Item Detail
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Erickson, Hilda Anderson
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1859-1968
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MSS 1000; MSS OH 233
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Papers; Interview/Oral History
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Hilda Erickson was born November 11, 1859 in Ledsjo, Sweden to Pehr Anderson and Maria Katrina Larsendaughter (later changed to Larsen). Hilda immigrated to Utah in 1866 with her parents who were Mormon converts. Hilda's father worked for the railroad when she was young. She met Brigham Young when she was seven years old, and became friends with his daughter Mabel Young Sandborn. The first school she attended was Joshua A. Clark's school. She went there until fifth grade, and then went to other schools to study penmanship and other subjects. At one point in her childhood, she was rebaptized by Willard D. Young because of the Godbeit movement in the church to rebaptize everyone who had been baptized incorrectly. Hilda held many civic and church positions during her lifetime. She was a nurse, midwife, bank director, ranch manager, housewife, mother, mine operator, tailor, bookkeeper, civil service secretary, church worker, missionary to Indians, and President of Toole Stake Primary for 12 years (1910-1922). As a midwife, Hilda delivered more than 200 babies. Hilda and her husband John August Erickson, who were married in the Endowment House, were living in Grantsville, Toole County, Utah, when they received their mission call to serve the Indians. During their mission, they lived on the church farm in Deep Creek, called Ibapah by the Indians. They were mainly responsible for helping the Indians with farming and irrigation, and teaching the young boys in school. They also helped raise oats, cattle, horses, and various fruits the church sold to earn money. During this time, Hilda became acquainted with several polygamist families in Grantsville and the Skull Valley area, although her family was not polygamist. Hilda studied nursing under Dr. Ramona Pratt at Deseret Hospital. She even informally practiced dentistry. Once, a man came to her with a tooth that needed pulled. She told him she had never done it before, but that she'd help him out. After that, many other people came to her with dental issues. Hilda served as the Director of Grantsville Deseret Bank for a number of years before it closed in 1931. She was also secretary for Cooper Queens Mining Company in Clifton Flats. Hilda and her husband ran the Last Chance Ranch where they raised apples, pears, peaches, and cherries to ship to California. Hilda was the last surviving immigrant Pioneer to cross the plains to Utah before the railroad. She participated in 72 elections after becoming eligible to vote in 1882. Hilda passed away January 1, 1968 and is buried in the Grantsville, Utah cemetery.
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The oral history (MSS OH 233) is an interview conducted on January 13, 1966 by Hollis Scott'Archivist with Brigham Young University Archives. The interview was conducted at the home of Mrs. John U. (Amy) Hicks (daughter of Hilda Erickson) in Salt Lake City, Utah. The interview is typed up on plain paper, one sided, and placed in a green folder. The interview is 46 pages long and includes a table of contents (more of an index), and an introduction by Hollis Scott. The other collection (MSS 1000) includes 5 boxes containing various business documents and records. There are ledgers dating from 1888-1919 from Grantsville Trading Co., as well as stock certificates for the company. These ledgers have first an alphabetical listing of all the accounts, and then the transactions. Most of the ledgers and daybooks are large books with leather covers and binding, ranging from 1-2 inches thick. Some of the record books are canvas rather than leather. One box contains cash books datings from March 1902-December 1920. These cash books are smaller, with a paper cover and binding, and contain expenses on cattle, sheep, and hogs, and seem to be records for the Last Chance Ranch. These cash books also contain scraps of paper with numbers and figures written on them, freight bills from the railroad, an envelope from Greek and Austrian Meat Market to J.A. Erickson & Co., and a sales agreement for a cattle transaction. The last box contains records from the Federal Land Bank of Berkeley. There are loan forms, minutes of meetings, financial papers, notes, and forms, interoffice memos, and a copy of the bylaws for the bank. Some of the documents are typed, and others are handwritten. A 'want list' for Z.C.M.I. in Salt Lake City is also included. There is some genealogical information in box five, including two envelopes with birth and blessing information for Hilda Marie Hicks and Jay Jr. Hicks, grandchildren of Hilda. Both envelopes also include locks of hair from the two children. A copy of Jay's birth certificate is also included.
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1847-1867