LOVEABLE QUIRKY PEEPS

5/20/10

A NEW LOVE, A NEW LIFE...

Well, I'm finally going to try and get more of the Canute and Sarah stories shared. This starting over isn't for anyone my age....
But then I remember how many times Grandma Sarah had changes in her life...and I feel humbled. So I'll continue the best I can and hope you'll follow along as before. 



Continuing from where Peter had asked Louise to be his wife and she said yes....




















The hand writing on the photo is my grandma's...


Sarah and Aunt Tilda were in Tilda's kitchen talking about the prospects of becoming related through the marriages of Tilda's own daughter, her niece and Sarah's two sons. They talked of how difficult it can be for a woman to become a good stepmother when Louise burst through the door.


"Mother, Peter has asked me to be his wife and I have accepted! Is it alright with you?"

Tilda took her daughter into her arms and said her greatest concern was for her happiness. She said if she loved Peter and felt he would make her happy, then she has her blessings and best wishes.

Peter spoke up and thanked Louise's mother, letting her know he would do all in his power to make her only daughter happy and how blessed he felt to have her love and admiration. How he would always try to be worthy of her.

They then were told of Sarah's son Canute and Hilda's plans for marriage. Aunt Tilda said how she always thought of Hilda as her own daughter and how happy she was for them. She then called upstairs to her husband Niels to come down and hear the news. They had married two years after she had come to Mount Pleasant. He was a good, quiet, yet joyful man from Sweden who also loved the children as his own. In his humble manner, he extended his blessings and good wishes to the young couples.

The courtships were soon consummated in marriage on the thirtieth of September, 1880 in Salt Lake City. The beginning of their lives were quite different for the two couples as Louise had to make the adjustment to being a step mother. She was kind to and loved the three children, and they did all they could to accept her. Peter was sympathetic and tender and helped to get them over the rough spots. Sarah had made a promise to Aunt Tilda to help Sarah also and was sympathetic and helpful in every way she could. The new little family settled in and began making life as comfortable for everyone as possible.

Eleven months after their marriage, Louise gave birth to their first son. The named him Cornelius Nelson. He was an unusually large baby weighing fifteen pounds. Louise's labor was so intense and of such long duration, she almost lost her life. The medical assistance was so inadequate and meager, and Louise was small boned and closely built.

Aunt Tilda and Sarah were frantic when for five days following the birth, the spent and tortured Louise lay in a state of come and semi unconsciousness, too exhausted with her extreme labor to be aware of the fact she had given birth to such a fine, large baby. Peter was in a state of overpowering sorrow, knowing he couldn't bear losing another wife to childbirth so soon. He told his mother if Louise lived, this would be their only child.

When finally Louise rallied and became aware that she was a mother, her relief and joy were overwhelming. But then the relieved and happy Peter told her this would be the last child she would have because she had suffered so terribly. Louise weakly but firmly told him "No Peter, I want at least ten children! Anything a mother goes through for a baby is worth it. I've been an only child and I want all our children to have lots of brothers and sisters. I'll soon get over this ordeal and be ready for another child. They're the most precious things in the world and I want my share of them!"

And so it followed, almost without exception, that in a regular sequence of two years, Louise had her babies....all ten of them.

Louise settled into the Peterson family just fine. She loved to be among such a large and loving group and listened intently to all the stories. She especially loved the ones of her mother in law Sarah and how she coped on her own so many times. And of course the one of Peter saying "Peek-a-boo" to the eye in the door. She shared a story she'd heard her mother tell. Of how when Louise was only 4 years old, she and her mother made the long trip from Tooele County to Sanpete County in a wagon along with other settlers. How Louise had only a frozen piece of bread to eat all the way. How her uncle had taken them in and given them a loving home along with his 5 children.

Her biggest challenge was for Peters three children to learn to love her. She fully understood the heartbreak of not having one of your parents with you anymore. She lovingly and gently let them know how much she loved and excepted them, and soon the  home Peter had built was again full of love and laughter.




And I'll be back soon with more.


See ya Yesterday...

4 comments:

jAne said...

i love reading the continuing tale ... but, 15 pounds? 'ouch' doesn't quite cover that. ;o)

jAne

Sue said...

Vicki, it is great to be back reading about Canute's family. Happy to hear that Louisa DID go on to have the 10 children she wanted and I'm assuming they didn't all weigh 15 lbs ....OUCH!!! My second daughter was 10 lbs, can't even imagine 15!

Looking forward to the next installment.

Hugs

Sue

PⒿ @ $ € € ₦$ ₣®0₥... said...

I literally GASPED very loudly when I came to the part where Louise had a 15 pound baby. GEEZ, I hurt just thinking about it!!!!


And then she says she wants 10 children. Must have had some darn fine opium back then!!

myletterstoemily said...

what an incredible story . . .and she said,

YES!