Anna Johanna Sorensen
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Anna Johanna and her husband, Niels, and their children were active in the state church of Denmark [Lutheran]. They were a religious family, and may have felt frightened with the new religion coming to Denmark. In the remembrance of Carl Emil Nielsen written by Rosine Nielsen Farnsworth, she tells of the struggle Grandfather had concerning his testimony of the Gospel. When he wanted to know for sure if he had made the correct decision in joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it was his mother, Anna, who said, "Carl, have you prayed about it?" Anna must have had a deep belief in prayer, however Aunt Rosine said that Grandfather's parents were very unhappy about their son joining the Mormon church and forbade him from entering their home. Carl was an apprentice at this time working for board and room elsewhere. Grandfather's parents soon forgave him however, and they and his sisters joined the church. Anna was baptized April 19, 1876 (there are discrepancies between dates and the story of the families baptisms). Anna and Niels received their endowments July 1888.
Anna must have felt deep sorrow when losing three of her baby sons. Twins were born in 1863. Mads Peder died at age three weeks. Soren was two years old when he died in July, 1865. Soren Peder (named for his two brothers) was born August 1865 and he died at age five years. The information I have on Petrine Elizabeth (oldest daughter) states she married Hans Lauritz Rasmussen. Records did not show where or when she died. Bertholine (second daughter) married Jacob Carl Johnson. She died in 1924 in Logan, Utah. Which explains why Anna was living in Logan when she died in the year 1807. She would have gone to Logan to live by or with her daughter after her husband (Niels) had died in Spring City in the year 1905. Carl Emil (third child) moved to Mexico in the year 1892. Written by Alice Jo C. Ellsworth: 1997
Great-Granddaughter Remembrance written by Rosine Nielsen Farnsworth (granddaughter)
When I was between six and nine years of age, Mother and we five children went to Spring City, Utah to visit our grandparents. Mother stayed with her mother and father, but we went to visit Father's parents who lived on the other end of town. They asked Mother if I could stay with them. They were really old, at least in their seventies. Grandmother Madsen was an invalid and had sat in a wheel chair for I do not remember how long. She had broken her hip twice in the same place, and the last time the doctor had expected her to die, so they did not do much toward her recovery. Grandfather and Grandmother Madsen were faithful Latter-Day Saints as they understood the gospel. Mother gave her consent and I did not mind staying there after I got to know them a little better.
They were so good to be with but they could not speak a word of English, so I had to learn Danish. Grandpa was almost blind and Grandma was deaf. I soon learned how to hauler or yell in her ear and help with the housework. They taught me how to make coffee and when anyone of the neighborhood dropped in, I was to serve them coffee. In those days, the church did not put much stress on the Word of Wisdom. Every Fast Day, Grandfather and i would push Grandmother to church in her wheelchair and she would always say, "If you would push me to church, the Lord will bless me and I'll walk home." The fact that the Lord never did bless her to where she could walk home did not weaken her faith or mine. Rosine Nielsen Farnsworth: May 1959
Second child of Carl Emil and Sine Olene Nielsen Copied by AJCE: 1997 |