August Bluth

August Christian Fredrick Bluth

(1842-1930)

August Christian Fredrick Bluth was born on August 24, 1842, in Stockholm, Sweden, to Johannes Christian Fredrick Bluth and Wilhelmina Liding.  His father died three months before August, the youngest of eight children, was born.

As most of the older children were grown and married when he was yet a small boy, August was very close to his mother, and was a great comfort to her after her husband’s death. He lived with his mother in their small island home by the sea.

At the age of six he made his own fishing net. He would put it in the in see at night and in the morning empty is catch and will bucket which he took to a small store in trade for other foods needed at home. He also fished hook and line to help support his mother.

With only three months of formal schooling, August could be considered self educated. Yet in latter years he helped his children with her studies in algebra, geometry, history and geography. As a child, he went each day to a Lutheran minister; for daily readings of the Bible, he came to know it well, and memorized a great many passages. He had a fine singing voice and saying in that Lutheran choir when he was ten. Years later he sang in Mormon choirs. Men and boys liked to sit by him during rehearsals for he was a great help to them.

When he was 12 he started an eight-year training program for a diploma in carpentry. He graduated with high honors in May, 1862, at the age of 19 and went to work building houses and doing fine finishing carpentry.

On May 10, 1867, he married Hannah Hammerstrom in St. Jacobs church in Stockholm. A son, Fredrick Zacharias, was born to them on September 6, 1868. His wife ran a small store in front of their home while he worked at his trade. Hannah died June 14, 1875. After her death he closed the store.

One evening when he was returning home from work he saw a crowd of people listening to some Mormon Elders preaching on the street corner. He listened, and was impressed with her message, which seemed to be what he had been seeking for years. The Elders came to his home and he was soon converted to Mormonism. He in turn converted his oldest brother, John, and five members of his family. With new hope he had something to live for. He met Josephine Alberta Rose and converted her. They were both baptized, and were married February 17, 1876.

With his wife and son Frederick, now eight, August came to Utah in the company of other Saints and settled in Ogden, Utah. On August 19, 1877, a daughter Tyra Josephine, was born. Work being scarce in Ogden, the family moved to Brigham City, and later to Evanston, Wyoming.

They Latter-day Saints were living in The United Order at this time and most of August’s income went to help in this great cause.  A son, Bernard August, was born on December 8, 1878. On August 14, 1878, Tyra Josephine died, and in the same year, September 3, his wife Josephine died. In 1879 Bernard died. These losses were almost more than August could endure.

On October 9, 1879 he married Johanna Johannsson who had come to America from Sweden.  Six children were born to them, Johanna August, Rosia Elvira, Rosemilda, Ranghilda, Oscar Emmanuel, Jared William, and Carl Emil.  Two of these children died in Ogden.  When his son Fredrick was nineteen he obtained employment in an Ogden co-op store.  Delivering goods in a wagon, the horse ran away; Fred fell from the wagon and was dragged..  He died June 1, 1887, and was buried in the Ogden cemetery.

When leaders of the Church advised August to live plural marriage, he said he would try to comply. On August 14, 1887, he married Sophia Anderson, who had, by a previous marriage in Sweden, a six-year-old son, Fred. On June 8, 1889, he married hold the Ossmen. By this time persecution had become so bitter that all who were living plural marriage were advised to go to Mexico.

August, with his families, arrived in Deming, New Mexico on May 15, 1889. Here for his children had diptheria. On June 1, Jared died. They continued on to Colonia Dublan by wagon and arrived June 24, 1889 with three children: Hilda, Oscar, and Emil. Dublan was a barren flat with only for Mormon families living there: The Carltons, Whipples, Fosters, and Lakes.  The Bluth family lived in a tent with a bowery. Because of bad weather and many hardships, August developed bronchitis and was very ill. A bed was made on the floor of the tent for Hilda Josephine when she gave birth to a baby, Ellen Josephine, born March 5, 1890.

Food was very scarce and pioneer life was extremely rugged. As conditions improved, August made adobes and in time was able to build a two-room home for his families. In September, 1893 Hulda gave birth to a son, Earl Lawrence. Hulda died and in less than a month Earl Lawrence also died. Grief-stricken, August made the coffins.

His wife, Sophia, and her son Fred had come from Ogden into Mexico with Albert and Sarah Farnsworth. On March 23, 1893 Sophia gave birth to a son, Oliver Ferdinand.  Later Sophia and her husband worked at the Corralitos ranch; then he helped build the Jackson flour mill near Old Casas Grandes.  August would walk several miles to work Monday morning, stay until Saturday evening, then walk home again. His salary was 50 centavos a day. Later he helped build the Lewis Cardon, the Rueben Farnsworth, and the Mike Larson homes in Colonia Dublan, and also the Relief Society building and the Mexican Branch church.

Known for his fine workmanship, August for many years made coffins for people in Dublan and Juarez.

In 1910, because of the Mexican Revolution, he moved his family to Tucson, Arizona, where his brother-in-law, Heber Farr, had bought several hundred acres of land. Together they formed a company. In Tucson the Bluths lived in the Rillito Ranch, which later was called Binghamton. He left his 20-acre farm that he had purchased in Colonia Dublan with a married son, Oscar. Sophia, and her son Fred, also stayed in Mexico. When living in Tucson he received word that his stepson, Fred, had drowned on August 5, 1891, while crossing the Casas Grandes River; his horse had stepped into deep water. Fred’s body was not found until a week later.

In January 1915, August moved back to Colonia Dublan. He built a cozy little home across the street from Bishop A. B. Call’s home where his grandchildren loved to visit him. He raised fruit and kept bees, selling honey and honeycomb to the townspeople. He enjoyed making doll furniture for his grandchildren. As his health began to fail, he needed more care and moved from his little home to be near Ellen. He died March 25, 1930, at the age of 87. Joanna died February 12, 1937, and Sophia on August 13, 1938. Life was never easy for those pioneers, but they were always valiant during hardships, and they love their home in Mexico.

Ellen Josephine Bluth Jones, daughter

Pg 51 Stalwarts South of the Border Nelle Spilsbury Hatch