Monday, November 28, 2011

This site includes a nice synopsis of the experience of the Willie & Martin handcart companies. Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868
Another site listing members of the Willie handcart company. This one is nice because you can click on a name and it brings up additional information. http://pioneerexperience.com/.

Sophie listed in Deseret News 15 Oct 1856

Here Sophie is listed at Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, 1847–1868. Note both spellings of her name Sophia / Sophie.

Sophie's family appears on the ship Thorton's manifest

Here you can see Sophie's family listed on the roster for the ship Thornton at the site ISTG Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild. Note that they are listed last name Patterson and that Thomas's death date is given as June 8, 1856.
Here is Sophie's family listed as members of the Willie handcart company at http://www.ourfamiliesroots.org/pioneers/company/33.htm. Note that she is listed as last name Klawn and that son Thomas is not included.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Click here to go to the source:  http://workmanfamily.org/images/MarthaJWorkman.html


Martha Jane Workman b. 27 July 1856, and her husband Otto August Peterson b. 26 Apr 1854.
They were married: 4 Dec 1876.
Martha Jane Workman is the 5th child of Jacob Lindsay Workman and Rebecca W. Turner

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Sophie's Grave Memorial in Manti

Sophia Cathrine Kloun Smith (1824 - 1898) - Find A Grave Memorial

This information about Sophie's grave is found at:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10964475



Sophia Cathrine Kloun Smith
BirthAug. 17, 1824
DeathMar. 17, 1898

Sophia Bergette Moller (Mother), Jocem Fredrick Kloun (Father)

Family
 Spouse:
  Albert Smith (1804 - 1892)*

 Children:
  Otto August Peterson (1854 - 1915)*
  Albertina Smith Robinson (1857 - 1890)*
  Louisa Smith (1859 - 1867)*
  Albert Smith (1861 - 1927)*
  Esther Smith (1863 - 1863)*
  David Smith (1864 - 1867)*
  Hyrum Smith (1866 - 1866)*
  Charlotte Smith Colvin (1867 - 1889)*

*See source site for explanation
Burial:
Manti Cemetery
Manti, Sanpete County, Utah, USA
Plot: Lot 19 Blk 12 Plat A Grv

Created by: Dennis
Record added: May 15, 2005
Find A Grave Memorial# 10964475
Sophia Cathrine <i>Kloun</i> Smith
Added by: Dennis
Sophia Cathrine <i>Kloun</i> Smith
Added by: Dennis
Sophia Cathrine <i>Kloun</i> Smith
Cemetery Photo
Added by: Beeswax





Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Son Otto August Petersen information


Here is information for son Otto


Click here to go to the source.

Otto August Petersen


  • GIVN: Otto August
  • SURN: Petersen
  • Sex: M
  • Born: 26 Apr 1854 in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Christened: 5 Jun 1854
  • Died: 22 Jan 1915 in Cedaredge, Delta, Colorado, United States
  • Buried: 23 Jan 1915 in Cedaredge, Delta, Colorado, United States
  • AFN: 1GNZ-S6
  • Record last updated: 21 Jan 2007
  • TIME: 19:25

Father: Peder Petersen, b. 21 Mar 1815 in Of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Mother: Sophie Cathrine Wilhelmine Klauen, b. 17 Aug 1824 in Vor Frelser, Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Husband Peder Petersen information

Here is information on Sophie's husband Peder Petersen
Click on the link below to go to the source.


Peder Petersen

  • GIVN: Peder
  • SURN: Petersen
  • Sex: M
  • Born: 21 Mar 1815 in Of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Christened: 21 Mar 1815 in Gudum, Rkbg, Denmark
  • Died: 8 Aug 1853 in Hoghsmine, Gentofte, Denmark
  • Buried: 9 Aug 1853
  • AFN: 2GNT-8W
  • Baptised LDS: DoTheResearch DoTheResearch
  • Record last updated: 21 Jan 2007
  • TIME: 17:24


Family 1:
_____________________________________

???  This says Peder died in 1852 yet his youngest son, Otto, was born in 1854. ???


Daughter Emma Sophia Petersen information

Here is information on Emma Sophie Petersen.

Click on this link to take you to the source.
Emma Sophia Petersen

  • GIVN: Emma Sophia
  • SURN: Petersen
  • Sex: F
  • Born: 27 Jul 1850 in Gentofden, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Died: 22 Nov 1900 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  • Buried: Nov 1900 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  • Baptised LDS: 1 Aug 1858 11 Oct 1869
  • TEMP: EHOUS - Endowment House
  • Record last updated: 8 Jul 2011
  • TIME: 22:42
  • Notes:
    EMMA SOPHIA PETERSEN COX was of Danish blood. She came from Copenhagen, Denmark, where she was born. Her mother was a widow when she arrived in Manti, but she soon married again. She seemed to have small patience with the older children, which made life very hard for Emma. Emma married very young, glad to bear the honorable name of her husband. When he died, leaving her a widow with a family of 4 small children, she bravely bore every hardship and tried to make her little ones comfortable. Her children have grown to be honorable people, striving to be a credit to their father's name.

    Emma Peterson came with the Willy Handcart company as a child about 7 or 8 years old with her mother, Sophia Catrine Wilhelmine Klauen, and three siblings, youngest was just two.

    Emma Sophia Peterson Smith Cox....She was christened "Emma Sophia Petersen". Later her mother was sealed as well as the children to an Albert Smith, then she was married to Fredrick Walter Cox Sr.

    Source, Coleen Midgley Cox Winward, gggdaughter

Father: Peder Petersen, b. 21 Mar 1815 in Of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Mother: Sophie Cathrine Wilhelmine Klauen, b. 17 Aug 1824 in Vor Frelser, Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Family 1: Frederick Walter Cox, b. 20 Jan 1812 in Plymouth, Chenango, New York, United States

  • Married: 11 Oct 1869 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States 2 Oct 1991 8 Jul 2011

  1. Peter Cox, b. 13 Jun 1871 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  2. Lucinda Belle Cox, b. 30 Jan 1873 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  3. Walter Cox, b. 27 Jul 1874 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  4. Mary (May) Elizabeth Cox, b. 17 Aug 1876 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  5. Oliviatte Lee Cox, b. 4 Jul 1878 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, United States
Here is a section of a map of Denmark showing the area around Copenhagen in 1855.  I have indicated with red arrows the towns of Lyngby, Gentofte, & Copenhagen where Sopie's children were born.

Clinking on this link will take you to the site where you can view the whole map.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1855_Colton_Map_of_Denmark_-_Geographicus_-_Denmark-colton-1855.jpg


Read about the book Handcarts to Zion

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/906479.Handcarts_to_Zion

Read about the book Handcarts to Zion.

Peterson family listed in book Handcarts to Zion

Here is the family listed in the book Handcarts to Zion The Story of a Unique Western Migration, 1856-1860 by LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Hafen 1960.

Notice that Thomas is included.


Pedersen family listed at lds.org/churchhistory/ as members of the company

Here is the listing of the family as members of the Willie company taken from http://lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanysearchresults/1,15792,4017-1-319,00.html

Pedersen, Ane Johannah (3)
Pedersen, Emma Sophie (5)
Pedersen, Otto August (1)
Pedersen, Peter (9)
Pedersen, Sophie Catherine Wilhelmine Clawn (31)

Notice that Thomas is not listed. 

The shipboard death of young Thomas Peterson

From the Willie company journal:

May 30, 1856
With regret we have to relate that an accident occurred at 4 p.m. A Danish child, Thomas Peterson, fell through one of the hatchways to the second between deck, a distance of about 20 feet, and very much fractured his skull.

June 2, 1856
In anticipation of their arrival, they worked on sewing their tents. Death: Thomas Pederson, age 7 or 8 (Note: The company journal and Peder Madsen disagree on his age.)
With all the attention and care bestowed upon the young sufferer, Thos. Peterson, aged 8 years of Saland, Denmark, who fell through the hatchway on the 30th Ult., yet he expired this morning. At 3 p.m. his body was brought forward to receive its burial, prayer having been offered up to God by Prest. Willie, it was given to the great deep.

The Travels of the Willie Handcart Company - Journal Entries

This link (Just click on the post title above.) takes you to Brigham Young University site where you can read the entire company journal.

Set the View by Day to May 1 to start at the beginning.
Click on View All to expand the window to read addition journals and commentaries.

The journal chronicles the ship voyage on the Thornton, the train to Iowa City, as well as the trek west by handcart.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Spelling of names

You will see many variations in the spelling of names here.  Generally I will spell the names in accordance with whatever source from which I am deriving the information at the moment.  I know this looks funny but it makes it easier to track down the information I am quoting.

It seems that in genealogy there are often... complications.

The short-story of Sophie Cathrine Wilhelmine Petersen

Sophie Cathrine Wilhelmine KLAUEN was born on 17 Aug 1824 in Vor Frelser, Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Her parents were:
Frederik (Johan) FREDE, born in 1798 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and
Sophie Catrine (Cathrine) Brigitte MOLLER, born 11 Nov 1798 in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

She married:
on:  date?
[Spouse #1]  Peder PETERSEN, born on 21 Mar 1815 in  Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

She bore him 7 children:
[Child #1]  Peter PETERSON, born on 11 Oct 1846 in Lundtofte, Lyngby, Copenhagen, Denmark.
[Child #2]  Sophie PETERSEN, born on 6 Dec 1847 in Gentofte, Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
[Child #3]  Thomas PETERSON, born on 19 Oct 1848 in Hovmark, Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark.
[Child #4]  Mariah PEDERSON, born on 9 Nov 1851 in Hoighsminde, Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark.
[Child #5]  Ane Johanne (Smith) PETERSON, born on 31 Dec 1852 in Gentofte, Kobenhavn, Denmark, Denmark.
[Child #6]  Otto August PETERSEN, born on 26 Apr 1854 in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
[Note]  Emma Sophie PETERSON, age 5, is listed with them on the passenger manifest for the Thornton and on the company roster for the handcart company.

At some point she divorced from Peder PETERSEN.

Having already buried daughter Sophie (25 days old) and daughter Mariah (4 months old) she left Denmark with her remaining children and went to Liverpool, England where she joined the company of Latter-day Saints under the leadership of Captain James G. Willie heading to America on board the ship Charles Thornton.

They set sail from Liverpool, England on 3 May 1856 with 764 Mormons. They arrived in New York on 15 Jun 1856 (44 days).

[Note]  Thomas PETERSON is said to have died during the sea voyage having fallen through an open hatch and buried at sea.  One death date listed of 2 Jan 1856 is at odds with this report.  This needs more research.

They then traveled en mass by train through Albany, Buffalo, and Chicago, reaching Iowa City on 26 Jun 1856 (nearly 2 weeks).

Leaving Iowa City with the ill-fated Willie handcart company, she, with her young children pushed and pulled their handcart 1300 miles to the Salt Lake Valley, Utah.  They endured many hardships.

Sophie Cathrine Wilhelmine KLAUEN Petersen made it to Zion and died on 17 Mar 1898 in Fairview, Sanpete, Utah just shy of her 74th birthday.
Ane Johanne PETERSON also survived the trek and died 7 Jan 1908 in Salina, Sevier, Utah, where she is buried.
Emma Smith PETERSEN died 22 Nov 1900 and is buried in Manti, Sanpete, Utah.
Otto August PETERSEN at the tender age of 1 completed the trip.  He died 22 Jan 1915 in Cedaredge, Delta, Colorado where he is buried.




17 Miracles

I just watched the movie 17 Miracles. It is about the struggles of the ill-fated Willie Handcart Company, a group of poor Mormon converts who came to America in 1856 and made their way to Utah pushing and pulling handcarts across the plains and mountains of the untamed American wilderness.  I encourage all to see it if they get the chance.

Knowing that I had ancestors in that group I am inspired to learn more about them.  I hope to use this forum to publish my findings and hopefully others will join in and share what information they have.  Civil comments are always welcome and encouraged.  I hope I find others who share a curiosity in this family and we can correspond.

As I begin this blog

As I begin this blog (hahaha... Blogger's dictionary doesn't recognize the word blog.) I am getting the impression that this venue is not really what I am looking for.  But perhaps as I work with it I will find it useful.