Jan Erik or Johan Erick Peterson, 1829-1888 and Christina (Stina) Hindersson, 1820-1900

Jan Erik Peterson:

• Born: 14 Mar 1829 Hakansboda, Ramsberg, Orebro, Sweden
• Died: 12 Jul 1888 Fairview, Sanpete, Utah
• Parents: Per Andersson and Anna Stina Nygren
• Spouse: Christina (Stina) Hindersson (md. 13 Nov 1853 Hakansboda, Ramsberg, Orebro, Sweden)
• Children: Maria Christina Peterson, Johanna Petersen [sic], Anna Louisa Peterson, Andreas Peterson

Christina Hindersson:

• Born: 12 Mar 1820 Lindesberg, Linde, Orebro, Sweden
• Died: 12 Mar 1900 Spring City, Sanpete, Utah
• Parents: Per Hindersson and Margetta Elizabeth Moberg

Johan Erick and Christina Peterson from Sweden

"The Swedes came of the same Viking Stock as all other Scandinavians. St Ansgar, preached Catholicism to them in the 9th century but they continued their pagan sacrifices to Thor and Oden until British Missionaries converted them in the twelfth century.

"Sweden has an extensive trade, copper from vast copper mines at Falam, furs and fish for export also all types of lumber and lumber products, as well as iron ore.

"By the middle of the sixteenth century the throne had become herititary. Upsala was the first seat of government. Stockholm, the present seat of government originated as a defense effort against invading Danes. Sweden at one time ruled both Norway and Denmark; at another time she was ruled by Denmark and at another time by Peter, the Great, of Russia. In 1810 the Swedish diocese elected Bernadotte, one of Napoleon's generals, Crown Prince, and his line still rules in Sweden. Stockholm, the capitol, is a granite city built on two rocky prominences, one in the Baltic, one in Lake Malar. Great steamers sail through the heart of the city in summer and skaters and sail-boat skaters glide over the silver ice in winter. It is called the 'Venice of the North". At Ulriksdal, a fashionable suburb, the Royal Family resides. At Upsala is the temple where years before the time of Christ, sacrifices were made to Odin. It stands neighbor to the University of Upsala, founded five centuries ago

"There are four geographical zones in Sweden. Scania, the southern most, is a region of rich farm lands, lakes and meadows, the stronghold of the dairy farmer. In Svealand, survive all the ancient manners and traditions of the Swedish race, here may be found the costumes that originated when every house-wife did her own spinning and weaving. It is also a farming area. Some of our ancestors came from this area, from Lindesberg and from Stockholm. Next is Norrland, here the rivers become wilder, the forests more unbroken, the land rises to the snow-capped mountains of the Norwegian traders. North of this is Lapland, a bleak waste of dwarf birch, creeping willows and boggy tundra, where the rosy streamers of the Aurora Borealis tingle up from the black horizon of the winter night. Here exist some of the richest beds of iron ore in the world. At Gellivar and at Kiruna are solid mountains of ore. This is the home of the Laplanders with their herds of reindeers.

"Skiing is a necessity in Sweden. In the army, skiing is and essential part of the service. The highest peak in Sweden, Kebnekaise, was climbed for the first time in winter in 1808 by a man on skis.

"The Swedes are the tallest race in Europe, the fairest in coloring and the longest lived. There has been little mixing of foreign blood. They are a thrifty, idealistic, independent people. They are generally well-to-do, aristocratic in their ideals and are enormously efficient. They are a well-educated people quick to adopt scientific inventions and new industries. This homogeneous people of granite self-control and punctilious politeness are given to idealism.

"As far back as can be traced, southern Sweden was the home of the Goths. The people of this race eat 5 times a day, beginning dinner with a Smorgesbord of pickled fish, sausages, smoked reindeer meat, piquant cheese and black rye bread with sweet butter or crisp Knackerbrod resembling thin oat cakes. The chief crops are hay, fodder-roots, potatoes, sugarbeets, oats, rye, wheat and barley. Five acres is an average size farm.

"Our ancestors, Johan Eric and Christina Peterson, came from the Svealand region of Sweden. They were born at Lindesberg, Orebro, Sweden. Johan Erick was born 13 March 1829 and Christina was born 10 March 1820. They were married 13 November 1853 and built themselves a a typical steep roofed house. They lived on a rocky five-acre farm on which they grew all they needed to eat and  also feed for their cows and other animals. They grew their own timber for fuel. When they cut down one tree, another was planted to take it's place

"Johan Erick also worked in a near-by smelter where iron-ore was melted into pure iron bars. Charcoal was used as a fuel in this smelter as there is no coal in Sweden. Sometimes at the close of work Johan Erick and a neighbor, who also worked in the smelter, would put a couple of big clinkers left after the iron was melted on a long rod, this they carried home. Those clinkers were so hot even after being carried home that they could cook the evening meal and furnish all the heat needed in the house that night.

"They raised hay, cutting it by hand and drying it outside before they stored it in the barn section of the house. Johan Erick fished in the stream; they cured herring for winter. Christina did the spinning and weaving, the semi-annual wash and baked the bread. They made "Knackerbrod." They would make enough of this at a time to last a year. It was baked in large round thin flat cakes and hung on a pole across the ceiling to dry. They ate it dry and crisp as we eat crackers.

"They were a religious people, devout Lutherans, who read and studied the bible regularly. The Mormon Missionaries came to their home and taught them the gospel. They were converted but it was hard for them to join the church for all their friends and relatives were against it and when they were baptized 4 March 1875, by Bro. Lindquist, their friends turned against them. Johan Erick and Christine made their plans and sold all they had, receiving enough money to pay for their trip to Zion. They with their four children; Maria, Johanna, Anna Louisa and Andreas, sailed to Liverpool, England and on 22 June, 1876, they sailed toward America on the ship "Idaho." They had a rough voyage across the ocean then they took a train across the United States and arrived in Fairview, Utah on 24 July, 1876. They settled in Fairview at the request of President Brigham Young. They had a chance to choose any place they wanted there and they chose the rocks and sage brush of Spring Creek, which was most like the hills around their old home in Sweden.

"Johan Erick, farmer and carpenter, built their first home, a two room log house with an attic. Later they built a two story white adobe house. With the help of Andreas, he built several other houses in Fairview. The twelve years Johan Erick lived in Utah were busy ones; beside the houses he built a large barn, one hundred feet long and fifty feet wide. The lower half was made of cobblestone laid in mortar. The walls were about six feet high and the upper part was built of lumber. He also dug a well one hundred feet deep with a rock wall in the bottom that was fifteen feet high. This was the only well for blocks around and many people came here for water. Johan Erick also built a rock wall along the East side of the orchard. This wall was about three feet wide and four feet high. The farm was about two miles east of town and when Andreas got married, Johan Erick built a house here for him.

"Johan Erick and Christine were endowed, 15 July, 1881, in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City.

"Andreas's daughter wrote that Johan Erick had another wife, named Mary Ann. She said "She was a widow and had five married children in North Dakota. She was a short plump person. She had a two-room house, two blocks east of the other house. She was very good to us and we children liked to go to her house and get cookies. About 1890 some of her children from North Dakota came for her and took her back with them and we never heard from her again." This was what Euelaia, Andreas's daughter wrote.

"Johan Erick died at Fairview, 12 July 1888. He was just 59 years old and had been sick very little.

"Christina was a tall stately person. She had asthma and was confined to her bed a lot of the time. About 1892 they moved her to Spring City to live with her daughter, Maria. Christina died here 12, March 1900.

"Maria, the oldest daughter was born at Lindesberg, Orebo, Sweden, 21 November, 1854. She was baptized by Brother Lindquist, 15 Febuary 1875. She married Soren Peterson 20 November 1876 at Fairview. They were parents of four children, John, Anna, Mary, and Will. Maria or Mary, died at Spring City, Utah, 3 November 1925.

"Johanna, the second daughter, was also born at Lindesberg, on 27 March, 1857. She was baptized by Elder Patterson, 6 November, 1875. She married Christian Jacobsen, 20 November, 1876. They were parents of eleven children, Christina, Peter, Henry, John W., Elmer, Grant, Rossie, Nora, Amanda, Ida and Heber, Johanna died at Darby, Idaho 7 January, 1924

"Anna Louisa was born at Linesberg on March 19, 1859. She was baptized by Elder Pattersen 6 November, 1875. She married Johan Wilhelm Peterson, 26 August, 1877, at Spring City, Utah. Later they went through the Endowment House and were sealed. They were the parents of three daughters, Anna, Ellen and Regina. Johan Wilhelm died the 12 November 1882, and Anna married Lorenzo Davidson, 4 March, 1887. They were the parents of six children, Mary, Arland, Arthur, Lenora, Nathaniel, and Eskil. In 1892 She moved with her family to Darby, Idaho where they homesteaded 160 acres. In 1912 they moved to Parker, Idaho. Here she lived until her death 9 March 1925. In Darby she served as the President of the Primary and later served as President of the Relief Society for several years.

"Andreas, born at Lindesberg, 26 July, 1862, was baptized by Elder Patterson 6 November 1875. He married Caroline Magneson, 27 September 1883 in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City. They were the parents of three children, Eulalia, Hilma and Conrad. Caroline died 9 April, 1889, then he married Anna Marie Peterson in the Endowment House at Salt Lake City, 6 January, 1892. They were the parents of nine children, Cristal, Ivy, Newel, Eskil, Linden, Jewell, Reed, Silven and Ervin. He ran a coal yard and later started the Peterson Lumber Company. He died at Fairview, Utah, 9 October 1823."

--Author unknown

Gravestone in Fairview, Utah, Pioneer Cemetery

Gravestone in Fairview, Utah, Pioneer Cemetery