DORTHE KJERSTINE CLEMMENSEN DAHL

	Birth		22 March 1829		Jegindo, Thisted, Denmark
	Christened		5 April 1829		Jegindo, Thisted, Denmark
	Baptism		6 November 1853
	Marriage		13 April 1856		President Brigham Young		Niels Christiansen
	Endowment		13 April 1856
	Sealed to Parents		21 March 1938		Manti Temple
	Death		27 July 1920		Gunnison, Sanpete County, Utah
	Buried				Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah

HISTORY OF DORTHE DAHL

Dorthe Dahl Christiansen was the wife of Niels Christian Christiansen. She was born in Thested Isle of Jagen, Denmark March 22, 1828. She came to the United States accompanied by her mother, one sister, Martha, and one brother, Niels Clemensen. They made the trip by sailing ship leaving Liverpool on January 16, 1855 and it took them 11 weeks to cross the ocean.

They disembarked at New Orleans. Just before the ship reached port her mother passed away. She was carried from the ship by her son Niels and so she was buried on land at New Orleans. Dorthe walked the entire distance across the plains with the Handcart Company.

She married Niels C. Christiansen in Salt Lake City and was still living there when her first child, Parley, was born. She was the second wife of Niels C. Christiansen. I believe they moved to Spanish Fork in March of 1858 where they lived two years, moving to Ephraim in 1860. She became the mother of two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth. She lived alone with her children and worked to support them until they were able to take care of themselves.

While Indians were annoying the settlers she helped with the commissary things for the army, called the Silver Greys. Her husband was Captain of this company during the Black Hawk War. She also helped dress and prepare meat for this company. While the Indians were on the war path she would sit up all night and watch her children and then work hard all day. She used to go out in the fields and glean wheat after the farmers had harvested their crops. In this way she gathered enough that her husband had enough to use for seed grain the next spring.

She had a very pleasant disposition and had very many friends. She was kind to everybody and was very good to the birds and animals. She would save crumbs and feed the birds. They would eat right out of her hands. She was very religious and always paid a full tithing. She knitted stockings for $.10 and $.15 a pair and would always save her tithing out of it before she spent any of the money. She kept her house spotless and everything in its place. She never asked for much and was always ready to share with everyone.

Her son, Parley, was called to be Bishop in Mayfield, Sanpete County and she spent much of her time in her declining years with him and his family in Mayfield and Gunnison. When she wasn't with them she lived with her daughters Mary and Elizabeth who lived in Ephraim. When she got her back pension from the government for her work in the Black Hawk War, she divided this with her children and grandchildren. Then she let her son, Parley, take what was left to save to pay for her burial. She never wanted to be a burden to anyone.

She used to shear sheep, wash the wool, then cord it and spin it into yarn. She dyed the wool she used to weave into clothes and shawls.

She died at Gunnison, Utah at the home of her son, Parley. She was 92 years old in March and died on July 20, 1920. Her health had been good and just before her death she had visited her daughters in Ephraim, Utah.

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10/02/99