Gunild Kirstine Hansen (1827-1904)

This was an interesting grave hunt for me. I really did actually hunt for this one! I went to the cemetery on the spur of the moment. I've been busy with other things going on and haven't had much time to work on my grave hunting.

I knew I was going to do someone on Grandma LuDean's maternal side, because I did not know anything about them, but was unsure who to do yet. I knew they were all in the Hyrum City Cemetery, so, I went to Hyrum! I didn't have any of my research or papers or notes, just randomly went. And after my experience, I won't do that again!

It was a beautiful cool morning. There were a couple gentlemen mowing the grass around the headstones, but overall very peaceful like a cemetery should be. I parked in some shade and I pulled up the family tree on my phone (at familysearch.org) and started looking for the gravesite information. There were three different grave sites that I was looking for. Two couples and a grandma. After consulting the plat board with the information I had, the first one was fairly simple to find and I basically walked right to it. The next two though were horrible to find!

I walked around looking for these two graves for about 30 minutes! Then I went and consulted the plat board again and double checked the plat information I had. Then went back and wondered around the plat again for another 15 minutes or so reading name after name after name. I wondered over into the next plat thinking perhaps something somewhere was mislabeled.

Finally! I came upon a husband and wife I was looking for, great great grandpa and grandma Nielsen. At least that was something. That knocked another one off the list. Still not sure if something was mislabeled, or if I was confused, probably the later! Maybe both.

One more grave to go!!

Gunild and her husband, Peder

Gunild is my great-great-great grandmother on my paternal grandmothers side. After searching for what seemed like forever, I pulled up Gunild's family search page and clicked on the find-a-grave option that was linked. In there, I realized I was looking for a grave stone that was engraved "Gundal K. Hansen." Not only was her first name spelled different, but I had been looking for Neilsen, the married name. Once I realized what I was looking for, it took me less than 5 minutes to find where she was buried.


Like the others, I scrubbed down the headstone, took pictures, and had a little chat with Gunild. I wondered what her sense of humor was like. I asked her if she giggled at me wondering around the cemetery looking for her, with the wrong name. As always, I wish I knew more about who she was as a person, not just what I could find as far as her history. 

Then I took off, also wondering if the guys that were there mowing the lawn were laughing at me too for taking so long to find the graves I was looking for, then scrubbing the stones. If I didn't know what I was doing, I would laugh at me too!

When I got home, I was most curious as to why her name wasn't what I expected. So I started reading about this branch of the family tree and into the history of names in Danish and Scandinavian naming culture in the 1700-1800s. At first I thought she had remarried. That wasn't the case. Amazingly, she was a single mom from the time her husband, Peder passed away in 1872, in Denmark, until she passed away in 1904, in Hyrum, UT. Definitely uncommon at the time being that the time she came to Utah was during the height of polygamy in 1874. Where most men had several wives, some partly due to marrying widows, from what I can find, Gunild remained single widow mother.

While reading, I found out that Gunild was likely named after her father's first wife, Gunild Anderdatter. As a widower with 3 children, Gunild's father, Hans Nielson, married Anna Fredrika Olsen in January of 1826 and Gunild was the first child of 10 born to them.

In Denmark, until the 1820s, a patronymic sir name was used. This means, that the sir name was not to how we are accustomed. Gunild's sir name, Hansen, translates to mean "Son of Han." This being congruent with her father's name being Hans. Often, they would use -dottir or -datter for the daughters, such as Hansdottir, but in this case, it was not used for some reason. However, note that it was with her husband's first wife. Perhaps the practice had already started to peter out or perhaps it was to keep the family connection with her brothers that had also emigrated to Utah. In 1820, Scandinavian laws had changed and required families to have what is called a frozen patronymic. This is what we are familiar with, the same sir name being handed down generation after generation. When the laws changed, families often stayed with the current sir name (naming reference).

Looking more to how Denmark's naming worked back in early 1800s, I also came across this documentation that really helped to clarify the why behind Gunild's keeping her family name. This not only confirmed why Gunild kept Hansen as her sir name and didn't take her husband's sir name, but also why she was named after her father's first wife. It boiled down to one word, tradition!

Gunild Kirstine Hansen (1827-1904)

I looked through many of Gunild's family's profile histories on family search and also googled to see if I could find any information that may give me a clue as to why she was born as Gunild but died as Gundal. I have seen her death certificate, and on there her name is Gundal K. Hansen. However, that is the only official document I have seen. On the family search website, it says there is documentation showing her name at birth, christening and marriage, but I was unable to view any of them to confirm. I was unable to find any definitive information. I am guessing it may be the English translation to Gunild, or perhaps it was something to do with when she emigrated she was forced to take the name Gundal. However, as I have noted below, on the ship's manifest that is linked, her name is still Gunild. It seems as if the information has passed on with her. On the family search site, her name is spelled with an additional "n", Gunnild. However, I have received a family group sheet from my grandma and her name is listed at Gunild Kirstine Hansen, thus I will keep with the physical documentation I have and use the name Gunild.

Typically when writing up these histories, I not only pull the history from their family search profile, but also read parents, siblings and children's histories to try and compile as much information as I can. Also, I search the history of the place they settled. Gunild has no direct history written on her family search profile, nor is there any physical history that I am aware of. Additionally, there is nothing with her name linked to Hyrum. For Gunild's history, I have combined various sources from her family. Between searching for the grave, searching for details on the name and naming culture in Denmark, and searching for her history, compiling Gunild's story has been the most intensive post I have done to date. Its also been frustrating because after I received a copy of the history of Gunild's son, my great great grandfather, John Peter, his history did not always match the history of his sister, Kirstine. Due to this, I tried to do more research and get historical data to match up. Sometimes that helped, other times it made things more confusing and frustrating! Obviously, the time consuming hunt for her grave site was only the tip of the iceberg of my journey with grandma Gunild Kirstine Hansen.

Gunild Kirstine Hansen

Personal History

Compiled using various sources by Holly Glover

Gunild Kristine Hansen was born March 27, 1827 in Birkerød, Frederiksborg, Denmark. She grew up in Birkerød on a farm with her family called Kajrd, about 15 miles north of Copenhagen. She married Peder Nielson (March 14, 1824 - October 28, 1876) October 5, 1851. Peder was 33 and Gunild was almost 10 years his junior at 24. Their first child, Niels Peter was born Aug 3, 1852. They then welcomed 5 more babies into their home over the years, the final being twins born in December 1865. Peter and Gunild were the parents of Niels Peter, Hans Peter, Kirstine, Anna Kirstine and twins, John Peter and Carl Peter.

When the twins, John Peter and Carl Peter were born, John Peter was born first, weighing between 3 1/2 - 4 pounds. Carl Peter was born an hour later, weighing around 9 pounds. John Peter was so tiny, they did not think he would survive and he was placed in a blanket and set aside. After Carl Peter was born, John Peter perhaps got jealous and started screaming, proving he had the healthier lungs. All through infancy though, John Peter was tiny and delicate and his mother tended him with the utmost care. She even nursed him until he was four years old. Often she would be working in the fields and then take time out for her little Johann to have lunch.

Sadly, Carl Peter died when he was only 3 years and 2 months old. He and his oldest brother Niels Peter contracted diphtheria. Niels Peter died February 1, 1869, Carl Peter died February 4, 1869. They were buried in the same grave. This was after another sibling, Anna Kirstine died December 24, 1865. One source says she also died due to diphtheria.

With the death of his children, Peder was very distraught and heart broken. While heart broken, Gunild relied on her faith in the beliefs of the LDS church and believed that she would see her children again.

Gunild's maternal grandfather, Ole Jorgensen, had told his children and grandchildren that the Lutheran Church was not Christ's true church, and that the true church would be restored. This was many years prior to Joseph Smith's vision. When the elders came to Gunild's home, she knew their gospel was true and that their church was the one her grandfather had spoken of.

(In a master thesis by Marius Christensen, written in 1966 titled, "History of the Danish Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1850-1964", it talks about La Salle County, Illinois. La Salle was inhabited by Scandinavians and in 1842 a hand full of people were baptized. In 1843 a branch was organized. This branch, according to the Thesis, was likely the first foreign speaking branch organized in America. La Salle is credited for laying the foundation to bring the gospel to the Scandinavian countries. On page 12 of this thesis, it talks about the only Dane to see the Prophet Joseph Smith alive. He was Hans Christian Hansen, baptized in Boston in 1842. He wrote to his younger brother, Peter Ole Hansen, who lived in Copenhagen and shared the gospel with him. Peter Ole, not finding any other mormons in Denmark then emigrated to America. I bring this up, because I wonder if perhaps Gunild's grandfather had some contact with someone in this area. Gunild's grandfather passed away in May, 1849.) Gunild opened her home to Elders, providing food and shelter. One source says that Peter and Gunild's home was used as the headquarters for the Elders in the area, however I am not able to find any documentation of this in the mission notes I was able to read.

Peder had been cold toward the church, but since the first hearing of the church, Gunild knew it was the truth, but kept her desires to herself because of Peder's feelings toward it. She longed to immigrate her family to Utah and there raise them among the saints. Gunild was baptized June 1, 1853. She was later rebaptized on August 8, 1875. (I had read about rebaptism in several histories and wasn't sure why the early saints would have been rebaptized. I found the answer through BYU.edu. It talks about the purpose of rebaptism during the early days of the church in the third paragraph.)

One account I read stated that she was baptized while Peder had been away fighting with the Danish Army during the time Denmark and Germany had been at war. When he returned, they were then married. With a little research, I found that there were two wars between Denmark and Germany. The First Schleswig War or Three Years' War was fought March 24, 1848 - May 8, 1852. While this could easily line up to when they were married, it does not line up with when Gunild was first baptized. The Second Schleswig War started and ended in 1864. Again, this does not add up. So I am unsure if Peder was in attendance when Gunild was baptized and if he approved or not. One source says she was not baptized until after Peder passed away, however due to documentation, we know this isnt true. Likewise, due to Peder being cold toward the church, I question if the Elders truly did use their home as a headquarters for the Danish mission. However, in Carl M. Nelsson's autobiography, he does mention several times being in the company of a Sister Hansen of Gadavang. John Peter was baptized by this same Carl M Nelsson just before boarding the ship to America.

The following description of their home and lifestyle in Denmark was mostly taken from the history of their daughter, Kirstine. Some was added from the son, John Peter as well. I attempted to find the lane it refers to, however it is actually a village. How much of description is truth, I am unsure, but it does paint a beautiful picture of Denmark!

Peder and Gunild's home in Denmark

The farm Peder and Gunild lived on was purchased from the state of a Danish bachelor diplomat who upon his retirement from foreign service had purchased the farm. He had lived there until the time of his death. While this diplomat had lived abroad, he had collected beautiful things as well as his black carriage. The farm was situated by the side of the King’s forest. They had 24 acres and it was on a lane named Gadavang, about 18 miles North of Copenhagen. The largest part of the farm was a dairy farm and the other part was turf or peat. Peat was molded into bricks, then dried and stored and used for fuel. He had four large barns to store the peat in. It was sold in Copenhagen. The farm brought in a good income.

There was three cottages that Polish people occupied each summer when they came to Denmark to work. They would mold the peat into bricks and put them into the sun to dry. The Polish labor was much cheaper than Danish labor. They would bring their families and they would all work.

Each winter the hired Danish men would take the peat to market in Copenhagen. They were also kept busy the year round taking dairy products, cured and newly butchered meats, etc. to market. The hired girls also were kept busy milking cows, making butter and cheese, doing housework, cording and spinning wool and flax that was grown on the farm, and weaving flax into beautiful linens. A Danish girl who came from a prosperous farm family always had chests of linen when she married, enough to last a life-time.

Gunild was also fortunate in having good, faithful, trustworthy help. Taya, one of the girls they employed had been with them for fifteen years. They always had two girls employed who lived with them. They also had extra girls when they were needed.

The Nielsen house, stables and barns and the carriage house completely surrounded a very large cobble stoned patio which had a large gate. In the center of the patio a large dog was kept to help guard the place. Each night the gate was locked. Homes were built this way as a protection from robbers who used to terrorize the country people and especially those living near the forests. The Kings Forest next to the Nielsen farm was called the Gripps Forest after an outlaw mother who once lived in the forest and her three outlaw sons. They robbed and terrorized the people.

When the peat was removed from the farm, large holes were made and the holes would then fill up with water and small ponds were formed. There were many of these where duck and geese would swim. Nearby the cows and horses would graze.

Near the kitchen was a vegetable garden and orchard. Also there were strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries as well as other fruits.

There were two halls in which to enter the house, the larger one opened into the living room and dining room and a hall off the bedrooms. The smaller hall off the kitchen was where everyone removed his shoes, both leather and wooden, and put on bedroom slippers before entering the house.

In the living room were two larger mirrors from floor to ceiling with gold frames. There were also beautiful cabinets and small carved tables and chairs, also a rose-colored damask covered sofa and large chairs. The front hall had a large grand-daddy clock.

The dining room was also a large room with an extra large table, chattel, a sort of buffet, and chairs to match.

The bedrooms had a large dark wood bureau in each with many drawers and beds with beautiful canopied tops. The drapes and curtains were lovely lace and damask.

The floors were stained a dark brown. Small and colorful rugs were placed about in the rooms.

The kitchen had a stone floor and a stove built of bricks very similar to the old-fashioned baker’s oven. The top of the stove was built of both brick and iron. The meals were always eaten in the dining room. On the wall hung polished copper kettles - to be looked at not used!

The parlor was used only on Sundays and was beautifully decorated.

From the back hall was a cheese and butter room. Back of the orchard was a smoke house where the hams, goose, duck and other meats were smoked and cured.

Each birthday and holiday was celebrated with relatives and friends. Peder was a very friendly and sociable person and was never happier than when he could entertain his relatives and friends in his lovely country home. He was a healthy, happy farmer and loved to entertain many friends and relatives. He always said, "nothing is too good for my wife and children."

The Christmas season was always a happy time. Peder and Gunild were very generous and were never happier than when they could buy gifts for their loved ones.

In Denmark, six days are celebrated during Christmas season; Christmas Eve, Christmas day, the day after Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the day after New Year’s Day. On each of the six days, gifts are given. They did not hang up stockings but put out wooden shoes near the door for the Nesa-man (a sort of elf-man) to fill. There was always a beautiful Christmas tree where the children and grown-up people danced around the tree holding hands and sang Christmas songs.

Usually Grandmother Nielsen would spend the holidays with them and she would tell them about her childhood and how superstitious people were, how they believed in elves or sprites, very much as the Irish believe in Leprechauns.

In Kirstine's history, she talks about how she loved to drive to the village in their carriage with her father and shop. He was very generous and would usually buy her a new dress or something extra that she wanted. He was very happy when he could do something for his wife and children.

On January 1, 1872 Peder died from blood poising, which was caused from a sliver in his finger. The family was left absolutely grief stricken. Peder was aged 53 years, 8 months, and 26 days.

After Peder died, Gunild decided that she and the three remaining children, Hans Peter (18), Kirstine (15) and John Peter (9) would go to Utah and live among the mormons as she had long desired. Gunild had 3 brothers there. Hans and James John were in Hyrum and Peter was in Salt Lake. Her mother and sister also had gone, however her mother died shortly before arriving and her sister had died shortly after arriving in Utah.

The above mentioned missionary, Elder Carl M. Nilsson helped Gunild to sell the farm and also with the plans for emigrating. $1000 was given to the church in tithing and they moved to Copenhagen to await immigration. Gunild met a lot of opposition from Peder's family who believed all the terrible things that had been said about the mormons. They did not want Peder's children taken to the far off Utah and Gunild was taken to court to resolve the matter. Obviously, Gunild was allowed to take the children to America, however, the children’s inheritance was held in Denmark by the court until they became of age. There the children were able to associate with Mormons and be taught more of the principles of the Gospel. Now a very healthy young boy, John Peter was baptized on June 4, 1874, shortly before leaving for America. It is interesting to note, that in one history, it is said that Gunild helped to pay for 10 other people to go to Utah, including the return trip of the missionary, Carl M. Nilsson.

According to passenger list found on Mormon Migration, Gunild, Hans Peter, Kirstine and John Peter left Copenhagen on June 18, 1874 on the either the ship Humber or Milo and landed in Hull England on June 22. They then took a train to Liverpool and boarded the ship Idaho in Liverpool on June 24, 1874, lead by Elder Peter C Carstensen with 810 saints and 300 other non-mormon emigrants. They docked in New York, USA 12 days later on July 6, 1874. In all accounts that have been found, the travel between England and America was mostly uneventful. In a compilation of voyage notes, the following account is found:

With the exception of one stormy day, the weather was favorable all the way. On that day the waves rolled like mountains, and a mighty wave rushed over the deck, and (the hatchway happening to be open) a great volume of water went down below, so that mess boxes, baskets and the like were seen floating about, while the passengers were forced into the bunks till the water was pumped out. A remarkable calm was observed among the Saints on that occasion, while the opposite was the case with the other passengers, who were badly frightened. Captain Forsyth, relating the occurrence on the following morning at the breakfast table, said that he went down to the people in the forepart to allay their fears, as they were crying aloud, 'Lost, we are lost!' But after he had assured them that there was no danger, because there were too many 'Mormons' aboard for the ship to be harmed, order and quiet was restored. A Catholic priest, who was present, took exception to this statement, but the captain said that he had now for 18 years conveyed the 'Mormons' safely across the Atlantic, and he had never heard of the loss of any ship carrying 'Mormons.'

According to a letter from Peter C. Carstensen to President Joseph F Smith, the saints then left New York in a 17 car train on July 7th. They arrived in Odgen, Utah on July 15th where they disembarked and went their separate ways.

At first, Gunild and her 3 children went to Salt Lake City with her brother, Peter. After a few days, Gunild's brothers, Hans and James John made the trip from Hyrum in a wagon to pick up Gunild and her children.

The return trip took about four days and they spent the nights at the homes of people, regardless of whether they were acquainted with them or not. They would put their bedding on the floor where they slept and ate their own food. This was the accepted mode of travel in the early days of Utah.
When they came to the big Sand Ridge, south of Ogden, they all had to walk for many miles. North of Ogden was infested with many mosquitoes. When they finally arrived in Hyrum, they were all a sad-looking sight. They were sunburned, covered with mosquito bites, and had swollen and blistered feet.

Hyrum had been built as a fort settlement. A few years before their arrival, the townspeople had had a surveyor survey and lay out the town and also survey the farm land. Each family was given a city lot. Most of the houses were one-room log cabins. Some still lived in dug outs, cellar houses. The church building was built of rocks. Their relatives were very kind to them and did all in their power to make them happy and feel at home.

At that time the town of Hyrum had a church cooperative ranch in Black Smith Fork Canyon. Each summer the people would send milk cows to this ranch where the young people, girls and boys would milk the cows. Brother Cle Rose, a dairyman and his wife from Denmark supervised the ranch and dairy. The young people were taught how to make butter and cheese.

After this, I do not find much about Gunild other than she spent a lot of time with her children and grandchildren.

Gunild passed away September 28, 1904 aged 77 years, 6 months, and 1 day.
She is buried in the Hyrum City Cemetery.

Gunild Kirstine's Ordinances Complete
Baptism - 8 August 1875Confirmation - 8 August 1875
Initiatory - 12 July 1875 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Endowment - 12 July 1875 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Sealing to Parents - 20 August 2015 Bountiful Utah Temple
Sealing to Spouse - 8 January 2015 Detroit Michigan Temple

Peder's Ordinances Complete

Baptism - 11 December 1923 Salt Lake Temple
Confirmation - 11 December 1923 Salt Lake Temple
Initiatory - 2 February 1926 Salt Lake Temple
Endowment - 2 February 1926 Salt Lake Temple
Sealing to Parents - 6 December 2014 Salt Lake Temple
Sealing to Spouse - 8 January 2015 Detroit Michigan Temple

***To see the purpose of starting this blog, please click here.***