Olivia Jensen

Brief Life History of Olivia

This is a summary of Olivia's life, as written in a book of remembrance owned by Larry Nielsen: Olivia Jensen was born May 16, 1845 at Sandby near Rungstad, Denmark. She had four sisters and four brothers, including her twin, John. Olivia was confirmed in the Lutheran church at the age of 14. After completing her school work, she worked as a nurse girl in the home of a wealthy farmer named Nels Rasmussen. She later served as a governess for this same family, and it was near this time period that she heard the LDS missionaries preach the gospel. She was baptized by John Holm in April of 1865. The Rasmussen family, who opposed the LDS Church, tried to convince Olivia to stay with them as an adopted child. But in May of 1865, she set sail for the U.S. in the B.S. Kimball with her mother, two sisters, and two brothers. Captain Dearborn led this company of 557 saints. During the voyage 3 adults and 25 children were buried at sea. From New York, Olivia traveled to Quincy, Illinois where she began her journey across the plains, a part of the Thomas Taylor Company. The company soon had to ration food to one pound of flour per day. She arrived in Salt Lake City on November 8, 1865, and left for Provo a short time later, on November 12. Bishop Rasmus P. Johnson performed her marriage to Peter Anthon Nielsen on November 16 of that same year. Near Christmas, the couple decided to visit Olivia's mother, who was staying with the Skousen family in Draper. They walked from Provo to Draper, through snow drifts and ice. It is unclear why, but the couple left their oxen with a man named Thomas Stokes, and one ox died that night. They stayed for a time in Draper, eventually renting a house for two dollars a month from a man named Milo D. Andrus. They lived here for a year and a half, and then moved to Bear River City, Utah. Here, they lived in a dugout with a willow and dirt roof until their two room house was finished. They lived there for 2 more years until moving back to Draper, where they resided for 40 years. She was a very good seamstress and once received a $10 prize at the State Fair for her knitting. She also did crochet, lace, and embroidery work. She gave service to the poor and sick. (Jody Lynn Wilson) From Ancestry.com: Olivia Nielsen In the Utah, U.S., Death and Military Death Certificates, 1904-1970 Name Olivia Nielsen [Olivia Carlsen] Gender Female Race White Age 83 Birth Date abt 1846 Birth Place Ringsted Denmark Death Date 15 Apr 1929 Death Place Salt Lake, Utah, USA Father Jens Carlsen Mother Martina Carlsen Spouse Peter A Nielsen

Photos and Memories (34)

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Family Time Line

Peter Anthon Nielsen
1845–1933
Olivia Jensen
1845–1929
Marriage: 16 November 1865
Anthon James Nielsen
1866–1955
Peter William Nielsen
1868–1919
Joseph S Nielsen
1871–1925
Olivia Alfreda Nielsen
1873–1939
Hans Simon Nielsen
1875–1928
Hyrum Carl Nielsen
1877–1879
Sophronia Mary Martina Nielsen
1880–1960
Elnora Sophia Nielsen
1882–1969
Alfred Carl Nielsen
1884–1921
Arthur Richard Nielsen
1886–1944
Wyman Isaac Nielsen
1888–1955

Sources (47)

  • Olivia Neilson in household of Peter Neilson, "United States Census, 1870"
  • birth of Olivia Jensen 1845
  • Olivia Jensen Carlsen, "United States Western States Marriage Index"

World Events (8)

1846

U.S. acquires vast tracts of Mexican territory in wake of Mexican War including California and New Mexico.

1848

Find A Grave website photo indicates establishment of the cemetery in 1848. Located at the NE corner of 4th Avenue and N Street. Salt Lake City Cemetery is in The Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. Approximately 120,000 persons are buried in the cemetery. Many religious leaders and politicians, particularly many leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) lie in the cemetery. It encompasses over 250 acres and contains 9 1?2 miles of roads. It is the largest city-operated cemetery in the United States. The first burial occurred on September 27, 1847, when George Wallace buried his child, Mary Wallace. The burial was two months after the Mormon pioneers had settled the Salt Lake Valley. In 1849, George Wallace, Daniel Wells, and Joseph Heywood surveyed 20 acres at the same site for the area's burial grounds. In 1851, Salt Lake City was incorporated and the 20 acres officially became the Salt Lake City Cemetery with George Wallace as its first sexton.

1867 · Sorry Mr. President, You can't do that.

This Act was to restrict the power of the President removing certain office holders without approval of the Senate. It denies the President the power to remove any executive officer who had been appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate, unless the Senate approved the removal during the next full session of Congress. The Amendment was later repealed.

Name Meaning

Some characteristic forenames: Scandinavian Erik, Nels, Niels, Lars, Holger, Einer, Jorgen, Bent, Knud, Per, Ove, Morten.

Danish, Norwegian, and North German: patronymic from the personal name Jens, a shortened form of Johannes (see John ). This is the most frequent surname in Denmark. In North America, this surname is also an altered form of the variant Jenssen . Compare Jenson 2 and Johnson .

English: variant of Jennison .

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

Story Highlight

Peter Anthon Nielsen

PETER A. NIELSEN Peter A. Nielsen was born May 12, 1845 in the city of Odense, Denmark, the son of Hans Nielsen and Maren Hansen Nielsen. Here he acquired his early schooling principally in a p …

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