To Soren L. Petersen Descendants

Hello Fellow Family Members and descendants of Soren Lind Petersen of Denmark and later Huntsville Utah USA.  I have been searching through old papers collected by my in-laws and have come across another mention of the genetic nerve disease that exists in our family.  As I wrote in an earlier post a few years ago, it would have been VERY helpful to us to know of its existence.  When our six year old daughter started exhibiting signs of the disease it took us several tests and over a year before we learned what it was and how to properly help her.  Because of this it has been very important to me to find lateral family lines that may also have this disease in their family and not yet know in case the knowledge of it can help at some point.  I am not sure if the disease follows the Renstrom line back to Sweden or the Petersen line back to Denmark.  A note made by an unnamed family member leads me toward the Petersen line.  I want to reach out to any descendants of these individuals:
Caroline Petersen and Andrew P. Renstrom
Emma Louisa Petersen and Charles William Wright
Soren Lind Petersen Jr. and Margaret Isabelle Dallimore
Adam Lind Petersen and Anna Matilda Peterson
Katy Lofgreen b. 1842 in Sweden
Josephine Petersen (Harris) b 1869
David Petersen b 1975
Hyrum Petersen b 1883
Maren Lovise or Louisa Pedersen (Franck) b. 1839 in Norway I think, died in Huntsville, Utah
Joseph Lind Petersen b 1876
Alma Lind Petersen b 1878
Olga Louisa Petersen (Wilcox) b 1882
Kanute Thomas Petersen b 1885
Ella Petersen (Farr) b 1887

Our family comes through the Caroline Petersen and Andrew Renstrom line.  There are several cases in their descendants with this disease.  It is called HNPP (Hereditary Neuropathy with liability to Pressure Palsies) but was sometimes diagnosed as CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth) until it was learned that this was a seperate disease.  If you or a family member are experiencing unexplained neuropathies, frequent numbness and muscle weakness, you may want to look into this.  You may also want to read my earlier post for more information on our experience with it.  Love from your distant Cousin =)
- Jerusha
http://renstromrecord.blogspot.com/2011/02/hnpp-genetic-condition-to-watch-for.html

Andrew P. Renstrom's 1923 Passport and Photo

In 1923 at the age of 65, a widow for already 15 years, Andrew P. Renstrom went on a third mission to his native land of Sweden. What an example of selfless loving service this man is. It is very exciting to find his passport for this trip because not only does it include vital information, but it had a physical description and a photo of him at this age and also his handwriting. This is one of my favorite things to study in family history. I love viewing the original records, studying their handwriting (paleography) although I am out of practice now, and deciphering what they themselves wrote and thus revealed to us. The continuous search for more documents in the hope of uncovering another clue to the history of our families is a passion for me. I love the puzzle and collecting the pieces and finally fitting a few of them together. It is very exciting and a driving force within me.

From this document we learn:
in the "State of Utah

County of Salt Lake

I, Andrew Renstrom, a Naturalized and Loyal Citixen of the United States, hererby apply to the Department of State, at Washington, for a passsport.

I solemnly swear that I was born at Viksta, Sweden

on December 30th, 1857; that my father,

Eric Pehrson, was

born in Sweden and is now deceased;

that I emigrated to the United States, sailing from Stockholm about

June, 1873; that I resided 50 years, uninterruptedly, in the United States,

from 1873 to 1923 at Huntsville Utah; that I was

naturalized as a citizen of the United States before the Judicial Dist

Court of Utah at Ogden, Utah,

on May 27th, 1882, as shown by the Certificate of Naturalization presented herewith;

that I am the IDENTICAL PERSON described in said Certificate; that I have resided outside the United

States since my naturalization at the following place for the following periods:

Sweden, from 1883 to 1885,

Sweden, from 1889 to 1891,

and that I am domiciled in the United States, my permanent residence being at Huntsville,

in the State of Utah, where I follow the occupation of Farmer.

My last passport was obtained from Have had none on

- I am about

to go abroad temporarily, and intend to return to the United States within 2

years with the purpose of residing and performing the duties of citizenship therein; and I desire

a passport for use in visiting the countries hereinafter named for the following purpose:

Sweden .... Minister of Religion

I intend to leave the United States from the port of New York

sailing on board the Scandinavian - Am. Line on About June 27th, 1923

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Further, I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United

States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;

and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; So help

me God. Andrew Renstrom

Sworn to before me this 28 day

of April, 1923

John (W. Cl...ty)

Clerk of the US Dist. court at Salt Lake, Utah

(unknown name)"

DESCRIPTION OF APPLICANT

Age: 65 years Mouth: Medium

Stature: 5 feet, 10 inches, Eng. Chin: pr...ced (pronounced?)

Forehead: High Hair: Light gray

Eyes: Blue Complexion: Fair

Nose: Large sraight (straight?) Face: Med Long

Distinguishing marks Slight scar o...(over?) right eye

IDENTIFICATION

April 28, 1923

I, Tillman D. Johnson, solemnly swear that I am a native citizen

of the United States; that I reside at Salt Lake City; that I have known

the above-named Andrew Renstrom personally for 10 years and

know him to be the identical person referred to in the within-described certificate of natural-

ization; and that the facts stated in his affidavit are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Tillman D Johnson

US District Judge Ut

Sworn to before me this 28th day

of April, 1923

John W Cl...ty

Clerk of the US Dist Court at Salt Lake Utah

(same unknown name)

Applicant desires passport to be sent to the following address:

Andrew Renstrom

Huntsville.

Weber County, Utah ...?"

Photograph of

Andrew P. Renstrom

at age 65

APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT OR EXTENSION OF PASSPORT

I, Andrew Renstrom, the person to whom passport No. 280262

was issued on may 3rd by the Secretary of State at Washington, do hereby apply for its

EXTENSION FOR six months

Andrew Renstrom (signature)

Svartbäcksgatan 59, Upsala, Sweden (foreign Address)

Sworn to before me this 22nd day of April, 1924.

R F Fe...d (signature and title of official)

Consul of the United States of America at Stockholm, Sweden.

MEMORANDUM OF ACTION TAKEN

Amended as requested/as shown by corrections.

Extended for six months, first extension to November 3, 1924."

HNPP - A Genetic Condition to Watch For

HNPP
Hereditary Neuropathy with liability to Pressure Palsis



Almost two years ago my oldest daughter who was six at the time suddenly lost some of the use of her left hand. It was instant and without apparent injury.

She could not lift her her hand at the wrist, could not make a fist, could not spread her fingers and had a very weak grip. I thought she had just slept on her hand funny and that it would come back. She later told me that it had actually stopped working the night before when she was listening to her Aunt read her a story. She was doing nothing at all, just resting her head on her hands propped up on her elbows It didn't improve and upon visiting the doctor he rushed us to Primary Children's Hospital for immediate tests which all came back normal. A relief, but she was obviously not normal so the tests continued. Over several months she had X-rays, CAT scans, MRIs with and without contrast, ultrasounds, a nerve conduction test, numerous physicals, and so on. All that was determined was that she did have nerve damage and they had no idea why. We were so sick of doctors and tests with no answers and she wasn't getting any better. One symptom she did not have was pain, thankfully. There was mention of a possible genetic nerve disorder being the cause by the pediatric neurologist. She said that this disease allows the nerves to be injured more easily but I completely dismissed it. She wasn't DOING anything. How could that injure the nerves, more vulnerable or not. Plus, I had never heard of anything at all like this happening in my family or my husband in his. The only option they gave us for help was surgery on her elbow to move her nerves. My husband and I were not comfortable with this especially when it wasn't clear why or how the nerve damage occurred and requested that we try physical therapy. We were referred to a wonderful group of therapists and the actual type she received is called occupational therapy. Her therapist began aggressive treatments. We would visit several times a week at first where he taught her at home exercises to do and he would shock her muscles in the hand and arm to force contractions. She had almost complete atrophy at this point. Her progress was very slow in the beginning but once she regained some muscle her movement and ability improved very quickly and within a few more months she had complete recovery except for a small section of her arm that still has no feeling. It was bizarre but we were very thankful and thought we were done with that. Almost exactly a year after the first injury she was playing a boxing game on the wii when suddenly she lost strength in her right hand, arm, shoulder and back. I immediately took her into the therapists and he was shocked by the second injury and even more that it was with the other hand. He did some work with her but said we needed to go back to the doctors. I really didn't want her to go through all of that again but we went back to the pediatrician who sent us back to the neurologist. To my surprise, the neurologist said with almost complete certainty that it was the genetic nerve disease causing the problem. I had expected more confusion but this second injury had brought more clarity. All she needed was a blood test to confirm and we would go from there. I took down the name of the disease this time and began my own research. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information out there and because it is so rare in the general population, most doctors have not even heard of it. This is the reason it took so long to get it diagnosed and is also the reason many people with this disease get improper treatment if any at all and will often go undiagnosed. It is rare in the general population but anyone that has it will find it very common in their family. This is because you cannot be a carrier of this disease. You either have it or you don't. If you do, there is a 50% chance that you will pass it on to each child. Since our daughter was confirmed to have this disease, it meant that either my husband or I did have it, and then one of our parents and then one of theirs, and so on, not to mention any number of extended family members that inherited it as well. I was able to find one good website with information that has just been compiled by those who also have experience with this disease hnpp.org After studying these pages I came to understand how varied in severity this disease can be and that it can affect any part of the body. I came to recognize the symptoms and once I had learned what questions to ask I began interviewing our families about their related medical history. I was amazed at how easily I was able to find those with the disease. Even my own husband's injuries, which he had had, we thought were not at all connected until we began studying about HNPP. For example, my husband had weakness in his arms when he would hold them above his head. This finally bothered him enough that he went to a doctor which referred him to a therapist. The therapist did some testing on him and was very confused by it. He said that based on where he lacked movement and strength he had all the symptoms of someone who had torn their rotary cuff except he had no pain. He gave him some exercises to do which helped and that was the end of it. An example of one of his milder symptoms is when he gets his blood pressure checked his entire arm goes numb for about five minutes. Most people who are bothered enough by an HNPP related nerve injury to see a doctor never make it far enough along to get to a neurologist, which are the only doctors that would even know to look for that as a cause. This disease is not too bad if you must have a disease. It is labeled as a nuisance disease because the injuries are usually mild in nature and the weakness is often regained over time as the nerves heal. It also doesn't usually express in children. Because our daughter has already had two "severe" injuries the neurologist suspects she has a severe case of the disease. It is not life threatening and if you know what to watch for and are careful in your activities, you can avoid a lot of injuries.

Who Has It?:
We have learned it has been passed through the Renstrom line at least as far back as Andrew Renstrom. There is even one line of cousins that is already aware of this disease and had already been tested and confirmed to have HNPP. I have not been able to trace it beyond but Andrew's grandson believes these nerve problems were common in the village he came from in Sweden.

Why Should I Watch for it?
Surgery will not help a nerve injury in someone who has HNPP and most likely will only cause more nerve damage. It is important to be aware of this family condition to potentially prevent unnecessary tests, doctors bills, surgeries and injuries.

How Does Having HNPP make nerves more susceptible to Injury?
The myelin coating that covers the nerves acts as a rubber band and coating to keep them protected and in place. With HNPP the myelin has lost its "elasticity" and once a nerve is stretched, it is left exposed and vulnerable. Normal daily activities can cause nerve injury to someone with this disease.

How Do I Prevent an HNPP Related Injury?
The nerves being extended too far, worn from repeated movement, or have too much pressure applied can cause injury. As a mother this is frustrating because it sounds like there is no way to protect my daughter. But the best way is to avoid repetitive movements by changing up what you are doing often, avoid pressure by changing how you are resting or sitting often, and avoid over stretching by not pushing your body to the limits of its ability.

I am not a doctor and am simply sharing what I have learned through our experiences with our family and from my research and our daughter's doctors. Each person will vary greatly on how their body reacts to stress placed on the nerves. If you do have this disease, get to know your limits and do not push them. I wanted to put this information out there so any possible family members that may have related symptoms can get properly diagnosed.

Images from Sweden

A wonderful fellow genealogist cousin in Sweden has contacted me and we have been sharing information on our Renstrom / Pehrson line. She has sent me many photos as well as some details on the family that remained in Sweden. I am excited to share some of what she has sent me.
From Barbro:

Eric Pehrson, father of Andrew Pehrson Renstrom or Pehrsson, "bought farms for all his children to have one each so he died and they left Sweden. The yellow house is in Rangsta and the last people of that family built a museum of tractors."
She has provided a photo of the old farm house and a link to an article about the tractor museum.

Tractor Museum Article

Article Translated into English using Google Translate.

I found several photos from the Viksta Traktormuseum posted on Picasa as well.

Here is a photo of Erick and Catherine's (Chatarina's) home in Tibble, Bjorklinge pre-1870.

Their house stood until August 2009 when it was torn down.

Barbro collected all the old wallpaper she could find while she was here in Tibble taking this photo and has included a scrap of some of the oldest she found.


When Eric Pehrsson's wife and children immigrated to Utah from Sweden, two of his daughters remained in Sweden, Greta Stina (or Margareta Kristina) and Anna Maria. The photo below is of Anna Maria (far Right sitting) with her husband Per Larsson (left sitting) and their two daughters, Ingrid (far left) and Nina (right standing) and Nina's husband Johan Viktor Johansson(left standing) with Ajax the dog. This was taken at Ingrid's confirmation in 1898.


This photo was taken in Old Uppsala. Nina Larsson Johansson is the woman in the white hat in the middle.



This photo is of Margareta Persdotter Eriksson (I also have a record giving her married name as Ersson) born 1799. She is mother to Catherine Christina Erickson who is the mother of both Andew Pehrsson Renstrom and Anna Maria.







This photo is of Anna Maria Larsson.









Here is the headstone for Greta Stina, the oldest sister of the Pehrsson/Erickson/Renstrom family. It is located in the Viksta cemetery

I am working on a few research projects in relation to this line that I hope to add soon as well as more information from my dear cousin who is so kind to help. There were several letters of correspondence between the family in Utah and the family in Sweden. I am so excited to read in the first person what they had to share with one another all those years ago.

The Petersens and Renstroms of Huntsville Utah

I am currently working on the autobiographies/biographies of Dad Renstrom and Mom Berg. In this book I am planning to include some interesting ancestral history for them so I have been researching further into what information I can gather on these families. The Renstroms are from Huntsville and this family begins here with the union of Caroline Petersen and Andrew Pehrsson Renstrom. Both families are well known in Huntsville and Caroline's father, Soren Lind Petersen is recognized as one of its first settlers. When I returned to Huntsville again for the annual Fourth of July parade and celebration, some Renstrom descendants still living there told me about a series of articles being printed on the Renstrom family in the local newspaper The Ogden Valley News. I was so excited that I began a subscription to this paper and am currently trying to locate the articles that I missed.

Soren Lind Petersen was one of the early settlers of Huntsville Utah. In the Huntsville Town History posted on the Huntsville website it mentions Soren L. with the following statement:

"Soren L. Peterson and Peter C. Geertsen, immigrants from Denmark in 1864, also served as missionaries there and encouraged many Danish converts to settle in Huntsville."

He arrived in Huntsville only four years after the original settlement was established in 1860 according to the History of Huntsville. In the Ogden Standard dated July 17th 1924, the program for the upcoming Pioneer Day celebration was announced. "Will Honor Old Settlers...Flowers will be presented by the Daughters of the Pioneers to the early residents whose names and the dates of their arrival follow...Soren P. Petersen, 1862..." In this account it was printed that he arrived in Huntsville in 1862 (but it also has his middle initial as P).

In his obituary printed in the Ogden Standard on November 26th 1901,

we learn that "He was the first Scandinavian settler in the valley and had lived in Huntsville since 1863." I will need to do further research to determine the exact year of his arrival, but he is recognized locally as one of the founders of Huntsville. The Huntsville church records (FHL US/CAN Film 25997) state that he was baptised April 28, 1859 by C. F. Frandsen. He was repabtised and confirmed in December of 1864, a common practice when a distant member joined with the saints in Utah. His first child, Caroline Petersen, was born in July of 1864 in Huntsville, Utah. I have yet to obtain a photo of Soren L. Petersen (sometimes found in records as Peterson), but I do have one or two of some of his children. I have written to the Huntsville Historic Library in hopes of obtaining more information and records. Their web page says they have several biographies and obituaries among other records.

Andrew Pehrsson Renstrom is an immigrant from Sweden. The Huntsville Church Records and his obituary tell us that he was baptised in Sweden on Nov 14th 1872 by C. J. Renstrom and his obituary says he came to Huntsville in 1873. His father had died before the family's immigration and baptisms in 1870. The church records also show that his mother Katarina or Catherine Christine was baptised May 4th 1872 by J. Lundquist. It would appear that she was the first to join the church and then her children. Katarina was also rebaptised Aug 1873 so I presume this is near the time that they reached Huntsville. From church, census and cemetery records, I know that Katarina, Carolina, Catherine Charlotte, Andrew and Eric August all came to Huntsville. I do not know if all of the siblings of Andrew immigrated to Utah or the United States and I do not know how many took the Renstrom surname. At least one daughter, Carolina who never married, is buried in Huntsville under the name of Ericksson. She continued with the patronymics taking her last name from her father Eric Pehrsson. Andrew took Pehrsson Renstrom and in the Huntsville Church records we find the youngest brother written as Eric August P. (Pehrsson?) Renstrom. His sister Catherine who married Soren P. Petersen is listed in the church records as Charlotte R (likely Renstrom as her name was Catherine Charlotte). Another interesting question I have is why is the mother Katarina buried as an Erickson? If she took her husband's name she should have been a Pehrsson. Her maiden name should have been Anderson/Andersdaughter as her father is Anders Ersson. The church records give her father's name as Anders Erickson so she could have gone back to her "maiden" name when her father died if she chose to end the patronymics in that generation. I would like to know the stories of all the children of Eric Pehrsson and Katarina Erickson. Where did they go (Sweden, Utah, elsewhere in the US?), what names did they take (Erickson, Pehrsson or Renstrom?). These multiple surnames make this work a little more confusing. A family group sheet I have of this family lists all of the children as Ericksson except for Andrew. On NewFamilySearch I found one record for a birth date for Andrew as an Ericksson. The record is from Sweden and it is a little off from the birth date we know, so I think it may be a christening date. I have contacted the individual who provided the record, but I have had no response so far. Andrew very well could be in Swedish records as an Ericksson and I would love to see some of these. The rumor, and I think it is a probable one, is that the Family took the Renstrom name after their baptism by the missionary C. J. Renstrom.

These two families met in Huntsville and joined with the marriage of Caroline Petersen to Andrew Pehrsson Renstrom on 27 June 1888. This article about their wedding reception was printed in the Ogden Standard on July 1, 1888. "...They were bound for the residence of Soren Peterson, and the occasion was the marriage of his oldest daughter, Miss Caroline Petersen, to Mr. A. P. Renstrom. The marriage ceremony had been performed at Logan and upon their return Mr. Peterson gave the young couple a reception...With the many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Renstrom, The Standard wishes them all the happiness that can come from the holy alliance which they have made."

This couple had ten children together, three of which died as infants and are buried near them at the Huntsville Cemetery. Andrew was a farmer and stockraiser, he served three missions to Sweden, was the third bishop of Huntsville and ordained a seventy in 1883. His wife died much earlier than he did and I did not realize until I started putting this information together that not only did she die during the time he was bishop, but they also an infant baby. I have the baptism, birth, and death list for the year 1907 in Huntsville. A. P. Renstrom compiled them himself and on the birth sheet we see the joy of writing in the name of his newest child and only a few months later writing in the name of his wife under the deaths for that year. How did he go on alone, with an infant and no wife to help him and being the bishop. He was about 50 when his wife died and he lived another 25 years without her. I know there were some difficult emotions and feelings on the Petersen side regarding polygamy. Soren did practice polygamy as did many members of the church during this time. I have found a few news articles with court cases the US vs. Soren L. Petersen for unlawful cohabitation. His children and wives went through difficulties because of this. I have been able to collect a few news articles on the death of Andrew P. Renstrom, but it was quite a treasure to find this newly printed article in The Odgen Valley News July 1, 2009 that gives a first hand account of his funeral from his daughter Miriam. "...Reminiscing about him later, I thought my father was born, lived, and died in the storms of winter. My mother was born, lived, and died in the sunshine of summer. They were difficult years for him and for us, but I am happy he traveled it alone and did not marry and have sealed to him another wife." I found this very interesting and even more amazing that he never remarried considering he was widowed with an infant child to raise. What a struggle he had in life among the blessings. "He spent his days reading and visiting old people and friends in town. On one of these visits, he must have fallen through or off an old bridge for he came limping home covered with dirt, scratches and some blood. Arnold put him to bed. He was rational but weak. After a few days, he grew weaker and on a Sunday morning, he seemed partly unconscious and Arnold in some alarm, said to him, 'Dad, I think you are dying.' He opened his eyes and answered, 'I've waited so long.' Those were his last words."

This article is from The Ogden Standard January 27, 1933 with information on the funeral for Andrew. His daughter also talks about the ceremony in the article above. I have also included his death certificate as well as a timeline. This timeline puts a few major events in his life in perspective with what was going on in the world at the time. His life events are in red so you can easily find them and the others are in black. On the website that helped me put it together, each event is color coded according to its historic category. You can print one up on anyone you want on their site free of charge. I look forward to receiving more of these articles from The Ogden Valley News on the Renstroms and hope to share them with you as they come.

Custom TimelineFor Andrew Pehrsson Renstrom
1857 to 1933

from http://www.ourtimelines.com/

1857:

Born in Sweden Dec 30th
1830-1860:
Underground railroad leads 100,000 slaves to freedom in US from before birth until age 3
1837-1901:
Reign of Queen Victoria (Hanover) from before birth until age 44
1852-1859:
3rd Cholera pandemic from before birth until age 2
1857-1866:
Transatlantic cable laid from age 0 to 9
1857-1860:
James Buchanan president of US from age 0 to 3
1857:
Dred Scott decision: Blacks could not be US citizens at age 0
1858:
India bill transfers government of India to England at age 1
1858:
Minnesota enters the union - 32nd at age 1
1859:
Oil Well at age 2
1859:
Oregon enters the union - 33rd at age 2
1859:
Darwin pub. Origin Of Species at age 2
1860:
South Carolina Secedes from the Union at age 3
1860:
Rifled barrel invented at age 3
1861:
North Dakota organized as a territory at age 4
1861-1865:
Abraham Lincoln president of US from age 4 to 8
1861:
South Dakota organized as a territory at age 4
1861:
Gold rush in New Zealand at age 4
1861:
The Apache Declare War on the US at age 4
1861:
Transcontinental Telegraph completed at age 4
1861:
Nevada organized as a territory at age 4
1861:
Colorado organized as a territory at age 4
1861:
Kansas enters the union - 34th at age 4
1861-1865:
Confederate States of America Exist from age 4 to 8
1861-1865:
Civil War from age 4 to 8
1862:
US Homestead act at age 5
1863:
Idaho organized as a territory at age 6
1863:
Arizona organized as a territory at age 6
1863:
Battle of Gettysburg at age 6
1863:
West Virginia enters the union - 35th at age 6
1863:
Emancipation Proclamation frees southern slaves at age 6
1863-1879:
4th Cholera pandemic from age 6 to 22
1864:
Louisiana organized as a territory at age 7
1864:
Nevada enters the union - 36th at age 7
1865:
Lister invents Disinfection at age 8
1865:
Ku Klux Klan founded at age 8
1865:
President Lincoln assassinated at age 8
1866-1868:
Andrew Johnson president of US from age 9 to 11
1866:
Walker, Mitchell 1st elected US black officials (Massachusetts) at age 9
1867:
Confederation of Canada at age 10
1867:
Alaska purchased from Russia at age 10
1867:
Nebraska enters the union - 37th at age 10
1867:
Dynamite at age 10
1867:
Diamonds discovered in South Africa at age 10
1868-1878:
War between Cuba and Spain from age 11 to 21
1869:
Trans-continental railroad completed at age 12
1869:
Suez canal opened at age 12
1869:
Cutty Sark built at age 12
1869-1876:
Ulysses S Grant president of US from age 12 to 19
1869:
Financial black friday caused by attempt to corner gold at age 12

1870:

Father Erick Pehrsson dies in Sweden 30 Aug at age 13
1870:
1st black US senator (Hiram Revels) at age 13
1870-1871:
Franco-Prussian war from age 13 to 14
1870:
US black men can vote at age 13
1871:
Great Fire destroys Chicago at age 14
1872:
Baptised in Sweden on Nov 14th at age 15
1873:
Immigrated to Huntsville, Utah at age 16
1873:
Color Photographs at age 16
1873-1878:
Depression, banks fail from age 16 to 21
1876:
Colorado enters the union - 38th at age 19
1876:
Telephone (Bell, Latimer) at age 19
1876:
Little Big Horn - Battle at age 19
1876:
American Centennial at age 19
1877-1880:
Ruthorford B Hayes president of US from age 20 to 23
1877:
Wax Cylinder Musical Recordings at age 20
1878:
1st commercial telephone exchange in US at age 21
1879:
Zulu war at age 22
1879:
Electric Light Bulb (Edison) at age 22
1881-1896:
5th Cholera pandemic from age 24 to 39
1881-1885:
Chester Arthur president of US from age 24 to 28
1881:
President Garfield assassinated (dies of med. care) at age 24
1881:
James A Garfield president of US at age 24
1883:
First Mission to Sweden at age 26
1884:
Motorcycle at age 27
1884:
1st subway at age 27
1885:
Automobile at age 28
1885-1888:
Grover Cleveland president of US from age 28 to 31
1886:
Induction Telegraph (Grandville T. Woods) at age 29
1887:
Married Caroline Petersen June 27th at age 30
1887:
X-Rays (Tesla, not Rontgen!) at age 30
1888:
70...77 rpm musical records at age 31
1888:
Great Blizzard of 1888 - 400 deaths at age 31
1889:
first child Catherine Moiselle June 23 at age 32
1889:
Washington enters the union - 42nd at age 32
1889:
Montana enters the union - 41st at age 32
1889:
South Dakota enters the union - 40th at age 32
1889:
North Dakota enters the union - 39th at age 32
1889-1892:
Benjamin Harrison president of US from age 32 to 35
1889:
Holerith invents the punch card at age 32
1890:
Oklahoma organized as a territory at age 33
1890:
Wyoming enters the union - 44th at age 33
1890:
Idaho enters the union - 43rd at age 33
1890:
Battle of Wounded Knee at age 33
1891:
Mormon prophesy of 'coming of lord' by 1891 unfulfilled at age 34
1892-1900:
six children born, one while gone, 2 die from age 35 to 43
1893-1897:
US Financial panic, depression from age 36 to 40
1893-1896:
Grover Cleveland president of US from age 36 to 39
1893:
Movies at age 36
1893:
New Zealand is 1st to grant women right to vote at age 36
1893:
Nikola Tesla invents Radio (not Marconi!) at age 36
1894-1895:
Chinese-Japanese war (1) from age 37 to 38
1894:
Plague in Hong Kong and China - 1 million die at age 37
1896:
Utah enters the union - 45th at age 39
1896:
Supreme court approves separate but equal segregation at age 39
1897-1901:
William McKinley president of US from age 40 to 44
1898:
Spanish American 1-year war at age 41
1899-1902:
Second mission to Sweden from age 42 to 45
1899-1902:
Boer war from age 42 to 45
1899-1923:
6th Cholera pandemic from age 42 to 66
1900:
Galveston Hurricane - 8,000 killed at age 43
1900:
Boxer rebellion in China at age 43
1900:
Hawaii organized as a territory at age 43
1901:
Oil discovered in Texas in significant amounts at age 44
1901:
Third law of thermodynamics postulated (W. H. Nernst) at age 44
1901:
Commonwealth of Australia founded at age 44
1901:
Max Planck formulates the Laws of Radiation at age 44
1901:
US President William McKinley assassinated at age 44
1901-1908:
Theodore Roosevelt president of US from age 44 to 51
1901-1910:
Reign of King Edward VII (Saxe-Coburg) from age 44 to 53
1901:
First British submarine launched at age 44

1903-1905:
two more children born, one dies from age 46 to 48
1903:
Airplane at age 46
1903:
Nikola Tesla patents logic gates at age 46

1904:

Mother Katarina Christina dies May 25 in Huntsville at age 47
1904-1905:
Russian-Japanese war from age 47 to 48
1904:
Radar at age 47
1907:
last baby born Jan, wife dies in July at age 50
1907:
Oklahoma enters the union - 46th at age 50
1907:
Plastic at age 50
1908:
Tunguska atmospheric object explosion at age 51
1909-1912:
William Howard Taft president of US from age 52 to 55
1909:
Union of South Africa formed at age 52
1909:
North pole reached by Matthew Henson of Robert Peary's exp. at age 52
1910-1936:
Reign of King George V (Windsor) from age 53 until after timeline
1910:
Japan annexes Korea at age 53
1910:
Halley's Comet at age 53
1911:
South pole reached by Roald Amundsen at age 54
1912:
New Mexico enters the union - 47th at age 55
1912:
Arizona enters the union - 48th at age 55
1912:
Alaska organized as a territory at age 55
1912:
Titanic sinks at age 55
1913-1920:
Woodrow Wilson president of US from age 56 to 63
1914-1919:
World War I from age 57 to 62
1914:
The Bra at age 57
1915:
Einstein's Theory of Relativity at age 58
1916:
Sonar at age 59
1916:
Irish Easter Rebellion at age 59
1917:
US enters WWI at age 60
1917:
Russian revolution at age 60
1918-1933:
Prohibition from age 61 to 76
1918-1920:
Flu epidemic - 25 million plus die from age 61 to 63
1919:
Shortwave Radio at age 62
1919:
League of Nations instantiated at age 62
1920:
Palestine established at age 63
1920:
Women receive right to vote in USA at age 63
1920-1929:
Roaring 20's from age 63 to 72
1921-1924:
Warren G Harding president of US from age 64 to 67
1922:
Insulin made available to diabetics at age 65
1923-1925:
Third mission to Sweden from age 66 to 68
1925:
Scopes trial on Evolutionary Theory at age 68
1925-1928:
Calvin Coolidge president of US from age 68 to 71
1926:
Sound in Movies at age 69
1927:
Holland Tunnel opens (New York City) at age 70
1927:
1st transAtlantic solo flight - Lindbergh at age 70
1928:
Penicillin discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming at age 71
1928:
Video Recordings at age 71
1928:
Television at age 71
1928:
Geiger Counter at age 71
1929-1939:
Great Depression from age 72 until after timeline
1929-1932:
Herbert Hoover president of US from age 72 to 75
1929:
Stock Market Crash at age 72
1930:
Pluto Discovered at age 73
1931-1933:
Chinese-Japanese war (2) from age 74 to 76
1933-1945:
Franklin D Roosevelt president of US from age 76 until after timeline
1933:
Radio Astronomy at age 76
1933:
Armstrong invents FM modulation at age 76
1933:
Soviet communist party purge at age 76

1933:

Dies Jan 22 in Huntsville, Utah

Catherine Charlotte Renstrom & Who is "Mantlo"

Ok all you Renstrom descendants. I need your help on this one. I am seeking "Mantlo" who posted the following on Ancestry.com in July of 2000.

"Katherine Charlotte Renstrom
posted by: Mantlo Posted: 31 Jul 2000 11:12AM

my GGGrandma is Katherine Charlotte Renstrom, daughter of C.J. Renstrom from Stockholm, Sweden. She was born 5 July 1856, died 1882 in Huntsville, Utah. That is absolutely all I know - anyone else know some Renstrom history?"

We are the Huntsville Renstroms! I am anxious to respond but I have no contact information for him/her. From the other posts Mantlo has made I know that Mantlo is a surname in his/her family as well. If anyone knows who I am referring to, please direct them to this site as I have ample family information available.

I will post some of this information here:

This is my reply I posted on Ancestry.com
"The Renstroms of Huntsville are my family. I have recently started a blog where I am collecting family stories if you want to see it www.renstromrecord.blogspot.com. I am interested in where you got your information. I do have family records of a Catherine Charlotte, sister to our ancestor Andrew Pehrsson Renstrom. She was born in Sweden in 1856 and some of her family did settle in Huntsville. I don't have a lot of records on her but I do have genealogy on the family. The rest of the information you gave does not match what I have. We should compare our notes."

I think I know why you are finding it difficult to follow this line.

#1) CJ Renstrom is not the father of Catherine Charlotte from Huntsville. I do know who CJ is. The Huntsville church records list CJ Renstrom as the missionary who baptised this family. His full name is Carl Janson Renstrom.

#2) Her generation is the first to take the name Renstrom. Previously their name followed the pattern of patronymics. Her name was Catherine Charlotte Erickson before she took the name Renstrom. Her Father's name was Eric Pehrsson and his father's name was Pehr Ersson. It is our understanding that when they joined this new Church they all took the name Renstrom after the missionary who had baptised them.

Data on Catherine Charlotte Renstrom:

Born 4 Oct 1856 in Ramsjo, Uppsala, Sweden
Baptised 1872 or 1873
Married 3 July 1876 to Soren Peter Petersen
Died 17 Aug 1880

From the Huntsville Church Records FHL US/CAN Film
25997:
Soren Peter Peterson is the son of Peter Peterson and Maria
Born 1853 in Denmark
    His Father Peter Peterson is living here as well
      is the son of Peter Thomasen and Mete
      Born Jan 12 1821 in Denmark
    His Mother Maria Peterson is living here as well
      is the daughter of Soren Jensen and Bodel
      Born Oct 9 1823 in Denmark

Soren Peter Peterson's children are also listed
Maria Charlotte Peterson is the daughter of Soren Peter Peterson and Charlotte R.
Born Mar 22 1877 in Huntsville
Louisa Christine Peterson is the daughter of " and "
Born May 28 1878 in Huntsville
John Soren Peterson is the son of " and "
Born Sep 14 1879 in Huntsville

Catherine Charlotte is not listed here and the rest of the family is listed together so she is probably dead at the time of this recording. I will dig into these records a little more and see if I can find an accurate date.

One of her brothers is listed on the bottom of this same page

Eric August P. Renstrom son of Eric Pehrson and Catherine Kristine
Born Nov 8 1860 in Sweden


She was going by Charlotte and living in Huntsville with her spouse and three children and in-laws in the 1880 census recorded on June 3rd:

Petersen, Soren   White, Male, 27yrs, Married, Farmer, cannot read or write, born in Denmark, parents born in Denmark

, Charlotte    White, Female, 25yrs, Married, Wife, Keeping House, born in Sweden, parents born in Sweden

, Mary    White, Female, 4yrs, Daughter, born in Utah

, Louisa    White, Female, 2yrs, Daughter, born in Utah

, John    White, Male, 7 months, born in October, Son, born in Utah

Petersen, Peter    White, Male 59yrs, Married, Farmer, born in Denmark, parents born in Denmark

, Mary    White, Female, 57yrs, Wife, Married, Keeping House, born in Denmark, parents born in Denmark

Photos and more records will be posted soon.

"Iwo Jima"

"Lest They Be Forgotten - Iwo Jima"
By Larry Cappetto


movie trailer with Keith

Lest They Be Forgotten

It Runs in the Family

Here is an article from The Park Record dated July 28th 1916 that Lin Floyd sent me to share with the family. Lester Berg is in a play called "The Fairy and the Fountain." At this time he is only six years old.



This is from the Ogden Standard Examiner dated January 7th 1926. Keith is in a play at the Huntsville Opera House with his parents when he is only four years old. Gladys is Arnold's sister.


Yes, it runs in the family!

Pioneer Day from 1906

102 Years Ago, both sides of our family are celebrating
Utah's Pioneer Day.




HOMAGE IS PAID TO THE PIONEERS
The Salt Lake Herald, July 25th 1906

The Thorups are in Liberty Park in Salt Lake City where over 1500 people gathered and the living pioneers were honored including a lunch under the "famous" trees there planted by our ancestor Herman F. F. Thorup. John T. Thorup is mentioned in the article twice, he is the son of Herman August Thorup and brother to Herman F. F. and Christine Veronica Thorup Rasmussen. There are photos of events at the park on July 24th 1906 and some very cute articles about the celebration.



HUNTSVILLE TO HAVE A TIME
The Ogden Standard, July 21st 1906

In Huntsville the General Committee is busy carrying out a large celebration of their own for the Utah Pioneers. Among those on the committee are Moselle Renstrom, Carrie Renstrom and Adam L. Petersen. Carrie Renstrom is Caroline Petersen Renstrom, her brother is Adam Lind Petersen and her daughter is Moselle Renstrom. There are other Petersons listed in this article but I do not know if they are related. There were a few Petersen(son) founders in Huntsville, ours being Soren Lind Petersen who is the father of both Carrie and Adam.


This photo was taken almost 80 years after the above celebrations in June of 1986. These are the trees at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City. I am the one in the middle.

Death of Mrs Renstrom

Caroline (Carrie) Petersen Renstrom Died of Bright's Disease.
Bright's Disease: now known as acute or chronic nephritis; kidney disease. It is very painful.
It is interesting how different sources can give you different and sometimes conflicting information. Take these two newspaper articles for example. From the first we learn the following:


Salt Lake Herald - July 17, 1907
- She went by Carrie at least sometimes
- Her husband A. P. (Andrew Pehrson) Renstrom was a bishop
- She was also an active member of the church as president of the Young Ladies' Mutual Impovement Association (Young Women's President)
- She is survived by her husband (so he lived beyond 1907)
- She is survived by seven children
- She has living brothers and sisters
- She was 47 years old (est: born 1860)
- A well liked citizen
- Died at 8 AM Yesterday (est: died July 16, 1907)
- Died in Huntsville
- Died of heart trouble that she had been suffering from for a while
- She was operated on for this heart problem a few months prior but never fully recovered
- When the funeral will be
- She will be buried in Huntsville

This is quite a lot of information! Now lets check another paper.
This one is from Odgen, the local newspaper for Huntsville as well and see what this can tell us. This article was printed two days later.



Odgen Standard - July 19, 1907
- Died of Bright's Disease which she had been battling for a while
- Husband is a bishop
- Died in Huntsville
- Died early yesterday morning (est: died July 18, 1907)
- Was operated on two months ago because of the Bright's Disease
- She appeared to be recovering very well
- Daughter of Soren Peterson
- Born in Huntsville July 29 1864 (est: died 10 days short of 43rd birthday)
- She had 10 children, seven are still alive in 1907
- Husband and many relatives still alive in 1907
- A well liked citizen
- Active church member

It is very interesting to see how various records can differ on the information they can provide you. Both sources are valuable in what they do tell us, but on the conflicting information, how do we learn which is correct. We must look for yet another source. Let's see what her death certificate can teach us.



Caroline Peterson Renstrom death certificate filed July 20, 1907
- Caroline Renstrom white female died in Huntsville
- Born July 29, 1864
- Age 42 yrs, 11 mo, 17 days
- Died July 16, 1907
- Born in Huntsville
- Father: Soren L. Petersen born in Denmark
- Mother: Anna Nilsen born in Denmark
- Married, but no spouse name listed
- A. P. Renstrom of Huntsville was the death certificate informant
- Buried in Huntsville on July 20, 1907
- She was attended by a physician for the month prior to her death
- Chief cause of death was Heart Failure and Dropsy (congestive heart failure)
- She had been suffering with this for 90 days
- Contributory cause was Bright's Disease
- She had been suffering with this for 3 years

This clears up some of our questions:
- She had been suffering from both Heart Disease and Bright's Disease, both contributing to her death
- We have learned her true death date and age at death
- The newspapers gave us her husband's name and valuable information on her children
- The death certificate gave us her parents' names and birth places

You can see that the more sources you find, the more you can learn the truth about someone. Each source is a clue, a puzzle piece that gives us a little bit, but when put together we begin to see a much clearer picture. Not only did these sources clear up the details of her death, they opened more doors of places to search for other family members to link together.






When I do family history work, I truly do feel like a detective and I am very driven to find another way in if my pathway gets blocked. My mind speeds through all the possibilities and I try each one until I have a crack in the wall to work my way thorugh. I love this work and I learn to love the people I research as well. It is like they are alive again. I find myself mourning for them when I discover they lost a child and when they die. I see a lifetime of pain and hardship in only a short amount of time and it is difficult to see how they survived it. I am strengthened by their examples. The hard work they did to help each other and to better the community. The inner strength they had to carry on despite the difficulties they faced. They are our families and we are a part of them. A part of this legacy.

"Where Storms Are Made"

The Ogden Standard Sunday Oct 7, 1888

This is a newspaper article that includes Soren Peterson [Petersen] Jr., Soren Peterson and Andrew Renstrom all of Huntsville, Utah. They took a small expedition together among other men from Ogden and Huntsville to the top of Mount Ogden to view a newly completed observatory. The views from the mountain and even their jokes in conversation are recorded by the author of the article who ascended with them. Attempts were made to get a photograph of them all while they were at the top, but the conditions were never right. The article says, however, that two would be taken on the plateau below the summit on the Huntsville side of the mountain. I would love to find a copy of this photo! It goes on to say that .."Then we shall hasten to Huntsville, partake once more of the hospitality of Mesers, Peterson, McKay and Renstrom and taste Mrs. Renstrom's excellent cookery..."

Peterson vs. Petersen:

Some family members insist on the point that it is the family of Petersen not Peterson based on the family's roots. However, many of the records I have found the Petersen family in thus far, their name is written as Peterson. This is not to deny that the name was, used to be or should be Petersen, it is to say that standardized spelling is a recent Practice and many people didn't bother to ask "How do you spell your name?" People wrote what they heard and that was fine. I have found multiple original records of my Lindeman surname spelled differently in each. I have a whole PowerPoint presentation on multiple spellings of surnames so I can go on and on. The point I wish to make today is that just because someone wrote their name with an o rather than an e does not mean it is not your family.

The Gunny

"We gave you freedom, and there is no thing in this world more precious than being free."