Christian's Story
Birth: November 20th, 1852 | male | in Store Heddinge, Præstø, Denmark
Death: September 14th, 1866 | 13 years old | in Wyoming
Memorial: Stone 14 | right column
Christian Carlsen is the son and first child of Hans Carlsen and Maren Pedersdatter, both from Denmark. Christian was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 20, 1866. The Carlsen's and two children immigrated to America on the ship “Athenia.” After arriving, they traveled to Nebraska and joined the Joseph S. Rawlings Company bound for the Utah Territory. The Company left Nebraska on August 2, 1866.
Disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. While the company traveled through the territory of Wyoming, some of the Saints became ill with mountain fever. It is thought that 13-year-old Christian died of that disease. He is buried along the Mormon Trail in Wyoming.