Chapter 6
Chapter 8
Back to Table of Contents.
Chapter 7
In about 1878, Hans and his family moved to Koosharem, in Grass Valley. Ane's history says that they were welcomed in Koosharem and that Hans "secured a house and farmland." The story continues: "They established a mercantile business which proved successful. After the items were brought from Salt Lake City, Ane took charge of the shelving and arrangements of the goods. The bartering of goods made the store successful, as the village people would bring in their commodities, such as eggs, flour, vegetables and such, and exchange or get credit for other supplies." 1 Ane Sorensen was listed as a Visiting Teacher in the Koosharem Ward in 1878. 2 Marie Christensen is also listed under that date. It is likely that this was Hans and Ane's daughter, Mette Marie. The ward records began in that year, so it is possible that they were there prior to that time.
At this time, Hans followed the direction of church leaders and married a second wife in the practice of Plural Marriage. Carol Christensen Gibson records that "Brigham Young asked Hans to take another wife in polygamy." 3 In Ane's history, it tells of her support of this marriage: "Ane and Hans met a fine young woman who they both admired, by the name of Matilda Evenson. She had immigrated from Norway, and they had many things in common. She was unmarried, lonely and yearned for children of her own. Since polygamy was practiced and accepted by the Church at that time, both Ane and Hans were in accord for Hans to marry her." 4 He was sealed to Matilda Evensen (also called Torgersen) on June 3, 1880, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. 5 Hans was 54 years old at the time, Matilda was 26. She received her Endowments the same day. 6 Anna Delilah writes: "Grandfather entered into the principle of plural marriage when he was quite advanced in years. His second wife was Matilda Torgersen. They raised a family of three girls and three boys." 7 The Norwegian language, Matilda's native tongue, is quite similar to the Danish language, so communication should not have been difficult for them. Matilda came west with her family as a young girl of ten. Her family came by handcart in 1863.
The 1880 census in Utah, taken on June 4, 1880, in Greenwich, Piute County, Utah, shows Hans and Ane with their son Parley. He is listed in the record as being a farmer, Ane as "keeping house" and Parley as "at home." 8 Greenwich is about 6 miles south of Koosharem, in Piute County and was probably the location of reference because of the way the census was taken. It is likely that Hans was not physically present at the time of the census, because he was in Salt Lake City in the Endowment House the day before, June 3rd. Matilda does not appear at all in the 1880 Census. In the 1870 Census, she is listed with her parents in Ephraim, Sanpete County, Utah. At this time (1880) they were in the Koosharem Ward, though the records do not list them. There were others of his and Matilda's families in Koosharem as well. Parley was married later in 1888 to Emma Christine Helquist in Koosharem. Hans' daughter Mette Marie, and her husband Peter Christensen, were also in Koosharem at the time Hans and his families lived in there. Even Torgersen (Matilda's father, listed as Ivin Torgasen in the census) is in the 1880 census along with his new wife and daughter. A brother and a sister of Matilda are also listed in the records of Koosharem. They are Gurine Torgersen De Lange and Charles Edw. Torgersen. Gurine's husband, Lennert DeLange served as the ward clerk of the Koosharem Ward from its beginning in 1877 until his release in 1896. 9 ) Matilda's brother, Charles Edw. Torgersen, moved from Koosharem to Emery in 1896. This information is found in the Koosharem Ward records.10 Others of the family were in other places in Utah. Caroline and her husband stayed in Glenwood. Andrew William was also in Glenwood when the 1880 census was taken. Jorgen, Hans' brother, and his family, are recorded in the 1880 census in Peoa, Summit County, Utah. 11
Family stories recall that Hans was involved significantly in community improvements. It is reported that "Hans Sorensen planted the first fruit trees in Aurora and shade trees in Koosharem. He surveyed the Koosharem canal with a spirit level from the reservoir to Koosharem. When the canal was cemented in 1964, the engineers pretty well followed the first survey of Hans Sorensen." 12 The Grass Valley history has a section that describes the history of the irrigation district. In that record it mentions that the canal was built in 1876 and 1877 "and in 1878 it was extended to a place about a mile and a half south of town." 13 The history goes on to record that Hans Sorensen was a member of the committee designated to "take actions necessary for construction of the canal." In a couple of recorded decisions, Hans is listed as having made motions that were voted on and "were carried." 14 He is also listed as a Trustee approved in a meeting on 9 October 1882. 15 He is again mentioned in a meeting held on 17 February 1883, as making a motion recommending a person to be the water-master. 16 He is not mentioned in later meetings.
The conditions in Grass Valley were difficult. Besides the problems of bringing water to their farms and homes, the weather was difficult at the time. Some of the families recorded that the winter of 1879-1880 was spoken of as "the Hard Winter." 17 Peter E. Olsen reported: "The summer of 1879 was exceptionally dry and very little hay or grain was raised... [and] during the winter of 1879-80 the snow fall was very heavy and extremely cold that all the feed was covered up, so nearly all the livestock in the valley perished and many people lost nearly all..." 18
It was reported that "the winter of 1882-83 probably was not so blizzardly … as the winter of 1879-80, but its cold snaps were just as bitter. On Friday the 19th of January, Eliza [Rust] rose early to help Laura [Rust] with her washing. As the day wore on, the cold became so intense they found it impossible to keep the wash water warm. … Ice froze on the water buckets all day." 19
Hans' new family started to grow at this time. The first two children of his second marriage, Nora (August 29, 1881,) and Josephine (February 7, 1883,) were born in Koosharem. This was also a time of sadness as his daughter Mette Marie, died there on January 3, 1883. Marie's husband, Peter Christensen, and the family eventually moved to California.
The ward record of the Aurora Ward showed that Hans moved from the Koosharem Ward to the Aurora Ward on April 13, 1884. 20 At the time, their new little girls were still very small. Matilda was again with child. According to Ane's history, she offered to care for Nora in Koosharem as Hans, Matilda, and Josephine would move to Aurora. The history states: "Ane offered to take care of Nora, for which Hans and Matilda were grateful. Ane had passed the age of child-bearing, and she was delighted to have this precious little girl to care for. Ane raised her and loved her as her very own." 21 Ane remained with Parley and Nora in Koosharem. Parley married Emma Helquist on January 20, 1887. Parley brought his family to Aurora in 1890 during the time Hans was having problems with the law. In Spring 1890, Hans returned home from his incarceration in the Sugarhouse Prison (described in the next chapter).
Family histories record that Hans worked on the Manti Temple, 22 though no records can be found listing him as a worker on that temple. It is likely that he did this work after the family moved to Aurora, because he was a lot closer to Manti in Aurora: 35 miles instead of the 70 miles from Koosharem.
In Aurora their next child, Maria, was born on September 24, 1884. In her later life she was known as "Ry." Their first son, Edwin was born June 20, 1886.
The Manti Temple was dedicated on May 17, 1888. The family very likely attended the dedication, since it was not very far away from Aurora. The location also made it easier for them to make use of a temple. Hans and Ane were sealed to their children the following March. Andrew William, Caroline Sophia and Parley Peter were sealed to their parents on March 6, 1889. 23 Mette Marie, who died six years earlier was sealed by proxy to them, with Caroline as proxy. Only Soren Peter, who was still in Denmark, was not sealed to them at the time. On that same day Parley Peter was sealed to his wife, Emma Christina Helquist. They were married two years earlier in Koosharem. Also at the time of their sealing, Parley and Emma's son, Parley Earvan, was sealed to them. Parley's brother Andrew William was proxy for him, since he died as an infant. 24 Andrew William had been to the Saint George Temple back on April 11, 1877, just 5 days after that temple was dedicated. It was there that he married Mary Kirstine Steffensen. Now, other than Soren Peter, they all had the blessings of the temple.
1. Ane Nielsen Sorensen history, p 5.
2. Grass Valley History - Provo, Utah : BYU Press, 2005, page 115.
3. The Story of a Brave Little Tilla - Matilda Torgersen Sorensen, unpublished history by Carol J. Christensen Gibson.
4. Ane Nielsen Sorensen history, p 5.
5. LDS Endowment House records, Sealings, volume L FHL Special Collections film 0183402, p 167. Sealed 3 June 1880 by Jos. F. Smith, witnesses John Smith and Elias Smith.
6. LDS Endowment House records, Endowments, volume I FHL Special Collections film 0183408, p 121, entry #7 June 3, 1880. Joseph F. Smith presided, lectured, recorded and sealed. Note: Each of these records show her last name as Evansen or Evandsen. Also her date of birth is listed as 14 Aug. 1854 (not 1853). The endowment record states that her baptism date was 14 Nov. 1866.
8. U.S. Census 1880 Greenwich, Piute, Utah, page 12, dated June 4, 1880. They are family number 19.
9. Grass Valley History, p 92.
10. Koosharem Ward records, FHL film 0026059.
11. U.S. Census 1880 Peoa, Summit, Utah, page 19, dated June 13-15, 1880. They are family no. 19.
12. History from the Alma Sorensen family.
13. Grass Valley History, p 165
20. Aurora Ward records, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT. Film 0025800, page 50.
21. Ane Nielsen Sorensen history, p 6.
22. E. g., Wallace Sorensen history.
23. L.D.S. Church, Manti Temple sealing of children to parents, Book A, FHL Special Collections film 0170493, p 205.
Pres. D. H. Wells, sealer, A. Thompson, jr. And Isaac Riddle witnesses, recorder Lewis Anderson
Sealed :
#1 Andrew William Sorensen 9 Nov. 1855 Sabe, Holbek, Den
#2 Marie Sorensen dead 27 Sept 1851 RusValey Holbek, Den 3 Jan 1883
#3 Caroline Sophia Sorensen 30 Apr. 1858 Saber, Holbek, Den
#4 Peter Parley Sorensen 11 July 1862 Morslev Aarhus, Den
Sealed to parents
Hans Sorensen 3 Oct 1825 Erslev, Holbek, Den
Ane Nielsen Sorensen 24 Dec 1822 Therslev, Soroe, Den
No 3 acting for 2
24. ibid. Parley Erwin Sorensen dead 15 Sept 1888 Koosharem, Piute, Utah
Sealed to parents
Peter Parley Sorensen 11 July 1862 Morslev, Aarhus, Den
Emma Christine Helquist Sorensen 30 Sept 1866 Haroldslook, Skorwick, Swed
Andrew William Sorensen acting for 1
Lewis Anderson recorder