Danielson Cabin

Nightly Rates: $99 May thru Aug. $84 Sep. - Dec.        & Mar. - April $69 Jan. thru Feb. Sleeps 6 (2 bunk beds: 1 consists of a Queen on the bottom and a twin on top and the other consists of a double on the bottom and a twin on top)  Amenities: Microwave Small Refrigerator Shower, Towels, and Soap Air/Heat Satellite TV Free Wireless Internet Coin operated laundry

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The Danielson is a cozy cabin that has room for six. It is arranged with two log bunk beds; one at each end of the cabin. One bunk bed consists of a queen on the bottom and twin on top and the other bunk bed consists of a double on the bottom and twin on top. The bathroom features a walk-in shower. There is also a microwave and small refrigerator for modern convienence.

 

He married Christina Sophia Johnson November 11, 1873. Sophia was born July 26, 1852, in Ludvika, Sweden. She was the oldest of five children of Israel Johnson and Wilhelmina Matts. Wilhelmina Matts was related to the royal family of Sweden; her grandmother, according to family records, was a cousin and lady-in-waiting to the queen.

Christina Sophia Danielson relates the story of their conversion to the L.D.S. Church. She said she often had a dream where two men came to her door and handed her a book. In Sweden, there is a Christmas legend that on Christmas Eve, the Christ Child walks the earth in different forms to see if the people are living up to his commandment to love one another. So, on this night no traveler or stranger is turned from a home. A lighted candle is kept in the window to guide travelers to the house. On this particular Christmas Eve, two Mormon missionaries were traveling through the dense forest which grew in that part of the country. They were tired, hungry, and miles from the village. They kneeled in the woods and prayed. Upon arising, they saw the gleam of the candle in Sophia's window. When they arrived at the door, she instantly said, "You are the men I have seen in my dream. Where is the book?" They presented her with the Book of Mormon and she and her husband, Charles, were converted to the new faith.

Then came years of persecution and hardship. The Mormons were bitterly hated. Charles went to America to build a home and raise money to send for his family. Sophia stayed in Sweden for about two years. Charles came to America in July 1887. After he had left Sweden, one of their children died. The hatred ran so high against the new religion that burial in the village cemetery was denied. Sophia dug the grave herself in her own yard and buried her child. Shopkeepers refused to sell her food and she endured many other persecutions. Her home became a refuge for missionaries. On one occasion, she hid a missionary in her attic for three days under a pile of old bedding.

The following children were born to Charles and Sophia in Sweden: Selma, born April 18, 1875; Ann Barnadina, born April 10, 1879; Charles Gustav, Jr. born July 13, 1881; Maria, born October 11, 1883; and Mary Wilhelmina, born September 12, 1887.

Charlie and Sophia lost two children. Selma the oldest, died in 1880. In 1887, Maria, only four years old, fell into a tub of boiling water and was burned seriously, causing her death. Sometime before the death of Maria, Charlie and Sophia had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The services for Maria were conducted by the Mormon missionaries. Mary was born soon after Maria died and was named after her. Before Mary was born, Charlie took his eldest son, six year old Charlie, and went to America. His brother, John, came with him. They went to work in the coal mines at Almy, Wyoming, where they were reunited with Charlie's friends, the Halsteads. They had persuaded Charlie to come to America and join the Swedish converts of the L.D.S. Church there.

Charlie worked in the Almy coal mines. He also secured a job helping build the State Mental Hospital. He was an expert bricklayer and builder. His only purchase was a loaf of bread each day. He would sit by a stream of cold water and eat his bread. In this way he saved enough money to send for his family. He worked at the saw mill on the river drive, owned by Jesse Atkinson, and at the brickyard owned by James Mills, Sr.

Sophia came to America December 14, 1888. She left Sweden with little Annie and her tiny baby, Mary. She could not speak any English and had little knowledge of money.

The Danielson family moved from Almy to Elvanston. Charlie built a home for his family on Main Street and was soon in demand building homes for other people. Later, Charlie took up a three-hundred-twenty acre homestead on the upper Bear River. He was the first man to grow dry farm crops. He would walk three miles to a neighboring farm to work for a dollar a day to support his family. He would then grub his own land free of sage brush by the light of the lantern. He loved beautiful surroundings and packed trees for five miles to transplant around his house. In later years, he made a great joke out of it telling his grandchildren that he had packed all the giant cottonwoods on his back. His first team consisted of a mule and a horse. He managed to buy a cow which had her tail frozen off when she was a calf. Her name was Daisy. He always said the Lord was very good to him because each year Daisy produced twin heifer calves, building one of the finest herds of cattle on Bear River.

Twin boys were born to them on July 7, 1889. Sophia cut up her only apron for diapers for the additional baby. Despite the hard work, she praised the Lord, saying, "He blessed me with twin boys, and they shall be named after the Prophet Joseph and his brother, Hyrum." Two years later, Halmer was born February 12, 1892.

Charlie worked hard building a home and working his own place. He also worked for Robert Lewis at the Crown Ranch (now owned by Spencers). Charlie walked five miles morning and night to get to work and back home. Charlie Danielson is given the credit for being the first person to grow a garden at this high altitude. How exciting it was the first day of the sage chicken season to have new potatoes and green peas from Grandpa's garden to go with fried sage chicken. Charlie carried small cottonwood trees on his back from the river bank a mile away to plant as a windbreak on the north side of his home. Many of them still stand as a landmark of his homestead.

Charlie was very jovial and quite happy. His grandchildren remember how he sang to them and played his accordion. All of the family were musically talented. He and his sons, Hyrum and Halmer, were in great demand to play at dances. Halmer played the banjo and Hyrum chorded on the guitar. Joe could play the violin, but he didn't join their group at the dances.

Sophia was serious and severe with her children. She was good to her neighbors and spent many hours going to the homes of the sick and bereaved. She attended every funeral in the area. Her children were taught how to work and were able to complete the chores at home while their mother was helping to attend the needs of the bereaved or the ill. Mary said she would often come home from school to find the bread running out of the bread pan onto the stove. The children knew how to take care of the bread dough and bake the bread to their mother's satisfaction.

When the children were quite young, their uncle, John Danielson, died at their home. Charlie and Sophia traveled twenty miles to Evanston to make the funeral arrangements. They traveled with a team of horses and a buggy both ways. It took almost all day. This was a frightful experience for the children.

As they grew older, Grandma Danielson grew very irritable with Grandpa Danielson. She was always scolding him about something. She wanted to have a home in Ogden, so he bought a home and moved her there. Grandma was dissatisfied because when she was living in Ogden, she didn't know what was going on at the ranch. Back she would come to check things over. It wasn't long before she was back home to stay.

Grandpa built a small log cabin about a half mile away to the south of Grandma's house. Later he built a parlor and porch onto his house. He had a cement walk across the end of his house. In the back was a cellar to store his potatoes and vegetables for the winter. Every evening he would go home at milking time to get his milk and eggs. He was quite comfortable in his little two room cabin. He was always fixing something to improve the property. He built a chicken coop and bought some chickens. He built a barn with a corral around it for his well-loved horse, Blutch, so called because of his blue gray color. He also built a garage and bought a Model T Ford.

On his acre of ground he planted a big garden. There was a row of red currant bushes and a potato patch. The rest of the land was planted with alfalfa and hay to feed his horse in the winter. He often raced with his grandchildren on his old horse and also rode his old horse to the river to fish.

Children especially loved to visit their Grandpa Danielson. He always had a sack of white peppermint candies to give them a treat and often homemade rootbeer. The cuckoo clock was a fascination and he always helped it cuckoo for visitors. He often played his accordion and sang songs, sometimes in Swedish.

Both Charlie and Sophia could read and write. Sophia always read a Swedish newspaper, but Charlie could read both Swedish and English. Often one could find Charlie reading Robinson Crusoe or some other classic.

Charlie and Sophia attended a General Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Charlie was wearing a new pair of shoes Sophia insisted he wear. The new shoes hurt his feet, so after the meeting he proceeded to sit down on the sidewalk in front of Zion's Bank to remove his shoes and stockings. He bathed his feet in the water running down the gutter. He had bought some wieners heavily spiced with garlic. He proceeded to eat them, much to Sophia's horror. He only laughed when she said, "What would President Grant think of you?" He replied, "President Grant would enjoy it, too, if his feet hurt like mine do." Chance had it that President Grant came along at that moment, heard the remark, and stopped to eat a wiener with Charlie.

Sophia Danielson was intensely religious and was an instigator of temple and genealogy work. She was a very conscientious tithe payer and appreciated deeply any kindness shown to her. Sophia died on June 24, 1938, in Evanston, Wyoming. Charles was a lovable man. As an older man, Charles Danielson still worked in his fields, going at 4 a.m. in the morning. He said, "When I quit work, I'll die." He worked until three days before his death. He died May 29, 1938, in Evanston.

Hyrum and Joseph Danielson (Twins):

Hyrum and Joseph were born July 7, 1889. They grew up on the ranch. Joe had dark hair, and Hy had blonde. They did not look alike.

Joe spent all of his life on the ranch. November 4, 1914, Joe married Cora Ann Foxley. Cora's home's had been in Kaysville and then in Farmington. For a number of years, Joe and Cora lived in a small home just in back of Grandma Danielson's. Later they built a new home on the John Danielson place. Joe was always kind and had a sweet disposition. The following children were born to Joe and Cora: Mary Florance, born February 14, 1916; William Joseph, born December 18, 1920; Marvin LeRoy, born April 12, 1923; Alice Zetta, born July 12, 1926; and Newell LaVerl, born March 25, 1930.

Joseph Danielson passed away August 1, 1981, at 92 years old.

Hyrum was a good-looking, blonde fellow. When he was young (1913), Hy went on a mission to Sweden. He spoke Swedish fluently and also learned to speak German. When World War I broke out, Hy went into the army. He served overseas in France.

Mary Danielson Lewis:

Mary was born in Sweden September 12, 1887. She was brought to America when she was only three months old by her mother and her older sister, Annie.

November 1, 1904, Mary Danielson married Frederick R. Lewis, who was born August 26, 1882, in Wales. It was a grand occasion. The stake patriarch of the Mormon Church came to marry them at the ranch. His name was Patriarch Burton. He traveled by horse and buggy from Star Valley.

Mary was a beautiful bride in a lovely wedding gown made especially for the occasion. She was very pretty and very petite with dark curly hair and blue eyes. Her bridesmaid was her dear friend, Mary Lowham McGraw.

Mary's first year of married life was spent in Evanston. Fred was a barber and had his own barber shop in the Palace Hotel.

Their first son, Bob, was born in Evanston October 30, 1905. The next year, the young couple returned to the upper Bear River. Mary's father, Charlie Danielson, gave them an acre of ground and built this two-room cabin for them. About a year after this, Mary and Frank took care of Robert Lewis' children who lived at the Crown Ranch. Robert Lewis also operated a store at Hilliard.

George was born in this little cabin April 26, 1908, He was delivered by a midwife named Mrs. Clark. Without a doctor, there was no record of his birth when he needed a birth certificate many years later. The family had to write a petition and have it signed by neighbors who knew him as a child and also knew the family.

Alfred was born February 12, 1912, in this little cabin. He also was born without a doctor, but Grandma Clark was standing by.

Gladys was born November 18, 1914, and June was born March 19, 1917

Bob went to Evanston to go to high school and stayed with Aunt Annie Snow. He became very ill with the flu. The following year George and Alfred both became ill with the flu. This was during the terrible flu epidemic that took so many lives. Mary did not know which child would die first. Alfred had a very high temperature, while George's temperature was sub-normal. Dr. Thompson was called from Evanston, and a nurse, Gussie Snow, came to watch the boys, taking turns with Mary so they could be cared for day and night. George recovered, but Alfred died May 17, 1920.

Mary always worked hard. She did many things which would bring in a few dollars to help out when extra money was needed. She crocheted all sorts of things, which she sold. She took special orders to crochet luncheon sets, tablecloths, dust caps, sheets, and pillowcases. She baked bread, cakes, cookies, and made candy to sell. When her girls were going to school, she started to sew for their friends. Sewing soon became a business. Mary sewed into the late hours of the night. She sewed for practically nothing.

Mary's aim in life was to serve others. One of her children was continuously carrying food to someone who was sick or in need. Mary often spent the night sitting with someone who was sick and sometimes made the burial clothes for someone who had died. She was always willing to sacrifice for someone in need.

Mary had many talents. She had a lovely singing voice and loved to go to choir. Mary could play the guitar and mandolin and often played the harmonica for her children. She could pick out the music for all the hymns on the piano. Mary had only eight piano lessons in her life, and she walked to Lizzie Goodman's for those. Mary taught the religion class for many years and loved it. She had numerous friends and belonged to the Bridge club. Her life was one of hard work and hardship. She was always cheerful and her home was filled with friends dropping in, staying for dinner or all night.

Fredrick R. Lewis:

Fred worked for Dr. Holland, Mayor of Elvanston, as Chief of Police, and, later, as Street Commissioner. This was a Republican administration. When the Democratic Party took over, Fred quit his job and refused to work for the Democrats. Mary was upset and went to work herself at the laundry where she pressed clothes, mended, and did the alterations. It was hard work and she worked six days a week. Mary never had a day off or was given a vacation. After she had been operated on for cancer, she returned to work at the laundry. She literally died on her feet.

Halmer Danielson:

Halmer Danielson was born February 21, 1892. Halmer was the youngest in the family. He was almost like a brother to Bob and George Lewis. He was 13 years older than Bob and almost 16 years older than George.

Halmer always loved homemade ice cream. Whenever he had visitors, he got out the ice cream freezer, got a block of ice from the ice house and stirred up some ice cream. He also loved to have someone come and cook his supper. He especially enjoyed fruit salad.

After Grandma Danielson died, June Lewis, Halmer's niece, lived one year at the Danielson's. She taught school at the Plainview School. Halmer always took June and her sister, Gladys, to the dances and parties. They rode in the hay rack hitched to a team of horses. Halmer was always a lot of fun.

When Marvin Danielson married, he moved into the old Danielson home. The little cabin owned by Fred and Mary Lewis was moved to the site where Hyrum's home had been. This little log cabin was remodeled and became Halmer's home.

Halmer died September 12, 1968, at the age of 77.

Gladys Hutchinson, Fred and Mary's daughter, who is 89 years old, lived in the cabin.