the story of the conversion of James and Annie, one of the Senior Missionaries approached me and asked, “Do you know who baptized your great-grandfather in Denmark? I referred to my text as he leaned over my shoulder to view my paper. I said, “Yes, his name was Elder Christian Larsen.” Elder Larsen replied, “I thought so. I recognized the story. The missionary who baptized your great-grandfather was my great-grandfather! It brought an instant bonding and sense of appreciation clear over here on the opposite side of the planet from either of our homes and on the opposite hemisphere from our ancestral homeland. It IS a small world after all! Try climbing your family tree and see what surprises you discover.
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