NOTE:  Maren Larsen's name is often written Maren Nielsen because of name traditions in the United States where she immigrated.  Larsen is the correct surname.  The reason for the confusion in her name is that in the early 1850's in Denmark, a law was passed that patronymics (using the father's first name for the last name of the children) was to end so that children would carry the father's last name.  Therefore the children of Hans Jensen and Maren Larsen (born after 1850) were named Jensen.  Maren was the daughter of Lars Nielsen, but she was born before the law took effect, so she would be named, and was in the official records, Maren Larsen.  But when she came to the U.S. with her father Lars Nielsen, she, being identified as a daughter of his, was called Maren Nielsen.

Maren Larsen was born in Monge, Fredricksberg, Denmark, on July 29, 1830. She was a daughter of Lars Nielsen and Ane Hansen. Nothing is known of her childhood. At the age of twenty-two, she married Hans Jensen at Killrod, Fredricksborg, Denmark.  The date was March 2, 1853. This union bore four children, two sons and two daughters. They were named Hannah Christina Jensen, Lars Peter Jensen, James Andrew Jensen, and Anna Marie Jensen.

At some time in the very early part of their married life, Maren and Hans became acquainted with the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The seeds sown by the Elders found fertile ground in the heart of Maren; and although Hans could not understand or appreciate the gospel, the Elders were fed and entertained in their home many times. It is said that Maren prepared food for the Elders at any time of the day or night, and the Elders always felt welcome in her home. As time went on, Maren became imbued with the spirit of the gospel and the desire to go to Zion. Hans, however, remained very indifferent. He would not join the Church as Maren did. To Maren, the light of the gospel, the Elders, and the desire to be with the Saints in America meant more to her than worldly goods. So to her came the great task of choosing between husband and home or the new truths that had come to mean so much to her. Because the spirit of the gospel was awakened in her, she left her husband, home, and friends and prepared for the journey to America.

Maren's father, Lars Nielsen, and two brothers, Neils Larsen and Jorgen Larsen, also embraced the gospel. Her mother had died before. It was with these and her first three children that Maren began her journey to the New World (Anna Marie had not yet been born).

They left Copenhagen, Denmark on a steamship on April 23, 1863 with a company of Danish Saints. They were on the water a day and a night before arriving in Kiel, Germany. From there they traveled in a sailing vessel to Grimby, England and from there by rail to Liverpool. Liverpool was a major embarkation point for many of the European Saints. At Liverpool they boarded a sailing vessel, the JOHN J. BOYD, in preparation for the voyage across the Atlantic. This ship was a square-rigger, three-decker with a square stern, round tuck, and billethead. It weighed 1311 tons and was 195 feet by 38 feet by 28 feet and was built in 1855 by S.G. Bogart at New York City, New York. There were addressed by Apostle George Q. Cannon on the eve of the trip and sailed from Liverpool on April 30, 1863. On board as the trip progressed, the emigrants received, every seven days, a ration for each person consisting of one and one-half pounds of beef, three pounds of potatoes, three pounds of oatmeal, one-fourth pound of tea, two ounces of pepper, two ounces of mustard, one-half pint of vinegar and a quantity of English sea biscuits. Besides this, the sick received wine, milk, sago, sugar, and soup from the Captain's kitchen. The sanitary conditions on board were very good. Only four or five died at sea during the passage. The passengers were made up of Saints from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, making a total of 767.

The monotony of the trip was broken on May 21, 1863 by seeing eight mighty icebergs. Five whales were also seen about the ship sending water like springing fountains high into the air. The ship arrived a Castle Garden, New York, on Sunday, June 1, 1863, after some thirty-one days on the water. That same evening, their journey was continued by rail to Albany, New York, and across Northern New York State. The train passed by Palmyra, site of so much of the early history of the Church. The passengers were permitted to see, from a distance, the locations of Joseph Smith's boyhood home, the Sacred Grove, and the Hill Cumorah. Their train then followed the route from Canada to Detroit to Chicago to Quincy, Illinois. By boat they traveled to Hannibal, Missouri and thence by rail to St. Joseph. There they boarded a boat again and journeyed up the Missouri River to Florence, Nebraska. They arrived in Florence on June 11, 1863 with all reported well. One month was spent in preparation for the trek across the plains.

On July 6, 1863, Maren and her three children, Hanna Christina, Lars Peter, and James Andrew, left Florence, Nebraska, to cross the plains to Utah. Maren was pregnant with Anna Marie as they began the great walk. They had joined the John R. Young Company, which was composed mostly of Scandinavians. Captain Young related in his journal how hard it was to communicate at first with this company and how unused to handling the oxen these Saints were. He mentioned they made only five miles the first day; but that every day after that these faithful people learned quickly until, at the end of the first week, they were making twenty-five miles a day. He said they were very humble and cooperative. Maren, heavy with pregnancy, walked most of the way across the plains and carried James Andrew on her back. Their journey was prosperous and uneventful except for a cattle stampede near a popular camping spot called Ash Hollow in what is now Nebraska. The following is an account of the event as recorded in the journal of Captain John R. Young:

"All went well, as I desired, until we reached the summit of the last ridge. From there we had a mile of downhill grade to the creek. I glanced back and could see the line of white, covered wagons following each other like birds of passage, moving in orderly columns to a warmer clime. A feeling of joy filled my bosom, for I felt that the labors of the day would end in peace. I spurred my horse and galloped rapidly to the front to select the best spot on which to form my camp.

“Crossing the creek and ascending the bench a few rods to the west, I turned and looked back just in time to see two Indians ride from the head of a hollow on our left. As they rushed past the rear of the train, they gave their wild, blood-curdling war-whoop. As quick as lightning an alarm seemed to flash from one end of the train to the other, and every team rushed wildly down the hill.

“My pen is too weak to describe the heart-rending scene that followed the fearful rushing of the wild, stampeding cattle. Wagons were jolted against wagons with such force that the inmates were thrown out to be run over and trampled under foot by other mad teams following in their rear. On they came, tearing blindly in any direction that their crazy fear led them. Wagons were embedded in the mire of the creek, and the tongues jerked out. At last they began to scatter, and then stopped.

“Children ran instinctively to their parents for protection. In groups they wandered from their teams avoiding them as though they had become beasts of terror to them. I rode to my brother, and directed him to the selected camping place. He unhitched his team, and driving the oxen some distance away, unyoked to right ox and turned his head toward the off one's tail, then yoked it again. In this shape, as long as yoke and tows held, there was no danger of stampeding.

“The movement was like a revelation to the people and they now took hope. I rode from wagon to wagon directing their movements, and checking noise and confusion. By sundown, the camp was formed and the cattle secured, the guards placed, and fires lighted. Then I turned my attention to the wounded ones. I had but little knowledge of surgery; but all eyes were turned to me. With a prayer for God's blessings to attend my efforts, I sewed up gaping flesh wounds. Providentially no bones were broken but there were two lovely women and one man who needed no help of mine. Loving hands smoothed the tangled hair and closed the eyes of the dead, and loving lips kissed the pale brows. Then white sheets were spread over them, and they were left to rest. On the morrow, on the near hillside, we dug their graves, and out of the dear old family chests, coffins were made. Then a venerable man, in workman's garb, spoke sweet words of comfort; 'blessed are the dead who died in the Lord.'

“And whether they rest on prairie wild, or sleep in the city's polished sepulchers, it matters not, so God's will is done. In the resurrection morn, they shall come forth clothed with life and immortality."

On August 9th, while still on the trail, in what is now Wyoming, Anna Marie was born. Maren was allowed to ride in the wagon for three days, after which she resumed walking. This time she carried James Andrew on her back and the babe in her arms.

The company arrived in the valley of the Great Salt Lake on September 12, 1863, where they rested for two days. On September 14, Maren continued on to Brigham City where she and her little family were to make their home. Upon arriving in Brigham City, she found her sacrifices and trials had only begun. She was forced to work wherever and whenever possible in order to provide for her family. One of her tasks was to go to the fields and bind wheat into sheaves. Because of her work, her children were entrusted to the care of neighbors and friends. One of her greatest sorrows came when she learned that her children were often abused and mistreated.

A few years after her arrival in Brigham City, Maren married James Lars Johnson (formerly Jens Jorgensen) as the third wife in a polygamous marriage. This marriage proved unsuccessful as this man would not permit her children to live in his home.  Maren was forced to place them in different homes in Brigham City.  Her son Andrew went to live with a family named Jensen.  Here he was finally adopted and lived the remainder of his life with his new family.  Hannah went out to work.  Maria was placed with a family who proved to be very cruel to her.  They would force food down her throat and lock her in a dark cellar for hours at a time until the neighbors complained.  Maren finally took her away.  Hannah worked for people who gave her the cooking and bread-making to do.  If she burned the bread or let it run over into the oven, that was her portion to eat.  They used sagebrush for fire material, which made either a quick flash fire or it went out.  If she burned the breakfast hot cakes that was also her portion.  When Hannah grew to womanhood, she took her little sister, Maria, and raised her.

Maren gave birth to two sons, James and Johnathan, from this second marriage.  When these and her other children grew up, they took her away from this.  She moved to Newton, Utah and lived there for some time and then moved to Weston, Idaho.  Maren’s daughter, Hannah Christine Goodsell, died in childbirth and left a small family so Maren took the newborn son, Clarence Oliver Goodsell, and raised him.  She would sit up in bed and rock Clarence when he cried and sing to him while tears streamed down her cheeks.  She lived most of the remainder of her life in Weston.

In her last days she went to live with her daughter, Maria Jenkins, in Newton, Utah.  She died there
on February 9, 1906 and was buried in the Weston Cemetery (Weston, Franklin, Idaho).

Maren was the mother of eight children, fours sons and four daughters. At the time of her death, she had forty-three grandchildren.

Maren had a very retiring disposition, and had no desire to appear in public. She was very unassuming but cheerful. Her home was always open to the sick, the poor, and the needy. Many were the hours she spent in giving encouragement, consolation and comfort to those who came. No person ever left her home hungry, and many were the times she was known to have crossed the street carrying food to a neighbor child whom she felt was being neglected. Her life was one of complete charity for those around her; and she was widely sought by her friends and neighbors.
 
 

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