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Show Volume XXIX Issue X The Ogden Valley News Page 9 September 1, 2022 Biography of the Fredrick G. Froerer Family Compiled and written by Rhoda Froerer Farrell and Lillian Froerer and donated by Virginia Stallings Fredrick G. Froerer was born in Calw, Germany May 21, 1825, a son of Christian Fredrick Gfroerer and Johanna Dorthea Schill. Although christened Julius Friedrick Gfroerer, after coming to America, he used the less complicated spelling above. He was the sixth child in the large family. When Fredrick was seven years of age, he and his family emigrated to America where they settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of fourteen years, Fredrick was bound out as an apprentice to learn the plane-making trade in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was living with Joseph Stallings (Virgil B. Stalling’s father) who was also an apprentice. As noted in Stalling’s biography, Joseph was interested in religion. After attending many denominational gatherings, he heard some Mormon missionaries. Upon returning home, he discussed the new religion with Fredrick, whereupon Fredrick exclaimed, “This time, Joseph, you have found the truth.” At about this time, Fredrick recognized this as the true Gospel and with full purpose of heart, was baptized into the Latter-day Saint Church October 15, 1843 by W. G. Stewart. At eighteen years of age, Fredrick wished to gather with the saints. However, this could not be because by law he had to serve out his apprenticeship, which did not expire until he became of age. Fredrick was baptized the same day as David Sabin and his daughter Elizabeth. It is almost unbelievable that eight years later in the Great Salt Lake Valley the little ten-year-old girl would become his eighteen-year-old bride. Fredrick had hoped to come to Great Salt Lake with the saints but postponed it a few years, hoping to travel with Joseph Stallings. During this interlude while working at his trade in Saint Louis, Heber C. Kimball sent an agent to St. Louis to solicit donations to assist him and his family west. Fredrick decided to give him $75, nearly all he had, to assist in the move from Winter Quarters to Salt Lake City. Descendants of Fredrick still possess the receipt for the donation. Fredrick decided to remain in St. Louis one more year to make his “fitout” as a team, wagon, and supplies were called in those days. Unable to wait any longer for brother Stallings, he decided to come out west without him. While crossing the plains, he boarded with the David Moore family. They left the Missouri River in July and arrived in Utah about October 20, 1849. When he arrived in Utah, he stated: “I went to work on the public works and did a good deal of plane-making and tool repairing. After the machine shop started on the temple block, I worked there at pattern making and spinning wheel making most of the time until the move south.” On July 19, 1851, he married Elizabeth Sabin. They were married in the home of Heber C. Kimball by Heber C. Kimball himself. They were an unusual couple in that Fredrick was six feet, four inches tall in his stocking feet and Elizabeth barely reached five feet, two inches. It was said he would extend his arm at right angle, and she could stand under it. When the Endowment House was finished, they received their endowments. Although polygamy was common at that time, this was Fredrick’s only marriage. He found a second marriage would make Elizabeth unhappy and he gave up the idea. Elizabeth Sabin was born November 4, 1832 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a daughter of David Sabin and Elizabeth Dorwart, the oldest of eleven children. They were of sturdy German descent known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Elizabeth’s mother was baptized first into the Church in 1842. About a year later, Elizabeth and her father followed and were baptized the same day as Fredrick G. Froerer’s baptism. David supplied two wagons and Elizabeth drove one team (an ox named “Cherry” and a cow) across the plains. They arrived in Salt Lake City in October 1850. Many times, wagon trains on their way to California stopped in Salt Lake City to procure supplies. A fresh team of horses or oxen were extremely valuable and shortly after David Sabin’s arrival in Utah, the ox “Cherry” was stolen. David set out to look for it. He found it corralled with a number of other oxen. David approached the owner who said he had purchased the ox in good faith. He asked David how he could be sure it was his ox. David answered, “I would know that ox anywhere; my daughter drove it and a cow all the way across the plains.” The would-be owner told David to bring his daughter and if she could pick the same ox, he would return it. When Elizabeth arrived at the corral, she pointed to the ox and said, “That is ‘Cherry’ over there.” Upon hearing her familiar voice, “Cherry” scrambled to his feet and ambled over to Elizabeth and started licking her hand. Upon seeing this, the would-be purchaser stated, “Well, I can’t argue with that.” Elizabeth and her father returned home leading “Cherry.” Helen Vilate, a daughter, was born November 24, 1852. Twins, Mary Elizabeth and Margaret Louisa, arrived December 20, 1854. Their fourth child Fredrick, Jr. was born July 20, 1857. In February 1860, David was born. While residing in Ogden, two more children were born: Anna Maria on October 2, 1862 and Lester Herrick, April 7, 1865. The Froerers, like most of the early pioneers, had to move south when Johnston’s army came to Utah. Fredrick stayed with the militia and Elizabeth went with her family to Payson. After the trouble was settled, the family moved back, and Fredrick made shoe pegs for shoemakers. At the annual Exhibition of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, Fredrick received a first-class diploma for the best fore-plane. Sometime between 1865 and 1867 the family moved to Ogden Valley. They settled in Eden and built a log cabin on the south side of the road not far from where the North Middle and South Forks of the Ogden River join (now beneath Pineview Reservoir). Fredrick, like most early settlers, worked for some time cutting logs from what is now known as Snow Basin [later named Snowbasin] and snaked them down Wheeler Creek. Three more children were born in Eden: Richard Henry, December 2, 1867; Hyrum, April 19, 1870; and George, August 1, 1872. About this time, a new cabin was built on the north side of the road. The winter of 1877-1878 was hard and long with snow packed to a record depth. Food was becoming scarce in the entire valley and to add to the hardships, in early spring, snow slides covered the narrow canyon road and made travel impossible. The food in the Froerer household was nearly gone and Fredrick could wait no longer for the canyon to clear. He realized he must obtain food at once. The situation was serious for there was no food left in the cabin. He left on foot early in the morning and made his way through the canyon over mountainous snowslides and along the rushing torrents of the Ogden River. He finally reached the flour mill at Twelfth Street (The Old Mill) and purchased a one-hundred-pound sack of flour and started back the treacherous trail with his precious burden on his shoulder. One can only imagine the perseverance of the trip and the anxiety Elizabeth must have felt at home. George, the youngest child, (father to the authors Lillian and Rhoda) was only five years old but told years later of waiting at the cabin window for hours watching for his father to come. He also told of the joy and excitement he felt when he heard his father’s footsteps long after dark. Elizabeth immediately stirred up some biscuits and when George saw the dough, he exclaimed in despair, “Is that all you are going to make? I can eat them all myself.” His mother replied, “I think this will be enough.” It turned out to be sufficient and everyone had enough. Sleep, which was well earned, must have been sweet to Fredrick that night in his safe, warm cabin. At this time, Fredrick and Elizabeth took Maria Rasmussen, a motherless fourteen-year-old Danish girl, into their home to assist Elizabeth with the numerous household chores. When they learned that Maria’s baby sister Anna needed a home, she also found a place in the Froerer household and both girls were raised as daughters. Fredrick was ordained a seventy January 18, The Ogden Valley News is looking for Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon historical biographies, stories, and photos to use in its publication. Please mail, email, or call Shanna at 801-745-2688 or Jeannie at 801-745-2879 if you have material you are willing to share. Wednesday Night 6:00 p.m. Saturday Night 6:00 p.m. Sunday Morning 9:00 a.m. Fr. Joshua Marie Santos 801-399-5627 FrJoshuaS.Stambrose@gmail.com Saturday 5:30 p.m Sunday 8:00 a.m. or by appt. Saint Joseph Catholic Elementary, Middle School, and High School Providing a challenging, college-focused education in the proven tradition of Catholic schools, for the families of the Ogden Valley. We want to teach your children! For information on our program, financial assistance, tours, or application, please call 801-393-6051 or 801-394-1515. 1851. He served for years as a senior president of the seventy-fifth quorum of seventy. He was called from Eden on a mission to Germany and Switzerland to preach the Gospel. He was able to contact his relatives in Germany. His relatives were glad to see him at first, but all turned against him and Mormonism. His mission was shortened by a special call he received to accompany a group of German speaking saints to Utah, acting as guide and translator. At age sixty-five, Fredrick was called for his second mission to Switzerland and Germany. In his diary he tells of stopping with his sisters and brothers in Philadelphia on September 8, 1890 and finding them well. October 11, 1890 he boarded the steamer for Europe. He became very seasick during the voyage. During this mission, he was able to gather hundreds of names for temple work. A large portion of the last ten years of his life was spent doing temple work in the Logan Temple. The family still has records of the hundreds of names he and Elizabeth performed the work for. Elizabeth and Fredrick lived to see Helen Vilate marry David Wilson. The later separated and Helen raised her family in a home provided on the Froerer property. The twins, Mary Elizabeth and Margaret Louisa, both married Thomas Bingham in polygamy. This marriage was by choice as the girls did not wish to be separated. When the federal government intervened and polygamists were prosecuted, Thomas took his two wives to settle in Ashley Valley near what is now Vernal, Utah. Fredrick Froerer, Jr. suffered from rheumatic fever much of his life. He married Elizabeth Moffett, and they were called to Arizona to help colonize. His affliction disappeared while there, but his wife was so homesick and unhappy for friends and family that they returned to Ogden Valley. His rheumatic fever returned also, and he died February 17, 1894. He was at this time working on the road in Ogden Canyon. Lester Herrick (staunch worker in Eden’s history) married Maria Rasmussen, the Danish girl who was living with his parents. Fredrick and Elizabeth lived to see their youngest child George fill a mission to the eastern states. When he returned and was walking toward the house, Elizabeth ran to meet him, but collapsed before she reached him. She recovered but lived for a few weeks. She died April 3, 1900 and was buried in the Huntsville Cemetery. Fredrick and Elizabeth were not long separated for he died not quite three weeks later on April 23, 1900 and was buried beside Elizabeth. George, a faithful worker in the Eden Ward, was married to Olene Rosenkilde and she worked faithfully in our ward, also. Anna Rasmussen, the younger Danish sister, married Stewart Eccles, Jr. of Eden. Note: This biography is from the book “History of the Eden Ward, Ogden Stake Utah: 1877 – 1977,” researched and compiled by Melba and Ren Colvin. From The Past . . . Ann Stallings Draper was born December 24, 1910. She died in 1996. From the left, Howard, Beulah, Jim, Gertrude, Ann, and Maude Stallings. Photo taken in Eden about 1915. Photo courtesy of Ray Wilmot. 2668 Grant Avenue, Suite #104A, Ogden, UT 801-612-9299 |