Carl Olsen

Carl Olsen is the youngest of six children born to Olsen and Else Marie Nielsen. The family were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and immigrated to America sailing on the ship “Cavour.”

Many of the passengers on the ship suffered from illness. Among them was 1-year-old Carl. After arriving in America, the family buried Carl in New York City, New York. The family traveled to Nebraska and joined the Abner Lowry Company to journey to the Great Salt Lake Valley. While on the way, many pioneers in the company suffered from cholera (a bacterial disease caused from contaminated water). Among those who perished from the disease was Carl’s mother.

The rest of the family went on to Utah.

From the family history: “The day before the ship landed, Karen’s younger brother died. Her mother managed to keep him until they landed. In getting on the land, the people that could not wade were carried and as soon as Karen’s mother and father could get a grave dug for their baby, he was buried like the other pioneers, with just some sheets wrapped around him. That was the way he was laid away. However, they felt that was better than being lowered in the ocean.”