I, Larsine Olsen Ottesen was born in Hjöring, Denmark, October 11, 1859. I was the third in a family of four children. My parents were Soren Christian Olsen and Mary Martensen Olsen. My two brothers, Peter and Lars and myself were born in Denmark. Lars died when he was 3 years old. My mother tended her house and family while Father made wooden shoes and sold them. They belonged to the Lutheran Church, but heard the gospel message and were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their native Denmark. The two elders converting them were Jens Jensen and Niels Anthon. We sailed on the ship Kenilworth. The captain of the ship was named Brown. We left in April 1866, and out of the 684 souls aboard, 583 were from Denmark, 23 from Norway, 73 from Sweden and 5 from Germany. Eleven or twelve persons died and were buried at sea. My mother took very sick and as the food was scorched or poorly prepared at times she could not eat it and regain her strength. My brother Peter, who was 18 years old at the time, got a job helping the ship's cook. He used to secretly carry extra food to her. In time she got well, and always declared Peter saved her [p.167] life. One day the cook went to sleep and the ship caught fire but it was extinguished by the men on board. The winds were favorable for the first 3 weeks. After that there were continuous head winds and fog which made the voyage both long and dreary. There was one young fellow on board who did not want to come to America but his folks insisted . When it was reported we were nearing land, he made a running jump overboard. I remember a little boy was sitting on a seat at the edge of the deck, and as he jumped he grabbed the cap from the boy's head. A boat was launched in an effort to save his life but without success. The following night the ship was anchored off Staten Island and the immigrants went ashore. We rode in box cars from New York to Omaha, Nebraska. From there we walked across the plains to Salt Lake City. We came in Captain Peter Nebeker's company. . . .

. . . When we arrived in Salt Lake City in October 1866. . . . [p.168]

BIB: Ottesen, Larsine Olsen, [Autobiography], Our Pioneer Heritage, Comp. by Kate B. Carter, vol. 17 (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1974) pp. 167-168. (CHL)
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