Niels Hans Nielsen was born March 12, 1816 on the island of Sjaelland in Haugerup, Sorø***, Denmark (Map - Click Here). His father was Niels Hansen, a wealthy land owner and farmer, and his mother was Maren Christensdatter. Niels was the fourth of nine children, five of whom died in childhood. When Niels was of age, he was drafted into the service of the King. After his discharge as a soldier, he went to work in a paint shop with the intention of learning the trade. Soon after, on March 7, 1848, his father died. This changed his future plans as he was forced to go back home and work the farm.
Ingeborg Sophia Hansen was born in Munkeley, Sor Denmark, 13 May 1816. She was the daughter of Anne Cathrine Larsen and Hans Christofferson. Her parents were wealthy and Ingeborg was accustomed to a comfortable home and surroundings.
Niels married Ingeborg Sophie Hansdatter on 26 February 1847. The made their home on the island of Sjaelland, on the edge of Copenhagen. Three children were born to this marriage; Maren Kirstine - our ancestor (b. 17 June 1847), Hans Peter (b. 24 April 1849) and Karen Sophie (b. 21 February 1853).
In 1854 or '55, two missionaries - Ola N. Liljenquist and Christian D. Fjeldsted - from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to the area to preach the gospel. Niels heard them preach and quickly received a testimony. In speaking of the event many times in later years he said it was as though he had always known it, but had never had it presented to him.
His wife, Ingeborg, could not understand the gospel as easily as he did and tended to hold herself back. Niels and Ingeborg prayed to God and promised Him that if He would touch the heart of the wife so that she would be able to understand the gospel, that they would use their means in emigrating less fortunate Saints to Zion. Their prayers were answered, and the agreement with the Lord also kept. They were baptized 11 June 1855. Neils got other wealthy land owners interested in the Church. Reportedly, over half of the population of their village received the Gospel. This was amazing in a land where all were staunch in the practices and traditions of the state sponsored Danish Lutheran religion.
Soon after their conversion, Niels and Ingeborg had a male tutor brought into their home to teach English to them and the children. Maren Kirstine, Hans Peter and; even little Karen Sophie spoke the English language. Maren, the oldest, learned to speak quite properly. Stories are told of Maren being stolen back and forth and hidden away several times by her maternal grandmother who was very angry at her daughter's family for joining the Mormon Church. She feared that her daughter, Ingeborg, and Niels might really leave Denmark for America.
In 1856 Niels accepted a mission call for a year to serve in Denmark. (He kept a daily journal, a translation of which is on Family Search.)
Returning from his mission, Neils sold the farm. They disposed of all their possessions, including Indeborg’s valuables from her wealthy family. They saved only enough money to pay their transportation and to purchase a log cabin in Salt Lake City from a missionary in Denmark. The rest of their money was turned over to the emigration fund to help pay the transportation of less fortunate Saints. Neils, Ingeborg and their three children, ages 9, 7 and 4 left Copenhagen on the steamer L. Hvidt on 18 April, 1857 in company with 540 immigrating saints. They landed in Grimsby, on the east coast of England 3 days later, continued by rail to Liverpool, then took the ship Westmoreland for a 36 day voyage*. Crossing the ocean to America, an old man and two small children died, five couples were married and one baby was born. They arrived in Philadelphia 31 May 1857. Arrangements were quickly made for the company to leave for the West on 2 June, traveling by rail via Baltimore to Iowa City from which they left immediately to cross the plains by wagon arriving in the Salt Lake Valley 13 Sept. 1857.
In 1860 Niels entered the practice of plural marriage and married a widow named Kirsten Svensdatter whose husband had been killed while working in a sand pit. They had 4 children, one of whom lived to maturity. Later that year he married Ane Cecilia Pedersen as a third wife. They had 4 children.
In the year 1865, Neils Nielsen was called on his second mission to Denmark, this time as President of the Copenhagen Conference. He returned the following year as the presiding elder of a large number of emigrants. While crossing the plains many became sick, some dying from cholera. Among those who died were the parents of two boys, so Niels adopted both of these boys and treated them as his own.
Neils returned to his home in Brigham City where he was one of the most prominent citizens, regularly housing Brigham Young and Lorenzo Snow. In 1867 Neils was asked to preside over a new settlement at Bear River, in northern Utah. He organized a branch of the Church and ran the coop. Niels married Ane Katrine Pedersen in 1872. (Niel's third and forth wives were both named Ane Pedersen.) In 1875 Ane Katrine bore one son and three days later died
In 1877 Niels was succeeded as the presiding elder in Bear River by his son-in-law, William Neeley who had married Neils and Ingeborg's eldest daughter Maren Kristine (Mary Christina). They were sealed in the endowment house in Salt Lake City in 1862. Mary Christina was William Neeley’s second wife. William's first wife, Helen Cravath, was content to stay in Brigham City while William was called to Bear River City, serving for seven years as the first Bishop and then in 1883 to be Bishop over the settlement in Warm Springs (Neeleyville), Idaho for 20 years. Niels also preceded his son and daughter to Warm Springs in 1881. In 1882 he married Bodell Hansen, with whom he had 6 children.
Niels H. Nielsen died in Cleveland, Idaho 10 March 1893 and was buried in Brigham City, Utah. He had 18 children, 14 of whom survived him and 100 grandchildren. In Bear River City, Utah there is a large monument honoring pioneer families who founded the City.** Neils Nielsen is one of the names listed. Next to the monument is an old cabin typical of those built by the first settlers. On the wall of the cabin hangs a picture of Niels Hans Nielsen.
* Westmoreland 1857 Voyage - Click Here
** Bear River City Monument Info - Click Here
*** To See Some Beautiful Contemporary Images of Soro, Niels birthplace - Click Here and Here
Oh boy - this is a great one!!
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