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What’s in a Name? by
My maternal grandmother, Ellen M. Humphrey, was well acquainted personally with my paternal grandparents, Christian Christensen Scorup, and his wife, Karen. For my information, Grandma Humphrey told me that Grandpa Scorup had once used the name “Aagard” to distinguish himself from the other “Chris” Christensen’s. I could easily understand why he would choose some distinguishing name. Better to be called “Aagard” than to be “Chris Clabber”, “Light Chris,” “Red Chris” and some Christian Christensen’s were identified. Grandpa Scorup discarded the name “Aagard” in favor of his Danish arm nickname “Scorup” because there were “Aagards” in Manti who were no relatives of his – this according to Ellen M. Humphrey. When I first began looking at microfilms, I noticed in the Salina Ward records that “Scorup” had been added to the Christensen family to whom I am related. The addition had been made by Aunt Stena (Mary Christina Scorup). She had corrected enough of my English papers in school that I could recognize her handwriting anywhere. Personal interview with some of my older relatives have been contradictory and interesting. Edna Scorup Larsen maintained that she could tell me when their family changed names to do it in ten minutes. She could have done it instantaneously; she changed her name from Christensen when she married C. Wilford Larsen. Veda Bayles Scorup Nelson Williams said their family name had always been “Scorup”. Evidence from Bluff and Provo Fifth Ward church records does not support this premise. Aunt Alvilda (Ane Elvilda Marie Scorup Anderson) told Herschel and me that when she went to the Manti Template to be married in 1904, she asked which surname she should use. She was told that since the family had used “Scorup” so many years, she should use that for the Manti Temple record. This is the first record that I have found of “Scorup” in temple records. Christian Christensen was born 30 June 1834 in Aagard, Bindslev, Hjorring, Denmark. He worked on a “gaard” or farm by the name of “Skaarup”. He served under general conscription in the Danish Army 1856-57. With other Danes, he fought the Prussians when they took the provinces of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark. Because of the numerous other Danes named “Christian Christensen”, he was called “Skorup” while he was in the army. Page 21 of LDS Family Record (began by Elmina H. Scorup and continued by Ruth and Ellen Scorup following Mama’s death) contains in Ruth’s handwriting the following information about Grandpa Christian Christensen Scorup’s army service:
Dates in Ruth’s account do not agree with known historical facts. War began and was over in 1864. To me Ruth must have had some information to write the unit number. However, Christian Christensen left Denmark in April 1865 and sailed 8 May 1865 on the ship “B.S. Kimball”. This information came from the Church Historian’s Office, European Card Index Ms f 370 #2 and #4. After Christian Christensen came to Utah, he married Karen Hansen at “Shumway”, a midway between Manti and Ephraim, 4 August 1866. He and Karen went to the Endowment House, Monday, 18 October 1869. In GS 25165 pt 26 Endowment House Record, their names are given as “Carolina Hansen” and Christian Christensen”. A copy of “Mormon Preacher’s” autobiography [Anders Christen Nielsen] which we obtained in 1981 from Vail and Connie Nielsen of Ephraim, Utah, contains the following entry on page 9. “In the winter of [18]67 and [18]68 a call was made for volunteers to go to Weber Canyon to work on the railroad to help B. Young to finish his contract. Myself and Christian Skorup and a big company went. Skorup and me bunked together.” Ephraim Ward Record of Membership #1131266 under Blessings of 1867. Christian Peter is listed as the son of Christian Christensen Aargard and Karen. Born 27 July 1867, blessed Ephraim 7 Nov 1867 by whom confirmed F.C. Sorenson. Blessings of 1870 Jens Halvor son of C.C. Aagard and Karen, born Ephraim 20 Dec 1869, blessed 1 Feb 1870 by whom blessed C.C.N. Dorius. Blessings of 1872 lists John Albert son of C.C. Aagard and Karen, born Ephraim 29 Sept, 1872, blessed Ephraim 7 Nov 1872 by John F. Dorius. Birthplace and birth dates coincide with family history. The family moved from San Pete County 22 March 1873 according to page eight 27,329 LDS Membership Records 6538 pt 1. “Scorup” is added in brackets after “Christensen, Christen”. In the same record, under donations to Manti Temple, receipts are credited to Christian Scorup, Christen Christensen, and C.C. Scorup. “or Christensen” was added in the same handwriting above the last entry. Film 23048 F Utah M 5 C pt 1 page 1, Baptisms for the Living, Ane Elvilda Marie Christensen was baptized 12 March 1889 (born 3 Feb 1880 Salina); Mary Christina Christensen was baptized 6 May 1890 (born 18 April 1882); Olevia Christensen was baptized 30 May 1893 (borh April 4 1885). Birth dates once again coincide with known history. 14 March 1889, Christen Christensen and fifteen of his relatives were adopted to Anders Christian Nielsen and family, Maren Kjerstine Anderson Nielsen female line. (Manti Temple Records 170 493 p. 221 (23-52) [Sealings to natural line have been done.] Chronologically first, John Albert, the third son received his endowments as John Albert Christensen, 2 Jan 1895 SL. His family on church records have maintained the Christensen name. In the Bluff Ward Records 025833 25497 pt 1 Index to Members 1921 all of the family are listed as Christensen. John Albert Scorup or John Albert of J.A. are given as the father’s name: mother Emma T. Bayles. Further, in the Provo Fifth Ward Records Ser 6442 part 27 New No. 26348 about the middle of the film (Jan 1980) on membership cards, 800 through 807, all the family members are listed as “Christensen”, given name(s) Scorup. (Received from Bluff 18 Nov 1917.) Membership cards had records of marriages of all the girls except Etta (Emma Juliet) (1920’s to 1935). Alvilda (Ane Elvilda Marie) was the first of the family to receive her endowments as “Scorup”, 4 Sept 1904. (Index to Manti Temple Records 170 493 p. 221). James Halvor (Jens) also received his endowments as James Halvor Scorup 7 Sept 1907 in Manti. Homestead Certificate 5813, Application 9585 dated 1 Dec 1897, signed by President William McKinley, Secretary F.M. McKean, Clerk C.M. Brush, deeds 160 acres to C.C. Aagard (Scorup Meadows). [Odd that “Aagard” was used in 1897 after being dropped when Grandpa and Grandma came to Salina in 1873.] Herschel and I checked all of the naturalization records (early to 1897) in the Sevier County Clerk’s Office, Richfield, Utah, August 1979. We found nothing. In 1981, Herschel, Elaine and I went to Manti, Utah to the San Pete Courthouse. We looked through all of the available early records to see if we could find Grandpa and Grandma Scorup’s marriage or naturalization record. Clerks were very kind. We found nothing. Many early records had been taken and stored by the Utah State Historical Society. They are still in storage. Resolutions of respect for Hannah, dated 25 Dec 1897, are addressed to Bro. & Sis. Scorup. Grandma Albertson died 21 July 1899. According to Salina Ward Records G S 6583 pt 1 p. 70, her funeral was held at the C.C. Scorup residence. Page 190 of the same record has the minutes of Grandma Scorup’s funeral (1902). She is called “Karen Scorup”. Johannah Albertson was married to Christian Hansen. She is the mother of Karen Hansen Christensen Scorup. She used her maiden name at least from 1872, Church Historian’s Office European Card Index Ms f 370 #1, until her death. Her son, Jens Hansen, adopts the name “John Holland” from the Hallund-Sogn, Hjorring, Denmark, where he was born. He was buried in Pioneer Cemetery, Salina, Utah, as “John Holland”. He never married. In Grandma Ellen M. Humphrey’s scrapbook, she has a history written by Andrew Jenson, LDS Church Historian, for the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Salina (Deseret News 1913). The following is a quote from it:
Thanks to Herschel for all the trips he has made with me. Thanks to him also for all the dishes he has washed while I have written and recopied. More thanks to him also for keeping me encouraged to finish this writing. My appreciation to Elaine for her help at the “Y” Library and the Salt Lake Genealogical Library. Gratitude is due to Nila for babysitting Julibeth while we went to Salt Lake several times. Love and best wishes to my descendants, Edith Scorup Clinger |