Adele “Edel” Marie Sandersen

Adele “Edel” Marie Sandersen is the daughter of Sander Andersen and Johanna Cathrine Hansdatter of Denmark.

The family immigrated to America with a desire to be with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When “Edel” 16 years old, the family joined the Leonard G. Rice Company of 1867 to journey west to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. Many of the pioneers were infected with “Mountain fever” and became very ill. While in Wyoming, “Edel” passed away from the sickness.

According company journals: “She died in Wyoming on the 20th of September and was buried by the roadside in a crude box.”

* Note: “Edel’s” parents passed away of Rocky Mountain Fever prior to their daughter’s passing. Her two siblings were the only family members to enter the Salt Lake Valley.