Peder Christian Pedersen was born the 2nd of August, 1867 in Vidstrup Parish, Vennebjerg District, Hjørring County, Denmark, the first of seven children born to Søren Christian Pedersen and Mariane Andersdatter. He was born on a farm within walking distance of town. It was also close to the ocean. Peter remembered walking down to the sea to gather shells as a boy. The farm had originally belonged to Mariane's parents, Anders Christian and Karen Marie (Christendatter) Jensen.
Søren and Mariane joined the Mormon Church and then decided to sell their farm and immigrate to America. Peter was ten, Annie was seven, and Andreas was one year old at the start of their journey in 1877. Peter remembered crossing the ocean with a soldering iron in his pocket. They had too much baggage and a soldering iron was a very valuable tool. The ocean crossing cost 766:50 crowns and it took six weeks. They traveled to Utah by train as far as Juab and from there to Richfield by wagon. Andreas died in Richfield.
Søren changed his name to Soren Christian Pederson and then Peterson in the United States. He bought a lot on Center Street where he built a one-room adobe house with a large rock lined cellar underneath. There was a trap door going down into the cellar. Here all the food was stored for winter and milk was kept cool in the summer. Soren and Peter made the adobe bricks and thatched the roof with willows and sod. Peter and Anne slept in a trundle bed that was pushed under the big bed in the daytime. Three more sisters were born in Richfield: Mary, Christine, and Minnie.
Peter attended school in Denmark. The only school in Richfield was a Presbyterian School. His parents wanted him to continue his education but Peter did not know English and the other children made fun of him. He dropped out of school and went to work herding cows in the brush and foothills. He was paid for his work in eggs. Soren worked on the threshing machine to get wheat for flour.
It was in a corner of this room that Soren plied his trade of watch maker. Later Peter and Soren added two more rooms to the house. One of these was then used as a shop. Peter was 19 years old when his brother, Andrew was born. He said that he remembered going for the mid-wife. He had spent nine years in America helping his family. Now he was beginning to look around to do something for himself.
Peter began freighting farm produce from Richfield to Eli, Nevada for hard cash. One of his friends, Jesse Andrew Jessen was married to Emma Anderton. Peter went to visit Jesse and met Emma's sister, Martha Ellen Anderton. Martha was the fifth child of William Anderton and Martha Holden. She was born the 29th or 30th of July, 1871 at Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah. Peter and Martha Ellen (Nelly) went together for a long time. They could not get married until they had a home. Peter went into the mountains to cut and haul logs. He built a two-room house in Richfield.
Peter and Nelly married the 15th of January, 1895 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. Peter was 27 and Nelly was 23. Peter changed his name to Peter Christian Peterson before they were married because Nellie didn't like the spelling of Petersen. It didn't look English.
Nelly was left an inheritance when her father died in 1866. She gave this to Peter when they married. He used this money to buy cattle. He purchased 20 acres in the South field. This was low meadowland that had a lot of water. He began raising cattle.
Their log house was in town on about an acre lot. The floors were pine and the walls were lathe and plaster that they white washed with lime and water. Here they had a garden, some big trees, nine cows for milk and chickens. Four daughters were born in this house. Etheland/Ethland Mignon was born the 10th of March, 1896, Viola Myra was born the 25th of March, 1899, Valda was born the 4th of April, 1902, and Eloise was born the 15th of June, 1903. Valda died the 29th of April, 1903 of spinal meningitis.
A few years later Peter bought 100 acres across the road from his 20 acre farm. In the summer the whole family moved out to the farmland and lived in a three room house on the 100 acres. In winter they moved back to Richfield and their log home.
Peter was a noted and distinguished cattleman. He was always riding a horse. He continued acquiring property until he had three different farms where he raised hay to feed the cattle and one where he raised sugar beets to sell to the sugar beet factory. In the summertime he drove the cattle up the canyon to the high pasture. They stayed there all summer, grazed and grew fat. Peter rode up there periodically to check the cattle and to take cakes of rock salt for the cattle to lick. When it started to get cold he would drive the cattle down to the lower pastures.
In 1906 the family moved from their log home to a larger adobe home. Here four more girls were born: Norma was born the 6th of January, 1907, Eltha was born the 21st of November, 1910, Doris was born the 26th of November, 1913, and Gartha was born the 15th of June, 1917. Doris got infantile paralysis and died the 8th of October, 1916. Nelly was pregnant with Gartha at the time. She was terribly upset and the doctor gave her some medicine to calm her down. Gartha was born with hydrocephalus. She died when almost three years old the 23rd of January, 1920 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah.
Peter had a colloquial monicker; he was "Peter Watch." The Danish settlements in Sanpete and Sevier used the nickname identification very extensively, simply to give individual identities to the various and numerous Petersons, Hansens, Olsons, etc.
Peter was a quiet man who loved a joke. He was lots of fun and loved people. Often he would start off down the road to work and meet someone he knew. He would stand there in the road talking and laughing for hours. Nelly would get real aggravated with him because he was talking instead of working. He was a warm, kind person. Mignon remembers him taking Nelly on his knees and bouncing her up and down. Nelly acted like she didn't like it but she really did. Nelly wasn't as physically affectionate as Peter was; she had been taught to be more reserved.
Peter handled all the finances. Nelly had no money of her own except for her inheritance from her grandmother. She had this in the bank when the banks closed during the depression. It was a terrible blow to her. She died the 6th of July, 1933 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah from heart trouble.
After the death of his wife, Peter continued to tend his cattle and livestock until he was 83 years old. His transportation was always his trusted horse, which he rode wherever he went. After he "retired" at 83, he continued to manage his affairs personally for several more years. He lived in the adobe family home with his daughter Norma and her husband. He died of pneumonia the 26th of February, 1961 in Richfield and is buried there. He was 93 years old.
Life History of Peter Christian Peterson as written and told by Mignon (Peterson) Kimes. Rearranged, corrected, and edited by Susan Kimes Burgess Feb. 2007 and 2012.
Søren and Mariane joined the Mormon Church and then decided to sell their farm and immigrate to America. Peter was ten, Annie was seven, and Andreas was one year old at the start of their journey in 1877. Peter remembered crossing the ocean with a soldering iron in his pocket. They had too much baggage and a soldering iron was a very valuable tool. The ocean crossing cost 766:50 crowns and it took six weeks. They traveled to Utah by train as far as Juab and from there to Richfield by wagon. Andreas died in Richfield.
Søren changed his name to Soren Christian Pederson and then Peterson in the United States. He bought a lot on Center Street where he built a one-room adobe house with a large rock lined cellar underneath. There was a trap door going down into the cellar. Here all the food was stored for winter and milk was kept cool in the summer. Soren and Peter made the adobe bricks and thatched the roof with willows and sod. Peter and Anne slept in a trundle bed that was pushed under the big bed in the daytime. Three more sisters were born in Richfield: Mary, Christine, and Minnie.
Peter attended school in Denmark. The only school in Richfield was a Presbyterian School. His parents wanted him to continue his education but Peter did not know English and the other children made fun of him. He dropped out of school and went to work herding cows in the brush and foothills. He was paid for his work in eggs. Soren worked on the threshing machine to get wheat for flour.
It was in a corner of this room that Soren plied his trade of watch maker. Later Peter and Soren added two more rooms to the house. One of these was then used as a shop. Peter was 19 years old when his brother, Andrew was born. He said that he remembered going for the mid-wife. He had spent nine years in America helping his family. Now he was beginning to look around to do something for himself.
Peter began freighting farm produce from Richfield to Eli, Nevada for hard cash. One of his friends, Jesse Andrew Jessen was married to Emma Anderton. Peter went to visit Jesse and met Emma's sister, Martha Ellen Anderton. Martha was the fifth child of William Anderton and Martha Holden. She was born the 29th or 30th of July, 1871 at Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah. Peter and Martha Ellen (Nelly) went together for a long time. They could not get married until they had a home. Peter went into the mountains to cut and haul logs. He built a two-room house in Richfield.
Peter and Nelly married the 15th of January, 1895 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. Peter was 27 and Nelly was 23. Peter changed his name to Peter Christian Peterson before they were married because Nellie didn't like the spelling of Petersen. It didn't look English.
Nelly was left an inheritance when her father died in 1866. She gave this to Peter when they married. He used this money to buy cattle. He purchased 20 acres in the South field. This was low meadowland that had a lot of water. He began raising cattle.
Their log house was in town on about an acre lot. The floors were pine and the walls were lathe and plaster that they white washed with lime and water. Here they had a garden, some big trees, nine cows for milk and chickens. Four daughters were born in this house. Etheland/Ethland Mignon was born the 10th of March, 1896, Viola Myra was born the 25th of March, 1899, Valda was born the 4th of April, 1902, and Eloise was born the 15th of June, 1903. Valda died the 29th of April, 1903 of spinal meningitis.
A few years later Peter bought 100 acres across the road from his 20 acre farm. In the summer the whole family moved out to the farmland and lived in a three room house on the 100 acres. In winter they moved back to Richfield and their log home.
Peter was a noted and distinguished cattleman. He was always riding a horse. He continued acquiring property until he had three different farms where he raised hay to feed the cattle and one where he raised sugar beets to sell to the sugar beet factory. In the summertime he drove the cattle up the canyon to the high pasture. They stayed there all summer, grazed and grew fat. Peter rode up there periodically to check the cattle and to take cakes of rock salt for the cattle to lick. When it started to get cold he would drive the cattle down to the lower pastures.
In 1906 the family moved from their log home to a larger adobe home. Here four more girls were born: Norma was born the 6th of January, 1907, Eltha was born the 21st of November, 1910, Doris was born the 26th of November, 1913, and Gartha was born the 15th of June, 1917. Doris got infantile paralysis and died the 8th of October, 1916. Nelly was pregnant with Gartha at the time. She was terribly upset and the doctor gave her some medicine to calm her down. Gartha was born with hydrocephalus. She died when almost three years old the 23rd of January, 1920 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah.
Peter had a colloquial monicker; he was "Peter Watch." The Danish settlements in Sanpete and Sevier used the nickname identification very extensively, simply to give individual identities to the various and numerous Petersons, Hansens, Olsons, etc.
Peter was a quiet man who loved a joke. He was lots of fun and loved people. Often he would start off down the road to work and meet someone he knew. He would stand there in the road talking and laughing for hours. Nelly would get real aggravated with him because he was talking instead of working. He was a warm, kind person. Mignon remembers him taking Nelly on his knees and bouncing her up and down. Nelly acted like she didn't like it but she really did. Nelly wasn't as physically affectionate as Peter was; she had been taught to be more reserved.
Peter handled all the finances. Nelly had no money of her own except for her inheritance from her grandmother. She had this in the bank when the banks closed during the depression. It was a terrible blow to her. She died the 6th of July, 1933 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah from heart trouble.
After the death of his wife, Peter continued to tend his cattle and livestock until he was 83 years old. His transportation was always his trusted horse, which he rode wherever he went. After he "retired" at 83, he continued to manage his affairs personally for several more years. He lived in the adobe family home with his daughter Norma and her husband. He died of pneumonia the 26th of February, 1961 in Richfield and is buried there. He was 93 years old.
Life History of Peter Christian Peterson as written and told by Mignon (Peterson) Kimes. Rearranged, corrected, and edited by Susan Kimes Burgess Feb. 2007 and 2012.
Peder Christian Pedersen was born the 2nd of August, 1867 in Vidstrup Parish, Vennebjerg District, Hjørring County, Denmark, the first of seven children born to Søren Christian Pedersen and Mariane Andersdatter. He was born on a farm within walking distance of town. It was also close to the ocean. Peter remembered walking down to the sea to gather shells as a boy. The farm had originally belonged to Mariane's parents, Anders Christian and Karen Marie (Christendatter) Jensen.
Søren and Mariane joined the Mormon Church and then decided to sell their farm and immigrate to America. Peter was ten, Annie was seven, and Andreas was one year old at the start of their journey in 1877. Peter remembered crossing the ocean with a soldering iron in his pocket. They had too much baggage and a soldering iron was a very valuable tool. The ocean crossing cost 766:50 crowns and it took six weeks. They traveled to Utah by train as far as Juab and from there to Richfield by wagon. Andreas died in Richfield.
Søren changed his name to Soren Christian Pederson and then Peterson in the United States. He bought a lot on Center Street where he built a one-room adobe house with a large rock lined cellar underneath. There was a trap door going down into the cellar. Here all the food was stored for winter and milk was kept cool in the summer. Soren and Peter made the adobe bricks and thatched the roof with willows and sod. Peter and Anne slept in a trundle bed that was pushed under the big bed in the daytime. Three more sisters were born in Richfield: Mary, Christine, and Minnie.
Peter attended school in Denmark. The only school in Richfield was a Presbyterian School. His parents wanted him to continue his education but Peter did not know English and the other children made fun of him. He dropped out of school and went to work herding cows in the brush and foothills. He was paid for his work in eggs. Soren worked on the threshing machine to get wheat for flour.
It was in a corner of this room that Soren plied his trade of watch maker. Later Peter and Soren added two more rooms to the house. One of these was then used as a shop. Peter was 19 years old when his brother, Andrew was born. He said that he remembered going for the mid-wife. He had spent nine years in America helping his family. Now he was beginning to look around to do something for himself.
Peter began freighting farm produce from Richfield to Eli, Nevada for hard cash. One of his friends, Jesse Andrew Jessen was married to Emma Anderton. Peter went to visit Jesse and met Emma's sister, Martha Ellen Anderton. Martha was the fifth child of William Anderton and Martha Holden. She was born the 29th or 30th of July, 1871 at Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah. Peter and Martha Ellen (Nelly) went together for a long time. They could not get married until they had a home. Peter went into the mountains to cut and haul logs. He built a two-room house in Richfield.
Peter and Nelly married the 15th of January, 1895 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. Peter was 27 and Nelly was 23. Peter changed his name to Peter Christian Peterson before they were married because Nellie didn't like the spelling of Petersen. It didn't look English.
Nelly was left an inheritance when her father died in 1866. She gave this to Peter when they married. He used this money to buy cattle. He purchased 20 acres in the South field. This was low meadowland that had a lot of water. He began raising cattle.
Their log house was in town on about an acre lot. The floors were pine and the walls were lathe and plaster that they white washed with lime and water. Here they had a garden, some big trees, nine cows for milk and chickens. Four daughters were born in this house. Etheland/Ethland Mignon was born the 10th of March, 1896, Viola Myra was born the 25th of March, 1899, Valda was born the 4th of April, 1902, and Eloise was born the 15th of June, 1903. Valda died the 29th of April, 1903 of spinal meningitis.
A few years later Peter bought 100 acres across the road from his 20 acre farm. In the summer the whole family moved out to the farmland and lived in a three room house on the 100 acres. In winter they moved back to Richfield and their log home.
Peter was a noted and distinguished cattleman. He was always riding a horse. He continued acquiring property until he had three different farms where he raised hay to feed the cattle and one where he raised sugar beets to sell to the sugar beet factory. In the summertime he drove the cattle up the canyon to the high pasture. They stayed there all summer, grazed and grew fat. Peter rode up there periodically to check the cattle and to take cakes of rock salt for the cattle to lick. When it started to get cold he would drive the cattle down to the lower pastures.
In 1906 the family moved from their log home to a larger adobe home. Here four more girls were born: Norma was born the 6th of January, 1907, Eltha was born the 21st of November, 1910, Doris was born the 26th of November, 1913, and Gartha was born the 15th of June, 1917. Doris got infantile paralysis and died the 8th of October, 1916. Nelly was pregnant with Gartha at the time. She was terribly upset and the doctor gave her some medicine to calm her down. Gartha was born with hydrocephalus. She died when almost three years old the 23rd of January, 1920 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah.
Peter had a colloquial monicker; he was "Peter Watch." The Danish settlements in Sanpete and Sevier used the nickname identification very extensively, simply to give individual identities to the various and numerous Petersons, Hansens, Olsons, etc.
Peter was a quiet man who loved a joke. He was lots of fun and loved people. Often he would start off down the road to work and meet someone he knew. He would stand there in the road talking and laughing for hours. Nelly would get real aggravated with him because he was talking instead of working. He was a warm, kind person. Mignon remembers him taking Nelly on his knees and bouncing her up and down. Nelly acted like she didn't like it but she really did. Nelly wasn't as physically affectionate as Peter was; she had been taught to be more reserved.
Peter handled all the finances. Nelly had no money of her own except for her inheritance from her grandmother. She had this in the bank when the banks closed during the depression. It was a terrible blow to her. She died the 6th of July, 1933 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah from heart trouble.
After the death of his wife, Peter continued to tend his cattle and livestock until he was 83 years old. His transportation was always his trusted horse, which he rode wherever he went. After he "retired" at 83, he continued to manage his affairs personally for several more years. He lived in the adobe family home with his daughter Norma and her husband. He died of pneumonia the 26th of February, 1961 in Richfield and is buried there. He was 93 years old.
Life History of Peter Christian Peterson as written and told by Mignon (Peterson) Kimes. Rearranged, corrected, and edited by Susan Kimes Burgess Feb. 2007 and 2012.
Søren and Mariane joined the Mormon Church and then decided to sell their farm and immigrate to America. Peter was ten, Annie was seven, and Andreas was one year old at the start of their journey in 1877. Peter remembered crossing the ocean with a soldering iron in his pocket. They had too much baggage and a soldering iron was a very valuable tool. The ocean crossing cost 766:50 crowns and it took six weeks. They traveled to Utah by train as far as Juab and from there to Richfield by wagon. Andreas died in Richfield.
Søren changed his name to Soren Christian Pederson and then Peterson in the United States. He bought a lot on Center Street where he built a one-room adobe house with a large rock lined cellar underneath. There was a trap door going down into the cellar. Here all the food was stored for winter and milk was kept cool in the summer. Soren and Peter made the adobe bricks and thatched the roof with willows and sod. Peter and Anne slept in a trundle bed that was pushed under the big bed in the daytime. Three more sisters were born in Richfield: Mary, Christine, and Minnie.
Peter attended school in Denmark. The only school in Richfield was a Presbyterian School. His parents wanted him to continue his education but Peter did not know English and the other children made fun of him. He dropped out of school and went to work herding cows in the brush and foothills. He was paid for his work in eggs. Soren worked on the threshing machine to get wheat for flour.
It was in a corner of this room that Soren plied his trade of watch maker. Later Peter and Soren added two more rooms to the house. One of these was then used as a shop. Peter was 19 years old when his brother, Andrew was born. He said that he remembered going for the mid-wife. He had spent nine years in America helping his family. Now he was beginning to look around to do something for himself.
Peter began freighting farm produce from Richfield to Eli, Nevada for hard cash. One of his friends, Jesse Andrew Jessen was married to Emma Anderton. Peter went to visit Jesse and met Emma's sister, Martha Ellen Anderton. Martha was the fifth child of William Anderton and Martha Holden. She was born the 29th or 30th of July, 1871 at Mill Creek, Salt Lake County, Utah. Peter and Martha Ellen (Nelly) went together for a long time. They could not get married until they had a home. Peter went into the mountains to cut and haul logs. He built a two-room house in Richfield.
Peter and Nelly married the 15th of January, 1895 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah. Peter was 27 and Nelly was 23. Peter changed his name to Peter Christian Peterson before they were married because Nellie didn't like the spelling of Petersen. It didn't look English.
Nelly was left an inheritance when her father died in 1866. She gave this to Peter when they married. He used this money to buy cattle. He purchased 20 acres in the South field. This was low meadowland that had a lot of water. He began raising cattle.
Their log house was in town on about an acre lot. The floors were pine and the walls were lathe and plaster that they white washed with lime and water. Here they had a garden, some big trees, nine cows for milk and chickens. Four daughters were born in this house. Etheland/Ethland Mignon was born the 10th of March, 1896, Viola Myra was born the 25th of March, 1899, Valda was born the 4th of April, 1902, and Eloise was born the 15th of June, 1903. Valda died the 29th of April, 1903 of spinal meningitis.
A few years later Peter bought 100 acres across the road from his 20 acre farm. In the summer the whole family moved out to the farmland and lived in a three room house on the 100 acres. In winter they moved back to Richfield and their log home.
Peter was a noted and distinguished cattleman. He was always riding a horse. He continued acquiring property until he had three different farms where he raised hay to feed the cattle and one where he raised sugar beets to sell to the sugar beet factory. In the summertime he drove the cattle up the canyon to the high pasture. They stayed there all summer, grazed and grew fat. Peter rode up there periodically to check the cattle and to take cakes of rock salt for the cattle to lick. When it started to get cold he would drive the cattle down to the lower pastures.
In 1906 the family moved from their log home to a larger adobe home. Here four more girls were born: Norma was born the 6th of January, 1907, Eltha was born the 21st of November, 1910, Doris was born the 26th of November, 1913, and Gartha was born the 15th of June, 1917. Doris got infantile paralysis and died the 8th of October, 1916. Nelly was pregnant with Gartha at the time. She was terribly upset and the doctor gave her some medicine to calm her down. Gartha was born with hydrocephalus. She died when almost three years old the 23rd of January, 1920 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah.
Peter had a colloquial monicker; he was "Peter Watch." The Danish settlements in Sanpete and Sevier used the nickname identification very extensively, simply to give individual identities to the various and numerous Petersons, Hansens, Olsons, etc.
Peter was a quiet man who loved a joke. He was lots of fun and loved people. Often he would start off down the road to work and meet someone he knew. He would stand there in the road talking and laughing for hours. Nelly would get real aggravated with him because he was talking instead of working. He was a warm, kind person. Mignon remembers him taking Nelly on his knees and bouncing her up and down. Nelly acted like she didn't like it but she really did. Nelly wasn't as physically affectionate as Peter was; she had been taught to be more reserved.
Peter handled all the finances. Nelly had no money of her own except for her inheritance from her grandmother. She had this in the bank when the banks closed during the depression. It was a terrible blow to her. She died the 6th of July, 1933 in Richfield, Sevier County, Utah from heart trouble.
After the death of his wife, Peter continued to tend his cattle and livestock until he was 83 years old. His transportation was always his trusted horse, which he rode wherever he went. After he "retired" at 83, he continued to manage his affairs personally for several more years. He lived in the adobe family home with his daughter Norma and her husband. He died of pneumonia the 26th of February, 1961 in Richfield and is buried there. He was 93 years old.
Life History of Peter Christian Peterson as written and told by Mignon (Peterson) Kimes. Rearranged, corrected, and edited by Susan Kimes Burgess Feb. 2007 and 2012.
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