He went through his life of 91 years, longig to know who his real parents were. For many years he retained his birth certificate, which revealed the fact that he was born April 22, 1824, in the Royal Daish Maternity Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Naturally some of his ten children as well as grandchildren, down to the thrd generation, have wanted t know the real stoy of his life and ancestry, that we might be able to trace our own lineage through him. Many starts have been made in genealogical research, which have revealed but litle truth.

In 1962, David and I became interested in Genealogical work, and as is typical of me, I undertook a really difivult job. With nothing but the recored birthdae, place and given name from a birth certificate, long since lost, the task was begun.

A letter to the Danish National Achives for a acopy of his birth certificate,, gae us not only a gold sealed copy of the desired certificate, whith the full name full name of the hospital listed as "Royal Danish Maternity Hospital, Fodselsstitelsem, in Copenhagen, but this additional help, according to hospital records of the children put out to nurse, the foster parents are stated to be Hans Nielsen and his wife as Skorpinge, the date of said placement of child being given as June 23, 1824. It has long been thecustom in Scadinavian countries for people to apply at the hospitals for babies to nurse, often for a particular baby.

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Since the records were in Danish, the problem, together with the known but meager information, was turned over to Gretha and William O. Pedersen, two fine Danish research specialists, along with many earnest prayers. Bits of recorded history were finally brought together, and the life of a great stalwart and worthy Latter Day Saint pioneer began to take shape.

Scorpinge Parish census lists for the year 1834, include "Hans Nielsen, age 49, and his wife age 46, and their child, Erik Ludvig Hansen, age 10," which indicates that the;y did raise the boy as their son, and gave him their name.

Scorpinge Parish Military Levy Rolls for Soro County, Years 1833-36 found Erik Ludvig Hansen living with his foster father Hans Nielsen, and gave the same date and place of birth for Erik as given in several other places.

In 1836 they moved to Faarsdrup Parish where the record gives the same information about Erik. Also (on film 9771 Pt. 3-4) Faarsdrup Parish it says "Erik Ludvig Hansen confirmed in 1838," and adds This Most Important Information, "BORNE BY ANNE MARIE NIELSEN, RAISED BY HANS NIELSEN," which proves conclusively that the Erik Ludvigsen who lived in Manti, born Apr. 22, 1824, in the Royal Danish Maturnity Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark, is Identical with Erik Ludvig Hansen, raised by Hans and Marie Nielsen.

Also, tracing this couple, it was found, Anne Marie Nielsen recorded, died Dec. 14, 1839, and buried Dec. 22, 1839 at the age of 51, in Faarsdrup Parish, Soro Counnty, and under remarks it states, "wife of Hans Nielsen", which proves (A) that only at death was recorded her first given name Anne, and (B) that while she was known only as Marie, she married Hans Nielsen, who thus became legal step-father and Erik Ludvig Hansen's sealing line.

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Since no record can be found of the actual marriage of Anne Marie Nielsen to Hans Nielsen step-father and no birth date even on her deth record, it is most imposible to race her line. After the death of Anne Marie Nielsen, Hans Nielsen remarried widow Maren Pedersen on June 5, 1840.

In 1842 the record says Erik moved to St. Mikkels Parish, Slagelse City, where the reord for 1844 gives these interesting personal comments about him, "flat chested, jutting out shoulders and sickly appearance.

On film 8551 Pt. 14, we find this record, "Erik Ludvig" baptized Sept. 20,1851, a member of the Latter Day Saints Church, in Frankerup Eggerslivinagel Branch, By Ole Svendsen, and Confirmed Sept. 28, 1851, in the same place.

In 1852 the Faarsdrup Parish accension (moving in) records list Erik Ludvig Hansen, 28 and his wife Maren Christoffersen 35, arriving March 1852.

The remarks which follow the reord of his baptism and confirmation give this information, "Moved to Sonder Overdrev branch from Eggerslov Parish, April 3, 1853 (Page 39 of the record) , and then emigrated."

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Many, many films, histories, emigration lists, etc., were searched without success. Then in the Scandinavian records of the L. D. S. Church it states hat more than 3,000 emigranted by way of Liverpool, England, mostly through New Orleans and up the Mississippi River to St. Louis or Kansas City. Some names were listed, some not. Many died from dieseasse or hardship. Many of those who left Denmark early in the year had to wait for others, often for moths before they could start across the plains. Finally, I turned to the History of Sanpete County-1898, Genealogical Library Call No. Utah S7-979-25-and H2h, page 149-50. I found this note, "Erik Ludvigsen joined the church in 1851 and with his wife and son Peter emigrated to Utah.

He crossed the plains in Percy Olsen's Ox Train Company and reached Salt Lake City, Oct , 1854. Then with other Scandinavians, Settled in Manti, Sanpete County and took up ten acres of land. This he cared for in addition to praciticing his trade as a weaver, with the skill he had learned as an apprentice in Denmark. He was an expert at his trade and wove plaids and stripes, blankets and linsey for clothes. He took an active [art in civic and schurch aaffairs and in both Indian Wars. His son Pete was the first man killed by the Indians in the Black Hawk War in 1865.

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Anna Louisa Steck (my dear little grandmother) married Erik in July, 1862, and they had ten Children, eight girls and two boys, raised as Ludvigsens. Now in 1967 three of these children are still living. He lived a long, cultured, industrious, frugal and generous life, and I am most proud to call him grandfather.....

A family group sheet for Eik Ludvig Hansen and hs parnts, Hans Nielsen and Anne Marie Nielsen, has been processed. On October 20, 1965 in the Salt Lake Temple. David and I acted as proxies for the parents, and T. H. Barkowske as child, and accomplished the sealing of Erik's parents Hans Nielsen and Ane Marie Nielsen to each other. The sealing of Erik to them. dThis was a thrilling and rewarding experience.

Late in his life Grandpa moved from the lage old adobe home on Main Street in Manti, to Sterling, where on March the 15, 1915, after reading the news paper, without glasses, he passed peacefully away. 

By Evalyn L. Smith

4874 Memory Lane

Salt Lake City ,Utah

With Thanks to David for his help!