Feron's Parents & Siblings - 1900-1953

Feron's father

John S. Christensen

1881-1962

John S. (the "S" is for  Sclander - there is some mystery about the name perhaps others can comment on) was born in Brigham City, Utah and died in Southern California. He is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery along with his wife, Elsa Peters Christensen. His father came from Denmark to Utah in the 1860s or 70s.

This photo was taken at A.W. Compton's studio in Brigham City around the turn of the 20th Century when he was in his late teens or early 20s.

Feron's mother

Elsa Elizabeth Peters

1884-1976

Elsa was the daughter of John David and Laura Bingham Peters. She married John S. on May 10th 1905 in the Salt Lake Temple. This photo was taken before she was married, sometime between 1900 and 1905 during the time she worked as a teacher in Bear River. She is wearing the beaver hat that she famously had to burn because her students tried it on and it became infested with lice.

John S. and Elsa's Marriage Certificate

You can click on the image and enlarge it. You will see John David Peters' signature on the left, and under his that of George H. Taylor, a leader in the LDS church who had been imprisoned for polygamy along with Pres. George Q. Cannon and others about 15 years earlier. There is a well known set of photographs of Cannon, Taylor and their fellow prisoners dressed in prison stripes taken at the Utah State Penitentiary in Sugar House in the late 1880s. On the right is the signature of John R. Winder, First Counselor to President Joseph F. Smith and Salt Lake Temple President. As Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric he had overseen the interior construction of the temple, which was dedicated in 1893, just twelve years prior to John and Elsa's marriage.

Peters sisters with their babies

1906

Elsa is standing on the top right holding Roma. Elsa's sisters, clockwise from her:  Emmeline W., Sadie Stohl, Laura Iverson and Mamie Call.

John S. and Elsa Peters Christensen with Roma and Feron

1908

Brigham City

This picture is the earliest known image of Feron. He was born in January of 1908.  Roma was around two years old when this was taken.

Feron had five siblings. Roma (b.1906), Lois (b.1912), Camille (b.1914), Blanche (b.1918) and Scott (b.1922)

Feron & Roma

1909

Brigham City

This shot was taken about a year after the previous one. Feron would've been two and Roma, three or four years old. They were eighteen months apart in age.

Roma Christensen

c.1913

age 6 or 7

These two pictures of Roma were taken the same day the picture of Feron wearing the big bow tie was taken. Who knows what was behind the trend to take pictures of children with their heads sticking out of newspaper?

Camille & Lois Christensen

1915

ages 1 & 3

Lois was four and a half years younger than Feron.

Family of John David and Louisa Bingham Peters

November 1919

Taken at the Peters home on Forest Street in Brigham City

This photo was taken on the occasion of the 50th wedding anniversary of Feron's Grandpa and Grandma Peters. They were married in 1869. John David was born in 1850 in Salt Lake City, soon after his parents arrived in Utah from Wales. Louisa Bingham was born in 1853 on the bank of the Platte River in what is now Nebraska while her family was crossing the plains on their way to Utah. If you click on and enlarge this photo you will see them in the center of the group. Grandpa Peters was 69 when this was taken and Grandma Peters was 66. They were 19 and 16 years old when they married.

Feron (age 11) and Roma (age 13) are in the second row. Roma is directly below Grandma Peters. She is wearing a light colored dress. Feron is to her right. Feron's parents are in the row behind Grandma Peters and to the left. John S. is holding Blanche (age 1) and Elsa is to their left. Lois (age 7) is the second child from the right in the front row. Camille (age 5) is the first child on the left in the front row.

Scott was born just over two years after this was taken.

This is how the Peters home looks today. Taken on May 26, 2011.

 

Main Street, Brigham City

taken May 26, 2011

The Christensen home at 57 North 100 West in Brigham City.

This is where John and Elsa lived and raised their six children. It is just around the corner from the Peters home (above). Taken May 26, 2011. John remembers visiting his grandparents there and the front steps, but the side stairs didn't exist then. It has probably been turned into two units.

Roma Christensen

Both photos were taken in the 1920's at Compton's Studio in Brigham City.

The top one is probably her Box Elder High School graduation photo from 1924. Her hair and dress in the bottom photo suggest it was taken in the late 20s.

Lois Christensen

1930

Box Elder High School graduation photo.

Scott Peters Christensen

1940

This was probably his graduation photo.

John S. & Elsa Peters Christensen

Taken sometime in the 1940s

Elsa P. Christensen

passport photo

This was probably taken in the 1950's, prior to their trip to Panama.

John and Elsa with their grandchildren in California

1951

Feron's children Paul, John, Brent, and Luann Christensen are in the back row. Camille's daughter, Charlene Just is between Brent and Luann. Charlene's brother, Dick Just is in front of Luann. Scott's children, Diane and David are with Grandma and Grandpa.

John S. and Elsa Christensen family gathering

probably at Chuck and Camille Just's in Temple City about 1953.

Back row (standing): John, Charlene Just, Chuck Just, Camille Just, Blanche Knudson, Jack Knudson, Elma, Feron, Lois Dewey, Howard Dewey

Middle row (seated): Roma Hancock, John S., Elsa holding Lynn, Ann, Scott holding Diane

Front row: Dick Just, Paul, David, Luann, Brent