Transcript

Transcript for Nielsen, John, [Autobiographical sketch], in Builders of Uintah [1947], 40-41

I, John Nielsen, was born June 9, 1858 in Bukkehane [Bukkehave], Maribo Ampt, Holland, Denmark. My parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1885. As an avocation my father made baskets and we children were often sent great distances afoot with baskets for sale. After eleven long years of persecution and trials, my parents, my two sisters and myself left Denmark in the spring of 1866. After ten weeks of sailing we reached New York enroute to Zion. From New York we traveled alternately by rail and boat to Florence, Nebr. At that place we were met by ox teams sent by the church. When they were ready to begin the journey across the plains, all women and children able to walk were ordered to do so as the wagons were so heavily loaded with freight. I walked almost the entire distance from the Missouri river to Salt Lake City. The captain of the company was a husky man by the name of Abner Lowrey [Lowry]. We reached Salt Lake City Oct. 19, 1866.