Ella (Elna) Jenson wife to Christian Hans Monson

I am so thrilled to know about this woman.  When I started out researching for stories about my ancestors I was worried about finding stories.  This story is another treasure.  It is a bit lengthy so I decided to divide her story in chapters.  I love her courage and faith.  In my last post about Sarah Monson Whitehead (her daughter, my great grandmother), she described her mother as wonderful, gentle and caring.  Enjoy and prepare to be uplifted.

                   ELLA JENSON MONSON      Prepared by Ezra P. Monson (her son)

Ella Jenson Monson, daughter of Peter Jenson and Boel Sjunnason was born at Gunarp, Malmohus, Sweden on October 23, 1850.  She was the fifth child in a family of eight children.  Her father by trade was a tailor and being of moderate circumstances, made it necessary for the children to assist in providing for the family.  In this she did her part working as a domestic in her native country.

Her parents were among the early converts in Sweden as she recalled many times of her early recollections of the Missionaries being in their home when she was a child and that they were with them often.  Her father’s brother Ola’s record of baptism gives it as June 21, 1854, and mother had in her mind that they joined about the same time.  Their home was open to the Elders and such assistance as they could give in spreading the new Gospel among their neighbors and friends was given in their native land.


HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT SWEDEN AT THIS TIME
(sited from www.worldtimeline.info/sweden)
1850

• Population of Sweden is about 3.13 million. [1.327] [48.438]
• Over 90% of all Swedes live in the countryside. [47.204]

1851

• The Society for the Advancement of Religious Freedom is founded. [48.359]

1853

• The poor relief ordinance is revised. [1.357]
• A second wave of cholera stikes Sweden. [48.348]

1855

• Postage stamps are first used in Sweden. [47.206] [238.234,239] [267.142]
• The requirement for public affirmation of faith is abolished. [48.359]

1856

• The National Evangelical Foundation is formed by Methodists. [47.228]

1857

• Population of Stockholm: 100,000. [48.344]

1860

• The punishment of exile for leaving the state church is abolished. A law is passed granting permission for individuals to leave the church if the state approves the other church. [47.202] [48.386] [267.145]

1862

• Women possessing property are granted the right to vote in local elections. [47.215]

1863

• An Act specifies that unmarried women over age 25 not be treated as minors. [47.215

1868

• Sweden suffers general crop failure and famine. [267.148] [327.43]

1869

• Emigration of Swedes during the year: about 40,000. During the past ten years: 146,000. [48.369] [267.148]

1870

• Swedish-speaking population of Minnesota, USA: 20,000. [23.22]
• Population of Sweden: 4.17 million. [48.440]

1871

• Husqvarna introduces its first sewing machine, the Northern Star. [175.29]

Her uncle Ola Jenson came to Utah in the year 1862 and located in Logan.  Her brother Sven was the first of her father’s family to come to America and he came with a company of young men who left their native land to secure employment, going direct to Minnesota where they were engaged to assist in building through the Northern part of that State, the Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railroads. 
 He selected and entered a homestead near Battle Lake, Otter Tail Co., Minnesota where he pioneered and assisted in building up that country.  He was married to Hannah Olson and to them were born one son and six daughters.

Mother was the next of  the family to come to America.  In the year 1873 she came with a company of Mormon Emigrants and arrived in Salt Lake City July 24th of that year. 

 She spent a short time in Salt Lake with friends, then went to Logan where her Uncle Ola and family were living.  It was in Logan that she first met her future husband, Christian Hans Monson, who was a contractor and builder and was engaged at that time in building the Z.C.M.I. building, now known as the First National Bank building of Logan.

Picture of ZCMI building Christian Hans Monson was building when they met.

Come back for Chapter 2

Generations Project

We are not a TV watching family- we watch movies on DVD and we watch shows on-line.  One of my all time favourites is The Generations Project on BYU TV.  It just finished the second season.  I am so inspired by every single episode.  I love how they help facilitate the process of searching out one's roots.

They did an episode early in this season about the steps they follow in creating a generations project.  I have spent a lot of time thinking about these steps and I find that they really help in my quest for understanding more about who I am and why this search is so important to me and how it shapes me in my thoughts and actions.

Step 1: FIND OUT YOUR WHY. Some sample questions: What do you want to change?  Who do you want to become?

Step 2: POPULATE YOUR TREE do the research, talk to living relatives and find out what info you already have, go on-line, go to archives and get names, dates and stories

Step 3: MIX IT WITH HISTORY find out what historical events were occuring at the time of their life

Step 4: WALK IN THEIR SHOES go to where they were, try to experience life the way they would have lived

Step 5: SHARE IT AND WATCH IT RIPPLE  write about it, share it some way- through a blog, website, family reunion, and if possible make some sort of video to share.

I have been taking these steps as I pursue my family history research.  I am grateful for this guidance.
MY WHY
I applied to be on the show.  In my application my why was: Why is community so important to me?  I guess I never fully understood how important community has been to me until we moved to a large urban center two years ago.  I was VERY uncomfortable, uneasy and incredibly unsettled (my husband had never seen me like that).  We had moved from a town of 1000 people to a suburb of 500000 which is part of a very large centre (5.5 million).
As I reflected on this I realized that my whole life has been spent in small town (my dad would commute so that we could be in outlining towns).  I loved the security of a small town- everyone watching out for each other and people knowing who you are.  This got me thinking about my grandpa- Mike Bowie.  He grew up building up the town of Claresholm.  The only time I ever heard him say anything negative about anyone was when he spoke about a certain group of people who were not community minded.
Then I thought about John George Bowie who came to Claresholm from Halifax, Nova Scotia and built this community.  His father came from Scotland to Halifax and built up that community.
I often think about William Bowie and wonder what that would have been like for him to leave his community and start over in a new county building a new community.
Another aspect of this community being so important to me is that I have moved a lot in my life for example from a baby to high school grad I lived in 6 towns, 2 provinces, and 9 houses.  Since I've been married (ten years) we have lived in 4 towns/cities, 2 provinces and 5 houses.
Since applying I have thought of a lot of others WHYS
-why is creativity so important, why do I love quilting- cutting up perfectly good fabric and creating something my own
-why is being a mom so important to me- why I walked away from my career and am so eager to be a stay at home mom and make those lifestyle changes that are necessary
-why do i feel it is so important to grow a garden every single year of my married life-NO MATTER WHAT (community gardens, gardening in other peoples back yards, gardening when very pregnant, etc)
-fitness, why is it so important to me and to my siblings
-why do I have such a strong desire to know about my ancestors lives and why do their stories mean so much to me.

I am grateful for the WHY's, the many WHY's in my life.
-why

The Life Story of Sarah Monson Whitehead Part 1 Her Parents Christian Hans Monson and Ella Jensen

This is the account of Sarah's life written by herself.  I am amazed at the influence that one person can have.  She had five children and her influence is now touching the lives of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.
I very was touched by the way that she spoke about each one of her children.  I really want all her of her posterity to know of her faith and love that she had.  She did not have an easy life in many regards and it is so wonderful to read how loving, optimistic, kind-hearted and spiritual she was.  I like that are names are similar!! (Dara and Sarah).  I also love to read about her trials as well as her triumphs.  Thank-you Great Grandma Sarah for writing these words.

MY LIFE SKETCH  by  SARAH WHITEHEAD RUSSELL  

        A Book of Remembrance for My Children written in 1957

In starting to write a book or sketch of this kind, my mind goes back many years, to the days of my childhood, to my parents who were converts to the LDS Church, my father in Norway and my mother on Sweden(which makes me think of one of our church teachings that there would be, when searching for the blood of Israel, thro our missionaries, “One of a family and two of a city that would be of the house of Israel”, We find that very true even today.)  Right here I will say, I am very thankful for my  parents, that they were, “One of a family” when very young and embraced the gospel, came to the promised land, where we their children could be born and raised according to the plan of our Savior and it is my hearts greatest desire that my own children and their children will respect the teachings they have had and make all the efforts that have been made, crowned with success and happiness for all.

My father Christian Hans Monson was born June 16, 1837 at Fredrikstad, Norway.  His father, a very stern man by nature, was very opposed to his son having anything to do with Mormon missionaries, but it seems at the age of fourteen, my father became so interested in the doctrine they were teaching-that he would go to hear them against his father’s wishes, and at first without his knowledge.

My father’s father was a Jail Warden. The jail was of stone structure, a small one room, with bars at the windows.  It was my father’s job to carry the meals to the prisoners.  One day two Mormon Elders were arrested and put in the jail for preaching on the street of Fredrikstad.  This of course gave my father many opportunities to hear them teach him the gospel plan, while they ate their food.  It was just what he was looking for, being of a very religious nature, he readily believed their teachings and wanted to be baptized right away.

Now it is to be remembered he was only fourteen years of age, so this was a serious matter on the missionaries part.  They didn’t want to do anything to anger the jail warden further as they were desirous of being set free to resume their labors in the city.  But my father begged for “more” each time until he was getting anxious to become a member.  This seemed impossible at the time, at first, but there was a stream of water near the jail and through persistent persuasion and promising to put them back and lock them in, they finally gave in and went to the stream with him one night and baptized him.

When his father found out what had been done sometime later, he beat his son very severely and forbade him to attend and more meetings, but he was not to be ruled over in this manner, so one night on returning home after attending his beloved church, he found all his belongings on the porch and the doors of his home locked.  He was no more to call it home or reside with his loved ones.

He got a job as an apprentice in a cabinet making place, with a very kind man who allowed him in his spare time to make different things on his own, which he sold and saved the money to emigrate to Utah.  He was one of the few men who were sent out to meet Johnson’s Army, in Utah, when the pioneers were threatened by the Army to be burned out and destroyed (my brother Roy still has the sword he carried to meet them).  

He married in polygamy and was a very righteous living man in the church.  He died on Sept. 23, 1896  at the young age of 59, leaving a large posterity to carry on his name and work.  His patriarchal blessing said his posterity would be scattered wide and far apart and that has been fulfilled to the letter.  At this time I do not know what it numbers.

My mother Ella Jensen Monson was born in South Rorum Sweden Oct. 23, 1850- 107 years ago this year.  Her life history I will include in a sketch made by my brother Ezra, her oldest child.

In her union with my father, they were blessed with 10 children five boys and five girls, her second child a girl died the day of her birth, and a boy Willard, the fourth to the last child lived eight months when he passed away-and I can very well remember him and when  he came to us and when he died.    At this time all four girls are living and one boy, Roy.  The eldest sister being 80 years young in October, Amanda 74 Rachel 72 and myself I will be 69 in August Roy was 68 in Jan 1957.  We were all born in Cash Valley some of us in Richmond Utah and the younger ones in Idaho, just north of the Utah-Idaho line.

Hind Sight is 20-20

One of the pieces of advise you always hear is connect with your family members, you never know what they may have.  I have been trying to do this.  I sometimes think that my parents might be a little annoyed at my repeated questions about this cousin or that.

As a young woman, probably after being married- she was married quite young.

Well, they love me and they keep giving me advice and suggestions.
When we first moved to Toronto (2 years ago) my dad told me about his cousin Lousie and her husband serving a full-time mission just north of Toronto.  I was so happy to see family.  We had a great time hosting them twice when they went to the temple.  I found out some wonderful things about them and their family.

She looks so kind here.

Last week we had a conversation about information that she might have and within that hour I had MANY copies of life histories of many of my family members!!!  I was thrilled.  I was particularly grateful for the life story of my great grandmother Sarah Monson Whitehead.  I loved to read through her thoughts and feelings.  She did not have a very happy marriage but she did not complain.  She celebrated the lives of her children and grandchildren.
When I sent this copy to my dad, he was amazed at her.  It was a side of her he had never experienced and his heart was full of love and compassion for her.  His whole perception of her changed and his desire to seek out more about her and her life has been ignited.
I never cease to be amazed at the outcomes of what doing family history can do for you.

I love the curls.  I wish I could have these glasses, they are great.

 Pictures throughout her life of my great grandmother- Sarah Monson Whitehead

Joshua Hague Gillett

JOSHUA HAGUE GILLETT

1808-1865

Here is a story that I found about my great great great gandfather who joined the LDS church in England and came across the ocean and made his way to Utah where he settled with his family.  This account was written by his granddaughter Annie Gillett Kone in February 1938.

Joshua Hague Gillett was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, July 8, 1808.  He came to America in 1849 with his wife, Mary Butterly Gillett and six children.  One child died coming over and was buried in the sea.  They settled at Alton, Illinois where one boy died and their daughter Mary Ann was born.

They came across the plains in 1852.  Grandfather Gillett drove one of the teams across and they endured many hardships.  Upon arriving in Salt Lake Valley they camped on the square, as it was called.  It was located where the City and County building now stands.  They lived here one year and then moved to Tooele, where they lived in a dug out where the Spiers home now stands.  They had no windows and dirt floors, and they used cedar bark to lie on.  The children’s bed was a buffalo robe laid on the cedar bark.

The Salt Lake near Tooele, Utah

A scene of the town Tooele

They then drew lots and Grandfather drew the lot where the Herb Vowels home now stands.  They put up one room log home and this was where their daughter Sarah was born.  They lived here three years, then moved to Milton, Tooele County where their son Brigham Joshua was born.

They farmed and took care of stock here.  They lived there about two years when they were driven out by Johnson’s Army.  

They moved to Lehi where a daughter Emma was born.

A log cabin built in 1855 in Tooele

They lived here two years, then after the government made terms with the Johnson’s they moved back to Milton where a daughter Ellen Rebecca was born.  They lived here about eight years when Grandfather died.

Windmill and small adjacent buildings at the E.T. Benson Grist Mill.

I have heard my Father say he ran bare-footed to Milton many times with a message to his older brother Samuel, as there was no mail at that time.  He was ten years old at this time.  Grandfather died April 15, 1865, at Milton and was a true and devoted Latter Day Saint.  He worked on the old mud wall until they had it as far as they wanted it to go.  He was a leader of all church affairs at Milton, also leader of the Choir.  He and his daughter Mary Ann would entertain with singing and dancing at all their social gatherings.  Grandfather was very particular about his morning prayers, and all the children had to be up and washed, ready to kneel at the old bench for the prayer.

He died April 15, 1865 at Tooele and was buried in the Tooele Cemetery.

Major Side Track

Do you ever find that you can get side tracked while doing research?

Pictures taken from Chester Town Website

I was researching Bowie's in Halifax, Nova Scotia and I discovered another family tree with my great great aunt Francis's line (1857).  She married James W. Keefe.  They had three children (James E Keefe 1880, Ella Florence 1879-1899, and John Alfred 1882).  Their daughter, Ella Florence, married a man named Henry Fader (1873) and they had one girl named Ella born 26 Oct 1899.

I was so touched by this because Ella's mother died four days after giving birth and she was raised by her grandparents Francis and James.

I then started to look into the Fader family.  Very interesting.

Fader or Feader came from Germany to the South and had a plantation.  It burned to the ground so he started a new life in Chester, Nova Scotia as a carriage maker and repairer.  He had 15 children and their carriage shop was in the family for 100 years. (found story of ancestry.ca)

Benjamin Feader left Isenburg, Germany, due to religious persecution (he was apparently a wealthy merchant), shipped to South Carolina on a ship called the 'Sally' or 'Seliey,' built a large plantation, lived there until 1750 when his plantation burned to the ground, and moved with his wife and 12 slaves! to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Two years later his son, JohannHeinrich Feder and his wife Helena Elizabeth left Isenburg and took the same ship ‘Sally,’joining his father in Lunenburg. Johann and Helena had 9 children in Lunenburg . One of the sons, John Adam Feder, married Lucy Bryzelius who produced 15 children. John Adam and Lucy Feder moved 10 miles to Chester, N.S. and built a carriage house and a home in Chester. The family manufactured carriages for over a hundred years from this location.

I called the town of Chester and they gave me the number of the man who still lives in the carriage house- still in the family.  I spoke to his mother and we have plans to stop in this summer to visit.  The carriage house is being rented out by the movie company right now.  She told me that they have a carriage from Germany that has been totally restored.

The moral of the story- even if there is not a huge connection (direct line) our family will be enriched by meeting these people this summer.  So I must conclude that side tracks are in fact great and should be indulged every once and a while.