PETERSON, Soren Daniel

1880 - 1958  (77 years)  Submit Photo / Document

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• Name	PETERSON, Soren Daniel
  Birth	25 Dec 1880	Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah, United States
  Gender	Male
  WAC	10 Feb 1904	MANTI
  _TAG	Reviewed on FS
  Death	1 May 1958	Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States
  Burial	5 May 1958	Richfield, Sevier, Utah, United States
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I64033	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
  Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

  
  

  Family ID

  F30564

  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	ANDERSON, Dosena Adalena ,   b. 18 Oct 1885, Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah, United States Ephraim, Sanpete, Utah, United Statesd. 19 Oct 1977, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 92 years)
  Marriage	10 Feb 1904
  Family ID	F21083	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

  
  

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• Notes

  On a cold Christmas morning in the year 1880, a baby boy arrived at the home of Annie K. and Peter C. Peterson in Ephraim, Utah. This baby was named for his grandfather Peterson, Soren Daniel. At the age of three months Dan had a serious infection and gathering on his head that ate right through to the skull. For months, it remained a running sore, but in time it finally healed. Annie and Peter had three children (Henry, Dan, and Erastus) when they moved from Ephraim to Glenwood, Utah. Dan was three years old at that time. During the following years, the Petersons were blessed with eight more children. The names and birth dates of all their children are as follows: Henry, March 30, 1879; Dan, December 25, 1880; Erastus, January 14, 1883; Geneva, July 4, 1885; Katie, July 30, 1887; Myrtle, June 28, 1889; Vern, May 9, 1891; Clinton, August 4, 1893; Reginald, August 23, 1896; Afton, June 26,1900, and Elva, June 29, 1903. These children all lived to maturity except for Clinton who died as a young man. Dan was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the age of eight in a stream of water by the old Glenwood mill. He was ordained a deacon in the church on a Christmas Eve. That night he was sent to the Heppler home to ask Brother Heppler to help with the ordination and there he saw the first decorated Christmas tree he had ever seen. The first position Dan held in the church was a counselor in the deacons' quorum. Since the P.C. Peterson family was steadily increasing (three boys and two girls now), Dan went to live with Uncle Chris Peterson who was married and made his home in Glenwood. Dan made himself useful by chopping wood, running clothes through the wringer, as well as helping about the house and yard. He made his home with Uncle Chris for five to six years. When Uncle Chris freighted wool to Nephi, Dan accompanied him. That was quite a trip in those days; the round trip taking about a week. Young Dan went along when Uncle Chris went to shear sheep. He made his first trip to the saloon with Uncle Chris also-Chris drank the beer and turned around and gave Dan the empty bottle which he sold for a nickel. When Dan was 13, his father left for a mission to Denmark (his homeland) for the L.D.S. Church. He left a wife and eight children; the baby Clinton was only six weeks old. Dan became self- supporting at that time by helping a sheepherder. He went to school in the winter and helped with the sheep in the summer. While his father was on a mission, the family's 25 sheep became lost one evening and Henry and Dan were sent on a horse to locate them immediately since there was always danger of coyotes. They struck matches and followed the tracks as far as possible. When they could see no more tracks because of gravel and rocks, they knelt in prayer. When "amen" was said, they heard the bleat of a sheep not more than ten feet away. The boys rounded up the sheep and returned them safely to the pasture. At the age of 19, Dan and Henry went to Ephraim to attend the Snow Academy. On January 10, 1900, Dan attended the wedding dance of Oliver Jensen (his cousin) and Nora Andersen. It was there that Dan and his future wife Sena met for the first time. Dan danced with the bride and she introduced him to her sister, Sena. "The prettiest little girl in the world," he states. She was 15 years old at that time. A long-distance courtship of four years followed, during which time they corresponded frequently and saw each other about twice a year. Dan worked for two seasons on the McIntire ranch in Nevada. He would call on Sena on his way to Nevada and again when he returned to Utah. They were married on Wednesday morning February 10, 1904, in the Manti Temple. After the ceremony, Sena's parents had a dinner for the immediate family at their home. That evening a group of their friends came to the home and had a surprise party. The morning after they were married, a salesman called and sold Dan and Sena their first cook stove. They packed this and their other belongings into a covered wagon and set out to make their first home in Glenwood. The first night of the journey was spent in Axtell with Aunt Rinda and her family. That very night a wee baby girl was born to Sena's sister Rinda. The next day they proceeded on to Glenwood and their new home, a two-room red adobe house on a lot adjoining Dan's parents' home. In Glenwood, a large dinner at Dan's parents' home and a dance in the basement of the church were held to honor the newlyweds. That summer Dan rented a farm, and the following winter he went to the desert in western Utah to herd sheep. While he was gone, Sena returned to Ephraim to stay with her parents. That spring on May 2, 1905, their first daughter, Adalena LaVee was born. Their family was increased in more ways than one that very day-the cow presented them with twin calves, the pig with fourteen little piglets, and the mare with a colt. Dad purchased a home and ranch in Prattville in 1906, where they lived in the summer and farmed in Glenwood. The following summer they lived in Prattville and farmed in Richfield. On November 28, 1906, Sena presented Dan with his first son, Adrian D. In August of 1907, Sena and Dan moved their little family to a two-room home on Fourth North in Richfield where they were very kindly received. In the fall of 1908, Dan received a letter of inquiry regarding a mission for the L.D.S. Church. He asked for a year's time in which to prepare for this undertaking. On October 18 (Sena's birthday), 1908, the family was again increased, the new member being a boy, Ferdie Devol. During this year in which Dan was preparing for his mission, the blessings of the Lord attended his endeavors; he bought and paid for a 40-acre farm and had enough money to keep himself and his family for the two years he was on his mission. A rousing farewell was held in the Third Ward chapel for Dan, at which time he received over $130 in contributions to aid him in his labors. On November 20, 1909, he left Utah and his family for the Southern States Mission, with headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In those days, the missionaries traveled without purse or script. During the two years he spent on a mission, he enjoyed good health, always had shelter each night, and seldom went hungry. He received several letters of congratulations from mission president Charles A. Callis for selling the greatest number of Books of Mormon than any other missionary in the Southern States. During Dan's absence Sena and the three children were truly blessed both with health and the necessities of life. Sena's father died in December 1910, and Sena and the children went to Ephraim and spent the following nine months with her mother. Sena returned to Richfield in September of 1911 to put LaVee in school. In November 1911, Dan returned from his mission and Sena made her first trip to Salt Lake City by train to meet him. The first Sunday Dan was home he was made superintendent of the Third Ward Sunday School, and from that time on he held church and civic positions in the community. Among the positions he held are the following: secretary of the Glenwood Sunday School and secretary of the Elders Quorum 1904-1905; superintendent of the YMMIA, stake superintendent of the religion class; member of the stake Mutual board 1907-1909; stake Sunday School superintendency for about fifteen years; a three-month mission in the northern part of the stake in 1913; first counselor in the Third Ward Bishopric for five years; stake high councilman for five years; member of the City Council for two terms; president of the South Sevier Sugar Beet Association for twenty years; president of the Sevier Valley Canal Co; vice president of the Otter Creek Reservoir Company for two years; and board member of the Piute Reservoir and Canal Company for over ten years. The family was blessed with four more children: Weldon, September 10, 1912; Murry C., July 15, 1914; Philip, April 13, 1917; and Anna Marie, June 23, 1921. Dan enjoyed traveling and seeing the beauties of the world, and he recalls with pleasure many trips. He made numerous business trips to Salt Lake, and Sena would usually accompany him (and at her request, Anna was taken along too). This was quite an event in Anna's young life because they would stay in a hotel and eat their meals out. The family enjoyed going to Fish Lake which was nearby; the Utah National Parks, Bryce and Zion, as well as the Grand Canyon. They made several trips to California to see LaVee. Shortly after Ferdie returned from his mission, Sena, Dan, Ferdie, Weldon, Murry, and Anna made a memorable trip. They saw Boulder Dam at midnight while it was still being built, on to Los Angeles where they stayed two days; then up the coast to San Francisco. They were ferried across the bay where the Golden Gate Bridge now stands. They continued on up the coast and through the redwood forest and on to Portland; then inland on the Columbia River Highway through Idaho and home. Sena and Dan took a very enjoyable trip to Glacier Park, Banff, and Lake Louise in Canada with Margaret and Phil. They went to Yellowstone Park also with friends. In February of 1958 they went to California to visit LaVee and then returned home by way of Arizona where they stopped to go through the Mesa Temple. Dan was eager to help all of his children obtain a higher education. All seven had the opportunity of attending college. At some time or other, all seven children were seriously ill, and the children felt that it was through the faith and prayers of their parents that they all survived. Sena and Dan's Golden Wedding celebration in February of 1954 brought joy and many happy memories. A big family dinner and program was held on Saturday afternoon at the Youth Center in Richfield. An open house was held Sunday afternoon at their home, and Sena and Dan were happy to greet their many friends. A call for Dan and Sena to serve as ordinance workers at the Manti Temple was accepted in September of 1953. They served in that capacity until February of 1958 when they were honorably released. Nothing in their lives brought more joy and happiness than did this service. How they loved their temple friends and they cherished the many wonderful experiences they had there. It was truly a highlight in their lives. Dan passed away on May 1, 1958, at the Sevier Valley Hospital in Richfield. As far as his family was aware, it was the only time he was ever a patient in a hospital in his life. Funeral services were held May 5, 1958, in the Sevier Stake Tabernacle, and he was buried in the Richfield City cemetery. He was missed by many, loved and respected by all; a real man in every way. No sweeter, kinder, or more generous person ever lived than Dan Peterson. NOTES: History written by Anna Peterson Wells, a daughter. History typed by Mary Kay Peterson Scholl, a granddaughter   Excerpts from the Missionary Journal of Soren Daniel Peterson The following are a few excepts taken from Dan's missionary journal written while he served in the Southern States Mission, 1909-1911. At this time, missionaries served without "purse or script," relying on the kindness and generosity of people they met to furnish them food and lodging. Dates have been omitted. We did our washing and pressed our suits and after dinner we started on our journey, canvassing the road through Wake County. We distributed quite a number of tracts that afternoon and had several gospel conversations. Sometime after dark, we were granted the privilege of stopping with a family. They gave us supper and a good bed, treated us very kind. Next morning, the man began relating to us his many troubles with his father-in-law which had resulted in him shooting and killing the old man something like two years ago. That made me feel awful strange to think that I had spent the night with a murderer. Along in the evening, when it came time for asking for entertainment, we were near a Missionary Baptist Church and most of the people in the neighborhood were members. It was against the rules of their church to take in Mormon Elders. We traveled some distance before we got entertainment. We finally found a family who did not belong to any church who said they never turned a stranger from their door. We were kindly treated and when we left next morning, were invited to come and stop at their home any time. It was an awful cold, windy day. We walked 14 miles and canvassed the road. Were treated very kind along the way. Were invited in to warm a number of times and sold several books along the way. We visited the Deacons of the Free Will Baptist Church and asked the use of their church house to preach in the following Sunday. We were granted our request. At the hour appointed for our meeting, there was an audience of between 150 and 200 had gathered at the church house. The Baptist choir furnished beautiful and appropriate singing, and the congregation gave us the closest attention and courteous treatment. Elder Lawson preached upon the first principles of the gospel and after, I preached upon the divinity of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The congregation seemed deeply interested in our remarks We walked two miles to the home of Sister Bettie Aycock, and found all busy at work. Brother Ralph Aycock and his wife, Bettie, were both out plowing and their little five-month-old baby was in the house crying. I went out and took the mother's place at the plow and let her go to her baby. I followed the plow two hours which is the first plowing I've done since leaving home. It seemed quite natural and Sister Aycock seemed to appreciate the favor very much. We canvassed a public road for eight miles, arriving at the home of Brother William Cotton about three in the afternoon Found him sick and Sister Cotton and her little daughter, Bessie, trying to chop their own wood. Sister Cotton soon learned that we had not been to dinner and it was not long before a nice meal was prepared which we appreciated very much. We then had them borrow a saw and we worked to reduce the size and shape of the wood pile the remainder of the day. We had five miles to walk to Smithfield for our mail and then ten miles back to the church to hold meeting that night. We arrived at Smithfield at nine o'clock, had just got inside the post office door when the rain began pouring down and did not cease until twelve 0'clock, giving us a good chance to read our mail and write letters. We bought some fruit and ate; then began our journey of ten long miles through the mud. We had only gone about two miles when the rain began pouring down again and we were forced to seek shelter in an old cotton gin. After an hour, we started on again through a drizzling rain, but soon took to shelter in a vacant house where we stayed two hours. It was now 4:00 PM and we had seven miles before us. We were about to give the meeting up and seek entertainment (place to stay for the night), but thought that would never do. We reached the church house at 7 o'clock. The weather had cleared off some. We had just got the house lit up when people began to flock in and the house was soon nearly full. We preached them the gospel with an empty stomach and wet feet that night and everybody present seemed deeply interested. The Lord certainly blessed us with a rich outpouring of His Spirit for the effort we made. Monday was spent canvassing. I met some very prejudiced people. One lady sent word that she was not dressed to come to the door. I gave the servant a tract to take to her telling her that I was a minister of the gospel She took it to the lady. This soon brought her to the door. She called me back, said she wanted no Mormon literature left at her home and she threw the tracts out on the porch. I picked them up and went on my way without saying a word to her. I met with better treatment and success the rest of the day. A little opposition and rough treatment does one good, for it causes us to be humble and the Lord then comes to our assistance. We were invited to spend the night with a Mr. J. D. Wilkerson. We went with him to his home. When we arrived, his wife lay prostrate on the floor as though she was dead. We picked her up and worked over her for over an hour trying to get her to come to, she seemed to be in a trance. We explained our faith and belief in the power of God and the administering to the sick. Mr. Wilkerson had faith in what we said and asked that we pray for his wife. We anointed her head with oil and administered to her and as we took our hands from her head, she opened her eyes and said, "God bless you." She was soon on her feet wanting to get supper for us. Next morning, she was well except that she felt weak. We were called upon to visit the home of a Mr. Henry Gurley where his seventeen-year-old daughter lay at the point of death. We visited their home about 2:00 PM and found her very sick. The house was full of sorrowing neighbors and kind folks. I explained to them the teaching of the Savior and his apostles on the subject of praying for the sick and our faith in that principle. I bore my testimony to having seen the sick raised by the power of God in answer to the prayers of his servants. I then asked that they all kneel with us in prayer and exercise their faith in behalf of the sick one. After prayer, we anointed and administered to her. We visited Mr. Gurley again about midnight and found his daughter greatly improved. All present had hopes of her recovery, though the doctor had given her up several days before. My testimony is strengthened from day to day and I can certainly see that God is no respecter of persons, but in all nations and at all times, he that feareth God and keepeth His commandments is acknowledged of Him. NOTES: Information compiled by Philip Peterson, a son. Typed by Mary Kay Peterson Scholl, a granddaughter.   Personal Recollections of Father by Ferdie Peterson, a Son Dad was a most unusual man in many ways and as children, we loved and respected him for the many good things he did. I don't know of a person who showed love and affection more than my father did. When we boys came home, he would always greet us with a kiss. There was a time when some of us thought it was a little embarrassing. We soon got over that because we always felt his love and affection for us. I don't believe he ever left home without kissing Mother goodbye. It was a wonderful example for all of us. I don't remember hearing my parents speak cross words to each other. If they had differences, they settled them between themselves and not in front of their children. Dad was rather strict and always expected us to be around at chore time to milk the cows, feed the chickens, etc. One of the first tasks assigned to me was feeding the calf milk each morning and evening. After a few months, Dad sold the calf so I figured I was unemployed and I didn't show up at chore time. I stayed out in the street playing with the neighbor kids. Dad called me and let me know that there would always be chores for me to do and there always was. The same was true about work on the farm. When it would rain and it was too muddy to work on the land, we would repair fences, haul rocks or manure. We always had tasks on Saturday during the winter months such as hauling straw to bed the livestock and hay and grain to feed them. The one thing that I admired so much about my father was the sense of security that he gave us. I am reminded of the Temple ceremony when Satan approaches Peter, James, and John, and asks if they have any money and they answer, "We have sufficient for our needs." Our father always made us feel that we had sufficient for our needs. For this I am eternally grateful. Dad was a very religious person and there was no pretense, no sham whatever about him. If he didn't agree, he would let you know. He sometimes didn't approve of things that went on but he never criticized in front of his family or refused to support them. I appreciated the way my father paid his tithing and he always took his children with him to tithing settlement. I'll never forget one occasion. We each had our plot of beets and as we tended them, we invested money and time. Then the white fly came and as the summer progressed, the beets withered and died. We didn't harvest a single beet. I thought, "Well, the Church probably owes a little refund this year," but not Father. He said, "We've lived, we've got along, haven't we? Surely, we've had an increase. We will pay our tithing." I've admired the way he observed the Sabbath. Some farmers felt that when the rains came and the weather looked bad, they could rush out and gather in their crops on the Sabbath, but not Father. He always said that the Lord blessed him for it. He always felt that his crops were just a little better than his neighbors because he kept the commandment, "Honor the Sabbath Day and keep it holy." I admired my father's faith. He was called to serve as a missionary and left his young wife with three babies, the oldest merely four years old. That took a lot of faith, Years later, when his two oldest sons were about ready to go on missions, the Depression had begun. Some people hardly had enough to live on. Father undertook the task of sending two sons on missions. Many people thought there was something wrong-but he had faith and he saw us through. [In President Hinckley's biography, missionary expenses in 1933 per month were equal to about $500 per month in 1990 dollars.] He was a good neighbor. He would take produce around to widows and other people in need at harvest time. There was a family living across the street from us. The mother was a hard worker but the father was a very poor provider. They had two boys in their late teens. The weather was both cold and wet when we were harvesting the potatoes. Dad delivered several hundred pounds to them. I was rather bitter about it. I thought at least those grown boys could have helped harvest the potatoes they were going to eat. During the Depression, many people quit taking a daily newspaper. In order to increase circulation, the Deseret News initialed a contest of selling subscriptions. They divided the area covered by the paper into eight regions, and a number of worthwhile gifts were to be given in each region. A car was given in each region to the person selling the most subscriptions. In addition to the regional prizes, four large cars were given to the four selling the most subscriptions in the entire area. Times were rather slow so Dad decided to enter the contest. Each week the results of the contest were published in the News. Dad started out as one of the leaders in our region. Stina Scorup, the principal of the Salina High School, was about even with him each week. Sometimes she would be ahead. As money was scarce, Dad would accept almost anything of value in payment for the News. He would sometimes get a calf a sheep, grain, hay, or lumber. As the contest drew to a close, he felt he couldn't afford to lose. When we saw the results at the end of the contest, Stina Scorup had won the car for our region. Dad wasn't listed for any of the prizes in our region. Then we looked at the top of the article to see who had won the four big prizes. Dad was in fourth place; he won an Oldsmobile sedan. NOTES: Compiled by Philip Peterson, a son. Typed by Mary Kay Peterson Scholl, a granddaughter.   My Recollections of Our Dad and Home Life by Philip Peterson, a Son Our home life was structured and organized. Dad was head of the family and there was no question about it; we all knew who was boss. At the same time, he was kind and helpful and built into our home life fundamentals of Gospel living. We always had family prayer each morning before breakfast. The kitchen chairs were turned with the backs to the table and Dad would call on one of the family to offer prayer. Before each meal, one of the family would be asked to offer a blessing on the food. Our family was pretty much self-sufficient. We had a garden and raised the vegetables we used and enough potatoes to last through the winter. We raised chickens, had milk cows, sheep, and beef animals. We always had plenty of good food to eat. We never went hungry! Dad was well known and respected in the community, and his credit was good anywhere. One day he needed something at the hardware store but didn't have the change. He told me to go and get it, but I was reluctant to go without the money. He said, "Just tell them you are Dan Peterson's boy and they will give it to you." I didn't think they would but they did-just like he said. I was always proud to be called Dan Peterson's boy. He was ambitious and resourceful. The Great Depression was in full force during my growing up years. Being a farmer, Dad provided plenty of food for his family but money was hard to come by. However, if there was a real need, he always seemed to have the money needed and was generous with his family. When I was in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, he provided money for a train ticket for Margaret to come to Wisconsin where I was stationed. This, combined with Margaret's parents taking care of our baby, Beverly, made it possible for us to have a wonderful Christmas together. It would have been a bleak and lonely time without his help. Later, just before being sent overseas, I was given a week furlough. I was stationed in New Orleans and there wasn't enough time to make the trip by train. My Dad sent the money which made it possible for me to fly home (my first commercial flight) and spend a few days with my wife and baby. Later when I came home at the end of the war, he gave me a one-third interest in the farm machinery and cattle he owned. This helped immeasurably in getting me started in providing for my family. For a number of years, we had a three-way partnership on the farm: Dad, Murry, and me. When he decided to retire, he sold part of the farm to Murry and part to me. The terms were most generous and he didn't charge any interest on the money owed. At Dad's funeral one of the speakers described him as being the salt of the earth. This was followed by a quote from B.F. Hinckley: "The salt of the earth, what does it mean? It means that combination of courage, common sense, dependability, self-reliance, and goodness. These are the men who pay the taxes, build the wards, hold society together, and make the world move forward. They are the men who work hard, vote right, pay their debts, help their neighbors, meet every situation with candor, and solve every problem with wisdom." Dan Peterson was truly that kind of a man! NOTES: Written by Philip Peterson, a son. Typed by Mary Kay Peterson Scholl, a granddaughter. Personal Recollections of Dan Peterson by Anna Marie Peterson Wells, a Daughter Our father was a short, stocky man and physically very strong. He took pride in his personal appearance and was always neat and well-dressed in public. Although he had very little hair, he had it cut regularly. He always wanted his shoes shined, although he never did it; that was Mom's job. When we were in Salt Lake, he had it done professionally in a hotel lobby or on the street by a shoe¬shine boy. He always wore a hat and it was usually a Stetson--the best. He was miffed on one occasion when his Stetson disappeared from the coat-hat rack in church and a cheap hat left in its place. Dad had a pair of eyeglasses for every suit he owned and a few extras as well. These glasses came from the Kress Store in Salt Lake, and he usually purchased a pair whenever he came to the city. Dad loved an auction sale. As I recall on one occasion when we were in Salt Lake, Dad saw an auction sale in a little shop on Main Street. He took Mom and me in with him. We hardly knew what was going on but Dad seemed to know all about the bidding. Before we left, he bought a beautiful red rug along with some smaller throw rugs the auctioneer threw in on the deal. It seems to me that Dad had to go up to Beneficial Life and borrow on one of his policies to pay for his deal. After they established a livestock auction in Richfield, he attended each week on a regular basis. He also liked to trade horses but Mom thought he always came out on the short end of the deal. He loved baseball and attended the local games. After retirement, he would go to tournament games held in Levan and Nephi. If he happened to be in Salt Lake for Fall Conference, he would follow the World Series as it was displayed outside of the Tribune Building. After I was exposed to the world, I soon realized and appreciated the clean language I heard at home. I never remember Dad or my brothers using bad language, swearing, or taking the Lord's name in vain. NOTES: Compiled by Philip Peterson, a son. Typed by Mary Kay Peterson Scholl, a granddaughter.