Charles Sreeve Peterson
Encyclopedia
Charles Sreeve Peterson was an early Mormon
leader who was the first settler of Utah's Morgan Valley
, a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature
, and one of the first settlers in the Mormon colonies in Mexico
.
On the night of November 12, 1833, one of the more spectacular Leonid meteor showers
on record (dubbed the "Falling Stars Phenomenon") hit the East Coast
of the United States
. In the middle of the night, Peterson woke to mobs screaming the end of the world was at hand. Similar scenes played out up and down the Eastern Seaboard
. But instead of rushing to the nearest church like most people, Peterson, who was not religious at the time—he later described himself as "almost an infidel
"—went back to bed.
At age 17, Peterson went to work on a farm, where he attended some school. While at school, he met his future wife, Ann Dennis.
, where he worked on a farm near town. He recalled that he "did not have an enemy that I knew of, and was respected by everyone that knew me, as an honest, respectable man with a reasonable amount of intelligence." At the age of 24, Peterson hauled coal for a man in Burlington
who told him "of a strange people, whom he had just visited in Illinois." The man had been converted to their faith. He provided Peterson with a pamphlet from the group, the Mormons. That night, Peterson read the pamphlet aloud while his wife sewed. They were both convinced to join the religion. He later recalled that after joining "all turned against me, and I was ridiculed, called a fool and shunned by nearly everyone." His employer even staged an intervention
, where he was told to leave the religion or lose his employment. Peterson chose the latter.
. On the way, they met short-lived leader John C. Bennett
on a steamboat in Ohio, who warned Peterson that Joseph Smith
would take his wife as soon as he arrived.
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Once in Nauvoo, Charles found work with William Law
, breaking hemp
for one cent a day. He eventually found more-lucrative employment in a lead mine in Galena, Illinois
, about 150 miles to the north. This new job required him to leave his family in Nauvoo. When he returned to Nauvoo for good in the Spring of 1844, he joined the Nauvoo Legion
.
On September 12, 1844, Ann died at age 26, leaving him with 4 small children, six years and under. Charles was also 26. Stricken by grief, Peterson wondered how he could look after the children and continue to provide them a living, which included working most of the day and fishing at night. Brigham Young suggested something Peterson had not thought of: "Hunt another wife."
On March 22, 1845, Charles married Mary Ann Patten, a 23-year-old from rural Pennsylvania. They eventually had three children together. In 1849, he began practicing plural marriage
when he married Mary's younger half-sister, Ann, in Iowa. They eventually had 11 children together.
, where he served as that settlement's first leader.
In 1855, Charles and his families moved to Morgan Valley
in northern Utah. Unlike most other Utah settlements at the time, Charles wasn't sent by Brigham Young to begin a new community. Instead, he was persuaded by Thomas Jefferson Thurston, who had discovered the valley a short time earlier. Brigham Young later encouraged others to settle there as well.
The Petersons were the first settlers in the valley, which is surrounded on all sides by steep mountains. To get their wagons into the valley, Peterson and his sons dug and graded a new road through a narrow entrance to Weber Canyon known as "Devil's Gate". In 1846, early adopters of the Hastings Cutoff
had used the same entrance only in reverse, as an exit on their way from Fort Bridger
to California
. Passing through was so difficult that Hastings
advised the Donner Party
to avoid it in the hope of saving time. However, their alternate route through Emigration Canyon
slowed them down even more. The Transcontinental Railroad
later came through Weber Canyon.
A few other families soon joined the Petersons, and the first white child
born in Morgan County
was born in a cabin built in 1857 by Charles' oldest son, George Henry. Their settlement became a town called Weber City, and was later renamed to Peterson
in honor of Peterson. In 1861, Charles became the Bishop
over the settlement. The Utah Territorial Legislature appointed him probate judge. He also served as the postmaster and operated a tannery and a blacksmith shop in the town.
When the Legislature made the valley its own county in 1862, Peterson organized the county court. He served as a representative in the Legislature from 1864 to 1866. In the Spring of 1870, he married another wife, Margaret Crispin, who bore him two children. Two years later, he married Mary Thompson, who bore him 10 children.
, in the hope of setting up a large farming operation for his families. When none of them liked the area, he joined two of his oldest sons in Mesa, Arizona
, to scout for a new site. He moved his families to Mesa in August 1883.
In November 1881, Peterson was the first in a search party to spot David Patten Kimball
, the head of the church in Arizona who had become lost near Seymour in the Salt River Valley
.
and a few others were indicted in Arizona for unlawful cohabitation. As pressure mounted from the recently-passed Edmunds Act
, Peterson went to Mexico with Brigham Young, Jr.
, and others to negotiate land purchases for Mormon settlers in Mexico
with the Mexican government and the Yaqui tribe. When Udall was convicted on perjury charges the next year (after serving three months in federal prison, he was granted a full pardon by Grover Cleveland
), Charles moved with his families to Mexico. They returned to Mesa two years later, where Charles died in 1889 at the age of 71.
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
leader who was the first settler of Utah's Morgan Valley
Morgan County, Utah
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 9,469. It was named for Jedediah Morgan Grant, father of Heber J. Grant, who served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
, and one of the first settlers in the Mormon colonies in Mexico
Mormon Colonies in Mexico
The Mormon colonies in Mexico are settlements located near the Sierra Madre mountains in northern Mexico which were established by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints beginning in 1885. Many of the original colonists came to Mexico due to federal attempts to curb and...
.
Early life
Peterson was born to a poor family in Mount Holly, New Jersey. One of ten children, he went to work at age 10 to help support the family, hauling brick at a kiln during the summers and chopping wood with his father in the winters. At age 14, he apprenticed as a blacksmith.Leonids
The Leonids is a prolific meteor shower associated with the comet Tempel-Tuttle. The Leonids get their name from the location of their radiant in the constellation Leo: the meteors appear to radiate from that point in the sky. They tend to peak in November.Earth moves through the meteoroid...
on record (dubbed the "Falling Stars Phenomenon") hit the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In the middle of the night, Peterson woke to mobs screaming the end of the world was at hand. Similar scenes played out up and down the Eastern Seaboard
Eastern seaboard
An Eastern seaboard can mean any easternmost part of a continent, or its countries, states and/or cities.Eastern seaboard may also refer to:* East Coast of Australia* East Coast of the United States* Eastern Seaboard of Thailand-See also:...
. But instead of rushing to the nearest church like most people, Peterson, who was not religious at the time—he later described himself as "almost an infidel
Infidel
An infidel is one who has no religious beliefs, or who doubts or rejects the central tenets of a particular religion – especially in reference to Christianity or Islam....
"—went back to bed.
At age 17, Peterson went to work on a farm, where he attended some school. While at school, he met his future wife, Ann Dennis.
Marriage and family
Peterson and his wife moved to Sreeveville, New JerseyMount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
, where he worked on a farm near town. He recalled that he "did not have an enemy that I knew of, and was respected by everyone that knew me, as an honest, respectable man with a reasonable amount of intelligence." At the age of 24, Peterson hauled coal for a man in Burlington
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
who told him "of a strange people, whom he had just visited in Illinois." The man had been converted to their faith. He provided Peterson with a pamphlet from the group, the Mormons. That night, Peterson read the pamphlet aloud while his wife sewed. They were both convinced to join the religion. He later recalled that after joining "all turned against me, and I was ridiculed, called a fool and shunned by nearly everyone." His employer even staged an intervention
Intervention (counseling)
An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
, where he was told to leave the religion or lose his employment. Peterson chose the latter.
Conversion
The family determined to join the Latter Day Saints in NauvooNauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
. On the way, they met short-lived leader John C. Bennett
John C. Bennett
John Cook Bennett was an American physician and a ranking and influential—but short-lived—leader of the Latter Day Saint movement, who acted as second-in-command to Joseph Smith, Jr., for a brief period in the early 1840s....
on a steamboat in Ohio, who warned Peterson that Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was founder of what later became known as the Latter Day Saint movement or Mormons.Joseph Smith may also refer to:-Latter Day Saints:* Joseph Smith, Sr. , father of Joseph Smith...
would take his wife as soon as he arrived.
William Law (Mormonism)
William Law was an important figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement, holding a position in the early church's First Presidency under Joseph Smith, Jr...
, breaking hemp
Hemp
Hemp is mostly used as a name for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant Cannabis sativa, of fiber and/or oilseed varieties. In modern times, hemp has been used for industrial purposes including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, construction, health food and fuel with modest...
for one cent a day. He eventually found more-lucrative employment in a lead mine in Galena, Illinois
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
, about 150 miles to the north. This new job required him to leave his family in Nauvoo. When he returned to Nauvoo for good in the Spring of 1844, he joined the Nauvoo Legion
Nauvoo Legion
The Nauvoo Legion was a militia originally organized by the Latter Day Saints to defend the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, . To curry political favor with the ambiguously-political Saints, the Illinois state legislature granted Nauvoo a liberal city charter that gave the Nauvoo Legion extraordinary...
.
On September 12, 1844, Ann died at age 26, leaving him with 4 small children, six years and under. Charles was also 26. Stricken by grief, Peterson wondered how he could look after the children and continue to provide them a living, which included working most of the day and fishing at night. Brigham Young suggested something Peterson had not thought of: "Hunt another wife."
On March 22, 1845, Charles married Mary Ann Patten, a 23-year-old from rural Pennsylvania. They eventually had three children together. In 1849, he began practicing plural marriage
Plural marriage
Polygamy was taught by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than half of the 19th century, and practiced publicly from 1852 to 1890.The Church's practice of polygamy has been highly controversial, both within...
when he married Mary's younger half-sister, Ann, in Iowa. They eventually had 11 children together.
Settling Utah
The Petersons were driven from Nauvoo with the rest of the Mormons in 1846. Charles gave his team and wagon to the first company of pioneers and stayed behind to put his blacksmithing skills to work making more wagons. Finally, in 1849 Charles and his family crossed the plains. In 1852 they settled in Alpine, UtahAlpine, Utah
Alpine is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9555 at the 2010 census. Alpine has been one of the many quickly-growing cities of Utah since the 1970s, and especially the 1990s. It is located on the...
, where he served as that settlement's first leader.
In 1855, Charles and his families moved to Morgan Valley
Morgan, Utah
Morgan is a city in Morgan County, Utah, in the United States. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is named after Jedediah Morgan Grant, a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,687....
in northern Utah. Unlike most other Utah settlements at the time, Charles wasn't sent by Brigham Young to begin a new community. Instead, he was persuaded by Thomas Jefferson Thurston, who had discovered the valley a short time earlier. Brigham Young later encouraged others to settle there as well.
The Petersons were the first settlers in the valley, which is surrounded on all sides by steep mountains. To get their wagons into the valley, Peterson and his sons dug and graded a new road through a narrow entrance to Weber Canyon known as "Devil's Gate". In 1846, early adopters of the Hastings Cutoff
Hastings Cutoff
The Hastings Cutoff was an alternate route for emigrants to travel to California, as proposed by Lansford Hastings.In 1845, Hastings published a guide entitled The Emigrant's Guide to Oregon and California...
had used the same entrance only in reverse, as an exit on their way from Fort Bridger
Fort Bridger
Fort Bridger was originally a 19th century fur trading outpost established in 1842 on Blacks Fork of the Green River and later a vital resupply point for wagon trains on the Oregon Trail, California Trail and Mormon Trail. The Army established a military post here in 1858 during the Utah War until...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Passing through was so difficult that Hastings
Lansford Hastings
Lansford Warren Hastings is best remembered as the developer of Hastings Cutoff, a shortcut across what is now the state of Utah, a factor in the Donner Party disaster of 1846.-Early life:...
advised the Donner Party
Donner Party
The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who set out for California in a wagon train. Delayed by a series of mishaps, they spent the winter of 1846–47 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada...
to avoid it in the hope of saving time. However, their alternate route through Emigration Canyon
Emigration Canyon
Emigration Canyon is a CDP, township and canyon in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, located east of Salt Lake City in the Wasatch Range. Beginning at the southern end of the University of Utah, the canyon itself heads east and northeast between Salt Lake City and Morgan County. The boundaries...
slowed them down even more. The Transcontinental Railroad
First Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
later came through Weber Canyon.
A few other families soon joined the Petersons, and the first white child
First white child
The birth of the first white child was a celebrated occasion across many parts of the New World. Such births are a matter of pride for many townships, and they are commemorated with plaques and monuments at the location of the event. The birth was seen as such an honor that it was at times...
born in Morgan County
Morgan County, Utah
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 9,469. It was named for Jedediah Morgan Grant, father of Heber J. Grant, who served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
was born in a cabin built in 1857 by Charles' oldest son, George Henry. Their settlement became a town called Weber City, and was later renamed to Peterson
Peterson, Utah
Peterson is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Utah, United States.-Geography:Peterson is located near Peterson Creek and Interstate 84, seven miles northwest of the town of Morgan....
in honor of Peterson. In 1861, Charles became the Bishop
Bishop (Mormonism)
Bishop is the highest priesthood office of the Aaronic priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement. A bishop is usually the leader of a local congregation of church members. The Latter Day Saint concept of the office differs significantly from the role of bishops in other Christian denominations,...
over the settlement. The Utah Territorial Legislature appointed him probate judge. He also served as the postmaster and operated a tannery and a blacksmith shop in the town.
Settling Arizona
In his early sixties, Peterson moved to Fielding, UtahFielding, Utah
Fielding is a town in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 455 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Fielding is located at ....
, in the hope of setting up a large farming operation for his families. When none of them liked the area, he joined two of his oldest sons in Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
, to scout for a new site. He moved his families to Mesa in August 1883.
In November 1881, Peterson was the first in a search party to spot David Patten Kimball
David Patten Kimball
David Patten Kimball was an early Mormon leader, one of the three young men of the Sweetwater handcart rescue, and the son of Heber C. Kimball.Kimball was born on August 23, 1839, in Nauvoo, Illinois...
, the head of the church in Arizona who had become lost near Seymour in the Salt River Valley
Salt River Valley
The Salt River Valley defines an extensive valley on the Salt River in central Arizona, which contains the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.Although this geographic term still identifies the area, the name "Valley of the Sun" popularly replaced the usage starting in the early 1930s for purposes of...
.
Mormon colonies in Mexico
In 1884, David K. UdallDavid King Udall
David King Udall, Sr. was a representative to the Arizona Territorial Legislature and the founder of the Udall political family. His great-grandsons Mark and Tom currently represent the Colorado and New Mexico in the United States Senate, respectively.-Childhood years:David King Udall was born in...
and a few others were indicted in Arizona for unlawful cohabitation. As pressure mounted from the recently-passed Edmunds Act
Edmunds Act
The Edmunds Act, also known as the Edmunds Anti-Polygamy Act of 1882, is a United States federal statute, signed into law on March 23, 1882, declaring polygamy a felony. The act is named for U.S. Senator George F. Edmunds of Vermont...
, Peterson went to Mexico with Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr.
Brigham Young, Jr. served as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1899 until his death. His tenure was interrupted for one week in 1901 when Joseph F...
, and others to negotiate land purchases for Mormon settlers in Mexico
Mormon Colonies in Mexico
The Mormon colonies in Mexico are settlements located near the Sierra Madre mountains in northern Mexico which were established by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints beginning in 1885. Many of the original colonists came to Mexico due to federal attempts to curb and...
with the Mexican government and the Yaqui tribe. When Udall was convicted on perjury charges the next year (after serving three months in federal prison, he was granted a full pardon by Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
), Charles moved with his families to Mexico. They returned to Mesa two years later, where Charles died in 1889 at the age of 71.
Family
- Peterson's fourth great-grandfather, Samuel PetersonSamuel PetersonSamuel Peterson was an early settler of New Sweden and one of the founders of present-day Wilmington, Delaware.Peterson was born in the province of Värmland, Sweden. He departed Sweden on the ship Örn on February 2, 1654, and arrived in New Sweden on May 22, 1654...
, was an original settler of Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, DelawareWilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley... - Peterson's son, Hyrum Smith Peterson, was the first Mesa, ArizonaMesa, ArizonaAccording to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
, law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty when he was shot by two thieves on November 12, 1913