Boden Candy

History

Little girl, you'd better learn how to make this candy! It might help you make a living someday. This prophetic advice was given to Annora Coleman Boden when she worked in a candy factory in Wales.

Annora Coleman was born May 4, 1828. In her early years she learned the candy trade and worked as a housekeeper and cook. She married James Boden at the age of 19 with whom she bore 10 children while living in Wales. They left for the U.S.A. in August 1868 to join with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormons) in its trek to Utah. Their eleventh child died on the way to Utah (another had died earlier) and James contracted Mountain Fever and died the day after they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. Annora was left without home, money, and seven children to take care of (two daughters had come earlier and moved to Brigham City, Utah).

Annora decided to move to Brigham City to be near the eldest daughters. She and her sons worked at whatever jobs they could find that first winter. She bought sugar whenever she got her hands on a few dollars and made candy in an iron kettle over an open fireplace. A short time later, she opened Brigham City's first boarding house. For 31 years she lived and worked in Brigham City, running the boarding house (called the Boden House), selling her candy and serving the neighborhood as resident nurse.

When she passed away in 1899, the candy duties fell to her daughter, And Eight years later, it passed to Ann's sister, Elizabeth Boden Morrison. Her daughter, Elizabeth Morrison Eskelsen (Bessie), resumed the family tradition in 1947 after a 10 year hiatus. Through her efforts, the candy recipe was reduced to a science. Her daughters, Elizabeth Peters (deceased) and Karen Cannon, have kept the tradition alive. Due to Karen's arthritis, her husband, Richard, has made the candy since 1971. Their nephew, Gary Dunn, Annora C. Boden's great-great grandson, is now continuing this tradition. Occasional visitors from Wales recognize the candy and call it "Humbug Candy".

Kept cool and dry it has a shelf life of up to a year, but softens with time as the glassy state reverts to crystalline sugar. Flavors: white, peppermint; pink, wintergreen; red, clove; amber, lemon; and brown, brown sugar peppermint.