WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF PETER NIELSEN
(February 22, 1813 - April 9, 1883)
My father's name was Niels Jensen, my mother's name Hedwig Darte Christensen; my grandfather and mother on my mother's side was named Christen Jensen and Anna Christensen. With my grandmother I was raised, my grandfather having died when I was fourteen years of age.
When I was 16 years of age I went as an apprentice for two years to learn the tailor trade, at which trade I worked until the year 1854.
On the twenty-sixth day of November, 1847, I was married to Anna Maria Sorensen, and on the thirty first day of August 1848, my son Israel was born at Merringgard, Jutland. My wife, who was the daughter of Israel Sorensen and Anna Katrine Justensen, died February 1, 1852.
I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the 2 March 1853; on the 26 day of November 1854 I left Denmark for America, taking with me my little son and servant girl. We set sail from Copenhagen on the steam ship Cimbria, with rations for a few days. We stopped at a town by the name of Fredrickshawn to take on more passengers, when our company numbered six hundred and twenty five souls. As I passed by the door of the Captain's room, he called me in to have a glass of wine with him. We talked awhile and he told me we should be in England in about three days. I, answering said, "It would be good if it would be so," at which he swore with an oath that it should be no longer than the next day; but when I told the emigrants what the Captain had said, there was a sailor standing by who doubted it, for on his former trip, (this being his second) the year before, they were driven back to Christianna in Norway and had to lay over for four months. In the evening we were organized, I being chosen Captain of second cabin. This was saturday night. On Sunday morning we had our prayers and put our trust in the Lord believing he would bring us safe through in his own due time. At 2 o'clock of this day we set sail, and saw as we supposed the last of old Denmark; but the North Sea has always been hard and our voyage this time proved to be no exception to the name it has so long sustained. At ten o'clock there arose a gale which continued to increase in fury until 2 o'clock and then we steered for Norway, and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon we reached Mandel, Norway, all safe where we learned that six ships had been wrecked in this storm on the same sea. As evidence of this we saw several dead bodies that had been washed onto the shore. We all felt thankful to the Lord for the preservation of our lives, and our prayers and thanks ascended continually to our heavenly father.
At this place we laid over 10 days, and being out of supplies we had to lay in another supply for the trip. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon we again set sail, continuing our journey without interruption until 12 o'clock at night when the gale again struck us, a black cloud being seen in the distance. The Captain and crew thought the ship would surely go down, but the Lord ordained otherwise. When the cloud struck the ship it blew down several feet of the railing on each side of the ship, and washed some few things over-board. but nothing of value. The crew now had to pump incessantly to keep the water out of the ship. Becoming again discouraged, the Captain turned the ship and sailed for Christrianna in Norway. Under all these trying circumstances the Saints were quiet and prayerful, trusting in the Lord that He would bring them safe over. We sailed all day but got in too late for the big boat to see our signs, so we had to again sail for old Denmark where we arrived after having sailed all night and until about dark the next day, landing at Frederickshawn. On our way we passed a ship wrecked with a man sitting in the mast frozen to death.
Looking back on what we had passed through, we felt that it was a miracle that we had landed safe, I was very sick and almost thought I had come back to Denmark to be burried, but the Lord raised me up to health and strength again in a few days.
We remained here until a week before Christmas when the Captain said the sea was the smoothest it had been since we first put to sea, this being Monday, and on Wednesday he wished to again put to sea. Before starting, two girls came to the ship and wanted their baggage that they might remain in Denmark. Before starting on Wednesday morning, one of the brethren prophesied that we should see America on the 11 February, 1855. Sailing out according to arrangements, we continued our journey without interruption until Friday at 4:00 o'clock AM when another gale commenced, the crew having to pump with all their might to keep the ship from going down. Three times during the day the fire in the furnace was extinguished and the brethren had to help carry coal and renew the fire as so much water came in at one time that a man said we were sure to go down. At 8:00 o'clock AM we again turned for Norway. In the darkness we could see the lamps of another ship drifting directly toward us, the Captain being afraid that she would drift into our vessel. It came so near that the crew of both ships spoke to one another stating that they had been drifting for several hours. At 2:00 o'clock the next morning another cloud struck the ship though without damage. It turned the wind and the cook came and opened the cabin door, and said we shall now turn for England, I am going to call up the Captain. Se we turned for England and sailed along side of the same ship we had seen in the morning. They were now able to control their ship.
Now the wind was against the sea and such a raging and roaring we had never before heard. At about 6:00 o'clock on Christmas Eve, we came to England. On our reaching England, the sailor who had doubted our reaching this point in five days, came and said we had done well to make the voyage in so short a time. He said the Captain had endangered his own life and the lives of all on board for the sake of money - but now the ship was repaired. We told him that the Lord had preserved our lives because we were his people. We had no light nor food until I went to the Captain and he furnished us what we needed.
Before leaving my native land, I was laboring as a missionary in company with a young man, when one day through misrepresentations of some wicked men we were arrested as tramps and thieves and taken before the magistrate who said to us. "You are not guilty of what these men accuse you?" I replied that we were not, but that my companion had considerable money at interest. I then told him that we were preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and bore my testimony to him of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and while he did not believe my testimony, he told us to go home and draw up an affidavit of our social standing etc. and send to him.
But returning to our narrative, at 9 o'clock on Christmas we took the cars at Hull for Liverpool, where we arrived in the evening of the same day all in the enjoyment of good health, and without losing any lives this far. The reader will see by close following the narrative that what should have taken us but five days to make, had by ungenial gales and tempestuous storms, taken us thirty days. At Liverpool we remained six or seven days.
Arrangements had been made by Apostle F. D. Richards, with the Captain of a large sailing vessel to take us to America, but as we were so long he became impatient an swore that he would wait for us no longer. About the 20th of December he set sail for America, but she had but fairly gotten under way when a violent storm arose which resulted in breaking two or three crop timbers of the ship and thus she was obliged to put back into port to get the ship repaired and instead of our taking passage on this ship we were on the ship "James Nesmith'. The arrangement was for seven hundred passengers but instead of that number they would take but five hundred and fifty.
Before leaving the docks the passengers were carefully inspected by two doctors to ascertain whether there were any contagious diseases among them. Two children were found to be thus affected and they with their mothers were taken on shore.
After sailing out of port we were organized into four wards, I being appointed to take charge of the third ward, and O.P. Hansen, president of the whole company.
We were treated very kindly by all the officers and crew of the ship excepting the Second Mate who was a wicked man and not withstanding we had paid full fare, there were some of the passengers who suffered considerably for the common necessities of life.
The wind not being favorable, we made but little progress for three or four days, but during this time the sea was rough and as a consequence there was considerable sea sickness among the passengers. On or about the 7th of January 1855, I received the hand of Miss Karen Nielsen in marriage. President O. P. Hansen officiating. There was also another marriage at the same time, and before we had landed in America there had been three or four other marriages solemnized.
We had a very pleasant voyage, excepting one day and a few hours when the wind blew a fearful gale and blew our ship back for the space of one day and three or four hours. When the storm struck us some of the passengers were sitting upon the deck, but some of the ship being broken, they soon made their way below.
According to the prophecy of the brother before leaving Denmark, we spied a light on the American coast February the 11, 1855.
Two boats were sent out to meet us on which were two or three Negros, the first we, the Danish Saints, had ever seen, which I assure you, was a great curiosity to us.
The ship was but six weeks and three days in making the voyage from Liverpool to the mouth of the Mississippi River. There were eighteen deaths, old folks, and children, in crossing the ocean.
When coming into the Mississippi our ship lodged on a sand bar from which we were unable to extricate ourselves. So the next morning a tugboat was sent out to assist us, but it was unable to render us any assistance. Another boat was added but they failed to move the ship so the next day a third boat was added without any better success than before. The captain then said we would have to remain here until the river rose. It was Sunday night when we struck the sand bar and there remained until between Wednesday and Thursday night and the water rose six feet and the ship was unable to move off, only by the aid of three tugboats, one on each side and one in front, and then we did not get clear off the bar until the next day. After getting clear it was no trouble for one boat to draw three ships into New Orleans.
As we sailed along the Mississippi from its mouth to New Orleans, it being the latter part of February was to be seen on either side, skirting the banks of the Mighty Mississippi, extensive orchards of lemons, oranges, figs, and other luscious fruits in tempting abundance. Back of these orchards and running parallel with them were numbers of negro huts. While lying on the sand bar we saw miriads of fish of all kinds, some as heavy as a half grown pig. We were advised not to eat them as for some cause they were considered not to be fit for use.
We found all kinds of the products of this section to be extremely cheap - sugar 4c, rice 2c, and bacon 6c and other things in proportion.
While stopping at New Orleans an apostate from the Latter-day Saints tried to induce us not to proceed farther on our journey at present giving us his reason for such a course that the ice in the river would prevent our reaching St. Louis. But at this juncture a missionary from Utah happened along and advised us to proceed on our journey, "for," he said, "the ice will be broken up and the river cleared before you reach St. Louis." Our President, therefore, hired a steamboat and we proceeded on our way for St. Louis having laid in our supplies..
Before leaving New Orleans the Captain came down to the ship and told us that this had been the most prosperous trip he had ever made across the ocean. The trip before this he had embarked with one thousand passengers, but no sooner had he put to sea, than they commenced to drink, play cards, quarrel and fight, besides they were filthy in their habits. From these causes disease took hold of them and before he arrived in America death had consigned seven hundred to a watery grave. On another and previous voyage he had embarked with three hundred passengers, and from several similar causes he arrived in America with but eleven souls, disease having taken the remainder. "In the future," he said, "if I have my choice, I will bring none but Latter-day Saints." Thus we can plainly see how the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ enable his chosen people to escape disease and death; while on the other hand a wanton disregard of these sacred principles had carried so many to an untimely grave. Such has been the case in all dispensations of God's providence to his children and such it will continue to be until the end of time.
But to come back to the main thread of our narrative, we arrived in St. Louis, having buried seventeen or eighteen of our number while on our way up the river. With this exception we had a prosperous journey.
At St. Louis we had the pleasure of beholding the face of esteemed brother and apostle, President Erastus Snow, who told us we had been the most prospered of any company of Saints that had yet come to America. In alluding to the number of deaths that had occurred on our way up the river, he said that the Prophet Joseph had predicted that the time would come when the Mississippi River would be so poisoned that it would be unsafe for the Saints to come in that route but would have to come in by the way of New York.
Means being scarce among the Saints we were advised to seek for labor in Leavenworth and Weston, Kansas. While at these places the Saints were attacked with that dread disease, Cholera, which was contracted from some clothes that were taken in by some of the passengers for washing. From this attack, two men and one woman lost their lives. The sister felt that she was going to die. She was, however, administered to by the President of the company and dedicated to the Lord. She died before the President had taken his hands off her head.
There were ten others, two that were taken down with the same fatal disease. Myself and another young brother were called upon to administer to them both night and day so that for some time we did not undress ourselves. President Snow, who was staying at St. Louis was so impressed with a sense of courage that was passing over the camp that he could not sleep during the whole of the night. Next day he took passage on a steam boat and other conveyance and came to our camp. He immediately called the Saints together feeling that we were in transgression and that the Lord had allowed this scourge to come upon us. It was ascertained that the President's conduct with a young woman that had been put under his charge had not been altogether chaste, and that as a consequence the Saints had lost confidence in him and given up to a spirit of murmuring and fault finding. President Snow administered chastisement both to the President and Saints, and told us if we would repent of our sins, no more should die from the disease. All that were willing to repent of their sins were allied upon to manifest it by saying "aye." All responded "aye" and thus was the disease driven from our camp. Another manifestation of God's power through His Holy Priesthood.
O. P. Hansen was dropped from his position as Captain, and a man by the name of Secker put in his place.
After laboring in these settlements for eight or ten weeks we were assisted by some of the brethren to buy outfits- - cattle, wagons and provisions. Many of the cattle were wild; this, together with our being unaccustomed to the driving of cattle prevented our making any headway for several days. But we finally got started and moved on to Atchenson where I should have stated we were again attacked with CHOLERA, the above narrative being a recital of incidents that happened at Atchenson instead of at Leavenworth.
Our new Captain Secker, was impatient with the people going so far on one occasion to tell some of the Saints that if they did not do exactly as he wanted them to, that they could remain behind. When we had been two weeks on our way he was attacked with Cholera and died in a few days.
Brother Guymon was then appointed Captain and from then on we got along pretty well, though not without some little jarring.
Many a time when on our way when our cattle would become sullen or tired, myself as well as other brethren, have gone secretly between our oxen and blessed them and immediately they would move on, showing to us that the Spirit of the Lord can subdue and are bidable to ox as well as man.
On the sixth day of September 1855 we arrived in Salt Lake City, having been ten months and twenty days since we left Copenhagen, a distance perhaps of between six and seven thousand miles. There were but two deaths in crossing the plains.
After remaining in Salt Lake City for a few days through the advice of President snow we went (myself and family with a few others) to Ft. Ephriam in Sanpete County where we arrived on the 18th of the month.
This was an uninviting place I can assure you to us at that time for the entire valley of Sanpete had been visited by grasshoppers which had destroyed the crops. But having bought four sacks of flour from Salt Lake City, together with 20 pushes of potatoes that I got for an ox and twelve bushels more that my wife got for labor, and a few bushels of wheat that I got off a brother to whom I had lent money while he was on a mission to Denmark, together with weeds we used for food, besides putting ourselves on rations, we had enough to last until we had raised a crop the next year.
During these times of scarcity men would go to the canyons for wood and timber with nothing more to eat than potatoes and in some instances even greens, a scanty diet for laboring, but yet we were contented and happy, feeling, and in fact knowing that we were in the appointed gathering place for the Saints of the Most High. On the first day of December, 1856, my wife gave birth to a boy, and we named him Peter.
Our clothing, too, was very scanty. The fall i arrived in Sanpete County, however, I bought two sheep and the wool from these with their increase and others I was able to furnish material from which my wife carded, spun, dyed and wove into cloth for our use and while not of the finest texture it served first rate to clothe our bodies.
In the spring of 1856 I planted what wheat I could get for seed and in the fall reaped a harvest of one hundred and fifty bushels of wheat besides a crop of potatoes. Thus by the blessing of the Lord we were able to gather about us some of the necessities of life. It being too, at the time of Johnson's army at Camp Floyd, we found a ready market for butter, eggs, grains, and vegetables.
The Dixie country being colonized in the years of 1858-9 and 60s it was in the year of 1861 the authorities of the Church decided to make a general call on the brethren throughout all that country. I with many others at the General Conference held in Salt Lake City, October 1862, was called to this mission.
I immediately sold out - - farm, house and so forth, taking notes for the most of my property which have not been paid up to this time. Leaving my wife to dispose of our crop, on the tenth day of November of this same year, I started with my son Israel and a Young, in the midst of snow and ice for fair "Dixie," to make another home.
Had our faith not been centered in our Eternal King it would have been more than we could have endured, to come from as fruitful a district as Sanpete to one of the most uninviting regions in the valleys of these, but we realized that God had instigated this move for a wise purpose.
I, as before stated, started on my journey for the south. Arriving at the Black Ridge, at what is now called Kelseys, a number of brethren were elected to explore up and down the Rio Virgin River and report which in their judgment would be the best locality in which to locate. I being of that number. We first traveled up the river, and then down as far as Washington where we were very kindly treated by the people. They were very anxious that we should locate with them. I concluded to make my home at this place, Washington.
The next year (1862), I went back to Ephriam for my wife and child, depositing at the time, wheat in the tithing office for those years of scarcity. But my condition was not the condition of many of my brothers and sisters; for a good many of them had to grind cane and cotton seeds and make bread of the flour thus obtained to keep them from starving. At one time after I had been here three or four years, the Bishop came to me and asked me to take two teams with the guns and whatever the brethren and sisters had that would sell and go into Sanpete and buy flour. I went and brought the flour as desired and came home with it. When coming through Harrisburgh I was besought to sell the flour so eager were the people to get some to eat. Coming on home brethren and sisters crowded around my wagon and were so anxious to get a little flour that before I had time even to wash myself I had to weigh out eight hundred pounds in small quantities varying from eight to twenty pounds. Thus the pressing needs of the people were satisfied for the time being.
But the people had to struggle hard for a living for many years taking their scanty products - - cotton, molasses and wine and exchange them with their northern neighbors for flour and potatoes and other articles that they really needed. Clothing too, among the people was very scarce, and what little they had had to be made by hand - - carded and spun and woven into cloth. In time there was a cotton factory established at Parowan, Iron County by President Brigham Young and Ebenezer Hanks, where we could exchange our raw cotton for yarn, and a roll of carding machine being in successful operation at Cedar City also in Iron County, we were relieved of much hard labor in making our clothes. Still later on the factory was established at Washington, thus making it quite easy to obtain our living and clothing.
In Salt Lake City on the 21st day of may 1873, I entered the Holy Law of Celestial Marriage by receiving the hand of Harriet Amanda Tyler, widow of Oscar Tyler, deceased, in marriage. She had five children when I married her. Three sons and two daughters. On the 15 day of May 1874 a girl was born to me by my wife Harriet Amanda.
April 22nd, 1875 my Peter received the hand of Miss Anna Taylor in Marriage David Cannon officiating.
In 1876 a son was born to me by my wife Harriet Amanda. He did not live long.
January 1, 1877, I attended the dedication of the St. George Temple, a house reared to the name of God, our Eternal Father in this once forbidden country. March 22 same year, my sons Israel and Peter received their washings and anointings, Peter at the same time having his wife sealed to him, she having received her endowments also at the same time.
June 5th, 1877, my son Peter was baptized for 20 of our dead relatives and my wife Caroline for 20, at the same time being endowed for 4 persons, I for two and my wife for two; May 20th, 1879, Israel was baptized for 23 and Caroline for 16.
April 28th, 1880 (age 67) I received intelligence that I had been called to a mission to my native land, Denmark. The same day I preached my farewell discourse to them in our meeting house and on the next day I went to St. George, in company with Elder Robert F. Goold who had been called on a mission to his native land England, where I met President John D.T. McAllister, who laid his hands on our head and blessed us.
On the 4th of October, same year, left our families and friends and proceeded on our journey, going by way of Sanpete through Sevier Valley, visiting friends and relatives by the way. On the 14th arrived at Nephi where we took train for Salt Lake City, and on the 15th went to President Taylor's office and were set apart for our missions to Europe and received our certificates. Remained in Salt Lake City until true 21st when we took the train for Ogden, where we got our tickets for Omaha. On the 26th we arrived in New York, all well and buoyant in spirits and registered at Stephens Hotel. While in New York we visited many places of public resort, notably Greenwood Cemetery, some monuments erected in honor of the dead and cost as high as $30,000.00. We also saw the graves of five sisters, all for whom, it was said, had lived to be one hundred years old.
On the 28th I set sail for Liverpool on the S.S. Wyoming in company of ten other missionaries. 29th all in good health, though the sea was rough. 30th mild and pleasant, 31st many sick. Over 900 miles on our journey. Nov. 1st we were on the banks of Newfoundland. Nov. 2nd our journey was half completed at noon. Nov. 3rd raining, smooth at sea, however our appetites had fled. Nov. 4th we made good time. Nov. 5th, nothing worthy of note. Nov. 6th Fast Day. Held meeting in our berths; County Calway also in sight.
Arrived at Queenstown at 7 p.m. Nov. 7th Hollyhead in view-company all well except Elder Abram H. Cannon. Arrived at Liverpool Custom House at about 3 p.m. where we were met by President Budge, Elders John Nicholson and Francis Cope from the Liverpool Office, who had come out on the tender to meet us from whence we proceeded to the office 241 Islington. A meeting was then called by President Budge, wherein much valuable instruction was imparted to the brethren who had just arrived, by President Budge and Elders Nicholson and Cope; after which we were called to order when prayer was offered, and we then proceeded to the dining room where we partook of a good supper. We then came to the most trying scene of all thus far in our experience on this journey leaving one another for our respective fields. Let those judge of our feelings who have passed through such an experience. It is at such times that the pride of man breaks down and he becomes for the time as a child allowing his tears to flow freely.
Parting with my brethren and those who had been my traveling companions up to this tine, I proceeded on my journey arriving in Hull the next morning at 5 a.m. and at 10 o'clock the same we embarked for Hamberg where we arrived on the 10th instant at 12 p.m. where I registered at Seyers Hotel. The same day I started for Keile, my expenses from home to this point $116.25. On the 11th went from Keile to Copenhagen, arriving there at 12 p.m. and at once proceeded to the office, the Scandanavian Star, with President Wilhelsen, C. Asmusson and Andrew Jonson, and Olo Peterson all the brethren being very kind to me. Sunday, Nov. 16th attended Sunday School in the morning and in the afternoon meeting, where I had the privilege of talking to the people and bearing my testimony to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The same day I met one of my nephews, a brother's son who was at the army and a sister. On the 17th I met Lars Sevensen and Christian Jensen, two brother missionaries who were uncommonly kind to me.
I was appointed to labor as a traveling Elder in the Aarkures Branch to preach to both saints and strangers and inviting them to repent of their sins and turn unto the Lord. It was the custom that when there were people to be baptized that the priest of the Conference was sent for to administer that ordinance to the candidate. But on one occasion I could not get word to the President so I administered that ordinance to seven persons and confirmed them at the same time. I also blessed a number of children in the same conference. After remaining in the presidency in this conference for three weeks, I was released. In August of this year, in consequence of my old age, being 78 years of age, I was released to return home with the Danish Saints on the steam ship Otto, my fare to Hull costing me $7.50.
I have expended in cash in assisting to immigrate the poor saints from my native land something over $840.00, besides assisting six or seven persons in crossing the plains. I have also furnished a yoke of oxen for three years to assist to bring the poor saints across the plains.
But to return again to my narrative, on the 28th we left Copenhagen for Hull where we arrived on the 30th leaving the same day for Liverpool and arrived there in the afternoon at three o'clock, all well and in good spirits. On the 1st of Sept. I gave my note for five pounds sterling or twenty-five dollars, the amount of my passage to Utah.
Meeting was called by President William Budge, in which he gave some very pointed and valuable instruction, reproving some severely for their ungodlike conduct. He said some had committed adultery. I did not know at the time who had committed this heinous crime; but was afterwards told by Brother Amusen of Salt Lake City that the person in transgression was a man by the name of Halverson who lived in one of the settlements north of Salt Lake City. He had two wives at the time. He was cut off from the church by President with the understanding that he could not come into the field again in this life. Thus we see that way of the transgression is hard, to the sins of the world.
In the morning of Sept. 3rd we took our baggage to the ship, but the ship not being ready to load our baggage was not taken on until in the evening. Getting all things properly arranged we took our supper on the ship.
Saturday, Sept 4th Brother Robert F. Foul paid a visit to me on the ship "Nevada" with over 300 saints and as many or more strangers, with 100 officers and other passengers. For the first three or four days we were more or less sick, but we were kindly treated by the Captain and the other officers of the ship, also by the crew, especially those that were sick, and the old too.
The missionaries were most kindly treated having food of all kinds in great abundance with servants to wait on them in all their calls.
The utmost good feeling prevailed among the Saints, there not being one work or action to mar our peace and harmony throughout the entire journey. while at sea, on the 11th there was the death of aged brother, 61 years of age and he was burried in the ocean the same day. Sunday the 12th there were the meetings held in three parts of the ship by the three nationalities, English, Danish, and Dutch or German. We also had a meeting of the Danish Saints in the evening. Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. we landed in New York, in the short space of eleven days from Liverpool, all in the enjoyment of good health, and with but one death as above noted. On the 16th we stopped at Castle Gardens, the Saints headquarters where we remained over night. On the 17th ourselves and luggage was transferred to the cars for Omaha at which point again train fares for Odgen and Salt Lake City were paid.
Passed through much fine country on the way through the states. On the 22nd we passed over the channel of the Platte River which was entirely dry, but not withstanding this fact there were ponds on the river bed. On the 24th at 4 p.m. we reached Ogden, and the next day came to Salt Lake City, where we stopped at the tithing yard. Attended meeting in the Tabernacle on the 26th it being Sunday. On the 28th I went to the U.S. Land Office and got my patent for a quarter section of land situated in Washington City, paying $2.00 extra for the patent. On the 28th I took the cars for Nephi Station and from there to Levan, where I was met by my son Peter. The next day we went to Fountain Green, Sanpete County, and remained over night with Hans Peter Olsen, remaining over night.
The next day went to Mt. Pleasant where we remained for days, buying in the mean time two thousand-five hundred pounds of flour which we took by wagons to our home in Washington. On Sunday, Oct. 3rd I took dinner with Sister Thompson in Ft. Ephriam, and the same day we went to Manti where we remained all night with Brother Soren Christoffersen. On the 4th we went to Saline, Sevier county, where we put up for the night with Bro. Bishop Jensen; the evening of the 6th I remained all night with Ben Johnsen in Clear Creek Canyon. The 7th with father White in Beaver, 8th stopped at Buck Horn Spring and the evening of the 9th with Bro. Niels Mortensen in the lane west of Parowan, Iron County, remaining over Sunday; 10th went to Hamilton's Fort, 11th to Bellevue, 13th went to Pleasant Valley to the home of my wife, Harriet Amanda remaining all night; 13th started on foot for Harrisburg, where I met my wife Caroline, two sons, Israel and Peter and three grandchildren, came on the same evening to my home in Washington having been gone from home not quite one year. On Sunday, I went to meeting and had the privilege of talking to the Saints and again bearing my testimony to the truth of the Gospel as restored in these last days through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that in my own native land or rather mountain home and adopted land among family and friends of the same faith.
From this time until the fall of 1882 my time was occupied principally at home laboring a great deal of the time in the orchards and vineyards. At the time of the St. George Stake Conference held I was called to act as a counsellor to Bishop Marcus Fund of Washington. Being ordained a high priest I entered upon the duties of my office at once and faithfully till the time of the end. (continuing Bro. Peter Nielsen's life from here)
In the year of 1882 on the event of his birthday a party was given him which seemed to please him very much. His two wives, three children, and four grandchildren being present.
While at Pleasant Valley (Danish Ranch) in the fall of 1882 the last Friday in Nov. he was taken seriously ill and with difficulty and discomfort was brought to his home in Washington being taken with chills and fever while on the road. In two or three days his left foot began to swell. The swelling continued and extended up his leg to his body on that side. On Thursday, it being Fast Day, he was taken to Bro. Higgins who was a Doctor, who said he was troubled with dropsy. by the Doctor's treatment he was relieved of the swelling in the foot which continued bad breaking and discharging pus at times through the winter until in Feb. when it healed.
In the latter part of March he went to Pleasant Valley, alone contrary to his custom, (since feeble) driving his teams which proved very fatiguing to him. He took sick the following day and was confined in bed twelve days, when on the 7th day of April his son Israel and Bro. R. F. Gould brought him to Washington in a carriage.
On the ninth of April he died, 1883. He lived to a good old age and being born the 22nd day of Feb 1813, he lived 70 years, one month and 15 days.
AN INCIDENT TO ADD TO THE LIFE OF PETER NIELSEN
This incident has become legendary in both the Cannon family of St. George and the Nielsen family of Washington.
When the St. George tabernacle was nearly finished, they needed $800 in money for the glass windows, and other items which had been shipped from New York via Cape Horn to Los Angeles. They used every means at their command to raise it, but were still six hundred dollars short. President David H. Cannon was very much worried about it. He made it a matter of prayer and received the assurance that the money would come.
He proceeded to prepare for the trip, just as though he had it. He greased his wagons and shod his horses. His wife protested. "What are you going to all that bother for?" she asked. "You know that you can't get the freight without the money." "Never mind, Wilhimina, the money will come."
He made all preparations. On the morning set to leave he was up early. His wife still wondered if he were not foolish.
Just as he was eating breakfast Peter Nielsen came in. He had six hundred dollars in gold tied up in an old blue handkerchief, and he walked five miles from Washington to bring it over. "I was impressed that you needed money," he said, "In the night it came to me that I should bring this to you."
It was just the amount that was needed. Brother Nielsen had been keeping the butcher shop and livery stable for the freighters from the mines and had saved it over a long period of time. But he not only gave it freely, he walked to bring it.