Edith Coreada Anderson–Personal History

A personal history narrative by Edith Coreada Anderson:

I was born at Parley's Park, Utah, December 28, 1870. I was the daughter of William Ove Andersen and Elsie Eriksen Andersen. Mother gave birth to ten children, eight girls and two boys. I was the third child. My half-sister Leva, was the only help Mother had at the time and she was only twelve years old. Father walked two miles in the snow to get a mid-wife when I was born.

Our house was made of logs. It had only two rooms, one room with flooring, and the other room had a dirt floor. We had a fireplace in one room and a small stove in the other room. Our beds were mattresses filled with straw.

For a living, Father raised wild-hay and kept cows. Mother made butter and cheese to sell. At one time, we didn't have many cows of our own so we cared for eighteen cows of a Mr. Wright from Millcreek. We received one-half of the butter and cheese we made in payment for taking care of the cows. This was very hard work. During the winter we could make a little extra money by lodging travelers who were passing by our home. The campers would take one of the two rooms. We charged 50 cents per night to shelter a span of horses.

Father and Mother were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake city, March 30, 1866. They walked to Salt Lake City from Kamas to be married.

My first sister, Sophia, was born March 10, 1867. My sister Tilly was born at Parley's Park November, 1868. Then I was next. Brother William and his twin sister, Sarah, were born March 5, 1873. Sarah died soon after birth. Father was away at the time the twins were born. He went to Kamas and expected to be home in five days, but he was gone for five months. The snow was so deep that little Sarah's body was put in a box and wasn't buried until spring. During Father's travels his feet were frozen. Later, I always worried about Father freezing his feet because he lost his toes as a result of his earlier experience. He told me not to cry because the Lord would take care of this when he died.

I can remember when I was three years old, my sister Leva asked Mother if she could take me to Kamas. Bill Kimball, who drove the stage, stopped and left some things, among which was a little dress that just fit me. My hair was coal black and also my eyes. My sister wanted to take me to Kamas to show my new dress, what a treat this was.

I remember when I first saw Emma. She was born June 10, 1875, on Mother's birthday. She was so dark I thought she looked like a little Indian.

When I grew old enough, I had to help Sister Sophia and Brother Will herd the cows. One day it was so warm that Will started to cry. He asked me to pray and ask the Lord to help us. We did and there was the nicest breeze that came our way. This wasn't the only time the Lord helped us. One day we were hungry and we prayed for something to eat. Some sweet-white flaky substance seemed to fall from the Heavens. We were so hungry, it tasted just like soft bread to us.

In the spring the soldiers would go from Salt Lake City to Vernal. They had many horses and wagons. Mother would sell them milk and was so happy for the money.

In the fall, the Indians would go to Salt Lake from Vernal to get their winter supplies. We were very frightened of them. Once they camped very near the house and someone had given them liquor and this made them "crazy." We were glad that Father was at home because during the night one of the Indians was killed.

My brother Parley was born October 22, 1869. I was glad to have another brother because I was getting tired of the outside work. We children had to sleep out in the covered wagon the night he was born.

Dean was born April 6, 1861. I called her Little Red-Riding Hood because she had bright red hair. We welcomed the new babies and loved each one. After Dean was born, Mother was so sick that I could hear her crying in the next room. She tried hard not to let us hear her. A little old lady sat by her side and gave her a few teaspoons of brandy. The Lord helped our Mothers during those days or they couldn't have gone through what they did.

When I was ten years old, my Brother Will and I rode a horse four miles to be baptized. We had to go alone because Mother was sick and Father had to stay with her. We were very nervous. William Archibald baptized us and then we had to ride four more miles to be confirmed. Brother Pace confirmed us.

That same summer Father took me over to Kamas to stay with Mother's sister (Father's other wife). We called her "Aunt"... She was crippled and couldn't stay alone. That gave me an opportunity to go to Sunday School. She gave me 10 cents and I bought a little china doll to send home to Brother Will.

I remember going with Father to Salt Lake with a load of coal which he hauled from Coalville. Father had a wagon with horses and Will and I drove the Oxen. We were so tired when we got there that we laid down on the yoke and went to sleep before we could make our beds. Father said we were "poor spies". We camped where the City and County Building now stands. He took a load of salt back with him to Park City. I went to the city with Father many times because he was crippled and had to have help. One time we took a load of wood and returned with a sack of flour and a pair of shoes for me.

Another time I went with Father to Salt Lake when he took some lambs to sell. He received $25 but someone stole his purse. He just had one dollar left. Before we left home, Mother gave me one dollar to buy gingham to make a dress but I had to give this to Father so he could get something to eat and buy a loaf of bread to take back to Mother, she was sick. When he got home and told her she said, "Never mind, I hope they needed it worse than we do."

One winter my sister Tilly went to Kamas and Sophia and I stayed home. Sophia had four traps. She would set them at night and go to see if she had any luck in the morning. She caught 16 coyotes that winter. She gave me ten cents each for helping skin them. She bought her a dress and a pair of shoes with the money. Of course, we didn't like this job but we needed the money.

One winter Mother and I were alone most of the winter. Very few passed our way during the worst part. When the chores were done, we would put the table in front of the door and busy ourselves making candles. We would pour the hot wax in a container and then put the string in and pour more wax over it. Mother spun and knit all of our stockings. She could knit in the dark. One night when we were sitting there alone, a tramp came to the door. Mother sent me to the door and she would talk like a man. I told him that we had no room and he would have to go on. Mother, in a low voice said, "That is so." He said if he couldn't find a place he would come back. We stayed up until daylight for fear that he would.

Mother was modest, pleasant, and tried to teach her children to work and to be clean. She was a true example of womanhood.

Father was our first teacher. He bought a large slate and some books and would read us stories from the Bible at night. He was a choir leader in the old country. He would have us sing hymns with him in the evening. They tried to make us happy because they knew they couldn't give us the things we should have. We loved and honored them for they worked hard and were humble.

On the 241h of July my older sisters were going to take me to a party at Snyderville, but just before we were to leave, Father called us in and said I would have to take care of the children and take them for a walk up the canyon. He put up a lunch of bread and molasses and some milk. When we came back in the afternoon a lady called to tell us that we had twin sisters. This lady also told me to make a fire outside with sagebrush and make Mother a cup of tea and toast. Father then gave me a cup of sugar and I made some hard-tack candy for the children. This was our 241h of July treat. The twins were named Minnie and Vinnie, this was July 24, 1883. We were so proud of our twin sisters.

Father rented out the Park place and we moved to Kamas so that we could attend school and church. On Saturday, I washed and cleaned for Bishop Atwood. When I earned ten dollars, I would go pay my tithing.

When I was twenty-two, I went to Salt Lake to work. I worked for Dr. Anderson and then John Sharp. I stayed there a year and a half. From there I went to Peyton's. I enjoyed working for the Peyton's, they were very good to me. While there, I had my teeth taken care of, bought some nice clothes, paid thirty dollars for a gold watch and put twenty dollars in the bank. I planned to live on ten dollars a month and save the rest. Emma took sick and they sent for me to come home. I was so disappointed. When I got home she was better and I went over to Kamas and worked for John Carpenter.

While in Kamas, I went coasting with a crowd and caught my knee in a bush. The Doctor put it in a cast for six weeks. He told me I would always be a cripple, but I prayed and my prayers were answered. The president of the Relief Society, Sister John Pack and Sister Atwood came over and took the splints off and washed and anointed me. I had to use crutches then but I was much better and could go home.

Before I left to go home, I asked the Bishop for a recommend to go to the Temple. He said, "My dear girl, you can't go on crutches." I told him that I could and to please give me one. My Brother Will took me to the Temple where I was baptized for ten other people. When I left the Temple, I didn't need my crutches. I want my children to know that this is true. I leave this as a testimony to my family. This blessing is sacred to me and I want my family to keep it as such. The Lord helps those who will make an effort to help themselves and have faith.

While in Salt Lake City, I did housework and sewing for 50 cents per day. This time I worked for S.F. Richards. While sewing at Walker's, I saved enough money to attend school in Provo. This was the year before I met my husband. While working at John Sharps home I joined the 22nd Ward Choir and Mutual Chorus. While washing windows one day, a lady heard me singing and she invited me to join the Tabernacle Choir. This I did and how wonderful it was. I was able to attend the dedication of the Temple.

This same year my Brother Will brought Soren Dahl with him to see me. I was so impressed that other Beau's didn't ever mean the same again. Soren came to Provo many times to see me. We married the next June 27th, 1900. My husband's folks gave us a big wedding supper. Our home was a little red brick house built east of the old Dahl home in Midvale. This property now belongs to the U. S. Smelter. We were very happy them.

I worked as second counselor to Mrs. Steiner in the Young Ladies Organization and Soren worked in the Mutual as a counselor to Bishop Wright and later became his counselor in the bishopric. We loved our neighbors, the Anderson' s, Goff's, Larsen's, Lenberg' s, and Malstrom's. These were our close friends.

Our first baby was born July 26, 1901. She was a beautiful baby. She was the first grand-child in the Dahl family. We named her Ella Louise after her grandmother and Father's sister, Louise. I was very sick after she was born and had to stay in bed for six weeks. My sister Dean stayed with me and attended school. We moved out to the ranch in Park City in 1903. While here, our son Conrad was born, Sept. 6, 1903. We lived there until he was five months old and then we moved back to Midvale. The next June we sold our property to the smelter and moved to South Cottonwood. We lived in part of Somn's folks house. They had also moved there.

We had a beautiful home in South Cottonwood and enjoyed the people of that Ward. Our next baby girl was born here on February 11, 1906. She had auburn hair and blue eyes. We named her Edith Elsie after my mother and myself.

We had to move back to the ranch at Parley's Park a year later. While out on the ranch at Parley 's Park, our baby Carl was born. This was on November 20, 1907. He was a big healthy looking baby, but died of Pneumonia on May 22, 1908. The drifts were so deep that my husband had to crawl on his hands and knees to a telephone to call the Doctor. The next December we returned to Cottonwood and on October, 22, 1910, Ivan Parl was born. He had blue eyes and light hair and long eyelashes.

While living in Cottonwood, I worked in the Primary as a counselor to Marie Erickson. Jeanette Reynolds and Sister Shaw worked with us. We had wonderful testimony meetings with Sister Merrill and Sister Cornwall. My testimony was strengthened and heard them speak in tongues and translate testimonies.

We moved to West Jordan from Cottonwood. My friends in Cottonwood came to visit in a group every year. I worked with Sister James Bateman in the religion class. Sister Egbert and I were set apart to go out and anoint and help mothers before the birth of their babies. We had bundles to leave containing clothing for both mother and child if needed. We traveled by horse and buggy from Lark to Sandy and all over the Stake. Sometimes it was very cold but again the Lord blessed

US.

When Charles and Ella moved to Mount Pleasant, October 23, 1935, they asked us to stay in their home in East Midvale. The East Midvale Ward meeting house was close and how wonderful it was to walk over to Sunday School and Relief Society and how I enjoyed singing with the Singing Mothers and attending the Daughter of Pioneers.

Soren was hit by a train coming home from the farm on Christmas Eve, December, 1942. I knew the Lord would bless him so we could enjoy many years together.

Charles and Ella are home again and we have moved to a little home east of their place. This house is just made for us. We have had our 50th wedding Anniversary here. Many of our relatives and friends came to see us. I have two wonderful sons-in-law and two sweet daughters-in-law.