HISTORY OF SARAH ROSETTA FULLER CHRISTENSEN

1873-1948

  Sarah Rosetta Fuller was born June 30, 1873, at Granite, Salt Lake County, Utah, to Elijah Knapp Fuller and Sarah Elizabeth Glover Fuller. She was the third child of nine children. There were six girls and three boys. Two of the boys and one daughter died when they were very small children. The rest of the children all grew to adulthood and remained very close as a family throughout their lives. She was a very kind, sweet lady, a good homemaker, and loyal to her family and to her church.

  The Fuller family genealogy goes back to the Mayflower, with our Fuller ancestors landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Rose's grandfather, Elijah Knapp Fuller, Sr., joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1842 in New York City. He and his wife, Catherine Walker, came into the Salt Lake Valley in September, 1847.

  The Glover Family were of Scotch descent and came to America in the early 1800s. Rose's grandparents on the Glover side were among those Saints who left New York in 1846 on the Ship BROOKLYN and sailed around the tip of South America and later landed in San Francisco then made their way into the Salt Lake Valley over Donner Pass. Rose's mother was born in San Francisco.

  When Rose was just a small child, her family moved to West Weber, which was seven miles west of Ogden, Utah. They purchased a small farm and the Weber River ran through the property.  In the springtime of the year the river ran high. One year her uncle drowned trying to save a man and his son. They all three drowned together and from then on Rose's mother was very nervous about living so near this river as she had several small children. To ease her worries Rose's father decided to move his family to Brigham City. He purchased some land one block east of the Courthouse. There he built a home for his family and a Livery Stable. He had lots of fine horses and buggies to hire out, also sleighs for the winter. He also owned sheep and was a good provider. Rose was 10 years old when the family moved to Brigham City. She went to school in Brigham City, but her education possibly was less than a grade school graduation.

  When Rose's father, Elijah Fuller, first came into the valley with his parents, they moved to Farmington in Davis County. This is where he met Sarah Elizabeth Glover. So both of Rose's grandparents still lived in Farmington, and after Elijah and Sarah married they too lived in Farmington for a while. They had two children in Farmington before they moved to Granite, then to West Weber and then to Brigham City. When Rose was a young woman her father's health began to fail. One day he had to go to Salt Lake City to see his doctor. On the way home, her mother and father stopped in Farmington to visit their parents and Elijah died during the visit. He was buried in the Farmington City Cemetery. Afterward her mother rented the stables.

  There was a young man who lived in Brigham City and he loved horses. He came out to the livery stable to work for Rose's father. This young man was Harold A. Christensen, so we know that Rose and Harold knew each other as they were growing into their teenage years. As the years passed, Harold began to notice that Rose was growing into a beautiful young woman and he began to pay more attention to her. They were married in the Logan Temple on April 15, 1891.  Rose was 18 and Harold was 21.  Her sister. Lily, and her fiancee were planning their marriage at the temple on that day and convinced Harold and Rose to go with them.

  During the first four and a half years, they had three sons: Harold Elijah was born February 28, 1892; Fred Fuller was born July 1, 1893; and Irving Fuller was born on July 12, 1896. These children were all born in Brigham City. Fred died when he was only a year old.  Following the birth of her last child, Irving, Rose's health began to fail her. She developed severe health problems and began to lose weight. She was down to 97 pounds and was very ill. The doctor recommended a change of climate.

  During this time, Harold, who was a bricklayer and building contractor, and very successful, had heard about the beautiful lush land that was available for homesteading in Alberta, Canada.  In 1900 he and his boyhood friend, Hans Anderson, left Brigham City and traveled northward to find out for themselves. They were very impressed with that area. He secured a homestead at Twin Butte, Alberta, and sent for his family. Rose and the two boys packed their belongings and left by train to Coutts, Alberta, where Harold met them. They traveled the rest of the way in a covered wagon.  It took them a week to reach their destination.

  This area was a primitive area at that time, but a few other people had also settled there. They built a small home and there Rose set up housekeeping. She had a saddle horse and Harold bought her a fishing pole. She loved the wide open countryside and she spent much time outside with her young sons. She enjoyed the sunshine and the tall grass. She thoroughly enjoyed fishing and playing with the children. Within three years she had recovered her health with a weight gain to around 140 pounds. In 1903 she and the children returned to Brigham City to visit with her mother and her family and her mother hardly recognized her.

  Harold's contracting work, which was still the chief source of their income, kept the family on the move. He had contracting jobs in Lethbridge and McLeod, Alberta. Each time, they moved away from the Ranch to fulfill this contract. A few years later he was called to do some contracting and building in Calgary, which was some distance from the Ranch. Harold knew his family would live in Calgary for a few years, so he built Rose a beautiful brick home. She had many beautiful things in this home and loved to entertain. Her home was always open to church people or business people and Harold and Rose made lots of friends. They returned to vacation at the Ranch from time to time.

  They moved back to the Ranch in Twin Butte in 1913 when Harold was called to work on the Alberta Temple. In the meantime, her young sons were growing up.  In 1911 Lyde married Sadie Bevan and in 1917 Irving married Mabel Williams. The boys remained at the Ranch and worked for their father for a number of years. In 1919 Lyde and Sadie decided they wanted to return to the States. They had three children by now and chose to move to Sacramento, California. Irving and Mabel stayed on at the Ranch for a few more years, but by 1923, they too decided they wanted to move back to Brigham City. They had one son. By this time Harold's work on the temple was finished and the contracting work was diminishing. He loved the Ranch, but trying to run it without his sons was just too difficult. So in 1923 they sold their property in Twin Butte and Harold and Rose followed their children back to the States.

  They bought a nice home in Boise, Idaho.  Irving and his family also moved to Boise and father and son decided to go into the electrical appliance business. However, the stock market crash of 1929 soon put an end to their business venture.  "Ma" and "Dad", as we lovingly called them, decided to stay and spend their retirement years in Boise with the idea of visiting their sons in Sacramento and Salt Lake City as often as possible. In 1935 Harold's health declined and he died in Boise on April 29, 1935 at the age of 64. He was buried in Brigham City.

  Left alone, and far from her children, Rose decided to sell her home and she moved to Salt Lake City to live with Irving and his family.

  During the depression years, Irving worked at several different jobs but. had difficulty providing for his family. He and Mabel thought perhaps it would be better in California.  In 1936, Irving, Mabel and their children and Rose decided to move to Sacramento to try their luck. While they lived in Sacramento, Rose obtained employment in a home to tend children. They were a very wealthy family and they had a beautiful home. She stayed with them all week and came to Irving or Lyde's home on Sunday.

  However, job opportunities in Sacramento were no better than they had been in Salt Lake City and the family decided to return to Utah in 1939. Rose came with them. Mabel's pioneer ancestors had settled in Kaysville, in Davis County, and this is where she wanted to live, among her Williams relatives. At first they rented a home and later purchased a home. By now the country was beginning to turn around. World War II was lurking on the horizon and the defense system of our country was beginning to come to life. Hill Air Force Base was opened not too far from Kaysville. Irving obtained employment at the Defense Depot and Ma (Rose) went to work at Hill Air Force Base. She lived for a while in Irving's home and later lived with another single lady, Stella Criddle, in her home. They provided good company for each other. She continued to work at Hill during the War and was able to continue working there until she got sick in 1948. She was complaining of stomach problems, so the family took her to the doctor. He determined she needed surgery and the day was set. After the surgery, the doctor gave Irving the bad news--she was full of cancer.

  She moved back to Irving and Mabel's small home. During the next six months, until her death, Mabel spent every minute with her nursing her and caring for her. There was no chemotherapy or radium treatments then. She suffered very much and it was very difficult for Mabel. Rose died in Irving's home in Kaysville on September 28, 1948, at 73 years of age. She was buried in Brigham City beside her beloved Harold.

  My grandmother spent a lot of time in our home. I shared my bedroom with her off and on through the years. I just regret that I did not take the opportunity to ask her more about her childhood and life, but she never dwelt upon the past. She always seemed to live for today. She was a very energetic woman. She loved to be with her family and she loved to be out doing things and going places. She loved to shop, she loved to go camping, which we did often, and she was always doing some kind of handwork. She did beautiful knitting and crochet work which she shared with family and friends. She was a very strong woman. I remember that she must have been in her late 60s when we went as a family to Timpanogos Cave in American Fork Canyon for a picnic. She walked all the way up to the cave. The last time I went up I was probably in my late 40s, and I had a struggle making it to the top. So I know she had great endurance.

  During her later years, after she returned to Utah, she once again enjoyed visiting with her sisters and her brother. Some of her Canadian friends had also moved back to Utah and she enjoyed visiting with them. She was an avid reader. She read a great many church books and often studied her scriptures. She did a great deal of genealogy on her family lines and went to the Salt Lake Temple often. She loved her family. When she died she left her two sons and their wives and eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Written by Noreen C. Burton, a granddaughter - 1993

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  My mother, Rose Richardson, was named after her grandmother.  This is a letter she wrote addressed to "Mrs. Sarah R. Christensen, Kaysville, Utah"  The address was crossed out and the letter was forwarded to "St. Marks Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah,"  postmarked April 17, 1948.  Sarah died that year on the 28th of September.

4-14-48

Sacto17, Calif.

Dear Ma-

Got your letter--was sure glad to hear from you.  We are all fine.  Hope & pray you will get this operation over in a hurry & it will be successful & you'll feel wonderful again.  We sure want you out to see us this coming Summer.  It would be very nice to see the mountains this year again.

It's sure nice Noreen & mary can be together.  It's nice they are so congenial.  Would love to see those kids.  Paul Sadini wants very much to see Bill again.  Don Peterson is married & has a baby son.

My son Steve has a tooth now.  He's so cute.  Edna Olsen (Brown) was here yesterday.  She thinks Steve looks like my dad.  Want your opinion too.

I've a picture here for you which I'd get it sent off to you.  No car to take it to the post office.  So I'll try again.  You'll get it someday anyway.

Kenny is a cute kid too.  So full of mischief.  We sure get a kick out of him.

My other two are real big kids now, 7 and 5.  Bevan is in Kindergarten and Jeannie in grade two.  She is very smart & a good reader.

I'm planning on the mountains this Summer for the kids again.  It will be a little easier this year as I am not pregnant & can chase kids much faster than last year.

Well, I talked to Daddy last nite.  We never get a chance to as Francys is usually home but she was out last nite so we talked for quite a while.  He is working pretty hard down the river & goes to bed real early.  He hasn't seen the kids for a month.  They don't know him very well.

Well, I guess I'll quit & get my work started.

My letter isn't very newsy, but maybe next time I will have some interesting news.

Be careful of your health & we'll be waiting to hear of you.

With love,

Your granddaughter

Rose &

Your great grandchildren

Jeanne, Bevan, Kenneth & Steven

Also Milt

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