Charlotte's Family History Project

Sunday was the annual Nelson picnic in Dell Rapids, and none of us attended.  I have been thinking about the Nelson family.  Today I read Alan Packer's talk from the BYU Family History conference and it read,"Research shows that children who are best able to handle stress are those who know the most about their family's history.  As children, grandchildren and descendants hear about the past, they are more able to meet the future." So I have felt very inspired to make sure we doing our share, to share family stories.

One of  my own daughters (Heather, I admit it as I am re posting this blog), this very morning said she did not know Nelsons came to America for religious freedom. Gilbert's book, which becomes more valuable all the time, has great stories.  I have been especially enjoying charter 8 "Mildred Nelson, Beloved Wife" 

And on that note, I am going to start sharing my stories with the family via this blog.  I might even share the time our mother stuck her tongue to the frozen water pump and had to pull it off, along with all her tongue skin.  She was so embarrassed she didn't tell anyone for years.

When we visited Denmark, I learned that only in relatively recent times has there been freedom of religion. When our family lived there , there was a state church, the Lutheran church, brought there by followers of Martin Luther.  The church has a lot of authority and if you did not belong, you may not be able to have a job, or your children allowed to go to school.  No condemnation to Lutherans as they kept wonderful record and brought the whole nation Christianity.  So when a few people became Baptist, it was hard for them.  Our ancestors were among them.

My great-grandfather Thomas Sorensen,  (grandma Ann Marie Thompson Nelson's father) "When he was 14 years old, became converted to the Baptist belief after studying the scriptures with others who were dissatisfied with the state church.  

He was baptized by a Baptist preacher and went about teaching believers personal regeneration. . He was persecuted for his belief and nick named "Holy Thomas" in ridicule.  His  parents asked him to leave home because they frowned on any religion other than their own.

He walked to a nearby village and when he became tired he rested on the doorstop of a miller who owned a place called "Rode Molle" or Red Mill.   The owner found him there and gave  him a  job in the mill. He soon became a Journeyman Apprentice.

Some years later a girl named Karen Marie Larsdatter, came to work for the miller as a nursemaid for his children. A story is told of the courtship of Thomas and Karen Marie,  The young folks where she lived could not find out who her boyfriend was, until one day she came to work with the imprint of two mealy hands on the back of her black dress.  Everyone now knew who her lover was.

Stay tuned for further adventures from the Sandberg family.