Hans H. Petersen

Hans Henry Petersen was an early Church composer. He wrote the lyrics and composed the music to the well-known hymn “Secret Prayer” (#144), which was included in the 1985 Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He wrote the words to “I’m a Pilgrim, I’m a Stranger” (#121), which was also included. He composed music for 26 Sunday School hymns and wrote the lyrics to 10 hymns.

Petersen was born on December 25, 1835, near Slagelse, Denmark. He was raised as a Lutheran and spent his early years working on a farm and as an apprentice weaver, and in a grist mill. He and his father, Peder Larsen, and mother Ane, were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1853. He immigrated to Utah in 1862 by ship and married Julia Maria Larsen onboard. They went by train to Florence, Nebraska, then joined one of the down and back companies of wagons sent out from Utah. He commanded a group of about 400 for the journey.

They settled in Manti, Utah, and eventually had four children. He later moved to Salt Lake City and organized a Scandinavian choir there. In 1868 he moved to Hyrum, Utah. In Hyrum, he was a Justice of the Peace, city recorder, city marshall, and school board member. In the Church, he served as a ward and stake choir director and assistant superintendent of the Sunday School.

He served a mission to Denmark from 1857 to 1862 where he also served as branch president and later district president.

He passed away on December 18, 1909.