Caroline Ericsen Hogan

Caroline Ericsen Hogan was born July 21, 1831 in Haugen, Norway to Eric Gautesson Midtboen Hogan and Helga Knudsdatter. Caroline is a Pioneer of Richmond.

History

At a young age, the Hogan family was very religious. Caroline's parents would call the children on Sundays and have them sit still to hear the words of God from the Bible. During this time, the Hogan children were taught how to read.

When Caroline was six, the Hogan family prepared to move to the United States. Caroline's father felt a strong need to move his family to the US. The Hogan family sailed on the Niord from Gothenburg, Sweden on an unknown date. They arrived in New York City, New York on Aug 15, 1837. During their transportation, the chest in which they had most of their savings spilled into the harbor water, and about 200 gold dollars were lost. After some travel, the Hogan family settled near Ottawa, Illinois

In 1840, the Hogan family moved to Keokuk, Iowa. In 1843, Goodman Howcus, a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited the area where the Hogan family lived. Goodman was Norwegian and could teach the Hogan family the gospel in their native tongue. The Hogan's joined the Church the same year.

In 1846, the Hogan family sold their farm to move to Council Bluffs, Iowa to make preparations to move west. The Hogan family joined the Brigham Young 1848 Company on June 5 and entered the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 24. After, the Hogan family moved to today's Bountiful, Utah. While there, Caroline became acquainted with Christian Larsen Hyer. They were married on Nov 23, 1850 in Bountiful.

In 1859, Church President Brigham Young sent Church Apostles Orson Hyde and Ezra T. Benson to survey Cache Valley, as it was prime real estate. During their return, the Apostles encouraged the Hyer family and their neighbors the Merrill family to move to the new valley. The Hyers, Hogans, and Merrills made a small company and began travel to Cache Valley on March 11, 1860. They arrived in Richmond soon after.

"Life wasn’t always sweet and easy for Caroline. Not only did she bear the burden of being a pioneer and early settler, but she lost five of her children in death. Nineteen months after establishing their home in Richmond, they lost their daughter Harriet, at seven years of age. When Heber Paul was one year old in 1873 he passed away. Two teenagers, fifteen and sixteen, bursting on the exciting threshold of life, Orson in 1878 and Elizabeth Regina in 1880, were taken from her. Then in 1881, Christian, the eldest son, was killed in a tragic accident in the canyon at the age of twenty-two. She and Christian had lost three children in the space of four years. Christian, her husband, passed away September 20, 1901. Caroline was a widow for sixteen years. In her sorrow she hummed hymns to ease the pain. The one most remembered by her family was '"Come, Come, Ye Saints.'"

Epilogue