On October 14, 1861 my father was baptized, my mother was baptized November 27, 1857, nearly four years before. These four years were trying periods for my parents, there being fear of separation; before this there had been perfect love and confidence. About December 26, 1858, when I was a babe about six months old, we all had scarlet fever except father. When I was three years old my brother Jim chopped Mary’s little finger, which created an excitement in our home. This is the only incident I remember before we immigrated. In the first part of April 1862, when we were ready to go to America, our home was sold and our household furniture was sold at auction. Hans Christiansen hitched up his team and took us to Aalborg. From there we traveled to Hamburg, Germany, where my sister Mary died. Father had a coffin made but did not get time to bury her there before the ship started and she was the first to be buried at sea. We bounded the ship Franklin, and the 9th of April and sailed about the 15th with 413 emigrants. Robert Murray was captain. Our leader was Bishop C. A. Madsen of Gunnison and his two counselors, J.C.A. Weiby and L. Larson. We were divided into eight companies with the following leaders at the head of each; J.C. Thurpe, J.C. Kornem, Niels F. Larsen and J. Anderson, with J.P. Mortensen appointed to look after our goods. Anthon H. Lund acted as interpreter and C. Anderson to look after baggage weights. The emigrants brought the measles with them on board the ship and about forty, mostly children, were soon down with the disease, and by the 27th of May there were 46 deaths, three adults and 43 children.Friday, May 2nd, two of N. M. Peterson’s children died, Aaron Christina and the baby Fjelsted. My brother Christian died Sunday May 4th at one o’clock, p.m. and Ole Christian died Sunday, May 11th. Jens Mortensen, James H, Peterson’s brother died May 19th. All through this great sorrow they had their meetings, gatherings, and dancing almost daily on board the ship. They had their call the get up at five o’clock in the morning, prayer at seven a.m. and 8:30 p.m. They mopped the deck three times a week and disinfected the ship twice on the trip by burning tar. We had some rainy weather about mid-ocean but the weather in general was pretty good. Thursday morning, May 29th, we landed in the New York harbor. We got on a transport boat, but at reaching the bridge at Castle Garden we were stopped, as several were still sick with the measles. We had to go back to the ship and remained for two more nights and one day when eighteen who were sick were transported to the hospital and we were permitted to land at Castle Garden on May 31st, were we were received by C.C. Rich, John VanCot and others. A number of the emigrants did not have means to continue the journey but though the kindness of those who did have the money, the poorer class was helped along. We boarded the train at 9:00 p.m. and landed next morning, June 1st, at Albany and from there we continued our journey by rail via Syracuse, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Windsor, Detroit, and Chicago, also through Quincy, Illinois and from there by boat to Hannibal; from Hannibal by rail to St. Joseph, arriving June 6, 1862. The next day we got a boat where we were very crowded and uncomfortable. We landed at Florence on Monday, June 9th, at 10 o’clock in the evening. Here we met H. C. Hansen’s company who sailed with the ship Humboldt about the same time as we sailed but had reached Florence a week before we did. Soren Christofferson’s company sailed from Hamburg, April 18th, with 336 emigrants on the ship “Electric”, H.C. Johnson, captain; O.N. Lilyenquist’s company sailed from Hamburg on April 21st, on board the ship “Athenia” with 484 emigrants; D. Schelings captain. These companies made up one of the largest migrations from Europe to America up to that time and for many years after. Tuesday, June 10th just north of Florence, we put up our tents, bought wagons, oxen, cows, stoves, cooking utensils for the journey over the plains. Some of the poor people went with the teams provided by the church; some had apostatized and they left the company. We stopped at Florence for several weeks. Just before leaving Florence on the 7th day of July, we were visited by a very heavy tornado. Two men were killed and Joseph W. Young was struck unconscious by a wagon box, which was blown down on him. However, he soon recovered. Father had a yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows they could use when needed, and was in partnership with another man who had a yoke of oxen and a wagon so they could hitch up three yoke when needed. By the time we reached the valley we had been about six months on our journey. I don't remember our experiences enroute, but older members of the party have told me how I would get tired and ask to walk. Father would let me out of the wagon and in a very short time I would be tired and he would stop and take me up into the wagon again. At the end of our journey 62 of our company had died. I do not know how many died shortly after from exposure endured on the trip. My mother and baby sister died soon after we settled in Pleasant Grove, in a room near the meeting house which Father had rented. We moved from there and rented two rooms from Mr. Renalds for the winter. In the spring of l863 father built a cellar, which we lived in until later in the summer when he built an adobe house in the west part of town on the road to America Fork. We lived there until the spring of l864, when we moved to Richfield. We brought our belongings in a covered wagon drawn by oxen, Tom and Jerry, also, the two cows, Red and Roan, which we brought over the plains. Sometime after Mother’s death in Pleasant Grove, Father married Mrs. Marin Anderson who was about nine years his senior. She taught me to read the New Testament, which we brought along with us. I would read one chapter in the forenoon and one in the afternoon, and sometimes an extra chapter or two for punishment; but I became a very good reader without learning my alphabet. This proved of great worth to me in later years when I was sent on a m After moving to Richfield in 1864, we lived with N. A. Petersen and family in their cellar till we could build one of our own. We had crossed the sea and plains with them, lived neighbors with them in Pleasant Grove, Richfield and Fort Ephraim. One of my first jobs in Utah was to herd geese for Andrew Petersen, and at this time I was about five years old. Later I herded sheep for father and N.M. Petersen. I was out with the sheep north of town the morning the Indians made a raid on the Glenwood cowherd. They killed a man; his wife and Mary Smit on the Glenwood dug way. At this time I was about seven years old. When the two other boys and I heard the shots we started walking toward town. Shortly afterward we heard the old drum at the Fort beat and then we left our animals and ran. In those days people here had very little to eat or wear, and in order to make the most meager living they had to work very hard. In the summer of 1864 the people did their farming under the spring ditch south and east of town. During the winter and spring of 1865, they dug the Richfield Canal, nearly twelve miles long and mostly all by spading. I understood they had one scraper, homemade ploughs and tools. The same spring the Blackhawk War broke out which was a great drawback to the development of our country. Many people lost their lives in a very inhuman manner. Our animals were stolen and it was necessary to build fort walls in every town for protection. Our nearest gristmill was at Manti, fifty miles away and very dangerous to travel. Many people had to live without flour for weeks at a time. Finally after three year’s struggle, in the spring of 1867, the Sevier Valley was abandoned. We moved to Ephraim, and on October 27, 1867, I was baptized in the Fort Ephraim Creek by N.L. Christensen, and confirmed by Niels C. Christiansen. That winter we lived in Niels Anderson’s cellar. The next Summer Father made the adobes and built a two-room home on South Main Street, which is still standing. (1925) That summer, (1868) the Indians stole part of Ephraim’s horse herd and some of Manti’s cattle. We, also, had the grasshopper war and it was a very hard struggle to save some of the crops that year. The grasshoppers were so thick that during their migration from one place to another they darkened the sun. After long-suffering months the Indian chiefs were finally subdued and peace terms were made, and the pipe of peace was smoked in Ephraim. While living in Ephraim I attended Henry Hudson’s school for two winters. We would read, write, and spell and even sing the states. In the summer time I became an expert fisherman, catching from 30 to 80 chubs in a day; these kept the family and some of the neighbors in fish. I learned to swim in the Ephraim Creek. I also herded N. M. Peterson and Father’s sheep on the bench south of Guard Nole and in the foothills where I got frost in my toes, which troubled me for years after. I gleaned wheat in the fall of the year to help support the family. In 1871, we returned to Richfield. I had just finished school for that year. Patriarch Poulson and his brother Chris stayed over night at our place and hauled my bedding. I helped them drive their sheep and cattle to Richfield. We took us three days to make the journey. My Father and brother Jim were already here when I arrived. I remember the whole valley was covered with brush and willows. One of my first experiences after arriving was suffering for about a week with the earache. My next job was herding the town sheep herd. Christopher Nielson and I took the herd for one year, herding every other week. During this time I kept the family supplied with rabbit meat. For this service I received $90 in produce. It should have been $100 but they claimed we had lost a few head of sheep, which we hadn’t missed.
Again I attended school. This time at Henry Hudson’s school and William G. Baker’s in the old school house joined to the fort wall, which was built in 1865. Later still I attended Dinnie Harris’ and about 1881, Daniel Harrington’s school in the Academy Hall. With the money I received for herding in the early 70’s I bought a few head of cattle. These I traded them to my brother for his ten acres of land adjoining mine. I then bought me a pair of mules and an old harness.
Shortly after I bought one of the first new hand plows that came to the Sevier Valley; I would them ride my team in the field to plow. My next venture was a new Schuttler Wagon, which I bought on time from the late James M. Peterson, which cost me some interest money before I got it paid for. However, I was now prepared to do some freighting out to mines in West Utah and Nevada. This was about the only way for us to earn money.
In the spring of 1874, the United Order was started in Richfield and lasted a little over three years. I helped to drive the first church cattle over into Wayne County; we were five days traveling as far as to where Thurber is now located. At that time there were no settlers in that valley except McClellans, Beason Lewis’ ranch cabin, and a few Indian wickiups.
That fall I went with a company of sixteen to work on the St. George Temple. I was then sixteen years old. Here I worked in the stone quarry until the New Year, after which I slacked lime and mixed mortar at the east end of the Temple for about three months. The walls of the Temple were finished that spring.
On the 11th day of March I received my patriarchal blessing under the hands of William G. Parkins, a patriarch ordained to that office by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
The St. George Temple was partly dedicated January 1, 1877, and the whole building was dedicated April 6, 1877.
During the summer of 1875 I farmed and worked for father in the Order. As I remember, I worked for Joshua Sylvester in the harvest field on his farm south of Central.
The next two years I spent at farming, freighting, making a few trips out west, working at the various jobs in the harvest fields, binding, and in general taking my station with other men. I also had my first experience running a self-binder
In the fall of 1877 the United Order was dissolved with a great deal of dissatisfaction among the people.
I was ordained a Priest on December 9, 1879, by Bishop Paul Poulson and ordained an elder in the St, George Temple, December 2, 1880, by John Pny. We traveled to the St. George Temple during midwinter. The distance was about 175 miles and the snow was very deep. Our trip lasted about six weeks. Some of us went through for six endowments. Our company consisted of three teams. In my wagon were William Heywood and wife (Aunt Jane's grandparents), father and Martha, her children, Olena and Charley, my sister and her two-year-old baby Joseph. My brother Jim had his wife and her mother, Sister Baker.
I think it was in the winter of 1881 I went to school again. I had not been going for a few years and felt the necessity of getting a little more education. This time I went to Daniel Harrington’s school. I also, went out as a ward teacher with Hans Christensen, a work that I continued to do actively until last year (1943).
In 1882 I started to build our rock house. I hauled all of the rock and got the walls up about to the top of the windows that fall when I received a call from Box “B” to go on a mission. I had no money, as I remember, and was in debt some on building. I sold my horses and harness and left the walls of my building standing; and prepared to go. It was a long rip back to New York, and after seeing some of the “sights of the East, I set sail for Denmark, there I served as a missionary for a little over two years. I visited the place of my birth and other places of interest that I had heard my father speak of. On my return trip on the boat, I met a beautiful Swedish girl. I couldn’t speak Swedish and she couldn’t speak Danish, but we each spoke in our own tongue and understood what our hearts said. Arriving in Salt Lake City she went to Oakley, Idaho, to live with a maternal aunt, Sophia Erickson, and I returned to Richfield.
Augusta Johnson was a daughter of Johanes Backlund and Christena Olfson Backlund. She was born in Bracken, Jernsoken, Sweden, on July 31st, 1866. By the time she was three years old, her parents had both died, and her maternal grandparents then raised her. When she was eleven years old her grandmother died, and when thirteen her grandfather died. They were peasant folk and she too had known many hardships. Her schooling had been in the Lutheran country church schools, her work had been in the fields and herding cattle. After the death of her grandparents she worked for a well-to-do aunt, and later became a waitress in a tourists’ resort. It was there that her opportunity had come to go to “her people” in America. She had accepted the Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day-Saints. To her it was sacred, a basis for formulating her entire life; it was during this trip to America that she met her future husband.
Arriving home I completed my house and made all arrangements for my wife-to-be. We corresponded and each had to have an interpreter for our letters, but it was not until April 1886, that I hitched up my team and started for Idaho. I was ten days on the trip – a long time for one who is not sure of the answer to his question, but upon arriving at the home where she was staying, I told her what I had come for and she accepted me. We were married in the Logan LDS Temple on April 21, 1886, by Apostle Merrill, and after a six-week honeymoon we arrived in Richfield on the 7th day of May. I carried my bride over the threshold, and we have lived in the same house for over 58 years.
There are eight children who have come to bless our union. They are John Lester, Hanmer Emanuel, Harmel Movell, Elsie Christina (Barker), Mary (Monson), Jerda Auerlia (Felt), Lars Eldon and Niels Marcus. We celebrated our Golden Wedding eight years ago. Our posterity includes twenty-eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. On son, one son-in-law, and seven grandsons are serving our country in the armed forces.
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Richfield Pioneer Observes His Seventy –Seventh Birthday
(Richfield Reaper)
Richfield, May 9 – One of the few remaining of the original 1864 Richfield settlers, N.P. Peterson today observed his seventy seventh birthday at his home here.
Mr. Peterson was born in Albet, Hjorring, Denmark, May 9 1858. After joining the church in their native land, he and his parents auctioned their furniture and went to Hamburg, Germany, where they boarded the sailing ship, Franklin, April 8, 1862, and started for America.
He was one of a party of 413 emigrants under Capt. Robert Murray and C.A. Madsen. Because of exposure on the journey, 46 of the company were buried at sea before the boat reached New York harbor on May 29.
Many Perish
Then came further hardship during the trek to Utah. Altogether 62 companions perished before the party reached Zion. Mr. Peterson’s mother and sister died shortly after arriving at Pleasant Grove, their first home in Utah.
Leaving Pleasant Grove by ox 71 years ago, the family came to Richfield. That was in the spring of 1864. Here they found the grass green, watered by the warm springs of this vicinity.
But in 1867, due to depredations of Black Hawk and his warriors, the settlement was abandoned by the pioneers, who did not return until the spring of 1871.
Filled Mission
Mr. Peterson filled a mission to Denmark from 1882 to 1884. His last year there was spent under the presidency of the late Pres. Anthon H. Lund, who had been in the Murray emigrant company of 1862.
He has also served for 30 years as high councilman in the old Sevier Stake: city councilman, one term; supervisor city streets, workman on the tabernacle, St. George Temple and other projects. He is still actively doing farm labor.
Mr. and Mrs. Peterson are the parents of eight living children, Lester, Hanmer, Eldon, and Marcus of Richfield; Harmel, Loa; Mrs. J. R. Barker and Mrs. Mathew Monson of Glendale; Mrs. Richard N. Felt, Salt Lake. They also have 18 grand children.
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