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- I, Alice Marie Benson Jacobsen, was born 21 February 1870 at Clarkston, Utah.
My parents were Kersten Ericksen and Jense Peter Benson. They moved from Lehi to Cache Valley in 1867. Winters were very severe. It was hard to make a living until the land was cultivated. Our home consisted of one log room with a dirt roof. Father's carpenter shop at one end of the room, one window, one door, rough floor, low hearth stove, pieces of logs for seats, a clothing box was our table and candles were our lights also the fire place glare.
When I was three months old, one morning a big Indian came to our home, snatched me away from my sister, Christena. Mother was not at home and my sister was terrified, but powerless against his strength.
My sister, Martha, came into the room just as he had taken me and she made a quick grab and took me from him. This same Indian came with others a few times and tried to steal me.
When my Mother left home, she would always take me to a neighbor, Mrs. Sarah Butters, whose baby was the same age. My dear Mother went out gleaning. Not a head of grain was wasted in those days. As a child, I would think this is a strange world. Nothing nice to see, to wear or to eat. The bread was made from whole wheat flour. No fruit, except dried apples, and for a treat we had beet syrup, which I didn't like. On Saturdays, we would have to go to bed early so our clothes could be washed for Sunday.
The first funeral I attended was that of Martin Harris, one of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Father made the casket.
I stood, leaning against Mother, she was holding the baby. That occasion had a great impression on my life, although only five years of age, to hear the speakers talk of the wonderfull man and the Book of Mormon.
In 1876, we moved to Newton, five miles south of Clarkston. The houses there were all log ones. Soon things commenced to improve.
As time moved on, mother taught me to knit my own stockings, which pleased me, as I was only seven years old. From then on I helped with the family knitting. We made fancy stockings, fancy designs and stripes.
I helped do the wool washing and carding. Also the spinning. So much to do when there is a large family. So much sewing to do. We made most all the clothing, underwear, overalls, jumpers, even hats.
Father bought a sewing machine, one of the first in town. That was a big help. We knitted mittons and gloves for my brothers, also mufflers. The yarn was dyed and we made blankets and cloth, even some nice colors. Mother would color yarn beautifully with different kinds of bark and leaves. We made our own dresses, even nice collars on them.
I helped do the milking and butter making, which was so much hard work. We would strain the milk in shallow pans, then skim off the cream to churn. There were no milk separators at that time. We would milk from 7 to 9 cows. My brothers were busy in the fields and canyons getting out wood, and I had to help with the chores. With school and work, there was not much time to play. We were all happy though. Sunday would be a day we loved to get together at Sunday School and meeting.
When I was 18 years old, I had inflammatory Rheumatism for three months and was very sick. I had to learn to walk all over again.
12 September 1888, I was married to Niels Jacobsen in the Logan Temple. We built a cozy little home, had it furnished real good. Partly with homemade carpet, rugs and furniture. My husband, being a carpenter, had a shop doing carpenter work for a living. As time went on, a family came. Our first one, daughter, died. Then another daughter, and two sons. The last one weighed only three pounds and we kept him in a shoe box wrapped in cotton.
My husband received a call to a foreign mission field. He said "What shall I do?" as he was preparing to build an addition onto our house and had the material. He asked the Bishop what to do. He said to put it up or the material would go to waste. So he worked hard at odd times to get it done. Didn't know how we would get along financially at home. I said, "go, we would get along someway." My health, not being very good, worried him. The Bishop had promised money to his destination, flour and coal and other help for us. When the time came to leave, 12 October 1899, the Bishop came with $50.00.
That was all he could get. Only half enough. Friends came and gave him some. In all, he had just enough to get to Copenhagen, Denmark, his native land, then he borrowed from the Mission President. I sold my cow and sent the money over to him.
On 20 March 1900, another son was born to me. It took two weeks for his Father to know how things were. We managed to get along someway.
Friends and family would come to our aid just in time. The Bishop failed to do anything for us. My health was broken. Two years was along time, but I never let on how things were. It was always rosy and lovely at home. When the two years wer almost up, I told him how things were now that winter was soon coming.
He talked to the President of the Mission, they honorably released him to take charge of a company of emigrants coming to Utah. Now we were happy to know the mission was a success and over. He went to work to take care of his family.
In 1903, my husband was called on a home mission. It was for six months. Every Sunday, he would go, rain or shine. It was for me to see that the children went to Sunday School and to care for them.
In 1904, our Daughter, Ida, had thyphoid fever and was very sick for a long time. Then in 1905, our oldest son, Orvil, was very sick with spotted fever. I thought, "why should they be sick like that now that their Father had done his duty?" In 1907, all six children had scarlet fever, some real bad. My sister, Christena, stayed with me at nights and on her arriving home, would change her clothes in a spare room and air them to keep from exposing her own children. Just as they were getting over that, the mumps came to all. Then, they had chicken pox. My baby was eleven months old.
My oldest daughter, Ida, was married 13 october 1911 and died 9 March 1915 leaving her husband and daughter Ruby. I cared for them until we moved to Logan in October 1917. They wouldn't let me keep Ruby and I was broken hearted over it.
When the war came, Orvil was called to go (August 1918). He was away about 7 months. He did not go overseas. He was stationed at Camp Lewis Washington. He came home after the Armistice was signed. He soon had the flu then rheumatism for a long time. It was very bad.
I waited on him until I came down myself. We had to keep a nurse.
It kept my husband working hard to meet expenses.
In 1922, I was taken very sick and the doctor said it was a miracle I recovered, as no earthly power could do it. My husband had faith and pleaded with the Lord to let me live if possible, to be a blessing to my family. When he had the assurance of my living, he and my son, Everend, went to San Francisco to work, knowing I would get well. In 1924, my son, Leland, and daughter, Florence, and I went to San Everend, San Francisco, California. My son, Leland's, health wasn't very good.
He worked in a department store until 8 July 1926, when he was taken sick and died 17 Aug 1926. That sorrow was hard to take. Florence and I accompanied his body to Newton, Utah for a funeral and burial.
My husband and I came home to Logan in 1927. We worked hard to get things in order after being away so long. Then the depression came.
My husband worked hard for his age. He was taken sick 16 May 1933 and died 3 Jun 1933, which leaves me alone.
In December 1935, I was taken sick with pneumonia. The doctors and nurses said I could not get over it, but I am still here, 7 September 1936.
My family was three girls, one living. Five sons, three living at this time. A daughter and son died in infancy. I have three grandchildren, and one great-grand-daughter. I had eight brothers and sisters. Two brothers are still living. I had 16 half brothers and sisters. Six are still living. This history was written at the request of Sue Batemen, Alice Benson Jacobsen's niece.
Alice Marie Benson Jacobsen, died 22 November 1937, at her home at 244 South Main Logan, Cache County, Utah. Funeral services were held in the Logan Eleventh ward, which met in the basement of the Tabernacle. Burial was in the Newton, Utah Cemetery.
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1870 - 1937 (67 år)