Larsen family celebrates history

Niels and Hans Larsen were left alone in a new country, and without family. Their parents died, along with their siblings, when they were only 14 and 8 years of age, respectively. 140 years later they are anything but alone. They have nearly 2,000 descendants, many of whom recently celebrated the lives of these Utah Pioneers, Niels and Hans Larsen.The Larsen family held their first ever family reunion in the bowery of This Is the Place Heritage Park on Saturday, June 28, 2008. Almost 200 people attended the event, each displaying a blue or white bandana, with the white bandanas representing Niels' descendants and the blue ones being worn by Hans' posterity."It is a monumental story," said James W. Petty, AG, CG, a professional genealogist whose wife, Mary, descends from Niels. "I've come to know and love these people on an intimate basis because of my work as a genealogist."Jim Petty told the gathered Larsen family how Niels and Hans came to the United States and eventually made their way to the Salt Lake Valley.Niels and Hans' parents, Lars and Sidse Larsen, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denmark in the mid-1860's, first Lars, and later, Sidse. In 1866 Lars sold all he had and paid for his family and 65 other Scandinavian members of the Church to cross the Atlantic on the Norwegian Bark, the "Cavour", on June 1, 1866, with their sites set on Utah. During the ocean voyage some of the Larsens became ill with cholera. Midway into the journey, Lars' infant son, Laurids, died at sea; with his wife, Sidse, dying a few days later.Upon arrival in New York Harbor on July 31, 1866, Lars and his remaining family members were quarantined at the Emigrant Refugee Hospital on Ward�s Island. One son, Peder, was released to travel onto Zion with the other surviving members of the Cavour Company. Five year old daughter, Karen, was taken to the women's ward and never seen again by her father or brothers. Petty discovered from the records that she died three days after arrival, although her brothers heard a rumor that she was taken from the hospital by a beautiful lady; and believed for the rest of their lives, she might be alive somewhere. Lars Larsen died in the hospital of typhoid fever a month later on September 3rd. Before he died, he charged his sons Niels and Hans to "go to Zion and finish the work I have started." He was buried in Potter�s Field."This is an incredibly unique story," said Steve Handy, a Niels Larsen descendent, and one of the reunion's coordinators. "It's such a poignant story, to go to Zion and finish the work. And they did it."The boys were taken in at New York City by William H. Miles, President of the Eastern States Mission, and cared for until they could be sent on their way to Utah two years later. President Miles went so far as to legally adopt them to keep them from being returned to Denmark.Niels and Hans set out for the western territory 1868 with little understanding of the new language or culture. They took the railroad to Nebraska, and from there they joined an Irish wagon train of LDS Saints, the Emerald Isle Company, trekking to Utah. Their histories record that they walked behind and slept under the wagons with their only possession, a blanket. In Wyoming, Niels left Hans on the trail to go to work on the Transcontinental Railroad. They met later in Salt Lake City where Hans had been taken in by the Thomas and Hannah Porcher family. Three years later Hans left to join his Brother Peder in Brigham City where he became a state senator and city councilman, a missionary to Denmark, a successful farmer and father of 10 children. Brigham Young took a personal interest in Niels. He provided him with a home, work, clothes, and money for further education. He became snow blind while logging in Alta Canyon and then suffered permanent blindness due a mistaken prescription for treatment for his damaged eyes. After that, he sold books and pictures in Salt Lake City and raised a large and productive family of 12 children. 140 years later, 22 of Niels' and Hans' 26 living grandchildren gathered together with nearly 200 of their family and descendants to celebrate the lives of their ancestors. In a memorable display of emotion and tenderness, many shared memories they had of Hans and Niels. Others brought heirlooms that Niels and Hans owned including an antique radio, a banjo, tablecloths, a seashell, and even a gold locket. Documents, pictures, family history, and genealogy were shared that had never been seen before outside of personal family collections."We based the reunion on the concept of Bring History Home� through Historical Event Genealogy�," said Mary Petty, reunion organizer. "It brought all of these unknown documents and family history materials out of the woodwork and has provided us with a link to our past by which we can build bridges to our future.""I'm so grateful for those parents that raised my mom, Alta, in such an educated, brilliant way," said Jewel Crowthamel, one of the living grandchildren. Grandson David Larsen said "what a joyful occasion to have all of us cousins together!" Another reunion is being planned for 2010.