Jensine Eskelsen

Jensine Eskelsen is the ninth of 11 children born to Andreas Eskelsen and Maren Jensdatter, both from Denmark. The family immigrated to America by sailing on the ship B.S. Kimball. While on the ship, two of the Eskelsen children became ill from the food or water they were given to eat. When they arrived in America, the family traveled to Florence, Nebraska and joined an unknown company to journey with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the 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. Shortly after beginning the trek across the plains, 1-year-old Jensine, grew weaker from the illness acquired on the ship. Jensine died and is buried in Nebraska, along the Mormon Trail.