PETER HAFEN ~~~ AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

My husband,  Peter Hafen spent a good amount of time in the hospital after he retired.  The first was for a quadruple heart by pass.  The next was a shoulder surgery and then two times for colon cancer.

During those times we started his auto biography.  I would write it all down in a notebook.  He lived to the age of 87 and then passed away on June 11, 2025.

He was the son of Neil N. Hafen and Alice Peel Hafen. His older brother was  Donald Hafen.

The first story he told me was about the first two days of kindergaarten.  He Did Not want to go to

Kindergaarten.  His mother would take him there and then he would beat her home.  She would stop on her way home at his father's Conoco Station on First  West and Main Street  and then proceed home.

His mother was a good cook, a good housewife and a wonderful mother.  No wonder he wanted to go home.  H was a bit shy and that was the real problem.  So he beat her home two days in a row.  So after those two days, after he made friends there, he decided maybe kindergaarten wasn't too bad. In fact he made many new friends  These friends were for a lifetime.

Pauline Rasmussen
Kindergaarten Teacher 

Pauline was like family.  She was Family. I found out in later years she was part of the family

Kindergarten was held in the basement of our Mt. Pleasant Library. Posted by Kathy Rigby Hafen

 1.  Arthur Candland,  2. Ted Poulsen, 3. Rex Christensen, 4. Mrs. Rasmussen, 5. Bruce Larsen, 6. Michael Porter,  7. David Ream.

I am somewhere in the picture.  Probably in the above area where we played house.  Do you remember our little cubes where we kept our blankets? 

 I remember the sand pile where I accidentally flipped a shovel full of sand into Tyler Tuttle's face. (I don't see him here).  

I remember Mrs. Rasmussen full of anger and would not believe it was an accident.  

I remember Michael Porter always came to school wearing socks that matched his shirt. I was so envious.

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Those were the days when we brought a small blanket to school and we had our own little cubby hole to store it in. It was for our naptime.  There was also a sandpile.  I remember how Mrs. Rasmussen scolded me for flipping a shovel in Tyler's face.  He was family, I was not. I did not do it on purpose. 

~~~~~~~~~

If you were an Eriksen, a Peel, a Nielsen, a Tuttle or a Hafen, You were related to everyone in town. My father was a Rigby, and so he told me I was related to everyone in Fairview.  

~~~

Grandmother Carrie Hafen

Carrie was a nurse for both Dr. Sundwall and Dr. Madsen.  She was also the daughter of N.P. Neilsen.

 

Carrie Nielsen Hafen

Wilford died in a horse accident  1921
Carrie was left a widow with three boys

Lovingly known as "Granny Great"

Peter's bodyguard

Peter Nielsen, Ray Ericksen and Amasa Ericksen
Mt. Pleasant Power Plant

Peter Azel Peel and Mary Margaret Ericksen Peel

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS MONTH, TUNE IN LATER 

NORTH SANPETE HIGH SCHOOL EN-ESS-AITCH STAFF 1929

 

ERICKSEN REUNION ~~~ THANKSGIVING 1900

 

FOLLIES ~~~ 1948

 

SUMMER OF FUN ~~~ JULY 24, 1914

 

DESERET NEWS 1862~~~JOSEPH PAGE and others RETURN WITH MORE IMMIGRANTS~~~SUPPLIES SENT TO OVERLAND STAGE ~~~Social Hall Built,

                                                                                   
 

BONNIE HANSEN PEEL

 

Bonnie Laraine Peel

Listen to Obituary

Bonnie Hansen Peel passed away from natural causes on August 3, 2026 in Payson, Utah. She was a devoted wife and mother.

She was born November 13, 1933 to her parents Lester J Hansen and Mary Ethel Larsen in Ephraim, Utah.

Bonnie married Thomas R Peel in Salt Lake City, Utah. They later moved to Mt. Pleasant, Utah to live where they raised three beautiful, wonderful daughters, Pamella, Suzanne, and Sharleen.

Bonnie was a beautiful seamstress. She was a homemaker, enjoyed canning and was a great cook. She was a farmer’s wife and worked side by side with her husband and taught her daughters the value of hard work.

Bonnie is survived by her daughters, Pamella (Terry) Rigby and Sharleen Nicosia; grandchildren, Michael, Lesa, Rickie, Tyler, Wyatt, and Austin; and thirteen great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband Tom; daughter Suzanne (David) Bailey; son-in-law Samuel Nicosia; brothers, Burke, Philp, Larry, Jerry, Teral; sisters LaRue and Dixie.

A visitation will be held Monday, August 10, 2026 from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. Both will be held at 96 North 100 West, Mt. Pleasant, Utah. Interment will take place in the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery.

To send flowers or plant a memorial tree in memory, please visit our flower store.

OLD PHOTOS FROM ALICE HAFEN COLLECTION

Margorie Nielsen

 

Dancing on a cistern cover.
Virginia ?? in front. 

Family Reunion
No names given.

Back: Grandma Ericksen, Gladys Ericksen  Seely, 
Middle: Kent Seely
Front: Barbara Peel and Grandma Ericksen??

Alice Peel, Florence Nielsen, Lois Peel, Margaret Peel

PETER AZEL PEEL FAMILY

 

Peter Azel Peel was born September 12, 1881 west of Mt. Pleasant, Utah in the bottoms--- as it was called.  He was the son of Christian Fredrick Peel and Mary Miranda Seely.  He attended elementary school that was also located in the bottoms.


Azel had three brothers and two sisters. They were Justus Wellington, Theressa, Orange Frederick, John Henry Lemuel and Jennie Eunice.  When Justus Wellington and Theressa were small children, they became ill with diptheria, and within a week's time of each other, both lost their lives.  They had nothing to give them to check the disease at the time.

In 1894, when Azel was twelve, his father died of rheumatic heart condition.  This was very hard on the family.  Being the oldest son, he took over many responsibilities for a boy of his age.  His mother and all worked very hard to sustain a living on one farm.  Later they  moved to Mary Miranda's mother's home on 5th West and Main Street.

  P.A. Peel is the second from the left on the back row.  
Missionaries to Southern States Mission

Peter Azel attended Snow College for a short time, and then he was called on a mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints --- to the Southern States.  He left for the mission on November 5, 1902.  After serving an honorable mission, he returned home in March of 1905.

Peel Homestead 

On March 18, 1908, he married Mary Margaret Ericksen in the Manti Temple.  They moved down to the farm and were very happy down there, but Mary Margaret's grandmother Morrison was very ill and she was needed to help take care of her.  So they moved to town before their first daughter, Margaret, was born, February 15, 1909.  They had three other girls.  Alice, Lois and Barbara.

In 1916 they bought 10 acres west of Mt. Pleasant, and they moved down there.  There was only a one-room frame building on the lot.  It was used for their bedroom, kitchen and living room  Mary Margaret's father was wanting to build a bigger barn; the one he had was too small, so he gave it to Azel if he could move it.  He moved it by team to their ten acres, putting it nest to the one room.  He built a platform that served between both barn and kitchen.  Azel put planks on half of the barn for a floor, and Mary Margaret covered it with home-made carpet, and that made their bedroom.  The barn was 30 ft by 20 ft.  It was very cold sleeping in the winter, but they all managed to get along.


In the spring and summer of 1923 Peter Azel and a neighbor , Charlie Peterson, Alice and Lois made twenty thousand adobes.  Then Azel dug a basement and made a foundation.  That fall he moved the barn onto the foundation.  He sold ten thousand of the adobes and made enough money for a mason to line the house with the remaining ten thousand adobes.  By winter they were in their new home, and what a happy day it was.


Pete Azel trained oxen to pull a wagon, and he would drive them in the 24th of July parade.  He tanned many different kinds of hides; he used the leather to repair harnesses, braid whip, and make many useful articles.


He purchased his first sheep dog directly from Scotland. He named Scottie.  He proved to be as useful as an extra farmhand.


Azel was also a butcher for Ericksen Meat and Grocery for many years; he also did butchering for many townspeople.  He raised bees; he kept about 20 hives.  He extracted the honey and sold it to help out with their meager living.


He was an assessor for Mt. Pleasant for many years.  He was ward clerk for four different bishops in the Mt. Pleasant North Ward.  He was bookkeeper for Farmer's Equity, the building where he worked was just west of the old D&RG Depot.  He kept beautiful books, he was a very good penman.

Peter Azel loved his fellow men.  He was never too busy to stop his work and help someone who needed something done.  H was always happy; he always looked on the bright side of life.  His nieces and nephews said he was a peacemaker.  He made the remark one time that he had heaven here on earth.  He loved to hunt and fish whenever he had any spare time. 

On February 14, 1954, at age 73, he died of a heart condition.  How we all loved him and revere his name.  (by Alice Hafen, a daughter)

Missionary Log Book  

If this book is lost, holder will please mail to Elder P.A. Peel, Mt Pleasant, Sanpete Co., Utah   For it is of value..

WILLIAM ALMA AVERETT AND WIFE SARAH ELIZABETH LARTER HOME

 

 

 

BOOK OF MT. PLEASANT ~~~ INDEPENDENCE DAY ~~~ Black Smiths, Leather Tanning, Wooden Shoes, Dispute of the Water ~~~HILDA MADSEN LONGSDORF

 

be wanted.  We propose hauling as many blocks as possible this fall and in the winter. 

Yours in the Gospel, (Signed) Brigham Young

HENNING PEDERSEN PIHL and Karen Kirstene Madsen and Daughter Caroline, Johanna Louisa Frederikke~~~PIONEERS OF THE MONTH ~~~JUNE 2026

 

Henning Pedersen Pihl Biography by Sylvia Randall Peel

Henning Pedersen Pihl was born the 26th of February 1799 in the small parish of Poulsker on the farm Dyndebygaard, just down the road from the Poulsker Church.  Henning's father was Henning Pedersen also, and his mother was Ane Olsdatter.  Henning was raised with two older sisters -7 and 9 years older (his parents had lost four children in between) and his mother died when he was two years old.  His father married Kirsten Pedersdatter the next year.

In 1818, when Henning was twenty, he moved to another parish two miles west of Poulsker, called Pedersker.  He had taken the last name of Pihl. (A pihl is a poplar tree or willow that is grown on the island.)  Under the "Names Act of 1828" Danes were required to take surnames.  Henning was probably associated with or worked on a name Pilesgaard (or Pihlgaard or Piilgaard) from which he took his name.  There are several Pilegaard homes close to Dyndebygaard in Poulsker. Willows were used in home building in Utah as lath on which plaster was applied to finish the interior walls of a home or building.  There is a log home built by his grandson, Christian F. Peel in which willow branches were used in this manner.  The home is located about two miles southwest of Mt. Pleasant, Utah.

 

On the 16th of October 1819, Henning married Karen Kirstine Madsen in Pedersker Church.  She was born and lived in Pedersker.  They relocated in or near Aaker, the village in the center of Bornholm.  Their first son, Peder Madsen Pihl was born to them August 24, 1820.  AnneKirstine Elsine Pihl was born 14 March 1826 and died two days later.  Caroline Pihl was born 14 February 1827 and she died 12 May 1835.  The second Caroline Pihl was born 5 March 1836.  They were all born in or near Aaker and christened in the beautiful Aaker church.  Peder and Caroline lived to adulthood and raised families.

Henning, Karen and Caroline were baptized into the LDS church November 11, 1851 by Hans Peder Jensen.  They went during the night to the beach where they were baptized.  They were some of the first members on Bornholm.  They were persecuted greatly by their fellow countrymen.  Henning, Karen and Caroline chose to immigrate from Denmark the fall of 1852.  They received their "Going Out" permits November 6, 1852.  They sailed with 25 adults and 11 children for Copenhagen to join other Scandinavian saints.  They sailed for England on December 20th via Keil.  Brother John Forsgren was their leader.  They left Liverpool on January 16, 1853 with 297 saints on the Forest Monarch.  They landed in New Orleans on March 12, 1853.  Then they traveled up the Mississippi River to Keokuk, Iowa.  May 21, they left Keokuk and traveled by ox train to Salt Lake City arriving on September 30, 1853.  They were the first large company of Scandinavian saints to emigrate to Utah.  The LDS emigration records list Henning as a doctor and also the last name is spelled Piil.

Karen died November 30, 1853 in Salt Lake City, two months after arriving in Utah.  Shortly after her death Henning and Caroline moved to Lehi.  The following year Peder and his wife Christiane came to Utah.  Shortly after that they all traveled to Salt Lake, they could not find Karen's grave.  To this day we don't know where she was buried.

Caroline married Hans Y. Simpson in 1855.  Henning married Johanna Hansen in the Endowment House in SLC on May 23rd, 1856. Henning lived in Lehi about five years.  After the Utah war he and his family traveled to Ephraim passing through Salt Creek Canyon on June 4, 1858 unarmed.  The following day several pioneers were massacred by the Indians there.  Shortly after they moved to Mt. Pleasant.  Henning helped build the fort.  He settled here and lived in Mt. Pleasant the rest of his life.  He built a small home on the southeast corner of 300 west and 400 south.

Following the death of his second wife he married Hannah Louisa Frederikke (probably Mina).  In the 1880 census he is listed as blind.  Also at that time he and his wife were caring for his wife's granddaughter.  Her mother had died and her father was serving a mission.  Henning died August 6, 1885.  He is buried in the Mt. Pleasant City cemetery with his second and third wife.

The following is research on the Henning Peel home done by Tudy Barentsen Standlee.

   

 

MINUTES OF FEMALE RELIEF SOCIETY (From our archves)

 

Thanks to Beverly Anderson Olsen, we now can share with you the Minutes of the Female Relief Society of 1874 and beyond.  Beverly told us that these were in her mother's things.  Her mother was Leota Anderson.  The picture of the original South Ward 1923  Sunday School Class also came from Leota and her husband, Lewis. 

The Relief Society President was Mary Margaret Forquhar Cruickshank Morrison.  Her Counselor was Christiana Folkman Peel.  There were several Secretaries during this time period beginning with  an E. Wallis.  Later, Hilda Dehlin becomes the Secretary. 

The meetings back then, were held at Social Hall.


Mount Pleasant

Female Relief Society

Minute Book

Meeting held in  Social Hall February 9th 1874.  Opened with singing and prayer by Sister Hemmet.

Sister Morrison exhorted the sisters to be diligent and especially themthat has young girls to try and teach them to be virtuous and wise; said a little amusement is good, too much is dangerous, instill into their minds true principles, let them dress becomingly.  The Visiting Committee that went around gave satisfactory reports.

Several of the Danish Sisters bore their testimony in thier own tongue, good spirit prevailed.  Sister Morrison made some lengthey (sp) remarks on different subjects to cooperation and polygamy.  She hoped the sisters will teach these principles as they visit the houses, but don't cram it as it is were; treat everybody kind.  Have the spirit of God with you and that will teach you what to do and say.

Wants that the old and feeble hould be taken care of.  It was moved and carried that Sister Poulson's children should have some schooling.  Pay Flower.  Sister Merrick should have a petticoat and Mother Walker have what we can get for her. 

Sisters Peel and Johnson, (Albine) were received as teacher of the Visiting Committee, also Sophia Stanfill as a member of the same.

Sister Tregore wants to have her child, 12 years of age to this place through the assistance of the F.R. Society.

Sister Peel explained to the Danish Sisters what had been said by Sister Morrison.  Sister Simpson bore her testimony.  She feels thankful for the privelege we have and said we ought to treasure up all the good things we hear from time to time and let us be wise mothers in Israel. 

Closed by singing and prayer by Sister C. Jensen.

M.F. Morrison, President

E. Wallis,  Secretary

A VARIETY OF PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE ALICE PEEL HAFEN COLLECTION

 

Orange Seely Home
Later the home of Mary Miranda Seely

498 West Main Street, Mt. pleasant

(on back it says:  Maybe Aunt Miranda's Son)

 

Mary Miranda Seely Peel 

 

(back from above)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Tressa and Azel Peel 

(Back from above photo)