Annie Christina Peterson-Pioneer Ancestor

Annie was the daughter of Ole Peterson and Marn Hansen, who are my mother Lois Chatfield's 2nd great grandparents.

Ole and Marn lived in Denmark, and it was there they joined the Mormon Church.  In April 1857 they left their homeland with their baby Annie Christina to come to America.

After working for enough money to buy a wagon Ole left with his family to travel to Utah.  Their trip was very dangerous as Indians were always looking to destroy the new immigrants.

The caravan of pioneers moved slowly on their journey to their new home.  Some days the dust was so deep, and it was like plowing to trudge through it. Then other days the rains came and would be like salve to their feet.

In one wagon of the company ANNIE CHRISTINE PETERSEN then one year old was taken very ill.  After traveling long hours, the disease of dysentery spread through the company and poor Annie was stricken and became very sick. The best of care was given her, loving hands waited on her, but she became worse.  The caravan had to keep moving on.

The loving hands did all they could for the baby but she gradually grew worse and was at last given up for dead.

The Indians were still making trouble and the company had to keep going. They could not dig a grave as the Indians would see the freshly dug dirt and could easily follow the group.

There was no time to stop to bury the baby, so Sister Peterson was told to wrap her child in a clean blanket.  With tears in her eyes she wrapped her baby lovingly in a soft blanket and the men put her under a bush, pilling leaves and brush around the baby.

After dark a forced camp was made because the Indians were so close and very threatening.

Sister Peterson was very upset and grieved over her child out there alone in the darkness.  That evening they all huddled around together trying to keep warm singing ‘Come, come ye Saints’.  Marn could not sing.  Ole called “Come dear, try get some rest”, and led her to the wagon for the night. The wolves were howling and she said to her husband. “My baby is out there with not even a grave to protect her.”  Ole replied. “We will have to rely on the Lord to protect her this night.”

Marn Peterson’s grief became unbearable so she crept out into the cold dark night back to the trail where they had just come.  No one missed her until nearly dawn, then word spread like wild fire through the camp as frantic men went out searching for her. Then someone saw Sister Petersen coming slowly toward the camp clutching a bundle in her arms.

Great beyond words was her joy to find her baby was not dead but alive and crying.  Surely God’s hand had preserved a wonderful life, and faith and works had been rewarded. 

Every one acceded this was a MIRACLE, for the child had surely been dead the day before.  The baby grew well and strong again.  By the time they reached Salt Lake City all was well.

Later they moved to American Fork, then to Lehi where ANNIE grew to womanhood and married Samuel Allen Wilcox as a second wife, raising a family of 9 children.  Annie died in Lehi 18 OCTOBER 1934 where she was residing with her oldest daughter.