Henry and Mary Ann Peterson
Information comes from Hazel L Peterson in the History of Bear Lake Pioneers
Henry Peterson was born 26 Mar 1813 in Basorp Sweden , the son of Pehr Henrikson and Bereta Hanson. He married Bengta Nielson, daughter of Nils Mansson and Hanna Persson, 9 July 1845 in Trelleborg Sweden.
Children of Henry Peterson and Bengta Nielson
1. Andrew Henry Peterson b-20 Sep 1845 in Malmo
Sweden; d-8 May 1905 in Ovid; m-Caroline Malthide Hansen 30 May 1870
2. Oluf Peterson
3. Kirstina Peterson b&d in Malmo Sweden
4. Kertene Casty Peterson b-1 June 1851 in Malmo Sweden; d-6 Mar 1936 in Ovid;
m-Thomas Christian Peterson
5. Annie Peterson
6. John Henry Peterson b-10 Aug 1857 in Malmo Sweden; d-27 Feb 1915 in Ovid;
m-Mary Jane Skinner 14 Oct 1880; m (2) Ellen Caroline Elm 18 Aug 1890 in Ovid
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Henry and Bengta were early converts to the LDS Church while still in Sweden and like many others they wanted to come to Zion, so in the early spring of 1858 they left most of their possessions behind for America. It was a rough voyage and most of the passengers were sick. They arrived in America very tired but with the handcart company started toward Utah. Henry and Bengta pulled the handcard with Andrew and Oluf helping. Casty and John were too young to help but walked barefooted. Their food was coarse dark bread and barley coffee and sometimes roots and wild berries.
When they arrived in Utah they settled in Lehi where Henry made a dugout home and endured the pioneer hardships. One morning Bengta awoke with a severe headache, but they went to Church. That evening while she was preparing their supper, she walked to the door and dropped dead. She was wrapped in a sheet, placed in a rough box and buried in Lehi. After her death, Henry was advised to move to Cache Valley where they settled in Logan. While there he met and married a second wife, Mary Ann Griffinauch. Soon after this marriage Henry and Mary Ann were asked to help settle Bear Lake. So in Sep 1864 they moved to Ovid where Henry built another dugout home.
Children of Henry Peterson and Mary Ann Griffinauch
1. Caroline Peterson b-1863 in Logan Utah
2. Louise Sophie Peterson b-1865 in Logan
3. Berta Mathilda Peterson b-1868 in Ovid Idaho
4. Henry Peterson b-1870 in Ovid
5. Joseph Peterson b-1871 in Ovid
6, Alma Alexander Peterson b-1876 in Ovid
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The first winter was a real "Bear Laker" lots of snow and real cold. They did not have much clothing and a neighbor gave Casty an old coate. In Ovid Henry obtained some land and started ranching. He was very prosperous at raising cattle and in a few years he owned a large herd. Later Henry and Mary Ann moved to Lander Wyoming and then owned a big ranch with lots of cattle. Andrew, Casty and John stayed in Ovid where they lived their entire life. Henry died 18 Mar 1881 in Lander.
Children of Andrew Henry Peterson and Matilda Caroline Hansen
1. Annie Matilda Peterson b-11 Jan 1871 in
Montpelier; d-4 Sep 1946 in Pocatello Idaho
2. James Andrew Peterson b-5 Dec 1872 in Ovid; d-1925 in Snake River Valley
Idaho
3. Julia Peterson b&d 1875 in Ovid
4. Ira Peterson b-20 July 1878 in Ovid; d-25 May 1962 in Montpelier
5. Henry Peterson b&d 8 June 1882 in Ovid
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Children of Andrew Henry Peterson and Mary Sophia Larsen
1. Arthur Christian Peterson b-23 Oct 1883 in
Ovid; d-4 Jan 1960
2. Josephine Marion Anne Peterson b-15 July 1886 in Ovid
3. Oliver Laurin Peterson b-12 Apr 1888 in Ovid; d-16 June 1951 in Ovid; m-Hazel
Lindsay
4. Melvin Peterson b-2 July 1891 in Ovid; d-21 June 1958 in Ovid; m-Arvilla
Sorenson
5. Sylvia Elberta Peterson b-7 Mar 1895 in Ovid; d-22 Sep 1895 in Ovid
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Children of Kertene Casty Peterson and Thomas C Peterson
1. Thomas Peterson b-16 Feb 1869 in Ovid; d-16
July 1940; m-Anna S Thompson
2. John T Peterson b-10 Oct 1870 in Ovid; d-22 Sep 1933 in Ovid
3. Nels Dorsten Peterson b-17 Dec 1874 in Ovid; d-10 Feb 1960 in Montpelier; m-Frieda Kohler
4. Parley O Peterson b-5 June 1875; d-26 Feb 1942 in Ovid; m-Johanna M Thomson
5. Henry Peterson b-24 Nov 1878 in Ovid; d-9 Sep 1896 in Ovid
6. Alexander Peterson b-9 Oct 1879 in Ovid; d-16 May 1953
7. Joseph Smith Peterson b-10 June 1884 in Ovid; d-27 Jan 1964 in Ovid; m-Louise E Bischoff
8. Bertha Christine Peterson b-2 June 1887 in Ovid; d-2 Oct 1922 in Ovid
9. Selma Johanna Peterson b-27 Sep 1896 in Ovid; d-22 July 1973; m-George
Peterson
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Children of John Henry Peterson and Mary Jane Skinner
1. John Henry Peterson b-1881 in Bear Lake
2. Joseph Alma Peterson b-29 Dec 1883 in Bear Lake; d-28 Mar 1963 in Ucon Idaho
3. Jane Mathilda Peterson b-1885 in Bear Lake
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Children of John Henry Peterson and Ellen Caroline Elm
1. Mary Caroline Peterson b-26 May 1891 in
Ovid; d-22 July 1973; m-Peter Nielson
2. Merlin Ferdinand Peterson b-8 Mar 1893 in Ovid; d-20 Apr 1934
3. Elmer Peterson b-11 Sep 1895 in Ovid; d-8 May 1918
4. Nancy Merretha Peterson b-20 Feb 1898 in Ovid; d-12 July 1898 in Ovid
5. Nancy Irene Peterson b- 4 Aug 1899 in Ovid; d-14 Sep 1988; m-Francis Beck
6. Leroy Peterson b-27 Aug 1902 in Ovid; d-17 Apr 1974; m-Theresa Moss
7. Pearl Beatrice Peterson b-18 July 1904 in Ovid; d-24 June 1982; m-Dewey
Johnson