|birth_date||August 27, 1837|
|death_date||Interwiki: Death date and age 1916011118370827++|
|death_place||Salt Lake City|
|resting_place||Brigham City Cemetery|
August Valentine was born on ::Bornholm in Denmark on ::August 27, 1837. He attended school three times a week, walking three miles each way. In his leisure time, August liked to dance. He could waltz as well as the grownups.
When August was about 14 years old, he and his family converted to the Mormon faith. When missionaries were holding a meeting at the Valentine’s home, a mob stormed through the door and severely beat one of the missionaries and hit August’s mother on the head with a shovel. Consequently, the family decided to emigrate to Utah. August’s parents sent him ahead with friends.
In 1852, the group sailed from Copenhagen for Hull, England. August was in the hold of the ship with 296 Scandinavians. The cap over the only exit to the deck – and fresh air – was nailed down and an oilcloth placed over it. It took six days to cross the sea because of a fierce storm.
August traveled by ship from England to New Orleans. He was on the ocean for 11 weeks. From there, August traveled over 8,000 miles to Salt Lake City, arriving on Sept. 29, 1853. He then journeyed to Box Elder. August’s parents joined him in 1854. The winters in Box Elder were brutal. August’s father and others rode into the hills and dragged home cattle carcasses to eat.
On April 7, 1859, August married Mary Huston, and in 1885 exchanged wedding vows with Sophy Egesen. August had 17 children. He died in ::Salt Lake City on ::January 11, 1916.