On the 19th of June 1861 we had a son born, he was named Thyger Christian. I earned a likelihood for myself and family by working as a carpenter, millwright and miller until the year 1862 The 5 of April at which time we left Freiler and went to Aalborg [p.48]. On April 6th we left Aalborg by the Steamer Albion and sailed to Aarhus and Frederesia where we took aboard more emigrants and finally landed in Kiel Germany. Next day we went by rail to Hamburg where we boarded the sail ship Franklin. We left Hamburg April 15. On the 17, our 9 months old son died he was buried in Hanover Germany where we lay 2 days. From there we continued our journey across the North Sea through the English Channel and across the Atlantic Ocean to New York where we arrived on the 24 of May 4 o'clock in the morning. This day our oldest daughter 3 years old died. I don't know whether she was buried on land or sea.(My mother died in March 1856.)

On the 31 of May we left the ship and was taken to Castle Garden. We left New York in the evening per railroad and traveled day and night until the 6th of June when we landed in St. Joseph got onboard a steamer and sailed up the Missouri River to Omaha where we arrived on the 9th. Here I saw Indians for the first time and observed them holding their meat over the fire with a stick while roasting it. In the evening of the 9th we arrived at Florence where we stayed 39 days, got our provisions on the church account.

June 15, we had a large meeting in the open air. Joseph Young and one of the apostles were there and addressed the meeting. They said there were 7000 Saints in the camp. One day a severe storm passed over us with heavy thunder and lightning and a strong wind. It blowed over several wagons 2 person were killed and one wounded. We left Florence on the 19 July and moved 4 miles further west where there were more grass and on the 25 of July we had a meeting which was addressed by some of the Apostles after which we continued our journey westward and landed in Salt Lake City on the 27 of September. I did not see Brigham Young as he was on trip to the southern settlements.

We were advised to go with the teamsters home and help to strengthen the outside settlements and I concluded to go to Ephraim in Sanpete County. The first man who received and entertained us was [UNCLEAR, POSSIBLY Jens] Thomsen, and I got employment as a carpenter.

On December 4, I bought a cow for $45.00 what a blessing one I never could have obtained in my native land [p.49].

BIB: Thygesen, Soren C., Autobiography, pp.48-49. Translated from Danish in about 1930 by a Brother Christiansen in Manti, Utah. Donated by Alton L. Thygesen.
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