I, Hannah Elizabeth Josephson Anderson was born November 27, 1877,  at St John, Oneida County Idaho.  My parents were Charles Josephson and Anna Isaacson Josephson.  The family consisted of 12 children- eight boys, four girls, and one- half sister: Anna Jane, Lorenzo Charles, Hannah Elizabeth, Levi Benjamin, Joseph Hyde, Ephraim Arnold, Alma Hiram, Clarence Gent, Emma Isabell, Ellen Pernellia, Isaac Versil, Carl Oscar, and Mary Jane, the half -sister. Anna was married to Henry Goodliffe, Lorenzo to Martha Sanderson, Hannah to Andrew Lars Anderson, Mary to John Reed, Joseph to Elizabeth Thorpe, Ephraim to Amanda Jacobson, Clarence to Luella Jeffs, Emma to Charles McLane, Ellen to Henry Bates, Carl to Eva, Isaac to Hilda Roadhouse. Two sons did not marry.

My father was a farmer. He raised fine horses and ran a small band of sheep. He was a shoemaker by trade while living in Sweden and still made shoes for his family after he came to America. My mother and grandmother wove woolen cloth and carpets.

 Although our family was large, we were united. People often said that my father’s family was one of the best behaved families in the valley. Our family and the neighbors’ children played together and had many pleasant times. One of my dearest friends while I lived in St John was Mary Ellen Jones Woozley. When we were six years old we started school together and were friends throughout our lives. We are both over 70 years of age at the present time and are still good friends. We have never had a quarrel.

 When I was a child I believed in prayer and trusted in the Lord who answered my prayers many times. I always looked on the bright side of life and enjoyed my childhood days very much.

 My father was a missionary in Sweden. He lived his religion.With him religion was not just a Sunday affair but rather something to be lived each day of his life. I have known him to ride on horseback for 15 miles to attend his priesthood meetings. He taught his children religion and we all grew up in the faith of our father.

 We had good schools and good teachers. Our home tasks were done with pleasure for we had a lot of love and respect for our parents. I was baptized on May 7th 1891 by Bishop James P. Harrison and also confirmed a member of the LDS church by him.  I took part in church activities throughout my life. I attended a conference at Samaria when Eliza R Snow spoke in tongues. When I was 18, I was chosen to be second counselor in the Y.L.M.I.A. in the St John Ward.

 At 21 years old I met the young man of my choice, Andrew Lars Anderson. We were married in the Logan Temple On January 4, 1899. There were four girls and two girls were born to this happy Union. Twin girls were born but one died at birth. The other twin was about one year old when we decided to go to Canada to make our home. This was in 1904. We traveled by team and wagon or sheep camp. My brother and sister accompanied us. My father and mother sold their home and went by train while some of the family took cattle. We found Canada not too inviting. However, we stayed through the winter and returned to America the next spring. After selling our belongings we started life over again.

 My husband and I took up a homestead in Malad Valley in 1908 on the Big Malad River. It was hard work for my husband to clear the land of large sagebrush before it could be cultivated, but through hard work and perseverance, he cleared the 160 acres and raised a good crop of grain.

 I served as Second Counselor in the Primary at the St John Ward for a number of years. When we bought a home in Pleasant View so we could have our children in school I continued to take an active part in the church. I worked in the Relief Society and was a visiting teacher for about 20 years. I was the chorister and work and business leader for three or four years and also sang in the choir.

 In 1943 my husband had a stroke and was never able to walk again. He was then 75 years of age. I took care of him by myself as my children were all married. We had wire stretchers fastened to the ceiling so he could help handle himself. I learned to drive the car at the age of 65 so I could take him for rides. We had a platform built to help get him in the car and with the help of neighbors I was able to take him out for rides nearly every week.

 He had been afflicted for three years when our Bishop John J. Roderick advised us to buy a home in Malad to make it more convenient. We bought a lot and John Price arranged to move the house on October 18th 1946. It was quite an undertaking and a worry for my husband and I. The people were very kind and helped us and our children did their share. After it was all done we were thankful that we had moved. Before we left the Pleasant View Ward, the Relief Society sisters presented me a lovely mirror of which I am very proud.

 My husband gradually grew worse in the two years we lived in Malad. Through the administration of the Elders he received a wonderful blessing and died peacefully about a week later. He was 80 years old and died on his birthday, April 9, 1948.

 After so many years of taking care of my husband I almost collapsed after his death.  I had sugar diabetes but with the help of medicine and our doctor, I felt pretty good. I am living alone at the present time and I’m thankful that the Lord has blessed me with such a good husband and all the happy years we spent together.    For my children I am also very thankful. My children are as follows: Lyman Andrew,  Ardella Elizabeth and Arinda ( twins),  Ethel Anna, Myrtle Ellen, and Arnold Charles.

 I have very good neighbors which makes life pleasant for me– especially one neighbor -Hazel Jones who visits me everyday.  I have been a member of the Second Ward since 1946. The people of Malad are very fine and are very good to me.

At the present time I have 16 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

(This autobiography was written by Mrs Anderson before her death which occurred on Wednesday March 21, 1951 at the Oneida County hospital after a 10 day illness.)