Erickson, Hilda (1859–1968)

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Erickson, Hilda (1859–1968)

Swedish-American midwife. Name variations: Hilda Anderson Erickson. Born Hilda Andersson, Nov 11, 1859, in Ledsjo, Sweden; died Jan 1, 1968, in Salt Lake City, Utah; dau. of Pehr and Maria Kathrina (Larsson) Andersson; m. John A. Erickson (Swedish immigrant), Feb 23, 1882; children: 2.

One of the last of Utah's immigrant pioneers, came to Utah at age 7; with husband, joined a mission on the Goshute Indian Reservation in Deep Creek Valley, UT (today known as Ibapah, UT, 1883) and was secretary of its Sunday school; studied obstetrics at Deseret Hospital in Salt Lake City (1885); after studies, returned to reservation to help Native American and Euro-American women deliver babies; developed reputation as an excellent puller of bad teeth; with family, left reservation and purchased Last Chance Ranch (1898), a 320-acre cattle ranch; opened a general store in Grantsville (1925), which she managed for over 21 years; renewed midwifery certificate every year until at least age 90. Commemorations include a bronze monument of Erickson riding sidesaddle in front of Grantsville City Hall.