Ane Johanna Nelson

Ane J.J. Nelson was born 22 February 1812, at Svendstrup, Aalborg Denmark. She was the daughter of Johan Christian Anderson and Ane Hansen. There were seven children in this family, three sons and four daughters. Their father's given name being Johan, the children each carried the sir name Johansen. They were a wealthy family. Two bachelor brothers were often spoken of as being very wealthy.

Ane and her husband, Anders Nielsen, were united in marriage 22 October 1830. As he worked for his living, he did not gain favor with his wife's family. A wealthy person to marry into a poor family was to step below ones dignity. Love guided Ane's heart and she married the man of her choice. By doing so she was disinherited by her family. Instead of having sufficient means to rear and educate her children she lost the portion of wealth that was hers by birth.

However, this couple had a comfortable home and were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters. Unfortunately they lost an infant son. Anders also passed away 21 February 1847 three years before the first LDS missionaries came to heir country. The first Latter-Day Saint Scandinavian Missionaries were Elders Erastus Snow, J. E. Fosgrene and George P. Dykes. This mission was opened in 1850. Ane heard the gospel in the town of Gudon and was converted to its truths by Elder George P. Dykes.

Many of the people of Denmark, now identified by the newly found faith, were scorned by relatives and friends. There was a growing desire among them to join the Latter-Day Saints in America. It was a difficult task to make necessary preparations to leave her home and take a perilous journey with her family. Niel her eldest son was serving an apprentice therefore did not leave their native land with the rest of the family.

Leaving without her son must have made her very sad, however, she had the hope of him following soon. After finishing his apprenticeship he along with friends came to America. They settled in Iowa, instead of joining his family in Utah, Niel made his home in Chariton, Iowa, where he married and reared a family. He never again saw his mother or the rest of the family.

Ane and her family left Copenhagen, Denmark 20 December 1852, with the first large company of Scandinavian Emigrants, known as the Forsgren Company. Nearly Three hundred people began the long perilous journey at 12:20 P.M. on the small ship "Obetrit", which sailed for Kiel in Holstein. From Kiel the company proceeded by rail to Hamburg where they boarded the English ship "Lion" headed for Hull, England.

Upon reaching the North Sea, they encountered a terrible storm. The passengers were all obliged to go down in the ho1d of the ship, the hatches were then closed. The hold was one large room with three tiers of bunks built against the walls. There were also beds made on the deck. All the passengers were crowded in this one room. During this storm the water swept the decks and washed part of the railing away. After the storm ceased ropes were tied around the deck to take the place of the broken or missing rails. When the vessel was tossed high and tipped by the rolling waves, the water ran down the hatchway and the people were soaked in their beds. More than one hundred vessels were lost in the fury of this storm. The sailors on board the ship said it was the Mormons on board who saved the ship.

Near Holland the storm and fog were so great the Captain didn't dare to go on. Twice the anchor was dropped to wait for the weather to improve. About five o'clock Tuesday the "Lion" with its hungry, tired passengers reached Hull, England, here they were shown where they might get warm food, as well as a night's lodging. They needed both so very much.

On New Year's Eve most of the passengers went on board and the Elder John E. Forsgren was again on board. This being Sunday evening a meeting was held in which the sacrament was partaken of for the first time since they left their home. However. meetings were often held during the journey. The food on board the "Forest Monarch" consisted mainly of split peas cooked in large boilers. The poor coffee was served black. The drinking water stored in barrels became terrible and unfit to drink or use.

On the morning of 7 March the land of America was sighted. Upon reaching land they sailed up the Mississippi River. At St. Louis, Missouri, they disembarked. It was the evening of May 1st before they reached Keokuk, Iowa. It was here that preparations were made for the long trek by ox teams to Utah. May 12th they left Keokuk and camped after driving ten miles. Day after day the journey continued in all kinds of weather, fair and hot, winds or rain. At times some of I the oxen came up missing or the streams were swollen and difficult to cross. Some members of the company became ill and passed on.

They reached the great Salt Lake Valley September 30. Ane and her family walked many weary mlies over the rough country trail. During this emigration there were eleven marriages in the Company, nine births, twenty-six deaths and a few had left the Church.

There was much poverty at the time Ane and her family arrived. Both food and clothing were hard to get. A home for the family must be provided. She being a widow and not able to I meet all of her responsibilities three of her older children found work in families in the city. She was living in Salt Lake during the grasshopper famine. During her residence here she saw many marvelous changes take place.

Ane's son Horace moved to fish Haven, Idaho, in the spring of 1870. As soon after his marriage as he could arrange to do so, he built a neat two-room house near their own. By doing so he could provide for and cared for his mother. She moved to Idaho. She loved to walk, sometimes even walking to an adjacent town to visit with friends. Her health apparently was good. She might well have a number of good years still.

On a very cool night in getting out bed Ane tried to do so from the side next to the wall. Unfortunately she was caught between the bed and the wall. The next morning as usual I took a small bucket of milk to her. She could not move, she said, "I have prayed someone would find me before I died." I went quickly to tell mother, also Aunt Christena. My mother and Aunt Christena put her in bed, warmed her and gave her nourishment. Three days later this dear, brave grandmother passed to her reward on April 21, 1890. She had not responded to the loving care that was given to her.

Sources

• Find A Grave Memorial# 9010288. Biography by her granddaughter E.L. Nelson
• Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel