Item Detail
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Fidler, Annie Elizabeth Andersson
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1872-1958
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MSS 827
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Annie Elizabeth Anderson Fidler was born October 28, 1872 as the fourth child of Johannes (John C.) Andersson and Mary Ann Clark Andersson in Grantsville, Tooele County, Utah. She had on brother and several sisters; as such, they all helped on the farm. On December 26, 1895, Annie married Phil Fidler, whom she met at a dance. They lived in Grantsville and had their first child, Blanche, after which they moved to Mercur, Utah. After a flood in the town, they moved to Johanasburg, which was another area of Mercur. There, they rented a two-room house, and their second child was born. Then Phil built a two-room adobe house, where seven of their children were then born. Annie died April 24, 1958.
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As part of the J. Allen Parkinson collection, the papers about Annie Fidler are located in the seventh folder, which labeled, Biographies, FA-FR. The papers include a thirteen-page biography, written by Annie's granddaughter, Virginia Fidler; a two-page biography written by an unidentified author; and a two-page biography written by Larvll(sp?) Beacham. The latter two biographies mostly repeat the biographical information found in the first biography. As it is, Virginia provides many more personal details of Annie's birth, and then proceeds to write about several of Annie's childhood experiences, from running into trouble with her sister to fears and friendships from and with different Indians. Virginia writes that Annie had a good sense of humor and boned with her sisters. They were all taught basic housekeeping skills, and they also helped on the farm, working in the potato and sugar cane fields, hoeing corn, milking cows, etc. Annie also made all the stockings and underclothes for her family. Virginia goes on to write that as Annie grew, she was extremely beautiful, and popular with the young people; Annie first met Phil at a dance in Erda. When she found out he would be attending another dance some while later, she made sure to go and dance with him. Afterwards, they went out more frequently, as he would take her back and forth from Tooele, even though it was forty-five minutes from Tooele to Grantsville. After writing of their marriage, Virginia provides a brief biographical history of Phil. She then describes some of the neighbors the family had while living in Mercur. When Annie was twenty-five she contracted typhoid fever, which caused her to lose her hair and to suffer delirium for three weeks. Virginia goes on to write about the area they lived in Grantsville, which was across from an Indian camping ground; she relays several experiences Annie had with Indians. Virginia writes that her grandmother and grandfather were good dancers; Annie could also sew well, and she often made dresses for the ladies, from graduation dresses to wedding dresses. When Annie was sixty-five, she had high blood pressure and was ill for several years. On December 26, 1945, Annie and Phil celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Virginia writes that Annie was never too busy to help her children, that even now, she knows the joy of having a big family and continues to celebrate her birthday with them every year. There is a brief account of all of Annie's children and their families. The second biography relates that Annie's mind is keen and alert, that she is beautiful and still sews and has a good sense of humor.