This article was provided to me related to my 3rd Great Grandmother Agneta Nelson. I have previously shared the history written by Carvel Jonas related to Agneta and John Nelson. I have also shared the Carvel Jonas history of their daughter, my 2nd Great Grandmother Annetta “Annie” Josephine Nelson Jonas. I also note that Agneta and John’s son, Nels, also wrote a lengthy autobiography that tells some of his parents’ history. Some of the parts of this history are likely using Nels’ autobiography, parts of it mirrors and quotes from it.
Pioneer Women of Faith and Fortitude was published by the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers in 1998. It is a four volume set, ISBN: 0-9658406-1-1. This biography starts on page 2121.
I note some revision of Agneta’s name over the last years. This article includes the Bengtsson/Nilsson last name. But as those familiar with Scandinavian naming protocols, Bengtsson/Benson was her father’s last name, but her early live documents reference her father’s first name, Nils. Hence her name in Sweden was Nilsdotter, not Nilsson or Bengtsson. With that, here is the language of the article.
This biography suggests that Agneta was married before and that marriage produced Bot[h]ilda and James. Curiously, James’ baptism record lists Johannes Nilsson as the father. Further, Nels, in his autobiography, indicates he was the third child of John and Agnetta Nelson. James appears to be John’s, but the baptism of Bothilda without a father suggests not John. I don’t know that we will know, and this biography shows unknown.
“BIRTHDATE: 9 Dec 1832 Oringe Hallands, Sweden
“DEATH: 4 Nov 1873 Logan, Cache Co., Utah
“PARENTS” Nils Bengtsson (Benson) – Johanna Johansson [Johansdotter]
L-R: Johanna Benson, Johanna Icabinda Benson, John Irven Benson, Nels Ernst Benson, Mary Ann Angel Works holding Merrill Lamont Benson.
“PIONEER: 15 Sep 1864 William Preston’s Wagon Train
“SPOUSE I: Unknown
“MARRIED: In Sweden
“DEATH SP:
“CHILDREN (Adopted and sealed to second husband):
“Botilda (Matilda), 31 Dec 1853 (died at age 11)
“James Peter, 13 Dec 1[8]55
“SPOUSE II: John / Johannes Nelson/Nilsson
“MARRIED: 17 Nov 1855 Veinge, Hallands, Sweden
“DEATH SP: 26 Nov 1902 Logan, Cache Co., Utah
“CHILDREN:
“Nels August, 18 May 1[8]57
“Josephine, 5 Feb 1860 (died as a child near Omaha, Nebraska)
“Amanda, 26 Dec 1862 (died as a child buried at sea)
“Annette Josephine, 18 Nov 1864
Annie Josephine Nelson Jonas
“Joseph Hyrum, 14 Jun 1868
“Jacob Nelson, 9 Dec 1870 (twin)
“Jacobina, 9 Dec 1870 (twin)
“Charlotte Abigail, 16 Dec 1872
“Moses, 25 Oct 1873
“Agneta was born on December 9, 1832 in Oringe Hallands, Sweden. Agneta was the oldest child in a family of eight children.
“On Thursday, April 28, 1864, with 973 emigrants aboard, the ship, “Monarch of the Sea,” sailed from Liverpool, England. Patriarch John Smith was President of the company. At Florence, Nebraska, they traveled by teams under the Company Captain William B. Preston, to Salt Lake City, arriving September 15, 1864.
Monarch of the Sea, 1020 LDS passengers on this voyage.
“The Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to their home in 1862, and Agneta, her mother and some of her brothers accepted the message gladly. But it wasn’t until the Spring of 1864, that Johannes and Agneta were ready to leave Sweden for America and the West.
Nilsson family on the Monarch of the Sea passenger list
“The voyage was long and stormy with much sickness aboard. The rations were meager; raw beef, lard, and hard crackers, water, mustard and salt. Many times they would wait all day for their turn to cook the meat, and sometimes the turn never came. Agneta saw several bodies being lowered into the deep ocean; and then it was her turn to watch eighteen month old with a rock tied to her feet, slipping into the ocean.
“Laying to rest little ones is unknown territory was to be Agneta’s experience two more times. Matilda, in New Jersey, near the Delaware River, and four year old Josephine near Omaha, Nebraska.
“During these trials, she valiantly went forward, giving birth to her sixth child in a cold, stark dugout in Logan, Utah.
“Arriving in late October, most homes in Logan that fall were underground, about five feet deep, with a rock chimney in corner. Fuel was willows from the Logan River bottom. It was quite warm, until spring thaw caused the room to fill with water about two feet. The cold of Cache Valley became known to all new settlers that winter.
“The next winter found John and Agneta in a snug log cabin, with cows, sheep, a yoke of steers, and 120 bushels of wheat raised on their six acres. Agneta also gleaned wheat from the field. She sheared the sheep, washed, carded, spun and wove the wool into clothing for her family; and with her gleaning, she was able to provide nice clothes for herself, and children.
“On October 4, 1867, three years after their arrival in Utah, John and Agneta traveled to Salt Lake City, to be sealed in the Endowment House. In the next six years she gave birth to five more children, with only two surviving beyond the age of accountability.
“Just nine years after her entering Utah, Agneta gave birth to her last child, Moses Nelson, born October 25, 1873; and she did not survive this birth. Moses died November 12, 1873. A mother had sacrificed for a child of God.
Another random newspaper clipping from my Grandmother Gladys Maxine Donaldson Ross. I am not sure why this was clipped or what relationship or knowledge she had of anything in the article. I assume familiarity and connection with Elder Ritz.
Talks in area ward chapels of the LDS Church are scheduled Sunday by departing and returning missionaries.
Elder Mark Stephen Ritz, son of Mrs. Karen Taylor, 732 E. 850 N., has been called to serve in the Sweden Goteborg Mission.
A graduate of Weber High School and seminary. He will speak at the Plain City 3rd Ward Chapel, 4461 W. 2350 N., at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Elder Greg Steed, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don F. Steed, 784 W. 300 N., Clearfield, has returned from the Belgium-Antwerp Mission.
He will speak at the Clearfield 10th Ward Chapel 300 N. 200 W. Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
Elder Vern Alan Thurgood, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vern L. Thurgood of 675 N. 2000 W., West Point, has returned home after serving in the LDS Church England London South Mission.
He will speak at the West Point 2nd Ward Chapel, 3488 E. 300 N., Sunday at 12:45 p.m.
The full name of an elder who will speak at the Ogden 62nd Ward Chapel, 300 Grammercy, Sunday at 2 p.m. is Brent Allison Bate. He is being assigned to the Texas San Antonio Mission, as previously reported.
I received a letter from a first cousin, twice removed this past week. I was pretty excited about the letter and appreciate her thinking of me. Alice Coley Miller, daughter of Lloyd and Verda Coley, Lloyd is the brother to my Lillian Coley Jonas. The card and letter speak for themselves. As time passes, many of these types of documents are likely just trashed. This letter was somewhat difficult to type up and be loyal to what Great Grandma Lillian wrote. Having said that, I have made a number of corrections in brackets to be more accurate than what she had at the time of writing. The modern miracle of the internet, crowd-sourcing, and FamilySearch have completely changed this clunky process that Alice, Veda, and Lillian were engaged. I hope Great Grandma Bowcutt doesn’t mind my sharing her handwriting and grammar. I also linked the other pages and photos I have on this family, so you can go to those links to read the full information and histories that I have previously written.
February 26
Dear Paul
I have moved from Brooklyn, New York to Bountiful, UT. In going through stuff I found this letter written to me by your great grandmother Lillian Bowcutt (Jonas). Since it’s in her handwriting I thought you might like to have it.
I appreciate all the genealogical information you are gathering and that names on the Coley line are coming up for temple work to be done.
Enjoy the coming spring.
Alice Coley Miller
Mrs. Frank W. Miller, 1050 East 31 Street, Brooklyn, New York 11210.
Lillian Bowcutt, Box 312, Richmond, Utah 84333
Richmond UT, Febr. 6, 1976
Dear Alice Husband + family
Just haven’t been able to write and tell about the Coleys you see I haven’t been able to get much either. But aunt Veda has a lot she said write her and see if she can help you. I’ll send you what I have about them.
I wrote previously of a book I have that belonged to my Great Grandfather, Joseph Nelson Jonas. The book was given to me by Ellis Jonas along with a couple of others. Inside the book was this clipping, presumably put there by my Great Grandmother, Lillian Coley Jonas. I have no clue about its significance, if any. It was clipped and put there in the book for some reason.
“Word was received yesterday afternoon of the death of Dr. Wm. B. Parkinson, Jr., of Fairfield, Idaho. He had been ailing for the last year and was being treated for heart trouble at the time of his death in a hospital at Twin Falls, Idaho.
He was a son of the late Dr. Wm. B. Parkinson, Sr., and Elizabeth B. Parkinson, of Logan and was born at Morgan, Dec. 24, 1877, moving to Logan with his father’s family when a small boy. He graduated from medical school in Chicago and came back and practiced in Wellsville and Logan and settled in Lewiston where he practiced for many years. Later he moved to Fairfield, Idaho, where he was practicing at the time of his death.
“Surviving are his wife and the following children: Mrs. Ben Red of Price, Mrs. Hugh Johnstone of Oakland, Calif., Floyd Parkinson and Mrs. Beth Blair of Lewiston, Paul of Price, and Peggy Parkinson of Lewiston, and seven grand children.
“The brothers and sisters are Mrs. George W. Leishman, Mrs. Ada England, Elizabeth Parkinson, and Mrs. Afton Nielsen of Logan, Mrs. Winnifred Jennens of Detroit, Michigan. Dr. George T. Parkinson, Twin Falls, Ida., Mrs. Hazel McAlister of Preston, Dr. Fred B. Parkinson, Cedar City. Mrs. Veda Worley of Salt Lake, Mrs. Karma Parkinson of Franklin, Dr. Wallace Parkinson of San Francisco, Calif., Don Parkinson of Texas, Mrs. Edith Shaw of Provo, and Mrs. Arthur Rallison of Whitney, Idaho.
“Funeral services are being held at Fairfield, Idaho Thursday morning at 10 a. m. Burial will be at the Logan cemetery. Short services will be held at Logan graveside at 3 p. m. Friday.
“Friends may call at the W. Loyal Hall mortuary in Logan Friday from 10 a. m. to time of graveside rites.
Our mother, Mary Magdalena Wanner was born September 12, 1873 at Atzenweiler, Neckarkreis, Wuerttemberg. Wuerttemberg is one of the States in the divided German nation.
Mother is a daughter of Johann Georg Wanner and Anna Maria Schmid, and was given the name of Maria Magdalina. After the family came to the United States, mother adopted the American spelling of Mary Magdalina which she used the remainder of her life.
Our mother and her brothers and sisters were very fortunate to have parents who were honorable, upright hard working people who loved their children and worked very hard to see that they got the very best they could. Both parents believed in God and had a strong faith that their prayers would be answered in providing them with the blessings they needed. They belonged to the Luteran Church, and tried to teach their children correct principles.
Mother was the 3rd child in a family of 10 children – 5 boys and 5 girls; two of her brothers died at an early age in Germany.
Between the ages of 7 and 8, mother took care of her younger brothers and sisters while her mother and father were working in the fields. She was told to get the children to sleep; and when they woke up she would bring them to the fields to their parents. She was anxious for the children to settle down and get to sleep, so she would hold her finger tips over their eye lids thinking this would make them go to sleep but when she took her fingers off they would be wide awake.
Mother started school at the age of 8 years and graduated when she was 14. She did not go to school after that.
From the age of 10 until 13 she herded cows on a big hillside. The family lived on a farm and everyone had to help. Their father was gone a great deal of the time as a road overseer, or working in the Black Forest to make a little extra money to help increase the family income. Mother had to do a lot of hard work such as getting wood from the canyon to use for fuel to heat the house and to cook with.
Another of her jobs was to lead the cows that pulled the plow. She also piled hay and gathered grain in the fields. Most of the work was done by hand and much of the time the hay was piled on the fence so it would dry.
A 9 years of age she learned to knit and she became very proficient in this art. She knitted all her life supplying her own family with socks, etc. She knitted scarfs, caps, socks and sweaters for the soldiers during both World War 1 and 2. Among the things she knitted was a beautiful white shawl for my first baby. She also knitted two choice sweaters for my husband, one of which he has been wearing on many occasions for over 40 years and it is still in good condition. He still uses it and it has been very useful to him throughout these 40 years.
When she was 11 years of age, she could not walk for a time because of a problem with her leg. At this time, it was necessary that she be put in a baby buggy and pushed 5 or 6 miles to see the doctor.
She went to the city of Ravensburg to work when she was 15 years of age. She took care of children, did washings, ironing, helped with the cooking as well as other household tasks. While working at this job, mother developed a sore on her hand which required that she be hospitalized for two or three weeks.
During the year 1891, mother’s father brought some missionaries to their home. These missionaries were representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These missionaries were Jacob Zollinger from Providence, Utah, John Hassenfritz of the Bear Lake area, and John Federley of Salt Lake City, Utah. Incidentally, I got to meet Jacob Zollinger, a very fine man. After my marriage, whenever I sent to the Temple, Brother Zollinger was there.
After the missionaries had been teaching them the gospel for some time, the family became very much interested and decided they would like to join the church. Some of the family that were old enough were baptized in October, 1891, and became members of the only True Church. This brought peace to their minds and joy to their hearts. It didn’t take long for this family to decide that they wanted to leave their native land and come to the United States where they could have religious freedom and better opportunities for their family to provide for their wants and needs. Not so long after this, the oldest son came to this country with some returning missionaries. This was Uncle George.
In the spring of 1893 her mother and father made preparations to take their family to America. When all was ready, they said good-bye to their relatives, friends, their home and native land.
They rode the train for one day after which they took a boat up the Rhine River. After being on the boat for 3 or 4 days, they took the train for another day which took them to the North Sea. At the north sea they got on a large boat to go to Liverpool, England. The Sea was very rough and stormy. It took them another day to reach Liverpool where they boarded a big ship and sailed for America. They were on the ocean about two weeks before they reached New York where they stayed for two or three days. Then they took the train and started across the continent for Salt Lake City, Utah. They stopped at Chicago, Illinois for one day and one night; then continued on their way. After they got to Salt Lake City, they continued on their journey to Franklin, Idaho, arriving there the 18th June 1893. After their long hard tedious journey, they were all happy and anxious to get settled in their newly adopted homeland.
They were met by their brother George and Fred Nuffer with a team of horses and a wagon. They also brought a buggy with horses. They went to Fred Nuffer’s place in Cub River where her brother George had been working. They stayed at Nuffer’s place about one week. Her father soon started to look for a place to buy and settle down. He decided to take a trip over to the Bear Lake side to see what he could find. Grandpa took mother with him on this trip. They walked across mountains and had to cross the Cub River which was very swift and difficult for them to wade across. They spent one miserable night in the mountains listening to the bears growling. They saved some of their bread to give the bears in case they bothered them.
The next Sunday after arriving in Franklin, they all went to church in Glendale and had their membership records moved to that ward. The Ward Clerk in Glendale was William Addison Wagstaff who later became mother’s husband. Grandpa Wanner soon bought the home and farm of John Nuffer in Glendale. Grandpa and Grandma lived there a number of years and then sold it to their son Fred. Later he sold it to his son Bertus.
In a short time Mrs. Fred Nuffer got mother a job in Logan, Utah, doing house work for a lady by the name of Robin. Mother could not speak the English language at this time but with the help of this good family she was able to understand and speak a little.
Mother worked for the Robin’s until 1894, at which time she went to work for a family by the name of Card. She worked at Card’s about six months. She then returned to her home in Glendale for awhile. After a short rest, she went to work at the Section House in Preston, Idaho, helping a lady cook.
In April 1895, she went to General Conference of The Church in Salt Lake City, Utah. While she was there, she found a job doing housework for a banker by the name of Shutler (we are not sure of the spelling). Mother stayed at this place until November and then went home again for a while. Some time later mother worked for some people in Preston, Idaho, by the name of Hale. In 1896 mother returned to Logan and worked for a family by the name of Bishop.
In the spring of 1896 her mother wrote her and told her that her sister Louise was going to be the “Queen of May Day” celebration to be held in Glendale and she would like her to come home and be there on this occasion. Mother decided it would be fun and decided to be there.
On the day of the celebration mother accepted the invitation of William Addison Wagstaff to have lunch with him which seems to have been a big turning point in mother’s life. After they had their lunch they went for a stroll together. It appears that it was at this time that he proposed marriage to mother.
In a few days mother returned to her job in Logan, Utah. On 11 June 1896 W. A. took Mary’s sister Louise to Logan to take over her job so she could come back to Glendale to make preparations to be married. The next day they went to Preston to pick out material for her wedding dress and selected a cream cashmere trimmed in white silk. Her Tiara had orange blossoms on it. Looking at her picture now I think it must have been just beautiful.
On 16 June W. A. and Mary went to Logan with a wagon load of grain to sell for her father. After they got to Logan they purchased a plain yellow gold wedding band. She stayed with her sister Louise that night and on Wednesday 17 June 1896, W. A. and Mary were married for time and eternity in the Logan Temple by Marriner W. Merrill, The President of the Logan Temple. They spent their wedding night in Logan and returned to Glendale the next day, June 18th. That night Mary’s father and mother gave them a wedding supper at their home.
James, Annie, and Mary Wanner Wagstaff
Then mother went to live in the home where her husband and his mother resided. It was a log house with a dirt roof. This home was located about 5 miles North East of Preston, Idaho, in an area that is commonly called Glendale Flat. Mother took charge of the house and cared for her mother-in-law who had very serious leg trouble.
Right from the start mother worked side by side with her husband getting in the hay and grain. All the water for washing, bathing, drinking, etc. had to be hauled as they had no water on their place. Their cattle were driven to Worm Creek to drink. This Creek was about a mile from their home.
26 January 1897 mother’s first child was born, a tiny premature son. He was named George William. Our Dad held this tiny infant on his lap and fed it with a medicine dropper. He did everything he could to save his life but he passed away after 9 days.
Their second son named James Addison was born 24 June 1898; and 28 December 1899 her first baby girl, Annie Eliza was born. Our Dad and Mom and Dad’s mother were so very happy to have a son and a daughter to bless their home.
Back row: Willard, William, Annie, Parley, Maria, Jesse. Front row: Elsie, Edna, Herbert.
During the early part of mother’s married life, she worked in the Relief Society. Mother loved working in the Relief Society and did her part to make it a success.
In 1900 they moved to a two-room log house with a dirt roof. This house was located one mile from their first home. This move was made so they could be where there was water. This was a big help as they now had water from a well for culinary use as well as other things. Here they were able to have a nice garden with currants, both black and red, as well as gooseberries and raspberries. They could also have shade trees and fruit trees. I am sure this was a great blessing to them.
August 28, 1901, a son Wilford John was born. This made four children for them including the one who died. Dad and Mother were happy to have a family and Dad’s mother was thrilled to think she was now getting some grandchildren. Our Dad’s mother had a very sad time raising her family; our Dad being the only one of 4 children who lived to maturity.
Our Mother and Dad gave Dad’s mother kind and loving care for many years. She continued to have poor health. She was especially afflicted with varicose veins. Those finally turned into ulcers on her legs which had to be bandaged. One of their old neighbors has told us that she had her legs bandaged each day for over 35 years. She finally passed away in the early morning hours of December 2, 1902, and was buried in the cemetery at Glendale, Oneida County, Idaho.
The 9th of April 1903 Parley Leroy was born; and on 23 June 1903, our 22 months old brother Wilford John was drowned in a ditch just north of the house. Many people came from all around to help them at this sorrowful time in their life.
Children continued to come to bless this humble home and 3 March 1905 Willard Lesley was born. On 9 January 1907 Jesse Oleen was born. The 11th of November 1908 Herbert Spencer was born. Mother had now given birth to 7 sons and 1 daughter. She was very busy caring for them, her husband and home, as well as participating in church activities.
During the summer of 1909, they built a new house which had two rooms down and two rooms upstairs. It had a singled roof and later on was pebble-dashed.
It was in this home on a beautiful Sunday morning, 10 July 1910, the next child, a girl with hazel eyes and blond hair Edna Leona was born. The family as well as the Glendale Ward were delighted to see this baby girl come to the home where there were 7 sons and only 1 girl. 7th of August 1912 another daughter, Elsie Magdalina came to bless this home.
On the 19th of March 1913, sorry struck this home when their son James who had been ill a lot of his life passed away and was buried in the Glendale Cemetery.
On the 25 of March 1913 Mother had a patriarchal blessing by Patriarch Wm. Daines. This was a big comfort and a joy to Mother in later years.
The 8th of July 1915 Mother had her last child, a son she named Albert Wanner. Mother had a very difficult time at this birth and she was ill a long time after.
After Mother’s parents moved to Logan in 1910, she frequently went to visit them and did Temple work.
Very often Dad and Mom would drive their team and wagon and later a buggy to Preston; leave them there in the tie-yard and catch the U.I.C. to Logan to do two sessions at the Temple; then back to Preston to get their team; drive home about 4 miles. After Mother was married, she took every opportunity that came her way to go to the Temple. She loved to do this and it brought her great joy to be engaged in the Lord’s work.
Mother loved the outdoors and kept a beautiful garden and flowers; tended chickens and worked with her husband and children in the fields.
September 1918 Dad and Mom took their 3 daughters and youngest son Albert to Brigham City, Utah on the U.I.C. for Peach Day. They all had a delightful time, and enjoyed the trip very much.
During the summer of 1919 Dad and Mom and their 3 daughters and Albert again went on a visit. This tie to see Mother’s sister Pauline, who lived in Gentile Valley. They went in the white top buggy, and followed the road through the Bear Rivers narrows. This was a very narrow road and there was only a few places where people with teams could pass. Our Mother was very nervous going through the narrows. Dangerous things always made Mother worried and nervous. Mother was frightened when thunder and lightning storms were close to us, where she could see and hear it.
September 1919 Dad and Mother again took their 3 daughters and baby son on a trip. This time they took the train and went to see and learn more about where our Dad and lived and worked. They first went to Evanston, Wyoming, then Almy, Croydon and Ogden. They visited with many relatives and friends in Evanston, Almy and Croydon. Dad lived at both Almy and Croydon before coming to Idaho in 1884. For many years Dad wanted to take Mother on this trip to show her where he had lived and to meet some of his relatives and friends he had made before going to Idaho. This trip was the happy fulfillment of that wish.
Ogden, Utah was our last stop and while there Dad and Mother purchased the farm and home of his cousin and her husband Albert Phipps. This farm is located in West Weber, about five miles west of Ogden. It is an 80-acre irrigated farm. Less than half of which turned out to be good farm land.
Soon after they returned home, the news spread around that the Wagstaff family would soon be moving. Many friends and neighbors came to help in preparation for the move.
Before leaving Glendale, Mother’s good friend and neighbor Elizabeth Owen gave our family a nice going away party. Also the Glendale Ward did likewise and gave the folks a rocking chair as a token of their love and appreciation. After my brother Herbert got married, Mother gave the chair to him.
Mother had now lived in Glendale for over 25 years. She had many friends and neighbors that she loved and appreciated so much. In some ways she did not like to leave all they had worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get. Mother loved her home which had 3 new rooms added. They were now quite comfortable.
I’m sure Dad and Mother had given great thought to this venture before making the final decision to go away and start over in a strange kind of farming and among people they did not know. On the other hand they had become convinced that the move would provide better opportunities for their children. They did have 8 living children they loved with all their heart and soul. They also had great love and respect for each other. These things together with their strong testimony that Heavenly Father would bless them if they did what was right. They put their trust in God and bravely faced the future in their new environment. Little did they realize just what trials they would have to go through — even before they completely settled in their new home.
So it was in October 1919, Dad, Parley and Willard headed from Glendale to Ogden, Utah, with teams, wagons, and white top buggy loaded with family possessions. Jesse and Herbert stayed home and did the milking and tended animals. Parley and Willard stayed in Ogden, and Dad came back to Preston on U.I.C. With the help of faithful neighbors, the rest of the family possessions, cattle, chickens and furniture were put on the freight train and Dad went with them on to Ogden. Mom, us girls, Jesse, Herbert and Albert went on U.I.C. Little did he realize that when he arrived in Ogden, the officials would not let him take his animals home but quarantined them. It was a great shock to Dad when he had to pay over $1,000.00 for feed and care before he could get his animals. It is laughable now, but it wasn’t then when somehow the chickens got loose and were running all over the railroad yard with people trying to catch them. It must have been quite a sight to watch people scrambling around chasing chickens.
Our Dad left a paper in his own hand writing describing a few of the experiences our family had after we got to Ogden. The paper stats that in November 1919, the next month after we got there, Annie and Elsie came down with the Small Pox. Shortly after all the other children also came down. Dad and Mother had all 8 of us in one room and gave us patient loving care. I am sure it taxed their strength and was a great cause for worry and anxiety for them.
We had scarcely got over the Small Pox when all the children, Mother and Dad got the Influenza. We were a very sick group and our Mother was especially bad as she had Asthma along with the flu. Dad also got it but stayed up on his feet, caring for the rest of us and doing the chores. Our sister Annie and Anna Gregersen were working at a cafe in Ogden and roomed together and both of them had the flu. Our Dad went over to Ogden in the buggy every other day to take care of Annie and Anna and take them food. It became evident to our Dad that Anna was getting worse so he sent word for her parents to come. Annie and Anna were great friends and it was a great loss to Annie when her dear friend passed away 14 February 1920. I sometimes wonder how our Dad held up to the terrible work load and responsibility that was placed upon him at this time. Mother was worried about our Dad through all this.
When we first got to Ogden, we joined the Wilson Ward and Mother was put in as Relief Society Teacher. In August 1921 we joined the West Weber Ward. Before we joined the West Weber Ward, the Wilson Ward gave Mother a party and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Mother was soon put in as a Relief Society Teacher. She continued to be a teacher until she moved to Ogden in 1935.
In June 1921 Mother and her three daughters went on a trip to Logan, Preston, Glendale and McCammon. In McCammon we visited with mother’s brother Gottlob and family. In Glendale we visited with old friends and neighbors and in Logan with Mother’s sisters and her parents.
In December 1921 Mother’s sister Pauline passed away and left her little family without a mother.
In September 1922 Uncle Wills family all got Typhoid Fever. Our Mother believed in being her brothers keeper so she took this family into one room of her home and nursed them back to health, except Annie who was in the hospital. After they got over this terrible disease, Mother continued to take care of the baby boy for some time.
In the ensuing years Mother continued her activities in taking care of her family and supported her husband in his work, church, etc. Mother loved to have chickens and she usually had a flock — this enterprise besides furnishing eggs and meat for her family helped out in providing extra income. She was active in Relief Society and regular in her attendance at Church and in paying her dues.
In January 1931 her daughters Edna and Annie went to Logan to attend the Utah State Agricultural College. This meant that Dad and Mom were alone except for Elsie, Albert, Herbert and Jesse who had come home again. That winter they did considerable visiting of friends and neighbors and Dad helped them with their genealogy. It was during the winter and spring that three old friends passed away and mother and dad attended their funerals — John Dobbs in Logan, Henry D Auger in Lewiston, and Mother’s dear friend and neighbor in Glendale, Elizabeth Owen.
Mary Allsop Wagstaff (1826-1902) with William and Mary.
Little did Mother realize at the time that it would be less than a month when she would lose her devouted companion. Her husband had an operation for stomach ulcers in the Dee Hospital in Ogden the 29 May 1931 and passed away from Post Operative Pneumonia on 31 May. This was a terrible shock to Mother and she grieved very much. There was nothing for her to do except to go on alone without her companion. Life was hard for Mother at this time but she had all the loyal support her sons and daughters could give her. They all loved their Mother and did what they could do lighten the burden. Mother grieved long and hard over the loss of her dear husband but in time found her way to continue life and plan for the future.
Mother stayed on the farm and with the help of her children operated the farm the best they could. THe depression was on in full force and money was hard to come by. Through sheer frugality and wise management, they started to come out on top.
In January 1935, Mother, Annie and Elsie said good-bye to the farm and moved into Ogden. At first they moved into a rented house. They lived in two different rented houses.
In May 1939 Mother purchased a home at 2069 Jackson Ave in Ogden and this was her last home. Mother was comfortable in this home and she enjoyed having a little leisure time in which she could enjoy her flowers and listen to her favorite programs on the radio — Myrt and Marge was one of her specials — it all seemed so real to Mother.
20 December 1940 Mother’s oldest daughter Annie Eliza passed away. I am sure Mother missed Annie as Annie had been confined to the home with heart trouble for several years, during which time they had a lot of opportunity to enjoy each other.
In September 1941 Mother was honored on her birthday when her family gave her a dinner party at which time many of her children and grandchildren were present and Mother enjoyed it very much.
September 1943 an open house was held for her 70th birthday when many of her friends and relatives came.
April 1942 Mother had a serious operation from which she seemed to make a good recovery. FOr quite a few years after this Mother appeared to be in reasonably good health.
Time moved on for Mother as it does for us all. She had seen two world wars in which the people of her home land were heavily involved. I am sure Mother realized that many of her relatives were in action. She said little but seemed to think a lot about it. She had witnesses great changes in the lives of people including transportation, cars and trucks; telephones were beginning to gain in popularity and the radio was in almost every home. It was a thrill to Mother when she got her refrigerator. Tractors were in common use in farming and much of the back-breaking work was now done with machinery.
July 31, 1952 Mother had a mild stroke but was never confined to her bed completely. It did make a change in her life and I think she realized it. 23 of October 1952 after 3 months illness, Mother passed away at her home.
She had always been a hard working, devoted wife and Mother. She served as a Relief Society teacher for over 50 years. She paid her tithing, fast offerings and other donations. She kept her love for her family and her faith in God to the very end.
Her funeral was held 27 October at the Lindquist & Sons Mortuary in Ogden, Utah. It was a lovely funeral with lots of flowers and many friends and relatives attended. She was buried beside her dear husband in the cemetery at West Weber, Weber County, Utah.
THis little history of Mother was put together many years ago by her 3 daughters with her help in relating facts to us. Elsie brought it up to the time of Mother’s death.
I feel there is much more that could and should be said but I am sure each of her children have their own personal remembrances, as well as some of the grandchildren, but I would just like to add a little more that I don’t think has been mentioned.
I don’t remember a time when Mother did not have a lot of beautiful flowers. Geraniums that blossomed all winter long. She had morning glories, pansies, sweat peas, portulacas, pinks and others to mention a few.
Mother always made her laundry soap which was so good to use in cleaning the farm work clothes and so beautiful and white. She made many batches of soap for each of her married children as well as some of her neighbors.
When Dad and Mother killed a pig for home use, Mother worked so hard helping Dad cut it up, cure it and make delicious link sausages; and the head cheese she made was the best. There was always a piece of pork given to the neighbors.
She always churned her butter while on the farm and it was very good butter.
After we went to Ogden, Mother had a hot bed where she raised tomato and cabbage plants for themselves and others to plan in their fields.
Mother was a good cook and made the best bread, pies, rice pudding and soups. Oh! they were so good. When we had the threshers they always liked to be at our place for meals as they enjoyed the delicious meals Mother put on.
She loved to have her neighbors, friends and married children drop in for a good meal — and no one ever dropped in unexpected but that they were treated to a real meal or a snack.
After we moved to Ogden, it was the joy of her life to return to Preston to visit her dear friends, relatives and neighbors, and Dad somehow always found the necessary money so she could do that.
Mother was always clean and neat when she left home to go any place. She had beautiful long black hair that stayed dark until her death. She had a unique way of putting up her hair — hair styles changed but Mother’s never did. Many people commented on her lovely hair and the unique way she fixed it. Mother also had beautiful hats which she loved very much.
I would like to relate a little incident that happened in the summer of 1918. It was when we had a total eclipse of the sun. We did not have a radio or television and the paper hadn’t come. I guess Mother did not know the eclipse was coming. Dad had gone to town. I don’t know where the others were but Elsie, Albert, Jess and I were home with Mother. It started to get dark, then darker and darker. She became very excited and thought the end of the world was coming. She dashed out to gather the precious eggs — it was totally dark in the cop and the chickens had gone to roost. Mother was so relieved when it all passed over and the sun came out and best of all Dad came home.
One day during World War I, Dad was sitting at the breakfast table reading the paper. We knew, of course, about the German submarines sinking many of our food ships. Dad said rather nonchalantly, “Well, some more sugar has been sunk.” Mother became very excited and said, “Where?” Dad said, “In my postum,” and let out a roar.
Mother suffered with asthma most of her adult life and we all did everything we could to help out when she had a bad attack. Many mornings I remember Dad calling to us, “Come on and get up. Mother is sick.” We all rallied around and kept things going while she was down. If someone lit a match and let it burn, it would always bring on an attack of asthma. Many times when Mother was fighting for her breath we would all be frightened and I remember one time I ran to Bishop Ed. Bingham’s place to get him to come and administer to her.
Dad was always so kind, considerate and helpful to her especially when she was will; and her children were also.
Mother had a unique laugh and when something struck her as funny, she could really laugh. In a crowd you could always pick out Mother’s laugh. Several years at the July 24th celebration in West Weber she took the prize for laughing the longest and hardest. One year the prize was a leg of lamb; another time a beautiful Jordinere.
I remember that Mother had a pet lamb she loved and took very good care of it. She went to Logan for a few days to visit her mother. She wrote a letter home to use in English, but as a joke also wrote a note in Germany. We could not read the note so took it to a neighbor lady who could read German. The note said “Be sure and take good care of my lamb.” We all got quite a thrill out of this.
It was important to our Mother and Dad to see to it that each of their children were baptized in the Logan Temple. All their children were baptized except the last two. 30 March 1915 Dad and Mother took Jesse to Logan with the horse and buggy so he could be baptized. Then they stayed at grandpa’s and grandma’s home one night. When they couldn’t go they sent the children with Annie on the U.I.C. electric train.
At a George Washington party in the Glendale Ward, Vern Nelson tells this story. Mother was sitting on the front bench and Vern had to recite a poem. It was
Of all the girls in this world,
I’d marry none for riches,
I’d marry one six inches tall,
So she couldn’t wear my britches.
Vern changed the poem to read necktie instead of britches. Everyone expected him to say britches. He said Mother started to laugh and he had never seen anyone laugh so hard in his life.
A few years ago Meda Nelson Robinson told me as long as she lives she will never forget the blue and white granite kettle Mother used to make sandwiches in for us kids to eat between Sunday School and Sacrament Meeting when there was a little recess. They were usually just break and butter or sometimes a little sugar sprinkled on them, and always a cub cake with little currants in. She said that when Mother got the kettle out, that she and some of the ward kids would sally up to Mother hoping for at least a cup cake. She said sure enough Mother always had plenty and she would always get one, and how good they were.
Mother was kind and compassionate and believed that true happiness in life comes from serving others. Her friends and neighbors were often beneficiaries of her goodness, and if there was a new baby or sickness or sorrow in a home, she always found time to put on a clean apron and take a loaf of fresh baked bread, a pie, or fresh berries or something from her garden to cheer them.
She never lost sight of the purpose of life and the reasons for coming to America.
She abhorred cruelty to animals or humans.
She always had little sayings to put over a point such as “If a string is in a knot, patience will untie it. Patience can do many things; have you ever tried it.”; or “If there is a will, there is a way”; or “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.”
When Mother passed away, she did not leave many possessions and no riches; but she did leave a legacy far superior to earthly things, and I’m sure we as a family appreciated that.
Mother had her dub of joy but she also knew sorrow. As I have raised my family, we had our share of sickness, accidents and near deaths and it has made me think about Mother. She must have been in great anxiety and pain over the loss of three of her children before they reached maturity.
Dad and Mother really loved each other and were always happy with each other. Dad got so much joy out of buying her special little things when she was ill such as oranges, or a can of oysters, or a bottle of soda water. They worked together as a team in whatever they did. Whether it was in the garden, cutting and curing meat or whatever, they enjoyed being together. They both enjoyed going in a cafe and having a snack like a hot beef sandwich or root beer and a sweet roll.
Mother really suffered and grieved deeply over the loss of her husband. Dad was just 70 and Mother 57 at the time. Many times we have found Mother out back of the house crying as if her heart would break — many times she was heard to say “If only papa was here.”
Mother is long since gone, but those of us who remember have a MEMORY that is SWEET and LASTING.
Back (l-r): Nellie Ward Neal, Carl Hodson, Kenneth Taylor, Paul Ross, Howard Singleton, June Etherington, Una Cottle, Hugh Taylor, Rex McEntire, Lyman Skeen, ?. Middle: Marguerite Maw, Lucille Maw, Ruth Hipwell, Frank Hadley, Kent Jenkins, ?, Golda Illum, Ruby Sharp, Lloyd Olsen. Front: Atholeen England, Alice Maw, Lucille Hadley, Myrine McFarland, Verla Lund, Ruth Carver, ?, Rae Knight.
Here is a class photo from what is believed to be a 2nd Grade Class taken outside the old Plain City School in Plain City, Weber, Utah. I have at least two family members in the photo, Paul Ross and Ruby Sharp. I have added family history to the individuals below, question marks either denote an unknown person or dates.
Another history in the records of Golden Rulon Andra.
“(Elsie Wagstaff Coleman read this history of Aunt Louise at our Reunion 21 June 1980)
“(Louise Sophie Wanner was born March 30, 1879.) I was born in Gruenkraut Germany. I can remember as little kids we stayed home. When we were I guess seven years old, we had to go to the Catholic school. There were no other schools around in those days. My Mother and Father didn’t always live in Gruenkraut. My father, John George Wanner was born in Hildritzhausen, Wuerttemburg, Germany, on October 18, 1845. His father was Johann Friederich Wanner, and his mother was Anna Maria Marquardt. My mother Anna Maria Schmid was born January 21, 1849 in Holzgerlingen, Wuerttemburg, Germany. Her father was Jacob Friederich Schmid and her mother was Salome Notter. In 1870 my father went to Russia to fight in the war. My parents were married the 6th. of June 1870. My Father died February 16, 1922 in Logan, Utah. My mother died December 9, 1929 in Logan Utah. The last days of their lives they lived in the 4th. Ward, and they are buried in the Logan Cemetery. My brother John George and sister Christena were born in Holzgerlingen, and my brothers, Johannes, Johannes Friederich, Frederich, Gottlob, and sisters Mary Magdalina, Pauline and Wilhelmina were all born in Gruenkraut, Germany.
Wanner Family about 1895, back (l-r): Mary, Christine, George, and Pauline; front: Anna, Fred, Louisa, Wilhelmina, Gottlob, and John Wanner.
“To continue with my story- – we did so many things in life. First of all we were poor and had not much to live on. The folks had to move from Holzgerlingen to the new place in Gruenkraut. I remember we didn’t have much land. Father got a job working on the street. The grass grew high on the side of the road and we had to help gather the grass for the cows. We had to do this everyday before father went to work.
“We were poor in those days. We had to be up at 5 o’clock in the morning when we were big enough to work for other people. We worked every day in our lives to make a dollar. I would go out and work for other people whenever there was work. Some people had lots of land and we got plenty work there. They would come and get us to work when I was seven years old. I remember we never wasted any time. I remember when we had to go to a place to get vaccinated. I know I sure suffered a long time because my arm was so sore. They do this so that it will last a lifetime in the old country against disease.
“I remember how we got warm for the winter. Father would buy a yard of wood in the forest and we had to cut it down ourselves and haul that wood home with the cows and wagon. Some were long trees too and we would haul all the limbs and everything home. I am telling you, we had the yard so full of wood that we had no room for anything else till we had it shaped down and sawed up and put in its place. You know that was a job and we had to do all this before winter set in. We had a little wagon and we went to the woods in the summertime too, to get some dry wood. We did this many times and would always take home a wagonfull.
“In the old country they had fences in the lucerne fields. We had to put them up so we could hing the hay on them to dry after it got wet from the rain, so it would not mold. When it was dry we hauled it home. I remember we did all the farming with cows, they had them work all day and then milk them at night. Father worked on the street job for many years and mother and us children did most of the farming and in the fall we went picking hops. We never failed to make a little money in them. They have fields of hops in the old country. We always earned our winter’s money there. They have acres of hops there. We never wasted our time in the field.
“Another thing we did was go to the forest and pick fruit and go and sell it in the city. The people would sure buy it because the city was a long ways from the country where we lived. We had to walk all the way to the city. We raised hemp and mother would spin half the night making it into balls. She would take it to the factory and they made clothes out of it. We used to have many yards and would stretch it out on the grass in the summertime. It would go white and thats the way mother made our sheets and everything. We have in the old country the shoemaker, and he come to the house and make shoes for us. We also had the dressmaker come to the house. Sometimes they would stay at the house a week or more.
“When the grain was but, we had to out and clean the heads of the wheat. We cleaned sacks full each day for flour and one time right in the middle of the summer, the soldiers came in with their horses on some maneuvers or something. The horses mashed the grain and trampled all our crops up. I knew there was a big field of grand and they went right through it. They stayed around about a month or more. It sure was terrible.
“After a few years father bought a new farm and house about two miles away from the old one. It was a bigger house and more land and that’s where we lived until we came to America. Our house was a long house. We had four rooms and an upstairs. In the farmhouses of the old country we had everything under one roof– the pig pen and the hay loft. There was a big place in the floor where we threshed the wheat and other grain and we pulled all the hay up in the loft towards the roof. For a long time we threshed the wheat on this hard floor below with a stick and using a big klap, four or five of us would thresh the wheat and then would sieve the wheat from the chafe. But later, I can remember that we hired a thashmachine and the cows pulled it after that.
“I remember one time a wagon run over me. I believe it went over my arm. I don’t know how bad I got hurt, but it was plenty bad enough.
“Well, later on in that place not far away they built a Lutheran church and a school, too; and there we learned to knit our own stockings and do all kinds of sewing and crocheting. Yes, they built a nice church and school. They were very strict in those schools. If you were late a few minutes you would have to hold out your hand and the teacher would hit you so hard that your hand could feel it for a long time. It was one of those hard wood sticks. It wasn’t always our fault because we had to take the milk to the creamery in the morning in the snow and ice, and we could not go very fast, but there was no excuse at all. We had a lot to do before school, and if we didn’t have the lesson ready we were scared to go to school, ’cause if we were late we would sure get hit, and when you held out your hand they would do just what they wanted to do and it didn’t hurt them any.
“In the old country they sure celebrated Christmas. We had two Christmas trees every year and nice ones at that. We had applies tied from the bottom to the top and the step and the tree sure looked pretty every year. We only had white bread for Christmas and Holidays. I can remember how good that white bread was. We never saw it very often. it was only the rich who could buy that. There was only one bakery in Gruenkraut that had good bread and cakes, but we could never buy any. This is how we made our bread: We had a box of wood. Of course, it was clean. Father worked the dough and made enough for two or three weeks. It was mostly rye bread. It was hard and dark but we had to eat it. When Valentine’s Day came around, Mother made up cakes and they sure tasted good.
“We all the time raised our own meat. We raised pigs and salted and smoked the meat. We had our own grease. Mother made her own noodles all the time. She used lots of eggs–they were sure good. We had our cellar so full of potatoes, apples of all kinds and barrels of cider and barrels of sauerkraut. I can remember our cellar was full of all kinds of good things to eat.
“Well, about our garden. We had the prettiest garden you ever saw in the old country. The garden was laid out in a square and we had a path around all over with the vegetables in the background and flowers in front and we could walk all over the paths with flowers on each side. We didn’t need any ditches, but had to pack water when it didn’t rain. We always had a beautiful garden with flowers of all kinds.
“On Saturday we always had to clean the shoes for the whole family — shine them up for Sunday. We always went to church on Sunday. We never worked on Sunday. We were not allowed to work on Sunday, because in those days they would fine you if you did. You could not even get your hay in on Sunday, even when you could see rain coming.
“Well, I guess about in the year 1890, in the summertime, the Lord sent a man along that street in Gruenkraut where my father worked, who was a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He talked to my father a long time and he told father of the new and true Gospel and about Joseph Smith and showed him the Book of Mormon. This man talked to my father in German as he was a missionary to German. Well, it was dinnertime and father took this missionary to our home and father told him–“We’ll see mother”–and from that very day on this missionary stayed at our place. His name was Zollinger from Providence, Utah. When his time came to go home, the missionary took my brother George to America with him. After that we had three more missionaries–one from Bear Lake, one from Providence, and another one from Salt Lake City, who couldn’t speak the language, so we helped him learn the language. He would tell us English words and we would tell him German words. There wasn’t anybody who would listen to the missionaries for miles around–just one other family from Ravensburg–and they were the only ones that believed the message like us. We had room for them everytime they came. There was no place else for them to go and we were glad to have them.
“The missionary from Salt Lake–his name was Hubbard–decided to go tracting one day. It was his first time tracting. He didn’t come home for so late that we thought maybe he fell into one of the wells with water that were here and there. It was late in the evening and dark, so mother decided to put a candle in the window. He soon came back and told us that he had been lost for a long time until he saw the light in the window. There weren’t many houses when I lived there, but in seventy years since, I guess it is built up all over.
“(About this same time Grandma was writing her history, Mrs. Herbert Wagstaff and son came to visit her from California. Herbert Wagstaff was the son of sister Mary Magdaline. The son had recently returned from a mission to Germany, where he had taken colored slides of the big house in Gruenkraut as it stands today. Of this evening of reminising Grandma said:) “It was sure nice to see my old home again and see it still stand in Gruenkraut. It was nice to see it again after seventy years.”)
“Well, I lived in that community for 14 years. That’s when I graduated. We started to this country when I was fifteen, in May of 1893, and got here the 15th of June, 1893. We came by ship and docked first in Amsterdam, Holland, and then in London, England. And then from London, to New York City, where we went to a big high hotel. WE were 12 days on the ocean. We had a good time on the ship where we danced. One day there was a terrible storm which throwed water up on the dock and nobody could dance after that. From New York we boarded the train for Idaho. We were 6 days on the train. On the train we sang all across the United States. We couldn’t speak any English then nor for a long time. We got off the train on the 15th of June, 1893, in Franklin, Idaho, and my brother George was there to meet us. He had a wagon with three spring seats. Well, we never were so worried on our whole trip as we were in that wagon. That day the road was so bad–open ditches with water in, and the horses danced around before they would cross. I never say such a rough road in my life–hills and hollows, and then we saw a bunch of Indians. They were hanging dead squirrels on a line to dry. That was something new to us. Well, we got to the place where we were to stay. But father was as worried that he got off the wagon and walked all the way back to Franklin. Mother and the rest of us were so worried, because he didn’t come back for a few days. We stayed with some folks for about two months, then father built a place in Glendale, Idaho, and there we lived the rest of the summer.
“Towards fall there was a man who wanted to sell his place in Glendale and father bought that place. My father farmed in Glendale. Glendale had only a little meetinghouse and also a school. I went to school there that winter to learn the English language. From then on I worked wherever I could get a job. I worked washing, cleaning house and tending children. In a place where I worked their children got mumps and I got mumps too, and I suffered so much that I could never get better for a long time. When I got better I went to work again. One time in the winter I rode a horse to Preston, and I got the toothache so bad that I had to have it pulled out right there. I soon learned to ride a horse a lot–something I’d never done in the old country.
“I worked for Matthias Cowley in Preston one winter. I guess it was the year 1895. He used to take trips and travel in a buggy–he helped organize the Northwestern States Mission. Then I worked in Whitney, Idaho. They had plenty of sickness in homes there. In 1897 we moved down to Logan and to the 5th Ward. Then I worked in Millville and went to school there at the same time learning the language. After that I went to work in Logan. It was in the 3rd Ward one night in church I met Jeffrey Bodrero. We were married in the Logan Temple, March 16, 1898. My sister Wilhelmina married Jeffrey’s brother, Moses Bodrero, December 18, 1907. Jeffrey’s father was Domenico Marsiano Bodrero, and his mother was Maria Caterina Margherita Frank Bodrero. After we were married I went to work for Dominic Bodrero that summer, who lived by the courthouse, where I walked everyday from the 9th Ward and did washing by hand on a board up until the time of my first child. Later that year I tended to beets, but they didn’t grow very well because of too many wild oats. Jeffrey went to the canyon about every day to get lumber and to make a dollar. These are the years when I lived: Gruenkraut, German: 14 years; Glendale, Idaho: 5 years; Logan 9th Ward: 30 years; Logan 4th Ward–where I became a relief society teacher. I also did a lot of temple work.
“In the old country we had known a family names Speth for a long time. We used to go back and forth to each others homes all the time. There was a big dark forest between our two places, and we were sometimes afraid to go through it because it was dark, even in the day time. Father would send us kids over in the evenings too. Sometimes we went twice a week to see them. We always had to walk of course. We had no car. I can see it now and I will never forget it. They were really friends to us. The old people never joined the church, but the boys came over to America and settled in Providence and then joined the church. My granddaughter married a Speth grandson.
“My children’s names are: [Rosalie] Marie, John George, David Wanner, Eva Margaret, William Jeffrey, Parley Lorenzo, Louise Mary, Edward Theodore, Llewellyn Grant and Evelyn Jane.
Bodrero Family (l-r): Louisa, Louise, John, Parley, Rosalie, Jeffery, Jeffery, David, Eva
“My folks went to conference everytime there was one. We never had the chance to go because children had to stay home and do the work. I remember it was in the winter once and it was so cold my parents couldn’t go to the conference. They sure liked this Mormon Gospel from the first day my father met the missionary.
Wanner Reunion, Anna Schmid Wanner sitting, standing (l-r) Mary Carter Wanner, Wilhelmina Wanner Bodrero, Mary Wanner Wagstaff, Regina Nuffer Wanner, Louisa Wanner Bodrero, Christine Wanner Nuffer, and Rebecca Hicks Wanner
“(Louise Sophie Wanner Bodrero died February 1, 1967 in Logan, Utah)
Transcript for Housley, George Frederick, [Reminiscences], in Life histories of George Frederick Housley and Maria Christina Jacobsen Housley
“The Bishop of the Ward wanted George to talk in Church and tell of his coming across the plains, but George said he just could not speak in public so his wife’s brother-in-law, George Wood, who was a lawyer, came to his home and took his story down in short hand as George told the story to him. Then they had it read in a reunion. It was as follows:
“In the year of [1856], I with mother left our native land England, with about 600 others for our America “The Zion of Our God,” on the good ship “Horizon,” spending five weeks in our voyage to Boston. Where we took passage on a steamboat to Iowa. Awaiting there for three weeks for our hand-carts to be made that were to carry our “all” across the vast stretch of the plains to Utah. Each family supplying themselves with the necessary food for their journey if they were well. At Iowa City, where we were camped, a gentleman told me that we would starve to death if we went there at this season. One of our people and his family decided to stay over. I became tempted to do likewise and upon telling my mother that we better stay she became much depressed in spirit and told me to wait a little while. During the time she prayed to Our Heavenly Father for guidance. One fellow traveler, after deciding to stay, sent out one day in the woods to hunt for game, and while away was seized with fever and ague. He hurried home and upon entering the tent where mother I were awaiting him, he laid upon the cot and commenced singing in poetry and rhyme, telling mother to take me with her to the valley and that we should get through alright. Mother told me she had made it a matter of prayer and by this means her prayers were answered. I told her then that we would go to the valley at all hazards because I was satisfied all would be well.
“Upon the company starting we were in line with our cart and ready. All went well as we joyously sang, “For some must push and some must pull as we go marching up the hill. As merrily on the way we go, until we reach the valley, Oh!” As days wore on, our spirits lagged as we became weary. Some of our people became sick and were compelled to ride, thus compelling others to be more heavily loaded. Provisions commencing to get scarce as the days wore on, necessitating our captain to put us on shorter rations. Many dying by the wayside where they were buried each night where we camped and their graves were left unmarked except by our tears. At this season and at this part of the plains it commenced getting cold, and were again placed on shorter rations of 4 ounces of flour to each person per day. We traveled to the Sweet Waters River where we camped, being so weak and exhausted that it was almost impossible to move. Many of our people while there died of starvations while others froze to death by the wayside.
“A man from London by the name of Stone, while trying to get to an Indian camp was devoured by wolves; when found by some of our camp, nothing was left of him but his legs inside his boots.
“Receivers were sent out from the Valley to assist us in and could not find us, thinking we were lost on the plains the rescue party concluded to return to the Valley. But one of their number stated that he would go to the States but what he would find us. About noon a horseman was seen coming into our camp, and he looked like an angel to us poor starving emigrants who had eaten nothing but flour for three days. With words of encouragement he entreated us to make another start. But, many, while their will was good, their strength failed them and they dropped and froze to death by the way.
“The relief party returned and met us and assisted us with some provisions. But scores of our brethren and sisters died and were left in unmarked graves by the wayside. At this time I was permitted to sleep in a tent with two of my companions. Each of them dying by my side where I slept by them ’till morning when they were taken away and buried.” In a later trip across the plains to assist the emigrants at one of our camps I saw many of the bones of my companions that had been dug up by the wolves. At the time of my companions death I became despondent through weakness that I longed for death and tried to hide myself from the company that I might die, but one of the brethren returning back for something, found me sitting behind the rock where I had hoped to die. He took me along with him for a day before we caught up with the company. I was permitted to sleep in a wagon that night, where I slept with a dead man all night.
“The next day we were permitted to see and enter into the Valley (November 29, my birthday). Although I was too weak to walk, my feet being much swollen I wrapped them in my mother’s shaw until we were taken care of by kind friends who were awaiting us. But brother Slack, our kind friend, would not allow me only a limited amount of bread as he was afraid it would kill me. But after they had gone to meeting I finished up the whole pot pie which had been prepared for the family, and I am alive yet and I have been hungry to this day.”
“President Parkinson of the Hyrum Stake was present at the reunion and when he heard of the hardships, suffering and hunger George went through, he made arrangements with the Church authorities to grant this couple the privilege of receiving their second endowments. After they received theirs, Mary Ann stood proxy for George’s first wife, who received their second endowments of the 28th of July 1910. This is a privilege and blessing that only a few people have had since the Church was organized…. An addendum was added: “One time while visiting in Mapleton at his son Ben’s home, he and my Grandfather—Marshall Franklin Allen—were reminiscing over old times. Grandfather Allen told of one time when “Brother Brigham” had called him to accompany several other young men in going out to meet the Hand Cart Company, to take them some provisions and assist them into the Valley. As he knelt in prayer the evening before going, he said that he told the Lord that it was a foolish thing to do, going out in such weather and with no roads to follow. But while he was still in the act of prayer, it was made known to him that he should go. It was also made known that he would be able to save many of their lives. After search many hours the rescue party became discouraged. Thinking the Hand Cart Company had been lost on the plains, they decided to return to the Valley. Grandfather said, “I told them I would go ’til I reached the States but what I would find them” About noon they found a group of handcarts with their poor, starving people. Thinking there may be more farther back, he rode on for some distance. He saw a dark spot among some rocks. Upon investigating, he found it to be a young man. He wrapped his blankets around him and helped him onto his horse. Then Grandfather Housley spoke up and said—”The horse had one white leg, a white strip in it’s forehead and the rest of it was coal black.” Grandfather Allen said, “Yes.” Grandfather Housley said, “It was a bright plaid blanket.” Grandfather Allen asked, “How do you know?” Grandfather Housley said, “Because I was the one you found!” Then he stood up and said, “And I want to tell you, if it hadn’t been for the prayers of my mother and the faith of the Saints, I would not have lived ’till you found me and I never would have reached the Valley!”
Sagacity 