TITLE PAGE PIONEER {full name) -B-a-lt-za-r -P-et-e-rs-on- -------.,.,,- BIR TH {date and place) DEA TH (date and place) PARENTS . MARRIED (who and date) ARRIVAL IN UTAR {date) (Company arrived with) IDSTORY {who wrote) {date w ritten) (who submitted) (address )· Den marl 3 Dec 1834 - Augersler, Piset, Aarhus, 21 Nov 1910 - R i chville , Morgan, Utah Soreq Pedersen (Dalsgoar) Ane Margrethe Baltzarsen Mette Margrette Juulsen - 30 May 1857 6 October 1863 John F . Saunder's Ox Team Train Clara Beth P e t erson Rich 1225 S. Morgan Valley Drive Morgan, Utah 84050 CAMP & COUNTY SUBMITTING _S_o_u_t_h_M_o_r_g;;.._a_n ________ Camp _M_o_r_g_a_n ____________ County.· . (Camp Historian & add res s). ___ L_ola_ D_a_w_ s_o_n_P_e_t_er_s_o_n _______ _ P.O. Box 13, Morgan, Utah 84050 County Historian & address) --------------------- Veloy Tonks Dickson P .O. Box 203, Morgan, Utah 84050 SOURCE OF INFORMATION & PAGE NUMBERS: BALTZAR PETERSON and METTE MARGRETTE JUULSEN The record of both the families of Baltzar Peterson and Mette Margrette Juulsen dates back as far as the date when Denmark officially began to keep records of its subjects. The record states that they were peopl e respected in their communities. They supported their nation when duty called, were industriou s and took advantage of every opportunity in education, though there were few. In some instances, a few members of their family line branched out in other lines, but generally they stayed with the soil. They were owners and leasers of land, productive a nd enterprising . They were known for t heir hospitality a nd were respected citizens of Denmark. Baltzar Peterson was born 3 December 1834, in Augersler, Pis et, Aarhus, Denmark, a son of Soren Pedersen (Dalsgoar) and Ane Margrethe Baltzarsen. He had a brother, Peter , and four sisters - - Karen, Ane Marg rethe, Mette Kirstine, and Ane Marie. As a young man, Baltzar was a c oach a nd trans ferman in Aarhu s. He took pride in the good horses he owned and used in his business; hauling and loading material to the boats for shipment to all parts of the world. On 30 May 1857, Baltzar Peterson married Mette Margrette Juulsen, a daughter of Juul Eskilden and Karen Nielson. She was born 11 January 1834, i n the Par i s h of Holme (Skaade), Jutland, Aarhus, Denmark, a nd was the sev enth child of a family of eight children. Mette's father was a small leasehold farmer and wea v er. He died when Mette was only two year s old, leaving his wife alone to care fo r the eight young children. The oldest, Marie Kristine, was only sixteen; -2- the youngest, James, two months old. The mother carried well her responsibil­ities, and being an intelligent and resourceful woman, saw that her children were educated in the State School of Holm, which was directed by the Lutheran Church. After Baltzar and Mette were married, they were visited by Mormon Elders in about 1860 while living at 1052 Bestegade, Aarhus, Denmark. They were baptized members of the Church on 20 November 1862, and were anxious to come to America. By now they had four children; Nelse Juul, Soren Juul, Laura (who died before they sailed), and James who was one year old. The following year, 1 May 1863, these people left Denmark for England by sail boat. Then they had their first train ride across England to Liverpool. There they were obliged to wait a few days for other immigrant s from Norway and Sweden before embarking for America. On Friday, 8 May 1863, 657 Saints under the direction of Hans Peter Lund sailed from Liverpool, England, on the U. S. Ship 11 B. S . Kimball, 11 a sort of sail boat. They were 52 days on the water, and the food and water became very bad. There was much sickness and they witnessed some burials at sea. Finally, on 15 June 1863, they landed at New York City, America. Here they were fum iga t ed and sent in cattle cars to a point on the Missouri River. Since the Civil War was being fought at this time, they were forced to take the long Northern Route near the Canadian border. After a short time at Winter Quarters, they began the trek across the barren plains to Utah as members of John F . Saunder's Ox Team Train. T h eir exp eriences were similar to those of t h o usands of p ioneers. At one time, wh:le wading across a river , l\1ette ,,;as swept off her feet w~1ile tryiug t0 help little Nel se and Soren, and at the same t ime ca r ry baby James . A nearby man rescued the baby and helped them to the shore . They arrived in Utah on • -3- 6 October 186 3 . At Salt Lake City, Bishop Nebeker let Baltzar have a sack of seed wheat which he took to Richville, Morgan County, Utah, and planted in the spring of 1864. After the harvest of that year (1864), Baltzar carried a full sack of wheat on his back over the mountain to Salt Lake City to pay Bishop Nebeker for the seed loaned to him. Upon arriving in Salt Lake City on 6 October 1863, the family went to Weber R iver Count y, now known as Morgan County, Utah, and settled in Richville. Baltzar homesteaded a lar ge tract of land and later purchased adjoining fields . The first year or two were hard to forget. Food was short during the winter. A few dusty beans and some coarse grain ground in the coffee mill was about a ll they had. Their first home was a dug -out with no windows and with Mette1 s pett icoat hung for a door . It was here a baby boy, Joseph, was born and a year later tragedy struck. Joseph was drowned in the Old Mill Race. His body was found or. the screen where the water plunged over the water -wheel of t h e old grist mill at Richville. A year later, Baltzar, the sixth child was born, and soon after the family moved into a new two-room log house. Baltzar (the father) a nd his brothers had worked in the mountains for the logs. It was here that the other five children were born- -Charles, George, Eliza, William (who died a year later), and Fred. Baltzar and his family improved their land, built buildings and fences which we~e d urable. The children wer e instr u c t ed and t rained intelligently to b e orderly and efficie nt in their work. Baltzar' s j udgement and wisdom in agric ulture was unsur passed for his time, a nd after 25 years t his Danish immigrant was c onsidered the most financially independent man in R ichville . , • -4 - Mette must receive some of the credit for t he families successful pursuits in farming and livestock. She was resourceful, her judgem ent was sound, she gave advice where needed and when it would do the most good. She was quite small (considered tiny) in stature, but was quick and accurate, full of energy, and most immaculate in dress and person. She was an artist with the needle, made all her own clothes insisting on the very best q ualit y . She was not extravage nt , for nothing was wa s t ed or m i s used. She insisted e v er ything be cared for properly. She was a beautiful letter writer, both in the Danish and English languages. She never showed favortism. Baltzar never lost interest in the welfare of his family. As the boys became grown men, he h elped them acquire farm land of their own. In the year of 1877 he filed on a large tract of land on the Preston Flat and Nels e, Soren, Baltzar (the son), and Charles went there as farmers. Soren and Nelse played violins and Soren played a trumpet and called for square dances. They were the first musicians on the P reston Flat. Baltzar (the son) taught a school of dancing both in Morgan County and later in P re ston. He and Charles went all over the county playing for dances. Besides farm ing , Balt zar (the son) was a blacksmith and an excellent hors e shoer. As a v er y young man he shod hors e s in San Francisco, when draft horses were used for all t ransfer work. He also sheared sheep. George loved the farm and livestock and stayed with it all his life as did Soren; though Nelse took up a few other trades and jobs. Fred sought educ a ion and became a high school p rofessor and then a m edica l d oc t or. He pl a yed the mandolin and sang. Eliza was v ery artistic . She was very artistic with her needle and oil paints and much credit is due her and her husband for caring so lovingly fo r her fathe r • -5- and mother in their old age • James was a carpenter and helped to build the fine two-story, eight room family brick home completed in 1866 on the old homestead in Richville. It was considered one of the finest in the county. This old home was well built. There were three thicknesses of brick in the walls , with solid brick partitions. The house contained about 5, 600 bricks, all made in Morgan. This home became a gathering place for t he young folks for m a ny y ears. Many parties gathered at the Peterson home. Everyone sang and danc ed. Baltzar (the son) and Charles played their violins and step dancing was a specialty of George and Baltzar (the son). Mette was the perfect hostess , always pleased to entertain, and making sure there was plenty of food and good things to eat. She enjoyed life most when the young folks came there to participate in good home entertainment. In 1963, the decis ions to tear down the home. a Morgan County landmark for 80 years, was made. The Peterson home was acquired in 1910 by Sanford Orin Porter, who married Eliza Peterson (only daughter of Baltzar and M ette) . In later years it became known as the Porter home. The Porter family decided to tear the house down as it had been standing empty for more than a year and elements I and time had taken their toll. Rather than watch it deteriorate and crumble into sad ruin, tearing it down seemed much less cruel. The old home was replaced by a modern ranch-type home. Baltzar Peterson died 21 November 1910 in Richville, Morgan County, Utah. He was buried 24 Novem ber 1910 in the Richvill e Cemet ery. Me::te Mar gr ette J u uls el1 Peter son died 18 Jan..iary 1 9 1 Q in Richvillt., Morgan County , Utah. She was buried 21 Janua r y 1919 in the Richville Cemetery. • -6 - Note: Grandfather 11 Baltzar S0rensen1 ' is listed as a Coach and Transfer Man in Aarhus City. His residence in Aarhus City in the year of 1857 was #539 Fredri cksgaade, and in 1860 the family was living at # 1052 Bestugaade, Aarhus City. (Taken from Hans N. Ogaard Report) Grandfathe r ' s sister, 11Karen~ 11 came to Utah in the year of 1859. She married Mads Peter Rasmussen while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Grandfather's brother, 11Peter, 11 came to Utah in 1861. Both Karen and Peter were living at Richville, Morgan County, Utah, when the other members of the family came. Mads Peter Rasmuss en and Peter Peterson (grandfather's brother) went to Salt Lake City, Utah, and helped the folks as they arrived in Zion. They hauled their bel ongings to Richville, Morgan County, Utah, their new home.