History of Lars Johansen
and Anna Margrethe Sorensen
1794-1881
by Ida Beck Stubbs
Laurits (Lars) Johansen and Anne Margrethe Sorensen today are honored by a large posterity. The Johansen-Larsen Family which consisted of five sons and two daughters today are rated by a church genealogist as being one of the families in the church whose descendants make up one of the largest family membership in the church.
In the Danish records one will find the father’s name Laurits Johansen but the children's surname will be found to be Laursen or Lauritsen. The custom at this period of time in Denmark was to use the patronymic system. This is where the patrilineal surname is formed by the addition of "sen" (son) to the father's given name. This was the case in the Johansen family. The children all changed their surname from Laursen or Lauritsen to Larsen when they came to Utah. One will find the fathers given name in different records to be Laurits and Lars. The large tombstone of Lars and Anne Margrethe in the Spring City, Sanpete, Utah Cemetery has the inscription, "LARSEN" at the top of the stone. Lars and Anne Margrethe's names and dates of birth and death are listed under the LARSEN name.
Laurits (Lars) Johansen was born the 15th October 1794, at Hammer, Aarhus, Denmark, Christened 16th October 1794; son of Johan Conrad Christiansen BENNER and Sedsel LAURIDSEN. (Many family records have the birth date listed incorrectly as the 8 February, 1792.) Danish records can be found to document the correct date. Very little is known about Lars's early life. He married Anne Margrethe Sorensen on the 25th August 1816, at
Sindbjerg, Vejle, Denmark. She was born the 12th May 1797, Christened 11 July 1797 at Flojstrup, Vindelev, Vejle, Denmark. She was the daughter of Soren Christensen and Kirstine Mortensen. The couple made their home at Grejs, Vejle, Denmark and here their children were born and lived until they became adults. Their first two children (twins) Soren and Ceceila Marie were born the 27th February 1819. Soren died the 2nd June 1817 and Ceceila Marie on the 15th March 1817. Their third child was also named Soren and he was born the 28th March 1822, married (1) Maria Fredericksen or Hansen, on the 1st March 1854. (Archive family group sheet has their marriage date as December 1854), died the 20th August 1891. Johannes (John) was born the 18th December 1824, married Ane Jorgensen, 19th October 1850, died the 15th March 1895. Sedsel Kirstine (Ceceila Christine) born the 11th May 1826, married 1855, Jens Mathias Black, died the 26th November 1906. Christen Grejs, born the 17th September 1828, married (1) 1 April 1857, Caroline Maria Sorensen, died 1 June 1911. Christian "J" born the 21st March h 1831, married (1) 30 October 1853, Barbara Jensine Dorthe Olsen, died 2nd November 1895. Laurits born the 25th January 1834, married (1) 1 April 1857, Maria Thompsen, died 28 December 1887. Maren (Mary) born 2 August 1836, married (2) 18 July 1862 Christian Willardsen, died 17th March 1920.
The Johansen (Laursen) children learned early in life how to work and to seek an education. One of the children (Christain "J" gave an account of his early life and stated he worked in the Grejs woolen mills when he was six years of age. He would work twelve hours each day. Then he obtained his schooling in the evenings, going to school from seven to nine p.m. When the children were around fourteen years of age they would then be taught a trade. This trade most children would work at the rest of their lives. The sons all served in the Danish Army. They served during the time of the war between Denmark and Germany, in the year 1848. It was while the sons were in the service that each one heard the gospel preached, and each one has given account of his own personal acceptance of the gospel and of each one baptismal in to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In the year 1850, their son Johannes (John) was the first member of the Johansen Family to be converted and was baptized the 18th August 1850, and then was followed by Brother Laurits. He was baptized on the 3rd November 1850. In the spring of 1851 the two sons, Johannes and Laurits came back to their hometown of Grejs to visit their parents and sisters and to preach the gospel. Lars and Margrethe along with Sister Sedesel Kirstine embraced the gospel and were baptized the 24th August 1851. A small branch of the church was organized in Grejs and also branches were organized in neighboring towns of Fredericia and Stone Lihme. Johannes (John) presided over the branches until he was called in 1853 to go to Aalborg to preside over the conference.
In November 1853, son Christian "J" was appointed by Pres. John Van Cott to be in charge of the first emigration Company of the season. On the 22nd December 1853, he with 301 emigrants left Copenhagen for America. Just four days later, on a cold stormy day Lars and Margrethe with their sons Soren and Laurits and their daughter Sedsel Kirstine left their home to sail from Denmark to Liverpool England to begin their trip to their new home in Utah, United States of America. After a three weeks delay in England they finally set sail for America, this was on the 28th January 1854. They sailed on a ship called the "Benjamin Adams". While crossing the ocean their son Soren was married, on the 1st March 1854, to Maria Fredericksen or Hansen. (Archive record has their wedding date as of December 1854) A wedding luncheon was served which consisted of sea biscuits, bacon and tea. A wedding dance was held on the ship's deck.
The company of Saints arrived in New Orleans on the 22nd March 1854. Then on the 25th they boarded a steamboat to make the trip up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri. Family records state that Laurits was married also aboard ship (but gives the account as when they were crossing the ocean) but according to the date it would have been when they were traveling up the Mississippi River. They were married on the 1st April 1854. The new bride was Maria Thompson.
When they reach St Louis they were joined by another company which had sailed about the same time on a ship called the "Jesse Munn", The Company then made their way from St. Louis to West Port, which is near Kansas City, Missouri. Here the company was joined by another company. This was the company from Copenhagen, under the leadership of their son Christian "J". The company now was at last on their last part of the journey (but the hardest part) to their new home in the Mountains.
The company consisted of 69 wagons with four oxen to the each wagon. 'The company left West Port on the 15th June. They were never molested by Indians, and they had sufficient amount of meat which they obtained from the many large herds of buffalo witch roamed over the plains. All went well until the dreaded disease of Cholera broke out among the Saints. It was during this outbreak that many of the Saints died and were buried in unmarked graves along the trail.
The Company arrived in Salt Lake City on the 5th October 1854. After a brief stay in Salt Lake City the family along with other Saints moved to South Weber, or what at this period of time was known as Kingsfords Fort.
Then two years later in 1856 their son Johannes (John) and sister Maren (Mary) joined the family. Johannes had been serving as a missionary in Denmark since his family had come to Utah. As soon as he was released he had started his trip to the new country. Then in the spring of 1857 the last member of the Johansen Family Christen Greis mode to trip to Utah. What a wonderful occasion this must have been for the family to once again all be together.
In the year 1858 when the general exodus took place, the Johansen left South Weber and moved to Ephraim, Utah, shortly afterward they moved to Spring City. Here the parents and some of the children made their homes and spent the rest of their lives.
Anne Margrethe Johansen died the 12th, April 1874 and was buried in the Spring City Cemetery. Lars Johansen died the 9 December 1884 and was buried beside his wife. The cemetery lot of the Johansens is located in the East part of the cemetery and a little North ofthe road with runs East and West through the cemetery.
The Johansen Family organization holds their family reunion in August. The family has been very active in doing their genealogy research. At one reunion a brief history of each child was prepared and the following poem was in the booklet:
Come ye descendents of the Lars Johansen Family, with their sons and daughter they crossed the briny sea. Converts of the Mormon faith, they left their native land. Come, Come get acquainted with your family tree. There is Soren, Laurits Christen Gries, Christen J and John. To this these sturdy branches some of you belong. Also many belong to Sister Sedsel Kirstine and Sister Mary too; every branch needs workers to record their posterity. Let not a single branch is lost to this large family tree. This poem was written by Ann Ellis Larsen the wife of Hyrum Larsen.
