Thursday, October 17, 2024
Halley's Comet 1910~~~ Bob Sleigh Ride ~ Talula Nelson (from our archives)
Rides in straw-filled bobsleighs with plenty of quilts and warm rocks on our feet were a very delightful experience of my girlhood. Our voices rose in song and laughter as the crisp air stung our faces while the horses trotted over the snow-covered roads.
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Monday, October 14, 2024
Introduction to Our Trees~~~ by Leoan Gunderson, David Gunderson,
Introduction to Our Trees
One fall, when my Mom got her copy of a little magazine called "Saga of the Sanpitch", She decided to write her memories of the trees that had grown along the south side of their yard or lot, as they used to say, during her childhood. “Saga” contained stories of life in Sanpete Co. Utah from pioneer days forward and Mom had plans to submit her little article to "Saga" for publication but just didn't get around to it. I recently found a copy of it and I decided to get it into electronic format so that all could have a copy.
I made a few editorial changes, added some explanatory notes, found the words of the two childhood songs she referred to on the internet, and added them in an appendix. I also found the music for the song “Come Little Leaves” on the internet and I added a hyperlink to the website which contains the music so that you can hear it. I hope that you enjoy “Out Trees”.
Some have asked if I have submitted “Our Trees” to “Saga”. I would have done so, but Saga is no longer being published. I think that the demise of Saga is a great loss.
~David Gunderson~
Cottonwood Trees
Our Trees
By Leoan Gunderson
1910 - 1998
Fall Circa 1986
It’s October again, when the fall season comes upon us, with its beautiful trees all dressed up in their finest clothing of gold, red, green, and brown and sometimes even a bit of purple shows up as a background for the beautiful fall scene, When I see it again each fall, I always think of the trees we had at our home when I was a child.
I guess the real thing that is spurring me along to write my feelings today is the little song that I learned as a young student at the Hamilton School in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. The words to the song went something like this …..
Come o’er the meadows with me to play.
Put on your bonnets of red and gold,
For the summer is gone and the days grow cold.
Or perhaps it was the song that goes…
October gave a party.
The leaves by the thousands came.
Oh I do wish I could remember the rest of these beautiful little songs . But today, my memories of them have inspired me to write of the trees that grew along our sidewalk in Mt. Pleasant.
on the south side or our lot, which was one half of
a city block long,
on 3rd North going west from State Street.
I do believe that our trees were pretty during each of their phases of live most all year long. In the spring they were adorned in that striking and welcome color of spring green. It was a delicate green and so easy to enjoy.
Of course, most everything does have one or two little distasteful things about them which we all have to endure. Our trees were cottonwood trees and each spring after the pretty new green leaves appeared they had a habit of bearing cotton. The cotton would catch a little breeze that was passing by and soon would be flying everywhere. Here I must add that at this point in the life of our Cottonwood trees, they became a real problem to my Mother and to my sister Evelyn. They both suffered from hay fever. I remember how they both wore silk masks over their noses to strain out the cotton. But this would pass – until the next cotton season arrived.
[1] See the Appendix for the word to both of these songs
Then came the summer, and our cottonwoods would stretch their strong leaf covered arms out to form an arch over our sidewalk so that we might walk up and down our sidewalk in comfort, protected from the strong glare of a very penetrating sun. Oh yes, I did enjoy this phase in the life of our trees.
But, as one season follows another, soon it would be fall again and our cottonwoods would supply me with another thrill in my young life. Our trees would begin to turn that beautiful golden color that only cottonwood trees do and I would imagine how rich I was with all of that “Gold that did grow on our trees”. One could not believe all of the wonderful imaginary things that I purchased with that easy to acquire gold from our trees.
Of course this beauty came and then gave way to the next phase in the life of our trees. This is when the wind came and sang the little song to the leaves –
And the leaves fell but they didn’t all go with the wind. Those that stayed on our sidewalk and in our yard became a shear delight to me, my sister Evelyn, and her friend Helen Jones. Oh we made the most beautiful houses one could ever imagine from those mounds of leaves. I doubt that any contractor could ever build or create for us a more beautiful house than the ones we fashioned for our selves with our imaginations from these leaves.
We had many rooms – they were really mansions, believe me. We had bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms, and of course, what else but a lovely parlor. And people that were allowed to go into the parlor had to be pretty special. We had furniture also, and it had more beauty than anyone else’s. It’s too bad that we were the only ones that could see all of this beauty.
I am so truly glad that I had a childhood full of fantasy and imagination. I am so glad that I was allowed to create, arrange, and imagine rather than to have everything created for me. As you can see, we were never bored, and no one had to do our planning for us.
But, our trees were not through yet. One day, depending on the weather and usually a short time before Halloween, Mother would tell us, “Tonight after school you can begin to gather the leaves together and soon we will have our big bonfire.”
Of course when the fire was out or nearly out, the apples and potatoes would be blackened or burned from the fire and smoke but would only be half done. But how could an apple or potato ever taste so good. Each boy or girl would bring their own salt shaker to shake salt on their potato each time they took another bite. The apples usually didn’t need salt.
This was truly the beautiful life of our cottonwood trees.
Appendix
The Children’s Autumn Songs
That Leoan Remembered
Come, Little Leaves
by George Cooper,
Come, little leaves, Said the wind one day;
Come down to the meadows With me and play.
Put on your dresses Of red and gold;
For summer is past, And the days grow cold.
Soon as the leaves, Heard the wind's loud call,
Down they came fluttering, One and all.
Over the meadows, They danced and flew,
All singing the soft, Little songs they knew.
Dancing and flying, The leaves went along,
Till Winter called them, To end their sweet song.
Soon, fast asleep, In their earthy beds,
The snow lay a coverlet, O'er their heads.
October’s Party
by George Cooper
October gave a party; The leaves by hundreds came.
The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples, And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band.
The Chestnuts came in yellow, The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple In scarlet looked their best.
All balanced to their partners, And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow, New fallen from the sky.
To hear the music to Come, Little Leaves, do a CTRL+CLICK on: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/comelittleleaves.htm
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Ferdinand Ericksen (From our Archives)
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| Ferdinand Ericksen |
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| Ferdinand Ericksen and his first wife, Clementina Marion Morrison The child is Beatrice. |
Tina died soon after giving birth to their third Child Tina
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| Ferdinand Ericksen and second wife Carrie Lofgren |
Ferdinand Ericksen, son of Lars and Stena, was born in Mt. Pleasant, September 30, 1863. He attended the district schools and took a two year course at B.Y. Academy at Provo.
He taught school for four years in Mt. Pleasant and then entered the Ann Arbor Law College, studying one year. He was admitted to the bar of Michigan, June 5, 1890 and opened an office in Mt. Pleasant.
He was elected County Prosecuting Attorney in August, 1890 and County Collector in 1892. In 1897 he was elected mayorl. He was cashier of the Mt. Pleasant Bank from January 1893 to July 1895, and was a member of the board of directors. He also had an interest in the Ericksen Meat and Grocery Company.
In 1894, he was elected Major of the National Guard of Utah, and in 1896 was appointed Judge Advocate, with the rank of Major, on Brigadier-General Willard Young's staff. He was appointed a school trustee in 1896, to fill a vacancy, and in 1897 was elected to that position.
Addendum
He was one of the influential persons to bring about the construction of the Pioneer Monument that stands in front of the Carnegie Library today.
His Speech
"Judge Ferdinand Ericksen, in his presentation speech, gave a brief history of all that had been done by the committees and the source of obtaining the necessary funds for the erection of the monument on the beautiful spot on which it stands, and thanked the ecclesiastical authorities for the privilege of locating it there without cost or consideration for an indefinite period of time. He explained in brief, the inscriptions upon the Monument, the names of the persons inscribed, he said, being representative of many nationalities, and among them were names of noted scholars.. musicians, artists, teachers, etc. Men who would, because of their skill and ability, have achieved distinction in any community. He stated in brief that this determined band of fearless and God-fear¬ing men, together with their wives, who shared their labors and who had come here under most adverse conditions; he said that the now vast rich fields with growing crops, were then covered with sage brush, and that the roads, bridges and canals were yet to be constructed, the churches and temples of learning had not then even been planned. The Opera Houses and Amusement houses were unknown. In fact, there were none of the attractions, or features of civilization to induce those pioneers to come, but on the contrary, the existing conditions at that time were such as to discourage."
"Not only were the elements to be subdued and the arid soil made to produce a livelihood, but the roving and uncivilized Indians had to be met and conquered. In conclusion he stated that it was indeed fitting that we perpetuate the names and deeds d such worthy ancestors, and that this was the underlying and controlling thought and desire in erecting the Memorial. He said that he took great pleasure in performing the duties his commission imposed, and presented the Monument to the community in behalf of all those who had in any manner aided in its construction, to honor of all the pioneers, both men and women, who settled in Mt. Pleasant, as a memorial of the esteem in which the pioneers who had made the present Mt. Pleasant possible, were held."
from Mt. Pleasant History pp 188-189; Hilda Madsen Longsdorf
He died on April 20, 1927 in Salt Lake City.
He married Clementina Marion Morrison in December of 1885, a daughter of William and Mary Margaret Farquhar Morrison. New Family Search shows them to be the parents of three children, Clementina Beatrice, William, and Clementina Marian. His wife, Clementina died while giving birth to Clementina
He was also a partner to Henry Ericksen in the Ericksen Meat and Grocery for short time. Henry was a brother-in-law. Ferdinand had a law office on the second floor of the grocery business.
"In 1898, during the time Ferdinand Ericksen was mayor of the city, the city purchased the north brick schoolhouse, (the now mortuary) corner First North and First West, and in due time, after remodeling it, placing in a heating plant, vaults and cells, suitable furniture, etc.,it became an up-to-date and creditable city hall, and was the first real home the Mt. Pleasant city council had ever known.
The north Public Square was cleared of the brush and burrs, and trees and grass were planted for a city park". from Mt. Pleasant History pp 179-180 by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf
| Birth: | Sep. 30, 1863 Mount Pleasant Sanpete County Utah, USA |
| Death: |
Apr. 20, 1927
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake County
Utah, USA
Ferdinand Ericksen, son of Lars and Stena, was born in Mt. Pleasant, September 30, 1863. He attended the district schools and took a two year course at B.Y. Academy at Provo.He taught school for four years in Mt. Pleasant and then entered the Ann Arbor Law College, studying one year. He was admitted to the bar of Michigan, June 5, 1890 and opened an office in Mt. Pleasant. He was elected County Prosecuting Attorney in August, 1890 and County Collector in 1892. In 1897 he was elected mayorl. He was cashier of the Mt. Pleasant Bank from January 1893 to July 1895, and was a member of the board of directors. He also had an interest in the Ericksen Meat and Grocery Company. In 1894, he was elected Major of the National Guard of Utah, and in 1896 was appointed Judge Advocate, with the rank of Major, on Brigadier-General Willard Young's staff. He was appointed a school trustee in 1896, to fill a vacancy, and in 1897 was elected to that position. Addendum He was one of the influential persons to bring about the construction of the Pioneer Monument that stands in front of the Carnegie Library today. His Speech "Judge Ferdinand Ericksen, in his presentation speech, gave a brief history of all that had been done by the committees and the source of obtaining the necessary funds for the erection of the monument on the beautiful spot on which it stands, and thanked the ecclesiastical authorities for the privilege of locating it there without cost or consideration for an indefinite period of time. He explained in brief, the inscriptions upon the Monument, the names of the persons inscribed, he said, being representative of many nationalities, and among them were names of noted scholars.. musicians, artists, teachers, etc. Men who would, because of their skill and ability, have achieved distinction in any community. He stated in brief that this determined band of fearless and God-fear¬ing men, together with their wives, who shared their labors and who had come here under most adverse conditions; he said that the now vast rich fields with growing crops, were then covered with sage brush, and that the roads, bridges and canals were yet to be constructed, the churches and temples of learning had not then even been planned. The Opera Houses and Amusement houses were unknown. In fact, there were none of the attractions, or features of civilization to induce those pioneers to come, but on the contrary, the existing conditions at that time were such as to discourage." "Not only were the elements to be subdued and the arid soil made to produce a livelihood, but the roving and uncivilized Indians had to be met and conquered. In conclusion he stated that it was indeed fitting that we perpetuate the names and deeds d such worthy ancestors, and that this was the underlying and controlling thought and desire in erecting the Memorial. He said that he took great pleasure in performing the duties his commission imposed, and presented the Monument to the community in behalf of all those who had in any manner aided in its construction, to honor of all the pioneers, both men and women, who settled in Mt. Pleasant, as a memorial of the esteem in which the pioneers who had made the present Mt. Pleasant possible, were held." from Mt. Pleasant History pp 188-189; Hilda Madsen Longsdorf He died on April 20, 1927 in Salt Lake City. He married Clementina Marion Morrison in December of 1885, a daughter of William and Mary Margaret Farquhar Morrison. New Family Search shows them to be the parents of three children, Clementina Beatrice, William, and Clementina Marian. His wife, Clementina died while giving birth to Clementina Marian. He was also a partner to Henry Ericksen in the Ericksen Meat and Grocery for short time. Henry was a brother-in-law. Ferdinand had a law office on the second floor of the grocery business. "In 1898, during the time Ferdinand Ericksen was mayor of the city, the city purchased the north brick schoolhouse, (the now mortuary) corner First North and First West, and in due time, after remodeling it, placing in a heating plant, vaults and cells, suitable furniture, etc.,it became an up-to-date and creditable city hall, and was the first real home the Mt. Pleasant city council had ever known. The north Public Square was cleared of the brush and burrs, and trees and grass were planted for a city park". from Mt. Pleasant History pp 179-180 by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf |
 Obituary:
Judge Ferdinand Ericksen, for many years prominent in legal business and political life of Utah, died Wednesday at St. Marks, hospital in Salt Lake City, after an illness of several months.He suffered a heart attack about six month ago and was ordered to a lower altitude by his physician. At that time he went to Dallas, Texas, to visit his sister, Mrs. O. C. Anderson. When his condition became worse he returned to Salt Lake and had been in the hospital since.
Judge Ericksen was active in the Democratic party for many years and was a factor in the development of Sanpete county in a business and political way. He was the son of Utah pioneers, Lars and Christina Hansen Ericksen, born in Mt. Pleasant September 30, 1863. He received his early education in the Sanpete county schools and later attended the Brigham Young academy at Provo. For a time he taught school in Mt. Pleasant and then attended the law school at the University of Michigan where he graduated in 1890. He was admitted to the bar of Michigan and Utah in the same year and returned to Utah to take up his profession. His political life was long and varied. He first entered politics in 1890 when he was elected Sanpete county attorney Later he served as county treasurer and was a candidate for state senator in 1894, but was defeated. In 1897 he was elected mayor of Mt. Pleasant, in which capacity he served for several terms. In 1904 he was elected judge of the Seventh judicial district and served a four year term. The same year he was a delegate in the national Democratic convention at St. Louis, MO. he was also a candidate for Representative in the House of Representatives of the United State. After serving as judge he returned to private practice in Mr. Pleasant. In 1912 Judge Ericksen moved to Salt Lake and became the law partner of the later Marks P. Braffet. This firm handled the legal business for the Utah Fuel company. In 1915 the partnership was dissolved and Judge Ericksen became general counsel for the Fuel company.
He is survived by the following children; Clarence E. Ericksen, Hollywood, Cal.; Mrs,. A. W. Proctor of Sterling, Alberta Canada; Mrs. Obed Nielson, Mt. Pleasant; Mrs E. W. Lambert, William M., F. Harlan, D. Alleen and Elroy L. Ericksen all of Salt Lake. The following brothers and sisters also survive; Mrs. Anderson, Dallas , Texas; Mrs Camilla Noland, Mount Pleasant; Mrs. John Pritchett, Huntington; Mrs. Lena Sorenson Provo, Louis, Orem and Amasa Ericksen, Mt. Pleasant.
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Saturday, October 12, 2024
Friday, October 11, 2024
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Niels Christian Nielsen and Maren Larsen Nielsen ~~~~1855-1856 John J. Boyd ~~~ Canute Peterson Company
1855-56: Ship "John J. Boyd"
Niels Christian Nielsen, wife Maren and 2 daughters are passengers
Liverpool to New York. Ane Catharine died 1855
Contributed By
The Wicked Captain of Ship “John J. Boyd.”
My father and Myself arrived at Liverpool on December the 9. Stayed and visited with my sister and husband until the 12th and in the evening we went on the old ship John J. Boyd bound for New York. After we had got all our baggage on board we found the ship would not sail until the next day so I said to my father and Mother that I would go back and stay all night with my sisters, as we left my sister Tamar to stay with my sister Zilpha, to help her to get ready to leave in July.
In the afternoon I left them to go down to the ship again and when I got there, low and behold, to my great surprise the ship was in readiness to start out. The men was just taking away the last plank. There was all my folks standing on deck watching anxiously for me and shouting to the top of their voices "for the Lord's sake bring my girl on the ship and don't leave her behind."
There was just the one plank to walk on from the deck to the ship and father and Mother was so afraid I would fall off into the water. The sailors said "Miss, do you think you can walk this plank?"
I told them I thought I could but they thought I may get dizzy and fall off into the water so they was very kind. One man went on the plank before me and took my right hand the second man came and took my left hand. They said if I slipped they would save me from going in the water. I thanked them and got on the plank. With the assistance of those two brave sailors I got safe on the ship and felt very thankful to be with my father and Mother, brothers and sister again.
My dear good father says "God help you my dear girl. We was all afraid you would be left behind. We watched for your coming so anxiously and when the man began to take away the planks your Mother began to fret and said oh what will we do. Patience has not come and the vessel is ready to start out to sea and we will have to leave her behind ."
There was great anxiety with them all when they see me walking on just one plank with two sailors holding my hands and there was great rejoicing when I was safe on the vessel with them all.
We moored out a little way that evening. Never will forget the first night on the ship. There was five hundred Danish Saints, three German and two Italians and one French family. Two Scotch families and 5 English families. Charles Savage had charge of the German and French Saints as he could talk their language and Elder Canute Peterson was president over the whole company. He was a very kind and fatherly man. So good and kind to all.
We passed a terrible night. Not much sleep for anyone that first night and we was ordered to go below. We could not get a berth the first night so we had to lie down on the floor as best we could. I began to think we would smother to death before morning, for there was not a breath of air. I made my bed on a large box. I had a big loaf of bread in a sack, this I used for my pillow. To make sure of having bread for breakfast this was not a very nice thing to do, to sleep on my bread, but it was very little sleep I had but I rested my body for I had had a long walk before I got on the ship. I was very tired at twelve o'clock.
The guard came around to see us all with his lantern. I told him I was very glad to see him came with the light for we had been in darkness up to that time. He said, "How is it miss, you are not asleep?" I asked him if he thought I could sleep in a place like this. I asked him if we would have no better accommodations than this all the way to New York. He said, "Don't feel bad. Tomorrow we will be able to give you a berth up above and I will try and give you a place where you can get more fresh air. Then you will feel better."
The guard said he was sorry for us but it would be better for us all in a few days. Old Brother and Sister Hailey, quite an old couple, made their bed down on the floor. They had a beautiful feather bed and pillows all in white covers to keep clean. All at once there came pouring down in their faces and all over their nice clean bed some dirty water. The old lady jumped up crying out to the guard, "Lord have mercy on us. I am going to be poisoned. Oh, dear me, what can we do in this dirty place. Have we got to stay down in this dirty place all through the voyage? We will all die before we get there and be buried in the sea." Poor old lady, I felt sorry for her and her poor old husband. The guard listened very attentively to her complaints and tried to console her by promising her that they should have a better place the next day.
We was all glad when morning came so we could go on deck and breathe a little fresh air for we nearly all smothered. Not any of us felt like eating breakfast. Our family consisted of father & mother, myself and three sisters, two brothers and my brother, John & wife and two children.
I will never forget that night of experience. I am glad to say we left that place in the morning and went on the deck above and we had a very good place. Our berths was about in the centre of the deck just beneath the skylights and they was opened to give fresh air. My brother John had traveled on the sea many times. He, it was, that perceived us to get in this part of the ship.
Going on deck we were glad to meet President Franklin D. Richards. My brother-in-law and my sister, Zilpah, his wife, they had came in a small boat to bring us some nice things for Christmas. As they said, we would have to eat our Christmas dinner on board the ship and they had brought us some raisins and currents and suet already chopped and everything to make our Christmas pudding and a sack of own made bread. Some cheese, butter and many other good things.
As soon as President Richards had settled all his business with the captain of the vessel and Brother Peterson and Savage and gave all instructions necessary and all good counsel and blessings to us all. They bid us goodbye to us all and commended to the care and protection of our Heavenly Father, praying that we may have a prosperous and safe voyage across the mighty deep.
Then my dear sister and husband bid us farewell and got into the boat. We all felt somewhat downhearted in parting with each other. But we did not part thinking we would never see each other again as my sister and husband and child, that dear little Flora, that was her name, and my sister Tamar, all expected to leave Liverpool about July to come to America and join us again, which they did and we met on the Iowa camping ground.
Now, I will return again to the old ship and relate some things that happened on that old ship. We had a terrible severe voyage. Much sickness and many deaths, numbering sixty two in all. We were on the sea nearly eleven weeks. After we had been out at sea two weeks we had a bad storm. The hatchways was all locked and we could not go on deck for anything. The skylights were opened and the sea washed over the deck and tons of water came down through the skylights. As it happened we was all in our berths unable to get out. We were all seasick. The whole family, with the exception of my father and brother John, and they was kept busy waiting on us. We was all sick for five weeks, after the storm was over which lasted for nearly a week.
The Captain told the Mate to come down and tell us that all that were able to come up for a time, so my brother and father helped us girls to go on deck. They said we were all sick and it would do us good to have a little fresh air. We was all so weak that we were not able to go without help.
After we were on deck, the Captain said if we would be good girls and keep very quiet and keep out of the way of the sailors we could stay on deck and see the men turn the vessel that he had sighted a ship in distress, and they was going to their assistance. This was something that none of us girls had ever witnessed before and we thought we would like to see. The captain of our ship was a very rough, cross man, (The Shipmaster was Captain Thomas Austin) but this was one kind act that he did and this was once that he spoke kindly to us but he was a bad man to his sailors.
When everything was ready he gave orders for the lifeboats to be lowered and the ship Mate got into the boat and went to the vessel in distress. He found the vessel was all broken to pieces and several of the men had been washed overboard. The ship was loaded with flour bound for Liverpool. The mate fetched in his boat the first time four poor sick men. Poor things, they looked so poor and worn out. Two men had two ribs broken and could not do anything. They went into the hospital and the doctor attended to them.
The other two poor men said to the Captain, "Sir, we feel to thank you. God bless you for coming to help us." The brute of a captain said to them, "G.D-----you go to work. That is all I want of you. Get up that rigging. I don't want to hear no more of your talk." I thought, "Oh, what an unkind man that he was to make these poor men go to work at once without giving them anything to eat."
The boat returned again with more men. They, too, had to go to work. The third time the captain of the vessel came with the last of his men. This captain had his jaw broken, the poor man. He was a very, very different man to the captain of our vessel. So kind to his men. He had lost his only son sixteen years old, the first time he has ever been from home. He said his boy begged so hard of his mother to let him come with me and now this has happened. " I have lost my boy, my only child. How can I go home to my wife without our poor boy." Poor man. It was very grievous to see and hear his grief. This was a very distressing scene.
At the same time it was a blessing to us that the captain of our ship had not men enough to mark our vessel. He had often to call on some of the brethren for help and it was said that if these men had not come to our assistance that we would never have gotten to New York. At one time, the Captain said if we did not stop our D---- preaching and praying we would never land in New York. I told the mate that was the only thing that saved his vessel for he was such a wicked drinking man and neglected his duty it was a wonder that he was suffered to live.
One night I was lying in my berth and I saw some spark of fire come down. I watched and they came down again. I called to mother and told her there was fire coming down. We got up but we did not see anymore. The guard came around us, as usual. Then we found the captain was drunk and had kicked over his stove in his cabin. The men, smelling fire, went in and put out the fire. It had already burnt the floor and if the men had not gone into his cabin the stove would soon fell through upon someone below.
In the morning the carpenters came to repair the burnt floor. In this I acknowledge the protecting care of God, our Heavenly [Father], was over his children. Now we was on the mighty deep in the hands of a drunken captain who had command of the ship. If it had not been for some of the men he would have been burnt to death in his own cabin and probably the ship would have been burnt and with all on board. In our escape from such a death, I acknowledge the hand of God in preserving our lives.
All through such a long and hard journey crossing the sea in taking these other men on board proved to us another blessing. These was more help to make the vessel and we had a more pleasant journey after they came to us. But through these men coming on the ship, we became short of fresh water and we was only allowed one pint of fresh water per day and that was for drinking. We had to wash in salt water and cook our potatoes in salt water. I said, "Well, one good thing, we will not have to use any salt to our potatoes and we are all willing to share our fresh water with those poor men that lost everything and have come to help us." I felt to bless those poor men.
We had a great deal of sickness on the vessel. Sixty-two deaths in all. It seemed a severe trial to have to bury our loved ones in the sea. My brother buried his little girl, Zilpha. It did, indeed, seem very hard to roll her in a blanket and lay her in the big waves and see the little dear go floating away out of sight.
There was one Danish brother and sister. Their two sons, all the children they had, both died and were buried in the sea. The eldest was eleven years old and the younger nine, I think. This was a very severe trial for this poor brother and sister. They were faithful, good Latter-day Saints. They was wealthy people and had then the means of several poor families coming to Utah, but the loss of their two only children seemed almost more than
they could endure. I never saw them after we got to New York.
We had a very hard voyage crossing the sea but we had a very nice company of Saints. Good and kind was the Danish brothers and sisters and we enjoyed ourselves together although we could not talk their language, neither could they talk the English language, but we could make each other understand. They would make up a dance and as many of the Danish brethren had instruments with them and could play many good dance tunes and the young men would come and invite us English sisters to their dance and we would go and enjoy ourselves for hours together and Brother Peterson, our president, would always attend the dances. He was a very kind, fatherly man and very watchful over his flock and ever ready and willing to give kind and good advice to those under his care, but the journey was so long and tedious that we all began to get tired and worn out. It really seemed, sometimes, that we would never see land again.
One night when we had a bad storm we could not sleep as we had to hold on to the berth to keep from being thrown out. We were all in the dark. My poor mother was fretting and thought we would all be lost and drown in the sea. My father had fixed some curtains in front of our berth to make it more comfortable and private for we girls. Just when the ship was tossing and rolling the worst, I opened my eyes. We were all in darkness, but in a moment the curtains opened and a beautiful lovely figure stood there. Oh such a lovely countenance I had never seen before in all my life and the light was so bright around him that I could see the color of his eyes and hair.
He had brown eyes and lovely brown hair and he spoke the words to me as I looked at him. He said, "Fear not. You shall be taken there all safe." Then he left and the curtains were again closed and I called to my dear father and mother in the next berth. I told them what I had seen and for them not to think that we would never get to land again for I believe that I had seen the Savior and that he told me not to fear and that we should all be taken there safe. My father and mother believed in what I said and they all felt encouraged and felt to rely on this promise that our ship would take us all through safe to New York.
I forgot to mention that poor old Brother William Hailey went on deck to the cook house and the wind blew his stove pipe hat overboard and when he came and told his poor old wife that he had lost his hat, she scolded him and said, "Now you can go the rest of the way without a hat for I will not let you have your new hat or you will lose that." So she tied a red handkerchief around his head.
The poor old man felt very bad about losing his hat. He said it cost him 12 schillings and 6 pence. I asked him how long he had worn it, and he said twelve years. I said, "Well, if I were you, Brother, I would not grieve about that old hat for I think it has done you good service. I think that has been a very cheap hat." Oh me, how angry he was with me. He seemed to think that I had no sympathy for him in his troubles and when we arrived at Castle Garden, his wife found an old half stove pipe hat and she gave it to the poor old man. He said it was too small for him but as she was the boss, she put it on his head and said, "You will have to wear that or none." I will never forget how the poor old man looked with that old hat just stuck on the top of his head. I felt sorry to see the poor old man go out in the street looking such a way. They had plenty of money but his wife said she would not go and buy him another hat and she was the captain. Her word was law.
Not very long after this one morning my brother John came to our berth and said, "Come girls. Get up and go on deck and see land!" We did not believe him at first. We told him that he only wanted to make us get up as he had been up to the galley and cooked breakfast for us and we told him that we could not eat or drink anything as we were feeling sick. "Oh," he said, "come on deck and you will feel better when you see land." So after some persuading we dressed and went on deck and to our great joy we surely could see land. I will never forget the joyful feeling and how thankful I felt to think that we had spent our last night on the old ship.
John J. Boyd was the name of the poor old ship. This was the last voyage she went. I ran downstairs to tell father and mother that surely land was in site and tonight we would land in New York. This was joyful news to them for we was all tired of our long sea voyage. Although we had made some very good friends with many of our Danish brothers and sisters, and Brother Charles Savage, he was such good cheerful company. He would sing to us so many of his good old songs to try to pass the time as cheerfully as we could for he was getting tired of the long and tedious journey. At last we landed all safe in Castle Garden, New York in February, 1856 about nine o'clock in the evening.
Patience Loader Rozs
John J Boyd
DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK - PORT OF NEW-YORK
I, Thomas Austin Master of the John J Boyd do solemnly, sincerely and truly swear that the following List or Manifest, subscribed by me, and now delivered by me to the Collector of Customs of the Collection District of New York, is a full and perfect list of all the Passengers taken on board of the said John J Boyyd at Liverpool, from which port the said John J Boyd has now arrived, and that on said List is truly designated the age, sex, occupation of each of said passengers, the part of the vessel occupied by each during the passage, the country to which each belongs, and also the country of which it is intended by each to become and inhabitant; and that said list or Manifest truly sets forth the numbers of said passengers who have died on said voyage, and the names and ages of those who died. So help me God.
Thos Austin
Sworn to this 18 Feby 1856
List or Manifest OF ALL THE PASSENGERS taken on board the John J Boyd whereof Thos Austin is Master, from Liverpool burthen 1311 tons.
John J. Boyd
Ship: 1311 tons: 195' x 38' x 28'
Built: 1855 by S. G. Bogart at New York City, New York
Nearly two thousand Latter-day Saints were transported to America in three voyages by the full-bodied ship John J. Boyd of New York. Her first voyage began at Liverpool on 12 December 1855, just a few months after she was launched. On board were between 508 and 512 Mormon emigrants from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Italy, England, Ireland, and Scotland. Elder Knud Peterson presided over the Saints. The shipmaster was Captain Thomas Austin. He had previously skippered the 1418-ton ship Jacob A. Westervelt and the 1448-ton ship Cultivator. It was a well-ordered company. Rules of cleanliness and conduct were established. A trumpet called the emigrants to prayer morning and evening, and religious services were held frequently in the English, Danish, and Italian languages.
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1856: "Canute Peterson Company" Niels Christian Nielsen, wife Maren, an older son and a daughter are in this company
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Transcript for Nielsen, History of Jens Christian Nielsen:
June 15, 1856 Sunday the most of us went to the Emigrants camping ground of the Danish Saints. There was dance to 10 o'clock p.m. and then we went back to Omaha (Florence a new place) and I began to hunt for a place for myself, Maria, and her sister Else. Did not find any for myself but Brother Morten Lund would like to take Else.
June 16, 1856 I hunted work but did not find any.
June 17—I got work in digging a shelter, together with A. Fredericksen, and to June 21 made $9.00 and I got work again by the 25th made $8.00.
June 25, 1856 Came Brother N.L. Christensen from camp and said I could get to drive a team and that way work my way through, and by paying Bro. Samuel Lee $30.00 he would take Maria, and Bro. Lund would take Else with for nothing. So I made haste in getting ready as the emigration was to start the next morning. Now $30.00 was very near all my money and I needed some boots and clothing. What could I do? Bro. Christensen said to me if you do not take a girl with you it will be hard for you to get one when you come up to Utah, but there was no time for me to hunt a girl and go into engagement, so I concluded to try my luck. This Maria was very anxious to get up and I paid the $30.00 for her without any engagement whatever, nor a word on my money.
June 26, 1856 Got a wagon, got my things packed off and left Omaha for Florence camp ground and I got a place to drive English Brother F. Pollens' team and paying the $30.00 for Maria to Lee's English family.
Now we commenced our journey across the great desert or plains and we got along all right. I had no trouble in driving my team as I had drove Oxen before. When we came to the first river, which was very deep, could not be crossed with teams. The wagons were took over on a ferry boat and the oxen and cows to be swimmed over, and there was not too many men that liked to swim that water. I was generally handy to do all I could for the saints. I did swim that river three times after cattle, with my clothes on. That went all right, but after we got everything across I was ordered to stand guard in the night and given no opportunity to get dry clothes on. That was more than I could stand and the chills took hold of me and I suffered greatly for 400 miles in doing my work. It was hard and some thought I would die, but I did get over it. When I came to Salt Lake I was well.
Now I am not keeping any journal but will say that we had our trials, especially in crossing rivers and in the buffalo country many times our oxen stampeded. The man that I drove for was run over and picked up for dead, but came to but laid up in the wagon most of the balance of the road. At another stampede a man was run over and died on the spot. Another time a hind axle was broke and no wheel-wright in camp, so it fell on me to make an axle out of a green cottonwood and I made it and Brother Lee had blacksmith tools so we got it all fixed up, but that was a hard day for it happened on a sand hill and was blowing almost a hurricane. We had many stampedes but those were of the worst. Well, the oxen began to give out, got tender footed and had to be shod, and some dying and the saints had to unload their things on the plains, and I saw some emptying out the feathers from their featherbeds.
Then we had to dig wells for water for our stock and sometimes it was not good when we found it. I do not know how many oxen did die, but some teams lost half. Our team I drove did not lose any, but Tollins wagon was an old light wagon with two good yoke oxen.
When we came to Sweetwater there was snow on the ground and cold, and Green River was quite cold for women to wade across, and grass got a little sscarce for our teams, but I did not hear much grumbling. Many old ladies walking nearly all the way from Florence.
Knute Petersen was the Captain of this company, but left the English, or one-half of the company, at Laramie, on account of grass not being enough for so large a company. He took the Danish and went on. We, that is all about crossing the plains. The reader may guess the balance. I will however say that the Saints had much patience and would dance and sing around those camp fires and bake the bread by the buffalo chips, praying, singing the songs of Zion.
September 22, 1856 We arrived in Salt Lake City and I left Brother Pollen, the same staying in Brother Reiser's home that night.
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