11 Lars Nielsen and Sarah Jestersdatter 88

notes their sickness. there Sept 22,1861".

Then on Thursday, May 23: "We were The Nielsens had work waiting in Salt
issued ¾ gallon water [daily ration), 3 Lake and shared a home with good
½ pounds bread, 1 pound flour, 1½ friends for the winter, which helped
pound barley, 1½ pound rice, 1½ them get started. Lars was soon deeply
pound peas, 1½ pound meat, 1 pound involved in Church work and was di-
fat, 2 pounds potatoes, 2 packages tea, 1 rected to settle in Box Elder County
pound sugar, ½ package mustard, 1 [Utah] by spring of 1862. While living
package pepper, 2 packages salt and there five more children were born.
some vinegar." This had to last them for
the month until they docked in New York
on June 19, 1861.
The United States was poised on the
brink of the first big battle of the Civil
War at Bull Run, so railroads were
crowded with troops and supplies being
sent to Washington, B.C. The Nielsen
journal tells of the many transfers to dif-
ferent trains and boats they had to make
to get to Florence, Nebraska, the Mormon
staging point for wagon trains.
Lars recorded: "July 1: We got our
wagon and salt. I bought 4 oxen and 1
horse. Drove out 2 miles to another place
where we got food."
The long journey was the usual re-
cord of difficulties and deaths. His August
2, 1861, entry reads: "Inger Marie Lars Nielsen
Thomsen died about 300 miles from (1834-1920)
Florence. Was buried by Schonk Creek On the birth of their 6th Child, Lars
north side of road." Although he does not Peter, he wrote in his journal, "Nov.
mention it in his journal she was his sec- 1865: Jan had a heifer calf. Jan is my cow.
ond wife. Mailed letter to Thomas Steffensen. Re-
Sara Marie Jesperdatter wrote, ceived one from my sister. Wife had a
shortly before her death. "We immi- baby boy who received name, Lars Peter.
grated to Utah after five weeks on the Bought six sheep and ten chickens. Sold
ocean and two weeks by railroad, the my house and bought another in Box
train arrived at the Missouri river, where Elder."
(with) the ox team we started across the By 1869, Lars had married another
plains. My husband drove the oxen and wife, sent money to Denmark to bring his
the oldest child rode in the wagon, as widowed mother over to join the Church,
with my two months baby in arms, I and became a member of the Stake presi-
walked to Salt Lake City and arrived dency.