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