Petersen, Joseph Lorenzo

File — Box: 10, Folder: 1

Identifier: VIII

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Biographical sketches of Niels Petersen and Mary Mortensen Petersen, by Joseph Lorenzo Petersen. Bound volume. 19 pages. Niels Petersen, born in Denmark, always had a desire to live in America. In 1867 he landed in New York and learned that the railroad was being built across the continent. He got employment on the railroad and headed West. He crossed the country as far as Utah by May 1869 and was present at Promontory when the Golden Spike was driven. From Utah he went to Nevada, California, Oregon, and returned to northern Utah. It was while in northern Utah that he met and married Mary Mortensen. They lived for almost a year in Stockton, Utah, and then in Leamington, Utah. In the fall of 1878 the call came from the leaders of the church to settle in Arizona. The Mortensens, Petersens, and Larsons left Circleville. On Christmas Eve 1878, they reached the place called Joseph City. From there they traveled to Snowflake where the Larson family stopped. The Mortensen and Petersen families went on to Show Low Creek, where they rested about two weeks and finally settled on Mortensen Wash. The remainder of the biographical sketch relates their years in the Arizona settlements. Niels served as bishop, worked on the railroad, farmed, and raised horses and cattle on a commercial basis. Niels died in July of 1902, leaving Mary with six children to raise. All of the children received their education at Snowflake Academy. In 1919 Mary moved to St. Joseph with two sons who had purchased a store. Mary went to Mesa in 1929 to work in the temple. She spent many years living in Mesa during the winter and in Joseph City during the summer. She died in 1936.

Dates

1857-1986

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.