Saturday, May 23, 2009

Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede

1. Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede (1851-1854)
[Submitted by: Eugene H. Halversen, mailto:ijc42@aol.com]
2. Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede
by his granddaughter, Hazel Twede Baird
The autobiography of Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede was given to me by my Aunt Delia Harris, daughter of Christian, before she died. She showed me the journal and said many of the pages were missing, but as I was interested i n genealogy, she wanted me to have it, thinking I could obtain some genealogical information from it. It has been quite difficult to decipher in many places. Grandfather was a good penman, but he wrote in the old Danish script. Often the Danish and English way of writing were intermixed. At one of our genealogical committee meetings, I volunteered to try and copy it off for other family members. I have been working on this project for the past year, and during the copying of the last pages, I have reached the point where I could read the journal quite well. My daughter, Ruth Baird Bartholomew, has done the typing of this autobiography for me.
As a child I remember my grandfather Twede quite well. He lived with my father and mother in Mapleton, and had a room of his own with a little pot-bellied stove in it to keep him warm. He disliked the copper pennies that are used as money, and whenever he had any, he always threw them into this stove. When he emptied the ashes I would go out where he threw them away and sift them carefully. These pennies I put into a little bank. When we moved to Payson, I had several dollars worth of pennies saved, so my father helped me start a savings account in the Payson Bank. When I married, these pennies I had saved, together with interest earned, were worth $20, enough for me to buy material for my wedding dress. I am indebted to Grandfather Twede for that.
Grandfather went to live with his daughter, Thora Hafen in Springville when we moved from Mapleton to Payson 17 March, 1907. He died there 7 April, 1907 and is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery on Mapleton Bench.
Aunt Viola remembers that Grandfather Twede's funeral was held in the Second Ward, the same building that is used at the present time in Springville. His old friend, Mr. Berg was not only his undertaker, but he spoke at the funeral. Viola says that every time her father came to visit them, he wanted Christiana to make chocolate and her rich, light sweet bread which she sliced and browned for him. Viola says she never heard them quarrel. When her mother made soap, her father would not come in the house. He didn't like the smell. "Mother had to take his lunch out to him," she said. Thea gave Christian one dollar each day for his use. He was a very proud and aristocratic man, Viola recalls. "He was the cleanest and most particular man I ever knew." When Christiana washed his handkerchiefs, he was not satisfied if they were not properly ironed.
I have enjoyed copying Grandfather's journal or day book as he called it. I have come to appreciate his testimony of the gospel and his spirituality. He did a lot of good wherever he went. I was impressed with the fluency of his language and the way he was able to express himself. We as a family give thanks to him for leaving us his autobiography.
3. Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede
by Christian Frederick Nielsen Twede,
Manti City, Sanpete County, Utah Territory, United States of North America,--------- 11 December, 1886,
I got acquainted with a girl by the name of Maria who lived in Heber C.Kimball's home. I kept company with her all Summer. In August my oldest sister, Caroline married Gardner Snow who lived in Manti. I went down with her to that place. Gardner Snow also married another sister named Marie, a great associate of my sister. But before we went to Manti, I had my first Patriarchial Blessing from Issac Morley. It took us a week to get to Manti about 130 miles south of Salt Lake City.
His sister, Caroline Marie Nielsen (5 June, 1816) married Gardner Snow on 3 july 1855. They lived in Manti and had no children. At the age of 88 she died of injuries when thrown from a buggy when the horse ran away. Died 30 October 1903.
His sister Thora Henriette Nielsen was born 9 November, 1822. She was married to Gardner Snow but also married, John C. Wyhee (or C.R. Weibee?) who lived in Manti? Thora died 1 May 1896.

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