Hans Johan Lauritzen

Hans Johan Lauritzen is the seventh of eight children born to Lauritz Lauritsen and Marie Pedersdatter, both from Denmark. The family immigrated from Denmark to America sailing on the ship “Monarch.” After they arrived in America, they traveled to Nebraska and joined the William B. Preston Company to journey to the Salt Lake Valley. Along with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the company departed Nebraska on July 4, 1864.

Exhaustive travel conditions, disease, injury, lack of food and medicine, prematurity, and extreme weather were some of the greatest threats to pioneers. On the journey west, there was an outbreak of whooping cough. Among those lost to the disease was 1-year-old Hans Johan. He is buried along the Mormon Trail West.

Recorded from his mother’s history: “On the way, the children contracted whooping cough. One day, while they were camped for the noon meal, Ane Marie sat on the wagon tongue to nurse her sixteen-month-old baby, Hans Johan. He began to cough; the coughing spell was so severe that he began to choke. He died from this. A grave was hastily prepared and in two hours, they were on their way again.”