Maren's Story
Birth: August 24th, 1847 | female | in Kappel, Halsted Klosters, Denmark
Death: November 7th, 1856 | 9 years old | West of East Canyon Creek in Wyoming
Memorial: Stone 6 | left column
Maren Sophie Jorgensen is the only child of Jorgen Larsen and Metta Marie Hansdatter, both from Denmark. Maren's parents both died, her mother Metta passed away in 1848, and it is unknown when Jorgen died.
Maren was 8-years-old when she sailed to America with family members Paul and Lucy Jacobsen. They joined the Willie Handcart Company with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to trek to the Great Salt Lake Valley.
Snowstorms, frigid temperatures, and lack of food plagued the company. As a result, many pioneers perished. Among those lost was 8-year-old Maren Jorgensen. She is buried west of East Canyon Creek in Wyoming.
From the journal of the Willie Handcart Company: “Friday 7th. The camp rolled on, crossed a steep hill & came into East Kanyon; crossed East Kanyon Creek several times & camped in a cottonwood grove; good place to camp for wood. Maria S. Jorgen [Maren Sophie Jorgensen] from Lango, Denmark, aged 8 years died.”