BISHOP PETER RASMUSSEN

by Donald L. Haynie

Peter Rasmussen, the son of Rasmus Rasmussen and Katrine Petersen, was born at Thorslunde, Halbeck County, Denmark, on December 31, 1835.  He was baptized by Elder Fredrick C. Sorensenn at Mark, Halbeck County, Denmark, on March 19, 1852.  He left in the John E. Farsgreen Company bound for Utah, leaving Copenhagen on December 23, 1852, and Altona, Germany, on December 24, 1852.  He departed Liverpool, England, on December 31, 1852, on the sailing vessel, "Forrest Monark," arriving at New Orleans on or about March 10, 1853. He went to St.  Louis. where he remained for about a month, before going on to Iowa, where he stayed another month. He crossed the Plains with an ox team company, arriving in Salt Lake City on September 29, 1853. He was sent to Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah, where he arrived about the middle of October.  Because of what was known as the "Walker War," he went on to Manti, Utah, where he arrived on or about December 29, 1853.

He was married to Annie Margret Sornsen on May 19, 1855, by President Chapman at Manti, Utah. He lived through what was known as the "grasshopper war of 1855 and 1856." Under the direction of Apostle Orson Hyde, he assisted in establishing  Salina, Utah, arriving there on October 17, 1863.

He was married to Annie Helena Rasmussen on December 27, 1861, by Daniel H. Wells at Salt Lake City, Utah.

He was set apart as the first bishop of the Salina Ward on May 12, 1864.

The first Indian raid of the Blackhawk War was commenced north of Mayfield and Salina on April 10, 1865.  Another Indian raid   was made on Salina on April 13, 1866, compelling him and his family to leave Salina one week later.  Returning again to Salina in the spring of 1871, he was called by President Joseph A. Young to settle in Grass Valley at Koasharu on August 10, 1874.

He was called to go to the San Luis Stake in Colorado by Apostle Francis M. Lyman, at a quarterly conference held at Mt. Pleasant in the fall of 1880.  He arrived in the Ephraim Ward in June, 1883.  He labored there until the summer of 1888, when Richfield and Ephraim joined together, forming the Sanford Ward.

He died at Sanford, Colorado, on January 1, 1916, at the age of 81 years, and was buried at Sanford.