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Martin Brotherson and wife Jeanette Sterling Rowe Brotherson
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The following is a history of Martin (Broderson) Brotherson written by Ila Brotherson Tidwell, a granddaughter.
In his youth, Martin was a very serious boy. Everything he did was so important. No wasting of time for him. I’m sure being without a mother during most of his life had its effects on him.He knew what it meant to take care of himself. They say he always spoke of his father with respect and reverence.
He only had a mother five years of his life, but I’m sure she impressed in his mind made heart many things that were of value to him. You would know this was true, if you had heard him talk of her and tell how his mother used to take him on her lap, when he went to see her and comb his hair. She would say, “You have such pretty curly hair, Martin. Always keep it combed nicely for Mother.”
When he was a boy of sixteen, he only weighed one hundred pounds. He was six feet tall. He knew what work was and he wasn’t afraid of it. He preferred tasks, which would strengthen not only his body but his determination to make his life one of accomplishment. Living was a challenge to him. He believed in working for his keep. he told us grandchildren many times, “Always pay your way. Never sponge on anyone. Always do your share and a little more. Then you will be happy”. He also said “You always have to earn happiness.”
He loved to hunt and go swimming. He always said he didn’t have the patience to sit on a bank of a river and fish. But he loved all kinds of sports.
My brother, Bill, told this about Grandpa Martin. When he was a very young man, he wanted a horse of his own, so he went up in the foothills and ran a wild horse down to his home, got it in the corral and broke it to ride. He often told how happy he was to have a horse of his own.
When he was a boy of sixteen, he stood guard in the Black Hawk War, Grandpa said. “They put me with an old man that couldn’t hear and he would sit down in the shelter somewhere and depend on me to see and hear if any Indians came around.” He was a Private in Captain Fredericks Neilson’s Company in the Black Hawk War. Grandpa received a pension in his later years for thisservice. Reed Smoot issued this pension when he was in the United States Senate.Grandpa also applied for Citizenship in the United States. On October 10, 1887, he was admitted by court to be a Citizen.
The day came when Grandpa Mart, as we all knew him later, chose himself a wife. As to where they met or anything about their courting days, little is known. But he did marry a lovely girl with red hair and blue eyes. She was very hospitable, had a pleasing personality and was one of the best knitters in Mt. Pleasant. She made good bread, but better butter.
I can remember when she and Grandfather brought us plumb preserves. They were surely good. Grandma wasn’t a fast worker but what she did, she did well. She was a religious girl and wonderful mother.She was the daughter of Caratat Rowe and Mary Napier Rowe. She was born in Payson, Utah and moved to Mt. Pleasant when she was only a girl.
They began their honeymoon homesteading a plot of land in Indianola. The Indians were bad at this time and they never went to sleep at night without wondering if they would not be scalped before morning. He told how one day he felt so impressed to take his family and go home. Then at late afternoon he saw a group of Indians on horseback come up on the hill’s horizon. He knew the feeling he had was a warning. They hurriedly packed a few things in their wagon and came to Mt. Pleasant. When Grandfather returned to his home, moccasin tracks were all around. “I know my family would all have been kicked by those Indians if I had not been warned. “ Grandpa was a very quiet, unassuming person but very sincere and lived by the promptings and directions of the Spirit of the Lord.
Here is another experience Grandma had while living in Indianola. Her mother was at her home. She went out to the well to get a bucket of water for dinner. As she drew up the bucket of water, there was a big snake went to the bottom of the well. How they hated to drink the water, but didn’t have any other. The next day her brother Condeset Rowe came to their house. They fished for the snake and finally got him in a bucket of water. Her brother charmed snakes, it worked on this one. Grandma tells how he handed it to her little girl only two years old and how horrified she was.
Another experience Grandma had while in Indianola was this: Her mother, Mary Napier Rowe, lived near. One day and Indian named Jim came to her home. He came in and sat down and asked Mary to tell him something about her religion. Mother said, I can’t tell you so you can understand. “Yes, I have been told that you could tell me, stand up.” She sat there a few minutes and Indian Jims said, “Stand up” She stood up and began to speak. She talked for over a half hour. Indian Jim sat and listened very quietly, sometime nodding his head and saying. ”Yes.” When she finished she asked if he could understand. “Yes, they told me you could tell me. “ He got up very quietly and left. Mother never knew whether she talked in tongues or in Indian language. But the Indian was satisfied and it was a very unusual experience, one she always told as very sacred to her. Indian Jim was always a friend and made regular visits to her home as long as he lived.
Grandpa and his wife never liked their home in Indianola. The Church authorities came and told them they would give them land in the valley of Mt. Pleasant, in exchange for their land in Indianola but they wouldn’t get paid for their improvements or crops, nor the clearing of land. They quickly made up their minds to move from Indianola and came to what was then called “the bottoms” and began a new home. Their Ranch was located on the beautiful Sanpitch River, which flowed leisurely though the meadowland. The grinding wheels of the Old Flour Mill were part of the picture we saw. We also saw the ducks and geese swimming on the Old Mill Stream, the cattle grazing in the green pastures, the horses running and playing in the pasture near by., and the old pump well with the best and clearest water.
Grandma used to sit in the shade of the house and pick the chicks down for fluffy feather ticks and pillows. All this added to the peaceful, wonderful atmosphere of happy farm life.
Grandpa and Grandma Brotherson worked hard and spent long hours, as did their children to make a good living. Everyone worked at Mart’s house.Grandpa had a family of eleven children, five girls and six boys. One little girl, Annie, died when she was nine months old. Another girl, Ruth, died when she was ten years old. She loved to swim and Grandpa couldn’t keep her out of the water. They said she must have caught some germ from being in the swampy water. Nine children grew to maturity. Eight of them reared families. They all married.
A branch of the church was organized in what was known as “the bottoms”. James Larsen was appointed as Presiding Elder with Joseph Johansen as First Councilor, Aaron G. Oman as Second Counselor. They erected a large building for the church, school and entertainments of different kinds. It was located on the hill just Southeast of Grandpa’s home.
A Relief Society organization was formed in 1883 with Wilhelmina Madsen as President, Jeannette Sterling Rowe Brotherson as First Counselor, Kisten Jorgensen as Second Counselor, and Jennie Jorgensen (Mrs. Daniel Rasmussen) as Secretary. People who can remember this organized branch say they had so many good times there. Every Friday they had a supper and dance for all the branch. They went, young and old. Everyone had a good time.
I don’t know much about Grandpa’s church activities. I do know that he was ordained an Elder and took his sweetheart in company with other couples, and they were married in the Old Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 30, 1874. I don’t know how much churchwork he did while a young married man. When he had a family of eight children, he was forty-two years old. His baby was only two years old.
He went to the Post Office one day and got a letter addressed to him from Box B. Windford Woodruff, being the President of the Church at that time, asked him if he would fill a mission. He accepted this call and on Nov. 15, 1895, left for the mission field. He was assigned to laboring the Northern States Mission. He worked mainly in the State of Indiana. They labored without purse or script. Grandpa said many a night they slept out under the stars, sometimes in a hayloft, sometimes in a corn patch. He said that was easy in comparison to sitting up to a table where the head of the chicken was all that was taken from the chicken. He said they would cut the head off and throw the chicken in the big brass kettle and that was soup for dinner. In those days the missionaries had it real hard. They never knew where their friends were either.
Grandfather loved to sing. He and his companion used to sing to get a crowd at a street meeting. They could get a crowd in a little while. When they would begin to speak, the crowd would gradually diminish. He always said, “I’m no public speaker, I love to go tracting and go into the home and explain the principles of the Gospel to those who are interested. I feel that is my calling…”
After he had been home few years, he received a survey that had been made of the mission members. Among them were many friends he made. He was released Dec.1897.
One child was born to him and his wife after he came from his mission. Grandpa and Grandma did a lot of temple work after their children were raised. Grandpa had his Temple Record book and paid to have thousands of names copied, I am still working on the records he paid for. They often went to the Manti Temple and stayed a month at a time to do temple work. Grandpa Martin was a High Priest. He and his wife were given their high blessing in the Manti Temple. President C.N. Lund issued this recommend to them.
He was a ward teacher for many years and just like clockwork it was done. He would wait until the time his partner was to come and meet him. if he wasn’t there, Grandpa would go and do the teaching. He was a good tithe payer. He attended his priesthood meetings, paid his fast offerings, and fasted. He was good to any worthy cause. I can remember when I stayed with him and went to school. Grandpa was always clean. But he looked the same around home as he did when he went to church.
I will always remember the first Sunday after I came to stay with him. He shaved that morning and put on a clean shirt, but his other clothes were the same he had worn the day before. As he put on his hat and went out the door, I thought, I wonder if he is going to church that way. I rushed to the door, “Grandpa where are you going?” “To church,” was the answer. “But why don’t you put your on your suit?” I said. “Why put on my suit, this is clean, that’s all that matters. I can learn just as much this way as in a suit. If people don’t like me this way, they will just have to look the other way,” he replied.
Darwin, his son, tells of an experience he and his Dad shared together. They went to conference in Moroni, his Dad was asked to open the conference with prayer. Darwin said, “I was so impressed with what my Dad said in that prayer that it has influenced and been a guide to me throughout my life.”
When we kids stayed with Grandpa and went to school, we always had family prayers. I remember one night , it was quite late and we were tired. Grandpa was praying as usual. My cousin yawned and I stuck my finger in her mouth. We started to laugh and couldn’t stop. Grandpa kept right on praying. When he finished he didn’t say one word of chastisement to us. He walked out of the room and went to bed. I can still remember how embarrassed and sorry I felt.
Some of the characteristics of Grandpa were: He never liked frosting on his cake. He always gave it to the young folks or left it on his plate. From the time he was a little boy he always thought he had more than his share. He almost always left his mush until last at breakfast. He preferred it cold. His favorite desert was custard or custard pie, or rice pudding.
I can still see Grandpa eating with a knife. He could manage peas on a knife very well. Grandpa liked tea, other than that I’m sure he kept the Word of Wisdom. He never used tobacco or liquor and I never heard him swear or use slang. He never played cards. He liked licorice and horehound, cough drops. Always had one for us kids, but we didn’t like them too well.
Grandpa was bald headed which is a characteristic of the Brothersons. Grandpa was always heard singing or humming a tune. He loved music. Some of his favorites were “Crack, crack goes my whip;” “In the sweet by and by;” “ My horse is always willing:” “As for me I’m never sad.” His favorite hymn was “Oh My Father". Uncle Darwin said when he was young he sang on many programs.
Grandpa could speak Danish. When he would speak Danish to his children they would cry, so he didn’t very much. His father always talked to Martin in Danish, but Martin always answered him in English.
Grandfather always loved to drive oxen. They tell me he could get a pull out of the oxen team when someone else couldn’t. He had beautiful horses and kept them up good. He had one named Bird. He sold this horse to a man in Salt Lake City. Two years later Grandma Net was walking up the street in Salt Lake. There were horses tied to a hitching post and one whinnied. She walked on and it whinnied again. She stopped and looked back and there was their horse, Bird. She petted him and he rubbed his face against her arm.
Grandpa always did all the shopping or most of it. He would go to town and bring hats and dresses home for Grandma to try on, and then take the rest back to the store. Grandma was real sick with all her babies and Grandpa knew that he would have to take are of them for a month at least. He could care for them better than his wife could. He walked the floor and rocked them night after night but never a word of complaint.
Grandma died when she was only sixty-four years old. She died with Tuberculosis. Uncle Darwin tells of her last words. She called him into her room and said, “Today Candace comes, but I can’t wait. Darwin., I’m not well, I’m going to die. You’ll be all right, son. I’m dying now. Even now things are getting dim. I can hardly see you.” Those were Grandma’s last words, uncle Darwin said Grandpa walked into the room but Grandma was gone. She seemed so peaceful and not afraid. Candace or Dase Mickelson (her daughter) did come but was one hour too late to see her mother alive. A niece, Ruth, had been staying with them going to school and she stayed with Grandpa for anumber of years. We all took turns coming to his home and going to school. There were ten of us who stayed with him at different times. Every year he had two or three. He was always so kind and good to us.
He had erysipelas and was very sick. He had only a tiny spark of life the doctor said.His sons, Darwin and William were both on missions for the church at this time. Grandpa wanted to live to see them return. He did get better. William my father came first. Then when Uncle Darwin returned from his mission, Grandpa said, “Now I am ready to go any time”. Darwin got married not long after he came from his mission. They stayed with Grandfather that winter. Then in the spring they moved to Boneta, Duchesne County, taking Grandpa with them.
Grandpa Mart was quite happy in his new home. He had four sons and one daughter living in the Uinta Basin. They all lived within one or two miles of each other. Grandpa used to walk to see each one every week, sometimes more often, They would want to take him in a car but he would say,“No, I need the exercise, I’d rather walk.” On one trip, Uncle Lafe brought him back home. Grandpa was so enthused and wanted to go over every inch of his old home. When he got to the house he had a heart attack. All he would say was, “I’m alright, take me back to Darwin’s. Uncle Lafe called a doctor and he told Lafe to take him home. When they got back Daddy and Uncle Darwin administered to him and he got well and lived two more years. He was only sick nine days before he died and wanted Darwin constantly by his bed. Darwin went to town for medicine and Grandpa kept wanting to know where he was and why he stayed so long. He came with the pills and was giving him some when Grandpa said. “Let Jenny, she knows how.” He was setting on the bed and slumped in Darwin’s arms and was gone. he died about ten o’clock in the morning of September 28, 1931.
Joseph Ursenback and Jim Phillis came from Mt. Pleasant out to Boneta to get the corpse. Uncle Darwin said he watched Joseph Ursenback embalm his father in his home before they made the trip back to Mt. Pleasant. Uncle Darwin said his little girl, Dorothy, who was only two, would keep going into his room and saying “Where Pa?” Then she would take them by the hand and lead them to his bed.
His funeral was held in Mt. Pleasant in the old South Ward Church on October 2, 1931. He was buried on his son, Taylor’s birthday.
Another sad experience was his son, Que, came from Salt Lake to Mt. Pleasant to see some of his folks. He was in the barber chair getting his hair cut when the hearse passed and Dewey Scow said, “I guess they are going after your father.” Que didn’t know his father had died.
Dave Nickel, Joseph Johansen and Bishop A.L. Peterson were the speakers at his funeral. his six sons were pall bearers. He was 78 years old when he died. He had eleven children, 51 grandchildren, 151 great grandchildren and 41 great-great grandchildren. This made posterity of 254, no in laws counted.
He went on a mission, had two sons go on missions, five grandchildren go on missions, ten great grandchildren go and he now has five great-great grandchildren in the mission field as of 1962.
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