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Show Volume IX Issue IV THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 9 December 1, 2003 Catherine Abalona Thurston Nielsen—“Kate Nielsen” Compiled and written by her son, L. Peter Nielsen, April 1, 1950 Mother was born March 12, 1870 at Huntsville, Utah in a one-room log house with a dirt roof, one small window, and one door. This log house was located about where the ditch bank is now, and half way between Uncle Frank Thurston’s home and Ether Allen’s place. She was the fourth of a family of 15 children to be born to James Thurston and Regetta Marie Nielsen. Mother was the oldest girl in the family, and with many children to be born after her, she naturally was a big help to her mother in the care and raising of the children. Mother’s education was very limited because of her work at home, reaching the third grade. Her mother taught her how to work. Early in life was instilled within her heart a desire to become a mother like her mother, and have a large family of children of her own. Mother started working out at housework and tending children when 11 years of age for Tura Mortensen. At 15 years of age, she went to Hilliard Flats in Wyoming and worked for Gus Heder. She worked there and at Evanston, Wyoming a good portion of the next three years, except a few months she helped her mother at home when her baby brother Frank Ernest was born. In September 1988 she became manager of the Salmon Laundry in Ogden. On December 20, 1888 mother married my dad, Lars Peter Nielsen. They were married by Angus McKay, justice of the peace. They made their home in Huntsville. On December 16, 1897 mother, dad, and three children—Lona, Clara, and Regetta—journeyed to the Salt Lake Temple where they received their endowments, were sealed as husband and wife, and the three small girls were sealed to them for time and all eternity. In the next several years, mother nearly lost her life because of premature births. The efforts of Dr. Rich and dad’s sister, Sarah, along with the power of the priesthood, were very helpful. From mother’s own record I quote the following: “They, together with the prayers that were offered up in my behalf, saved my life.” “I had three such times, but every time the Lord had mercy upon me, and spared me for my children.” Mother and dad raised nine children; 8 girls, and 1 boy. As of January 1950, there are 40 grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren. In June 1914, mother states from her record the following incident: “I had attended our Relief Society Conference in Ogden City with other sisters of our Ward. On returning home, one of our sisters received promptings of the Spirit for us not to go home, but to turn and go back to Ogden. She heeded the promptings, we other tow did not. We came on and was overtaken in Ogden Canyon by Mayor L. M. Nelson in his automobile. He took us off the wagon and hay rack into his car very kindly, and was bringing us home. We had just reached the edge of town when in some way the car turned over, pinning us under the car. We were all knocked unconscious. I being the first to recover, I tried to move, but could not. I uttered a prayer in my mind for help. The Lord gave me strength and I managed to free myself and crawled from under the car. I staggered to my feet and pulled Sister Lofgreen and Mr. Nelson from under the car. Mr. Nelson lived to reach home, but died soon after. Sister Lofgreen has not yet fully recovered from her injuries. Mr. John Jorgensen and Daniel Felt, Mr. Nelson’s son-in-law, only received a few bruises. Thus, again, the Lord has been kind to me, and I acknowledged his hand in that merciful escape from death and thank Him for it.” For 20 years, mother suffered from the injuries she received. On August 13, 1915, mother was given a blessing, and set apart as the town nurse for the sick by patriarch David McKay. The blessing and setting apart as the town nurse was one of the greatest factors of mother’s life. She believed firmly in Mormonism, and her faith was in the leaders of the Church and when she was set apart as town nurse, it was as if the Lord himself had called her to the work. She went into this work with added vigor and spirit. A number of years before 1915, dad and several of the older girls in the family were stricken with typhoid fever and dad became so weak and thin that mother could carry him as easy as a child. From this time on, mother increased her knowledge and service to others as a practical nurse. As mentioned, from 1915 when she was blessed as town nurse, a big portion of her time was spent in the service of others. Only mother and the Lord knew the full extent and scope of her work. She didn’t think there was a home in Huntsville and Middleton she hadn’t been in at a time of sickness, as sell as many in Eden and Liberty. A great part of her service as a midwife. When asked how many babies she attended at birth, she stated she could not even guess close, but over 2150 of these were delivered without the aid of a doctor when he arrived too late. Many was the race that was run with the stork with mother as the participant. Many too, was the time there was a short call, a hurried putting on of clothes, perhaps too a hasty harnessing of a horse or team, and mother, dad, and wagon or buggy was off on another race with the stork. Mother didn’t like to ride very fast, but I recall driving our car and her telling me to go faster several times while hurrying down Ogden Canyon and on to Roy so mother could attend my sister Fern at the birth of a child. We went up to 75 miles per hour and still mother wasn’t nervous, and urged me to go faster. She knew her business and the people she attended. She knew time was important and that either a new life could begin or that one or two possibly more could be lost. To my limited knowledge, I don’t know of mother starting on a confinement case without seeking the Lord’s aid and the Lord’s will through prayer. The latest developments and new things in childbirth weren’t available to mother, but she learned and gathered what she could from the many doctors she assisted. Her pay was small, very small. She didn’t ask for a large fee, which was usually governed by the family’s circumstances. At first, she only charged $3.00 for delivery and attending a mother and baby for ten days. Prices finally increased to $10.00 for delivery and daily care. Also, $10.00 if she stayed at the home and helped with housework for the ten days. If mother did charge that amount, she usually cut it down as much as half the amount, leaving a couple of dollars for diapers and baby clothes. Even then, lots of times, she had to wait for her money. Mother was always too easy and too considerate of the other person. Mother was very handy, and always busy with her hands. Very seldom ever in her later came to help and visit. Yes, possibly some good Danish soup or other food that could easily be prepared was for the noon day meal. Mother was a good cook. Nearly everyone who called had to eat something before they left. Mother wasn’t very pleased with anyone who wouldn’t eat when she asked, and she expected them to eat heartily. Many were the birthday parties for either Mom or Dad, where never less Historical Photo Issac Grow, center, was the teacher of this graduating class prior to 1920. The students who surround him are unknown. If you recognize any of them, please contact Shanna Francis at 745-2688 or Jeannie Wendell at 745-2879. Photo courtesy of Stanley F. Wangsgaard, Ogden Valley Historian. years did she sit down and just rest. She was always making something with her hands quilts, fancy work, knitting, carding wool, making or mending clothes. She used to wash and clean wool, card it, then spin the wool into yarn, sometimes dye it and finally knit long stocking, sweaters, or other knitted goods. She never threw away any wearing apparel or cloth that was of any value. Someone could use it and someone usually did. She demonstrated the art of carding, spinning, and knitting at both the Weber County High School and at the Huntsville school. She never forgot the poor or needy, and did what she could to see that the need, especially children, had what she could spare to keep them clothed and warm. All grandchildren received a quilt from grandmother, made by herself. The last year or so that she lived, she made each of us children another quilt. I received mine just three months before she died. Many hundreds are the quilts that were made in the large kitchen at home, with good friends and neighbors who than 50, or more than 80, were served. Not merely a snack or light lunch, but a large family style meal. In cooking, mother knew just how large a “pinch” of this was, or a handful of that, yet she produced some wonderful results. Soup with Danish dumplings, sweet soup, aebleskiver, sour cream hot cakes, frikadeller, any kind or cut of meat, especially rolly polts, rope sausage, finker, head cheese, the kind you don’t buy in shops, canned fruits and vegetables, pickles and relishes, mince pie, cakes, cookies and cinnamon rolls, even a good cup of Danish coffee and numerous other Danish dishes. Mother was in the Relief Society Presidency for seven years, and served on the Old Folks Committee under two chairmen over a period of several years. In paying tribute to my mother, I’ve just touched the high spots of the life of a person with such a noble character who led such a full, useful life always with the help of our Father in Heaven. 801-745-4000 2555 WOLF CREEK DR. 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