Hans Jorgensen and Wife
One year after the gospel is carried to Denmark, by Erastus Snow, the message of truth came
to the ears of James Hansen who readily understood and accepted it.
Shortly after he was called on a local mission and embraced his first opportunity to deliver his
glad message to his father Hans Jorgensen. The latter at the time was a man of about fifty-six
years and a butcher by trade. He was a man in the habit of using tobacco, tea, and coffee, and
always had his toddy jug on the table at meals and often between. So when the principles and
commandments of the new church were explained to him it took some time for him to accept
them, for he knew he had much to overcome. But a day by day he studied the scriptures, decided
and accepted it literally. "For," he said, "If it is worth anything, it is worth everything.” He
abandoned his old Customs, began a new life and never till the day of his death, did he go back
to his old habits.
It was the year, 1851, that he and his good wife, and Karen Kistina, were baptized. The year
following, on December 10, 1852 they left their native land to join their lot with the Saints in
Utah.
Steamers were not known in those days, so they embarked on a sailing vessel, being on the
water over three months.
The poor accommodations and food were to much for the woman who was in delicate health.
She was ill during much of the voyage and died near New Orleans. She was taken to a small
island and buried. The vessel sailed on up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri arriving
there April 1st, 1853.
Here the company provided themselves with outfits to travel across the plains, under the
leadership of John Forsgren.
After they were ready to start Hans Jorgensen, (my father) with most of the other saints in the
company, turned over the remainder of their money to their captain to have it exchanged for
American money. Forsgren never returned any of the money, which was a hard blow the faith of
those who placed such confidence in him, as well as a financial loss to them.
My father later reported the matter to the authorities in Salt Lake City, but it seemed that
nothing could be gotten from him.
H.P. Benson, a man in whom the Scandinavian people had such confidence, told him not to
worry over the matter, for he would someday be better off than Forsgren. This proved true for
this dishonest man died an apostate pauper.
As the company journeyed along, father was advised to marry again, but we shall leave him
plodding along behind an ox team with all his belongings in a wagon.
Let us turn our attention to one of a group of girls, who every morning started out ahead of the
company with cheerful hearts and vigorous tread. When it neared noon and the girls expected
soon to reach their midday camping place, they would gather up sticks and other combustible
materials in their aprons. Very often, however, their loads became too heavy before the time for
stopping arrived, so they would discard their loads and start gathering again. This was often
repeated several times during the day, but they consoled themselves with the thought that the
next company might receive the benefit of their labors.
Dorthea Christensen, our heroine, was born in Odense, Veborrie, Denmark, May 1, 1827. Her
father’s name was Christen Andersen, a carpenter by trade. He was an indulgent father and would
often enjoy a romp with his children, when he returned from the absence of a week or more.
However they never took advantage of him for when they quarreled or otherwise acted rude, he
would throw his red cap at them. They understood the danger signal and all was quiet.
Dorthea’s usefulness started by her taking care of geese. The geese were staked out and she
moved them several times a day. She also often tended sheep. It was at this time she learned to
embroider on net cloth which she enjoyed very much, but she was not privileged to do much of
this type of work, for hard manual labor was her lot through life.
I remember when she was old, of seeing some of the work similar to what she did while
watching her father’s sheep, and it moved her to tears.
Her mother, Anna Maria Andersen, was left a widow while the children were small.
Consequently they had poor chance for education, but were obliged to go out to work as soon as
they were able. Mary Ann, the oldest daughter, was hired by a well-to-do farmer by the name of
Neils Hansen. She remained there eight years. When she left to get married she had been so
faithful that they came for her sister, Dorothea.
Her annual wages are were fixed at $10 in cash, two pairs a wooden shoes, five pounds of
wool with which to make clothes and stockings, and two suits of underwear made from
homespun flax.
Perhaps it would be interesting to relate what work she was required to do in return. She
would rise very early and milk the cows while the house wife got breakfast. Then while the men
got their teams ready she would help with the housework and be ready to go with the men into
the fields and work until noon. After dinner while the men to their naps she again milked the
cows, as was the custom then. Again to the field until evening and then to the cows for their last
daily milking. This was the program during harvest time which was followed by the gathering of
their fuel from swamps. It was a turf made from certain kinds of coal.
The evenings were spent carding wool and spinning yarn. After the certain hour Dorothea
was allowed to work on her own wool.
These are some of the things she had to do, and must have been very faithful for she was
much liked by all the family, especially one of the boys, Hans Christian, for they became lovers.
Later they were engaged and were to have been married when something unexpected happen.
Dorthea accepted an invitation to attend a meeting of the Latter-Day Saints, and enjoyed it very
much. She went again a number of times and was converted to the gospel. Her sweetheart was
much opposed to this and tried hard to persuade her to give up the faith, but all in vain. His father
also tried to tempt her by promising that if she would stay and marry his son, they would be
given the farm. But she was convinced that the message was from God and was baptized
November 5, 1852. She and her mother and two sisters started for America one month later,
December 10, 1852.
Having saved enough money to pay her transportation on the water, Dorthea succeeded in
getting her belongings hauled across the plains for sending Neils Christiansen’s wife, with her
children. (This family a later settled in Ephraim.)
It was while journeying toward Utah that my father and mother met, and were married July 4,
1853 by a camp fire at Council Bluffs.
They resumed their journey, reaching Salt Lake City, October 1, 1853. Here they fashioned a
dugout to live in, in the Fifth Ward.
Father assisted in digging the first foundation of the Temple in Salt Lake City.
Mother went out doing washings and anything else she could to help along. Their first two
sons were born here and here also they suffered with the Saints through the grasshopper invasion
and subsequent famine, living on sego roots, with occasionally a little course bread. Mother said
she thought she would surely starve to death, while in the delicate condition. But she was
blessed with a healthy constitution and survived it all.
At one time she was asked to wash for Heber C. Kimball's family. When she reached the
place she found a wagon load of clothes awaiting her. She worked at them for two or three days,
and when she had finished them they paid her two dollars. Well, mother went home proud as a
peacock and hastened to show her invalid neighbor her prize. The poor lady was became so
jealous she was sick and had to remain in bed for several days.
In the fall when her oldest son was just beginning to walk mother used to glean is deeply in a
week in the fields. She took her boy and her sacks along and in the evening when the sacks were
full she found it difficult to get home with her burdens. The little chap refused to take an
advancing step. He would either sit down or go back.
The family lived in Salt Lake about two and half years, then moved to Brigham City where
they lived for nine years.
It was during this time that the call came for all the Saints to move south because of
Johnson's army.
When they returned to their home and got comfortably located they made preparations to go
and receive their endowments. Mother had gotten clothes ready but in looking them over she
found some little article missing. She decided to call on a neighbor and help her, leaving the
clothes on the table, the children all asleep. She had been away a very short time when the alarm
“Fire” was heard.
The cloth window blind had come in contact with a lighted candle and the straw roofed house
was in flames. By working quickly they saved the children, unhurt but the trip to the city had to
be postponed until a later date.
The family moved to Logan, April 18th, 1865, it being five years after the town was first
settled. Here they made a permanent home, which they owned until they died.
Father and the older boys helped to make the Upper Canal known as the “Logan and
Richmond Canal”. There were no scrappers in those days and all the excavating had to be done
with picks and shovels.
The boys also assisted in building the first railroad from Ogden to Cache County. I remember
as though it were yesterday, the first whistle of a “Puffing Billie” as that engine was called.
My parents having five sons, thought it well to secure some land for them. Accordingly they
got two loads of rough lumber, with which to build a shanty. The crossed David Reese's Ferry
and would have settled near his ranch, but were told that Reeses had received a right of way of
some kind to claim the range for several miles around for grazing. So they moved farther north
and east, unhitched their teams and camped for the night. Father knelt down and blessed the land
for the good of his family and their children after them. The Lord heard his prayer, for in the
exact spot, where he knelt, a sugar factory now stands, and many of his grandchildren located in
comfortable homes on land that was claimed by father and his sons.
Yes, the desert at was made to blossom like the rose, but many difficulties had to be
overcome.
First there were numerous bears that made their home in the dry brush along the river bank.
At night we would hear them growl and bark, wolves howl, foxes yelp, until a chorus of sounds
fell on our ears as we lay in our little one room shanty trying to sleep.
One evening my brother Jacob is stayed away fishing and later than he should, so mother
rushed him off after the cows, eating a bowl of mush as he went. He sent his faithful dog into the
brush and it brought out cows all right, but with them were a mother bear and her four cubs. As
he returned home with the bears followed him. When he ran she ran, and as he slowed his pace
she would. However, when he reached home she was close behind him. Mother had heard that
bears were afraid of fire and smoke, so she gathered up all the rubbish she could find and kept a
smudge most of the night.
Two other families moved out into the prairie land the same spring, and were our neighbors.
But before many years lapsed they gave up their claims and we were alone again.
Although mother received a very meager education she had learned the Bible from Genesis to
Revelation and many of our Sunday hours and evenings passed pleasantly away listening to her
interesting Bible stories.
As we children grew older my father and older brothers stayed in town to take care of the
farm and work. The boys often freighted to Montana. Oh, how eagerly we watched the Western
road on Saturday afternoons, for father often used to come and spend Sundays with us. He
always brought something nice for us. He was good gardener and brought us fresh vegetables
and fruit, such as was obtainable.
As a country around became more settled the bears and other wild beasts were driven to the
mountains that were seldom seen in the valley.
One morning mother found that the sheep had frightened and some had escaped from the
corral. She was very troubled by this, being alone with the younger children at the time. The
following night, however, she and the eldest girl made their beds on a low shed to watch for the
intruders. About midnight they were awakened by the sheep bouncing against the willow fence.
On looking they saw a large beast resting on his forepaws upon the fence, but it was too dark to
discover what it was. My sister had a gun and would have fired it at the beast, but mother
decided was not safe to make war on it, thinking, perhaps it was a bear. They began shouting,
which caused the bear to go off leisurely. He soon returned to the fence again, but their
continued clapping and shouting frightened him back to the river. He crossed it and started
through the woods toward Smithfield. The next day a large grizzly bear was shot at that town,
which evidently was the same one.
Later the boys started to dry-farm, as there was no water available on the ranch. However,
they were not satisfied with that and tried to get water on their land by means an engine pump,
but failed not to bring water upon the hill, but it proved too expensive for irrigation. Later they
assisted a project to take a canal out of Bear River, my oldest brother playing an important part in
this undertaking and made contracts for much of the work.
Father died March 19, 1878, being 82 years old. A neighbor placed on his casket a wreath of
flowers with a verse in the center written by Eliza R. Snow, as follows: “T’is good to die as he
had died, he smiled amid death’s conquering gloom, while angels a waited by his side, To bear a
kindred spirit home."
Let us drawback the curtain and take a peep at our first Logan home, about this time of year
when the family is moved back from their summer home, when things are in readiness for King
Winter to reign. We shall first see the animals comfortably located. Along the north side of the
yard several low buildings were joined together, covered with straw for pigs, sheep, cows and
horses. Then across each end was a long shed provided for the loose cattle. In the lot could be
seen a potato and other vegetable pits. Our house was a three-room log house. The room to the
north was used for a granary, and by the way it was never known to be empty while father lived.
The middle room was used for the boys bedroom, but at this time of year, we shall see other
things here of much importance to the family.
One, a bin full flour, and some bags of dried apples and peaches also a bag of herbs for
medicine. On a trunk in one corner will be seen two or three roles of homewoven cloth; one
linsey of different home dyed colors for the girls dresses. One roll of jeans for the boys suits.
Perhaps some cloth has been taken from both rolls or perhaps we are waiting for the tailor, who
has promised to come in time to get the boys fixed up for Christmas.
From this room there is a door to the west, leading to the street, where in summer, marigolds,
morning glories, four o’clocks, amber, etc. Bind both sides of the path. One door to the east
leading to the yard, and to the cellar, which was built against the east side of the house. In the
cellar we shall find shelves on both sides, the top ones usually laden with cheese, suspended
from the ceiling by wires, so as to keep the mice away. The supply of cheese has been brought
from the ranch and will be used and sold during the winter. The lower shelves are used for milk,
though now not so plentiful, as in those days we expected our cows to be dry three or four
months of the year. There is also a barrelful of meat and some sausages, some of which are cured
and kept in bags and buried in the wheat for summer. On the bottom shelf are some jars of peach
preserves, etc. and a keg of homemade molasses. On another shelf are several pans of lard
turned upside down on the shelf and a bucket of tallow used to grease the boys high boots, and
for wagon dope. Several bunches of candles are hanging from the roof. These have been made
by dipping the wicks into warm tallow, letting cool, then repeating the process until large
enough.
The south room to the house is kitchen, living room and bedroom. It was first provided with
a fireplace, afterward replaced by the Franklin stove. A table, three or four chairs, a trunk and a
bed, were the main furniture.
It was my privilege to occupy the trundle bed and many times have I awakened before
daylight and mother’s knitting needles would be going click, click in the dark. She always
provided us with good warm stockings in winter although we often went barefooted in summer.
Mother lived to see all her children married, and at the time of her death, October 3, 1902 she
was the mother of eight children and twenty-five grand children. The children named in order
are: Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Anna Maria, Mary Kistina, Hansine, Rebecca, Joseph Christian, and
Moses Peter.
Her funeral services were held in the Logan Tabernacle and many beautiful floral gifts
covered her casket. Many words of praise were uttered by the speakers for her faithfulness and
work accomplished and the good example left her children.
Written by Rebecca J. Frost. Revised by Aurelia F. Rurner (Historian)
The Romance of Hans Jorgensen and Dorthea Christensen
“Two shall come from lands apart,
And Find Each the way to the others heart;
For miles and mountains cannot hide
The two fate christened Groom and bride.”
In Denmark in the early eighteen hundreds, a jovial man, butcher by trade, by the name of
Hans Jorgensen, lived with his wife, Maren Kistina Jorgensen, in fairly prosperous
circumstances. He was at the time this story begins, about fifty- six years old, fond of his toddy
jug and his pipe and quite content with his mode of living.
One Day Hans Jorgensen looked up from his butcher’s block to see his son standing in the
doorway. The boy has come to talk to about the New Gospel he had heard at a Mormon
Missionary meeting. Shortly after that day, Hans’ friends were surprised to see him minus his
pipe, and were quite astounded upon visiting his house not to be offered liquor by way of
refreshment.
Thereafter he often said of the Gospel: “If it is worth anything, it is worth everything”, and he
subsequently gave up everything: his home and business, his friends and country, and with his
wife was baptized in 1851, sailing the following year for America about a small vessel.
Before he reached the new land, Hans Jorgensen had also to give up his wife in the new cause,
for the hardships of the rough sea journey caused her death near New Orleans, and she was
buried on an island. The vessel sailed on up the Mississippi River to St. Louis, Missouri arriving
there April 1, 1853. Here the company prepared themselves for the long perilous trek across the
plains to Utah. There was John Forsgren.
The faith of the group was put to a hard test when their money which they turned over to
Forsgren to be exchanged for American coins was never returned them. H.P. Benson, a man in
whom the Scandinavian people had much confidence, consoled them by prophesying that they
would all be better off than Forsgren. This proved true for this dishonest man died an apostate
pauper.
As Hans Jorgensen walked beside his ox team toward Utah, the land of the Saints, all his
earthly goods in a canvas-topped wagon, he sometimes found himself longing for a companion to
make gentler his harsh existence. He was not yet aware of a sweet-faced girl in the company, one
of a group which walked ahead of the wagons to gather the wood for fires when camp was
pitched.
Dorthea Christensen had heard and embraced the Gospel in her father’s home in Odense,
Veborrie, Denmark. Christen Andersen, a carpenter was an indulgent father, and would often
enjoy a romp with little Dorthea and her brothers and sisters. However, they seldom took
advantage of him, for when they quarreled or otherwise acted rude he would speak to them at
once, and if they did not heed, he would throw his red cap at them, which was a danger signal all
understood.
While still a young girl, Dorthea was given the task of tending her father’s sheep and geese.
While waiting for the animals to graze their fill and be staked out in another place, the girl
learned to embroider on a net cloth. This kind of work she loved above all things. Her children
remember the accounts of the pretty flowers she sewed while the sheepbells tinkled around her,
and how once upon seeing such a piece of net embroidery, tears came to her faded eyes
remembering her childhood.
Dorthea’s mother, Anna Maria Andersen, was left a widow while the children were still small.
Consequently they had a poor chance for education but were obliged to go out to work as soon as
they were able. Dorthea when she was old enough, took her sister’s place in the household of
Neils Hansen, a well-to-do farmer. There she had to milk the cows, work in the fields, spin and
card wool, and help with the housework. She worked there for eight years. When she left her
wages consisted of $10.00 in cash, two pairs of wooden shoes, five pounds of wool with which to
make clothes and stockings, and two suits of underwear which she herself made of homespun
flax.
The willing, cheerful girl was liked by all the Hansen family, and one of the rich farmer’s tall
sons liked her so well that he asked her to marry him. Hans Christian Hansen and Dorthea
Christensen became sweethearts and were to be married when something unexpected happened.
Another “Hans” of whom she had not heard was to claim her hand.
The girl went one night to a meeting of the Latter-Day Saints and came away with a great deal
to think about. When she explained to her lover the strange and beautiful feeling the words of the
missionaries awakened in her, she was troubled to find him displeased and angry. A short time
later she chose to the Mormon Gospel instead of the ring her recalcitrant lover wished to give
her, and she was baptized on November 5, 1852. The promise of rich Mr. Hansen to give them
all his lands and cattle if Dorthea would marry his son, could not tempt her, and she sailed with
her mother and two sisters on December10, 1852 for America.
For many weeks the man Hans Jorgensen and the girl Dorthea traveled in the same company
on the way to Utah without knowing that fate planned to mate them. At last on July 4, 1853 by a
campfire at Council Bluffs, these two were united before God. Thereafter they walked hand in
hand beside the oxen, and when night fell and camp was pitched, they shared the same wagon.
They talked eagerly of reaching the valley of the mountains where they could help build the
temple in which they could pledge eternal vows.
Reaching Salt Lake City, October 1, 1853, after great hardships on the plains, Hans Jorgensen
and his young wife made a dugout in which to begin a home. They lived here (in what later
became the Salt Lake Fifth Ward) for several years. Hans Jorgensen soon went to work with his
neighbors to begin digging the first foundation of the Salt Lake Temple. His wife did washings
and housework for the more prosperous inhabitants. Soon she had two little sons to demand her
care and the little family survived the grasshopper invasion and consequent famines, managing to
survive on sego roots and when extraordinarily blessed, on coarse bread.
At one time brave little Mrs. Jorgensen was asked to do a washing for the Heber C. Kimball
family. “The washing” turned out to be a wagon full clothes which took her three days to scrub
clean. When she had finished, two round silver dollars were laid in her palm. The money must
have looked like a great fortune to her after the desperate circumstances she had been through,
for she went door to door among her neighbors to show them the prize. One of the neighbors who
was an invalid became so jealous of lucky Mrs. Jorgensen, that she had a relapse and had to take
to her bed.
In the fall when the harvest were gathered, the Saints who had been unlucky with their crops
were allowed to glean enough wheat for bread from the full fields. Young mother Jorgensen took
her little son just beginning to walk, into the fields with her. In the evening when the sacks were
full and little Jacob was tired, she found it a problem to manage her burdens, for the little boy
would be unable to walk farther and would sit down in the stubble and cry for his mother to carry
him.
The Jorgensen family lived in Salt Lake City for about two and a half years, then moved to
Brigham City where they made their home for nine years.
Soon after settling in Brigham, Mrs. Jorgensen began spinning the thread that was to be
woven into temple clothes for herself and her husband. On the day that they planned to make the
trip to the temple in Salt Lake, she had laid out their white costumes on the kitchen table to pack
them. Noticing some little article missing, she decided to borrow it from a neighbor. Being early
in the morning, the children were all asleep. A candle still burned near a window where dawn
was just showing. From the neighbor’s house some distance away, the mother some minutes
away later heard a shriek of “Fire!”. She ran out in the street to see their straw-roofed home in
flames. By working quickly, she was able to get the children out unhurt, but the trip to the temple
had to be postponed until a later date.
Five years after the settlement of Logan, the family moved here on April 18, 1865. This became
their permanent home, where the remainder of the lives of the mother and father were spent.
Mr. Jorgensen and his older sons helped to make the Upper Canal, known as the “Logan and
Richmond Canal”. All of the excavating for the canal had to be done by the tedious pick-andshovel method. They also helped build the first railway from Ogden to Cache Valley. On the day
that the first "Puffing Billie” as the train engine was called, pulled into Cache County, there was
much celebrating among the Saints who had given brawn and muscle to make such a triumph
possible.
Having at last received the blessing of the Lord on their crops and herds, the Jorgensens now
prospered. The father began thinking of presenting his five strapping sons: Jacob, Isaac,
Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, with lands of their own to till. Gathering two loads of rough
lumber with which to build a shanty, the father and his sons set out across David Reese’s Ferry to
find virgin land. A little north and east of the David Reese ranch, they unhitched sagebrush with
their teams and setup camp. Hans Jorgensen knelt down in the sagebrush and asked God to bless
the land for the good of his family and their children after them. The acres now rest the homes of
many of his grandchildren, who are this day prospered by the Lord.
Numerous bears lived in the dry brush along the river banks. One evening Jacob stayed late at
his fishing. It was after dark when he went to bring the cows out of the brush for milking, eating
his supper of mush and milk on the way. His dog sent into the dense undergrowth soon began
baying the cows out one by one. But with the last cow came a mother bear and her four cubs!
They padded along behind the herd, hurrying or slowing down as the boy did their greedy eyes
fixed upon him. When Jacob reached home, the she-bear had come up close behind him. Seeing
the strange procession approaching the house, Mother Jorgensen called the other boys to help
gather fuel for a bonfire, which eventually frightened the bears into the woods, although they
were stalking the house all night.
Bears were also often a grave menace to sheep and cattle in that vicinity. One morning Mother
Jorgensen was alarmed to find that the sheep were in a panic and that some of them were missing
from the corral. None of the boys were home and she was alone with the younger children. That
night she took the eldest girl and made their beds on top of a low shed in the yard to watch for
the sheep thief. About midnight they were awakened by the sound of sheep milling against the
willow fence. They could distinguish a large black beast resting its forepaws upon the fence. It
was too dark to determine what it was. Although they had a gun they decided against firing since
if the intruder were a bear, it would surely attack them if wounded. The two stood up on the roof
and clapped their hands and shouted which caused the bear to go off leisurely. They kept up the
applause throughout the night each time the bear returned until he loped across the river near
morning. The next day a full grown grizzly bear was shot near Smithfield, evidently the would-be
"kid"napper.
The Jorgensen homestead in Logan was a typical pioneer abode. A three room log house stood
toward the front of a large cleared space. Along the north side of the yard were grouped several
low buildings, straw-covered, where pigs, sheep, cows and horses were comfortably housed.
Across each end of the yard was a long shed for the loose cattle. Potato and vegetable pits were
situated near the house. The north room of the log cabin was used as a granary, the middle room
was the boys' bedroom and part of the year store room for flour, apples, dried fruits and dried
herbs, and jeans for the boys' suits. The south room of the cabin served as kitchen, living room
and bedrooms. First provided with an open fireplace where cooking and roasting was done as
well as "shin-toasting" in cold weather, this kitchen later boasted a Franklin stove. A table, three
of four rude chairs, a trunk and a bed as well as a trundle bed in which most of the children had
their turn, were the main articles of furniture. In the cellar built against the east side of the house,
shelves suspended by wires form the ceiling so mice could not get at them. The lower shelves
were used for milk; great quantities of it unless the cows were dry, which they were three or four
months out of each year. Barrels of meat and sausages; some of which was cured and buried in
the wheat for summer, were kept here. The shelves next to the floor were used for preserved
fruits and jams and for kegs of homemade molasses. On the other shelves stood large pans of lard
turned upside down, a bucket of tallow for greasing the boys' high boots and for wagon dope.
Bunches of tallow candles always dangled from the roof.
The house was surrounded with sunny marigolds; cool morning glories kissed the window panes,
and four o’clocks, amber and other flowers bordered each side of the path.
Here Hans Jorgensen and his wife kept their family of eight children well and hearty by the
labor of their hands and their faith in goodness of God and the divinity of the Gospel.
As the children grew older, the father and older brothers stayed in town to take care of the
farm and work. The boys often freighted to Montana and would bring home tokens of their
travels to their eager sisters. Later the boys tried their luck at dryfarming on the ranch, to which
very little water was available. Meeting with scant success they tried to get water to their land by
means of an engine pump but found it difficult to bring the water over the hill. The problem was
solved when a group of farmers; the Jorgensen boys among them; dug a canal from Bear River
which thereafter was used to irrigate their lands.
So the family prospered, new land was cleared and settled, the cattle multiplied. Mother
Jorgensen schooled her little ones with but one textbook to help her; the family Bible brought
from Denmark. When they were older they attended Sunday School and learned to count
precious their birthright under the covenant.
On March 19, 1878, five sons and three daughters stood with their mother around the bed of
Hans Jorgensen; now 82 years old. With trembling hands he blessed each one and closed his eyes
in death. A neighbor spoke for all who knew him when he placed upon his casket a wreath with a
verse in the center written by Eliza R. Snow: “Tis good to die as he died, He smiled amid death’s
conquering gloom, while angels waited by his side, to bear a kindred spirit home.”
Mother Jorgensen lived to see all her children married, when she passed away on October 3,
1902, she left her children: Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, Anna Marie, Mary Kistina, Hansine Rebecca,
Joseph Christian and Moses Peter, and twenty- five grandchildren.
From the lives of this faithful man and his wife, all of their numerous descendants can derive
inspiration and example. They have joined hands in another world for a journey across the plains
of eternity.
Lars Larsen Nielsen
Father was born October 6, 1830, in a small place named Corren Agested Vensysel, Denmark.
His Father died when he was six years old. This left his mother to care for three little children.
When he was three years old she married again and continued to live in the home given them by
her parents. For some unknown reason the home was taken away from them later. When this
happened, two more children were added to the family, but the new husband left her and she was
sent to the poor house. However, she did not have to remain there long. She finally secured work
but the wages were very meager.
Father commenced earning his own living at age of nine years. His work was caring for cows
and sheep and his only compensation was board and clothes. His clothes were made of
homespun. He had two shirts, two pair of trousers, two suits of underwear and two pair of
stockings. Trascoe (or wooden shoes) adorned his feet. Child though he was he had been taught
by his mother to darn his own stockings which made the two pair last out the year.
Young people who hired out in those days always made promises to their employers to stay a
certain length of time. Usually this was for one year but it was not uncommon for them to remain
at the same place ten and twelve years or longer. If a change was made, a written
recommendation from their old employer was necessary. It was not difficult to secure
employment if one had been a good servant. And so father always possessed high
recommendation and always had plenty of work. At the age of 22 years he went to pass
examination as a soldier. The officials only laughed at him because he was too small. They told
him to go home and grow. This nearly broke his heart for it was a great honor to be a soldier. It
was some time between the ages of 22 and 30 that he heard the Gospel. This message appealed to
him and soon afterwards he joined the Church. His special work in the Church was that of a local
Elder and later Conference President. It was soon after he joined the Church that Mother came
into his life. They were married October 14, 1860. At this time he was working in a foundry in
Aalborg and stayed there for a number of years.
Four children came to bless their home before emigrating to America. Two; Rebecca and
Alma were born in Aalborg. Anna and Lauritz were born after moving to Huring. Alma died
when only 15 months old.
The Gospel meant everything to them. The spring of gathering to Zion came and so they
decided to emigrate. The money for this was to be gotten from a loan from the Church with 10%
interest. Ten young ladies wanted to go to Zion but notes had to be signed to pay their way so
father signed with them.
With three small children Rebecca age 6, Anna age 3, and Lauritz only three weeks; they were
prepared to start on what proved to be a long, tiresome, venturesome journey. Nine weeks they
tossed about on the ocean. Once the compass showed that the wind had carried them back farther
than the distance they had traveled ahead. When mother was questioned about the fear of the
ocean she replied, “What good would it do to be afraid? We are here. All we can do is trust in
God and go on.”
When they reached Montreal they were placed in box cars (not as good as the ones cattle are
carried in today). And hauled as far as Illinois. From there they were to make the journey with
mule and ox teams. While crossing the plains the baby died (form lack of food) and was buried in
a shallow grave. Father took sick with cholera one week after burying his sister and her husband
with the same disease. The company doctor placed him in the wagon and ordered him to take one
pint of pain killer and cayenne pepper. The captain assured him if he did not take it all he would
die. After he swallowed the last bit he said, “Now I can see you want me to die.” It took the
disease from him however, and in a few hours he was able to walk again.
Upon arriving in Salt Lake City they were met by some of the Saints one of whom; Henry
Naisbitt, offered to take Father’s sister’s children who were now left orphans. Father and Mother
wanted to take them on but Father’s mother (Grandmother Nielsen) who was in the company,
thought it was best that they be left in Salt Lake City, thinking that their educational
opportunities would be greater and they would be nearer to the leaders of the Church.
We remained in Salt Lake City two days and then proceeded on our journey. Father’s brother ,
Thomas had come to Logan a few years before and so ti was decided to join them there. The first
winter was spent in a dug out while father was busy getting logs from the canyon to build the one
room which was to be their home for a number of years. Mother being a weaver by trade, was
busy weaving to help finance the home. Minnie and Lars and Thomas were born in this home. It
might be stated here that Mother’s ability to earn and save seemed to be the greatest means of
keeping the family. Many times when tax time would come Father would come to Mother and
say he had a chance to ride to Logan to pay the taxes but what could he do because he had no
money to pay. Mother always seemed to have the money saved ahead. She’d tell him to go get
ready then hand him the hard earned money to meet obligations which she knew were coming.
Father had been corresponding with a cousin in California who desired him to come here for
work. There were four of us children at this time. Lars was the baby. He went and assisted with
the harvesting staying for about three months. He wanted Father to stay and move the family
there and become foreman of the ranch. Although it seemed to mean more financially, Father had
come to Zion for the gospel’s sake and preferred remaining in Cache Valley with the Saints.
Father was still responsible for the notes he had signed with the young ladies who immigrated
the same time as he did and so the $500.00 that was earned in California went to pay that fee.
(Aunt Annie said that she did not mean that Father earned $500.00 in 3 months. He may have
been there longer than that and perhaps someone can tell how long Father was gone. However he
paid it.) Labor was scarce and wages low so when the railroad came into the valley and the cut
made through the mountains near Cache Junction, the saints were happy to receive work. It was
doing this kind of labor which assisted Father to pay more on the immigration notes. While away
from home this time it happened that Father dreamed the same dream three times in one night. I
don’t recall the details of the dream, only that something seemed wrong at home. He came home
on Saturday evening and Sunday while at meeting, Minnie only 5 years of age played with the
fire while mother ran to the neighbors to borrow a shovel to dig potatoes. She was gone only a
few minutes but the child’s apron caught on fire from the open grate of the old fashioned wood
step stove. Minnie ran out in the cold November winds for relief which only made it worse. The
first thought Mother had was “who in the world would want to burn the papoose?” Minnie was
already burned beyond recognition. She only lived a few hours. The only one with her was Lars
who was trying to beat the flames with a stick. The older children were away tending sheep. This
was terrible tragedy in their lives. Doubly hard for it hadn’t been long since Thomas, 21 months
old died with scarlet fever.
The next spring we moved to Benson Ward. The logs of the house were moved as well so we
lived in a granary until it was rebuilt. Mother’s health was never so good after this, although she
gave birth to a daughter and three sons. Tomenia, George, John, and Andrew. While we were
living in Benson Ward, Father spent a part of his time in Montana working for the railroad. He
was now able to pay more on the emigration notes.
A happy time came for all the Saints who owed immigration debts. All debts were cancelled.
At last Father thought he did not have to pay any more for immigration but in the last few years
of Father’s life a letter came from the husband of one of the girls who had written asking for her
immigration. Father thought that when the man married the girl he would assume the obligation
but his letter said, “You know I still have your note.” So the last money Father earned went to
pay this note. He was always willing to serve and always willing to do the Master’s bidding.
The Benson place was sold and they moved back to Hyde Park where they spent their last
days. Here on their five acre lot they built their home, planted the orchard, raised the feed for the
cows and the chickens. The home was beautiful and there was land enough to make a good
honest living.
Father was always true to the Gospel in paying his tithing and fast offerings or anything that
the ones who were placed over him asked. He was always exhorting his children and
grandchildren to be faithful and try to live their religion, and always try and be of service and
keep all of the commandments of the Lord. His testimony to his dying day was that the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was the only true church upon the earth. He worked as a ward
teacher first and gave them a desire to work in the various offices in the Church. He never made a
great show financially but still his last days were his best. He seemed to feel quite at ease when
his children were all married. He used to say he was glad to have us come visit them. His health
generally speaking was good. Soon after his marriage he was afflicted with typhoid fever which
left him with a partially weak stomach. With this exception and a little rheumatism occasionally
he seemed to enjoy the best of health.
This was copied by Grace Viola Jorgensen Hadfield on April 14, 1963. She writes, “I don’t know
which daughter made this history but it isn’t my mother’s (Rebecca’s) writing so could have been
Aunt Min as we called her.
Dorthea Marie Thomasen Nielsen
Dorthea Marie Thomasen Nielsen was born February 24, 1838 in Mollmark Russet, Hlmst,
Denmark. She was raised in Denmark and when she was seven years of age she was hired out as
a baby tender for a very small wage. She did this kind of work until she was twelve years old. At
that age she was hired out to a family on a large farm. She worked there for four years as this was
the custom of the country. While there she had to do housework, milk the cows morning and
evenings, do outside work during the day, work on the farm helping the men with the farm work.
When her four years were up she thought farm work was too hard, and went to work in a factory.
This work took her a long way from home. She had to go a Danish four miles, and their mile was
as long as four American miles. She remained at the factory for five years. Here she learned to
make all kinds of cloth, shawls, blankets, carpets, rugs, and all kinds of things. While working
there her father and mother both passed away. One of her sisters also died leaving she and her
three other sisters as orphans.
It was while she was working at the factory that she first heard the Latter Day Saint Elders.
The girls would attend their meetings at night and on Sunday. She has said many times it was just
like food for her to hear the Elders talk. Her sisters made fun of her for believing what they said,
but she kept going to hear them. When she was nineteen years old, she applied for baptism, and
was baptized January 13th, 1857, and was also confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints.
She remained at the factory until she was twenty-one years old, when she met her future
husband, then the Branch President. One year later she was married to Lars Larsen Nielsen. She
left the factory and went with him to live in the Mission home at Aalborg. While living there she
had four children. In the spring of 1866 they prepared to immigrate to America, and then to Utah.
Meanwhile she lost one of the children, a little boy named Alma, while they were still living in
Denmark.
When her baby, named Lauritz, was only three weeks old, they sailed for the United States of
America, on the 10th day of April, taking their three children with them. The trip across the ocean
was a long one, taking nine weeks. The trip across the plains was also a long hard one. Their
baby died and was buried on the plains. They arrived in New York, and left for Utah on June
19th, 1866, arriving in Salt Lake City, October 22nd, 1866. They went on to Logan, Utah arriving
on November 9th, staying there until the next spring,(1867), when they moved to Hyde Park,
Cache County, Utah. While living there they had three more children born to them; a girl and two
boys. Also another baby died from scarlet fever, and six weeks later her little five year old
daughter was burned to death.
She did not feel that she could stay in Hyde Park any longer, so father took up a home stead in
1873 and moved to Benson Ward, where four more children were born to them. They lived there
about ten years, and then moved back to Hyde Park, where they lived the remainder of their lives;
building themselves a new home there.
They were parents of eleven children. Mother was a weaver by trade and it was a great help to
her throughout her life. She was active in the Church, and with her husband they accomplished
many things. They did much to relieve their suffering in the community, by practical nursing and
caring for the sick, giving to the poor and need, as well as sharing their meager supplies with the
Indians. She lived to be 75 years of age. She passed to the great beyond a faithful Latter-Day
Saint, and in full fellowship of the Church. Much more could be said of her and what she and her
husband and family had to endure during the hardships of the Pioneer days.
The children of Dorthea Marie and Lars L. Nielsen are: Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen,
Alma,(who died in Denmark), Anne Nielsen Miller, Baby Lauritz,(died while they were crossing
the plains), Mena (Minnie) Dorthea Nielsen, (burned to death at 5 years of age), Lars L. Nielsen
Jr., Tomena Kirstine Nielsen Balls, George Christen Nielsen, John Peter Nielsen, and Andrew
James Nielsen.
Written by her daughter Tomena Kirstine Nielsen Balls; March 3,1956.
Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen
The father of Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen, Lars L. Nielsen, was born at Agersted Voer Sogren,
Denmark on October 6, 1830, the year the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was
organized. He was a gardener by trade and also worked in a foundry.
Lars Nielsen’s wife Dorthea Marie Thomsen, was born in Halling Sogen, Denmark on
February 24, 1838. As a young woman, she was hired out to help maintain the family. She
learned to card and spin wool and to weave it into cloth for clothing, blankets and carpets. She
also learned to knit stockings, mittens and sweaters as well as to take care of the orchard. She
met her intended husband after they both had joined the Church. At the time of their meeting,
Lars Nielsen was a traveling missionary companion of Brother Anthon Lund.
They were married on October 15, 1860. They were faithful Church members and on Sundays
would walk a Danish mile, which is equivalent to four English miles, to hear the gospel
preached. Their family consisted of two girls and two boys; one son Lauritz, died and was buried
in Aalborg. Rebecca was the oldest of the four children.
The family left Denmark in July,1866 in a sailing vessel. They were on the sea for nine weeks.
During the trip, Rebecca(five years of age) became lost. When they finally located her, she was
walking the railing of the upper deck. Her mother waled up quietly behind her without speaking,
fearing she would be lost in the dashing waves below, and took her from the railing. Surely her
life was saved because her work was not finished on this earth. When they landed in America,
they were assigned to Captain Lowry’s train of immigrating Saints and arrived in Salt Lake City
on October 22,1866. While crossing the plains, cholera claimed many of the Saints and their
youngest son, Tommy was among them. He was buried on the plains leaving only two girls,
Rebecca and Annie.
They left Salt Lake City and arrived in Logan on November 1, 1866 where they spent the
winter. The following spring they moved to Hyde Park, where they lived for six years. The father
Lars, was a good gardener and an especially good hand with animals and fowls. He taught his
daughters the frugal way of living, working in the garden and helping with the duties of the
home. While living in Hyde Park, a third child, Minnie, died. She was burned to death. This was
a severe shock tot he family and they were filled with grief.
Along with other good Saints, they moved to Benson Ward and took up a homestead. Her
they did some real pioneering – they carried water from Bear River in two buckets hanging from
a yoke over the shoulders for household needs. She Rebecca learned to herd cattle and sheep and
while she cared for them she would knit stockings, etc. for family needs. She also helped her
father cradle wheat and haul hay and learned how to burn grease wood for lye and to make soap
for family cleaning. She helped to weave cloth out of wool yarn which they sheared, washed,
dyed and spun. Clothing was made from the jeans for the men’s pants, shirts, and coats and
Lindsey dresses for the women. Often the skirts were gored, some just gathered to a band. The
baszeus or waists were darted to become form- fitting. Some were trimmed with rare pieces of
velvet or lace around the neck band and down the front. These basques usually buttoned down
the front and Rebecca made beautiful buttonholes. Annie was capable of the duties at home so
Rebecca was hired out. She worked for Martha Thain, Ellen Rees, Mary Ann Rogers, Sarah
Reese, and Sister Harris. Cash was scarce so $1.50 per week was a good wage and the training
was excellent. As well as carry water from the river, she was required to do family duties, wash
iron, milk cows, and care for the milk. She be came an expert butter maker and often sold butter
for ten cents a pound. She learned how to braid rye straw and bleach it with sulphur for hats to
shade them from the hot sun. Rebecca’s skin was fair and it freckled easily. Ellen Rees taught her
to crochet, embroider and to make cloth slippers.
When she was fourteen years old, Rebecca’s father began to worry for fear she would be an
old maid. She was so quiet and retiring. He suggested that she should marry in polygamy as she
had had many offers. Rebecca stoutly refused. She knew and felt she would find someone her
own age. Her first sweetheart wanted her to marry but he was not her choice. He stayed single
until Rebecca was married. She had other suitors but she wanted none of them until a tall,
handsomely build young man by the name of Isaac Jorgensen came. She knew immediately he
was for her. The romance started and one and half years later, on July 8th, 1880, they were
married in the Salt Lake Endowment House. The wedding trip was made in a covered wagon
accompanied by the groom’s sister and her husband.
Isaac and Rebecca Jorgensen made their home in Logan in the Fourth Ward. They lived at 33
East 4th North between Main and First East Streets. Eight children were born to them while they
lived here. Three of these children died; one boy eleven months old and a pair of twin girls five
and six weeks old. In 1890, Isaac became interested in a lumber company in Oregon and as a
result he moved the family to Baker City, Oregon. One boy was born there. However, his wife
was dissatisfied without the church and so the family returned to Logan. While in Logan, a bay
girl was born. After about two years in Logan, they sold their home and most of their property
and purchased land and a home in Hyde Park. Six more children were born in Hyde Park making
a family of sixteen children – eight boys and eight girls. Two of the babies born here died at the
age of six months and three months. Eleven of the children grew to maturity and were married
and raised families. The next to the youngest son, Quin, died of Miner’s consumption which he
contracted while working for the Southern Pacific Railroad. He left a wife and five children.
Rebecca Jorgensen was very serious about her life’s work. She was tender-hearted and
thoughtful of others. She would do her utmost to make others happy and comfortable. She taught
her children to pray, to be honest and humble, to respect the aged and those in authority over us
in the Church. She loved her religion and had great faith in administration of the sick by the
Elders of the Church. Many times she has been delivered from the hands of death by the power of
God through the Elders. At one time, Brother Alma Sonne and Joseph E. Cardon administered to
her. As Brother Sonne left, he made the remark, “I don’t think she can live till morning.” she was
healed and the next day Brother Sonne said, “If ever a miracle in healing was done in our
Church, it was done that day.” she had great faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints although she didn’t do much active participation. Her family was large and her health poor
which restricted much activity in the Church, but she always saw that the children were bathed
and ready for Sunday School, Primary and Religion Class or Sacrament Meeting.
She always had food canned and clothing ready for the winter for her family as well as for
others. She sewed all her children’s clothes and everything to keep them warm and comfortable.
She gave to the poor, homeless and homebound fruit, money, soup, cookies, cream, butter, milk,
eggs, meat, and clothing. She fed and clothed two immigrant boys, and three of her deceased
cousin’s boys until they could provide for themselves.
She was willing to help her parents and her brothers and sisters with sewing, housecleaning,
and any other help they needed. Her generosity never gave out.
In 1909 the family (except for three who married) moved to Nevada where they lived for a
year. Then they moved to Grouse Creek, Utah and back to Logan again. From Logan they moved
to Smithfield, then to Amalga and finally back to Logan. They were able to adjust themselves
and made themselves useful at each move.
Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen died at 55 East 5th North, Logan, Utah on March19, 1930 at the
age of 69 years. She was a member of the Logan Ninth Ward at the time of her death.
Isaac Jorgensen
Born: 21 February 1857
Brigham City, Utah
Died: 18 April 1938
Logan, Utah
Son of Hans Jorgensen and Dorthea Christensen (Andersen)
Isaac lived in Brigham City, Utah until 186 when his family moved to Logan, Utah. He lived
in Logan with his family until his marriage.
(See family history for this information)
During the latter part of August in 1879, Isaac and his brother Jacob took a load of freight
from Corrine, Utah to Butte, Montana. Grandpa was to be married in February of the following
year. He and Uncle Jake were snowed in at Little Elkhorn Canyon. They were not able to get
back until the middle of May. It had been thought for quite some time that Indians had killed
them.
On July 8, 1880, Isaac was married to Rebecca Nielsen at the Salt Lake Endowment House.
At this time, he was working for George Lindquist as a carpenter and cabinet maker. Being an
excellent craftsmen, he made their first dresser and bed from native cedar. This furniture is still
in the family. The dresser was given to Sybil Christensen at the time of Isaac’s death. She had
received the bed a few years earlier. Sybil refinished the bed when she received it. With help
from Levi and Everett Jorgensen, sons of Lola Jorgensen, the dresser was refinished.
Four or five years after she was married, Isaac was called to labor as an ordinance worker in
the Logan Temple. Prior to this he had worked on the construction of the temple. It is said that he
built the stairway railing in the priesthood room, and he did a considerable amount of the finish
work in the first room of the temple.
Although he held no formal degrees, he attended the B.Y. College sometime during his early
married life. The following tribute was paid by Clarence Hurren, a resident of Hyde Park and
alter principal of Smithfield Junior High School and North Cache High School. It was told to
Harl Noble in a classroom situation. (The same thing had been told to Lola Jorgensen by Mr.
Hurren) Harl was asked: “aren’t you a grandson of Isaac Jorgensen?” Harl answered yes. “I never
saw a man who could use his brain so well in mathematical calculations. I have sold him grain,
and it didn’t make any difference whether it was 500 bushels or 5,000 pounds, he could have the
price figured in his head and the check made before I could do it with a pencil and paper. It
seemed to make no difference the rate of pay per bushel or pound!
He was an outdoors man of some note. When Uncle Leeman and grandpa were taking sheep
from Tony Grove to Montpelier for shipping they were camped on the summit. They kept a fire
going to keep the lambs from wandering around as they hang toward the light. They made a dash
for the fire and then turned back. Grandpa Leeman that there was a bear among them. The bear
left without harming the lambs. The next day when they arrived at Garden City some men had
killed a grizzly bear that got into their sheep. It was probably the same one.
At about the time he was doing temple work, he managed the Equitable General Merchandise
Store for a few years. In 1890, he went to Baker City, Oregon, where he went into the umber
business with Wm. Thomas and David Eccles. He stayed only one summer. Uncle Glenn, the
ninth child, was born while they were in Baker City.
At this time he and his brother, Abraham, started the Coop Lumber Yard in Logan. They
obtained their lumber from Temple Mill in Logan Canyon.
He sold his share of the lumber business to Abraham and moved his family to Hyde Park,
Utah, in 1892 to provide more land and space for his family. Rhoda Perkes, his sixth child, now
lives in this home(1964). At this time he was in the feed and seed business and owned the Logan
Seed and Elevator Company and a herd of approximately 9,000 sheep. Vera and Grace, two of
his daughters, talked about the sheep inspector when they were dipping the sheep. He sold the
sheep and bought three flour mills: The Farmer’s Union at Smithfield, Utah; the Cache Valley
Milling Company at Richmond, Utah; and the Weston Milling Company at Weston, Idaho.
(Check Grandma Jorgensen’s history for some of this detail).
He maintained his homestead property in Amalga, Utah during this time. This property was
later organized in to the Cache Valley Orchard Company. At about this time, he owned a coal
yard and sold coal to Hyde Pak residents.
In 1909 Isaac took his family tot he Vineyard Land and Stock Company at Tacoma, Nevada
(Twelve Mile Ranch). They stayed about a year and a half and then went to the Etna Land and
Stock Company.
In the spring of 1910, Retta, Grace, and Vera were returning to the ranch from Logan where
they had been attending school. The girls gave a vivid description of their trip. They claim they
traveled all over “Hell’s creation” to get there. They took ten days to go about one hundred and
forty miles. They said, “Dad never was in much of a hurry to get where he was going!”
The family moved Logan in 1911 but retained the Etna Ranch several years, probably selling
it in December of 1917. At this time he maintained three homes; one in Logan, one in Amalga,
and one in Smithfield. The children’s time was spent in operating these separate properties; Etna
Land and Stock Company, Cache Valley Orchard Company and the Farmers Union Flour Mill.
The main home was at 55 East 5th North, Logan, Utah.
In 1914, he acquired a general store in Grouse Creek, Utah. Leeman and his wife Mary ran it
for two years until he was called on a mission, at which time Vera and her husband Elias ran it
for about two years. Orilla and her husband went back and operated it as a store and a hotel for
two years. Then ORilla and her husband got sick and had to return to Logan. At this time
Grandpa and Grandma took it over and operated it until Orilla and Charlie were able to operate it
again for about four years. Grandpa then took over the management and had it for about one and
a half years. In July 1922, he had an accident with an oil lamp and it burned to the ground. It was
a complete loss except for a small amount of insurance on the stock.
He sold the Etna property for $45,000.00. This was deposited in an Ogden Bank and alter in
vested in various business ventures. They proved to be of little value. When he died, he had
expended all of his funds.
He contribute toward the building of many church buildings including the Hyde Park chapel, the
Richmond Tabernacle, the Weston chapel, the Grouse Creek chapel, Smithfield 1st Ward, the
Logan Tabernacle, and the Logan Temple. It was discussed at Isaac was a very ardent worker in
the church, attending all of his meetings, paying his tithing, etc., until he was released as an
officiator at the temple. This seemed to cause him to change his attitude, although he was always
valiant in the church, but did not attend church regularly. The girls never remember having
family prayers, although he taught his children to attend to all of their church duties and
activities. He was never known by them to attend church regularly but always contributed
financially to the various organizations as he was contacted for this purpose.
This material was put down while the following children discussed his life: Lola Jorgensen,
Alvaretta Leora Jorgensen Christensen, Rhoda Eva Jorgensen Perkes, Grace Viola Jorgensen
Hadfield, Vera LaVene Jorgensen Noble. Checked with Leeman Jorgensen the next day. May
13, 1959 at Hyde Park, Utah Sybil Christensen. Material rewritten by Gary Jorgensen son of
Darrell Jorgensen. Typed August 1964
Lola Everett Jorgensen
On warm summer day, 31 July 1881, a son was born to Isaac and Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen,
in Logan, Cache County, Utah. This was the first child born to this couple in a family of sixteen
children, eight boys and eight girls. He was blessed 1October 1881 in Logan, Utah and given the
name of Lola Everett Jorgensen by Joseph Goddard.
As we don’t know we assume he lived a normal childhood like all children do. Upon
reaching the age of eight years of age, Lola was baptized in mill race at Central Mill, Logan,
Cache County, Utah by Charles Lundberg on 5 September 1889 and confirmed the following day
6 September 1889 by Thomas Morgan. Also when eight years of age of friend was swinging him
by the arms and hit his leg on a bench and broke his leg.
Lola started school in Logan, Utah and when he was ten years old the family moved to Hyde
Park, Utah in 1891, where he continued his education. When he was old enough to attend BYU
College in Logan, he went there one year.
He herded sheep for his father above Hyde Park and one time when he had to go to town to
get supplies as he was returning he saw tracks of where a bear had been following him when he
went down to get the supplies.
On March 1, 1897 he was ordained to the office of a Deacon by J. W. D. Hurren. To the
office of Teacher 5 May 1902 by Suel Lamb Sr., and Elder 14 March 1904 by William Seamons.
A High Priest 14 April 1935 by Adelbert E. Cranney.
At the age of nineteen he met a pretty brunette girl by the name of Maria Elizabeth Waite,
who was sixteen at the time. He was attracted to her and courted her for three years and decided
this was the girl he wanted to share life and throughout eternity so he took her to the L. D. S.
Temple in a buggy with one black horse and one white horse in mud up to the hubs of the wheels
and the sun was shining beautifully.
They returned to Hyde Park where they set out housekeeping in a small pink two story house.
The next year they were blessed with a baby daughter, this being the first child in a family of ten
children, six girls and four boys. This child was born on 10 June 1905 and given the name of
Venna. After the baby was born Lola was called to serve a Mission for the L. D.S. Church in the
Scandinavian Mission. He left from home on 11 September 1905 to journey to Salt Lake , his
father going with him that far, leaving a wife and a three month old child at home.
Upon arriving in Salt Lake they took a room at the Wilson Hotel and after cleaning up went
out to visit some of the business houses and the Temple and Tabernacle. Some people wished to
see the inside of the Tabernacle so he was privileged to go with them. It was explained how the
Tabernacle was built and it made quite an impression on him to think of a building being built
like that in those days with so few tools and materials to work with and building an organ, too.
This seemed quite wonderful to him, that evening he attended a musical in the Tabernacle to hear
the organ.
The following day, 12 September 1905 Lola bought his ticket for his trip to Boston and at 2
o’clock was set apart for his mission. Then on 13 September left by train going through Ogden
to Omaha, and from Omaha he crossed over the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers and on to
Chicago. From Chicago to Boston with a stop at Buffalo where he saw the Niagara Falls,
crossed over and saw the Falls from the Canadian side also, then proceeded to Boston.
On 21 September he set sail aboard ship bound for Liverpool, England. While enroute a man
died and was buried at sea. The ship arrived in England on 29 September at 11o’clock where
they embarked and after having dinner went to the Mission Headquarters for instruction and to be
assigned to his field of labor. On 2 October Lola left Liverpool to journey across England to the
North Sea and boarded the ship Batania sailing to Isberg, and was sick until landing on 4 October
1905. He stayed there until next morning and took the train to Copenhagen Conference. He
labored in this mission until his health failed then was released to return home, leaving Denmark
on 19 October 1906 by train to Liverpool, England where he boarded a ship to sail back to the
United States. There were 111 Immigrants in the company on board the ship.
After eight days on the Ocean they first sighted land on 2 November 1906 and landed at
Quebec, Canada on 3 November where they were inspected by an Immigration Committee and
then they sailed the till 2 o’clock on the 4 November and landed, they were transported on to the
Grand Trunk Depot where they had to spend the night aboard the train and on November 6
crossed over into the United States. He then returned back to Utah through Chicago arriving in
Salt Lake City on 9 November 1906 and then on to Hyde Park where he was reunited with his
wife and baby daughter.
They had another daughter born on 18 November 1907 naming her Berdice, another daughter
was born the following year named Carlyn. After this daughter was one move to love the hill
overlooking Hyde Park to see if it would improve bolus helped, where he took a farming on the
farm bought from his father Isaac Jorgensen. This farm was mostly dry farm with a few acres
under irrigation.
Two more daughters joined the family, Lyda born 16 August 1910, and Arda born 20 January
1913, they were followed by three boys, Everett Waite, born 5 March 1914, Levi Harold born 9
February 1916, and Cleon Alverdo born 14 November 1917. In 1918-19 there was a flu
epidemic and the family all contacted it. Maria Elizabeth being pregnant at the time was very ill
with a high fever and they didn’t know if she would recover or not, but she recovered and all the
children and Lola recovered too. Lola went out and helped other people until he contacted the flu
himself.
After the flu they had two more children, Norma born 21 June 1919, and Orlin Glen born 21
December and lived until 27 January 1921 when he passed away from bronchial pneumonia.
Some time around 16 August 1924 Lola broke his leg again a few inches above the previous
break. He hauled milk with team and wagon for a number of years, did blacksmith work for
many people, went to the canyon in the summers to cut maple wood to bring home for firewood
for winter. He was sexton of the Hyde Park Cemetery for several years and often buried people
for nothing when he thought they couldn’t afford to pay for it.
In the spring he would help drive cattle up the canyon to graze for the summer and help bring
them home in the fall, his cattle among them. Lola was a Scouter for most of his life and he
enjoyed taking the boys on trips to White Pine and Tony Grove Lakes for a week at a time riding
horses with supplies on pack horses each year. He felt bad because he could not achieve the rank
of Eagle he desired but was not able to because he was not allowed to learn to swim as a young
boy. He enjoyed doing Temple Work and genealogy which he did quite a sum of. He was a
genealogist of the Jorgensen family organization for a number of years.
For several years in the fall he went to Lenrose, Idaho to dig beets for Bill Heuser, living in a
tent while there. One year he took his wife with him. Lola and wife took care of Brother J. W.
Hurren and his wife, living with them and caring for them. They also lived up Logan Canyon for
four or five years herding cattle in the summers, around 1951. He also worked in the mill for
quite a number of years.
Lola was a hard working man, working from daylight until dark each day. He believed in
giving an honest days work whether for someone else or himself and he never believed in
working on Sunday. Lola was a very religious man and believed in keeping the Sabbath day as
we are taught to do. He did much compassionate service. He and his wife believed in being
honest and taught their children to do the same and to respect other people as well as their
parents and each other.
When he could no longer farm he and his wife Elizabeth (Lizzie) moved down into Hyde Park
town in 1954, where they could be closer to the Church and they bought a little home. When he
was able he thinned beets for the ward farm.
His family loved and respected him and would honor him on his birthdays each year with a
family get together either up Logan Canyon or at his residence. After retiring his wife quilted
quilts for people and he would help her put the quilts on the frame and help where he could.
Lola passed away on 12 February 1963 at the age of 82. The boys he taught in scouts honored
him by flying the flag at half mast at his passing because they loved and respected him. There
was a large number of people who attended his funeral to pay their respects to him. He was
buried in the Hyde Park Cemetery.
His posterity at this writing number 10 children, 37 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren and 4
great great grandchildren.
The following two poems were to sent to Lola on Father’s Day by his daughter Lyda J. Bauer
(1949)
“Being Dad”
There are fathers who are serving
In the way they think the best;
There are those who are unswerving
From a parent’s interest.
But the father who is taking
All the pleasure to be had
Is the fellow who is making
A success of being “Dad,”
Being “Dad” is not just feeding
Little mouths are hungry;
Buying clothes they ma be needing,
Isn’t being “Dad,” by far;
Being “Dad” is but the artful
Way of generating joy.
And elation by the heartful
In your little girl or boy.
Make a kite for little Johnnie,
Mend the doll for little Sue;
Spin the top with little Ronnie –
These are proper things to do.
Be a pal as well as parent;
Forego affection that endures,
And the flow of joy inherent,
With its blessings, shall be yours.
Make their sorrow all your sorrow,
Make their happiness your joy;
From the years of childhood borrow –
You were once a little boy.
Live again your childhood measure
Through your children, lass and lad
And you’ll marvel at the pleasure
In the game of being “Dad”.
MY DAD
He was six-feet-one in his stocking feet
With a smile like the sunset’s glow
A man whom men were glad to meet
And boys were proud to know.
A man with a spirit that soared like a bird
With a handclasp strong but kind;
Whose sacred bond was his word;
Who praised but never maligned.
A man whose soul acknowledged the right
With conviction that could not be retreat;
Whose heart or sword were bared to fight.
When others acknowledged defeat.
Who is this man whose songs I sing,
Who is this Sir Galahad
Within my heart enthroned a king?
This wonderful man – MY DAD
Roland T. Maclaren
Orilla Amy Jorgensen Lucas
Orilla Jorgensen Lucas was born to Isaac and Rebecca Jorgensen on November 9th, 1882 in
Logan, Utah. She was the oldest girl and the second child of a family of sixteen children--eight
boys and eight girls.
Her father’s and her mother’s people, came to Utah from Denmark, for the sake of the Gospel.
They came to Cache Valley in 1861, where they endured many hardships in pioneering this
beautiful valley. Her father was a carpenter and her mother was a thrifty, hardworking woman,
extremely particular and neat in her home, and a very kind and gentle mother to her
children.
Orilla was born in Logan, Utah, at the home at 45 East 4th North. At this time all the property,
straight through the block was owned by her father. It was at this home that she spent her early
childhood, and experienced the first joy of helping her mother. The ill health of her mother made
it necessary for Orilla to help care for and look after her younger brothers and sisters. This caring
for children she enjoyed very much, and as she grew older, much of her time was spent in
learning the care and training of children, for which she possessed a natural gift. She also learned
early to sew, cook, and keep house and enjoyed doing these things to help her mother.
Early in life she learned to love poetry, because her mother read to her whenever possible. She
memorized many poems just from having heard them over and over. Whenever household duties
would permit, reading poetry remained her favorite pastime, and she, like her mother read for
many hours to her own children.
Orilla was baptized on May 7th, 1891 aged eight, in the upper canal by Charles Lundberg and
was confirmed by Thomas Smith. She started her schooling at LINDQUIST HALL, located at 1st
East and 3rd North, Logan, Utah. While she was still eight the family moved to Baker City,
Oregon, where they lived near a lumber camp. Two years later they returned to Cache Valley,
settling in Hyde Park where Orilla completed eighth grade. Her teenage years were happy ones.
She enjoyed school so much that she often gathered the other children and played school with
Orilla trying to act just like her own teachers. To be a teacher became her earliest hope.
For three years Orilla went to preparatory school at Utah State Agricultural College, where
she majored in Domestic Science; then to the BYC for a year before becoming a teacher. During
this time she also taught in the Primary and the Sunday School. At the age of 20 she began
teaching at the King School in upper Benson Ward. She taught all grades one through eight, and
enjoyed it all-- the challenge and the confusion. Next, two years at Hyde Park teaching both the
first and second grades. At the end of these years she became ill, suffering a nervous breakdown.
When she recovered she decided to give up teaching.
She then made the move to Tacoma, Nevada with the family, where her parents had purchased
the large Fletcher Ranch. The bordering ranch belonged to the Charles Lucas family. Here she
met Charles Lucas Jr. and they were married on September 28th, 1910 in the Logan Temple. He
was a successful cattleman who had moved, with his family from Salt Lake City. He had been
married previously to Ethel Greenway who had passed away, leaving two small children -- Elva
Eunice, and Bertram Inkerman. She accepted and loved these children as if she had given life to
them herself. Elva was two years and nine months and Bertram was 11 months when Orilla
married Charles.
The Jorgensens later sold the ranch to the Warburton Br. and purchased the General Store in
Grouse Creek, Utah. Orilla and. Charles also moved there as Charles was employed to help in the
store. Previous to this time they had moved to Hyde Park, Utah where their first child Edward
Cleon was born on July 4th, 1911. During the four years at the store in Grouse Creek, twin girls
were born to them on December 2nd,1913. They were named Veda Rebecca and Vida Marion.
Early in the spring of 1914, Edward Cleon was playing outside and ate some wild parsnips
which were growing in the ditch bank. These poisoned him and he died. on May 1st, 1914. His
death was harder on Orilla than anything she remembers.
After the death of their son, Charles and Orilla moved to Logan and lived at 55 East 5th
North, in the cement block house. It was here that Orilla started to take in boarders to supplement
the family income. One of these boarders was a photographer who took many pictures of the
children. Bert and Elva started. their schooling at the Bensen School on the corner of 1st East and
4th North.
In 1918 Charles and Orilla went back to Grouse Creek and bought the store. They could see
the need for a hotel for the salesmen and others who came through the valley. They remodeled
the store building and built rooms upstairs. Many cattlemen, salesmen, and railroad workers
stayed there. Orilla cooked the meals for them. Business was good and they were soon able to
buy their first truck and a Ford car.
The next four years were happy times. There were dances, with the little folks sleeping on the
benches; picnics on the sand and gravel back of the Church; sage hen hunts; gathering pinenuts;
all events the family enjoyed and looked forward to. In the summers, cedar posts were cut and
brought down from the hills for the winter fuel. In the winters, large chunks of ice were cut from
ice on the creek and the reservoir and brought to the ice house to be stored in sawdust for the hot
summer months. Water was carried into the house from the hydrant well and was heated on the
wood stove for bathing and washing clothes. We turned the washer by hand and put out large
washings. Many sheets hung on the lines because of having boarders. Our toilet facilities was the
“outhouse” down the foot path at the back of the house.
Orilla took care of the store, as Charles was busy hauling freight from Lucin; meat to
Montello, Nevada, and wool from the shearing sheds to Lucin to go out on the train. The railroad
was a real blessing and necessary to the people in the valley. The children went to a four-room
school building of grey sandstone. They rode in a covered wagon they called the Bandwagon. In
the winter a horse-drawn sleigh was used. The small twin girls started their education here. There
were two or three grades in each room. Once a year two doctors from Salt lake City came to the
school to remove tonsils. One year two of those needing this operation were the twins.
Many Indians came to the store to trade. Orilla used to worry about them as they would follow
the twins around, being curious and much taken up with two babies who looked just alike.
Since education was limited in Grouse Creek, Orilla was anxious to move back to Logan.
Elva was now old enough to go to Jr. High School, so she was sent to Grandmother Jorgensen in
Logan where she started Jr. High.
In the fall of 1921 Orilla became quite ill. She was expecting her fourth child, and. as she had
had several miscarriages, they sold the Store and moved to the old Frost home up the creek here
they spent the winter and Orilla was able to get some needed rest. The following March they
moved to Logan where Orilla could get needed medical care.
Charles and Orilla rented a yellow frame house at 4th North and Main. This was a large home
owned by Joseph Jorgensen, uncle of Orilla. Glenna was born there on June 8th, 1922. What a
joy she was to her mother who had waited so long for a baby. They lived here for three years.
They took in boarders and the house was always full. Orilla was an excellent cook and her
reputation spread through the town. Many hours were spent canning fruits and summers
vegetables and the cellar was always full.
In 1945 they built a red brick house at 45 East 5th North and moved there. On June 26th, 1926
Della Mae was born. When Glenna started school in the Benson Elementary, Orilla took a job at
the U.S.A.C. girls dormitory. Here she cooked, under the direction of Mrs. Clayton, who had a
Doctors degree in home economics, and Miss Dancey, the Dean of Women, for fifty girls and
two teachers. Her reputation as a cook grew and she was soon sought after as a cook for many
sorority parties, Daughters of Pioneer parties, weddings and other parties.
In 1928 they built and moved into a new red brick home on 18th E. 4th N. It was at this time
she quit her job at the dormitory and started cooking at the Chi Omega Sorority, which was right
next door. After a couple of years she quit this job but continued to take in boarders. She was
interested in civic affairs and served as a voting registrar and counter of ballots at local elections.
In January of 1933 Orilla took into her home and onto her heart, a baby girl. This was Coie,
the second child of Bertram. He and his wife had separated and the mother did not want her baby
so had abandoned it at the age of 14 days. She left Coie with Orilla, but never returned to get her.
Coie was born January 14th, 1933. She was a beautiful baby and was a joy to Orilla and her girls.
Orilla loved this child as her very own and gave her a full measure of a mother’s love, interest
and concern for her welfare and happiness. Her last words to Coie, who arrived before she passed
away, “At last you’ve come!” Orilla always had room in her heart and home for children who
needed love. Some were relatives and some were not.
Orilla liked people. She always seemed to be feeding someone in addition to her family. All
the kids on the block knew where they could come to get a snack. Her children’s friends always
wanted to hold their parties at the Lucases’ because the food was always great, and Orilla was
always pleasant and willing. She was a hard worker, clean, tidy and thorough. Things had to be
done correctly or they had to be done over. She was an excellent seamstress and made most of
her girls clothing, often reclaiming, dyeing, and piecing materials. She made sure her children
were always clean and neat in appearance.
Orilla had a great appreciation for education, and her great desire and ambition was for her
children to have a chance to receive an education. She worked hard to help her girls through
college. The girls earned their tuition, while she saw to it that they had clothes and board and
room. All her girls graduated from college and became school teachers like their mother.
Orilla had a great love and loyalty to the Church and had great faith. She was active
throughout her life and served as a teacher in the Sunday School, Primary, M.I.A. and in the
Relief Society. She served as President of the Y.W.M.I.A. In 1948 she was called to serve as
Cache Stake Relief Society Board magazine director and historian and served faithfully until ill
health made it necessary for her to resign in 1954. She was also active in the Daughters of the
Utah Pioneers, and went often to the temple and did work for the dead.
She became ill in 1954, and could never seem to regain her health and strength. She never
complained or let on about her illness and kept herself going as long as she possibly could. She
passed away after one year and three months of illness due to cancer. After her passing the health
of her husband Charles seemed to fail very fast and he passed away on September 17th, 1955,
just five months to the day following her death. They are both buried in the Logan Cemetery.
At the present time Orilla has 40 decedents: five children, twenty grandchildren, and eighteen
great-grandchildren. Dated June 22, 1974. Submitted. by Veda Woffinden, eldest child.
Presented Reunion 1974.
LEEMAN ARTGAR JORGENSEN
My father, Leeman A. Jorgensen, was born on October the 24th 1883. He is the third child in
a family of sixteen children. His parents were Isaac and Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen. He is the
father of ten children, seven of which are still living. There are five living daughters and two
living sons. His first child, a son, died at birth and two daughters born following his mission also
passed away at birth. He has thirty-nine grandchildren, forty-three great-grandchildren, and one
great great-grandchild. (June 1975)
He was born at Logan, Utah and received his education in Cache Valley. He is a whiz at
figures; but reading and spelling, that is something else. I take after my father in this respect. I
would never have made it in the business world as a secretary, because of my spelling. However I
have worked as a bookkeeper f or the past sixteen years.
As a young lad my father herded sheep for grandfather on the east bench of Cache Valley. He
knows all the “hills and hollers” from one end of the county to the other and loves to visit them.
Grandmother was a hard working person and did all her own cooking, washing and all the
other tasks that must be done when raising a large family. One day while water was heating on
the stove, a kettle of boiling water was accidently tipped over and my father’s back was badly
scalded. He was ill for a long time but eventually recovered. His back still bears the scars.
Grandpa must have listened to the call “Go West Young Man, Go West” because when my
father was a young man he moved the family to the place we have always called “Out West”. I
have heard that “the fur flies” when sheep men and cattle men come together. I have wondered
many times, how the cattle men of Grouse Creek felt about Grandfather when he brought sheep
into the valley. The Jorgensens also raised horses on their ranch and each year the United States
army suppliers would come and take their pick of the lot.
Four members of the Jorgensen family met, courted, and married into families on the Creek.
Aunt Rill married Charles Lucas; my father Leeman married Mary Simpson; Aunt Grace married
William Hadfield; and Uncle Quinn married Viola Shaw.
My parents were married in the Logan Temple, on March 8th, 1911. When my sister June was
a small baby and two other daughters rounded out the family, my father was called to leave his
small children and wife Mary and serve as a missionary in the California Mission. At that time
this mission covered and extremely large territory, as it also included the state of Arizona. Many
years later at a time when my brother Dee was in the Air Force and stationed in Arizona my
parents had the opportunity while visiting his family, of visiting some of the places where he
(father) tracted so many years before. Progress had taken over and things had really changed and
grown. While my father was on his Mission, mother with her three small daughters, Bessie,
Virginia and June moved to Smithfield, Utah.
It was 1918 and the time of the dreaded flu epidemic. Everyone was cautious to wear masks
as protection from the flu. One evening coming home from visiting we all saw a man coming
toward us, a man who was not wearing a mask! I didn’t know what germs were, but I had been
warned that anyone not wearing a mask was very dangerous to be around, so myself and my
sisters tried to get as far away from that man as possible, so we would not get the dreaded germs.
Well, that man was my father’s homecoming from his Mission.
He soon went to work at the Farmers Union Flour Mill and he bought a small farm at the
mouth of Smithfield Canyon. My father has always loved animals, and on the farm we had ducks,
chickens, turkeys, Old Pet our huge fat horse, cows, sheep and of course, a buck sheep that
always seemed to be mean so would chase us and try to knock us down. He really did knock
mother down one day while she was trying to save her tub full of pears. Luckily dad was there
and saved mother and chased the buck far away.
Our Dad loves to curry cows, tame a horse, kill ants, dig weeds, patch harnesses, scour kettles
and mend socks. At the mill he was always cleaning. He was purely disgusted with any one who
had a mill that became infested with weevil or mice and he carried on a constant war with those
two pests.
Progress comes to everything eventually and the mill was no exception. A new bleacher, to
make the flour even whiter and more refined, was installed. Of course, this new machine also had
to be cleaned! My father was down in it, cleaning it one day, when he passed out. All of the gas
should have been out of the bleacher, but unfortunately, that was not so and father inhaled some
which condensed in his lungs, producing a chemical pneumonia. He was very ill for some time
and this type of accident caused permanent damage to his lungs. The dust in the mill was much
more irritating to his weak lungs and he had to give up working in the flour mill.
While our family lived on the farm in Smithfield Canyon, four daughters were born. Two,
Melva and Ellen died at birth but soon Rebecca and Donna Lee arrived to make the family one of
five daughters.
Father was called to be the Elders Quorum president in the Smithfield First Ward. The
meetings were held on a week night and on this night we were usually surprised with a bag of
candy from the new Smithfield Bakery. The opening of this bakery was a great event in our lives.
From it came the first bakers bread 1 can remember eating. Dad bought our first loaf at the
opening. A small chip of wood had been placed in each of twenty loaves, and anyone finding a
chip was entitled to a prize. At that time the bread was unsliced, and we would anxiously watch
each time mother cut a slice to see if we would be the lucky ones. We bought very few of the
bakers loaves as mother had always been an excellent maker of bread. Indeed, Mother at
eighty-six still bakes the best bread in the family, and our Father even now does not have to eat
bakers bread which he doesn’t very much like.
A decision to give up milling and try farming on a larger scale was reached. The day Charles
Lindberg landed in France was the day the Leeman Jorgensen family left Utah, and their beloved
home and grove in Smithfield Canyon, and made the trip to the farm in Idaho. Here two sons
were born, Kay S on May 25, June’s birthday, and Dee L on August
In Moreland, father was again called to serve as Elders Quorum President. He was first in the
Blackfoot Stake to head a welfare project for the Church. He supervised a beet project which
resulted in fifteen hundred dollars toward the new Moreland Church. Then for years he continued
this project which eventually lead to the purchase of a welfare farm for the ward.
He is now ninety-one years young. He loved homemade bread, cooked cereal (or mush as we
always called it), vegetable soup, lumpy dick;(at one time father was in a serious accident which
caused severe damage to his abdominal organs, Uncle Darrell said the only thing that save his
life was all the lumpy dick that lined the area),clabber with sugar on it, and sweet soup. Mother,
being English, has never been able to make this last favorite like Grandma Jorgensen did. Our
father still does home teaching, attends Priesthood meetings, Sunday School and Sacrament
meetings. He still curries the cows, tames the horses, kills ants, pulls weeds, scours kettles and
mends his socks, and is loved and cherished by all his children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren as well as his devoted wife Mary and all who know him.
Dated June 1975
Submitted by Bessie Cutforth
Eldest Daughter
Addendum by Virginia Harris: Leeman passed away after a year of
illness on December 18, 1976 and was buried in the Moreland Cemetery.
Alvaretta Leora Jorgensen Christensen
Alvaretta Leora Jorgensen Christensen was born January 17, 1886, in Logan, Cache County,
Utah, in a frame house at 33 East on 4th North. The house was torn down in the spring of 1964
for an Albertson’s Super Market to be built.
Her father is Isaac Jorgensen who was born February 21, 1857, in Brigham City, Box E1der
County, Utah, to Hans Jorgensen born in Boreders1ev Odense, Denmark, November 29, 1795
and to Dorthea Christensen (or Andersen). Her mother is Rebecca Nielsen who was born
September 9, 1861, in Aalborg, Denmark to Lars Larsen Nielsen born October 6, 1830, in
Agerescad Voeragen, Denmark and to Dorthea M. Thomasen who was born in Halling Sogn,
Denmark, February 24, 1838.
Ret, as many know her, was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints the
summer following the January she turned eight, in the Big Ditch in Hyde Park, Utah by George
Seamons on Wednesday, August 1, 1894. Suel Lamb confirmed her on Thursday, August 2,
1894. The first Thursday of the month was Fast Day in those days. That Wednesday was a
beautiful day and Maidie Seamons, who was baptized that day also by her father said, “Now Ret
close your eyes and your mouth when they push you under the water!”
Alvaretta had a Patriarchal Blessing given to her by Christian J. Larsen, November 15, 1908,
with the “blessings of Motherhood and the blessings of health and strength, both body and mind
that you shall be able to bear up under every burden that may be placed upon you and you shall
live to obtain every b1essing that you have come upon this earth to receive.
Ret attended school in a two room rock school house two blocks south and one block west of
her father’s home in Hyde Park. later another one room cement school house for the seventh and
eighth grades was built just north of the Rock School House, where she completed the eighth
grade. She attended the “A.C.”, Utah Agricultural College, one year before she married and for
one quarter after she was married. She studied Home Economics under Miss Holmgren.
Most of her childhood memories are of Hyde Park where she milked the cows, fed the pigs,
and learned how to wash and iron and clean the house. One day while peeling pears with her
sisters; sister Orilla wanted her knife and pulled it from her hand cutting the tendon in her first
finger. The girls had her hold her hand in a tub of cold water from the ditch until “Pa and Ma”
came home and then they took her to Dr. Osmond. That’s the reason she had stiff first finger
pointing all the time.
Christmases were happy times when her Mother would make rag dolls for the girls and her
Father would get either skates or sleighs for the boys. Her Father would bring home a case of
oranges and a gunny sack of peanuts for a merry time. The Primary always had a Christmas tree
with gifts for all, but one Christmas her Mother said they could not go because they had not been
attending like they should. They were all sitting around the fire in the kitchen when Santa Claus
came in the door. Ret saw him and flew across the room and onto the bed, in the next room
where her Mother and Father were sleeping. Even after Uncle George Nielsen took off his mask
Ret would not go near him.
Ret was born scared. She was afraid of the dark and noises like when the pigs got loose and
came grunting at the door. The boys loved to scare the girls and used sheets over their heads
especially on Halloween. Ret was afraid to go out of the door after dark, not even to the back
house!
When Retta got older, she would go with her father to the farm across the Bear River west of
Smithfield at threshing and haying time to cook f or twenty to thirty men. Sometimes her sisters
Vera and Rhoda would help. They would stay for the weekdays and then go home on Saturday
for Church on Sunday. They cooked in the Sheep Camp and on a stove outside and then serve the
men in another one room old house on the farm. Everyday that floor had to be scrubbed! Sam
Christensen would often ride his horse out to see Retta in the middle of the week.
Sam Christensen asked Retta to marry him one summer Sunday evening in1904. The next
Wednesday he gave her a gold ring with three pearls. It was the prettiest ring Ret had ever seen
but she was afraid to show it to her Father. She put it in the trunk and then talked to her Mother
about it. Her Mother was happy but her Father said,”Where did he get it, from the 15 cent store?”
When Sam asked Ret’s father for her hand in marriage, he gave Sam a long lecture on how
terrible she was but ended with, “She’s a lightening striker but she’ll be good to you if you are
good to her”.
Lars Samuel Christensen and Alvaretta Leora Jorgensen were married June 21, 1905, in the
Logan Temple. A wedding reception was held “Wednesday, June 21st, 1905, at their residence at
Hyde Park, Utah, at five o’clock.” A dance was held that evening in the old Meeting House north
of the present Hyde Park Chapel and the whole town came.
In April of 1907, Sam was called on a mission to Denmark, and Alvaretta lived with his folks
and worked at Frank Lee’s store. When Sam returned, he went to school at the B.Y.C. and the
A.C. and in 1911 graduated from the Utah Agricultural College and then accepted a job with the
L.D.S. Business College in Salt lake City.
Sam and Ret moved around a lot during their married life -- if not town to town, it was from
house to house in Logan. Ret cleaned a lot of houses before they finally bought one on 243 West
Center Street in Logan. They had moved from Logan to Burley, Idaho and Whitehall, Montana
and then to Logan and then to Belmond, Iowa with the Amalgamated Sugar Co. and the Great
Western Sugar Company. Back in Logan in 1930, Sam worked as a field man for the Federal
Land Bank of Berkley, California.
Ret worked in the Church in the Primary Presidency and as a Trailbuilder teacher and as a
Relief Society teacher and visiting teacher. She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah
Pioneers: Ballard Camp in Logan and Ensign Camp in Salt Lake City.
Retta and Sam had five children: three girls and two boys. To tell about each will tell much
about their life teachings to them.
1. Thekla Christensen was born in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah, July 14, 1906. She had
pneumonia at three months and died September 28,1906.
2. Sybil Camille Christensen was born in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah, October 16, 1910.
She graduated from Utah State Agricultural College, and was a secretary at the Logan Junior
High School. She did post-graduate work at Iowa State Agricultural College in Foods and
Nutrition and did her internship for Dietitians at St. Mary’s Hospital with the Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minnesota and has been a Dietitian with the L.D.S. Hospital since.
3. Dale Dresden Christensen was born in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah, November 26,
1912. Dale was an athlete and while a junior at Utah State Agricultural College was jurt after a
wrestling class on February 22, 1934. As a result he was paralyzed from his chest down and was
that way until he died on Christmas Day 1939.
4. Lucile Christensen was born in Logan, Cache County, Utah, February 6, 1921. She
graduated from Utah State Agricultural College and taught Home Economics at the Logan Junior
High School for two years. She married Duane Reed Belliston and they have five children. She is
presently the Relief Society President in the 63rd Ward in Ogden, Weber County, Utah.
5. Hal Samuel Christensen was born in Logan, Cache County, Utah, October 17, 1922. He
served in the Army during World War II. He married Joy Walgren and they had one child She
died in childbirth with their second child. Hal married Julia Theurer and they have two children.
He graduated from Utah State Agricultural College and the University of Oregon at Corvallis
with a Master’s Degree and is now a Colonel in the Army. Presently he is the Bishop of the
Alexandria Ward in Fairfax, Virginia.
Sam, as President of the Logan Rotary Club, and Ret traveled to Cleveland, Ohio f or the
National Rotarian Convention in 1923 or 1924 and after the convention they traveled to the East
Coast and Washington D.C. While in New York they visited Niagra Falls. In 1940, they bought a
new Buick and took their family f or a trip through the middle west to Minnesota to get Sybil and
bring her back by way of Yellowstone.
Alvaretta Leora was a hard worker in everything she attempted. She was a good homemaker,
had a clean house, was a good cook and enjoyed sewing f or her sister’s children as well as her
own. She loved making quilts and canning fruits and vegetables. She loved to serve food to her
friends and family. She had a hard time changing to an automatic washer and dryer because
boiling clothes and hanging those beautiful white clothes in the sun was a joy to her. Moving
everything out of the house and scrubbing and beating it clean before returning it was a must
every once or twice a year.
In 1957, Sam and Ret moved to Salt lake City, to live with their daughter, Sybil. Sam died of
a heart attack on September 12, 1964 at eighty years of age.
Alvaretta Leora Jorgensen Christensen is now in her ninetieth year; eighty-nine years and five
months old; and has given much information for this sketch.
She has eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren and they with her children love her
very much and are amazed at her abilities at such a tender age.
DATED --JUNE 1975 SUBMITTED BY DAUGHTERS: SYBIL AND LUCILE.
RHODA EVA JORGENSEN PERKES
Rhoda was born in Logan, Cache County, Utah, March 14, 1887. She was the sixth of sixteen
children, eight boys and eight girls. Eleven of them grew to maturity, the others died in infancy.
At the time of her birth her parents Isaac and Rebecca Nielsen Jorgensen were living one half
block east on fourth north in Logan, Utah, on the north side of the street.
In her own words she said, “I lived there until I was five years old, then my folks moved to
Hyde Park, Utah, where I spent the remaining years of my life: except for a short while in
Daytun, Idaho and Lucin, Utah just after we were married.”
She was taught in her early life the principles of the gospel, and lived it well. When she was
eight years of age she was baptized into the Church. It was not in a font in a nice warm building,
but in a ditch south of the town of Hyde Park.
Early in life she was prepared for one of her greatest attributes and that was the ability to
work. As a child she helped with the outside work on the lot; weeding, watering, helping to
harvest the vegetables and fruits grown on the family plot. This property on Main and second
North of Hyde Park, was later deeded over to her by her father as a wedding gift, and here she
lived the remaining years of her life.
At the age of eight she started milking cows and by the time she was ten she milked regularly.
It was the girls job to do the milking, while the boys did the other farm work. In those days they
chopped their wood to burn to cook and keep warm. When it was time to wash the clothes, the
water had to be pumped and brought to the house where it was heated on the stove, or out of
doors on a large fire. Then the clothes were scrubbed on a wash board, boiled, rinsed and blued
before hanging on the line. The ironing was done with irons and they were heated on the top of
the coal stove Each summer wood was hauled from the surrounding canyons for the winter
supply.
She tells the following about her education, “I entered grade school at the age of six. I had to
stay at home and help mother when her babies were born and when she was sick; so, I did not
complete every year. When graduation time came everybody was to go to Logan to the old BYU
Academy to take an examination, I had missed one complete year, the year my brother Darrel
was born, and I was backward and afraid and I refused to take the test, so I did not graduate. The
next year in October I started the BYU, which was a month late and I could never seem to catch
up.
As a result, I lost interest and mother was very sick in January, so I stayed home to help
with the work. The following summer my sister Orilla insisted that I go to the Utah State
Agriculture College. I enrolled and made good grades. I was going with Thomas Willard Perkes
and we decided we wanted to get married. So, instead of going to school I made preparations for
marriage. We were married December 19, 1906 in the Logan LDS Temple.”
After they were married they lived in part of Grandmother Ellen, and Grandfather Reuben
Perkes’ home. Here their first son was born and they named him Asa Virgil. They moved to the
home given to them by Rhoda’s father.
To them were born fourteen children, nine boys and five girls. Asa Virgil, November 25,
1907; Rhelda, February 20, 1909; Carroll Wilmer, October 25, 1910; Theo Thomas, July 10,
1912; Vera, September 25, 1913; Elaine, May 19, 1915; Eldon Cleon, November 28, 1916;
Gaylen Jay, June 21, 1918; Arthur Reuben, November 30, 1919; Kate, August 7, 1921;
MellRee, September 14, 1922; Rolan Alvah, November 26, 1924; Larry Udell, February 7, 1929;
Doral Dee, April 24, 1932. All except for Asa were born in the home at Hyde Park.
There were many pleasures and many hardships in her married life. She tells of one of the
many hardships. “We had fourteen children. All of them were good healthy children. Carroll
Wilmer the third was a beautiful child but he did not live too long. He suffocated between the
bed and the wall, He was asleep on the bed and I went out to the garden to set out some tomato
plants. I kept thinking I should go in and see how the children were, finally the two older ones
came out and as they could not speak too plainly I could not tell what they were saying. I only
had a few more plants to do and wanted to get them done. When I finally did go in, I was
horrified at what I found I grabbed my baby in my arms and ran outside calling for help; but it
was too late, he had gone. Tom was in Franklin, Idaho getting wood at the time this happened.
Carroll was such a beautiful baby, perfect in form and long curly hair. I thought I would never get
over it, but time has a way of healing all wounds, especially when a person is busy.”
Another tragedy was her son Theo. He was called to serve his country in World War II,
overseas. After D Day he was killed in a small town which had been taken by the allies. One of
his buddies came to see Rhoda after the war and he told her that they had been together when he
was shot. They were at a little village and a sniper shot him in the back. When Theo left for the
army he had his Patriarchal Blessing. It stated that he would live to have a great posterity.
When Rhoda received word of his death she just about had a nervous breakdown. She almost
lost her testimony of the gospel. Finally she went to the Bishop for council and he informed her
that Theo could yet have a large posterity in his eternal life if he had lived worthy of this
blessing. This seemed to satisfy her.
In the spring of 1908 Tom and Uncle Lola Jorgensen went to the Twelve Mile Ranch in
Nevada, which is just over the state line in Nevada west of Grouse Creek, Box Elder County,
Utah. Mother, Asa and Rhelda later went by train to Tacoma, where Mother was met and taken to
either Etna or the Twelve Mile Rance. In 1910 Jorgensens’ moved to the ranch at Etna and
problably Mother and Dad lived there for a short time that year, but they were back in Hyde Park
when Carroll was born in October.
Tom and Rhoda were at Weston, Idaho one summer, probably the summer of 1913. They
were working and farming on the Isaac Hansen farm. He was one of Great Grandfather Hans
Jorgensens’ descendents. They went to Etna Ranch to work for Grandfather Jorgensen, probably
after Elaine was born in 1915. They rode in an iron tired wagon with a team of horses, Tom
always took pride in his horses and kept them looking well. The children enjoyed the ride, but
Mother became ill. It rained all day and they stopped at a prosperous looking ranch. The people
took care mother in the house and took care of her f or the evening. The children slept in the
barn, which they thought was great fun.
The house in Etna was made of logs. Mother used to cook for the ranch hands. Uncle Quinn
Jorgensen lived with them. The family would go to Grouse Creek to Uncle Will and Aunt
Grace’s to visit, which was always a gay time.
While in Etna Dad took out a homestead. It was a few miles north of the ranch where they
lived. Dad plowed the sage brush, and the kids and Mother burned it. Asa says he can well
remember this and it was great fun. The homestead was not improved upon (19160 and he
presumably lost it.
Mother was a good hand with a team of horses. One day going from Grouse Creek to Etna;
the mailman, in a car came from behind and frightened the horses, they ran away. They ran
through the sagebrush as fast as they could to. It was a difficult job controlling the horses and
holding the two children on the seat, Asa and Rhelda, but she did it. Another time she went to
Smithfield to see her sister Vera. She drove a one horse two wheeled cart. She took Eldon along
with her. On the way home an automobile struck them from the rear. It threw Eldon off onto the
cement knocking him out and she was thrown straddle the wheel of the cart. The horses were
frightened too but she kept the horses under control and called “whoa” to them and they stopped
The man who was driving the car, and his wife, stopped and helped Mother and Eldon then took
them home. We older ones can still remember how the man stayed outside and put a cover over
his license plates so no one could see and take his plates number.
Even with a depression and no money, Mother did her best for all her children. Her cellar was
full of canned fruit, vegetables and meat. She planted, weeded, cooked and chopped the wood so
that we would not have to go without food and shelter. It was not eight hours a day; but, many
times it was sixteen and eighteen hours, with only fifteen or twenty minutes rest.
She always had the prettiest flowers in the neighborhood. Not only outside, but in the winter
her windows would be filled with f lowering geraniums, begonias and other beautiful plants. In
the spring she would plant her own tomato plants, or other garden plants to be set out in the
garden as soon as the danger of frost was gone. She loved everything that came from the good
earth, even the wild flowers. When we would go for choke cherries for jam and jelly, she would
always pick the wild flowers to take a small bunch home with her.
She made many beautiful and useful quilts. Most of them for her family. But many for others
too. None of her children ever wanted for a quilt. She did beautiful crocheting too, This was a
great hobby of hers. She did some of it for money. Never getting out of it what it was worth.
Most of it she gave away.
She did not attend Church regularly because of her hearing. She could not hear and usually
her clothes were shabby so she stayed at home; but she never did a dishonest deed in her life. She
was as honest to people as she was with the Lord. She paid a full tithing on every dime she ever
earned. When she paid it she always paid it as Thomas and Rhoda Perkes. She sent the children
to the tithing office with eggs for tithes on the eggs and chickens laid.
Later in life she worked at the iSudge Memorial Hospital and for the first time in her married
life she had money for a few nice things that every wcinan longs fore She paid the mortgage on
the house and farm; remodeled the house, putting in a few of the luxuries of life, a bathroom,
refrigerator, water in the house and a sink. The old coal stove was thrown out and replaced with
an electric one. Still she thought of others. There was always a dollar in a birthday card for a
grandchild and a five dollar bill for her sons and daughters. This is one of the things that hurt her
most when she could no longer afford to do this, This did not stop her from giving, she started
giving away things in the house.
She enjoyed her winter visits with Rolan in Arizona. The Relief Society sisters down there
told Rolan how much they appreciated her helping the young ladies of the ward learn how to
quilt. Rolan was good to her and she helped him to make a home out of his house; cleaning,
cooking and sewing for him.
One of the happiest occasions in her life was when we started to have our family reunions
every year. She wanted her family to grow closer together and to love one another. She was
proud of her large posterity, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always worried
about her children not having enough, or working too hard, or being sick. Maybe it was because
only she knew the aches and pains of going without and not being able to give her children the
luxuries that other children had and she wanted her own to have.
The last winter before her death she was in Arizona with Rolan and she became sick. She told
him she had to go home. Rolan took her to the Doctor because she said she did not feel well. The
Doctor advised her to go home to her own family doctor. That spring she was operated on and
found to have cancer. The truth was never told to her but she must have suspected. She died less
than three months later.
Rhoda Eva Jorgensen Perkes was born March 14, 1887, she died September 7, 1967, at the
age of 80. Surviving her were 12 children, her husband, Thomas Willard, 64 grandchildren and
48 great-grandchildren, three brothers and three sisters. She was buried in the Hyde Park
Cemetery beside her two deceased sons.
Many people have done great things. They preach and pray so people can see and hear their
great deeds, but only God knows the greatness of our Mother and she will receive her reward.
GLENN ARNOLD JORGENSEN
I was born in Baker City, Oregon, 6 August 1890, to wonderful parents, Isaac Jorgensen and
Rebecca Njelsen Jorgensen. The family moved to Logan, Utah during the first year of my life,
about the middle of September. Four years larer we moved to Hyde Park. It was here at the age of
almost five that I began wearing boys clothes because Henry Hancey teased me about wearing a
dress.
At the age of eight I worked in the flourmill at Smithfield, Utah sweeping floors and later did
some oiling of the machines.
I was baptized on 7 August in the sawmill ditch just back of Brother Hancey’s shop a block
south of our home in Hyde Park by George Seamon and confirmed the same day by Charles G.
Hyde in the old Hyde Park Hall.
When I was nine years old I was laid up with inflammatory rheumatism from Thanksgiving
till late Spring - unconscious most of the time. The reason for my illness was because I loved to
play in large puddles of water like all boys. This I used to do when droving the mild cows home
from the pasture.
At the age of 12 or 13 my dad and mom had several thousand sheep and a shearing corral. I
used to help turn the grinding stone while the shearers were sharpening the shears. I also could
shear 50 sheep a day. Sacking the wool was another job I did.
From the time I was 12 until I was 14 I worked in the mills in Smithfield and Richmond, Utah
and Weston, Idaho during my summer vacations.
I was ordained a Deacon on 21 June 1904 by James W.D. Hurren; a teacher on 18 May 1907
by Bishop Charles G. Hyde; and, a Priest on 21 February 1909 by Bishop Charles G. Hyde.
As a boy I enjoycd God!s beautiful wonderland - gathering flowers, digging segos, ice
skating, and hunting coyotes. I also loved to play basketball.
In the spring of 1909 my family moved to Tacoma, Nevada. In the spring of 1910 they moved
to Etna, Box Elder County, Utah. I returned to Logan in the fall of 1910 alone to continue my
schooling. I would work a quarter in school and then back to work in the flourmill. I enjoyed
milling and decided to make it my life’s work.
During my last year at B.Y.C., I attended the Washington Birthday dance and met the girl I
knew would be my wife. Her name was Hazel Williamson. We were married 30 July 1913 in the
Logan Temple by William Budge. The night before we were married I was ordained an Elder by
Surge Ballif.
I worked in the Farmers Union Mill at Smithfield, Utah until February when we decided to
homestead some land in Grouse Creek on Meadow Creek. What a trip! What an experience.
We returned to Smithfield in the fall of 1915. I went back to working for the Farmers Union
Mill.
Dr. H.K. Merrill said Hazel could not become a mother. Therefore, we adopted Roy in April
1916 and then in November 1917 we adopted Thelma. Two years after, Dr. Merrill said Hazel
was going to have a baby. It was on 17 April 1919 that our daughter, Neoma, was born.
We moved to Avon, Utah in August 1919. That fall I was put in the Y.M.M.I.A.
Superintendency as a Second Assistant. I was chosen to be the first counselor to Bishop George
C. Nuhn in April 1910.
I was called on a mission the first part of April 1921 and appointed to go to the New Zealand
Mission 14 April 1921. My mission for our Heavenly Father was one of the most precious
experiences of my life.
I returned home from my mission on 23 November 1923. It was a glad reunion for Hazel,
myself and our children. One of my children did not know me. Glenn Isaac was born on 27
September 1921 while I was in the mission field.
While in the mission field, I promised a Moari lady that I would look up George Davis in
Avon and tell him I had met her. When I arrived home, I was told that Brother Davis had passed
away and was to be buried on 24 November. I went to the funeral out of respect for Brother
Davis and to fulfill my promise to a Maori Saint and a good friend who was about eighty years
old.
After the funeral, we went to Wellsville to visit Hazel’s folks. As we were returning home to
Smithfield, we met with a terrible accident the car I was driving was hit by a team of horses
driven by a Wellsville boy. One horse was killed, the car I had rented was wrecked, and worst of
all my family was so badly hurt. Thelma and I were unhurt; Hazel’s hand was cut badly leaving it
crippled and her chin was badly cut; Roy’s nose was laid open on one side; Neoma’s nose was
completely cut off and she lost the sight of one eye; and young Glenn was cut over his temple
eye. (Glenn and Hazel were always grateful for the many services and payments of expenses by
friends, doctors, family, and ward members.)
I was working for Joe Hodge in his flourmill in Smithfield when on 6 August 1927 (my
birthday) my youngest daughter, Rose was born.
In November 1929, I accepted a job with Herbert Weston at the Center Milling Company in
Logan.
We moved to Weston, Franklin County, Idaho in August 1938, to work the flourmill which
had been purchased by Herbert Weston.
Here in Weston, I served as a teacher in the Sunday School, Mutual, and the Priesthood. I also
served as High Priest Group Leader. I was elected President of the Weston Chamber of
Commerce.
Herbert Weston sold the mill to Lee Glenn and Lee Glenn sold the mill in 1946. while I was
closing out Mr. Glenn’s interests, I was severely gassed with Chlorine gas and never returned to
milling again.
Lee Glenn gave Hazel and I a trip to Arizona for four weeks with all expenses paid. It was the
trip of a lifetime. While on this trip, Hazel and I did extensive temple work, as well as
sight-seeing and just plain enjoying ourselves.
On 4 May 1946 we drove to Ogden, Utah completing our four week trip to talk to Lee Glenn.
He asked if I would go back to his ranch and over see the work there. I agreed to work the ranch
in Arizona until he could sell it.
While living in Arizona, I organized an L.D.S. ward in that area.
I returned from Arizona in August 1946 and went to work for Lee Glenn at the California Free
Market, Ogden, Utah. I was held up several times at the point of a gun while working here. It was
from the California Free Market (Cannery Sales) that I finally retired.
It was here in Ogden that Hazel and I built a home and remained the rest of our lives.
We lived in the 31st Ward, Ogden Stake. Some of the positions Hazel and I held are as
follows.
Glenn - High Priest Group Committeeman, Secretary, First Counselor, Leader, and Class
Instructor for ward. Ward teacher, Special Interest Class Leader for M.I.A., and responsible for
Sacrament tablecloths and bread for Sacrament.
Hazel - Member of Ward Choir, Relief Society Teacher, Special Interest Class Leader for
M.I.A., and responsible for Sacrament tablecloths and bread for Sacrament.
During the latter part of their lives, Glenn and Hazel did extensive temple work which
included baptisms, endowments, and sealings.
Glenn enjoyed working with his hands doing yard work, repair work, building useful articles
for family and friends. He made the most beautiful toys for his children and grandchildren.
Hazel was always willing to help anyone that needed help. She enjoyed cooking, sewing,
crocheting, and quilting parties. Her home was always neat, clean and smelled of good things to
eat.
Glenn and Hazel were the parents of five children (three girls and two boys), 26
grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild (This count was taken 15
June 1978).
Glenn and Hazel were loved by all that knew them.
Memories are made every dayMemories that merge into family
forget-me-nots.
We cherish the memories of our father, our
grandfather, our mother, our grandmother. We
will always love and miss them and hope to be
worthy to be with them again one day.
The Family
Grace Viola Jorgensen Hadfield
Grace Viola Jorgensen Hadfield, the tenth child of Isaac and Rebecca Jorgensen, was born at
Logan, Cache County, Utah, with a midwife attending, on December 21, 1891. She was a breech
birth. The nurse placed a coin in her tightly clenched purple fist and it remained there for several
days.
She was blessed with beautiful dark brown hair, deep blue eyes and a rather backward and shy
disposition. Vera, the eleventh child, was a close sister and constant companion to Grace. She
was blond and fair – a direct opposite to Grace. They usually dressed alike and defended each
other loyally.
Her early years were spent in Hyde Park, Utah. Home conditions were average for a large
family with a strict father who was a miller, farmer, and carpenter. One who provided well for his
family. They always had plenty of good wholesome food and other necessities of life. Her mother
was very small with a gentle and kind nature.
The term, “the abundant life” would no doubt cover her life as a child. All members of the
family learned how to work while very young. Some of the many tasks Grace and her sisters
were required to do was milking cows, thinning sugar beets, hoeing and harvesting potatoes,
picking and sorting apples from their own large apple orchards, churning large quantities of
butter in a large wooden barrel churn - besides the daily household chores of cooking, washing
and ironing. Tasks were plenty but Grace never the realized the thrill of a paycheck until years
later, after her own family was grown.
Grace was baptized in the Logan Temple on February 12, 1901 by Samuel G. Spillamn and
was confirmed the same day by Thomas Morgan.
Her education was interrupted by her father’s many moves, but she and Vera did have the
opportunity years later to attend the Utah Agricultural College (now Utah State University) for
what was called a preparatory course.
It was while the family was living at Etna, Utah, during the year 1910, that she was courted by
a handsome, dark haired, brown eyed young man, William Hadfield, a convert to the L.D.S.
Church from Glossop, Derbyshire, England. He sported a classy, black surrey with the fringe on
top and a double team of high stepping well-curried horses. Many hours were spent between Etna
and Grouse Creek for dances and parties.
His invitation of marriage was unique in that he asked if he bought her a ring would she wear
it. Grace agreed naturally, so he purchased a ring and the wedding took place in the Logan
Temple on October 18,1911.
The first year of the marriage was spent in Amalga, Utah on a small farm where their oldest
son, Gordon was born. After a disappointing year of struggle on the farm, they moved to Grouse
Creek, Utah where they took up homesteading and lived in a one room log cabin. Here three
other children were born -- a few years later, Isaac, Grace’s father helped build a large frame
home on a small knoll overlooking the quiet valley. The other six children were born in this
home.
The years ahead were lean and hard, but full of hope for the future. Many a Sunday afternoon,
Will would take Grace by the hand and say, “You kids do the dishes, I’m going to take your
mother for a walk.” They would walk hand in hand along their fields and across their garden,
surveying them and possibly dreaming fo the years ahead. Will was proud of his family and
loved them dearly and Grace was ever thankful for his kindness and concern for her. At the birth
of each new baby he was always at her side giving her comfort and support. The one thing he
wanted most in life was to provide well f or his family and see them become educated but this
was never to be.
On July 11, 1929 this determined hard-working father passed away after a brave fight and
struggle for his life and a long illness of Bright’s Disease known and chronic nephritis; leaving
Grace alone to raise their young brood of ten children.
It must have seemed bleak, dreary and hopeless for this brave young mother of 37. Many
declared, “Poor Grace!” But Grace did not seek nor accept help or sympathy but knowing there
was a job to do tackled it without procrastination or complaint as she still does. She put her
shoulder to the wheel and with Gordon and his brothers taking over the farm work and the Lord
beside her she proved the adage, “There is nothing two people cannot do, when one is the Lord
and the other is you.”
She is a woman of action. Her need to keep busy keeps her vigorous and happy. Her
achievements are many. After working at the Mode O’Day until she was retired at the age of 72,
she became an avid temple officiator, being set apart on one of her grandson’s birthdays. She
spent eight years in that dedicated service, spending much of that time as a supervisor.
Throughout these years she was continually fulfilling special hobbies such as making quilts,
edges for handerchiefs and pillowcases. Since she began taking count, she had made 141 large
quilts, 68 small quilts (half of these were tied). She has bound 17 quilts for other quilters besides
many handerchiefs. She had made 56 pillowcases and given away most of them. No doubt her
most special quilt is the gorgeous bicentennial one which is ready for display along with other
Cache Valley hopefuls.
Being left without a Priesthood bearer, Grace had to te the head as well as the heart of her
home. The sons and daughters proudly acclaim her as the matriarch of the family and a great
strength and advisor to all her kin which number at last count at least 150.
Mother’s Day tributes as in other years come from children and grandchildren alike. One
grateful daughter writes this message saying it’s easier than saying face to face: “Words can
never express the love I have for you”. Her number three daughter put it this way: To Mom -I.O.U. for so many things and among these is life itself. All these I.O.U. ‘s you always mark paid
in full for just a kiss and four little words, “Mom, I love you”. A grandaughter writes, “You have
always been the finest example of Motherhood and we all love and appreciate you”. Another:
“You are our special grandmother. We love you very much and admire you for living life to its
fullest and being such a good example.
Her worth of character cannot be put into words. She is a living example of truth and integrity
and an inspiration to all who know and love her. A truly wonderful mother and friend. The
saying, “God couldn’t be everywhere so he made mothers” is true of this mother - Grace Viola
Jorgensen Hadfield.
Elden, her fourth son briefed these years at Grouse Creek in prose on her eightieth birthday:
She’s Mom to many and a Mother of ten
She is the source of strength we come back for again and again...
Her life has been faithful and full of joy!
Did I say joy? Well not ahoay
Because there have been times when -- Boy oh boy -- Lets see now...
She lost her William when her family was still young.
What a way to start life, my how it stung!
But with a will to so right and desire to serve well
We must not lose sight of the real purpose for which we are here to dwell.
The older ones, Gordon, Ronald, Norman and Elden (though he’s not much)
They’ll get the crops in and I’ll keep in touch...
We have our house and a ranch (though its small)
We’ll manage somehow, no trouble at all.
No trouble you say? Well maybe a mite
But little we knew our problems were out of sight. Lets see now...
We had rabies brought by a cat
And sixty head of cows died on the flat
The hay couldn’t grow because there was no snow
And good old Grouse Creek -- you should hear the wind blow.
Well we put up with the weeds and prayed for things better
We herded the sheep -- that Gordon was a go-getter
Well all was o ‘ercome and by and by
We’ve all left the place for climates less tough
Although things since have been a little rough
But one thing’s for sure and don’t ever forget -When the Lord said to Adam - “You’ll labor and sweat”
Well he meant other would trail in his steps
For it makes a great person and few regrets
It had made a great Mother who many admire
Who love her and all have this one great disire...
To pay her homage and acknowledge her goodness
And try to be like her (but I fear it is hopeless)
She’s great, she is king, and is always forgiving
God knows her and loves her as in the beginning
We know He is pleased and isn’t it swell
For God has a special place near Him for her to dwell.
This is the end of my rhyme tho poor it may seem
Its goal was to tell you some about a Mother who’s eighty
And is still very young, very great and gritty.
This tribute was given for the family reumion in June 1976 by her grandson, Kim Petersen.
Her hair is white, but her eyes are a sparkling blue, bright with pleasure. Her home is modest,
spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Her eager mind and spirit sometimes make her frustrated,
because there is so much she wants to squeeze into each day. Her name: Grace V.J. Hadfield.
I was asked to write a grandson’s tribute to Grandma Hadfield, but what can you say about
Grandma that someone else hasn’t already said?
So I asked myself,”What is a Grandmother?”
There are all kinds of Grandmothers in the world. There are modern Grandmothers who can
still do the Charleston. There are quiet, more serious grandmothers. There are Grandmothers who
are perky and stylish and join clubs and golf, and there are Grandmothers who bake lemon pies
and raise roses. But young or old, active or retiring, all Grandmothers share one thing in
common: THEY ALL ADORE GRANDSONS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS.
Grandmothers collect things like pictures of grandchildren, recipes for cakes, ribbons from
Christmas gifts and Valentines Day cards from grandchildren.
A Grandmother is many things. She’s a mother, a mother-in-law, she’s a friend, adviser, and
an unpaid babysitter.
Grandmothers step in when mothers are busy. Grandmothers can wash ears, give baths and
even be a one-woman rooting section in the grandstand when a grandson is at bat in a baseball
game.
A Grandmother is just like a mother except a Grandmother has more time for kids. Mothers bear
the children but Grandmothers enjoy them. Grandmothers seem to have the knack of always
being on hand when there’s a need for them. Grandmothers are very valuable people. To her
family - she’s an EXTRA SPECIAL PERSON!!!
I’m sure that Grandma doesn’t know it, but all the little things she has done for me, really
mean alot. Little things like always having cookies for the grandchildren when we’d go to her
house to visit. Like the wall hanging says in her kitchen, “Some Grandmothers drive limousines
and the fanciest cars you have ever seen, but my Grandmother is the best by far, for she has got a
cookie jar!”
I remember how concerned she would get when any of us were sick. Like the time I was in
the hospital for my heart operation when I was young, or the time when I had my knee operation
while I was in High School.
It never ceases to amaze me, how she can remember everybody’s birthday with the huge
family she has, but she always does.
She’s done so much for all of us L.hat it seems so appropriate that we are honoring her today.
So from the rest of the grandchildren and myself - Thank you Grandma for everything. WE
LOVE YOU AIOT!!
Our Love Always, Kim and Kathy Petersen
VERA LAVENE JORGENSEN NOBLE
Vera was born in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah on October 1, 1893 to Rebecca and Isaac
Jorgensen. It was a Sunday afternoon about 4 o’clock. She was brought into this world by Lucy
Wolf a mid-wife. She is the 11th child of 16 children.
Her early childhood was very happy. She lived in Hyde Park, Utah until about 12 years of
age. She has many happy memories of her childhood days, one in particular is of a donkey which
they called Old Jack. Vera and Grace rode this donkey to take the cows to and from the pasture.
Vera and Grace spent most of their time together. They were real sisters and playmates.
They each had assigned chores in their family. One of Vera’s chores was to clean and fill the
coal oil lamps. Vera and Grace worked together one of their chores being the dishes. On
Mondays Vera polished and cleaned the Sunday shoes for the whole family (of course, along
with Grace’s help).
They were raised in a good Latter-Day Saint home and were encouraged to attend their church
meetings, serving when called.
One fun thing she rzemembers was when her parents had, as they called them, Danish parties
where there was dinner and dancing. She remembers these because she loved to watch them
dance. Music was usually by fiddle and then came the time when they got a phonograph,
probalby one of the first in Hyde Park. Then they would use this as a source of music for their
parties.
Her father was involved in several types of business. He had sheep, land, grain elevators,
Farmers Union Mill in Smithfield, Cache Valley Mill in Richmond and Weston Mill in Weston,
Idaho. Her Father used to take trips to California and back East to sell sheep and grain. He was a
very enterprising man. They raised their own food, animals for meat, orchard with all kinds of
fruit and always a big garden for vegetables. They even raised their own bees for honey. There
was always plenty for all to do, but as they were a large family, there were plenty of them to do
all the chores and work.
Her Mother was a good wife and mother. She was a good manager and a hard worker. Vera
feels she had a special Mother. Her Mother died in 1930 at the age of 69 and her Father died in
1938 at the age of 82. They are both buried in Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Utah. She has 15
brothers and sisters. Lola Everett who died in 1963, Orilla Amy who died in 1955, Leeman
Artgar still living, Cleon Beckwin who died as an infant in 1885, Alveretta Leora still living,
Rhoda Eva who died in 1967, Lydia Dorthea and Ada Eliza: twins who died as infants in 1888,
Glen Arnold who died in 1966, Grace Viola still living, Myrvin Orsman still living, Quin
Alverdo who died in 1931, Myrl Aleda died as an infant in 1898, Virgil Ottis who died as an
infant in 1900, and Darrel Erdman still living. There 6 brothers and sisters still living. Her
parents also helped raise 5 other children: 2 boys from Holland, Yellis (sp) and Daniel, and 3
sons of a cousin: Julius, Howard, and Roy.
Vera attended grade school in Hyde Park through the 8th grade. She then went to the A.C.
College in Logan for one year, 1909-10. Vera and Grace went to the A.C. College together, then
Grace married and Vera went to help her father with the bookwork at the Mill.
When she was 12 years old they moved to the 12 Mile Ranch in Tacoma, Nevada for one
year, then to Etna, Utah. On one occasion on a trip from Logan to Etna it took 10 days to make
the journey as they rounded up sheep herds on the way. She enjoyed living at Etna. She
especially loved the horseback riding, even though one time she had to be rescued from a
runaway horse.
Vera met Ira Elias Noble Jr. in 1914 and after about 2 years of courtship they were married on
July19, 1916 in the Logan Temple by President Willard Young (Temple President). Vera met
Elias through a group of friends and they had some good times together especially in the horse
and buggy which was their transportation. They were engaged about 6 months before they were
married. They spent the first 3 months of their marriage living with her parents and then moved
to Grouse Creek where they ran the store for her Father. They lived in Grouse Creek for 26
months.
Their first child was born on September 21, 1917, a son Myrvin Elias. He was born while
living in Smithfield. Gerald Quinn, a second son was born August 26, 1919, just two months
before they moved into their new home on Oct. 1, 1919. NaDene, first daughter, born June 13,
1921 in their home in Smithfield. Gladys born August 1, 1923 in their home in Smithfield. Ira
Wayne born February 28, 1928 in their home in Smithfield. Harl Max born May 11, 1930 in the
Hospital in Logan, Utah. Mavis born May 4, 1932 in the Hospital in Logan, Utah. Lois LaVene
born August 2, 1934 in the Hospital in Logan, Utah. Don J. born September 2, 1936 in the
Hospital in Logan, Utah.
Even though Vera had several little children she would bundle them up and put one or two in
the baby carriage and walk to town to do some of her shopping in the earlier years of her
marriage. The children were all raised with some responsibility to the home and family. They
were raised to go to church and to serve when called.
Vera served for 11 years as Secretary of the Relief Society in the Smithfield 4th Ward. She
also worked with the quilting program in the Relief Society and I suppose several hundred quilts
have been made under her direction and help. She loves quilting and has created many beautiful
quilts. There were many other projects connected with the Relief Society such as Bazaars that she
helped with.
Vera remembers of making trips to California and other places. She especially remembers a
trip to Califirnia to visit Gladys and Gerald. Dad, she and Don J. made the trip. They toured the
Los Angeles Temple before it was dedicated while on this trip. This was probalby one of their
last trips with Don J. while he was still alive.
In recent years Wayne took Vera and Grace to Washington to visit their brother Myrvin and
family. They had a wonderful trip and visit.
Vera has 9 children, 7 of them still living, 33 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren. Elias, her
husband died in 1966. Don J. was killed in an automobile accident in 1956. Gerald died in 1971.
A couple of interesting incidents that occured are now described. When she was about 6 years
old Vera and Grace each had a beautiful kid doll with a china head. Vera’s doll had black hair
and Grace’s doll had white hair. Vera was quite blond and Grace had dark hair, so their parents
reversed the color of hair on their dolls. Vera had an accident and broke the head on her doll,
now being quite normal and a little jealous of Grace’s doll she picked it up and hit it on the
fence until she also broke it.
When she was about 15 years old and they were living in Grouse Creek, her Mother had been
incubating eggs to hatch. Her Mother figured something was wrong with the eggs as it was some
time over the time the eggs should hatch, so she dumped the eggs out. It just so happens they
were dumped on a hillside where the ashes from the stove were dumped and the sun hit the eggs
just right along with the heat from the ashes, and one Sunday after returning home from Church
they were surprises to find baby chicks running all over the hillside.
Written June 1976 by Lois Pettingill as told to her by her Mother, Vera Noble.
MYRVIN ORSMAN JORGENSEN
I was born in Hyde Park, Utah, the 27th of October 1894; the 12th of sixteen children.
We lived in a frame house on a big corner lot in the town section of Hyde Park. My father also
had a farm and range land of the foot hills near our home. My ealriest memories are of how I
used to help my mother and brothers and sisters care for the vegetable garden and the beautiful
flowers my mother always strived to have surrounding our home. I also had to help milk the
cows and walking, drive them to the pasture and go after them in the evening.
I began school at the age of eight, and went as far as the fifth grade. On the 12th day of March
in 1907, I left school to go to the winter range to care for my father’s sheep at Wendover, Utah.
My older brother Leeman and I were to bring the sheep to the lambing grounds in Johnsons
Canyon, in Box Elder County, Utah. I was thirteen years of age at this time and my work was to
haul water from the springs along the way in two ten gallon wooden kegs for culinary purposes
around camp. Sometimes we would melt snow for the purpose to save going so far to get water.
My other chores included cooking, going for supplies, and moving the camp site.
It was about ten weeks from the time we started for the winter range to move the sheep till
they were moved, lambed, sheared and back on summer range again. I remember sugar beets
were ready to be thinned just as we arrived back on the farm in Hyde Park, about the first part of
June. The sugar beet industry was rather new at this time in 1907. It was thought at that time the
sugar beets should be planted late enough to avoid the spring frost. After helping on the farm
during the summer, I went back to the winter range the 2nd of October. This time it was the Deep
Creek Range in Nevada; and I was with the sheep all that winter and in the spring of 1908, we
left there and went up the trail to the Delno Range, (in Nevada) to lamb. We also erected a
shearing corral at Annerville Springs, close by and after the sheep were sheared we put them on
summer range in the care of a herdsman and returned to the ranch to irrigate and do general farm
work.
This time the ranch I worked on was the Twelve Mile Ranch in Nevada. It was located twelve
miles north and west of Tacoma, Nevada. My folks had moved from Hyde Park, Utah to this big
stock ranch known as the Vine Yard Land and Livestock Company. My father had bought part
interest in the Company. This Company had holdings in a one hundred square mile radius of
land. There were thousands of water springs all over the hundred square miles of land and where
the water springs were; the Company owned land thus giving them control over the hundred
square miles of range land. They put up a lot of hay for the cattle; in fact we began haying on the
5th of July and from then on we cut and put up hay; rain or shine till the 14th of October. I did a
lot of riding in the fall, gathering cattle off the open range and feeding them through the winter.
While on this farm in Nevada it was my job to help the driver change horses on the stage coach;
night and morning for four weeks a trip. This stage coach carried mail one hundred and ten miles
between Sanyucina Ranch, Nevada to Tacoma, Nevada. The horses were wild to handle and I
also had to feed and curry and care for the horses used on the trips. We were on this place till the
spring of 1910. At this time my folks decided to buy a cattle ranch at Etna, Utah and we moved
there. Again I worked feeding cattle, putting up hay, and riding the range through the year of
1911. I now started to school in Etna, but found I had to quit again in three months because of the
farm duties. About this time I was sent to work on the West Cache Orchard Company farm in
Amalga, Cache, Utah of which my father was manager and I also worked in my father’s flour
mill, located in Smithfield, Utah.
In the year of 1915 on September the 8th, in Logan, Cache County, Utah, I married Martha
Ann Buck. One daughter, Bernice and two Sons, Kenneth and Blame were born in Smithfield,
Utah. During this time I did some farming of my own on rented land. I also built a house in
Smithfield, but left and moved to Avon, Utah on a farm. It was here Ila Beth was born. Later I
moved to Moreland, Idaho and learned to make cheese for the Kraft Cheese Company; making
cheese in the Idaho factories located in Moreland, Darlington, Malta, Pocatello, Grace,
Blackfoot, and Aberdeen. It was in Aberdeen that Laura was born and the 1929 depression was
still raging. Now I decided to take the boys out on a farm to live. We moved onto a rented farm
in Burley, Idaho. We lived there and farmed for seventeen years. We then moved to Renton,
Washington, where I was employed by the Boeing Aircraft Company as a painter. I remained in
their employ for eight years; at which time I was retired at the age of sixty-five years. In June of
1960 while on vacation I suffered a stroke which affected my left side. I worked after my
recovery from this as a custodian for three Renton wards; one of which was mine for several
years. In February of 1971 because of my health I moved back to Pocatello, Idaho, to be near my
son Blaine, who is a physician so that he could help take care of me. I lived here until August 3,
1976; when I moved to Aberdeen into a Senior Citizen housing apartment which was ground
level as I could no longer manage the steps in the home which we resided in Pocatello. This was
because of having suffered a broken hip.
Added by Bernice.
Uncle Leeman told me of an accident my father had as a child. He was real small and his
mother had just recently lost two babies and prayed she be spared this child who had just fallen
from the loft of the barn; landing on his head. He was spared to her for which I am very grateful.
As a child I remember his patience with animals which he could get to do most anything he
tried to get them to do. He and Uncle Quinn lived with us and he built many toys for us as kids.
He was a hard worker all his life; sometimes working the clock around with the exception of an
hour or two of sleep. He was an expert cheesemaker and even after he left the factory, the Kraft
Cheese Company tried to get him to come back to work for them several times especially during
the war years. He believed in giving a good day’s work for his pay and during his employ at
Boeing his work evaluation sheets were very praiseworthy of his work.
Though he did not receive much schooling he never lost his desire to learn more. He was
confined to a chair most of the last years of his life, but never the lost the ability to learn more.
His mind was as sharp as it ever was right to the end. He remembered things that put me to
shame, for I could not remember many of the things he did. He loved his family, though it was
hard for him to put it into words. We still knew by his actions and things he did that he loved us.
He was very proud of his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren.
He passed away at Pocatello, Idaho, on August 29, 1977 and was buried September 1, 1977
beside his infant son, Victor, in the family plot at Smithfield, Utah.
QUINN ALVERDO JORGENSEN
Quinn is the thirteenth child of Isaac and Rebecca Jorgensen. He grew to adulthood while the
family were living in Grouse Creek area. He married Viola Emma Shaw, and they had five
children. The children are Carrol Quinn, Zatelle, Rachel, Delmar, William and Ileen. Quinn
passed away in 1931 having contracted “Miner’s Consumption” from working in what was called
coyote holes; an extremely hazardous occupation which was not clearly understood at the time. It
was excavating holes in sandy places for preparing the area for the Lucin Cutoff for the railroad.
Many of these men contracted this disease and died early in their lives. Viola, in later years
married a Mr. Wilson and is presently living in Pocatello, Idaho. Her health is not good as she is
suffering from a heart condition.
Carroll Quinn is living in the east, with his wife LaVerne. They have 5 children. Zatelle J.
Porter is living in Pocatello where she has a day care center. Her husband Vincent James Porter is
retired and they enjoy traveling in a mobile home. They have have four daughter, all married, and
one son.
Rachel J. Kinney Hobbs is living in California. Her first husband, Gerald Kinney passed
away. They had one son and two daughters. She married Lloyd Hobbs and they have one
daughter. Rachel’s daughter, LaRay K. Hollinger lives in Pocatello, Idaho. Delmar William
Jorgensen married Shirley Strand and they have five daughters. They left the Pocatello area for
the Seattle area some time ago and all the daughters found their husbands in that area. Ileen J.
Hammond Fritzgerald is presently living in Seattle, Washington. She married Charles Hammond.
They had four daughters, all married now. She divorced and later married Jack Fritzgerald. She
also had had a day care center. She suffered a severe automobile accident and had had an
extremely difficult time regaining her health.
CHILD
SPOUSE
CHILDREN
Carrol Quinn
LaVerne
Craig
Sharon
John
Kerry
Zatelle J.
Vincent James Porter
Carol Ann Sikes
Patricia Viola Hunzaker
Debra Ruth Paletti
Jennifer Faye Blackburn
James Vincent Porter
Rachel J.
Gerald Kinney
Robert Gerald
LaRay K. Hollinger
Shirley K.
Delmar William
Lloyd Hobbs
Rochelle Hobbs
Shirley Strand
Candace J.
April J. Kinney
Linda J.
Valerie J.
Dillie J.
Ileen J.
Charles Hammond
Cheryl H. Darden
Jennie H.
Kathy H.
Denise H.
Jack Fritzgerald
HIGHLIGHTS in the life of DARRELL ERDMAN JORGENSEN
I was born in Hyde Park, Cache County, Utah on January 26, 1903. My parents were Isaac
Jorgensen and Rebecca Neilson Jorgensen. The doctor who delivered me was Heber Kimball
Merrill. My father was born in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah. My mother was born in
Alborg, Denmark. When my mother was seven years old, she traveled with the handcart
company across the plains from Missouri to Salt Lake City, Utah, walking most of the way.
My mother was a sweet, gentle woman and to me she was beautiful. She was a guiding
influence in my life. She gave birth to sixteen children -- eight boys and eight girls. I was the
youngest.
My early childhood was spent in Hyde Park. Our home was a two-story frame building with a
lean-to on the east side where our kitchen and a rather large pantry and storage room were
located. From the kitchen door on the south side, we walked out to a path leading to the cellar
where we stored canned fruit and vegetables. We also had a milk house where we kept the fresh
milk in pans on shelves that were screened in front to raise the cream for our supply of butter
which was churned once a week. Our family was self-sustaining. We raised almost all of our
food. We also kept bees and had plenty of honey.
Father had a good head for business and he kept his family well-provided for. He was
energetic and a hustler, always taking advantage of opportunities to better himself.
The Church played an important part in the lives of the Jorgensen Family. One of the events
that impressed me as a youngster was the visit of President Joseph F. Smith to the Logan
Tabernacle where he spoke. I do not remember the sermon but I was impressed with his looks.
He wore a dark suit, his hair was white and he had a long beard and wore a mustache. I was
about five years old at the time. I also remember when William Howard Taft, President of the
United States visited Logan and it impressed me very much.
My father was six foot two inches tall, he weighed two hundred pounds, he was well-muscled,
straight and carried no fat. He was a good-looking man and kept himself clean. He taught us
honesty, clean living and hard work. He practiced what he preached and gave generously to help
the poor and of his time and money to build churches, including the Logan Temple and the
Logan Tabernacle.
When I was still a youngster, my father took me with him on his business trips. Usually we
drove a horse (sometimes it was a team) pulling a buggy. Later my father purchased an
automobile – it was an E M F. I don’t know what the initials E M F stood for, but the family later
decided they meant, “Every Morning Fixit”!
During the latter part of 1908 my father was approached by David Eccles about going to
Nevada and managing a ranching enterprise there. He accepted their offer and on March 6, 1909,
he moved his family to the 12 Mile Ranch, so named because it was twelve miles north of
Tacoma, Nevada.
This trip on the train was my first. When I saw the train at the Hyde Park station, I was
frightened -- the black smoke was belching out of the smoke stack on the engine, the steam was
whistling as it escaped from valves, the bell was ringing and brakes screeching as it ground to a
stop. It seemed to me that everything was bedlam. I cried and clung to my father’s neck as he
carried me onto the train. The train ride was tiresome and exhausting and before we arrived at
our destination was very boring. When we arrived at Ogden, we stayed overnight at a hotel and
the next morning departed for Nevada.
Our move to Nevada took us over the Great Salt lake. The wind blew waves onto the cars.
When the water dried there was a crust of salt on the cars which remained on them until we
arrived in Nevada. Little did I think then that I would make my life’s work on that salty strip of
railroad.
(The foregoing is just a few highlights of Uncle Darrell’s beautiful life history. He has promised
to have it finished and will present it at the next family reunion.)