• • • EMIGRATION OF PETER (SORENSEN) PETERSON - 1861 As reported by Mrs. Lovina Peterson Young to Mr . Bal tzar W. Peterson, the following data is assembled: (Mrs . Lovina Peterson Young, a daughter of Peter (Sorensen) Peterson, L.D.S. convert and emigrant of 1861.) Peter (Sorensen) Peterson, nearing the age of 21 years, and due for extended service in the Danish Regular Army, there being much talk of another war with Germany at that time (1861), was advised by his fathe r "Soren Pedersen-Dalsgoar" to join the L.D.S. Church and emigrate to America and Utah, where his older sister, "Karen (Sorensen) Peterson " had come in 1859 . (She being the one who married Mads Peter Rasmussen while on ship en route to America). Consequently, Peter was baptized i nto the L.D.S. Church, 6 March 1861 and emigrated to Utah that same year. (At this point in the history, Baltzar quotes Scandinavian Mission, by Andrew Jensen, and believes the company described is the one that with.) The quote follows: from History of states that he Peter traveled On May 9th, 1861, 565 Scandinavians (373 Danes, 182 Swedes , and 64 Norwegians) sailed from Copenhagen, Denmark, on the steamer, "Waldemar". They arrived at Kiel on the morning of May 10th. Then, by special train to Altona, where they ar r ived abou t noon (May 10th). At Altona, the company was divided into two parts, one of 400 Saints immediately boarded the steamer 11 Brittania 11 and d eparted for Hull,England, about 3:00 p.m . the same day . They arrived at Hull on May 12th . The second division (169 souls) having been quartered in a large hall over night, left Hamburg May 11th at about 3:00 p.m. by steamer 11 Eugenia 11 , and arrived at Grimsby, England, on the morning of May 13 . The captain of this vessel treated the Saints with al;l due respect and kindness, while the opposite was the case on the steamer 11 Brittania 11 The two companies again joined at Grimsby; and on the morning of May 14th, they were despatched by a s p ecial train to Liverpool, where they arrived about 2:00 p.m. Two hours later they were placed on board the ship "Monarch of the Sea", the largest vessel that had carried L .D.S. Saints across the Atlantic up to that date. This company of Saints was also the largest to cross the sea on one ship up to that date. On May 16th, the company was organized with Elder Jabez Woodard as President, and Hans Olin Hansen and Niels Wilhelmsen as counselors: and at 11 a.m. May 16th the great vessel lifted anchor and began its voyage. The voyage was a successful one, and conditions were q u ite favorable; there were some inconveniences because of the extra large number aboard; each family could only have access to cooking ranges five times each week . the children had mi lk, the sick had wine and beer, adults had boiled sago. From Copenhagen to New York there were 9 persons (most of them children) died 14 couples were married (11 Scandinavian) ; and there were 4 births on board during the crossing. ; • • • The voyage was successful, the weather being quite favorable, but wi th two days of wind. Large icebergs were passed among, one of which was estimated to be about 200 feet above the water line . On June 19th, they arrived at New York,and we lodged at Castle gardens. The apostle Erastus Snow, who happened to be in New York, at the time, spoke to the Scandinavians in the Danish language. From New York to Florence, Nebraska, the company traveled part of the way in two divisions . The first division arrived at Florence July 1st, and the second division arrived at Florence on July 2nd. The route taken was about the same as the year before (via Dunkirk, Cleveland, Chicago, Quincy, St. Joseph on the Missouri Ri v er). At Florence, most of the Scandinavian emigrants, assisted by the Church ox-teams, crossed the plains in Captain John R. Murdock's Company. They left Florence, Nebraska, early in July and arrived in Salt Lake City, September 12, 1861. The rest of the emigrants (those who possessed sufficient means to help themselves) left Florence a few days later under Captain Samuel Wooley with a bout 60 ox teams. they arrived in sal t Lake City on september 22, 1861. (It is known that Lars Peter Christensen and first wife came with this last group under Captain Wooley . Lars Peter Christensen later married Ane Marie Peterson- -a sister to Peter, Baltzar, Karen and Mette Kristine) . Peter Peterson reached Utah, September 12, 1861. Peter lived at first in Centerville with his sister Karen and her husband Lars Peter Rasmussen. By 1863, Peter and the Rasmussens were living in··Richville, Morgan County. At this time, Peter and Karen's parents and others of the family emigrated from Denmark and came directly to Richville. In 1874, Peter married Anna Marie Nielsen. Three children were born to them: Annie Margaret, 8 August 1875, Emma,10 March 1877, and Albert,12 October 1879. Albert died one day later. The mother died 4 November 1879. It was her request that her baby be laid in her arms. Her request was granted. Peter married Karen Marie Jensen 1 April 1880. Five children were born to them. Twins, Peter Joseph and Josephine, were born 29 January 1881 . The boy died the same day and Josephine died 12 February 1881. John was born 30 April 1882. James was born in 1890 and one more son, David was born to Karen Marie and Peter . In 1881, he married Annie Mary Jensen in polygamy . Three children were born to them : Mary, born in 1882 and dying soon after birth ; Pryntha Lavina, born 10 September 1884, and Johanna, born 8 March 1890 and dying 23 March 1890 . He assisted in building the West Porterville Canal and helped build roads in the canyon and worked at the saw mills in the early days . -' • • • The roads were maintained and kept in repair by poll taxes. Each man had to do a certain amount of work each year. He worked on the railroad when it was built through Morgan County. In the early 1890's he was in the sheep business, but when the wool dropped to 7 cents per pound, h e had to sel 1 his sheep. Peter built a two-room brick house east of the Richville school house. This is on the Richville Lane . Later an upper story was added to the building. His parents lived in this house at one time. (The present address of this house is 1550 S 500 W.) His wife's nephew, James P. Jensen and Henry Warden lived in his home for many years. Peter homesteaded land at Lyman, Wyoming, and his wife Karen Marie and her two sons, John and David moved there to make their home. On 18 August,1886, Peter was arrested for unlawful cohabitation and taken to Ogden, Weber County, where he was held on $1500 bond. He was sentenced to six months in the state penitentiary and fined $100 by Judge Henry P . Henderson of the 1st District Court. On 30 December 1886 he began serving that sentence. He was released from prison on 30 June 1887 . Peter Peterson died 15 January 1907 and is buried in the Richville Cemetery. His three wives and six of his children are also buried there. PETER SORENSEN PETERSON Peder (Peter) Sorensen was born to Soren Pedersen and Ane Margrethe Baltzersen on 5 ~ay : 841_. He wasa born in Virring , Fruering, Aarhus, Denmark. ~fter 1mm1gratlon to Utah, the children of Soren and Ane Margrethe, changed their surname t o "Peterson", sometimes using both surnames "Sorensen" and "Peterson" .