Anders Hansen and Abelone Knudsen
Biography of
ANDERS HANSEN
&
ABELONE KNUDSEN
UTAH PIONEERS OF 1856
Written by Oliver Christian Breinholt, Grandson
February 2, 1961
Anders Hansen was born 29 June 1802, Berrit, Skow, Denmark. His parents were Hans Hansen Moller and Anne Andersen. He married Abelone Knudsen 25 July 1839 in Denmark. She was considerably younger than he, she being 22 and he being 37. Abelone Knudsen Hansen was born 17 January 1817 in Wester Weleigh, Denmark. Her father was Knud Christensen Buhl, and her mother Anne Marie Lauridson.
Abelone became the mother of five children, three girls and two boys. The first four children were born in Denmark. Her first girl, Maria Andersen, was born 19 November 1840; her first boy, Jorgen, born 27 February 1844. They lost an infant son in Denmark about 18 December 1848, before immigrating to Utah. A girl named Anne Andersen was born 9 May 1851. Abelone Knudsen joined the L.D.S. Church and was baptized on the 4th of July 1852.
They left Denmark with their three children, Maria Anderson age 16, Jorgen Andersen age 11, and Anne Andersen age 4. It was customary for the children to assume the father’s first name, then add “sen” to it, hence Andersen. They established the surname Hansen in America.
With other Saints numbering between 500 and 600, they sailed from Liverpool, England on 12 December 1855. They were aboard the ship “John J. Boyd”. They were two months and three days crossing the ocean. They encountered much sickness and disease, and to their great sorrow their 11-year-old son, Jorgen, became sick and died and was buried overboard in the ocean. With one less in their family, they arrived at New York on 15 February 1856. From New York they migrated to St. Louis, Missouri.
They were detained in St. Louis for a considerable length of time. Here again their sorrow was multiplied because, through more sickness, they lost their four-year-old daughter, Anne.
While they were camped at St. Louis, they became parents to another baby girl 7 April 1856. They gave her the name of Christiane. Abelone was 39 years old. That same year, Anders Hansen, at age 54, was baptized a member of the church on the 27th of March 1856 while in St. Louis. Their next move was sailing up the Missouri River to Florence, Nebraska, which was a dispersing camp where the Saints were processed and assigned into immigration companies for crossing the plains. The year 1856 was one of the years that the Saints were arriving faster than they could supply teams and wagons to transport them.
President Brigham Young instructed the emigration authorities to organize handcart companies. During the year of 1856 there were eleven companies that crossed the plains. Some of them traveled with handcarts and some with teams and wagons.
Anders Hansen, his wife, his 16-year-old daughter Maria, and the infant baby crossed the plains in a handcart under the captainship of Knud Petersen. Their company numbered 320 souls, 60 wagons, and the other necessary supplies. They were the 10th company to leave Florence, Nebraska the summer of 1856. They left on the 10th of June and arrived at Salt Lake on 20 September 1856. From Salt Lake they emigrated to Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. They lived there the remainder of their lives.
Anders’ wife preceded him in death. She only lived about 20 years in Utah, as she died at the age of 59, on the 10th of May 1876 at Ephraim, Utah. She endured many hardships and sacrifices. She was a true Saint and a noble pioneer. His two surviving daughters both raised large families. His daughter Christiane cared for him the last years of his life. Anders Hansen was a kind and temperate man. Although his sacrifices were many, he stayed true to the Church of Jesus Christ. He died at Ephraim 1 June 1884 at the age of 82. He and his wife are both buried in the Ephraim Cemetery, Sanpete County, Utah. Their daughter Maria died 9 March 1920 in Blanding, Utah, and their daughter Christiane died 8 December 1914 in Redmond, Utah.
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* This was originally written as two histories, one for each parent, but Beth Breinholt combined the two in January 2003.
*Originals in possession of Cleo or Neil Breinholt of Bountiful, Utah. Copy in possession of Marilyn Thomsen 1747 North Heather Drive, Orem, Utah 84097.
*Sources: Records of Mrs. Earl Sampson, Salina, Utah; Records of Myrtle P. Redd, 53 Gordon place, Salt Lake City, Utah; Handcart Pioneers of 1850,56; History of J.C.L. Breinholt available at L.D.S. Church archives. His birth records are in the L.D.S. Archives on film #9990, Pt.1, Book 2. The Children’s births are found on #9998 Pt.1, Egtved Viele.
Anders Hansen – Patriarchal Blessing
A Patriarchal Blessing centered upon the head of Andrew B Hansen
son of Hans and Anna Hansen. Born August 23. 1803, Denmark
Given February 9, 1975 by Gardner Snow Patriarch
Brother Hansen I place my hand upon your head to give you a Father’s blessing. And I bless you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and seal upon your head the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Thou art a lawful heir to the Priesthood of the Blood of Joseph through the loins of Ephraim and a lawful heir to all the blessings of the promised seed. And thy name shall be enrolled with the sons of Jacob and blessed with flocks and herds like Jacob of Old. Thy name is written in the Lambs Book of Life and also enrolled with the Church of the first born. Thou shall receive the riches of the Earth and be blessed in thy basket and store. Thy table shall be crowned with the Bounties of the Earth all thy days. Thou shalt have power like Abraham of Old to bless thy children. Thou shalt obtain every blessing your heart can desire in righteousness and I confirm upon thee every blessing that you have received in the House of the Lord. You shall be an instrument in the hands of the Lord in helping to redeem the dead. Thou shalt live upon the Earth until thou art satisfied with living and I seal you up together with your companion and posterity unto Eternal Lives to come forth on the Morn of the first Resurrection to meet thy Savior in the Clouds of Heaven to receive the reward of your labors and be clothed upon with Honor, Glory, Immortality and Eternal Life through your faithfulness. I seal all these blessings upon your head in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ even so Amen.
Abelona Hansen – Patriarchal Blessing
A Patriarchal Blessing conferred upon the head of Abelona Hansen, Daughter of Kanute and Anna M. Christianson. Born January 17, 1817 Denmark
Sister Hansen I place my hand[s] upon your head to give you a Father’s Blessing and I bless you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and thy name is enrolled with the Daughters of Abraham. Inasmuch as your lineage is from Joseph through the loins of Ephraim thou are entitled to all the blessings of the promised seed. Let thy heart be comforted for thy name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and also enrolled with the Church of the First Born. Thou shalt obtain every blessing that your heart can desire in righteousness. Thy table shall be crowned with plenty all thy days and you shalt obtain the choice fruits of the Earth and thy children shall seek unto thee for counsel and thou shalt have wisdom to teach them the principles of the New and Everlasting Covenant and I seal upon your head every blessing that you have received under the hand of the servants of God in the House of the Lord and you shall receive in common all the blessings that your companion has had conferred upon him and you shall be an instrument in the hands of the Lord in helping to redeem the dead.
Thou shalt live upon the earth until thou are satisfied with living and I seal you up together with your companion and posterity unto Eternal Lives to come forth in the morn of the first Resurection to meet thy Savior in the Clouds of Heaven to receive a Celestial Crown in the Mansion of thy Father to be clothed upon with Honor, Glory, Immortality and Eternal Lives and through your faithfulness I seal all these blessings upon your head in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ even so, Amen.
Given Feb. 9, 1875 by Gardner Snow, Patriarch.
Ephraim City, Jas. C. Snow, Scribe.
