Erick Erickson
Born: 1 Oct 1841, Died: 12 Dec 1899
History written by Eva Ericksen Chatelain in 1956
Submitted to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers by Nina Ericksen Smith 17 Apr 1967
[Edited & condensed in 2011 by Nadine D Sharpe]

Erick Erickson was born in Markholt, Veile, Denmark, the second child of Soren William and Bodil Kristine Kyhn Ericksen (Erickson), according to his father's (Soren Ericksen)family bible. He had four sisters, namely: Anna Metta, Mette Cathrine, Anna Marie and Maren.

In the early 1860s he married Martha Olsen Anderson, she was born 9 June 1838 in Bjerlevrode, Hvejsel, Vejle, Denmark.

Erick accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ and was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on 5 Apr 1863, probably shortly before they were married. The young couple moved to Norway and on 27 Dec 1864 a baby girl (Josephene) was born to them. Martha had learned to make electric belts for rheumatism and Erick went from door to door selling them.

They became acquainted with
Frantz Christian Grundvig (1836-1925) and his wife Jenssine. They were presiding over the Christiana District in Norway for the LDS church. When Erick heard that Brother Grundvig had been released to emigrate but did not have the money for passage, he sent for him & they laid plans whereby they could make enough for both families to emigrate. The next morning they started off in two different districts to sell belts. Martha and Jenssine made the belts and sent them as fast as Erick and Brother Grundvig could sell them. In a few weeks they had enough money to pay their way. (see Pioneer Heritage, Vol 9, page 68)

On a film in the Genealogical Library the following record was found in the Christiana Conference: Erick Ericksen, age 23, occupation bricklayer, his wife Martha, age 27, and son Lauritz Harold, age 4, deposited the sum of 177.12 for passage to America.

As soon as the weather permitted, they went to Copenhagen, where Martha's father and mother, Ole Andersen and Anne Maria Kristine Petersen Andersen, joined them, and on May 4, 1865 in company with other immigrating Saints, numbering 557 souls, left Copenhagen by the steamer Aurora. The company arrived in Kiel the morning of May 5. In the afternoon the journey was continued by train to Altona, whence the immigrants went up the Elb on a small steamboat to a place off Hamberg, where the company was at once placed on board the double decked ship the "B. S. Kimball".

On their arrival in Altona, the company was met by Daniel H. Wells, and Elder George Reynolds from England, who were both present when the company boarded the vessel. On Sunday the 7th, a meeting was held on deck, on which occasion President Wells dedicated the ship, its Captain, crew and passengers, to the Lord, and gave instructions and admonition to the Saints. On Monday, May 8th about noon, the ship lifted anchor and was drawn by tender down to sail from Gluckstadt. As the captain thought the colder climate would be better for the passengers, he chose the route north of Scotland. The weather was fair and favorable during the entire voyage, with the exception on one day and night when the wind threw the ship practically on its side, almost capsizing it. All were thrown from their bunks, and there was much crying and terror among the children. The storm blew the ship far north of its regular course.

One of the worst aspects of the voyage was the vermin infested vessel and lack of ventilation. There were no vent pipes and the only fresh air came from the stairway. However, the captain gave them many privileges in the way of amusements, dancing and theatre playing. Their happiness and cheer soon came to a stop as tragedy struck - - measles and scarlet fever broke out and 25 children and three adults died and were buried in the darkness of the night. ...Lauritz [father of original 1956 bio author Eva Erickson Chatelain] remembered being very ill at this time. Very few children survived, Lauritz, the four month old baby Josephene and the little seven year old Severin, son of Jenssine and Brother Grundvig [survived]. However, the captain was very kind, allowing them to do their own cooking - - especially giving them the privilege of preparing the food for the sick.

Elder Hogstad, a missionary returning to Utah, went about distributing medicine, and administrating by virtue of the Priesthood, to the sick. The Saints came to love him and affectionately gave him the name of "Peter Doctor".

One day a fire started on the vessel which created quite a panic among the passengers, but the fire was soon put out. Another time, meeting a ship which was going east from America, the captain called all on deck where they were informed of the victory of the Union. (This was the Civil War era). They gave many cheers for the red white and blue...

...On the 31st of July they left Wyoming Nebraska in Captain G. Atwood's Company with 45 wagons and about 400 souls... On September 19, the company arrived at Ft. Laramie, Wyoming... [but continued their journey west when on Sept 22nd Ericks friend] Brother Frederick Grundvig came into camp with an arrow fastened in his right hip. He and his wife Jenssine were about a quarter of a mile from camp, she being very tired, when a band of Indians came towards them and with a blood-curdling yell started shooting, while some of them took Jenssine, put her on a horse and took her away, her beautiful blond hair flowing in the breeze. Their little son Severin, who had been riding in the wagon, came sobbing to Martha, saying that the Indians had stolen his mother. Her fate was never known. Soldiers came from the Fort and joined in the search but to no avail. Every one in the wagon train was saddened by this, but especially so was Martha and Erick. All the rest of her life Martha wondered and prayed for this dear friend....

The trek through the Rocky Mountains was rough and hazardous. When Emigration Canyon was finally reached on November 8, 1865, a prayer of thankfulness went up to God, for they had come to the end of their journey. They went to the 8th Ward Square (where the city and county building now stands). President Brigham Young and Elder William Riter were there to greet them. It had taken 190 days to travel from Copenhagen, Denmark to Salt Lake City.

Three months after Erick and Martha arrived in the valley a baby girl was born to them. They named her Martha. They settled in Cottonwood (now known as Holiday). The winter of 1865 and 1866 was unusually cold and severe in Utah and this young couple had a real struggle getting a start in the New World, since it had cost them much more than they had anticipated, to come to Utah. However, Erick was ambitious and his trade has a mason was much in demand. He worked on the Temple part of the time, taking Lauritz with him on occasion.

On the 1st of February 1868 they went to the Endowment house and were sealed as husband and wife according to the ordinance of God, for time and all eternity. Soon after this, President Brigham Young sent them to Gunnison, so Erick could help build houses there. This pleased Martha, since she could join her parents and sister Else. Lauritz, now seven years old, walked barefoot the entire distance, driving the cow.

On the 4th of September 1869 Martha gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl (Erick and Maria). A year later, on 26 September 1870 Erick married Karen Sophia Jensen or Petersen, born 10 February 1856 in Copenhagen, Denmark. They were also sealed in the Endowment House. To them were born twelve children: Annie Sophia, Hans Joseph, Maria Christina, Sarah Rosabell, John Leo, Arthur Lyman, Erick Que, Mary Lillian, Eliza Alverda, Hyrum Nephi, Orson Wilford and Myrtle Elvira. Martha was 18 years older than Erick second wife.

Soon after Erick and Matha came to Gunnison, Erick learned of some good land west of Gunnison in a settlement called Dover, that was available for homesteading. They settled on land west of the Sevier River. Here Martha gave birth to three more children: Soren William, Ole Edward and Sarah.

...In the fall of 1887, an epidemic of diphtheria swept over Gunnison Valley. Many people contracted the highly contagious disease. Sore feverish throats were swabbed with alcohol and blue vitriol in an effort to combat the dread bacillus. Most all homes were visited by death. Fatality among the children was exceedingly great, sometimes three or four from a family. Martha and Erick's home was no exception; their beloved sons William and Ole contracted the dread disease. William died at the age of 16, ob September 17, 1887, and Ole lingered on until 18 March, dying of "dropsy". Erick's other family was also hard hit - they lost three of their precious children at this time. They were: Annie Sophia, Arthur Lyman and Erick Que.

...At the time of the manifesto [1890], when Erick had to make a choice between his two wives, he chose the younger one [with the younger children as his other children were grown]. Undoubtedly he tried to keep both wives, because in one of the church journals it tells of several men [including Erick] being arrested for cohabitation but "Erick Ericksen promised to obey the law and was set home free".

Erick died on 12 December 1899. He is buried in the Gunnison Cemetery.