My father was born April 13, 1861 in Karlskoga, Varmland, Sweden. His parents were farmers. He had to go to work at a very early age for a rich farmer. It was at this place that father met my mother.
At 10 years of age my mother was obliged to go to work as a nurse girl at a well to do farmer’s house Mr. Celen. My grandfather had been quite wealthy. He had his own nurse-girls, servants, and carriages. He lost everything through the signing of notes for his friends. He was so honest that he let the children’s share of the estate go to help pay for them. His second wife had many jewels and she sold them to help them get out of debt, so honest were both of them.
Joachim Ekenberg with second wife (we believe) and Sigrid Sofia and her brothers David and Richard.
Picture of Erick Wilhelm (or it may be the brother Elis who died when he was 26).
Mr. Celen soon found out that my father, though very young, was very capable and dependable with no bad habits. He was the one to bring the things to market, to drive for Mr. Celen and was soon put in as head man of all outside work. My father fell in love with my mother when he first met her but she would have nothing to do with him. She must have changed her mind because she married him and happily, too.
MORMON MISSIONARIES COME
Mr. and Mr Celen. gave them a wonderful wedding. Mother wore the ladies veil. They were given a home and land for their own to use as long as they worked there. My father worked four days a week for this with no money and two days for himself on his own land. He was allowed to use horses and implements for the cultivation of his land. They also had chickens, two cows and some pigs. From these they raised the money which they needed. A very poor living for such hard work. All went well until some Mormon Elders came to the country. My mother was the first to go to the meeting as she had heard about the Mormons through her brother David. David had joined the church and served as a home missionary but died out of the Church. He never denied the faith and told mother to live it but he could not.
Mother was convinced of the truth and tried to get my father to go with her but he was satisfied with his Lutheran Church. Read the bible and treat everyone right was father’s religion. Mother gave him no rest. Finally, he consented to go with her to the meeting when he was sure no one could see him buts after he heard the young Elders bear their testimony, he was ready for baptism. It seemed he had heard it all before. It was then that mother tried so hard to find something in the Bible that could save her from being a hated Mormon. The more she studied the bible, the more she found that Mormonism was true. My parents joined the Church on the 15th of December 1882. The ice was so thick it took the Elders all day to cut the hole large enough for baptism. My how happy they were. I have heard my father say more than once that he had always read the Bible but now it seemed as though he had never read it. Everything was so clear now and so easy to understand and before it was not. The spirit of the Lord was with them. They were humble and the Lord blessed them with faith, but now trouble began.
Picture of Erica and husband Theo, Ebba and husband Henry, Art and wife Molly with Eleanora, Ethel and Ellen on the first row with their parents.
PERSECUTION BEGINS
Mr. Celen was the worst enemy they had. He thought if he treated them mean they would soon leave Mormonism and come back with open arms. When the Elders were there he would come into the house, put his fist down on the table with a bang and tell them, "Next time you come here I will see to it that you Mormon devils will be hung in the trees”, which he never did. He used to come and talk nice to my mother, even shed tears telling her that if they would not deny the faith he would make it plenty hard for them. He told them they were crazy. Mother said to him, “Mr. Celen, there is nothing you can do to change us in our faith and some day you will know what it means to have crazy people to deal with.”
The persecution got so severe my parents decided to leave and move to Westerrose. By this time there were four children, Ebba being six weeks old. It was midwinter, very cold and lots of snow. I can remember the trip well. I was then 7 years old. Carl, Art and myself were tucked in the bottom of the sled, warm as toast, but poor mother and the baby sat on the front seat. The driver and my father walked all the way, holding the sled up on both sides. It took from early in the morning until late at night. Ebba was blue with cold when we arrived at brother and sister Carlson’s warm home where the Elders also made their home. It was all thrills for we children.
The household goods had arrived and a house was found but now a new problem arrived, that of getting a new job. Father tried day after day all over but always “no”. The food we had with us from the country was getting low, but mother, God bless her memory, she did not give up. This night in our prayer, we always had family prayer, father and mother both prayed as never before. I can well remember the spirit of that prayer now.
The next day my father went in search for work again. While he was gone a man came to the house and asked, “Is there someone here that wants work?” This man wanted a man as a helper in a Cooper shop. We all knelt down and thanked God for his blessings.
After father had worked a few days the boss said, “Would you like to learn the Cooper trade, it seems to me it’s born in you, you can work overtime to learn and you won’t lose any time." (A Cooper makes wooden tubs and casks).Father was so grateful for this opportunity. Can’t you see the blessings of the Lord to the faithful? He was soon the Foreman of the shop and 2 years later was sent to Orebro where he took full charge of the shop. This was eight years before they immigrated to America.
One day as I was bringing my father’s lunch to him. Mr. Celen met me on the street and asked me where my mother was living. He said he had tried all day to find her. I can still feel a little fear when I think about how I felt when this large man stopped on the street and asked for my mother. I told him I was going to my father and I would show him where to find him. He said, “No, I would like to see and talk to your mother.” His manner was a little different from what it used to be when he would curse the Mormons. He had come all the way to tell my mother that now he knew what it meant to deal with crazy people. He said he had brought his wife to the insane asylum, he was broken in health and in spirit and wanted to make things right with my parents, poor man, how sorry we all felt for him.
Picture of Ellen, Eleanora, Erica, and Ethel in the 1940s.
THE DREAM OF GOING TO ZION
I have heard my mother pray for Relief Society and hope that some day she would be able to belong to one. I have heard mother pray and father, too but mother would pray that she would be happy to live in a dirt house if we could only go to Zion. I used to think to myself, I hope we never have to live in a dirt house but I did want to go to Utah.
Well, mother got her wish. When we moved to Orebro there were lots of Saints and the Relief Society. Needless to say mother did not wait for an invitation to join that blessed organization. She soon was made secretary and later president. There was always a baby at our house and a long way to Church so I had to go with mother to Church to tend the baby and I was never sorry.
My father was made President of the Sunday School and the presiding Elder of the branch. This was happy days for all of us. Sunday morning we would all go to Church. Father would start a little early with the baby and smaller children and mother would follow with the rest of us and we would soon catch up with them. We had about 4 miles to go to Sunday School. We didn’t think that was very far at the time. When I was 14 years old I was made secretary of the Sunday School which position I held until I immigrated 5 years later.
Gather to Zion was uppermost in our minds. With a large family but not a large salary it was impossible to save enough money for such a long trip. All we could do was pray and fast and leave it with the Lord.
Brother Peter Ernstrom, from Ogden, came to Orebro as a missionary. When he met my father he said, without even being asked or advised, “When I get home I will do something for you toward immigration.” I can see the hope in my parent’s eyes now as I think of it. After Brother Ernstrom’s release came to go home, my father and he corresponded. In one letter my father reminded him of his promise. Brother Ernstrom in turn talked it over with his wife and said, “I would surely like to do something for Brother Larson and his family. If it is alriight with you we will send Brother Larson money for half a ticket.” Sister Ernstrom replied, “No, you send him a whole ticket and then you will be sure he will get here.” They did. It was quite an undertaking for them as his business had suffered a great deal while he was on his mission, but they never regretted it. My father and brother Ernstrom had been bosom friends since they met in the mission field.
THE IMMIGRATION TO ZION BEGINS
My brother Carl, had immigrated to Zion 6 months before this, being 16 years of age. A young Elder had inherited some money and was immigrating and offered a loan for half a ticket for Carl. The two left together. Brother Carl Erickson, from Wilson Lane, was fulfilling a mission at Orebro at this time. He wanted my brother Carl, to go and stay with his parents on the farm as they needed him. So it was all settled and the two immigrated with others.
Picture of all the children but Carl, Elis, Edel and Hildur.
At this time there were nine children in the family with Eleanora just 8 days old. Six months later Eric left for Utah. We were sad but happy. We knew it would soon be our turn. Father made his home with Ernstroms and Ericksons, The people all talked badly because he had left a wife with 8 children in Sweden. They did not understand. The Lord was with my parents. Through the help of others in Utah enough money was raised for my mother and 5 of the children to go to Zion in another six months.
THREE LEFT IN SWEDEN
Art 15, Hildur 7, Elis 5, Edel 2, and Eleanora, 1 year old emigrated with mother. I have no words to express at this separation. Picture it if you can leaving us 3 in Sweden. I was 18, Ebba 11, and Ellen 9 years old. Mother had to take Ebba and Ellen’s citizen papers out and they had to stop school. They were supposed to have immigrated with mother, I was of age. I was willing to do anything so mother and the children, whose tickets would raise in price when older, could go to Utah. Preparation was made. The last day I stayed home from work and helped mother pack. Neither of us dared to speak because our emotions might get the best of us. A friend of mine rented a taxi and surprsed us and we all went to the station in style. Eleanora was a year old and I could hardly let go of her. When they were all on the train and it began moving I got terrified and screamed. Think of poor mother standing there on the train and me carrying on so. There is no word in the dictionary that can tell just what I went through at that time. I never could remember how I got home, but I know I was sitting on the doorstep and just crying. The poor Elders cried themselves. My sister Ebba was always able to control her feelings and she said, “You sit there and cry until I get the room straightened up.” And I did.
Ellen, Erica’s sister, wrote of this time alone. She said Erica worked in a flower shop where they also shipped fruit. Once in awhile she would bring us an orange to divide. We ate dried fruit and had delicious fruit soup. We had very little milk. Ebba worked for some nice people as a nurse girl. Erica would leave me some money to buy breakfast, but I bought cookies and mints, hence I had bad teeth. I waited for Erica to come home and often went to meet her and was so pleased when I knew she was upstairs. We three lived in one room above the chapel with a very nice LDS family. I was with them a great deal and helped out when I could. I played with the neighbor's children. One of the parents ran a bakery and one of my friends worked there. My friend and I spent much time in the bakery. I loved it and wanted to become a baker. Pastries and coffee breads were the thing in Sweden and were they delicious. Two old maids lived close by and I would run errands for them. They would invite me in for a glass of milk and a big piece of sponge cake, which is the only kind that could be made in Sweden. We were always invited with the missionaries to the homes of the Saints for dinner. There was much singing and some spiritual talks. I loved it. But I missed my dear mother and vowed I would never leave her again.
A DEATH IN THE FAMILY LEADS TO A BLESSING
One Sunday morning, I got a letter, a very thick one. On tearing it open out fell some pieces of silk and lace. Reading the first few lines I learned that my little brother, Edel, 3 years old, had passed away. He had only been sick one week. I read no more. Throwing myself on the bed I screamed thinking everything but what was right. The Elders came up and tried to console me, but I would not see any of them. I sent the children to Sunday School so I could be alone to think it all our for myself.
At first I thought God had forsaken us. I had had no experience with either death or sickness. I felt terrible and more sorry for mother. Then a fear came over me and humbled me. I thought if God could take my brother he could just as soon take one of us. I could see now that none of us were safe. I prayed as never before to save our lives until we go to Utah and I would ask for no more. I finally read the rest of the letter and found lots of comfort in it. Both my father and mother wrote comforting words. I thought I knew better than anyone how my poor mother felt. The letter telling me of how many of the missionaries that did not know that my parents were in Utah until they read of the death in the paper. All came with arms full of good things to eat. Mother did not know how to take it at first being very independent and not used to things like this, but the Elders soon put her at ease telling her that they would be just as hurt if she would not receive this as she would have been if they had not taken of her hospitality in the mission field. They had intended to do this often and they could never repay all that she had done for them as much as they would like to. The Elders always made their home at our place. Mother said it was like a homecoming and not like a funeral. They all spoke of their work in Sweden, of their faithfulness and how they all wanted to do something in return and were glad for an opportunity.
Brother Linquist,, the undertaker, suggested something could be done to help the three girls that were left in Sweden. They all were glad to do their part. Saints that did not even know us loaned us money and some gave us money. Brother Linquist and Brother Ernstrom signed a note for me to get money from a sister that had plenty. My parents were poor immigrants but it was hard to take charity. The only thing that gave mother comfort was, she had always done her part in giving as long as long as she could. The Lord sure was mindful of their needs and raised up wonderful friends that made them feel all was well.
ALL GATHERED TO ZION AT LAST
The sixth of June, 1901, at 11 o’clock we three stood on Utah soil. My brothers, Carl and Art and Elder Carl Erickson met us at the station. I could not wait to get home. I can feel my mother’s arms around me now. We both cried in joy and neither could speak.
We were all starved, not having anything to eat since the day before. Mother had a wonderful dinner ready for us. My parents did not have a mansion but it was not a dirt house either, so I was happy. After father got home from work, he was now working as a Cooper at Becker’s Brewery at $50 a month, it was so good to see him. He was telling me of some of the things they had passed through, and how he acknowledged the hand of the Lord in all things. We had so much to be thankful for. I said “Amen” to all he said.
I went to work at the Reed Hotel and the rest of the children went to school and everything ran smoothly. Mother had her tenth and last baby girl, Ethel Sigrid. We were very poor but very happy. It is no easy job to pay a large sum of immigration money. Father had to pay all of them but mine.
Eleanora, 3 years old, took ill. The doctor said it was hip disease, she limped a little. No one seemed to understand her case. We had five doctors. We fasted and prayed and our friends did also but all to no avail. One day, one of the doctors came down. I’ll never forget it. He said “Mrs. Larson, we cannot do anymore for your daughter. We have never seen anything like this before.” She was skin and bones, her legs drawn from under her. She was the most pitiful sight. She herself, had lots of faith. My father said, “We have done all we could and the doctors have failed, we will dedicate her to the Lord, he will know what to do for her.” We fasted and prayed, she was administered to, still she got worse. Then we all prayed to God to take her out of her suffering. She at last got well but she suffered for 3 years. In March, my sister, Hildur, 14 years old, was hit with a snow ball on the head, she lived for 3 months, her brain was bleeding and she suffered terribly. It was a hard blow for mother when the big girl died suddenly.
It was six years before Eleanora could walk. Father used to carry her to fast meeting every month to be administered to. Faith! Thank God for faith. My mother had more faith than anyone. When Eleanora got so we could take her to the Temple, she was now walking on crutches and an iron foot, she said to her brother Carl, “I bet you one dollar I will walk without crutches when I get home from the Temple.” She did not walk alone all at once but from that day she got stronger and gradually walked without assistance. She is now a mother and President of the Relief Society. “God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.”
Picture of brother Carl, who died a few years after his wife Edith, leaving Mildred and Harold to live with their Aunt Erica and Aunt Ethel. Picture of Father before he left for his mission.
My father got a call to go on a mission to Sweden after he had been here 13 years. He was buying a home but he accepted the call with the approval of the family. He sold the home he had and bought a smaller one and got out of debt. Mother was willing to do all she could so father could go. All the children pledged themselves to keep father on his mission. Every month we would give so much. Ellen and Elis were still single and working and would keep the home going. Ethel and Eleanora were going to school.
Everyone kept their promise and was blessed by so doing. War broke out while father was on his mission and serious things were reported. One day mother said, “I can’t stand this any longer, I must know from the right authority if the missionaries are going to stay or if there is any truth in them sending the missionaries elsewhere.” I called President Smith on the telephone telling him what we had heard and that mother would like to know something definite about it. I have never talked face to face with President Smith, but when his voice came over the telephone so sweet and consoling telling us not to worry there was no truth in it and if there was anything he could do for mother he would do all he could. Mother was comforted and father stayed on his full-time mission. Father was thankful for this, it gave him a chance to bear his testimony to Ricksdagen in higher court. Father spent 9 days in jail in Vermland, preaching the gospel. He made many friends and filled a wonderful mission. He baptized 3 souls. He was Conference President over Stockholm Conferecne. He returned home happy and thankful for the opportunity of filling a mission.
Picture of mother and daughters reading a letter from Dad who was on a mission.
For years we were all a happy family again. One night the telephone rang calling father to the phone. My brother Elis had been run over by an automobile and died before he reached the hospital. This was a terrible shock to all of us but worse for mother. He was still single and lived at home. My brother Art and Elis were just ready to sail for France when the Armistice was signed and we were all so thankful that they did not have to go to the front. They themselves were disappointed. Now Elis was killed 2 blocks from home. Elis was always so thoughtful of mother while father was on his mission and otherwise. Oh, how she missed him. Father and mother both said the Lord knew what he was doing and they would not grumble. Elis was 26 years old when he died April 7, 1922.
Picture of Harold (oldest boy) and Mildred (oldest girl).
BOTH RETURN TO HEAVENLY FATHER STRONG IN THE FAITH
In 1924, my mother took ill. The first time my mother had been ill in her life except when her children were born. She died. This was a sad thing to all of us but the saddest to me, my mother and I had always been such pals. Although I never thought for a minute she would die, she was so young and active, only 62 years old. She was sick only 2 months. I shall always be thankful to my my Father in Heaven for permitting me to take care of her until she died, that had always been my wish. My mother was baptized December 15, came to Utah December 15, and she died December 15.My father had always wanted to go on a second mission but could not see the way clear to go. After mother was gone he insisted on going on a mission. We all realized it was the best for him as he was a lonely man. Although my sister, Ethel, moved home to keep house for him he was still lonely for he missed mother so much, they had been such companions and such love and harmony existed in their home. They always did things together. Father felt mother had been called on a mission so he should go, too. Arrangements were made and he left in April. Father was 63 years old and cold Sweden did not agree with him very well. He was sick a lot and caused us a lot of worry.
But the Lord blessed him and he fulfilled an honorable mission and was Conference President in Goteborg. As soon as he came home he was well and hearty again and worked every day. After he was released from his mission, he went to Finland to marry a lady he met on the boat going to his mission. She was going home to Finland. She joined the Church. Their acquaintance was mostly through corresponding. Their marriage was a mistake, they both were very unhappy. He never brought her to the Temple as he intended, but I have done the Temple work for her and leave the rest to the Lord. We feel the Lord had his hand in this on Sunday, August 23rd. Father and his wife were on their way to visit his sister, crossing the car track and he misjudged the distance and the street car hit them. Father died that night and his wife 3 days later. It was so terrible. The only thing that gave us comfort we knew father and mother were both happy together again. They had both lived and died in the faith, both active to the last minute. “God bless their Memory.”