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- The spirit of gathering was strong, and since they could not all leave at once, plans were made for two of the girls to make the journey to Zion. Although money was scarce, they decided that Mette Kjerstine and Else Marie could go to Utah first. Mette Kjerstine was now 20 and well able to care for her seven-year-old sister.
Mette and little Else Marie left in December 1853 in order to sail from Liverpool in January. They were on either the "Jessie Munn" or the "Benjamin Adams."
Three hundred Scandinavian Saints under the direction of Christian Larsen sailed from Copenhagen on 22 December 1853 aboard the Danish steamship "Slesvig" bound for Hull, England. These emigrants went on to Liverpool, where they boarded the three-masted square-rigger "Jessie Munn" which sailed from Liverpool 3 January 1854. The vessel arrived at New Orleans on 20 February-a passage of forty-eight days.
Hans Peter Olsen was in charge of another company of 378 Scandinavian Saints who sailed from Copenhagen on 26 December 1853 on the steamship "Eideren" also bound for Hull. Both groups traveled by way of Kiel and Gluckstadt on the way to Hull, and by rail to Liverpool. On 22 January 1854 this second group boarded the "Benjamin Adams," a larger, full-rigged, three- masted ship. After their arrival at Liverpool sickness broke out among the company. Twenty-two children and two adults died. They sailed from Liverpool 28 January 1854. The vessel arrived at New Orleans on 22 March-a fifty-three-day passage. In New Orleans the company boarded the side-wheel paddle steamboat "L. M. Kennett" and journeyed up the Mississippi to Saint Louis, arriving on 3 April. These emigrants joined others from the ship "Jessie Munn" in St. Louis, and continued on another steamer to Kansas City Missouri, which was the out-fitting place for the companies crossing the plains that year.
At some point the passengers of both ships were combined into one company for the overland trek. They became part of the Hans Peter Olsen Company of about 550 saints, including Jens Peter Benson's sister Karen and Karen's husband Jens Nielsen. They finally left Westport, Missouri 15 Jun 1854. However, they did have difficulty. Many died from cholera, and Else Marie was one of its victims. She died and was buried at or near Florence, Nebraska. Mette Kjerstine continued on the journey and arrived safely in Salt Lake City with the remaining Scandinavians on 5 October 1854. She was married to Jens Peter Benson by Ezra Taft Benson at his home on 8 April 1855. She was endowed at the Endowment House on 18 April 1856.
- Mette Kirstine Ericksen (1852-1853)
[Submitted by: Jens Peter Benson Family Organization, Carol Milligan (president), P.O. Box 56, Newton, UT 84327; Cyrel A. Larsen, 3007 Fairview Lane, American Falls, ID 83211, CLarsen21@aol.com]
Mette Kjerstine Ericksen by Granddaughter Esther Benson Dame, and Granddaughter Mattie Jenkins Griffin. (Edited 1998.)
Mette Christine Ericksen was born Mette Kjerstine Marcusdatter 15 September 1833 in Mov, Aalborg, Denmark.(1) She was the daughter of Marcus Ericksen and Kersten Christendatter. Mette was the oldest of four children, all girls. She grew to be a very kind lovable young woman. The schooling she received consisted mostly of the practical things of life such as: housekeeping, mending, knitting and learning how to make a living. She was a very good seamstress and became very efficient in the art of housekeeping and found opportunities to work in the various homes where help was needed.
She was the first in her family to accept the Gospel message and be baptized a member of the church. Later, her father, mother and sisters were all converted and baptized. They had a burning desire to come to Utah, where they could live with the Saints. With this object in mind, Mette worked hard, saved and earnestly prayed that this desire would soon be realized.
In the spring of 1854 her desire was realized. It was decided that she and her youngest sister Elsie Marie, who was seven years of age, should go to Utah.
They left their home-father, mother and sisters, all that was dear to them-to go to a strange land thousands of miles away for the Gospel's sake. They joined a large company of immigrating Saints in Copenhagen and crossed the mighty Atlantic Ocean.
Then they continued their long tedious journey across the plains and over to the Rocky Mountains in covered wagons pulled by ox teams. Brother Jensen, his wife [an invalid], a young girl by the name of Sister Lane, Mette and her sister Elsie all shared one wagon. The girls were able to ride with him part-time if they would help take care of his wife.
There is an un-attributed story of one of Mette's adventures. One day Mette and Sister Lane went ahead of their company and they got lost from them. They went up over a mountain. It was raining and their skirts froze. They could hear the wolves and they could see lights way down in the valley. When they ran, their skirts would rattle and they thought it was someone after them. It was late in the evening when they got to the village. It was at a blacksmith's place. The people took them in and gave them some dry clothes and something to eat and told them to stay there. It was very hard to make them understand, as the girls spoke only Danish. Eventually the villagers made the girls understand that their company would come by the village. It was a day and a half before wagon train came and they were able to rejoin their group. The village people were kind to them.
Before they had traveled very far many of the saints were stricken with cholera and died. When they arrived at Florence, Nebraska, Elsie Marie was afflicted with this dreaded disease and became its victim, She was buried by the roadside with others who had passed away. This was all tragic for Mette and she felt very sad and lonely, yet she never lost faith in her Heavenly Father. She was indeed happy when the long journey was over and at last they arrived in Salt Lake City. There she worked in the home of a Brother Wooley, and later for Truman O. Angell.
On 8 April 1855 she was married to Jens Peter Benson by Ezra Taft Benson at his home.
That year proved to be a very hard winter and a famine for the Mormon people seemed sure. In the late summer and the autumn the winged grasshoppers blackened the sun and filled the air with their rasping flight. They partially destroyed the crops and much suffering was prevalent among the Saints. The following winter was severe on account of drought and early frost. Heavy snows buried grazing lands causing the starvation of beef cattle, horses and sheep. Snowbound and unable to obtain firewood from canyons, the people were forced to burn their fences. The arrival of destitute emigrants depleted meager food supplies. By the spring of 1856 local Saints were reduced to eating sego, thistle, and other wild roots. Mette and Peter suffered for food and clothing that year.
On 18 April 1856 Mette was endowed at the Endowment House.
In the fall of 1856, Peter became very ill and was unable to work for some time, thus, Mette had to glean enough wheat for their winter supply. Peter and Mette's first child, Mary, was born in Salt Lake City in 1856.
Then in 1857 they moved to Lehi because of the threat of Johnston's army. There were five children born to Peter and Mette while they were living in Lehi. They were Martha Ann, Sarah, Peter Ephriam, Anna Kersten, and John. Sarah and Anna Kersten died and were buried in Lehi.
In 1857, Mette's sister, Kirsten, arrived in Lehi, exhausted from her journey. Mette and Peter cared for her and helped her regain her health. Mette became a plural wife when Kirsten married and was sealed to Mette's husband by Brigham Young in the President's office.
They lived in Lehi until the spring of 1868, when they moved to Clarkston. Mette's seventh child, Elizabeth, was born in Clarkston.
In the fall of 1869, they moved to a newly-built log house in the southwest corner of Newton. They were among the first to locate in that town and they passed through many trials and tribulations. Mette, with her elder daughters, would gather the cotton which would form in balls on the cottonwood shade trees. This she spun into a material to make her baby clothes.
Later, Peter built a rock house for Mette and her family. It was located across the street, south, from the town square.
Mette was very industrious, never complaining, no matter what misfortune over took her. She was called to be President of the Newton Relief Society on 3 February 1876 by Bishop William F. Rigby. Her counselors were Martha Bell, her sister-in-law, and Ellen Marie Andersen.
Peter and Mette's three younger children were born in Newton. They were LaZina, Elmira, and Tinas. LaZina died when she was five years old. Tinas was Mette's tenth child, born 28 March 1876. He died soon after he was born.
Mette passed away 8 April 1876, just 12 days after her baby was born, leaving a family of six children, Mary, Martha, Peter Ephriam, Elizabeth, John, and Elmira. The two older girls were married. Mary married Peter Larson, and Martha was married to Moroni Jenkins. Following Mette's death, Kirsten, Mette's sister and plural wife to Peter, moved from Clarkston to Newton to care for Mette's children.
1. FHL film 0410434
2. FHL film 0188393
3. FHL film 0183394
4. FHL film 0183395
5. Newton History Pamphlet, Logan Family History Center.
Children of Mette Kirstine Ericksen Bensen and Jense Peter Bensen (with birth and death dates)
Born Died
1- Mary 27 Feb 1856 2 Sep 1938
2- Martha Ann 29 Nov 1857 8 Jul 1942
3- Sarah 7 Jun 1859 6 Sep 1860
4- Peter Ephraim 18 Jan 1861 14 Mar 1920
5- Anna Kirstin 23 Jan 1863 13 Sep 1865
6- John 15 Jun 1866 19 Jul 1936
7- Elizabeth 13 Oct 1868 20 May 1939
8- La Zina 4 Nov 1870 4 Nov 1875
9- Sevina Elmira 20 Feb 1873 16 May 1937
10- Tinas or Tinus 28 Mar 1876 28 Mar 1876
- History of METTE CHRISTINA ERICKSEN (Second wife of Jens Peter History of METTE CHRISTINA ERICKSEN (Second wife of Jens Peter Benson) by grand-daughter - Mattie Jenkins Griffin, 2 February 1955
Grama Benson left Denmark when she was a young lady, and brought her little sister along with her. It runs in my mind her sister was nine years old, and a girl friend, Mrs. Lane. I don't know her maiden name. They came with oxteam. There was a man and woman that they came with. His wife was an invalid and he let them ride part time, if they would help take care of his wife. And when they got part way here, her sister took sick with cholera and died. They had to dig a grave on the prairie and burry her. They gathered sticks and made a fire on top of the grave so the wolves wouldn't come and dig her up.
One day Grama and Sister Lane went ahead of their company and they got lost from them. They went up over a mountain. It was raining and their skirts froze. They could hear the wolves and they could see lights way down in the valley. When they run, their skirts would rattle and they thought it was someone after them. It was late in the evening when they got to the village. It was at a blacksmith's place. The poeple took them in and gave them some dry clothes and something to eat and told them to stay there. It was very hard to make them understand, as they spoke in a different language, but they made them understand that their company would come by there. It was a day and a half before they came, but the people were nice to them.
They rejoined their company and came to Salt Lake City.
When they got there, the man that they came with was going to make them marry him so they went to Brigham Young and told him how it was, by grand-daughter - Mattie Jenkins Griffin, 2 February 1955 Grama Benson left Denmark when she was a young lady, and brought her little sister along with her. It runs in my mind her sister was nine years old, and a girl friend, Mrs. Lane. I don't know her maiden name. They came with ox-team. There was a man and woman that they came with. His wife was an invalid and he let them ride part time, if they would help take care of his wife.
And when they got part way here, her sister took sick with cholera and died. They had to dig a grave on the prairie and burry her. They gathered sticks and made a fire on top of the grave so the wolves wouldn't come and dig her up.
One day Grama and Sister Lane went ahead of their company and they got lost from them. They went up over a mountain. It was raining and their skirts froze. They could hear the wolves and they could see lights way down in the valley. When they run, their skirts would rattle and they thought it was someone after them. It was late in the evening when they got to the village. It was at a blacksmith's place. The poeple took them in and gave them some dry clothes and some thing to eat and told them to stay there. It was very hard to make them understand, as they spoke in a different language, but they made them understand that their company would come by there. It was a day and a half before they came, but the people were nice to them.
They rejoined their company and came to Salt Lake City.
When they got there, the man that they came with was going to make them marry him so they went to Brigham Young and told him how it was, and he told them they did not have to marry him.
Then Grama got a job working for Truman Angles in Salt Lake City and, I think, she worked there until she married Grampa. Truman Angles was quite well to do and after Grandma was married they would give her food that they had left.
They must have moved to Salt Lake City when Grandpa worked on the tabernacle. Then they moved to Lehi, and later to Clarkston and then to Newton.
I think Grama had nine children. Aunt Mary, Mother (Martha), Sarah, Peter, Annie, John, Elizabeth, Lazine, and Elmira who was born in Newton. (Also a child Tenus, born 28 March 1876, and died that same
Then Grama got a job working for Truman Angles in Salt Lake City and, I think, she worked there until she married Grampa. Truman Angles was quite well to do and after Grandma was married they would give her food that they had left.
They must have moved to Salt Lake City when Grandpa worked on the tabernacle. Then they moved to Lehi, and later to Clarkston and then to Newton.
I think Grama had nine children. Aunt Mary, Mother (Martha), Sarah, Peter, Annie, John, Elizabeth, Lazine, and Elmira who was born in Newton. (Also a child Tenus, born 28 March 1876, and died that same day.)
Transcribed by Annette Hancey Lunceford
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1833 - 1876 (42 år)
