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From: SueH71 <>
Subject: Christensen story Chapter 5 part 2
Date: Sat, 1 Nov 1997 14:17:19 EST

Chapter 5 (part 2)

Next day they transferred to the Mississippi River steamboat,
"Oceana". Surely now their troubles must be over,now that they had actually
arrived in America. The water and food now was plentiful, but strange to these
Danish immigrants. They saw negro slaves working on the wharf at New Orleans,
at this time the Mississippi River was a busy place, and the cotton, corn,
cane and rice fields, and the natural forest were sights that deeply
interested them. The steamer made its regular stops for passengers, and
freight and the wood that was their fuel must be picked up as needed. They
arrived at St. Louis. Missouri, on March 8, Some fourteen weeks had been spent
on the water,
Here, probably due to the food shortage on the Atlantic and the shock
and grief of little Soren's death to Jensina, the little baby sister, Sara
Maria, who was born on the Atlantic Ocean, died and was buried in Lars
Chistian's violin case somewhere on the bank of the Mississippi River, near
St. Louls,Marianna was now their only child.
At this point preparations were being made to continue the journey
across the plains to Utah, and wagons, oxen and camping equipment were bought.
Here it was decided that Lars Christian was to remain In St. Louis where he
was to get employment to earn cash to buy the necessary equipment to take him
and his family to Utah with some future Company. They had said their "adieu's"
to his brother Herman Fredrick, his wife Celia, their two ohildren and
others.
His brother being the eldest had inherited Spil Huset and all their
father's possessions is obviously why he had enough cash to go on to Zion
(Utah).
But here fate took the fortunes of the Christensen's into its own
hands. In all probability an account of malnutrition, bad water, exposure,
improper sanitary conditions and absolutely no medioal attention, Cholera
broke out and took the lives of nine persons, among the nine being Lars
Christian's brother and wife and their two children. A recapitulation showed,
counting little Sara Maria, who was born in mid-Atlantic, that Lars
Christian's and his brother's family had totaled ten people, and of that
number only four now remained. Also, that Lars Christian's only blood
relations left on earth were his daughter Marianna and his nephew, Christian
Fergesen.
A messenger was detailed to go back to St. Louis to acquaint Lars
Christian of the tragical turn of events.
Lars Christian hastened on to Weston, Missouri where owing to the
nature of the disease and conditions the dead were buried immediately upon his
arrival. Being broken in spirit and completely exhausted, Lars`Christian Went
to his brohter's camp and thoughtlessly or ignorantly slept in his brotber'a
bed, and according to his statement he woke up with severe Cholera pains. The
Captain and another administered to him (the Mormon ritual). He did not get
any better and was told to send for the Captain
when cramps and pains came again - this was done. After the second
administration when the disease was rebuked the cramps and pains subsided.
Lars Christian up to his last illness was sure he was spared the fate or his
brother, a death by Cholera by the fact of the administration by the laying on
of hands by those Mormon Elders. He was so strongly convinced that in his last
conversation he called in my brother Christian and I, and told us of this
miraculous healing by the power of God through the Mormon Priesthood and
stated that was his testimony for his ardent belief in the Latter-day Saint
creed.

written by Seth Franklin Christensen son of Lars Christian Christensen

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• Christensen story Chapter 5 part 2 by SueH71 <>