My Maternal Great Grandfather
Niels Peter Johnson
The following auto-biography was written by my Maternal Great Grandfather. A copy was given to my mother's family by one of the children of his second marraige at some point long after his death in 1922. It is written as I received it, with it's original spelling and punctuation. The only modification I have made is to split it into paragraphs to make it a bit easier to read. I believe it to be all the more interesting due to the style in which it is written.
Niels Peter Johnson, (only child) of Otto Johnson and Dorthea Kjerstine Bendixen was born Nov. 11, 1857 at Zeiglflod, Alborg, Denmark. Was hired out to work when a little over 8 yrs. old, hearding cows, which was done six summers, going to school in winter, which I started when 5 1/2 yrs. old. I also worked in a match factory one summer when 7 1/2 yrs. old, and one summer in a tobbaco factory at 12. Was raised a Lutheran and according to their rule in their church was confirmed when between the ages of 14 and 15. Worked 2 yrs. in the hay and harvest field, threshing with flail during the last winter I worked as a farmer, I was then 16 yrs. At the age of 17 I commenced to learn the carpenter trade, which I have been working at most of the time since.
In the year of 1878 I happened to read a book about the Mormons, written by a minister of the gospel in the U.S.A. From the reading I inferred that those people called Mormons must be somewhat insane. Not having met any of them, to inquire of them what their belief was. But only a few months after I rented a room for a carpenter shop from a family that had become Mormons, sometime prior to that time. I found they were good honest people. They let me have a Book of Mormon and other church books to read and I found the Minister had not written the truth, but had extorted all the facts, or very near so, about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
I investigated their belief and went to their meetings, I found that it all corresponded with what was written in the Bible. I prayed to my Heavenly Father, to let me know whether they were his servents or not, and whether the Book of Mormon was true or not, to which I received satisfaction to my soul that they were and that the book is true. Yea, it seemed at that time that the very elements were burning, and a peaceful influence prevaded the room.
After being convinced they were the people of God and that the Gospel had been restored to Earth by an Angel to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, I went the evening of the 13th day of June 1878 and was baptized.
Was ordained a Deacon in the summer of 1879 and in October 1879 I was ordained an Elder, having beeen called to go and preach the Gospel during the winter and feeling it a great responsibility to be ordained an Elder and to preach the Gospel, mingling with the world and partaking more or less of the ways of the world. I asked the privilege of being baptized again, which I was. I then went and preached the Gospel that winter laboring as a native Elder. In the summer I worked at my trade.
In the year of 1881 I was permitted to immigrate to Zion, arriving in Logan (Utah) about July 14, 1881. Crossed the ocean on a Steamship Wyoming. On the first Thursday in August I was baptized and confirmed, together with several other immigrants, as that was the order of the church at that time.
On the 1st day of Dec. 1881 I was permitted to receive my endowment, and at that time married Christina Thompson, who also received her endowment, she being sealed to me for time and eternity, thru which union the Lord blessed us with seven children, viz, Dora, born Oct. 12, 1882. Nephi Porter, born Sept. 29, 1884 (died when 6 mo. old with pneumonia at St. Johns, Arizona). Fannie Christine, born April 16, 1886. Niels Peter, born Oct. 11, 1888. Otto Thomas, born Feb l9, 1891 (died by accident on Oct. 18, 1895 at Elsinore, Utah). Aurelia, born Mar. 12, 1894 and Charles Franklin, born May 15, 1896.
IN the year 1884, I was sent to St. Johns on a mission in place of Journal Palmer, Bloomington, Bear Lake Co. Idaho. Arrived there on the 14th of Oct. 1884, with my wife and two children.
In the year of 1887 when the St. Johns Stake was organized I was called to be second councilor to Bp. Willard Farr, on the 23rd of July and was ordained a High Priest on that day, which position I held 5 yrs. or until Bp. Farr was released. On the 4th day of March 1894 I was called by the High Council and set apart as President of the High Priest quarum of the St Johns Stake of Zion.
In 1895 I was released from my mission at St Johns by Pres. Woodruff and during the summer went with my family to Utah and visited my wife's relatives. We lived in Elsinore for one year after which I bought a place in Pleasant Grove and moved there with my family.
In the winter of 1899 or rather in the month of Jan. I left for St Johns to take charge of the work of building St Johns Stake Academy. Puttin on the roof and finishing it.
One reason I went to St Johns again was that my wife had fallen in with the Josephites and was converted to their doctrines and had partaken of that bitter spirit they show toward what they call the Utah Mormons. I felt it was better to leave my home so as not to quarrel with my wife about religion. In the summer of 1899 she sold the place. Having been baptized into their church she went to Council Bluffs where she bought her a place and now lives there having the children with her. This being June 1903 I have felt sorry many times over this condition and that my children have to work so hard as they do and as such I have offered or rather asked them to come back and live among our people and will try to live with and provide for them. But my wife refuses to come to me, but invites me to come and live with her, where she is which I refuse to do and such is the condition with us today. I have left the matter with the Lord and hope she will see her mistake.
I arrived in St. Johns on the 21st day of Jan. 1899 and began work on the academy in the spring and continued until it was completed. On the 4th day of June 1900 I was again called and set apart as president of the High Priest Quarum of the St. Johns Stake which position I still hold at present.
Now, in regard to tracing my ordination as High Priest back to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, which say according to the best information I can get is that Priest Jessie N. Smith was mouthpiece. Apostles George Lyman and John Smith also laid thier hands on me. I find that Jessie N. Young, who was ordained by the Prophed Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer.
In the fall of 1903 Apostle A. Woodruff called me to go to the Big Horn Wyo. and advised me to get a divorce, my wife having apostisized from the church, which I obtained on the 3rd day of Oct. 1904. Having the permission to remain here til then, after which I made ready to start for Wyo. I accordingly, on the 17th day of Oct. 1904 handed in my resignation as President of the High Priest quarum and left St. Johns on Oct. 20, 1904.
On the 16th day of Nov. 1904 I married Olga M. Tietjen in the Salt Lake City Temple. On the same day we took endowment for one of the dead. The 18th I took endowment for another. We arrived in Cowly, Bighorn Co. in the first part of Dec. On Aug. 8, 1905 Doris Emma was born. On June 14, 1908 Stanford Tietjen was born (died July 5, 1908). On Dec. 1, 1909 Ole Clifton was born and on May 21, 1912 Caroline was born.
On June 14, 1906 I took charge of the Mercantile Institution as manager, it was then known as Cowly Mercantile, which I still hold today, June 13, 1913. I have labored as Supt. of Sunday School, and now as Pres. of High Priest quarum of this Bighorn Stake, was set as such in the month of Feb. 1913 by Apostle Whitney.
This is the end of the auto-biography written by my maternal Great Grandfather Niels Peter Johnson. The following line was added by one of his children (from the second marraige) before being forwarded to my mother's family (children of Charles Franklin Johnson).
Died May 8, 1922 of a paralitic stroke. Was 9th High Councilman in the Ward of Cowly.
NOTE: My maternal Great Grandmother (who later remarried and was known to her grandchildren as Grandma Mann) had a slightly different version of some of this story. The "Josephites" referred to by Niels Peter are the members of the "Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Grandma Mann became a member of the "RLDS" church and remained so throughout her lifetime. My mother is a member of the "RLDS" church and that is the church I was raised in and baptised into. According to Grandma Mann, "that bitter spirit they show toward what they call the Utah Mormons" had to do with polygamy. Grandma Mann said that Grandpa Niels wanted to take a second wife and she would not agree with his doing so. This is the reason she gave for leaving Niels.
This all took place a long time ago and I have only the versions of the "facts" presented in this document and stories handed down by Grandma Mann. I don't pretend to know the full story of why these two really separated. Some contact was made by the children of the second marriage with my mother's family and that is how this document came into her hands.
All in all, it is a very interesting bit of family history and I am very pleased to have been able to read it and to display it here.
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