I researched off and on for months and months to piece together all the information I could find on Benjamin Brown and his family. I feel confident in claiming that no where else is more consolidated information about the Benjamin Brown family found than here on my blog.
The Christensons are another story.
Joseph, the subject of this blog, was a prominent member of the Mormon church. He was featured in the newspaper many, many times throughout his life. His personal history was included, along with his paternal and maternal ancestral lines, in two issues of The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine (here p.145 and here p.19). Also found in another issue of the same magazine was a complete historical account of the Christenson family as the children were growing up in their polygamist household in Gunnison, UT. Unfortunately, I can no longer find the link to read it online.
A relative of mine, Richard A. Christenson, (who I have never met) hired church historian William G. Hartley to write a detailed, well-researched book about Richard's ancestors.
Richard was descended from John Christenson, Joseph's half-brother. The book can be read at any LDS Family History Center. Go to familysearch.org on a FHC computer, click on "search", "books", and type "kindred saints" to get to the link.
Joseph was the oldest son of John Christenson and Johanna Härling (pronounced Her-ling) who were both Mormon converts and Swedish immigrants. John was a polygamist, Johanna being his second wife. Their daughter, Hannah, wrote a personal history of her mother. A personal history was also written about John; however, it's unclear exactly who wrote it.
Joseph kept a journal from age 18 until 12 days before he died at age 82. The first of 13 volumes was apparently lost or destroyed and the remaining 12 volumes were donated to the Church Historical Department by his daughter, Gertrude, in 1977. They are now housed at the Church History Library in SLC. Through much effort (much, much effort), I was able to obtain digital copies of all 12 volumes. After CHL personnel agreed to digitize the journals for me, they were made accessible online; however, many portions of the journals are closed to research. I consider myself very fortunate to have personal copies of all the journals in their entirety. I've read them 3 times (so far) and have taken extensive notes. They also included many photos, cards, letters, and written copies of talks and speeches which Joseph had tucked between the pages of his journals.
I was also able to obtain many of Lilian's medical records from the Utah State Mental Hospital in Provo as well as a few letters written to her, by her, and about her.
So, as you can see, I have much documentation from which to draw.
Although William G. Hartley's book focused on Joseph's brother's family, he included historical information concerning all the members of the Christenson family. He summed up Joseph's family life in this way:
Joseph and Lillian reared a large family of six boys and three girls. Theirs was a religious home, and most of the children grew up strong in the Mormon faith.
I guarantee, it was much more complicated and messy than that. It very much is a story of family and Mormonism. It's also a story of patriarchy, unbalanced gender roles, blind obedience, depression, neglect, severe mental illness, and untimely deaths.
There is much to be learned.
Comments
Post a Comment