Laura Bradfield (Christensen)

By Laura E. Christensen Bradfield Peter Christensen was born in Manti, Utah, July 29, 1968, to Peter Christian Christensen and Ane Kristine Larsen. Laura Luella Bunce was born September 8, 1870 in Parawan, Utah to Louis DeMott and Almira Bunce. When she was a young girl their family moved to Manti, Utah. There she met Peter, and they were married in 1888, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. Shortly thereafter they moved to Emery, Emery County, Utah, where they purchased land, got a house and they took up fanning. They lived there the rest of their lives. Peter was one of the first mail carriers in Emery. It took 4 days by horseback to carry mail from Price to Emery. I just wish I knew more about them and things they did, but I don't. That's what happens when you don't keep a history to pass on to your families. I do know they were always active in the Church. Peter was the 2nd person to go on a mission., May 1, 1896, to Denmark. His father was also in Denmark on a mission at that time, and they met several times while there. My Father Hyrum was also on a mission to the Northern States, at this same time. I've been told that the first thing Dad bought for Mama after his return from his mission was a Singer sewing machine--and I'm still using it! They didn't have any children of their own., so at different times they had 7 little ones in their home. They would just get so attached to them, when their parents, or other relatives would take them back, so when they got Eva, it had to be for keeps. No adoption was ever made, just a verbal agreement. I don't know how they got that big orchard, or that little 3 room house. (I wish I did) From the History of Emery, put out by Emery People in 1981, I got most of my information, Peter was the Mayor of Emery 3 different times, January 2, 1905, January 3, 1928, and again in January 1930. He also served 2" terms as County Commissioner. He went to Castle Dale at least once a month, and lots of times he would take me with him. I stayed in the hotel and slept with him. The hotel people were so good to me. When he went to Green River he would always bring water melons home for us. He was a Democrat through and through. A great politician., and so was Mama. Dad didn't have much of an education. I remember him saying he only went to school till he got sent out for being noisy, and he had to weed the teachers carrot patch. He went to 2nd grade, and never went back. But he learned to write and read. If he had to have scriptures, etc., Mama would always read to him. Mama went to school to the 8th grade. She had good penmanship. I have some of the letters and articles written by her, and the writing is wonderful. Her singing voice was so pretty. They were always Uncle Pete and Aunt Lu to everyone. He would sometimes get mail just addressed to Uncle Pete. They were so kind and giving to everyone. Dad held many positions in the church, Sunday School Superintendent 1917-1931. Mama was Primary President from 1927-1930. Mama was one of the first Visiting Teachers in the Relief Society, from January 28, 1890 till she passed away in 1935. I remember back when they spent the whole day--had many people to visit, either with a horse and buggy, or on foot. They always had dinner at the home of some of their members. She could usually tell me, (when I was in grade school) about where she would be when school let out, then I could go there, and come home with her. She was so wonderful. I remember one day she came home from teaching and dad was sick. She said, "I'm never going to leave you alone again." That was in 1935--she died shortly after that. Mom had beautiful white hair, with a bun on top, and pretty blue eyes. She often told the Primary children if they were noisy, her eyes would turn green-well, they never did. They were both good speakers, and called on to talk in many funerals. I remember dad speaking. He would walk from one side of the pulpit to the other, his face would be beet red. And he would yell and pound that pulpit with his fist. The people must have liked it, because he was called on so often. They always had a good garden and shared their vegetables with others, always had pigs, some cattle and milk cows, a good team of horses and a wonderful riding horse. Dad never owned a car. When it got so he had to go with crutches, people were always good to come and get him for church or other meetings. His last term as Mayor, the meetings were held in our home. I remember one day Dad saying to me that "I was the best 'little' girl they had." I felt so proud. One day I'd had trouble with someone--"no one liked rue". Well, he held me on his lap, gave me a big kiss, and a nickel. I tried that a while later, but it didn't work. I also remember one day Mama asked me to go out to the pit and get some carrots, and I said, "No", but I didn't mean it, I was on my way to get them. I had to pass in front of dad, he reached out and grabbed me and turned me over his knee and gave me one big spank, and said, "Don't you ever let me hear you say no to your mother again." I learned my lesson. I never remember hearing my parents argue. If they did, they did it when they were alone. When dad was 50, the town had a big party for him, held in our orchard. They gave him a beautiful, brown, rocking chair, with a leather seat. I still have it in our home. Then, you got old at an early age. I only remember of 2 couples who lived to celebrate their golden wedding. Now, most everyone does. They never had much of the worldly things in life, just a small home, no car, but their was lots of love between them, that they shared with others. I remember mama always making soap, which we used for dishes, washing clothes, and etc. It was made in a #3 tub, out of pig fat and (cracklings) pork rinds, old rancid grease and lye, and water, which was boiled for hours. Then it was left to cool, then cut in bars and left in the sun to dry=ready to be used for most everything. Glad we don't have to do that now. For years we didn't have any water in the house. In the summer, we would dip it out of an irrigation ditch that went by our place, and in the winter, dad had a homemade sleigh with runners close to the ground. He had a big barrel and he would haul water from the canal to our home for use. Lots of times we would melt snow, and that was used for everything. One of the saddest days of my life was the morning of February 15, 1935, when mama left us. She was sitting at the end of the table in that big black rocking chair, which I have. Then on January 29, 1937, dad left me. I was so alone. They didn't have morticians or a mortuary then. They would bring in 2 saw horses and planks, covered with a sheet, and lay the dead person on it, where they would be washed and if it had been a temple marriage, garments were put on them. Now that was called "laying out", always in their own home. If it was winter, fruit jars were filled with ice and were laid by the body to keep it cold. (If it was summer, they would try to bury them soon after death). Clothes wet in water that had salt peter or formaldehyde added, were put on their face and hands, to keep them from turning dark. People would come at night and sit up with the dead. It was their job to take care of the body, by changing the clothes, and ice bottles. As this was done in our small home, we had to go to the neighbors to sleep. There was a committee that made burial clothes, and the morning of the funeral, the body was dressed for burial, and placed in a casket made by Frank Petty. The casket was hauled to the church and cemetery in a pick up truck. Good friends and neighbors would haul the mourners and you'd stand by the grave and hear the clunk, cluck of dirt as it hit the casket. These are some of the things I wanted in this history. Aren't we glad some things have changed? Mama left February 15, 1935, and dad, January 29, 1937. Dad said the night before he left, "It will lack 19 days of being 2 years. " We go to Emery every year for Memorial Day and put flowers on their graves. I just wonder how long I can do that. But the town is so changed, and I hardly know anyone there. We also go to Mayfield each year and place flowers on my Father and Mother's graves. No one in the world could ever have a better Mom and Dad!

By Laura E. Christensen Bradfield Peter Christensen was born in Manti, Utah, July 29, 1968, to Peter Christian Christensen and Ane Kristine Larsen. Laura Luella Bunce was born September 8, 1870 in Parawan, Utah to Louis DeMott and Almira Bunce. When she was a young girl their family moved to Manti, Utah. There she met Peter, and they were married in 1888, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. Shortly thereafter they moved to Emery, Emery County, Utah, where they purchased land, got a house and they took up fanning. They lived there the rest of their lives. Peter was one of the first mail carriers in Emery. It took 4 days by horseback to carry mail from Price to Emery. I just wish I knew more about them and things they did, but I don't. That's what happens when you don't keep a history to pass on to your families. I do know they were always active in the Church. Peter was the 2nd person to go on a mission., May 1, 1896, to Denmark. His father was also in Denmark on a mission at that time, and they met several times while there. My Father Hyrum was also on a mission to the Northern States, at this same time. I've been told that the first thing Dad bought for Mama after his return from his mission was a Singer sewing machine--and I'm still using it! They didn't have any children of their own., so at different times they had 7 little ones in their home. They would just get so attached to them, when their parents, or other relatives would take them back, so when they got Eva, it had to be for keeps. No adoption was ever made, just a verbal agreement. I don't know how they got that big orchard, or that little 3 room house. (I wish I did) From the History of Emery, put out by Emery People in 1981, I got most of my information, Peter was the Mayor of Emery 3 different times, January 2, 1905, January 3, 1928, and again in January 1930. He also served 2" terms as County Commissioner. He went to Castle Dale at least once a month, and lots of times he would take me with him. I stayed in the hotel and slept with him. The hotel people were so good to me. When he went to Green River he would always bring water melons home for us. He was a Democrat through and through. A great politician., and so was Mama. Dad didn't have much of an education. I remember him saying he only went to school till he got sent out for being noisy, and he had to weed the teachers carrot patch. He went to 2nd grade, and never went back. But he learned to write and read. If he had to have scriptures, etc., Mama would always read to him. Mama went to school to the 8th grade. She had good penmanship. I have some of the letters and articles written by her, and the writing is wonderful. Her singing voice was so pretty. They were always Uncle Pete and Aunt Lu to everyone. He would sometimes get mail just addressed to Uncle Pete. They were so kind and giving to everyone. Dad held many positions in the church, Sunday School Superintendent 1917-1931. Mama was Primary President from 1927-1930. Mama was one of the first Visiting Teachers in the Relief Society, from January 28, 1890 till she passed away in 1935. I remember back when they spent the whole day--had many people to visit, either with a horse and buggy, or on foot. They always had dinner at the home of some of their members. She could usually tell me, (when I was in grade school) about where she would be when school let out, then I could go there, and come home with her. She was so wonderful. I remember one day she came home from teaching and dad was sick. She said, "I'm never going to leave you alone again." That was in 1935--she died shortly after that. Mom had beautiful white hair, with a bun on top, and pretty blue eyes. She often told the Primary children if they were noisy, her eyes would turn green-well, they never did. They were both good speakers, and called on to talk in many funerals. I remember dad speaking. He would walk from one side of the pulpit to the other, his face would be beet red. And he would yell and pound that pulpit with his fist. The people must have liked it, because he was called on so often. They always had a good garden and shared their vegetables with others, always had pigs, some cattle and milk cows, a good team of horses and a wonderful riding horse. Dad never owned a car. When it got so he had to go with crutches, people were always good to come and get him for church or other meetings. His last term as Mayor, the meetings were held in our home. I remember one day Dad saying to me that "I was the best 'little' girl they had." I felt so proud. One day I'd had trouble with someone--"no one liked rue". Well, he held me on his lap, gave me a big kiss, and a nickel. I tried that a while later, but it didn't work. I also remember one day Mama asked me to go out to the pit and get some carrots, and I said, "No", but I didn't mean it, I was on my way to get them. I had to pass in front of dad, he reached out and grabbed me and turned me over his knee and gave me one big spank, and said, "Don't you ever let me hear you say no to your mother again." I learned my lesson. I never remember hearing my parents argue. If they did, they did it when they were alone. When dad was 50, the town had a big party for him, held in our orchard. They gave him a beautiful, brown, rocking chair, with a leather seat. I still have it in our home. Then, you got old at an early age. I only remember of 2 couples who lived to celebrate their golden wedding. Now, most everyone does. They never had much of the worldly things in life, just a small home, no car, but their was lots of love between them, that they shared with others. I remember mama always making soap, which we used for dishes, washing clothes, and etc. It was made in a #3 tub, out of pig fat and (cracklings) pork rinds, old rancid grease and lye, and water, which was boiled for hours. Then it was left to cool, then cut in bars and left in the sun to dry=ready to be used for most everything. Glad we don't have to do that now. For years we didn't have any water in the house. In the summer, we would dip it out of an irrigation ditch that went by our place, and in the winter, dad had a homemade sleigh with runners close to the ground. He had a big barrel and he would haul water from the canal to our home for use. Lots of times we would melt snow, and that was used for everything. One of the saddest days of my life was the morning of February 15, 1935, when mama left us. She was sitting at the end of the table in that big black rocking chair, which I have. Then on January 29, 1937, dad left me. I was so alone. They didn't have morticians or a mortuary then. They would bring in 2 saw horses and planks, covered with a sheet, and lay the dead person on it, where they would be washed and if it had been a temple marriage, garments were put on them. Now that was called "laying out", always in their own home. If it was winter, fruit jars were filled with ice and were laid by the body to keep it cold. (If it was summer, they would try to bury them soon after death). Clothes wet in water that had salt peter or formaldehyde added, were put on their face and hands, to keep them from turning dark. People would come at night and sit up with the dead. It was their job to take care of the body, by changing the clothes, and ice bottles. As this was done in our small home, we had to go to the neighbors to sleep. There was a committee that made burial clothes, and the morning of the funeral, the body was dressed for burial, and placed in a casket made by Frank Petty. The casket was hauled to the church and cemetery in a pick up truck. Good friends and neighbors would haul the mourners and you'd stand by the grave and hear the clunk, cluck of dirt as it hit the casket. These are some of the things I wanted in this history. Aren't we glad some things have changed? Mama left February 15, 1935, and dad, January 29, 1937. Dad said the night before he left, "It will lack 19 days of being 2 years. " We go to Emery every year for Memorial Day and put flowers on their graves. I just wonder how long I can do that. But the town is so changed, and I hardly know anyone there. We also go to Mayfield each year and place flowers on my Father and Mother's graves. No one in the world could ever have a better Mom and Dad!