Born a Haarbolle, Fanefjord, Praesto, Denmark

Son of Peder Mortensen and Helena (Lena)(Pedersen) Sandersen

Married Cornelia Lee Decker, 29 Dec 1863, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah

Married Sarah Vilate Decker, 11 Jan 1877, St. George, Washington, Utah

Lars Mortensen, an active and prominent Elder in the Church, was born July 25, 1842, at Haarbolle, on the island of Moen, Præstö amt, Denmark, the son of Peter Mortonsen and Helene Sandersen.

Becoming a convert to "Mormonism," he was baptized Oct. 31, 1855. Early in 1856 he left his native island to emigrate to America. He crossed the Atlantic in the ship "Thornton" and the plains in James G. Willie's handcart company, which arrived in Salt Lake City Nov. 9, 1856.

Soon after his arrival in Utah, he proceeded with his parents and brothers and sisters to Parowan, Iron county, becoming a permanent resident of that place. In February, 1859, he was ordained an Elder by Wm. H. Dame and in 1865 (Feb. 22nd) he was ordained a Seventy by Wm. C. McGregor and became a member of the 69th quorum of Seventy.

In 1863 (Dec. 29th) he married Cornelia Decker (a daughter of Zachariah B. Decker and Nancy Bean), who was born Jan. 15, 1846. This marriage was blessed with twelve children, namely, Cornelia A., Nancy E., Helena L., Lars H., Alice Gertrude, Minnie M., Arlington P., Rulon E., Martin J., Golda G., Wilford W. and Pearl C.

In March, 1876, he married Sarah V. Decker, a sister of his first wife, who bore her husband eight children, namely, Harriet Ella, Sarah, Kate, Alvarez D., Laurence, Hazel, Edwin and Myrtle.

In 1866 Bro. Mortensen, responding to call, went to the Missouri River as a Church teamster in Captain Daniel Thompson's ox train. Going on this mission he left his father on his deathbed, whom he never saw again alive.

When the United Order was introduced in Parowan in 1874, Bro. Mortensen was chosen as foreman of the north field and also as a director of the United Order Manufacturing Institution. In 1875 he was ordained a High Priest by Wilford Woodruff and set apart as a member of the High Council of the Parowan Stake. From 1877 to 1886 he acted as Sunday school superintendent at Parowan. He also acted for several terms as a member of the Parowan city council and in 1885 he was chosen as second counselor to Bishop Charles Adams of Parowan.

During the anti-polygamy persecution in 1886 he found it advisable to leave his Parowan home and removed to Sanford, Conejos county, Colorado, with a part of his family. There he soon afterwards organized the Sanford choir and was chosen as Stake chorister of the San Luis Stake. In 1887 (March 6th) he was set apart as Sunday school superintendent at Sanford and about the same time chosen as a High Councilor in the San Luis Stake, which position he held until his death.

Ever since he joined the Church in his native land, Bro. Mortensen was a most ardent and faithful Church worker and was universally known for his honesty and integrity and his love for the young and rising generation. He was always a leading spirit in social and musical matters, composing much band and dance music. He arranged and copied many of the hymns which were used in the earlier days in the towns where he lived, before printed music could be secured.

His death was caused by an accident which occurred in a hayfield near Sanford, June 27, 1910. He left two wives, seventeen children and forty grandchildren to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and an affectionate father.

LDS Biographical Encyclopedia, Andrew Jenson, Vol. 3, p. 801