Marie Maren Larsdatter

Evidence from emigration and genealogical records proves that James and Mary Larsen Johnson crossed the plains in 1856 or 1857, probably 1857 because they aren't listed on the 1856 Utah Territorial census. They were on the ship John J. Boyd when it arrived in New York on 15 February 1856. Two children, Lars (age 4) and Elna Kirstine (age 1) are listed with them on the ship manifest. Lars probably just before or soon after arriving in America and the young girl likely died before they embarked across the plains. The first documentation to place the family in Utah is the birth of a child in Brigham City in October 1857. Although family biographies claim they came in 1857 in a company led by a captain Nesbett (or Nisbett or Naisbitt), the only person with anything close to that surname was Henry W. Naisbitt who came to Utah in 1854. Her name is listed as "Marie Jorgensen" on the ship manifest, but she is shown as "Mary Johnson" on the Utah State History Cemeteries and Burials Database.