Family:Paulus Svedin and Anna Andersen (1)

SS

Photos

From Brief History of Paulus Svedin written by Paulus and Wilma Svedin

Paulus and Anna were married in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 5, 1882, and four children were born during their stay in Copenhagen--Carl, Caroline, Julius, and Ingeborg.

Sister Agnes married Jens Hansen of Copenhagen, and mother Cecelia found employment in a sewing factory. While working in the factory one day her arm became entangled in the machinery and it was severed just below the elbow. The compensation she received from this accident helped her make plans to come to America, and she regarded it as a blessing from the Lord. In America, the Church found employment for her, caring for an aged couple, Carl Christian Rostgaard and his wife, Maren. In 1884 Cecelia married Mr. Rostgaard. He died a year later. Maren lived another two years, after which the home they had been living in at 61 North 5th West became the property of Cecelia. The Rostgaards had purchased it from Daniel H. Wells, and had no children in America to share it. This helped provide the means for Paulus and Anna and their children to come to America. So, Oct. 30, 1887, Paulus, his wife, and three children reached Salt Lake City. Little Julius had died in Copenhagen. Nov. 1st, 1887 the couple was rebaptized and the three children were rechristened, and the new life in Zion began. Paulus got work at the tannery, and church activities were in the 16th Ward.

In 1889 Paulus and Anna had their fifth child--Frances Octavia. She was the only one that was born In Salt Lake City because in the spring of 1890 Paulus purchased some land in Elsinore, Utah as well as the Dan Higgins home. Paulus, Anna, and all the children except Ingeborg went first. Mother Cecelia remained to take care of Ingeborq who was ill, and to wind up affairs in Salt Lake. After getting his family settled in Elsinore, they got word that Ingeborg was better, so Paulus drove back with his team to get his mother and daughter in Salt Lake. But on the way Ingeborg took a relapse and she died in her mother's arms a few hours after reaching Elsinore. This was a great sadness to the family.

In Elsinore, the family worked at farming. Paulus was good in the tanning business, and he and Niels Nielsen and Sorensen operated a tanning business for some time. A man whom the family knew as "Glovemaker Hansen" lived some distance from Elsinore but would get gloves from Paulus and his company and then go sell them in Salt Lake. Paulus also helped put the railroad through from Salt Lake to Marysvale, Utah. He was county bee inspector for several years and had his own hives. The children remember how their father would offer them 50 cents for each swarm of bees they could tell him about, and then some of them would find one every week. After making their home in Elsinore, five more children were born, Paulus, Henry, Antone, and Ana. And June 16, 1901 the tenth child, Andrew August was born. Anna had said she would die when their tenth child was born. After the baby was born Paulus looked at the fine baby and tried to assure his wife that all was well after all. But she said, “I am not out of bed yet.” Twelve days later Anna passed away from complications following childbirth. The baby lived until August and then he too passed away. In the meantime his care had been left to 17 year old Caroline. She also had the care of her brothers and sister, until the time when Paulus took his second wife. Petrine Marie Jensen Marquardson.

Only one son, Wesley was born to this union. But Petrine became the second mother to the children and they continued on it their activities.

In the days when the Svedin family was living in Elsinore, bands of Indians would camp on the outskirts of town every once in awhile. While camped they would roam into town begging food from the homes. The Svedin family always gave them bread or sugar or whatever they had and they never had any serious problems with them. But one time when they came Petrines oldest son, Chris Marquardson was home ill lying on the bed when the Indians came in asking for “bisquits.” They saw Chris and asked “him sick” Petrine said yes, maybe smallpox. The Indians fled in haste not even waiting for the “bisquits.”

Paulus was a lover of sports. He was in charge of the Elsinore basketball team and worked well with the boys. He and Niels Nielsen purchased a ferris wheel that was drawn by horses. This was quite an attraction to the youngsters. The Elsinore band would always come to the Svedin home on the Fourth of July and play the Star Spangled Banner and mother always had root beer and cookies ready for them. Then the silent movies were a once a week enjoyment for the children with songs between acts.

There were church activities too. Paulus performed local missionary work for a number of years and seemed to have a great zeal and ability to meet those that hadn’t yet found the truth of the gospel. He was a home teacher (or ward teacher as it was called in those days) and he and Petrine were on the old folks committee until the time of his death.

It was on the 15th of August 1914 that Paulus and a few of the fellows on the team were on their way to the ball game. They were riding in the first automobile that came to Elsinore. The road was perfectly straight and clear and no obstacles were in the path. When all of a sudden it was as though the front wheels locked and the car turned end over end. The old fashioned touring cars of that offered no protection in a plight like this. So Paulus was thrown out and the car crushed him. Though none of the others were seriously hurt Paulus was killed instantly. He is buried in the Elsinore cemetery.

Life dealt some difficult experiences for this man. But through it all he clung to the gospel appreciating it more as time went on. He had procrastinated going to the temple while his first wife lived but as soon as it could be arranged after her death he took his family and traveled to Manti to have the work done. Caroline stood proxy for her mother and Paulus Jr. was proxy for one of the babies that had died. And the children were all sealed to their parents. His diligence in teaching the inactive and non-members of his community reveal his testimony of the work. He left a stalwart family and we appreciate his earthly mission.

BITS OF SVEDIN HISTORY

Did you know this about the Svedin Family? We found out by talking with some of the older members of the family that there are many warm and stirring things we should know about those who made our lives possible here in the valleys of the mountains. We are going to share them with you here.

Grandpa Svedin had a problem with irrigation one time. The water master had shut off the flow of water down one of the smaller streams and then later realized he had cut it down too much. Rather than go back up to the head water to let a little more down, he took some of Grandpa Svedin's water. Grandpa promptly remedied that and took his full share again. The water master returned and took Grandpa's water again, and soon the two men were face to face, each accusing the other, sometimes in English and sometimes in Danish. Then the water master said, "I'm the water master here", but Grandpa said, "No I'm the water master". At this the water master threatened to put a padlock on the weir and he stormed off in a rage, reporting the incident to the irrigation board who came out to investigate. Grandpa explained what had happened and no more was said. But a padlock was put on the weir, and though no one seemed to know how it happened the lock was always unlocked when Grandpa came to use his water. When it was learned that the lock was not in real use, one day when Grandpa came to get his water someone had taken yarn and wound it 'round and 'round the weir. They didn't fool Grandpa. He knew who had done it, and he just laughed it off.

Grandpa Svedin is remembered by his children as a man who kept his word. If he knew he was right, he'd stay with it, no matter how difficult the situation. Aunt Ana can vouch for that. One day she and Grandpa started off to Church together. When they got part way there (and it must have been a long walk), Aunt Ana discovered she had forgotten her hat. Grandpa said, "You go home and get your hat. And don't you stay home either." Aunt Ana went home, and remembers she got back to the Church just in time for the closing song.

Grandpa Svedin was interested in the young folks, and he took charge of sports and youth activities. When it came time to uncap the honey combs, Anthon and Henry would tell their friends and the boys were all there to eat that honey on the cover. One time when they were all there for this uncapping, they decided to p ut sacks over their heads to protect them from the bees. All the boys were covered but they forgot about the dog. You guessed it. The bees swarmed on the dog, and the dog ran madly between the boys legs, upsetting everyone. The girls that were watching had quite a show.

Grandpa Svedin must have been a special friend of Santa Claus. Aunt Ana remembers when she was a small girl she had to go to bed early on Christmas Eve. As she lay in her bed she could see Grandpa winding up some toys and having a good time. So she sat up to watch him better. But alas, she saw no more. Grandpa hearing her movements, quickly pushed everything under the bed, and she plopped back down in bed.

Aunt Carrie went to gather eggs one day, and took her little sister, Ana, by the hand as they went. On the way back to the house, the big buck sheep ran after them. Aunt Carrie and Aunt Ana ran into the house and slammed the door. But that didn't stop the buck. He crashed right through the door and came on into the kitchen. Aunt Ana and Aunt Carrie were safe on top of the table, but were mighty frightened. And they probably wouldn't have been safe there long if Grandpa hadn't come running with a shovel and rescued them. That same buck sheep bunted Annie Nielsen right into the canal one day, so Grandpa got rid of him.

The honey bees made quite a family project. Grandpa had three sets of hives--one near his home, one up in Cove, and one in Joseph. It was a real industry extracting the honey, putting it in cans, and labeling them. The labels read, "Paul Svedin & Sons". He would ship a whole railroad car at a time. Aunt Ana was one who helped put on the labels and prepare for the shipment. The boys helped extract the honey. One day the boys had gone out to get the honey, and the girls were busy at home. In the afternoon Ana thought she saw her brother Paulus walking toward home, so she ran excitedly to meet him. As she approached, she thought she was mistaken and shied away. But it was Paulus all right. He had been stung by bees and his face was so swollen and misshapen he could hardly be recognized. That was the last that Paulus helped with the hives.

Aunt Frances is remembered as a good and capable worker. Paulus says no one could beat her in thinning beets. She began working away from home at an early age, and one of her first jobs was at a hotel. There she learned to bake pies and cakes and do all kinds of cooking. One time Aunt Ana wanted to visit Aunt Frances and Uncle Nils in Blackfoot, Idaho where they were living at that time. Aunt Ana called on the phone and Uncle Nils answered. Uncle Nils said, "Stay right there at the station, and I'll come right down". He told aunt Frances he had to run an errand, but didn't say what it was. As he came back with aunt Ana and Uncle Jack, Aunt Frances came running down the path, excited at seeing aunt Ana, but shaking her fist at Uncle Nils, saying, "You could have told me so I could have cleanaed up a bit."

Grandepa Svedin learned tanning in Germany and how to color the hides. He was expert at it. One time he made an American flag using his tanning skill. He was given a special award for it by a San Francisco newspaper.

Grandpa Svedin raised a fine family, and each has been a support and help to the other. Paul and Maude moved back to Elsinore just before Iona was born. One morning when indications were that the baby was to be born, Maude said to Paul, "Go get Carrie, I'll take a bath and fix breakfast." So Paul went. At Carrie's he talked about this and that, and finally Aunt Carrie asked what he had come to her place for at such and early hour. Paulus said, "Oh, I came to get you. Maude thinks the baby is due and she's taking a bath." Aunt Carrie really got excited then, and she told Uncle Eric to hurry up and get the horse hitched to the buggy as she knew there was no time to waste. But when they got back, Maude had fixed breakfast and she and Paul sat down to eat. Uncle Eric helped Aunt Carrie in with the things she had brought, but when he saw Maude and Paul sitting down to eat breakfast he said, "There won't be any baby today. "At noon when he came there for lunch, everything was calm, and Eric said, I told you there wouldn't be a baby, didn't I?" Aunt Carrie said, "Wait till I show you", there was Maude holding her new baby girl.

Raising a family is not without its humor. When Paul and Maude were courting they had their fun doing practical things. For instance, when the cows had to be brought in the two of them would go. One day as they were herding the cows home, the donkey was standing by the fence. Paul said to Maude, "I'll bet you wouldn't ride that donkey". Maude said, "Oh yes I would. If you'll catch it, I'll ride it." So Paul caught the donkey and Maude got on. The donkey took right off on a dead run. Then was Paul worried because the ground was covered with boulders and rocks, and he just knew the donkey would throw her off on them. But it didn't. It waited until it got past the boulders and then threw her off.

We were surprised that Maude had had such horsemanship experience, but she assures us that is not all. At one time she even had a horse of her very own. Her older sister Della, knowing this, gave her a beautiful pair of spurs as a birthday present. Her mother and dad warned her not to use them. But Maude was eager, and one day when she was home alone, she set out to try the spurs. Her folks got home just as she mounted the horse. They couldn't imagine what had gotten into the horse to make it run so fast and so quickly throw Maude to the ground. As they ran to help her up they saw the spurs. That was the last time Maude used spurs. Nor was she alone. Paul we understand tried to ride an unbroken colt one time.

Memories of Paul always recall his mischief. Uncle Carl had a very high spirited horse and was seated on it when Paul decided to have some fun. So he kept telling the horse to go and Carl was not ready to go. The horse became confused and hard to hold. Carl told Paul to quit, but Paul kept it up. Finally Carl jumped off his horse and ran after Paul. But Paul was already headed for the house and he ran behind his mother. Grandma protected him from Carl, but told him he better not do that any more.

One time Grandpa had a lot of baby chicks. Chickens had helped provide food for the family and little Henry had observed. One day, completely on his own, Henry took a big stick and struck a chick, killing it dead. He ran straightway to his mother saying, "Mama, look. I killed a rooster."

But in spite of all the difficulties and problems, the family grew and grew close to each other. What is better than love and devotion Especially when it is spiced with good humor.