Catherine Frederikson Mortenson Christiansen

Catherine and her husband heard the gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in it's earliest stages.  They were subjected to the ridicule, jeers, and abuse of relatives and acquaintances.  They were anxious to go to Zion, leaving under the leadership of Joh Forsgren, they traveled across the sea in the ship, "Westmoreland."

After reaching the United States, they traveled up the Mississippi on a riverboat.  Coming from a civilized and cultural society, they found themselves in a wilderness of prairie, Indians, and strange customs and language of the groups of Saints on their journey to Utah.

They arrived in Salt Lake City, September, 1853, and established their home.

Neils was an expert mason, and attended to their small farm.  Catherine provided with the very meager things at hand, a home of warmth and love.  Their duties to the Church were faithfully accomplished.

Neils worked on the Salt Lake Temple until they moved to Ephraim, in 1860, and again built a new home.

Catherine was an excellent seamstress, especially in tailoring.  All the clothes her family wore had to be made, the suits for the men and boys as well as clothes for the women and babies.

Not only did Catherine sew, but the cloth had to be first woven from thread and the thread made form the wool of sheep.  The wool had to be cleaned and dyed, after carding and spinning.

Children:

Anne Masrie, 26 January 1846

Dorothy Marie, 5 January 1848 (died at 11 days)

Christian, 30 June 1850

Christine, 21 January 1852 (died in infancy)

Joseph, 17 August 1854

Ephraim, 28 August 1857 (died in infancy)

Emma, 17 January 1859

Hannah, 23 September 1862

Catherine, 24 November 1865

(Source: Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude, Volume I A to E, International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers p.581)