Columbus Day

 

 

Home of Elmer Delbert Miller and his wife Ellen Elizabeth Bigler ~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Standlee

 

Home of John Heber Stansfield and his wife Elvina Elivira Jense ~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Standlee

 Submitted by request from an anonymous viewer. 

Random Photos From The Pyramid

When the Mt. Pleasant Pyramid Office was moved to Springville these photos were given to us to share at the Relic Home.  Some do not have names or descriptions.  Let us know if you can add any details. 

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Young Couple

Unknown Ladies

Unknown Group

 

Mountain Fuel Supply
Gary Peay
Lois Binning

Family Group Sheet of Soren Peter Sorensen

 

I Remember Grandma ~~~ Hannah Madsen Aldrich ~~~ Edith Allred ~~~ Saga of the Sanpitch 1974

 

Half-way up the center aisle on the right-hand side of the Mt. Pleasant cemetery, a modest tombstone proclaims to passers-by that Hannah Madsen Aldrich rests here. This fact, in itself, is not startling, but as one reads on, he wonders whether or not the stone cutter has not made an error in his dates. Born October 1840. Died May 1942. Nearly one-hundred-two years old!

 ―Bet there isn‘t another one like it in the entire cemetery,‖ my brother remarks drily. Long before she became the occupant of this narrow plot of ground, Grandmother was a vivacious teenager in far-off Denmark. Each day she attended school, and life was filled with the magic of living, loving, of youth. Then one day in early 1856, Mormon Elders knocked on the door of Ole Madsen‘s modest home, and the family heard their compelling message and believed. To Ole and Annie Madsen, the message filled a missing link in their lives. Soon they were meeting in the homes of other interested citizens to study the new religion. In a country in which a state church exists, one is quickly ostracized if he dissents from the established pattern. Ole and his fellow converts were well aware of this fact, but they continued to meet secretly until the inevitable leak of their clandestine meetings. 

Ole‘s home was bombarded that very evening by irate neighbors and inflamed citizens who pelted his home with rotten eggs and spoiled tomatoes. He knew now that his moment of truth had come. He must leave immediately with his family if he were to save them from further harassment and persecution. The converts crouched against the walls of the darkened house, hurriedly formulating plans for an early exit. 

It was not soon enough, however. Their children were driven from school and former friends and even relatives spurned them.  

 The valiant band of Danish converts made their way to Liverpool, England, where they met other converts and set sail on the ship Horizon with 856 Mormon converts aboard. They arrived in Boston Harbor on June 30, 1856, after eleven weeks of ocean travel. Because they had little or no money, most of them hastened to Iowa City so they could depart immediately for Mormon Country and permanent homes in the Rocky Mountains before winter set in. Here they built handcarts of green wood. This enabled hundreds of immigrants who had no money for travel by other means to make the trek to Zion. Seventeen pounds of clothing was allotted to each person. Although Brigham Young had warned the Saints not to leave so late in the season, these poverty-stricken people had little or no choice. The last two handcart companies left in July. The James G. Willie Company on July 15th. 

The Edward Martin Company with its 756 persons on July 28th. Hannah and her family were included in the Martin Company. Captain B. Hodgett, traveling with an ox team, was told to remain behind the two companies in case they needed help. The companies traveled along the North Platte River, but Hodgett eventually got ahead of the Martin Company which was strung out for miles when early storms slowed them down. Not nearly enough clothing had been allotted to keep the people warm. Had it not been for Franklin D. Richards and other returning missionaries who were traveling by horse teams and who passed the suffering companies and purchased buffalo robes for them in Laramie, Wyoming, probably fewer would have survived the ordeal. As it was, approximately 40 percent of the Martin Company perished from exposure, starvation, and disease. When Richards arrived in Salt Lake, he informed Brigham Young of the desperate straits of these late companies. Brigham, in the midst of his October conference, adjourned it quickly, so he could get help to the hapless victims. The Willie Company was found first. Half of the rescuers remained with this group and half proceeded to find the Martin Company. Snowbound, with almost no food, their feet bruised and bleeding, and some with feet frozen to the knees or so weak they could not walk, the people waited to be taken in their wagons. 

In one of her rare conversations about the ordeal, Hannah revealed that some of the members had eaten their own fingers and sucked the blood. When a burial took place, no one looked back, for most bodies were simply buried in snowdrifts and the wolves had found them before the Saints had traveled a block, she said. Since women, children, and the elderly and stick were taken first, Hannah and her family were taken before her father. As she kissed him goodbye, she expected to see him very soon, but Ole Madsen‘s hours on earth were numbered.

That same night he died of exposure and strain and was buried in a shallow grave by the trail, along with twelve other souls who perished with him. Hannah, her widowed mother, and three small children were thus left to make their way alone in a strange land. Hannah was now sixteen years old. She and her sister were able to obtain jobs doing housework in Salt Lake City where Hannah soon met a young Massachusetts convert, who had come to Utah with his mother and two sisters.

 Hannah and Martin were married on December 10, 1960. They became the parents of seven living children. At various periods they lived in Circle Valley, Chester, Milburn, Indianola, later making their permanent home in Mt. Pleasant, where they became prominent early-day settlers. 

There are many things I remember about Grandma. First of all, she was a lady. I never saw her when she was not ―dressed up.‖ Perhaps this was a carry-over from her days of poverty and ragged clothing. At age 98, she had her hair cut for the first time in her life. No one ever saw her without her earrings and her broach. On her one-hundredth birthday my father brought three new dresses to her home for her to see. She was to make a choice of one for her birthday. Grandmother tried them on and carefully evaluated each one. The she calmly announced, ―I‘ll take them all. I‘ll pay for the other two myself.‖ 12 When one of her nieces brought her a beautiful little orchid, shrug sweater for her birthday, she later brought it to my mother and said, ―Here, Sena, do you want this grandmother sweater!‖ Most amusing was the time one of her nieces insisted upon making Grandmother‘s burial clothes, much to Grandma‘s disgust and horror. After they were completed and presented to her, she brought them to my mother again. ―Please keep these things. I don‘t want to see them.‖

 By the time she dies twenty-five years later, the moths had eaten the yellowed garments and they could not be used. Even in death she did not have to see them. When Grandmother became the oldest lady in town, she quit attending the annual Old Folks‘ Party. This was the final blow to her vanity. The day before the party each year she developed a severe headache which kept her from attending. I never remember her being ill at any other time, although her corns did bother her when the moon changed. Each Wednesday promptly at one o‘clock she made her weekly visit to Sena‘s. Mother was expected to visit, not to do any housework. Even the children knew enough to visit or go play. Promptly at six o‘clock we ate dinner and Grandmother departed for her home. 

At Christmas time Grandmother made it very plain to all that she wanted no wool stockings, felt house slippers, or housedresses. Red beads, perfume, hair oil, earrings, or fancy combs were properly appreciated, however. 

When John H. Stansfield, a prominent Utah artist, decided he would like to paint a portrait of her when she became 100 years old, she willingly agreed. Each day for a week my brother took her on the handlebars of his bicycle to the artist‘s studio for the sitting. She enjoyed every minute of it. 

What was the source of Grandma‘s longevity? We believe it was her rigid discipline. At 9 p.m. she retired. She ate well, but sparingly. Certainly her good health, financial security, and her ability to look forward were contributing factors. She lived in the future. If she suffered any scars from her handcart ordeal or the disappointments of life, I detected only one..she sometimes read books and magazines upside down. One week before she died, she became ill. The Doctor said her feet just ―wore out.‖

 Sources: ―interview with Hannah Madsen Aldrich‖ by Grace Candland Jacobsen. ―Ordeal by Handcart‖ by Wallace Stegner. Mormon Country by Wallace Stegner. ―Andrew Madsen‘s Journal‖ from Mt. Pleasant. Aldrich Genealogical Records. Records in L.D.S. Church Historian‘s Office from Mt. Pleasant. Author‘s personal knowledge and acquaintance with Hannah.  

1949 Dance Winds Up Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Day Fete

 

SS Warrimoo ~~~ December 31, 1899 ~~~ Captain John Phillips ~~~ shared by Jeff McDonald

 Now that is a pretty cool piece of history!

 

 

On December 31, 1899, Captain John Phillips was navigating the passenger-cargo ship SS Warrimoo when his crew informed him that they were approaching the equator.

Captain Phillips had his navigator double check their position, and then adjusted the course and speed of the Warrimoo so that at exactly 12 a.m., the ship lay astride the Equator at exactly the point where it crossed the International Date Line.

The forward part of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere and in the middle of summer. The rear part of the ship was in the Northern Hemisphere and in the middle of winter. Half of the ship was on 30 December 1899, while the forward half skipped a day ahead and into 1 January 1900.

The ship was therefore not only in two different days, two different months, two different years, two different seasons and two different hemispheres but also in two different centuries all at the same time.

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Selections From the History of Andrew and Johanna (Widdergreen Anderson) Madsen

Shared by permission of David Reed Gunderson 

David Passed away on November 12, 2020. His obituary

follows this post. 

 

Neil Moroni Madsen was the ninth child of Johanna Anderson and Andrew Madsen.

He was born in Mt. Pleasant in 1873.  He received his education in the grade schools of Mt. Pleasant and in the L.D.S. Seminary (Mt. Pleasant Academy) "the existence of an 'academy' in Mt. Pleasant eliminated the need to send Mt. Pleasant students to Snow Academy in Ephraim or Brigham Academy in Provo.

David Reed Gunderson

December 6, 1937 ~ November 12, 2020

David Reed Gunderson passed away on November 12, 2020 in South Ogden, Utah after an extended illness. He was born December 6, 1937, in Mt Pleasant, Utah, to Reed and Leoan Gunderson. He lived in Mt. Pleasant, Salt Lake City, Provo, Charleston, Kamas, the Uinta Mountains by the Duchesne Tunnel, South Ogden, Utah and New Jersey. As a family, he especially loved living in the Uinta Mountains and following the construction of the Duchesne tunnel.

David, as a 6 year old suffered from rheumatic fever which left him weak and unable to walk for a year.  Unable to attend school, he fell far behind his peers and was subjected to rather harsh treatment by a teacher.  Nevertheless, over years, young David worked extra hard just learning to read and write. Soon, David excelled in school and developed a deep love of learning.

His father was in charge of directing the course of the six mile Duchesne Tunnel. Many hours of planning and surveying went into the project. His dad included David by explaining the situation and taking him on the many surveying efforts. When convenient his dad took him into the tunnel as he figured and checked the line and grade of the tunnel. The tunnel was started on west side of the mountains near by the Provo River and it would meet with the end of a shorter tunnel that had been driven from the “other side” of the mountains (East) which was the head waters of the Duchesne River, where they were building a dam, spill way, and reservoir to feed water into the tunnel. They “holed through” December 10.1951 as 7:14 p.m. and David accompanied his father, in fact he was the first person through the blasted debris and was photographed by the team working the east side tunnel. The line and grade of the two tunnels diverged from the design line by less than a tenth-of-an-inch which was unheard of accuracy using only the optical instruments of that time. David thrived in this environment.

We then moved to South Ogden Utah. David was part of a great Scout Explorer group from the 38th ward of his church. He got his Eagle Scout Award along with 12 other boys. A professional Caterer in the ward hired him to assist their family business. He became a valuable helper and cook as he assisted them.  He was asked to be the stage manager at Weber High School as he was familiar with circuits and electricity He then graduated with math and science honor awards in 1956. He also graduated from Seminary. In the summers he was hired as a surveyor by the Forest Service due to his earlier experiences and knowledge.

He attended Weber College and graduated in June of 1958. He also graduated from his church’s Institute of Religion. He was asked to sing in many productions “All Faces West,” “The Messiah,” and the “Oratorio.”

In June of 1958 he was called to serve a three-year mission to Japan for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After his mission David gained approval to stay in Japan for a time to study and be taught the Formal Japanese Language by Buddhist Priests.

After 3 plus years he returned to Utah and was required to take an entrance exam for mathematics at the University of Utah and he received the highest score. While attending the University of Utah he also worked for the Upper Air Research Department. In 1963 he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude and was the Valedictorian and Baccalaureate speaker.

He was granted a NASA fellowship enabling him to pursue his PhD in Electrical Engineering. His thesis was on Two Millimeter Backward-Wave Oscillators which was funded by the U.S. Air Force.  He graduated in 1969 with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Summa Cum Laude and a minor in Physics.  He also graduated from the Institute of Religion at the University of Utah in 1963 and received a special certificate from the Institute in 1965.

In 1969, he was hired by Bell Laboratories which was one of the premier scientific companies in the world, which later included Tyco.  Bell Labs was in Holmdel, New Jersey, He became especially close to a few other young engineers when they shared a ‘bachelor pad’ in the early days.  Dave enjoyed many hours with his boating partners sailing on the Navesink River and in the New York harbor. From the harbor he witnessed the Bicentennial Celebration.  He was a trusted mentor, confidant, and life coach for dozens of children, adults, and families.

At Bell Labs he quickly established himself as a technical leader in a culturally diverse department of engineers, together designing the world’s first ‘long haul’ digital communication network based on millimeter wave technology. The world became connected through high quality undersea fiber optic cables that formed the backbone for world-wide digital network and long-distance communications.

He married Kathryn Ann Cowley on December 30, 1971 in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In winter he loved to go skiing with his friends on trips to Vermont and New Hampshire and joined them

on visits to museums and cultural events in New York City.  He also loved classical music and even built a harpsichord.  Always generous of his time, he was leader of an Explorer Scout Post at Bell labs for 25 years for which he received an Explorer Scouting District Award for 25 years of service as an advisor and in addition he helped 12 Scouts achieve the Eagle Rank.  He was asked by Bell Labs to teach a conversational Japanese class in their Out of Hours Education Group which he did for 3 years and had as high as 75 class members.  He read and collected hundreds of books and had many historical volumes.

He captivated generations of children with wonderful stories about his dog from childhood, ‘Ol Rip”.  He loved joining his friends and their relatives - parents, children, aunts, uncles and cousins at their family gatherings and celebrations. Dave was always the hit of the party and a trusted mentor, confidant, and life coach for dozens of children, adults, and families. He was a very good Base Singer, played the violin and was known as a kind and thoughtful teacher. He served in the local Church Ward as a member of the Bishopric, and held numerous other leader ship callings and as a teacher. He was also very well versed in the Scriptures.

He joined groups performing leading edge work in satellite technology. His new responsibilities were to work on new services that could be placed on their satellite network. He traveled all over the country to make proposals, investigate possibilities, and to assist in the installation of new equipment. Some of the new things that he proposed were Transponders Switched Time Domain Multiple Access (TSTDMA) transmission, centralized monitoring and control of a TV distribution network, and start “out back” phone distribution network, and various aspects of the Picture Phone network. He also presented papers on these projects in Toronto Canada and Seattle. It was during this period that he received the Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff Award.

In 1982, He was transferred to the undersea cable department. They had just decided to migrate from analog cable systems to digital optical systems in the undersea plan and plans were being laid for a new system (TAT–8) to provide 250,000 digital voice circuits to both England and French on a branch cable system. A similar system (TP–3) was being planned for transmission to both Guam and Japan in the Pacific. A test system was to be deployed in the Atlantic, in the Canaries, to demonstrate the viability of the cable handling techniques and the equipment. He was nominated to be the project coordinator of the Canary Island project. This experimental system was to be purchased by the Spanish Telephone Company after the experiments were through to provide telecommunications capacity between the islands off Gran Canaria and Tenerife. He also coordinated the development of a movie on the project.

He presented a paper on this work at a conference in Paris and one in New York City. This led to many trips to both Japan and Europe. During the trip to Europe, he visited Spain, France and England, gave a paper in a conference in Amsterdam, and went on to Norway to visit Risor, this involved his getting off the train at a deserted train station in the middle of night and sleeping overnight outside on a station bench. It rained several times and he had to seek shelter in a telephone booth. Later he was assigned to plan and develop portable test equipment to be used in the installation and repair of these systems. This led him to being assigned on this ship for several months during the cable burial off Atlantic City, New Jersey. Later he served on a French ship used to repair the Canary Island system. When the final splices and final tests were made for TAT-8, he was on the ship and as soon as the cable was aboard and connected to his equipment, he made a call on the system, which was the first transatlantic phone call made on that system.

He was then involved in system engineering and was asked to work on new system proposals and to give seminars on optical technology to prospective customers, and to be the technical engineer for several of the systems for which Bell had received contracts, and to work with the engineers at home to develop new equipment and procedures. This last responsibilities lead to several patents. Because of these broad responsibilities, he was asked to travel extensively. He had the opportunity of flying around the world both to the east and to the west. He visited Japan repeatedly and had the opportunity to meet many of his old friends and visit places again. Kathryn was often able to travel with him and share memories.

While he was in Australia in 1994, he became ill with pneumonia and cellulitis and nearly died. The company sent Kathryn down while he recuperated. His sister Gayle flew down as well. They did not expect him to live. The Sidney Hospital personnel came and notified the family that they had to shut the switch board down as so many people were inquiring about his well being.

Travels included Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Hong Kong, Macao, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Australia and a brief visit to New Zealand. In the Indian Ocean they visited India and Reunion Island. Then South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the Canary Islands, Portugal, Madera and southern France, England, Scandinavia, Germany, Netherlands and various cities in France including Paris many times. Then he went to South America and Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. North America included Canada, Mexico, and numerous cities in the USA.

They were able to take his mom to Hawaii. David and his mother traveled to Egypt and Israel and on other trips. David and his parents and went to China, Spain, and Scandinavia, which was special to them as they were able to visit Denmark and Norway.  David’s father especially appreciated that, as he needed some help to travel due to sickness.

In 2002 David retired from the Undersea Cables Laboratory and Bell Labs and wrapped up 32+ years career that included established himself as a technical leader in a culturally diverse department of engineers, together designing the world’s first ‘long haul’ digital communication network based on millimeter wave technology. The world became connected through high quality undersea fiber optic cables that formed the backbone for world-wide digital network and long-distance communications. His efforts included the installation of undersea fiber optic cables under the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans and the Red and Mediterranean Seas. His language skills helped open Japan as a major hub for Bell Lab Systems. He helped open markets in Papua New Guinea to Japan plus markets in Europe, India and West Africa. He performed leading edge work in satellite network technology. For his significant contributions he was awarded the title “Distinguished Member of Technical Staff”. David traveled extensively while deeply enjoying each country’s cultural heritage, food and wonderful people. With his easy style, technical brilliance, widespread interests and love of life, Dave made hundreds of friends all over the world.

In 2002 David retired from the Undersea Cables Laboratory and wrapped up 32+ years career that included the developing and negotiating with foreign countries for intercontinental undersea fiber optic cables and included the installation of undersea fiber optic cables under the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans and the Red and Mediterranean Seas. David then moved away from the New Jersey area but kept in touch with his friends there.  He settled in Ogden, Utah living with Kathryn. In retirement, David was an adjunct professor in U of U Engineering. He did consulting on undersea cables and translation of technical information. He also served as the High Priest Group Leader and was the first Councilor in the Bishopric in his home ward. He loved genealogy and published the Early Mt. Pleasant, Utah History, and the Gunderson and Madsen books.

David and Kathryn sincerely appreciated the love and help they received from their neighbors and friends in the Jefferson Third Ward.  They were always helping them in every way and as needed.  Sincere appreciation from the family is extended as well.

Survivors are his wife, Kathryn Ann Gunderson; his sister, Gayle Gunderson (Gary) Hunting of Garden Grove, CA; brother-in-law, Charles (Vicki) Cowley of Ogden, Utah; 7 nieces and nephews, and 20 great nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 2 p.m. at the Ogden City Cemetery, 1875 Monroe Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. A memorial service will be held at a later date depending on Covid-19 conditions.