Commentary & photos about lars peter peterson by George Vernon Peterson Jr. ‘Bud’

1878 on the Peterson lot on First South and First East Streets in Richfield, Utah. The logs to build it were hauled from Cove Mountain by Peter and his father. He was but a small boy of ten, but he rode a horse, dragging the logs to the wagon. When they returned home with the logs, the boy sat on them to steady them while his father hewed and shaped them with an ax. After the cabin was finished, a year or two later, it was used for a granary.

Golden Sheaves from a Rich Field, page 17 & 18: Everybody was interested primarily in two things—something to eat and protection from the Indians…A fort was built around the” town square”—a five acre block, as protection from the Indians (this is the block that the post office is on and the two old elementary buildings that have both been torn down. It was decided that each man who owned a city lot should build one rod (16 feet) of wall which was to be 3 ½ feet at the base, 12 feet high, and one foot wide at the top….”We are quarrying rock for the fort…The wall was provided with portholes at intervals…There were no towers or lookout posts…There were big wooden gates on the east side, a little north of center…”The Big Drum” was used to warn people or call them to a special council meeting at the fort…The fort was started in the fall of 1865. (Lars Peter would have built his 16-foot section of the fort wall.)

Genealogy for Appendix A.
It is difficult to read this detailed information without the family pedigree chart to compare with so I am going to move it to this appendix at the end. But Niels Marcus Peterson was a great family genealogy researcher. I hope that I can build Jens L. Peterson’s (my great grandfather) ancestral lines to be the equal of his wife’s, Anna Maria Peterson. She is the oldest daughter of Lars Peter Peterson and their ancestral genealogy far surpasses that of Jens L. Peterson’s. This is because of the great work that Marcus has done on his grandfather’s line. George Vernon Peterson Jr.

I will go to www.FamilySearch.org and logon with my LDS Account to view these pedigree records and to make sure all of this is recorded permanently online where all can have access to it. Everyone can set up an account number and begin building their Family Tree starting with the information that is already there. Church members can sign up for an LDS Account using their membership number and baptism and confirmation dates that can be printed out for you by your ward clerk. Anyone else interest can go to www.FamilySearch.org and sign up for a FamilySearch Account.

WIVES AND FAMILY OF LARS PETER PETERSON (CHRISTENSEN)

On 26 November 1852, he married Else (Elsa) Marie Jensen in the little Church at Albeck, Hjorring, Denmark. She was the daughter of Jens Thorsen and Maren Mickelsen, born 11 February 1833. They lived in the family home at Fourholt until they emigrated to the United States of America in 1862. Else (Elsa) died 17 October 1862 in Pleasant Grove, Utah soon after their arrival there. They had seven children, six of whom were born at the family home in Denmark, and the seventh was born in Pleasant Grove, Utah

On 8 December 1862, he married Maren Andersen in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of Anders Thompsen and Anne Larsen, born 5 May 1816 in Jenecyssel, Loer, Hjorring, Denmark. They moved to Richfield, Utah in the Spring of 1864. Maren died there on 16 October 1876 and was buried in the old cemetery (I think that’s the one by Richfield High School.). They were sealed in the Salt Lake Endowment House on 15 July 1874.

On 17 August 1874, he married Martha Marie Nielsen (Mogensen) in Salt Lake City, Utah and was sealed to her in the Salt Lake Endowment House. She was the daughter of Niels Pedersen and Maren Jensen, born 4 October 1843 in Syndal, Hjorring, Denmark. They lived in Richfield, Utah; she died 15 February 1932. Lars adopted her two children, Olene Marie and Charles Pader Christian. They were sealed to him.

On 13 June 1877, he married Mette Petersen, in St. George Temple. She lived in Richfield, Utah until she died on 21 April 1900. See Microfiche M170579-0310 for record of sealing.

FOUR GENERATIONS OF DANISH GENEALOGY—HJORRING AMT

My father, Niels Peter Peterson, was born in Albeck Parish, Hjorring County, Denmark, May 9, 1858. He was the son of Lars Peter Christensen of Fourholt. Lars was the only surviving child of Christen Pedersen of that place. He was born on November 27, 1825. Christen was the son of my second Great Grandfather, Peder Jensen, a farmer in Vorsaa, Albeck Parish. He was born September 13, 1789. Peder Jensen was born February 14, 1740. We have no information regarding the birth of Jens Nielsen, except that he was born in 1709, and married Anne Pedersen of Vorsaa.

In order to understand more about the PETERSON FAMILY, it is necessary to investigate the branches of Pedigree Chart of my father. His grandfather, Christen Pedersen, provided the name for the present family PETERSON. (In Denmark, Peterson and Pedersen are pronounced the very same way.) However, there are many “Peder’s (or Peter’s) who were the fathers of other “Pedersens”. Anne Pedersen, my third great-grandmother, was probably born in Vorsaa in 1705. The she died February 25, 1780 at the age of 75. She had six children including twin boys. She was a member of a large family that has been identified. Since the Parish records go back only to 1717 for birth records,exact verification of dates is difficult.

Anne was the first of many in the family by that name. She had a daughter Anne, and four granddaughters named Anne. One of her granddaughters married Jacob Christensen and they had a daughter Anne Johanna. Grandfather (Lars Peter Peterson) had a daughter Anne Marie, who married Jens Pedersen. (They lived and died in Richfield, Utah. Their home was on the northeast corner of the intersection of Center Street and 300 East.)

Peder Jensen married Maren Jensen of Klitten, August 14, 1777. She was one of many in the family by that name. She was fourteen years younger than he. She came from a large family. Her parents were Jens Andersen and Anne Nielsen. Jens was christened on December 7, 1715; and Anne was christened August 24, 1727 in Volstrup. Jens’ parents were listed as Anders Jensen and Johanne Christensen, the second wife. However, Anders’ first wife, Inger Larsen did not die until two years after the birth of Jens. Jens has been sealed to Anders Jensen and Johanne Christensen in error; he should be sealed to Anders and Inger, the first wife of Anders. She was born in 1670; Anders was born in 1655. They had three children. Johanne Larsen is listed as the illegitimate daughter of Inger, and therefore is shown by the mother’s maiden name. (See Chart #2)

I only have access to a few of the charts and they are not numbered and they are too large to copy. However, I am going to www.familysearch.org and sign in and make sure that all of this information is recorded there; for it will become a permanent record that can be accessed by all. LDS Church members can sign up with their Membership Number and Date of Baptism and Confirmation that can be obtained from the Ward Clerk. This will give them an LDS Account. ANYONE ELSE can sign up as an interested person and receive a FAMILYSEARCH ACCOUNT. This way anyone who wishes my view these Family History Records as you create your very own window into the World Wide Family Tree.

The parents of Anne Nielsen were Niels Nielsen and Maren Thomassen. They came from Volstrup, Hjorring, Denmark. Niels was born in 1684 and Maren was born in 1684. They had six children. Niels was a farmer in Kneverhede in the Parish of Volstrup. He died at the age of 72 in 1756, and was buried 25 July 1756. Maren died 25 March 1757 at age 57. The marriages of each family member are recorded in the Parish record with the exception Else, she died when two weeks old. The records are nicely written and easy to read.

It appears that they had a son, Niels Nielsen, who lived in Hytten. He married Johanne Christensen. They had a son Christen born Octoberr 13, 1748. There is a second Johanne Christensen, that he married, but the records are a bit confusing on this matter. The father of Niels, was also Niels Nielsen, born about 1659. He died June 23, 1726 at age 67 in Kneverhede. I have identified several members of his family born before 1700. I have not identified his wife. This confirms three generations of “Niels Nielsens.” The name appears in the record to be written also as Nels Nelsen. Their births: 1659; 1684; and 1718.

Most of the fore-fathers of the (Lars Peter) Peterson Family (and descendants) came from the Parishes—Albeck and Voer. The family home was in Fourholt, although many were born in Vorsaa—a sea-coast town nearby. In Voer, the town of Idskov seems to be a main birth-place. However, we find the names of Flavenskjold, Agersted, Helleved, Strdusholm, and Molkjoer appearing frequently.

The earliest record of the family is the name of Morten Jensen, born in 1664 and his wife, Johanne Larsen, born 1672. (see Chart #6.) They lived in Strudsholm in the Parish of Voer. I have a record of four children born to them on their farm. In fact I have a chart showing the descendants of this couple for four generations. Their daughter, Maren, married Jens Madsen November 17, 1724, and they had nine children. Two of the children, Peder Jensen and Rasmus Jensen, married sisters by the names of Maren Nielsen and Karen Nielsen, who came from Helleved. Peter and Maren were the parents of Michel Pedersen, my second-great-great-grandfather. Michel’s daughter Maren joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and Emigrated to the United States in 1856. She died crossing the Plains with her third husband, Ole Michelsen. (This is the Maren Mikkelsen that I have written a full history about; she is my furthest generation back in being a member of the Mormon Church. Her daughter, Johanna Marie Jensen, emigrated with her to America. She made it to Salt Lake City with the Willie Handcart Company and married John Paternoster Squires. Her older daughter, Elsa Maria Jensen, married Lars Peter Peterson and they emigrated to America in 1862)

Michel Pedersen married Maren Madsen on October 21, 1792 in Albeck. They lived in Vorsaa where their first five children we born. The witnesses of their wedding were Christen Nielsen and Christen Jacobsen. Their last four children were born in Kjoret and Maren died in Skiellet on September 15, 1806. Michel had died two weeks before. This left the family as orphans. Four of the children had already died and the five survivors had Mariane and Maren, twelve and eleven of age, to care for them. (See Chart #5)

I have not been able to find the birth record of Maren Madsen. She was born in 1770 and she was married in Albeck; but I cannot find her parents.

Maren Michelsen, my great-grandmother, was born March 16, 1795 in Vorsaa, Albaek, Hjorring, Denmark. When she was two years old, the family moved to Kjeret in Voer Parish. She married Bertell Nielsen, and a daughter Kirsten was born to them on March 31 1818. After Bertell died, she married Jens Thorsen on November 23, 1823. They had three children. This was Jens’ second marriage. His first wife was Karen Jorgensen. Jens died March 16, 1842, and Maren married Ole Michelsen, her third husband. They joined the Church and came to America in 1856. Maren’s two daughters also joined the Church and emigrated to Utah. Her son died when less than a year old. It is interesting to note that Maren’s mother was also named Maren, and her grandmother was named Maren: Several others of my “Grandmothers” were named Maren. This is our Maren Mikkelsen that I have written a full account about.

Jens Thorsen, Maren’s second husband, was born April 10, 1785 in Ugilt Parish to Thor Thorsen and Else (pronounced Elsa) Jensen. I have been unable to find birth records of these people, or to trace their origin. It appears that Else (Elsa) was one of the family of “Jensens” that I have identified; but the details will have to be verified.

This leaves three families: Thor Thorsen, Else Jensen, and Maren Madsen, that will need to be identified in order to complete the Peterson Family Pedigree to 1700. When this is accomplished, eight generations of Danish genealogy will be available to us.

In order to understand the complexity of Danish Genealogy, we will investigate the grand-parents of Maren Michelsen and their descendants. Maren’s grandfather, Peter Jensen, was born 1 November 1734 in Broen, Albaek, Hjorring, Denmark. He married Maren Nielsen of Helleved on 28 December 1767 in Vøer Parish. She was the widow of Michel Sindalsen, who died 11 August 1767 at the age of 66. She and Michel had four children, who were born in Vesterskeve, Ver. The eldest, Laurs Michelsen, was born 18 April 1760 and married Karen Thomsen and had one son, Michel. Karen died on January 29, 1789 soon after Michel was born. Then Laurs married Johanne Christensen, who bore him three children. Laurs died May 31, 1797, while his children were very young. Johanne marred Thomas Jensen on November 28, 1802, but they had no children.

Rasmus Michelsen was the second son born June 29, 1761 in Vesterskov. He married Gjertrud Thomassen of Albaek Parish on November 18, 1792. They had six children, four of whom were “still born.” He was a farmer in Albaek. Gjertrud died August 20, 1807, and he then married Maren Nielsen in November 1807 in Albaek. She was from Soraa. They had six children. Maren died April 20, 1819. Then Rasmus married Inger Jensen on April 6, 1790 in Albaek Parish. They had three children.

The two other sons of Michel Sindelsen died in infancy. It should be stated that Michel’s first wife was Maren Olufsen, who was the mother of six children: so Michel was the father of ten. The first wife died September 24, 1757, and Michel married his second wife on October 17, 1759.

Peder and Maren had four children. The eldest, Michel, married Maren Madsen on October 21, 1792, according to my records. They had nine children. Maren was the fourth child. Michel was a farmer in Versaa, Albaek Parish and later in Kjaret, Ver Parish.

This record is the work of

Niels Marcus Peterson,
Copy is made March 13, 1979 by
Mary Monson – his sister
at Richfield, Sevier County, Utah.