Gunild Kirstine Hansen (1827-1904)

This was an interesting grave hunt for me. I really did actually hunt for this one! I went to the cemetery on the spur of the moment. I've been busy with other things going on and haven't had much time to work on my grave hunting.

I knew I was going to do someone on Grandma LuDean's maternal side, because I did not know anything about them, but was unsure who to do yet. I knew they were all in the Hyrum City Cemetery, so, I went to Hyrum! I didn't have any of my research or papers or notes, just randomly went. And after my experience, I won't do that again!

It was a beautiful cool morning. There were a couple gentlemen mowing the grass around the headstones, but overall very peaceful like a cemetery should be. I parked in some shade and I pulled up the family tree on my phone (at familysearch.org) and started looking for the gravesite information. There were three different grave sites that I was looking for. Two couples and a grandma. After consulting the plat board with the information I had, the first one was fairly simple to find and I basically walked right to it. The next two though were horrible to find!

I walked around looking for these two graves for about 30 minutes! Then I went and consulted the plat board again and double checked the plat information I had. Then went back and wondered around the plat again for another 15 minutes or so reading name after name after name. I wondered over into the next plat thinking perhaps something somewhere was mislabeled.

Finally! I came upon a husband and wife I was looking for, great great grandpa and grandma Nielsen. At least that was something. That knocked another one off the list. Still not sure if something was mislabeled, or if I was confused, probably the later! Maybe both.

One more grave to go!!

Gunild and her husband, Peder

Gunild is my great-great-great grandmother on my paternal grandmothers side. After searching for what seemed like forever, I pulled up Gunild's family search page and clicked on the find-a-grave option that was linked. In there, I realized I was looking for a grave stone that was engraved "Gundal K. Hansen." Not only was her first name spelled different, but I had been looking for Neilsen, the married name. Once I realized what I was looking for, it took me less than 5 minutes to find where she was buried.


Like the others, I scrubbed down the headstone, took pictures, and had a little chat with Gunild. I wondered what her sense of humor was like. I asked her if she giggled at me wondering around the cemetery looking for her, with the wrong name. As always, I wish I knew more about who she was as a person, not just what I could find as far as her history. 

Then I took off, also wondering if the guys that were there mowing the lawn were laughing at me too for taking so long to find the graves I was looking for, then scrubbing the stones. If I didn't know what I was doing, I would laugh at me too!

When I got home, I was most curious as to why her name wasn't what I expected. So I started reading about this branch of the family tree and into the history of names in Danish and Scandinavian naming culture in the 1700-1800s. At first I thought she had remarried. That wasn't the case. Amazingly, she was a single mom from the time her husband, Peder passed away in 1872, in Denmark, until she passed away in 1904, in Hyrum, UT. Definitely uncommon at the time being that the time she came to Utah was during the height of polygamy in 1874. Where most men had several wives, some partly due to marrying widows, from what I can find, Gunild remained single widow mother.

While reading, I found out that Gunild was likely named after her father's first wife, Gunild Anderdatter. As a widower with 3 children, Gunild's father, Hans Nielson, married Anna Fredrika Olsen in January of 1826 and Gunild was the first child of 10 born to them.

In Denmark, until the 1820s, a patronymic sir name was used. This means, that the sir name was not to how we are accustomed. Gunild's sir name, Hansen, translates to mean "Son of Han." This being congruent with her father's name being Hans. Often, they would use -dottir or -datter for the daughters, such as Hansdottir, but in this case, it was not used for some reason. However, note that it was with her husband's first wife. Perhaps the practice had already started to peter out or perhaps it was to keep the family connection with her brothers that had also emigrated to Utah. In 1820, Scandinavian laws had changed and required families to have what is called a frozen patronymic. This is what we are familiar with, the same sir name being handed down generation after generation. When the laws changed, families often stayed with the current sir name (naming reference).

Looking more to how Denmark's naming worked back in early 1800s, I also came across this documentation that really helped to clarify the why behind Gunild's keeping her family name. This not only confirmed why Gunild kept Hansen as her sir name and didn't take her husband's sir name, but also why she was named after her father's first wife. It boiled down to one word, tradition!

Gunild Kirstine Hansen (1827-1904)

I looked through many of Gunild's family's profile histories on family search and also googled to see if I could find any information that may give me a clue as to why she was born as Gunild but died as Gundal. I have seen her death certificate, and on there her name is Gundal K. Hansen. However, that is the only official document I have seen. On the family search website, it says there is documentation showing her name at birth, christening and marriage, but I was unable to view any of them to confirm. I was unable to find any definitive information. I am guessing it may be the English translation to Gunild, or perhaps it was something to do with when she emigrated she was forced to take the name Gundal. However, as I have noted below, on the ship's manifest that is linked, her name is still Gunild. It seems as if the information has passed on with her. On the family search site, her name is spelled with an additional "n", Gunnild. However, I have received a family group sheet from my grandma and her name is listed at Gunild Kirstine Hansen, thus I will keep with the physical documentation I have and use the name Gunild.

Typically when writing up these histories, I not only pull the history from their family search profile, but also read parents, siblings and children's histories to try and compile as much information as I can. Also, I search the history of the place they settled. Gunild has no direct history written on her family search profile, nor is there any physical history that I am aware of. Additionally, there is nothing with her name linked to Hyrum. For Gunild's history, I have combined various sources from her family. Between searching for the grave, searching for details on the name and naming culture in Denmark, and searching for her history, compiling Gunild's story has been the most intensive post I have done to date. Its also been frustrating because after I received a copy of the history of Gunild's son, my great great grandfather, John Peter, his history did not always match the history of his sister, Kirstine. Due to this, I tried to do more research and get historical data to match up. Sometimes that helped, other times it made things more confusing and frustrating! Obviously, the time consuming hunt for her grave site was only the tip of the iceberg of my journey with grandma Gunild Kirstine Hansen.

Gunild Kirstine Hansen

Personal History

Compiled using various sources by Holly Glover

Gunild Kristine Hansen was born March 27, 1827 in Birkerød, Frederiksborg, Denmark. She grew up in Birkerød on a farm with her family called Kajrd, about 15 miles north of Copenhagen. She married Peder Nielson (March 14, 1824 - October 28, 1876) October 5, 1851. Peder was 33 and Gunild was almost 10 years his junior at 24. Their first child, Niels Peter was born Aug 3, 1852. They then welcomed 5 more babies into their home over the years, the final being twins born in December 1865. Peter and Gunild were the parents of Niels Peter, Hans Peter, Kirstine, Anna Kirstine and twins, John Peter and Carl Peter.

When the twins, John Peter and Carl Peter were born, John Peter was born first, weighing between 3 1/2 - 4 pounds. Carl Peter was born an hour later, weighing around 9 pounds. John Peter was so tiny, they did not think he would survive and he was placed in a blanket and set aside. After Carl Peter was born, John Peter perhaps got jealous and started screaming, proving he had the healthier lungs. All through infancy though, John Peter was tiny and delicate and his mother tended him with the utmost care. She even nursed him until he was four years old. Often she would be working in the fields and then take time out for her little Johann to have lunch.

Sadly, Carl Peter died when he was only 3 years and 2 months old. He and his oldest brother Niels Peter contracted diphtheria. Niels Peter died February 1, 1869, Carl Peter died February 4, 1869. They were buried in the same grave. This was after another sibling, Anna Kirstine died December 24, 1865. One source says she also died due to diphtheria.

With the death of his children, Peder was very distraught and heart broken. While heart broken, Gunild relied on her faith in the beliefs of the LDS church and believed that she would see her children again.

Gunild's maternal grandfather, Ole Jorgensen, had told his children and grandchildren that the Lutheran Church was not Christ's true church, and that the true church would be restored. This was many years prior to Joseph Smith's vision. When the elders came to Gunild's home, she knew their gospel was true and that their church was the one her grandfather had spoken of.

(In a master thesis by Marius Christensen, written in 1966 titled, "History of the Danish Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1850-1964", it talks about La Salle County, Illinois. La Salle was inhabited by Scandinavians and in 1842 a hand full of people were baptized. In 1843 a branch was organized. This branch, according to the Thesis, was likely the first foreign speaking branch organized in America. La Salle is credited for laying the foundation to bring the gospel to the Scandinavian countries. On page 12 of this thesis, it talks about the only Dane to see the Prophet Joseph Smith alive. He was Hans Christian Hansen, baptized in Boston in 1842. He wrote to his younger brother, Peter Ole Hansen, who lived in Copenhagen and shared the gospel with him. Peter Ole, not finding any other mormons in Denmark then emigrated to America. I bring this up, because I wonder if perhaps Gunild's grandfather had some contact with someone in this area. Gunild's grandfather passed away in May, 1849.) Gunild opened her home to Elders, providing food and shelter. One source says that Peter and Gunild's home was used as the headquarters for the Elders in the area, however I am not able to find any documentation of this in the mission notes I was able to read.

Peder had been cold toward the church, but since the first hearing of the church, Gunild knew it was the truth, but kept her desires to herself because of Peder's feelings toward it. She longed to immigrate her family to Utah and there raise them among the saints. Gunild was baptized June 1, 1853. She was later rebaptized on August 8, 1875. (I had read about rebaptism in several histories and wasn't sure why the early saints would have been rebaptized. I found the answer through BYU.edu. It talks about the purpose of rebaptism during the early days of the church in the third paragraph.)

One account I read stated that she was baptized while Peder had been away fighting with the Danish Army during the time Denmark and Germany had been at war. When he returned, they were then married. With a little research, I found that there were two wars between Denmark and Germany. The First Schleswig War or Three Years' War was fought March 24, 1848 - May 8, 1852. While this could easily line up to when they were married, it does not line up with when Gunild was first baptized. The Second Schleswig War started and ended in 1864. Again, this does not add up. So I am unsure if Peder was in attendance when Gunild was baptized and if he approved or not. One source says she was not baptized until after Peder passed away, however due to documentation, we know this isnt true. Likewise, due to Peder being cold toward the church, I question if the Elders truly did use their home as a headquarters for the Danish mission. However, in Carl M. Nelsson's autobiography, he does mention several times being in the company of a Sister Hansen of Gadavang. John Peter was baptized by this same Carl M Nelsson just before boarding the ship to America.

The following description of their home and lifestyle in Denmark was mostly taken from the history of their daughter, Kirstine. Some was added from the son, John Peter as well. I attempted to find the lane it refers to, however it is actually a village. How much of description is truth, I am unsure, but it does paint a beautiful picture of Denmark!

Peder and Gunild's home in Denmark

The farm Peder and Gunild lived on was purchased from the state of a Danish bachelor diplomat who upon his retirement from foreign service had purchased the farm. He had lived there until the time of his death. While this diplomat had lived abroad, he had collected beautiful things as well as his black carriage. The farm was situated by the side of the King’s forest. They had 24 acres and it was on a lane named Gadavang, about 18 miles North of Copenhagen. The largest part of the farm was a dairy farm and the other part was turf or peat. Peat was molded into bricks, then dried and stored and used for fuel. He had four large barns to store the peat in. It was sold in Copenhagen. The farm brought in a good income.

There was three cottages that Polish people occupied each summer when they came to Denmark to work. They would mold the peat into bricks and put them into the sun to dry. The Polish labor was much cheaper than Danish labor. They would bring their families and they would all work.

Each winter the hired Danish men would take the peat to market in Copenhagen. They were also kept busy the year round taking dairy products, cured and newly butchered meats, etc. to market. The hired girls also were kept busy milking cows, making butter and cheese, doing housework, cording and spinning wool and flax that was grown on the farm, and weaving flax into beautiful linens. A Danish girl who came from a prosperous farm family always had chests of linen when she married, enough to last a life-time.

Gunild was also fortunate in having good, faithful, trustworthy help. Taya, one of the girls they employed had been with them for fifteen years. They always had two girls employed who lived with them. They also had extra girls when they were needed.

The Nielsen house, stables and barns and the carriage house completely surrounded a very large cobble stoned patio which had a large gate. In the center of the patio a large dog was kept to help guard the place. Each night the gate was locked. Homes were built this way as a protection from robbers who used to terrorize the country people and especially those living near the forests. The Kings Forest next to the Nielsen farm was called the Gripps Forest after an outlaw mother who once lived in the forest and her three outlaw sons. They robbed and terrorized the people.

When the peat was removed from the farm, large holes were made and the holes would then fill up with water and small ponds were formed. There were many of these where duck and geese would swim. Nearby the cows and horses would graze.

Near the kitchen was a vegetable garden and orchard. Also there were strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries as well as other fruits.

There were two halls in which to enter the house, the larger one opened into the living room and dining room and a hall off the bedrooms. The smaller hall off the kitchen was where everyone removed his shoes, both leather and wooden, and put on bedroom slippers before entering the house.

In the living room were two larger mirrors from floor to ceiling with gold frames. There were also beautiful cabinets and small carved tables and chairs, also a rose-colored damask covered sofa and large chairs. The front hall had a large grand-daddy clock.

The dining room was also a large room with an extra large table, chattel, a sort of buffet, and chairs to match.

The bedrooms had a large dark wood bureau in each with many drawers and beds with beautiful canopied tops. The drapes and curtains were lovely lace and damask.

The floors were stained a dark brown. Small and colorful rugs were placed about in the rooms.

The kitchen had a stone floor and a stove built of bricks very similar to the old-fashioned baker’s oven. The top of the stove was built of both brick and iron. The meals were always eaten in the dining room. On the wall hung polished copper kettles - to be looked at not used!

The parlor was used only on Sundays and was beautifully decorated.

From the back hall was a cheese and butter room. Back of the orchard was a smoke house where the hams, goose, duck and other meats were smoked and cured.

Each birthday and holiday was celebrated with relatives and friends. Peder was a very friendly and sociable person and was never happier than when he could entertain his relatives and friends in his lovely country home. He was a healthy, happy farmer and loved to entertain many friends and relatives. He always said, "nothing is too good for my wife and children."

The Christmas season was always a happy time. Peder and Gunild were very generous and were never happier than when they could buy gifts for their loved ones.

In Denmark, six days are celebrated during Christmas season; Christmas Eve, Christmas day, the day after Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the day after New Year’s Day. On each of the six days, gifts are given. They did not hang up stockings but put out wooden shoes near the door for the Nesa-man (a sort of elf-man) to fill. There was always a beautiful Christmas tree where the children and grown-up people danced around the tree holding hands and sang Christmas songs.

Usually Grandmother Nielsen would spend the holidays with them and she would tell them about her childhood and how superstitious people were, how they believed in elves or sprites, very much as the Irish believe in Leprechauns.

In Kirstine's history, she talks about how she loved to drive to the village in their carriage with her father and shop. He was very generous and would usually buy her a new dress or something extra that she wanted. He was very happy when he could do something for his wife and children.

On January 1, 1872 Peder died from blood poising, which was caused from a sliver in his finger. The family was left absolutely grief stricken. Peder was aged 53 years, 8 months, and 26 days.

After Peder died, Gunild decided that she and the three remaining children, Hans Peter (18), Kirstine (15) and John Peter (9) would go to Utah and live among the mormons as she had long desired. Gunild had 3 brothers there. Hans and James John were in Hyrum and Peter was in Salt Lake. Her mother and sister also had gone, however her mother died shortly before arriving and her sister had died shortly after arriving in Utah.

The above mentioned missionary, Elder Carl M. Nilsson helped Gunild to sell the farm and also with the plans for emigrating. $1000 was given to the church in tithing and they moved to Copenhagen to await immigration. Gunild met a lot of opposition from Peder's family who believed all the terrible things that had been said about the mormons. They did not want Peder's children taken to the far off Utah and Gunild was taken to court to resolve the matter. Obviously, Gunild was allowed to take the children to America, however, the children’s inheritance was held in Denmark by the court until they became of age. There the children were able to associate with Mormons and be taught more of the principles of the Gospel. Now a very healthy young boy, John Peter was baptized on June 4, 1874, shortly before leaving for America. It is interesting to note, that in one history, it is said that Gunild helped to pay for 10 other people to go to Utah, including the return trip of the missionary, Carl M. Nilsson.

According to passenger list found on Mormon Migration, Gunild, Hans Peter, Kirstine and John Peter left Copenhagen on June 18, 1874 on the either the ship Humber or Milo and landed in Hull England on June 22. They then took a train to Liverpool and boarded the ship Idaho in Liverpool on June 24, 1874, lead by Elder Peter C Carstensen with 810 saints and 300 other non-mormon emigrants. They docked in New York, USA 12 days later on July 6, 1874. In all accounts that have been found, the travel between England and America was mostly uneventful. In a compilation of voyage notes, the following account is found:

With the exception of one stormy day, the weather was favorable all the way. On that day the waves rolled like mountains, and a mighty wave rushed over the deck, and (the hatchway happening to be open) a great volume of water went down below, so that mess boxes, baskets and the like were seen floating about, while the passengers were forced into the bunks till the water was pumped out. A remarkable calm was observed among the Saints on that occasion, while the opposite was the case with the other passengers, who were badly frightened. Captain Forsyth, relating the occurrence on the following morning at the breakfast table, said that he went down to the people in the forepart to allay their fears, as they were crying aloud, 'Lost, we are lost!' But after he had assured them that there was no danger, because there were too many 'Mormons' aboard for the ship to be harmed, order and quiet was restored. A Catholic priest, who was present, took exception to this statement, but the captain said that he had now for 18 years conveyed the 'Mormons' safely across the Atlantic, and he had never heard of the loss of any ship carrying 'Mormons.'

According to a letter from Peter C. Carstensen to President Joseph F Smith, the saints then left New York in a 17 car train on July 7th. They arrived in Odgen, Utah on July 15th where they disembarked and went their separate ways.

At first, Gunild and her 3 children went to Salt Lake City with her brother, Peter. After a few days, Gunild's brothers, Hans and James John made the trip from Hyrum in a wagon to pick up Gunild and her children.

The return trip took about four days and they spent the nights at the homes of people, regardless of whether they were acquainted with them or not. They would put their bedding on the floor where they slept and ate their own food. This was the accepted mode of travel in the early days of Utah.
When they came to the big Sand Ridge, south of Ogden, they all had to walk for many miles. North of Ogden was infested with many mosquitoes. When they finally arrived in Hyrum, they were all a sad-looking sight. They were sunburned, covered with mosquito bites, and had swollen and blistered feet.

Hyrum had been built as a fort settlement. A few years before their arrival, the townspeople had had a surveyor survey and lay out the town and also survey the farm land. Each family was given a city lot. Most of the houses were one-room log cabins. Some still lived in dug outs, cellar houses. The church building was built of rocks. Their relatives were very kind to them and did all in their power to make them happy and feel at home.

At that time the town of Hyrum had a church cooperative ranch in Black Smith Fork Canyon. Each summer the people would send milk cows to this ranch where the young people, girls and boys would milk the cows. Brother Cle Rose, a dairyman and his wife from Denmark supervised the ranch and dairy. The young people were taught how to make butter and cheese.

After this, I do not find much about Gunild other than she spent a lot of time with her children and grandchildren.

Gunild passed away September 28, 1904 aged 77 years, 6 months, and 1 day.
She is buried in the Hyrum City Cemetery.

Gunild Kirstine's Ordinances Complete
Baptism - 8 August 1875Confirmation - 8 August 1875
Initiatory - 12 July 1875 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Endowment - 12 July 1875 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Sealing to Parents - 20 August 2015 Bountiful Utah Temple
Sealing to Spouse - 8 January 2015 Detroit Michigan Temple

Peder's Ordinances Complete

Baptism - 11 December 1923 Salt Lake Temple
Confirmation - 11 December 1923 Salt Lake Temple
Initiatory - 2 February 1926 Salt Lake Temple
Endowment - 2 February 1926 Salt Lake Temple
Sealing to Parents - 6 December 2014 Salt Lake Temple
Sealing to Spouse - 8 January 2015 Detroit Michigan Temple

***To see the purpose of starting this blog, please click here.***

Simon Webb (1831-1912) and Elizabeth Rowsell (1831-1909)

Simon and Elizabeth Rowsell Webb

Grandpa Simon and Grandma Elizabeth Webb. Great-great-great grandparents on my mom's paternal side. They came from England, directly to Richmond in 1862. I grew up in Lewiston, but Richmond was definitely my second home. As I've previously stated, I've gone to Richmond Cemetery more times than I can count. I always knew where the Webb's were buried. We would go and visit Grandpa (Leon) Webb first, who died in 1980, just before I turned 3, then we would head up to see the other Webbs. Our family was always going to Webb reunions and visiting Webb family members. It wasn't until years and years later it clicked for me, Grandma Webb was married into the Webb family she was not a Webb by birth.

We were so ingrained in the Webb family growing up. I know now it was simply because they were the ones that were closest. Grandma would always tell little histories here and there about different relatives, but I don't remember hearing much about Simon or Elizabeth. I'm sure it is because she did not know him as well as the others. I knew Simon had come to Richmond, from England along with his family. I knew they came across the plains. And I knew where he was buried. That is about all I knew about him. Oh, and his head stone, was on the east side of the cemetery, one of the old creepy ones!

In 2016, my mom's brother, Lloyd Webb and his family went to England. Before going, they did a lot of research about Crewkerne and found the house that Simon and his family lived in before they emigrated to the United States in 1862. (Picture below.)

Also in 2016, my cousin Vicki, Lynn Webb's daughter, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy they named Simon. He is named after Simon Webb, her great great great paternal grandfather and also her husband, Kyle Martin's great great paternal grandfather, Simon Martin.

While reading this history I couldn't help but to wonder if Simon was friends with another ancestor that lived in Richmond, Hyrum Bowman. Im sure they at least knew each other. According to J. Williard Marriott Digital Library, there was a population of only 1,232 in Richmond in 1890. Simon and Hyrum lived in a similar area in Richmond.

Like I said, I've seen Simon and Elizabeth's headstone through my entire life. When I went to get a picture for this blog, the sprinklers were going. I was annoyed, but no big deal. I could go back another day. I wondered around for a while and looked at some other headstones. While there, a group of young women came to the cemetery. It was likely an LDS young women group, but it was on a Friday evening, so it was odd that they would be there as part of mutual. I wondered if any of them really knew much of the history of Richmond.


Saturday morning, after dropping my daughter off for practice, I went back. This time the sprinkler was the next row over. It was nice and peaceful. It was about 9:30am and I was the only one there. I remember thinking it would be a nice quiet place to bring a lunch. I took the picture, then was standing there talking to the Webb graves, yes I admit it, I was talking to grave stones. I was talking about what I've been doing as far as this blog and visiting the grave sites. I told them how I wished that I could talk to them face to face and they could tell me more of what life was like for them. Maybe they could tell stories to Sammy about coming across the plains. 

THEN!! I KID YOU NOT! I HEARD VOICES! 

Fifteen different thoughts went through my head at the same time. One specifically was that they needed to speak up. I couldn't understand what they were saying! Then I realized, there were two ladies walking down one of the roads pushing strollers. While it was a relief to know I wasn't hearing voices from the beyond, I was also disappointed.

Simon Webb and Elizabeth Rowsell
Personal History

Simon Webb was born August 3, 1831, at Crewkerne, Somerset, county, England to Samuel Webb and Ann Furzer. He was the youngest child in a family of thirteen. eight boys,  and five girls. Simon attended school at Crewkerne, England, but very little is known about his early education. However, we are almost sure it was very limited because in England the custom was that as soon as children were large enough to reach the peddles of a loom they were put to work in a factory at the weaving trade.

Simon was very studious and industrious, and did much reading and studying. He was made an apprentice in the factory at a very early age, and although he was only 31 years old when he came to Utah, he had been a mill foreman in England for many years.

He married Elizabeth Rowsell, daughter of Robert Rowsell and Susan Long on Sept. 8, 1851. They joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1861, while in England, and were later endowed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake city, Utah on December 23, 1865. Although Simon was not overly religious, he was a good man and attended his church duties and paid all his obligations. His chief reason for wanting to come to Utah was to be near the church and to better his conditions for his family.

2016 Lloyd Webb and his son Logan
at the Simon Webb home in Crewkerne, England.
Simon >Eli >James Walter >Albert Leon >Lloyd.

Simon and Elizabeth and their three children, Eli, age 10, John Robert, three years old and Thomas William, about 10 months old, left Crewkerne, England in the latter part of April, 1862. They went first to New Port, Wales, where two of Simon's brothers, Samuel and Samson were living with their families. Here they visited for two evenings and one day. From there they went to Liverpool, England, arriving the evening of April 30, 1862. That same evening they boarded the ship Manchester with the understanding they would be able to get off the next morning to purchase articles needed for the trip, but come morning the ship was quite a distance out to sea, so they had to get along as best they could. This was May 1, 1862. Their ship was a sailing vessel with more than six hundred passengers on board. The captain reported a fair voyage, but the passengers thought it a very rough one. They encountered huge icebergs and had a very narrow escape from being struck by one of them. Most of the family were seasick and especially William, the 10 month old baby. The food on the ship consisted mainly of pea soup, beef and hard sea biscuits, which were to hard one could not bite into them unless they first soaked them in the soup. Their voyage lasted five weeks and three days.

After landing they were taken to Castle Gardens, New York, where everyone had to have a thorough examination to see if anyone had any contagious disease. After the examination they went to Albany and continued by rail and water until they arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri. Shortly after reaching St. Joseph, the baby William died, on June 15, 1862. This was the first death in the company. It was hard to leave this little body in the shallow grave in St. Joseph, Missouri and continue their journey. Simon carved the baby's name, Thomas William on the trunk of a tree. After spending about half a day there the company got on a boat and went up the Missouri River to Winter Quarters.

Here they waited six weeks for the immigration wagons. The wagons were delayed because of the high waters of 1862. Weather conditions and roads were so bad that they were eight days making 21 miles.

There were many more Immigrants than were expected because of the Civil War breaking out at the time. Twelve persons were usually assigned to each wagon, but to take care of the large group, there were eighteen allotted to each wagon on this trip. Simon and family were assigned to a wagon from Richmond, Utah, which was driven by Judson Shepard. Each wagon had four yoke of oxen and they averaged 10 to 25 miles per day. The Captain of this company was Henry Miller of Farmington, Davis Co. Utah.

While coming from winder quarters, their oldest son, Eli, was very sick with mountain Fever, now called Typhoid Fever. The army doctor who was one of the company did not give them much encouragement in their sons recovery, but with good care he gradually began to improve. There was an abundance of wild game, buffalo, deer and elk, with buffalo being their main source of meat, but the Captain would not allow more animals to be killed than could be eaten. Those in the company that were able to walk, and those that were teamsters, would start out ahead of the oxen and wagons each morning. Simon walked every step of the way across the plains.

As the pioneers neared the end of their journey, Judson Sheperd asked Simon what part of Utah he was going to, and Simon told him that he didn't know as he had no relatives in Utah. Mr. Shepard invited him to come with him to Richmond as it was a new settlement. He accepted and they arrived there about October 12-18th, 1862. They were more than two and a half months on their journey from Winter Quarters to Richmond.

Fort Richmond 1860-61
Photo courtesy:
J. Willard Marriot Digital Library

According to the Marriott Digital Library, "In 1859, seventeen families of Mormon converts built a fort and spent the winter on the banks of the City Creek. After an influx of new settlers beginning in the spring of 1860, the land was planted and roads were built. Irrigation ditches were dug to obtain water from the Cherry and City Creeks. A second fort large enough for ninety families was built in 1860-1861 along present-day Main Street from 200 West to 300 East."

On arriving in Richmond Simon's family was taken to the home of Bishop Marriner W. Merrill, Sr., which was in the fort. The fort consisted of two rows of houses on each side of main street. All were log houses except the Merrill and Christian Hyer homes. When they arrived Bishop Merrill was at conference in Salt Lake City. The Webb family stayed at the Merrill home for three days, then Thomas Titensor came and invited them to come live with them. They accepted and both families lived in the Titensor one room, dirt roof and dirt floor log house during the winter of 1862. There was no stove so all the cooking was done over the fireplace. In the spring of 1863, Simon procured a log house form Issac  Shepard and they lived there for a year.

The Indians were very troublesome at Richmond, demanding four grain, etc. Brigham Young taught that it was better to feed them than to fight them, but after the soldier from Fort Douglas fought the Indians at Battle Creek in 1863, they did not bother the settlers much. Following this battle the Saints were allowed to move in to the city.

In the spring of 1864, Simon moved his family into a home on 1st North and 2nd East. After living in this home for several years he purchased some land from William Thompson.

In 1869, Simon and his oldest son Eli drove to Salt Lake City to meet Simon's brother Samuel, who had come from Wales. Simon recognized a man walking along on a sidewalk. This proved to be Thomas Ashment Sr. of Crewkerne England. These two men had worked together in the knitting mills in England and they had also lived on the same street. He and his family, some close friends who had recently come over from Crewkerne, England. After three days visit in Salt Lake City, Samuel Webb and Thomas Ashment accompanied Simon and Eli back to Richmond. Samuel stayed only for a visit but Thomas Ashment sent for his family and made his home there starting in the spring of 1870. Thomas Ashment taught school in the old log school house. It was a large room with slabs for benches and no desks.

Richmond 1875
Photo courtesy of
J. Willard Marriott Digital Library

In 1869 or 1870 Simon and F.M. Stephenson went to Corrine and purchased a Buckeye Mower and a dropper attachment for the price of $200. It was used to cut both hay and grain. This was the first mower in Richmond and it could keep five or six men busy raking and bunching the hay and raking and binding the grain. All the cutting had been one before with scythe and sickle. At this time Simon traded his oxen for a pair of mules, then later he traded the mules for a pair of grey mares. From these mares he raised horses for his own use.

Simon continued in the farming industry and later on in the dairying and stock raising industry. He sent East for a valuable Red Pole Durnham Bull. The bull became very gentle and was his pride and joy. But one day as he went into the stable the bull gored him. Breaking his collar bone and crushing his ribs and chest. Had it not been a loose board on the manger he would have been killed. He rolled under this loose board and with great pain and difficulty crawled out of the stable and shouted for help. The accident affected him for the rest of his life. After his recovery he was never seen in a stable or pasture where there were animals unless he carried a pitchfork for protection.

Found this in the Richmond Cemetery
while looking at other headstones.
Simon's second wife, Harriet.

Simon Webb married Harriet Brooks Skidmore Knapp on August 3, 1882, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. They were married on Simon's 51st birthday. Harriet was a young widow 31 years of age with one child, Rachel. Harriet and her first husband, Silas Knapp had been married in the Endowment House on October 11, 1874. Silas was killed while working in the canyon and May their second daughter died in infancy in 1878.

Simon always kept his homes and surroundings neat and clean. He took a great deal of pride in attending to his very fine orchard, grafting and budding his trees. He had several kinds of apples and some plums all growing on the same tree. His apple trees were his chief delight and the fruit was usually free from worms and blemishes. He kept hives of bees scattered around in the orchard, and they did well. Almost all the food for both the families was raised or produced by them.

After the Manifesto was passed, Harriet went into hiding for years, and her last three children were born after. Simon went to prison for six months because he was still living the law of plural marriage. Harriet's children were taught to hide when a knock came on the door.

Each summer on August 3, Simon's birthday, the entire family would get together on the banks of Cub River and spend the day. They would fish, play games and have a delicious lunch. The two weeks of Christmas and New Years Holidays were always to be remembered also. All the family would take turns entertaining. The group would gather about ten in the morning and stay all day. Sometimes it was so crowded they could hardly move about, but this caused much merriment and fun.

Simon was very interested in astronomy. He studied it and when he predicted the weather, he was usually right. He planted and harvested his crops by the signs of the moon. He always kept Hicks Almanac and every page of it was well studied. He did not let the lack of his formal schooling prevent him from an education. He was a great man, and had a good memory, and keen mind. He could add, subtract or multiply in his head much quicker than the average person could do with a pencil and paper. He was well informed on the topics of the day, and read the newspapers from cover to cover. He did not mortgage his property and was a firm believer in living within his income. He was noted for his honesty and his word was as good as his bond.

In 1903, he was one of the early promotors of the Utah Condensed Milk Factory, now called Sego Milk, at Richmond. He gave three acres of his land to build the factory on and leased a reservoir that was on his property to the factory for 99 years at $10 per year. The company was about to fail so Simon and others doubled their stock so it would not.

Simon studied the Bible and Book of Mormon and was well versed in the scriptures. He was a Ward Teacher for many years, and a High Priest in the Richmond Ward. He also held office of a City Councilman for four years. In the year 1888, he was sent to the Penitentiary at Salt Lake city, Utah for a short time because he was a polygamist. While there, to pass the time, he learned to weave rugs and make wood carvings.

Simon and Elizabeth Webb Family
Front: Simon Elizabeth
Back: Mary Ann, John Robert, Eli, Joseph, Harriet

Simon's two wives and families were very congenial and got along remarkably well. There were seven children in Elizabeth's family and six in Harriet's. Each family had their own home, which were two blocks apart. Simon stayed with Elizabeth six evenings a week and with Harriet on Sunday or the seventh day. He was at both homes almost every day. On April 11, 1909 at the age of 78 Elizabeth Rowsell Webb died and was buried at Richmond. At the time Simon was not well. He moved to Harriet's home and with nourishing food and loving care, he regained his health and strength for a short time. He died October 31, 1912 at the age of 81 years. He was buried at Richmond, Cache County, Utah. He had a posterity of thirteen children, eight boys and five girls, 179 grandchildren, 237 great grandchildren, and 15 great great grand-children as of January, 1960.

Simon Webb died October 31, 1912 aged 81 years, 2 months, & 28 days.
Elizabeth Rowsell died April 11, 1909 aged 78 years, 3 months.
They are buried in the Richmond City Cemetery.


Simon's Ordinances CompleteBaptism - 14 December 1861
Confirmation - 14 December 1861
Initiatory - 3 December 1865 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Endowment - 3 December 1865 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Sealing to Parents - 28 March 1949 Idaho Falls Idaho Temple
Sealing to Spouse Elizabeth Rowsell - 23 December 1865 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Sealing to Spouse Harriet Brooks Skidmore - 10 February 1990 Los Angeles California Temple


Elizabeth's Ordinances CompleteBaptism - 14 December 1861

Confirmation - 14 December 1861
Initiatory - 3 December 1865
Endowment - 3 December 1865

Sealing to Spouse Simon Webb- 23 December 1865 Endowment House, Salt Lake City
Sealing to Spouse Samuel Brown- 1 March 2000 Idaho Falls Idaho Temple



***To see the purpose of starting this blog, please click here.***

John William Boman (1861-1936) Fannie Elizabeth Brower (1866-1942)

In deciding who's grave and history to do next, I knew it had to be someone on my dad's side. I am going to go back and forth between my dad's side and my mom's side, until I cannot any longer. It is ironic to note, that this coming Saturday, June 10, there is going to be a Boman Reunion. I did not know this when I was debating which ancestor to work on next. I simply chose John William and Fannie because I wanted to read about the man that built the big family barn.

In 2001, there was a book that was published about the John William and Fannie Boman family. There was extensive work put into this book by a lot of individuals. I will not try and add to or rewrite this research that has been done. The pages are not numbered, but it is a very thick book. It has histories about their parents, then down through their descendants that were alive in 2001. Below, I will simply post what has been written already, with a few minor edits that pertain to 2017. It seems that the further back I go, the more entwined a history between the spouses. Separating them often is just a matter of paragraphs talking about their growing up years. Due to this, often I will combine spouses during this process.

Grandpa and Grandma Boman. They are my paternal grandfathers maternal grandparents, my great-great grandparents.  Honestly, I did not know much, if anything about them. It was very interesting to read their history, as I grew up knowing the places they talked about.

Growing up we played in the barn John William built... but usually only when my city cousins came! Otherwise, it was simply Grandpa's barn and not much draw for us who saw it daily. I remember when cows were in the corral in the front, but just barely. 

I can remember going with Grandpa Byron sometimes and he would tell us to kick the hay into the manger along the east side so that the cows would be able to reach it while he would fork more in for them. I can remember bales going on the elevator to the hay loft. I was to young to help at that time, but I remember going up and running around in the loft while the bales were pushed up the long elevator.

JW Boman Barn 2015

I've known the Boman farm was combined with the Glover farm, through Grandpa Byron. In the Boman book mentioned above, it says that Golden Boman (son of John William and Fannie Boman) approached my Grandpa Byron (son of Florence Boman, Golden's sister) in 1968 and asked if he would like to purchase the Boman farm. Thus, the Boman and Glover farms were combined and are now the Glover Farm. On January 4, 1896, Utah officially became a state. 100 years later, in 1996, Grandpa Byron and my dad, Brent and the Glover Farm were recognized as a Utah State Centennial Farm. In other words, the same family has owned the Glover and Boman farm for 100 years. I remember this award was presented at the county fair in Logan.

Also, the home that John William built in 1917, is directly across the street from my parents house. My dad's Aunt Dolores and Uncle Arlen lived there until last year. I remember going to visit them from the time I was very little. Their grandkids would also come visit them and often we would go play with them, or they would come to our house. 

Today, I knew that it was time to wrap up this post and move on to the next. I had read and read and read various things with the Boman family. Grandpa and Grandma Boman are buried in the Richmond City Cemetery. I have been to this cemetery more times than I can count, however I do not remember ever visiting these graves. On a website called, Billiongraves.com, it not only shows a picture of the graves, but also gives a location. This was very helpful because Richmond does not have a sign that shows the burial plot of individual people. Come to find out, the location of their grave sites, is just down the lane from the Webb family, kind of in the North East side of the cemetery.

Boman Monument 2017

Richmond City Cemetery
Boman graves marked

When I go to a site, I will clean the head stone the best I can without using chemicals. Without fail, there is always bird poop on headstones! I had a little scrubber and some water and was able to clean off their stones. I feel it is only fair that I can show my ancestors the respect of cleaning their resting place after all they went through in their lives and ultimately lead to what I know today. When I visited Grandpa and Grandma Boman grave sites, it was a week after Memorial Day. There were some once pretty red geraniums on either side of the stones that I removed. The dead grass around the stones did not cooperate well, I'll have to take some gloves with me too so I can clean that off better. When removing the flowers, I remembered reading that she enjoyed her flower beds and wondered what Fannie's favorite flower had been. Every time I look at her picture, I have a strong desire to know her better. She looks like a very very kind grandmotherly figure.

Edit 6/7/2017: To answer the question about what happened to the "W" in Boman. 

As you can see to the left, John William is the only one that is known by Boman among his siblings (screenshot taken from the LDS genealogy website Family Search). John William removed the "W" due to a series of actions by his father, Hyrum that he was very ashamed of. He wanted to make a distinction that would set him and his family apart. 

I will go into Hyrum's history more when I post about him, but so as to give continuity to the purpose of changing the sir name, I will give some detail about him now. 

Hyrum took two additional wives after Hannah, John William's mother. The first plural wife was Maren Katherine Eskildsen, known as Trenie. Hyrum and Maren were married in May 1867 in Salt Lake City. She was 19 at the time of their marriage, he was 53. Seven additional children were born to Hyrum from this union. In November 1871, Hyrum took a third wife, Maren's younger sister, Karen Marie Eskildsen, known as Mary. She was only 14, he was 57. Eight children were born to this union, the final being born 6 months after Hyrum passed away.

According to the Boman book, Hannah did not approve of polygamous marriage. When Hyrum married the first Eskildsen sister it has been reported that he abandoned Hannah and their marriage and married Trenie without knowledge by Hannah. Hannah's youngest child, Jane Bowman was only 6 months old at this time. 

Hyrum built a home across the street from Hannah and lived with the sisters. That home burned down so he then built two new homes for the sisters next to each other in Cherry Creek. Hannah stayed in Richmond. When the manifesto was issued to end polygamy in 1890, Hyrum was arrested and was forced to chose only one wife and he chose the youngest wife, Mary. There are some reports that he cared for each home, other reports were that he only cared for the sisters' homes.

As an accumulation of all this, John William was ashamed of his father. I was told by a Boman cousin that at a family reunion when her mother (who was born in 1923, grandchild to John William and Fannie) was a young child, he told the above story and asked his family to all vote on changing the family name by removing the "W". If they did not all agree, it would not be done. A vote was made to change the name, and it was agreed never to be spoken of again. 

And, just as John William had asked, it wasn't spoken of again until approximately the year 2000. People from both the Boman and the Bowman posterity had been working on family history. They were struggling to find additional info regarding family lines. After a special fast, it was uncovered that this name change had happened. The mother mentioned above saw it as a duty and privilege to keep this secret for her grandfather. She would only allow a page at a time to be typed up in her attempt to keep this old family secret.

As for me? My thoughts on the big family secret? I had heard previously there had been a family secret as to why the name was changed, but until writing this, had never concerned myself too much about it. 

Thinking about this story, I can only feel pride in John William and Fannie for setting that example for us, his posterity. I fully believe that even before his family was brought into this decision, he had discussed it at length with Fannie. Their history shows they were a team, I doubt this was any exception. I can understand why they felt at the time it would need to be kept a secret. Back then, it wasn't so removed to wed into polygamy and that wives were younger. Back then, the posterity was not so much removed from his father and polygamy beliefs either. Today, so much is different! I am proud of John William for putting his foot down and saying, "No! That is not ok!"

I do not judge Hyrum or any of those involved for what transpired. I was not there, I do not know the full story. Perhaps there was more than meets the eye that we do not know anymore. It is not our place to say if Hyrum was right or wrong. It is in God's hands now.

I hope that John William and Fannie realize that with the secret out and now in print, they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. His father had taken a child bride and also abandoned his mother. This tells me that John William was a man of honor. I can only imagine how much he loved and valued Fannie. My Grandpa Byron, his grandson, was Byron Boman Glover. Grandpa Byron was very much a man of honor and love. Anyone that knew him can attest to this. I'd like to believe that Grandpa John William was very much like Grandpa Byron. I'd also like to believe that any hard feelings have long been smoothed over in the hereafter. 

Edit 6/10/2017

**Click on pictures to make bigger**

Today was the Boman Family reunion. Family arrived at the home pictured above that John William built in 1917-1919 to recreate the car picture (story below). After writing this, it was all very interesting for me! I wonder what John William would say if he had of been there to see the cars today. 

The new home owners of the house built by John William and Fannie allowed us to see inside the home. They have renovated it since moving in. In the process, they pulled up some carpet, and came across some absolutely beautiful wood flooring that had long been forgotten. They had the wood refinished and it is simply amazing! The pattern of the wood radiates out in a square and is in two rooms. 

There is still a beautiful old cabinet that was also built by John William.  

There is a lot of original wood work through the home, such as these window sills. 

After gathering for the car picture, we went up to the Lewiston City Community building for lunch. While up there, Dolores had some books with genealogy and the record for past reunions. While looking through the reunion ledger, it was interesting to see the various pictures she had put in there from over the years. I believe the first reunion in that book was in 1984. I found this note (to the right) listed in one year's record and found it interesting. It was in reference to the old home on 1600 west, near the old JW Boman barn.

One cousin mentioned to me that for a long time they had been told, and believed that the reason the "W" was removed, was because the Bowmans were horse thieves! And back in those days, that was the lowest of the low. That was stealing a persons way to get around, and also how many earned their livelihood. She did not know if there was any truth to that story, but for many years that is what they had been told until one year, the story that I mentioned above, was told at a family reunion.

Also, as a note of interest. There were several family members in attendance from John William's siblings. The Bowmans. As Dolores mentioned, until several years ago, we did not know about any of them! I can remember my mom telling me when I was younger, the way we knew if we were related, was if there was a "W" in Boman or not. Oh, how times have changed!

Herald Journal, Logan, Utah's primary newspaper, wrote an article about the above mentioned reunion and how the car picture was recreated. It was on the front page of Sunday, June 11, 2017 printing.

John William and Fannie Elizabeth Boman
Personal History

John William (Bowman) Boman was born 10 April 1861 in Richmond, Utah. He was the son of Hiram (Hyrum) W. Bowman and Hannah Wilson Bateman, who came to Utah in 1857 settling in White’s Fort, now known as West Jordan. In 1860 they came to Cache Valley and settled in Richmond, with other early settlers, who were very poor. Hiram engaged in farming and brick making. Many of the early brick homes in and around Richmond were built from his brick.

John William was the sixth child in a family of eight children. He was born in a log house, with dirt floor and dirt roof, never knowing what it was like to have a pair of shoes until he was fifteen years old. He and his brothers all worked together. Their father would wrap their feet in burlap every morning whether it be going to the canyon for wood, helping in the brick yard, or working at the old time horse powered threshing machine.

Wedding Certificate

When Fannie Elizabeth Brower ask [sic] her mother if she could marry J.W. she said, ‘Yes Fannie, marry your J.W., he always has a good woodpile, he will be a good provider’. They were married 23 December 1883. His father gave them a wedding dance and supper in a two room log cabin. The place was packed, but they danced until the wee hours of the morning.

It was true, J.W. Boman was a good provider in all things. He owned 14 acres of land before he was married. Now he needed a home. He built a two room house, with a man hole to the attic, made from logs he got from the canyon. Their first seven children were born in this log house. He engaged in farming, brickwork, saw milling and threshing of grain.

He also built a stable for his horses, a log granary and a frame granary. From the canyon he secured wood to burn in his house and also some for his mother, who lived across the street. He furnished wood for the store, all cut into lengths, that could be used in their stove. He received merchandise from the store for pay, which helped with the needs of the family.

In 1890 he traded a team of horses, harnesses and a wagon to Ed Kent for 160 acres of land in Lewiston, known as poverty flat, where the sands blew and water was scarce. The land was in its original state, with trees and shrubbery covering much of it. It took a lot of work to get the farm in shape to grow crops.

He lived in Richmond and traveled to Lewiston for approximately three years. It had many disadvantages, but he was not discouraged. He was progressive and few men were harder workers or more ambitious than he. During this time he moved both granaries to Lewiston to live in, while a frame house was being built on the farm, by Amasa Hodges. In the fall of 1894, the family welcomed their move into this home in Lewiston. The house had two rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs. A few years later another room was added onto the west side for a kitchen. Not long after, a cellar was added with a kitchen or cook room over it. The frame house still stands today (1989) in good repair with a few changes. It is owned by Golden and Phoebe Boman, who have lived there since their marriage and have raised their eight children there. (Note in 2017: this home is still standing. It is across from LuDean Glover's home on 1600 West.)

J.W. raised enough pigs in one year to pay for a net wire fence around his 160 acre farm. Some posts and wire still stand (1964). To get these fat pigs to market, he would start before daylight, taking as many as fifty to seventy-five at one time, driving them along the road like sheep for five and a half miles to Merrill’s Spur. He would stop at the millrace for a rest, where there was shade and water. There he gave the pigs a feed and would arrive at the Spur before the heat set in.

He bought lumber from a saw mill in Mink Creek, Idaho, to build a barn. As a down payment he gave a team of horses, named Jam and Bolley. This was the family’s favorite team and they missed them very much. Hauling the lumber from Mink Creek to Lewiston was quite an undertaking. Jimmie Oldum from Franklin, Idaho, and other helped to build the barn. It had stalls for thirty-five cows, ten horses, calf pens, grain bins, etc. The barn is still standing and is now owned by Byron Glover (1984). (Note in 2017: Barn is still standing and is part of the Glover Farm run by Byron's son, Brent.)

Fannie was a busy farm woman. Besides all her other work, she would skim cream from the pans of milk and keep it fresh without refrigeration. When she collected enough, it was put into a dash churn and made into butter. To keep the butter fresh, she would wrap it in a white cloth, then put it in a bucket with some fresh green alfalfa. Tying a rope to the bucket, she would lower it down into the well, just above the water, to keep it cool. The butter sometimes grew to forty pounds. It would then be taken with some eggs to market and traded for things the family needed. Fannie took her turn taking them to the store. Many times she took them in a cart, with a baby on her lap, a smaller child by her side in the seat, a bigger child sitting on the shaves, by the singletree driving the horse and the eggs and butter in the bottom.

The cows J.W. had at this time were every color and size, grown in a mixed herd. They were not what he wanted. He arranged a trade with a Mr. White in Gentile Valley, for a good herd of Holstein cows. Each drove his herd to Treasurton, made the trade, and drove their new herd back to their homes. There were some calves in the Holstein herd and on the way home many people came out to see them. It was the first all Holstein herd in the valley. They were not accustomed to alfalfa for feed and the first night four cows became bloated and died. The rest of the herd did very well and gave lots of milk. It was a good trade.

Skim milk was a good feed for the pigs, so J.W. bought a hand turned cream separator. Not long after he purchased a pony treadmill, for separating the cream and milk. Elmer’s pony was used to run the tread mill and he was the one to take care of it and see that the pigs were fed. Pigs are known for being greedy and they never had sense enough to quit when they were full. The first ones to the trough would drink more milk than they should, so they bloated up like a cow — several died. The feeding method was changed and things went better.

Another hazard, the sows would have their young in the summer out in the field, in a ditch or by a fence. Then the coyotes would come at night and get some of the little pigs, occasionally all of them. The loss of the pigs meant a loss of income, so this was a difficult and serious problem to manage.

Around 1900 J.W. and a neighbor, Lewis Baker, agreed to buy a new threshing machine together. Before the machine was delivered, Baker decided to go to Canada, leaving J.W. alone with the machine. After using it for two years, he had a chance to sell it.

The 160 acres was producing alfalfa, wheat, oats and potatoes. Production was good and with the cows and pigs, the family had a nice income. But the family was growing too and their needs also grew. There was a necessity for more land. The 14 acres in Richmond was sold. Then 40 acres joining the northwest corner of the 160 acres was bought from Enoch Tripp, a brother-in-law. Another 80 acres was purchased from another brother-in-law, William Tripp, which joined the 40 acres. A few years later 45 acres were obtained from Enoch Tripp, making a total of 325 acres.

Original picture of the one to the left.
Writing states it was
actually taken in 1921

All were kept busy with cattle and pigs as there was much to be done. Children were going to school, William Ariah, the oldest, was at BY College in Logan. There was need for a hired man and sometimes more during the cropping season. At times a hired girl was needed too. Fannie’s aged mother had come to live with them. A big, long kitchen table with seventeen places had a lot of work connected with it. Always J.W. would say family prayer, also the blessing on the food. He was sincere in what he believed and practiced the same.

Alice, the tenth child, recalls, “My precious memory is the heart warming manner in which our father prayed. I have a clear vision of father, mother and we children kneeling in morning and evening prayer. The room was always tidy and clean, which served to create a pleasant atmosphere like a benediction.

“Father approached our Heavenly Father with simplicity and love, quiet grace and firm unyielding faith. Always first to express humble thanks for manifold blessings bestowed upon us.

“Some never to be forgotten phrases were: ‘We thank Thee for the light of the gospel, for Thy servants, for each other…Help us to so order our lives that we will be worthy of exaltation in Thy presence. Fill our minds so full of good, that evil cannot enter. Wilt Thou temper the elements for our good…Help us to live busy useful lives and overcome our weaknesses. Forgive us of our short comings and take lead of our thoughts, words and actions. Bless the authorities of the Church, our missionaries in the field, comfort those who mourn. Let Thy protecting care and guidance abide with us at all times.’“

There were thirteen children who lived to full maturity. One boy died at approximately two years and two were stillborn. J.W. had a wonderful companion. They planned and worked together. They were truly “Giants of the Earth”. When they built anything they built it well, artistic and beautiful. They were not afraid to work for what was right. All Fannie did, she did well. Always cheerful with time to help a child in trouble, or a neighbor in need. Doing acts of kindness, working in the Church, all this and much more. She smiled on the duties of life and had time for more. She truly was the Mother and Queen. In 1903, this wife and mother said, “Yes” for her husband to fill a call to a mission for the Church, to the Northwestern States. “Yes Will”, as she called him, “you will go to fill that mission.” She was left with those thirteen children, the youngest was nine months old. It was Fannie who organized this large family into a working group to till the 325 acres of land. The machinery was all the horse-drawn type, slow and hard. In order to support her husband in the mission field, it was necessary for her to take in a school teacher, to board. The children, all with their separate problems, and her own church duties, was an enormous task, but she was one who never shirked a responsibility. Still the acts and deeds of kindness, she was always ready to do all of these, had it still been more, even then here [sic] answer would still have been yes. Such was the testimony of this wife, mother and companion. Long, hard and many were her duties. Well and willing did she go to her life’s work, always praising her Master, always hoping for the success of her husband and that of her offspring. “God Bless You Mother.”

After J.W. returned from his mission he was concerned about his children, especially the four older boys. He knew they would soon be getting married and his thoughts were for their welfare. With this in mind, in 1905 or 1906 he bought a 420 acre farm from Mr. Blakely, north of American Falls, Idaho, on the Snake River. All of it was river bottom land. A spring of water called “Big Hole Spring” went with the land and because it was located two miles from the farms, a ditch had to be made to carry the water to the farm. It was a difficult task to accomplish, as was clearing the sage brush, grass and other vegetation growing on the land.

With long days and years of hard work, the land was cleared and crops were growing. Two rough lumber houses were built and cattle were driven from Lewiston up to the ranch twice and back to Lewiston once. It took four long days for the drive. In the summer, the mosquitoes were bad and at night they’d all but carry you away. Fishing on the river was good and they caught many fish. It took a full day to go to the nearest town, American Falls, to the post office and to shop.

Some time later there were rumors that a dam was to be put in at American Falls, which would include much land up the river and also J.W.’s 420 acres. The rumors soon turned to reality. As plans went ahead American Falls town was moved. The government made all the arrangements for the land the dam would cover. They set their own price on the land and the owners could do nothing but take it. J.W. didn’t get what he wanted for his land and the family never knew what amount he received. The land deal didn’t turn out at all as he had planned.  His 420 acre farm and two houses have now laid under water for over 80 years (1989).

In 1915 J.W. bought his first car, a Maxwell. Roads at that time were not very good for cars. But he and Fannie went a lot and enjoyed it very much. They traveled to St. Anthony, Idaho to see J.W.’s brothers, Ed and Joe. They hadn’t seen one another for a long time. They all went camping and fishing and had a great visit. Also visited his half-brother in the Downey, Idaho area. The places they could go in the car were very pleasing to them. They were thinking of moving to Logan. J.W. rented a home from Ed Hoffman, with thoughts of buying it. As it turned out, he didn’t like city life, so he moved back to the farm and started to plan for a new brick home, which he started to build in 1917. Due to World War I, it was delayed. In the fall of 1918, they moved into this new home located a short distance south and west of their original home. It’s [sic] cost was eleven thousand dollars, a lot of money for the time. The home was enjoyed for years. It was a lovely home then and still is today, now owned by Delores and Arlin Buttars (1989). (Note in 2017: this home was sold in 2016 when Dolores moved into Logan. There has been no work done to the original structure of the home and stands virtually as it was in 1917, with modernizing done to the interior.)

In the winter of 1919 and 1920 he filled a second mission for six months. This time to the Southern States, with Atlanta, Georgia as the headquarters. Fannie carried on with the home affairs. Sixteen years had passed since the first mission. The family had grown. Many of them were married. Fannie’s duties were much different from those of the first mission in 1903. Time hurried on and the mission was soon over and he was home again.

J.W. and Fannie were great civic leaders and active in community welfare. He served as the president of the Cubriver Irrigation Co. for many years. He worked long and hard to help make things better for the coming generations. He toiled for some forty years to get land leveled, fenced, watered, and drained. He helped to build churches, schools, roads, ditches, drains, electric lines and rail roads. He was chairman of the railroad committee, which was successful in getting the railroad from Sugerton to Kents and on to Amalga, where a sugar factory was built. He thrilled at all the improvements as they came, one by one, felt a measure paid for the part he played in all of them.

On July 10, 1921, he was called to serve as first counselor to Bishop Joseph Bergeson, in the Lewiston 2nd Ward. He served in this position until July of 1926. He was always serving the Lord in some church activity and Fannie the same. They were indeed missionaries of the gospel. While he was away from home preaching the gospel, she was doing the same at home, in her ward and among her family. They both had a strong testimony of the gospel and taught the gospel to their children.

Yes, J.W. was a good provider, always believing in having an extra supply on hand. He had a generous heart, although somewhat stern and harsh at times. He was honest, dependable and trustworthy. He was religious from his youth. This good quality he inherited from his father. He was more like his father than any of the other boys, was very particular and neat in all his belongings. He didn’t have much formal schooling, only three or four grades.

The children honored their parents on the Golden Wedding anniversary in December of 1933. J.W.’s health started to fail in the early 1930’s, gradually growing worse until the 10th of November 1936 when he passed quietly on at the age of 75. He was born on the 10th of the month and passed on, on the 10th of the month. Fannie passed away six years later on 20 December 1942 at the age of 76. Both were some of Cache Valley’s most respected pioneers.


John William Boman passed away, November 10, 1936, aged 75 years, 7 months.
Fannie Elizabeth Brower passed away December 20, 1946, aged 76 years, 4 months, & 26 days.
They are buried in the Richmond City Cemetery


John William's Ordinances Complete

Baptism - 19 October 1869
Confirmation - 19 October 1869
Initiatory - 12 June 1884 Logan Utah Temple
Endowment - 12 June 1884 Logan Utah Temple
Sealing to Parents - 13 June 1917 Logan Utah Temple
Sealing to Spouse - 12 June 1884 Logan Utah Temple

Fannie Elizabeth's Ordinances Complete
Baptism - 23 April 1979 Salt Lake Temple
Confirmation - 1 July 1876
Initiatory - 12 June 1884 Logan Utah Temple
Endowment - 12 June 1884 Logan Utah Temple
Sealing to Parents - Born in the Covenant
Sealing to Spouse - 12 June 1884 Logan Utah Temple

Fannie Elizabeth on her birthday July 24, 1942

FANNIE E. BOMAN

Tribute to a Wonderful Woman

given in Relief Society by her daughter

Phoebe B. Pitcher

Sister Fannie E. Boman was born in Richmond, Utah July 24, 1866. She spent her childhood days there and in 1883 she married John William Boman. They continued to reside at Richmond where seven of their fourteen children were born.

They moved to Lewiston. The second year at Lewiston, Sister Boman made from 25 to 30 pounds of butter a week — this she sold in Richmond. She would get up early in the morning, get breakfast work done and set dinner on the table for the men working in the field. Then she would get her butter from her dug-out cellar packed into a cart and with four little boys, all fresh and clean sitting beside her, she would make it to Richmond before the sun was hot enough to melt the butter. It was always as hard and cool as when she left home. Because of the quality of the butter, she received fifteen cents a pound, while the market price at that time was eight to ten cents. Her butter was always in demand.

Sister Boman was [sic] been sincere and faithful in her church duties. She labored eight years in the Primary organization. At three different time was president of the Y.W.M.I.A. President and counselor in the Relief Society. Also a teacher in School and a visiting teacher in Relief Society for many years.

Her hobbies are sewing, working in the garden, especially the flower garden, and writing, at the present time she keeps a correspondence with relatives on both sides of the family.

She loves genealogy work and has gathered a thousand names for baptisms, endowments and sealings.

At the time of the flu epidemic, Sister Boman was on a committee to see that the sick were taken care of, and needless to say, she spent many days and nights administering and giving words of encouragement to patients.

Besides rearing her own children, thirteen of which are still living, she gladly took care of her mother until she passed away.

Her home has always been open house for relatives and friends both old and young. Everyone is welcome at Grandma Boman’s.

She still, at the age of seventy-three, thoroughly enjoys life and is a great comfort to her family and friends.

She has sixty-two grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Hers has indeed been a life of usefulness and service and may I say to Sister Boman, “We admire you for what you have accomplished through struggle and strife. We appreciate the words of encouragement and comfort you have given us. We honor you for the wonderful testimony you have gained by righteous living. We respect you for the unselfish service you have so cheerfully rendered. We love you dear Sister for the wonderful example you have set. You are truly an outstanding woman in Zion.”

Her favorite hymns are:
High On a Mountain Top
Come, Come, Ye Saints
Oh, My Father
Should You Feel Inclined to Censure



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