Parents: Andreas Larsen and Maren Jensen

Life Sketch of Ness Larsen

NESS LARSEN was born in Gudumlund, Aalborg, Denmark on May 4, 1843, the son of Anders Larsen (Hammer) and Maren Nisson (later known as Mary Jensen). The Larsen family lived in the Central part of the Northern Penninsula in Denmark. The terrain of this particular area is quite hilly, and from this they took the name of "Hammer." This is not a surname but indicates that they lived in a hilly country. From what information can be gathered, it appeared Ness' father, Anders Larsen was a farmer and stockraiser. Ness, with his father, mother and their family accepted the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Denmark and on February 18, 1856 Ness was baptized. On Thursday, May 9, 1861 at the age of 18, he left Denmark with his father and mother on the ship Waldemar. The family group consisted of his mother and father, his brothers Lars Christian, 19, and John 16, and two sisters Andrea Marie 9 and Anna Christine 8. Two other children of Anders and Maren Larsen died previous to the time they left Denmark, Andreas, a boy one and one-half years old, and a girl, Susan Marie Christine. This last named child was born in 1853. However, the date of her death is not available. On the ship Waldemar there were 565 Scandinavians coming to the United States. Of this number 373 were Latter-Day Saints. They sailed from Copenhagen. President John Van Gott accompanied them to England and they joined emigrants from Germany. After a successful voyage they arrived at Kiel on May 10th and were at once transported by special train to Altona. The company was divided in two parts, one of which (about 200 Saints) immediately boarded the Steamer Britannia and departed for Hull, England about 3 pm the same day. They arrived at Hull, May 12th. The second division (169 Saints) were quartered in a large hall overnight. They left Hamburg May 11, 1861 at 3 pm by Steamer Eugenia. After a pleasant voyage, they arrived at Grimsley, England on the morning of May 13. The captain of this vessel treated the emigrants with all due respect and kindness, while the opposite was the case on the steamer Britannia. The two companies joined at Grimsley, England where they were comfortably cared for until the morning of May 14th, when they proceeded by special train to Liverpool, arriving there at about 2 pm. Two hours later they were placed on board the ship "Monarch of the Sea." This was the largest vessel that had carried L.D.S. emigrants across the Atlantic up to this date. This company was organized by President Amasa Lyman, Charles C. Rich, and George Q. Cannon who appointed Jabez Woodward from Switzerland, President, with Hans Olin Hansen and Niels Wilhelmsen as counselors. At 11 o'clock AM May 16, 1861 the great ship lifted anchor and, amid great cheers, of parting friends, the ship left the wharf and began its long voyage. Later the large company was divided into districts, the Scandinavians into seven districts and the English into 4, each under a President. Rasmus Nielsen acted as sheriff for the Scandinavians. The emigrants were kindly treated by both officers and crew. The food was good, and sufficient, although some inconveniences were experienced in getting the food cooked on the ranges on account of many kettles. Each family could cook only five times a week. The sick were treated with wine, beer and boiled sage. The children had milk. On the voyage to New, nine persons died, most of them children; fourteen couples were married and there were four births. The weather was favorable most of the way. They had a couple of days of wind; they passed large icebergs, one of which was judged to be 200 feet above the water. They were also becalmed a couple of days and when they awakened in the morning their faces and bedding were covered with soot. They arrived in New York June 19, 1861. At this point the company was met by Elders Jones and Williams and were lodged at Castle Garden. Apostle Rasmus Snow was there and spoke to the Scandinavians in the Danish language. From New York the company traveled by rail and steamboat to Florence, Nebraska, also know as "Winter Quarters". Part of them arrived July 1 and the rest July 2. Preparations for the journey across the plains started at once. The Larsen family came across the plains in church wagons drawn by an ox team with the John R. Murdock Company. They left Florence, or Winter Quarters, on July 1861. There were 63 wagons in the company. They stopped awhile at Ice Springs on the Sweetwater River August 21st. They arrived at Salt Lake City, the 12th day of September 1861. The Anders Larsen family went directly to Logan, where they settled in the North Field. After arriving in Utah, Ness was called twice to cross the plains to help bring other Saints to Salt Lake City. One trip was made in 1868. This journey was not a pleasant one. They had to stand guard night after night on account of the Indians. On the return trip when they got to Green River they had to ferry across. After the ferry was loaded, Ness was about to step on the boat, the captain took him by the arm and told him to wait for the next boat as he thought the load would be too heavy with an additional person. Had he crossed he would likely have been drowned. When the ferry got midstream, the cable broke and the boat sank. The people on the shore were compelled to see seven of their friends and companions drown without being able to give them any assistance. One of the company caught hold of some willows and held on as long as he could, but at last became too weak and he was forced to let go. Ness, with those remaining on the opposite side, was left for two days and nights without food or bedding in a snowstorm until the cable was repaired. Ness married Sarah Mortensen in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on October 3, 1872. They built a one room dirt-roofed cabin just north of Logan River where six of their nine children were born. In 1889 Ness moved his family to a new home at 10 North Second East, where he and Sarah lived the rest of their lives.
To Ness and Sarah the following children were born, Sarah Christine Larsen, July 19, 1873; Ness Andrew Larsen, March 30, 1875; Anna Marie Larsen, July 5, 1878; Charles Martin Larsen, June 27, 1882; Mary Elizabeth Larsen, April 6, 1885; Ernest Lorenzo Larsen, April 24, 1888; Ivie Emelda Larsen, October 25, 1892; Lyman Leroy Larsen, September 13, 1896; Blanche Norene Larsen, January 15, 1899.
Ness became a farmer, and in addition to raising sugar beets and farm crops, raised dairy cows. They always raised a big garden. He farmed with a hand plow, he always had a good team of horses. Ness helped build the first railroad in Utah. He hauled logs from the Canyon in a sleigh he had made himself. He also worked on the Logan Temple. He herded horses and cattle on the hills and in the Valley now called "Mantua." Here they also had trouble with the Indians. He had a bad scar on his hand which he received in a fight with an Indian. At one time one of the men who was herding cattle with him went to see where some of the cattle strayed. When he did not return, they went to look for him. They found him on top of a little mountain, the Indians had scalped him and killed him.
Ness was in his 90th year at the time of his death. He lived a long, useful and faithful life. He was active in the Church. A strong testimony of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for which he and his family left Denmark, remained with him always. He had a very pleasant personality, he stood about 5'7" and husky built.

Contributed by Sondra Jill Thomas Nelson (47968694)
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