PETERSON CHRISTIAN PETER BOEL by EUGENE

GRANDPA  PETER BOEL

By Eugene H. Halverson

very similar to right side the Boel house
this is where the animals were kept

All of my life I have heard many negative things about my Great Grandfather Boel.  As I have gathered information for his story I have learned to understand and to love him.  He was a domineering Old Danish man, a Man's Man, a chauvinist.  In his own way he tried to be a decent man.  He was born in the “Upper Class” where he was the lord and master.  Farm workers, maids and wives lived in a lower class of life. 

Anni said, “Boel is simply the name of a middle size farm. Sometimes it was also spelled Bol. 

Christiania drew us a picture of a large thatched roof home housing owners, servants and animals in her biography.  She also said, “Theirs was a life of peace until the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ came to the village.  After hearing their teachings and carefully reading and comparing of their literature with the Bible.  She (Christiana) and her mother were converted to its truthfulness.”   Her father, (Christen) was very much opposed to their teachings.  

like the animal side of Boel farm

Peter was just a baby in the 1848 war with Germany and too small to be a soldier in the 1863 war.  The record says, he was around 166-centimeter-tall (5 foot 5 inches  tall) and was a tiny person. Tiny is spinkel in Danish.  In 1868 it says: T M 4 No. 363 September 1868. That means he served the army by doing other military work. Other military work isn’t specified, but if he was tiny it can have been a work, which is not too hard. In 1876 he was signed out of the military.  So, He didn’t go to any war, but stayed home until 1868, where he for a period served the army with “other military work”.   Now we have a little Grandpa and a Little Grandma. 

Peter Boel was born on the Boel Farm in Oudrup Aalborg Denmark on the 9th of April, 1843 the only living son of Christen Pederson Boel and Anne Marie Poulsdatter.  Family records list the Parish or the County as Eulain.  I found it listed as Salling many years later.  He was their fifth child and eight years younger than his only living sibling, Christiana Christensen.  His name in Denmark was Christian Peter Christensen Boel.  Three children had died before he was born.  Oudrup is located in the northern part of Jutland and Grandma said the farm was five miles

from the Kattegat Sea, this is was five miles from the Lim Fjorden and south of it.  The Lim Fjorden (Lim Fiord) is an arm of both the Kattegat and the Skagerrak Sea cutting the Jutland complete into from east to west.  The weather we are told was damp and foggy and it was difficult to harvest the hay and grain they needed for their sheep and cattle.  The winters were always severely cold.

Many farm hands were needed--some were children others were servants

  

Little Grandma, Maren Kirstine Sorensdatter
Christian Peter Christensen Boel

 

A few months after the end of the war, Peter married my Great Grandmother (Little Grandma), they were married two months before the birth of Kristine Petrine, Maren was she 29 years old and he was 19.  It was common to see a marriage shortly before a birth in Denmark in those days.

We knew very little about Little Grandma until Joseph Boel found a bunch of hand-written papers made out by her that lists all of her children with their birth and the death dates.  This account was written in Danish about 1882 or 1883. 

I took these papers and sent them to Anni in Denmark and we found a lot more and.  It turned out to be quite a story.

Anni went to many other Parishes in their church books and census readings.  Then she found a clue in one of Grandma’s papers.   And after Blessing Little Grandma she found everything.  

Her parents were Ellen Kirstine Jensdatter and Soren Nielsen. 

Maren Kirstine (Little Grandma) was born in 1834,

Her sister, Else was born lived 10 days and died in 1835,

Her brother, Jens Christen is born 1837

Her father, Soren dies in 1838.

Her mother is sent to prison in 1839, nothing serious, we do not know why or how long.  More than likely she took food from the master to feed her children

Anni found the children on a farm, called Sonderstedhus in Ajstrup Parish.  The children are listed as “plejeborn” poor people who are too poor to support themselves and the Parish cares for them. 

Maren Kirstine (Little Grandma) is now 5 years and her brother, Jens Christian 2 years they were now living with their foster parents, Niels Nielsen 65 and his wife, Kirsten 56 who cared for them for the next dozen years or so.  Maren Kirstine was given more schooling than the average Danish girl.  She was taught to read and write as well as being trained to run a house and farm.  Her penmanship was beautiful, and easy to read.  She wrote her notes late in life.  At least 40 years after talking to her mother and writing about relatives that she had not known. 

Peter Boel   Aunt Hanner

A few months after the end of the war, Christian married my Great Grandmother Maren (Mary) Sorensdatter, two months before the birth of Kristine Petrine, Maren was 29 years old and he was 19.  It was common to see a marriage shortly before a birth or even after in Denmark in those days. 

 No one in either the Peterson or the Twede families knew anything about Maren's parents, Ellen Kirstine Jensdatter and Soren Nielsen.  This turned out to be quite a story. 

Anni Damkjaer a good friend of mine started looking at Church books and census and this is what she found. 

 Maren Kirstine (Little Grandma) was born in 1834,

Her sister, Else was born lived 10 days and died in 1835,

Her brother, Jens Christen is born 1837

Her father, Soren dies in 1838

Her mother is sent to prison in 1839,

The family dwindled down to two babies.  Then somehow Anni found them on a farm, called Sonderstedhus in Ajstrup Parish.  The children are listed as “plejeborn” poor people who are too poor to support themselves and the Parish cares for them. 

Maren Kirstine is now 5 years and her brother, Jens Christian 2 years.  The foster parents Niels Nielsen 65 and his wife, Kirsten 56 will care for them for the next dozen years or so.  Maren Kirstine was given more schooling than the average Danish girl.  She was taught to read and write as well as being trained to run a house and farm.  Her penmanship was beautiful, and easy to read.  She wrote her notes late in life.  At least 40 years after talking to her mother and writing about relatives that she had not known.

In the1860 Census, Aalborg, Delete, Store Ajstrup, we find mother and daughter living here in the parish.  Ellen Kirstine Jensdatter is called a 47 year old widow, died in the Parish at age of 69.  Her brother, Jens Christian at a young age moved to Skarp Salling for work.   But Maren Kirstine is now 26 and should have been married or sent away to work after her training, is still here with the Nielsen family like a daughter would.  Was she now caring for her foster parents who are now 85 and 76 years old? 

Her mother and daughter are together in the 1860 census in Store, Ajstrup.  They must have spent a lot of time together for Maren to learn as much as she did about family and relatives.  It was here in Store Ajstrup a few years later she marries Christian Peter and give birth to nine children.  In the 1870 census her brother, Jens Christian 34 is working as a farm worker.  Her mother is not found on the Boel farm but lives and dies here in Store, Aalborg.

She was looking for a husband when she finds and marries Peter Boel and in time gives birth to nine children. 

Ann Marie Poulsdatter
Peter's mother  78 years

BOEL FARM, It was quite a large farm.  We do have a drawing of the house and yard that Christiana's children drew after her death, it was a large two story house typical of many I have seen in books, rock walls and thatched roof.  It was a large rambling house built in the shape of large U.  A kitchen, dining, living, bedrooms and guestrooms formed the front.  The first leg of the U formed the workshop and two old folk’s rooms.  The other leg housed the farm animals - horses, cows, and sheep.  .

When Christian's father died on September 6, 1877 at age 79, his mother was now free to go to America to find her daughter Christiana, who left Denmark 22 years earlier.  She had promised Christiana that she would come if and when her husband died before she did. We are told about the selling of the Boel Farm.  His mother was old and could not wait any longer.  He would have to take those who were able to go.

 Steam Ship Nevada left Liverpool 29 June 1878 arrived 10 July 1878 --- from the Aalborg Conference, 106 Co.

Christian Peter Christensen—age 35- 1843—

Ane Marie Poulsdatter –78-1800

Ane Johanne Jensen—26—1852-- maid

Christine P.  Christensen–11—1867

Christen Christensen—9---1868

Soren Peter Christensen—5—1873

Jens Chr. Christensen—4—1874

Elsine Christensen—4 –1874

Andreas Anderson—servant—not listed here

The twin boys were three years old and were too small and sickly to last the voyage across the ocean.  Both Niels and Pierre, suffered from malnutrition and had been sickly since birth, their mother did not have enough milk for the two of them.  They were given what was called a sugar teats to suck on.  This was a small cloth bag filled with sugar and bread or grains moistened with milk or water for sustenance until they were able to eat solid food.  So, the four of them would come when they could.  They were Maren Kristine, Ane Marie (Mary), who would one day be my grandmother, twins, Niels and Pierre. 

We are told about a smaller house where Maren and the three children lived for the next two years.  I do believe that he wanted the rest of the family too come as soon as possible.  Some say Christian brought money to America and that he was quite wealthy.  His farm was quite valuable and land was scarce. 

Christiana Peterson Twede

A few months later the family arrived in Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Anna Marie Poulsdatter found her daughter Christiana in Pleasant Grove.  She had married Christian Frederick Twede and had seven children.  When I showed Hazel Twede Baird her photograph, you should have seen her smile and the light in her eyes as she gazed fondly at her.  Anna Marie died at age 86 in October 1886 in Mapleton and was buried in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Utah.  

We are told of a smaller house where Maren and the three children lived for the next two years.  I do believe that he wanted the rest of the family too come as soon as possible.  Some say Christian brought money to America and that he was quite wealthy.  His farm was quite valuable and land was scarce. 

In the 1880 Census for the Utah Territory, Pleasant Grove Precinct, Utah County, she was cared for and still living with her son, Christian Peter Boel.  The Census Taker miss-spelled Boel as Bold.  Her name was Annie M. on the census. 

1880 census

Name                    

Bold, Annie M.            W      F         80       Mother, Widowed

Bold, Christian            W      M       36       farmer

Bold, Annie                  W      F         28       housewife

Bold, Christina            W      F         15       daughter

Bold, Chris                  W      M       12       son

Bold, Peter                   W      M       11       son

Bold, Christian            W      M         9        son

Bold, Senna                  W      F           8        Daughter

Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede

The rest of the family came here after the census was taken.  Andres Anderson was not on the census but he did stay with the family and worked for Peter Boel as a hired hand would, mostly for room and board.  He was treated as part of the family and was no longer owned as a servant.  He lived and worked where he could but he stayed always stayed near the family.  He died in Mapleton, February 29, 1912.  No one could tell me much about Andres, but they remember him being around.  We now have two pictures of him, one as a boy and another when he was old.

We have many conflicting stories of how Great Grandmother Maren and her three children were able to leave Denmark.  Some say she came on her own and others said, her husband sent for her.  There are as many stories as there were children, each with their own story.  They were separated by religion and brought together again by it.  All had accepted the Mormon Gospel including the servants. 

The stories that were passed down from the women folk said that Christian Peter Boel was stingy and mean while many of the men respected him as a man who could do most anything and a man who cared for his family.  My Grandmother didn't seem to speak as harshly about him as the others.  His daughter-in -laws were very critical of him.  

Steam Ship Leo—sailed 5 July 1880 from Copenhagen and arrived 9^th July 1880 in Hull, England

Steam Ship Wisconsin--- sailed 10 July 1880 from Liverpool arrived in New York 20^th July 1880. 

Train arrived in Ogden 24 July 1880.  All Mormons from the Aalborg Conference.

Passenger List

Marie Kirstine Sorensen—45—1835

Ane Marie Sorensen—10—

Niels Peter Sorensen—4

Pierre Sorensen --4

So, they were Mormons and brought here by Mormons.

Joseph Boel said that Little Grandma sold the family farm and managed to get herself and three children to Utah in the company of returning Mormon missionaries.  Grant Nielson writes that "Christian Peter Boel sent for his wife and children."  In either case, the missionaries helped Maren and her children on their long journey to Utah, arriving in American Fork in July 1880." 

Peter Boel top center
Aunt Hanna    Little Grandma center
at Mapleton Church

STORY  by Joe Boel at the Saratoga reunion.  "According to Joe the old boy was quite a rounder and a ladies man in the old country.  He ran off with the hired girl and the older children leaving Great Grandma in Denmark with twin sons (babies) and Grandma who was about eight years old, who refused to leave her mother.  But Great Grandma had a lot of spunk and who knows, maybe she loved the old buzzard.  At any rate she managed to sell the family farm and get herself and three children to Utah, an absolutely incredible feat for y times, considering women were considered y.  You have to admire her tremendously.  Of course, when she arrived in Utah she found her husband had married the young hired girl under polygamy.  Her heart may have been broken.  Her life then was not a prosperous one and she never married again.  I guess y was unheard of unless it was the man who wanted it.  I'm sure Joe felt she did the right thing considering Great Grandfathers unsavory reputation.  Actually, why would he go off and leave her like that if he was a good husband?  And why if she was his first wife why would he allow the second wife to treat her shabbily and live in a dugout for two years?  No, I believe it was a great sorrow and blow to her to find him married again and Joe's version makes more since to me.  

Boels at Mapleton Church

Eugene, I don’t believe that Peter Boel was quite that mean and I’ll talk about why there was so much anger later.   There is one thing that everyone agrees to, that Maren was completely unaware that her husband had married her maid, Hanna.  Some say they think something going on between them back in the old county but there was no room for doubt here.  The Bishop told the two that they must get married.  The Mormons practiced polygamy in the Utah Territory at this time so this was a legal and a practical solution until Great Grandma came.  She could plainly see that Hanna was about to have a baby.   Christian married Hanna on October 30, 1879, shortly before or after their first daughter was stillborn.  On 14 December 1880, Hanna gave birth to her second and last child Anne Melvina. 

Hanna was not about to lose her man.  She would share him if she had to, but would fight to keep him.  She said, "You are the second wife now, you gave up your place in Denmark."  Hanna was as mean as ever and treated Maren shabbily and even taunted the children when they wanted to spend time with her.  She told Pierre, "Grow up, you can't always hang on your mother’s teat."  Her attitude caused the children to hate her. 

She told Hanna, "You can have him and good riddance."  Maren had a very tough life and endured many hardships, but she was happy with who she was and the love she felt from those about her.  She was indeed a great little lady.  Everyone loved her except the man she loved.  

On 10 July 1880 Little Niels died from the measles.  Two weeks after arriving in Pleasant Grove sick.  The long voyage under such crowded conditions was just too much for him.

Thached roof

On 10 May, 1882Seventeen year old Kirstine Petrine also died here in Pleasant Grove.  She died of consumption. 

Sometime in 1885, Ane Melvina, Christian and Hanna's only living child also died here in Pleasant.  She was playing with a group of children who started to talk about what they were going to be when they grew up.  When they asked Ane Melvina, she stated, “I am going to die tomorrow." and that’s what she did.

October 1886 their 86 year old mother, Ane Marie Poulsdatter Petersen died in Mapleton and was buried here in Pleasant Grove.

One day Bishop Hunter took my grandmother Ane Marie (Mary) away from both parents and gave her to a family that lived near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Grandma said it was relatives but Christiana told us that we had no relatives here.   

Even though Christian married Hanna and chose to stay with her, her life was not an easy one.  She was resented and was not accepted as mother, they called her "Aunt Hanner".  Usually she was disrespectfully called "Hanner".  Time never seemed to heal the hurt.  Resentment and hatred ran deep.  Aunt Hanna was despised by all of Christian and Maren's children and their spouses, especially Molly McClain Boel.  

In 1879 before Little Grandma and her three child arrived Aunt Hannah and Peter Boel’s first child was born and died the same day without a name. 

On 10 July 1880 Little Niels died from the measles.  Two weeks after arriving in Pleasant Grove sick.  The long voyage under such crowded conditions was just too much for him.

On 10 May, 1882Seventeen year old Kirstine Petrine also died here in Pleasant Grove.  She died of consumption. 

Sometime in 1885, Ane Melvena, Christian and Hanna's only living child also died here in Pleasant.  She was playing with a group of children who started to talk about what they were going to be when they grew up.  When they asked Ane Melvena, she stated, “I am going to die tomorrow." and that’s what she did.

October 1886 their 86 year old mother, Ane Marie Poulsdatter Petersen died and was buried here in Pleasant Grove.

In the 1880 Census for the Utah Territory, Pleasant Grove Precinct, Utah County, she was cared for and still living with her son, Christian Peter Boel.  The Census Taker miss-spelled Boel as Bold.  Her name was Annie M. on the census. 

1880 census

Name                          color   sex       age     

Bold, Annie M.            W      F         80       Mother, Widowed

Bold, Christian            W      M       36       farmer

Bold, Annie                  W      F         28       housewife

Bold, Christina            W      F         15       daughter

Bold, Chris                  W      M       12       son

Andreas  a servant

Bold, Peter                   W      M       11       son

Bold, Christian            W      M         9        son

Bold, Senna                  W      F           8        Daughter

The rest of the family came here after the census was taken.  Andres Anderson was not on the census but he did stay with the family and worked for Christian Boel as a hired hand would, mostly for room and board.  He was treated as part of the family and was no longer owned as a servant.  He lived and worked where he could but he stayed always stayed near the family.  He died in Mapleton, February 29, 1912.  No one could tell me much about Andres, but they remember him being around.  We now have two pictures of him, one as a boy and another when he was old.

We have many conflicting stories of how Great Grandmother Maren and her three children were able to leave Denmark.  Two years after her husband and most of her children had left, she was baptized into the Church and wanted to be with her family here.  Some say she came on her own and others said, her husband sent for her.  There are as many stories as there were children, each with their own story.  They were separated by religion and brought together again by it.  All had accepted the Mormon Gospel including the servants.  The stories that were passed down from the women folk said that Christian Peter Boel was stingy and mean while many of the men respected him as a man who could do most anything and a man who cared for his family.  My Grandmother didn't seem to speak as harshly about him as the others.  His daughter-in -laws were very critical of him. 

Joseph Boel said that Little Grandma sold the family farm and managed to get herself and three children to Utah in the company of returning Mormon missionaries.  Grant Nielson writes that "Christian Peter Boel sent for his wife and children."  In either case, the missionaries helped Maren and her children on their long journey to Utah, arriving in American Fork in July 1880." 

Story by Joe Boel at the Saratoga reunion.  "According to Joe the old boy was quite a rounder and a ladies man in the old country.  He ran off with the hired girl and the older children leaving Great Grandma in Denmark with twin sons (babies) and Grandma who was about eight years old, who refused to leave her mother.  But Great Grandma had a lot of spunk and who knows, maybe she loved the old buzzard.  At any rate she managed to sell the family farm and get herself and three children to Utah, an absolutely incredible feat for y times, considering women were considered y.  You have to admire her tremendously.  Of course, when she arrived in Utah she found her husband had married the young hired girl under polygamy.  Her heart may have been broken.  Her life then was not a prosperous one and she never married again.  I guess y was unheard of unless it was the man who wanted it.  I'm sure Joe felt she did the right thing considering Great Grandfathers unsavory reputation.  Actually, why would he go off and leave her like that if he was a good husband?  And why if she was his first wife why would he allow the second wife to treat her shabbily and live in a dugout for two years?  No, I believe it was a great sorrow and blow to her to find him married again and Joe's version makes more since to me. 

Grandma's son, Raymond who died in 1918 said, "Don't bury me in the Ever Green Cemetery with Aunt Hanna or I will come back and haunt you", he was buried as he wished in Spanish Fork.   Aunt Mary said, "Mother regretted this because she could walk down to Ever Green but not to Spanish Fork.  She also said, "Pa made sure that all Halverson's were buried in Spanish Fork". 

My Father, Harvey said, "I liked Aunt Hanner and got along with her".   He was their chauffeur and he was with them quite often.  

Add caption

Eugene,

 I don’t believe that Peter Boel was quite that mean and I’ll talk about why there was so much anger later.   There is one thing that everyone agrees to, that Maren was completely unaware that her husband had married her maid, Hanna.  Some say they think something going on between them back in the old county but there was no room for doubt here.  The Bishop told the two that they must get married.  The Mormons practiced polygamy in the Utah Territory at this time so this was a legal and a practical solution until Great Grandma came.  She could plainly see that Hanna was about to have a baby.   Christian married Hanna on October 30, 1879, shortly before or after their first daughter was stillborn.  On 14 December 1880, Hanna gave birth to her second and last child Anne Melvina. 

Hanna was not about to lose her man.  She would share him if she had to, but would fight to keep him.  She said, "You are the second wife now, you gave up your place in Denmark."  Hanna was as mean as ever and treated Maren shabbily and even taunted the children when they wanted to spend time with her.  She told Pierre, "Grow up, you can't always hang on your mother’s teat."  Her attitude caused the children to hate her. 

She told Hanna, "You can have him and good riddance."  Maren had a very tough life and endured many hardships, but she was happy with who she was and the love she felt from those about her.  She was indeed a great little lady.  Everyone loved her except the man she loved. 

On 10 July 1880 Little Niels died from the measles.  Two weeks after arriving in Pleasant Grove sick.  The long voyage under such crowded conditions was just too much for him.

On 10 May, 1882Seventeen year old Kirstine Petrine also died here in Pleasant Grove.  She died of consumption. 

Sometime in 1885, Ane Melvina, Christian and Hanna's only living child also died here in Pleasant.  She was playing with a group of children who started to talk about what they were going to be when they grew up.  When they asked Ane Melvina, she stated, “I am going to die tomorrow." and that’s what she did.

October 1886 their 86 year old mother, Ane Marie Poulsdatter Petersen died in Mapleton and was buried here in Pleasant Grove.

One day Bishop Hunter took my grandmother Ane Marie (Mary) away from both parents and gave her to a family that lived near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Grandma said it was relatives but Christiana told us that we had no relatives here. 
  

Even though Christian married Hanna and chose to stay with her, her life was not an easy one.  She was resented and was not accepted as mother, they called her "Aunt Hanner".  Usually she was disrespectfully called "Hanner".  Time never seemed to heal the hurt.  Resentment and hatred ran deep.  Aunt Hanna was despised by all of Christian and Maren's children and their spouses, especially Molly McClain Boel. 

Grandma's son, Raymond who died in 1918 said, "Don't bury me in the Ever Green Cemetery with Aunt Hanna or I will come back and haunt you", he was buried as he wished in Spanish Fork.   Aunt Mary said, "Mother regretted this because she could walk down to Ever Green but not to Spanish Fork.  She also said, "Pa made sure that all Halverson's were buried in Spanish Fork". 

My Father, Harvey said, "I liked Aunt Hanner and got along with her".   He was their chauffeur and he was with them quite often.  

Grandma's son, Raymond who died in 1918 said, "Don't bury me in the Ever Green Cemetery with Aunt Hanna or I will come back and haunt you", he was buried as he wished in Spanish Fork.   Aunt Mary said, "Mother regretted this because she could walk down to Ever Green but not to Spanish Fork.  She also said, "Pa made sure that all Halverson's were buried in Spanish Fork". 

Christiana in Denmark

My Father, Harvey said, "I liked Aunt Hanner and got along with her".   He was their chauffeur and he was with them quite often. 

Christian's sister, Christiana Twede, her children and grandchildren said she was a nice person, active in church and community affairs. 
 

Aunt Doris Halverson said, "One day I was talking to Irene Freeman, she said that when she was just a little girl, she loved to visit Aunt Hanna.  Hanna was just the sweetest little old lady". 

She was a very good cook and housekeeper and managed to "rule the roost" as well as cater to Christian's every whim.  Christian and Hanna did get along quite well and they did love each other.  Hanna spoke English very well, something that Christian and Maren never could accomplish.  They did learn the language but had a strong accent and some words were very hard for them to pronounce. 

 Aunt Mary said, “What a rascal he was, between the English and the Danish mixed, he was a scream."  

Aunt Mary also said, “Grandpa Boel would shear sheep in the spring.  He said Hanner could shear as many sheep as he could." 

Very little is known of their life in Pleasant Grove.  Christian rented a farm from Bishop Hunter, and Little Grandma was given a little house across the road.  The children were able to visit and do things for her but she lived alone. 

All of the children took the Peterson name except Pierre, he took the Boel name.  They called their father Peter Boel, not Christian Boel as our family did.  There is a book in Denmark titled in ink inside the front cover:  "Family of Christian Peter Christensen." 

Christiana with Father

Joseph Boel found a hand-written letter made out by our Great Grandmother Maren Sorenson Peterson that lists all of her children with their birth and the death dates.  This account was written in Danish about 1882 or 1883 and lists the family name as Christensen.  This was their name in Denmark, by adding "sen" to the given name of the Father. 

My Grandmother Mary Halverson said, “We moved to Mapleton in November of 1883 to a one-room frame home on the site where Mary Allen built her house.  There was a granary attached at the corner of the house.  We arrived there at 9 p.m. and the carpet was pulled back and there was straw on the floor.  We pulled up the old carpet and swept up the straw and put up the stove.  The pipe on the stove was too short so we put it through the window.  I remember my Grandmother Peterson stayed out in the wagon all wrapped up until we had the house warm. 

"My father purchased 20 acres of land from Lucian Hall, which was one-fourth of a mile west of the old homestead where we lived for many years.  We went to the bottom of the old slide and hauled cobble rocks and built a two-room house.  The mud was made by riding a horse around in a mud hole.  The water was drawn from a hand-dug well.  The well was about 20 feet deep and never went dry."

Christiana on ship to America

Christian had told his sister, Christiana about Mapleton and how good the ground was for farming.  So, she sold her home in American Fork and bought 10 acres next to his.  She needed help and needed to be near her brother.  Her husband, Christian Frederick Twede had been living with his other wife, Thea and neglected Christiana and her children.  Her boys, Gideon and Herman had to clear sagebrush and build a house and our Great Grandfather, Peter Boel helped and directed them.

The children of both the Boels and the Twedes tells  of the work involved in clearing the land of sagebrush and each building a new house, this was on about 1000 West 1600 South.  Maren lived in a nearby dugout east of the house and north of the Linsey farm.  It was made of rock with walls four feet above ground level and the floor cut to about four feet below ground level.  My grandmother, Mary, stayed with her here.  She tells how cold and miserable it was in the winter mornings with frost covering everything.  It was always damp and cold.  She stayed here for at least two years - it may have been longer.

Mapleton Bench was first settled in 1878, held its first Sunday School there in 1885 and built their first school and church in 1893.  It was named in 1902.

My grandparents, Andrew Halverson and Mary Petersen Boel, were married July 17, 1889 in the mist of a very severe depression.  Six months after their marriage, my Great Grandma Maren (Mary) left her dugout to live with them.  Two Marys in one house would be confusing so great grandma now had two nicknames - "Lump-sugar Grandma" and "Little Grandma".  "Lump-sugar Grandma" comes from an Old Danish habit she had of placing a cube of sugar between her teeth before sipping coffee from a saucer.  She did pay the price for her love of sugar, she lost all of her teeth except one and in time that one disappeared.   She was called "Little Grandma" because she was small and petite.  Little Grandma helped her daughter with the many chores there were to do on a farm.  My father remembers when work was done in the house, how she would walk thorough the grain fields after harvest to glean what grains of wheat she could find.  She would then grind the wheat into flour and bake bread for the household.   In later years she cooked for herself in her little room.  

Little Grandma went with the family to Redmond, Utah, then to Idaho in places such as La Belle. Rigby, Rexburg and Sugar City, and then back to Lake Shore.  Andrew never was able to find a farm that they could call home and provide them with ample food and necessities.  They had moved from one place to another for twenty years before they obtained a permanent home in Mapleton.  In 1912 Christian Boel purchased the Aaron Johnson farm for about $1,000 and gave it to Mary for taking such loving care of Little Grandma.  (Aaron built many houses, he was a polygamist with five wives.) 

Christian was a regular visitor at the Halverson home and talked with Little Grandma.  They chatted in Danish so no one knew what they said, but they seemed friendly.  It seems like the escapades of Christian and Hanna caused his children and especially his daughter-in-laws to scorn him Christian was eventually forgiven by some, but no one would forgive Hanna.  Blame and scorn was heaped upon her.  

Cyprianus--It is a Magic Book that Aunt Hanna owned.  It was full of magic formulas, magic healing, medical prescriptions and some conjuring tricks.  It helped to interpret dreams.  It had in itself a strange and dangerous power.  A look with an evil eye would an animal would be sick and die.  

She used it for power as well as defense.

Tales and stories about her lived long after her death.  Witchcraft stories, stories of the spells that Aunt Hanna cast.  After Hanna cast a spell on Andreas new bed, he could never sleep on it again, he always fell out of it.  She also cast a spell on the neighbor’s cow and it went dry, it never gave milk again.  Witches are on both sides of my family now.  

I hope the power of words and gestures went with Hanna and the book.  My Aunt Mary Halverson Bowen didn't like her at all.  Although she was quite young at the time, her mother, grandmother and aunts passed on some scary tales.  After Aunt Hanna died Mary Halvorsen Petersen and Mary Petersen Halverson found and burned her witchcraft book "Cyprianus".  

It is the Devils book and it will follow her into the other world.  I had to laugh but Aunt Mary said, "In those days many believed in the supernatural, many were afraid of her especially Andres. 

LITTLE GRANDMA--- by Erma Lorraine; “Little Grandma had her own living quarters on the south side of the house.  My cousin, Erma Lorraine Ashby Drummond tells this story about "Little Grandma" in the summer of 1923.  "I was about 4-1/2 or 5-years-old and went back and knocked on her door.  She had a cozy room with a wood range, table and bed.  I thought she was enchanting and not sick or old.  She was sweet and loving and made me a necklace.  And in all the years since then no piece of jewelry has ever meant so much.  In those olden days, they made ribbon candy with colorful designs on it.  She put a string through one loop and tied it around my neck.  I was so proud of it, I wouldn't eat it."  Little Grandma lived for 11 years in this house and died October 4, 1923 at the age 90. 

Grandma Halverson home

STORIES by Mary Hanna Bowen;  "One day Venice was talking about getting me some new house slippers, I said, "I would just have to burn them".  That brought back a memory of Lump Sugar Grandma when she was living in her room with a stove and such.  She called my Mother to come and have a cup of coffee with her.  Mother came in just as she was lighting the fire and burning her wooden shoes.  Mother asked, "What are you doing."  She said, "I'm not wearing these ugly old wooden shoes again and we are having a cup of coffee to celebrate the occasion, I can wear real shoes now."  So they had a cup of coffee, talked and laughed.  Wearing the wooden shoes had caused her toes and nails to grow up instead of flat like ours.  Mother had a hard time cutting them and it was very painful for Grandma.  (a woman’s shoe was built differently than a mans, to make her foot seem smaller and daintier than a mans it was made with a cute little up-sweep and came to a point on top.  The toes were actually pointing up)

"I used to comb Grandma's hair often as Mother became to busy, she had a metal comb, no brush.  It was so much fun because I could talk to her in Danish." 

"Grandma would give me a small cup of coffee, more milk than coffee.  Her love of sugar and sweets caused her to lose all her teeth except one in front." 

 "I remember that the hearse was white with gold tassels and with lamps front and rear. It was pulled by four white horses adorned with silver.   

CHRISTIAN'S HOMES;

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All of his homes were built in Mapleton, the first one was built in 1884, and it was located at 980 W 1600 S in Mapleton After living here a number of years the house and 20 acres was given to his son, Pierre Boel for working for him on the farm and in the blacksmith shop without pay until he was 34 years old. Christian had promised him the house and farm for this service.   Pierre had been sick a lot and had lost all his toes on one foot, caused by tuberculosis.   Christian had promised to give Pierre the farm and blacksmith shop to make him, self-supporting.  But when Pierre married Molly McClain in 1909 Molly refused to live in the same house as Aunt Hanner and left.  Molly had no use for her and couldn't stand to be bossed around by her.   Christian didn't want Pierre to sell the farm to homestead a farm in Sutherland. He was afraid that Pierre’s health made him too fragile to homestead a new farm digging ditches and wells building fences, a house and a barn.  Pierre had always been there and he did not want to lose him. 

The farm is still standing.  I have a picture of it. (Christiana’s house was built on ten acres to the north).  

 In 1913 Christian and Aunt Hanna moved out to Christian's second house was built on 800 West 365 South, where he built a large blacksmith shop.  He lived in this house until he could no longer care for himself, it is still standing. 

 Christian also bought a house and three acres of ground just south of his and deed it to his son, Jens.  Christian had given this house to help his son, Jens (James) who had lost his leg soon after his marriage and was in poor health, and was having a hard time getting by,  The house was located at 385 S. 800 W. in Mapleton.  This house did need a lot of repairs that his son took care of in a very professional manner.  These are our double cousins, two Halvorsen's, Andrew and Mary married two Peterson's, Mary and Jens.

Jens Peterson home

Then there was the Arron Johnson home that he bought and deeded to his Daughter Mary Halverson in 1911 to care for his first wife, Little Grandma.  He could see that they needed help or Andrew would never have stopped moving.  It was located at 64 S. 1600 W. in Mapelton.  This house did need a lot of repairs but Grandma was always so proud of it and thankful for it. 

Christian had now given houses and farms to three of his children not counting the house he built for himself, yet some of the children and their spouses did not want him around.  Some of these feelings stemmed from his treatment of their mother, but his domineering ways and habits didn't make him a good neighbor to his daughter-in-laws. 

Aunt Mary said, “He was a rascal, mean and stingy."   While living in Denmark he learned to live with poverty.  His miserly ways made him rich while many of his neighbors were poor.   Grandma Halverson, to my knowledge has never said anything bad about her father, but she didn't say anything bad about anybody. 

Aunt Christiana  7th Handcart 1100 mile walk

I wished I could have known him.  I have heard more good things than bad about him.  He must have been a busy and active person, but a very domineering man.  Sheriff Tom Williams praised Christian for becoming wealthy on his farm while his neighbors and children would starve.  Maybe his children thought that he could do more for them.  My father said, "He worked and played hard, I couldn't keep up with him during the prime-time of my life and he was old". 

All of Christian's business partners, the Mormon Bishops, and people in the community thought he was the greatest man that they ever knew.  The parents, children and grandchildren of the Twedes, Allans, Jensens and the Hafen’s loved him and respected him.  He seemed to get along with Senna and her husband, Heber Cox as well as Christian and Lucy Crump Peterson, but his other two children and their spouses didn't like him and their stories of him show it.   My Father had a great respect for him. 

He had taken his training in Denmark and he could build anything and do anything.  He built and repaired many things in his blacksmith shop.  I have a pair of tongs of his that were forge welded, now a lost art.  He made hundreds of wooden shoes for his family and neighbors, he clumped around in them himself until he died.  He repaired watches and clocks; his house was full of clocks!  He made the gears on a hand-held vice, (I have the vice in my possession) fashioned spinning wheels, crafted tools, and many other things.

Peter Boel   Gideon  & Herman Twede   John Hafen

Christian, like so many of his Danish friends had both good and bad habits.  He was a very fun-loving, hard-working man.  My Father said, "He was very active and always had something to do."  He was a great host and loved to be around people.  The Mormon Church tried very hard to stop these Danish immigrants from smoking, drinking coffee and tea and consuming spirits of any kind.  The Church wanted them to live by the Word of Wisdom.  Christian obeyed many things that were asked of him, but not these.  While relaxing, he would sit back and smoke a special curved pipe that had a lid on it.  The drinking of coffee was an essential part of entertaining friends and neighbors in the home.  Many converts to the Mormon Church found this habit to difficult to give up.  Christian liked a little alcohol in his coffee and a nip to stop a cold.  He allowed his Grandson LeRoy to try his coffee one day, when his mother learned of this, Christian was told about it no uncertain terms "Don't ever do it again."

Christian loved the beer and especially the whiskey that they had in this country.  He was dis-fellow-shipped from the Church a few times, a common practice in those days, but was always welcomed back.  He did a lot work for the Church and the community.  Harvey, his grandson remembers watching him, dressed in his Sunday-Best walk a mile to Church every Sunday. 

When it was time for the families to gather firewood for winter he would always be there not only for the work, but also for the grouse hunting, he loved to hunt.  They all had shotguns and they all had a great time. 

His temper would show when he felt that he was not treated with respect.  One day on the way up the canyon, his bottle fell out of the wagon and broke.  Oh was he mad and it didn't help when the children laughed.  Another day when he bumped his head on a wagon tongue and muttered an oath, he wanted Andrew to spank the kids when they laughed at him again.

Aunt Mary Halverson Bowen   Grandma Mary Peterson Halverson
at home that Peter Boel gave her 64 S 1600 W Mapleton

We have a picture of Christian and the Twede and Hafen boys when they hunted deer in Strawberry valley.  He loved to hunt but wouldn't buy the hunting license.  This was a problem for Charley Allan, the game warden, who was also a friend and relative.  Christian always took charge of every thing, he divided all the deer or grouse up whether he killed one or not. 

Aunt Mary said, "He had two buggy horses called Hans and Canniflrump.  He let me ride Hans but I had to walk one-half a mile to get him and to take him back". 

Harvey, Andrew's son, remembers when Christian bought his first automobile, a Model T Ford with a brass body.  Harvey was needed to go with him wherever he went to change the tires or crank the engine.  When Christian cranked that old Ford it would start and try to run over him.  This was why he bought a new Chevrolet, but on the maiden voyage, he and a friend stopped on Provo Bench and the car wouldn't start again.  He was really enraged when the mechanic charged him four dollars to flip the ignition switch.   The car was a rather nice old touring car, when he could no longer get around he gave it to my Father.   Christian always took my dad along to crank the engine to get it started and to change the tires.  They had poor tires in those days.  Gideon and Herman Twede and Dad used to drive the car all over (all against the rules).   To get rid of the evidence (tire tracks) they would through grain all over the driveway and the chickens would scratch the tracks away. 

Can you imagine what it was like when Grandpa Boel was learning how to drive?  There were no rules of the road: The Red and Green Light hadn’t been invented yet and there were no stop signs.  The State had given the job to a man by the name of Wire to solve this problem but it took time.  If Grandpa got to the intersection first he thought he the right of way.  He ran over a boy.  He got a ticket for stopping a streetcar and arguing with the driver.  Dad said Grandpa Boel never did like to drive in towns so he would speed up in towns to get through them faster.  It was kind of scary.  

Anne Johanna Jensen Boel died of a stroke on 6 August 1915 at the age of 63, it was a hardship for Christian.  He missed her very much.  He did not like living alone and asked Little Grandma to come back and live with him, but she declined. 

He then went through a number of house keepers and girlfriends.  So on October, 1922, Christian married his housekeeper, Ann Jane Ballantine.  She was 68 years old and he was 79.  Aunt Mary Halverson Bowen remembers Jane as a very sweet and lovely lady.  She did her best to make Christian a good wife, but he was just too domineering.  When she wanted two eggs for breakfast, he would say one was enough.  He tried to change everything she did.  I am not sure how long this marriage lasted. 

Chris Peterson and new car

After Little Grandma died in 1923 Christian moved into her room in the Halverson home and lived till he died.   Aunt Mary said, “We used to play rummy with Grandpa Bole, but we had to let him win more often than was good for him.  Mother used to say, “Let him think he won".  But he was pretty sharp; lucky I knew how to play. 

Erma Lorraine Drummond said, "Just before he died.  He was living in the room that Uncle Joe later lived in.  He had a long white beard. He was now bedridden and his daughter Mary placed some buttered bread and some special dried or jerked meat saved only for him and a knife on a small breadboard.  He was sitting up in bed when Erma put it in front of him.  He cut the meat in paper-thin slices and placed it on the bread and gave her some.  Erma was very impressed with him and the occasion.  His mind was very alert and active.  Christian died the 20th of August 1926 age at 83.

Funeral Hearse just like Peter Boel's

Aunt Mary said, "At his funeral the hearse was black with black and gold tassels inside, also it had lamp front and rear that were never lit.  It was pulled by four black horses with tassels on their bridles and silver spotted harnesses".  He was buried next to Hanna in the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville.   His gravestone was rather plain.  He had given Grandma $400 to bury him but the Bank took it when Grandpa borrowed money for seed and couldn't repay the loan.  Christian was very angry about that. 

Christian was a very remarkable man. He was educated and trained as a blacksmith in Denmark.  I can still remember all of the blacksmith and carpentry tools stored in the old granary.  They were all hand made, hammers, tongs, cutters, forge, and bellows.  There were three carpenter planes hanging on the east wall, one was a least 4 or 5 feet long and made with a wood frame and steel.  There were pictures, a Damascus twist shotgun, a spinning wheel, etc.  Yet I found very few family heirlooms in all the families I contacted.   I know most of them were just thrown away, I wanted them but couldn't have them. 

Peter Boels last home he built in Mapleton
335 S 800 W

One day in his later years, Christian was asked if he would like to go see the old country once more, Christian replied, "NO SIR", I never want to see it again.  God Bless America!" 

All of my life I have heard many negative things about my Great Grandfather Boel.  As I have gathered information for his story I have learned to understand and to love him.  He was a domineering Old Danish man, a Man's Man, a chauvinist.  In his own way he tried to be a decent man.  His downfall was that he treated women here like they were treated in Denmark.