Notes: According to family records, Niels Mathias Sørensen Peterson was born 17 Mar 1845 in
Farevejle, Denmark. His parents were Søren Pedersen and Christiane Mathiasdatter. Mary
Elizabeth Woodward was born 2 Jun 1850 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. Her parents were
Francis Snow Woodward and Mary Catherine Mathias. Niels and Mary were married 8 Jan 1870, and
had a family of twelve children.
In the 1880 U.S. census, Neils M. Peterson, 35, born in Denmark, and his wife Mary E. Peterson, 30,
born in Utah, were living in Deseret, Millard, Utah. Niels was a farmer. Their children were
Mary S., 8, Emily A., 4, and Neils A., 2. One daughter, Susan Elizabeth, born in 1873, died in
1879. According to family records, all of them had been born in Lehi, Utah, Utah.
The couple moved to Deseret, Millard, Utah, where George Christian, Francis Mathias, and John Minor
were born. They moved again to Hinckley, Millard, Utah, where their remaining children were born.
About 1886, they were among the first settlers of Hinckley. The South Canal was also called the
"Peterson Ditch" as Niels was the first watermaster of the district.
The Utah marriage records record a marriage date (second?) for Niels M. Petersen and Mary E. Woodward
Petersen on 12 Nov 1890 in Sanpete County, Utah. Elsewhere records are found that this was a
sealing of their children to the parents.
In the 1900 U.S. census, Niels M. Peterson, 55, born Mar 1845, and his wife Mary E. Peterson, 49, born
Jun 1850, were living in Hinckley, Millard, Utah. Niels had immigrated to the U.S. in 1854, was a
naturalized citizen, and was a farmer. The couple had been married 30 years, and Mary had had
12 children, 10 of them then living. The children at home were Niels A., 22, born in Feb 1878,and
Francis M., 19, born in Aug 1880, both farm laborers; John M., 17, born in May 1883, Jesse R., 14, born in
Feb 1886, Eva, 12, born in Mar 1888, Leah, 9, born in Mar 1891, and Eugene, 6, born in Nov 1893, all in
school; and Archibald, 3, born in Jul 1896. George Christian, born in 1880 and a twin to Francis, had
died at birth.
Niels Mathias Peterson died 30 Apr 1906, at the age of 61, in Hinckley, Millard, Utah. Cause of death
was cancer. He was buried 3 May 1906 in the Hinckley City Cemetery, Hinckley, Utah. His headstone
is at right.
Following her husband's death in 1906, Mary had moved to Provo, Utah, Utah. She died 1 Sep 1934, at
the age of 84, at her home in Provo, 542 So. 6 West. Cause of death was decongensated heart, with
hypertension a contributing factor. She was buried 4 Sep 1934 in the Provo City Cemetery. Her headstone, seen at far right, includes the
death information for her husband, who is buried in the Hinckley City Cemetery. |
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