Item Detail
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Carter, Betsy Larson
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1853-1936
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MSS SC 41
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Autobiography
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Betsy Larson Carter was born September 17, 1853 in Vedly, Sweden to Mons Larson and Elna Olsson Malmstrom. Her parents joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1856, and their family immigrated to Utah in 1859. They spent a month on the ship, and then traveled in Captain George Rowley's handcart company, arriving in Salt Lake City on September 4, 1859. Betsy explained that it was very difficult to live there knowing so little English. She would go out and learn new words to teach to her family, and children often teased her about being Swedish. Their family stayed in Salt Lake City for ten months and then moved to Tooele and later to West Jordan. Although her father was an expert carpenter, he was unable to find this type of work, so he harvested grain. Betsy helped her father with this task. She was married at age seventeen to Edwin Lavan Carter on June 14, 1870. They lived in a one-room log house at first; five daughters were born to them there. When Betsy's parents were called to colonize Arizona, Betsy and her family came along. They settled in Pima, Arizona where six more of their children were born. Edwin worked in the Grahm Mts. Mill, and built the family a house. Betsy was involved with weaving. Edwin died in 1918, and Betsy spent much time after this doing temple work. She traveled to the Salt Lake Temple in 1920, and from 1929-1930 she worked in the Mesa Temple while living with her sister Emma Smith. She died April 15, 1936. Betsy and Edwin's children are Sarah Ellen, Martha Melissa, Amanda Celestine, Emma Abiah, Betsey Johanna, Edna Caroline, Bertha Almira, Edwin Levan, Alof Peter, Eda, and William Mons.
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This brief, two-page autobiography is part of the 'Book of Remembrance of Mons Larson,' Betsy's father. Betsy's life sketch is in first person, and she covers her life from birth to her later years. She does not say much about her childhood, except to explain what the trek across the plains was like. She remembered people 'singing the songs of Zion' after setting up camp for the night, especially 'Come, Come Ye Saints' and 'Oh Babylon, We Bid Thee Farewell, We are Going to the Mountains of Ephraim to Dwell.' Betsy's writing style is light and interesting to read. She gives anecdotes that illustrate what life was like for her. For example, she describes the hard work that she did as a young girl in stories like this: 'I took care of a lady's baby and herded two lambs all one summer for enough wool to knit me a pair of stockings.' She relates the circumstances of her marriage and of their move to Arizona. She also talks about doing temple work in the Salt Lake and Mesa temples. At the end there is a note stating her death date and the current number of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There are also family group sheets for Betsy in the Book of Remembrance with her listed as a child and as a wife.