Swenson line

Lena Maria (Lanamia) Brock Swenson

Lena Maria is married to Nils Swenson

Lena Maria is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ great great grandmother

Lena Maria (Lanamia) Brock Swenson was born December 14, 1806 in Sweden. Her husband was Nils Swenson. She was born in Sweden. Seven children were born to her, three sons and four daughters, Mathias, Swen and Peter were her sons. Her daughters were Hannah, who remained in Sweden, Christine, (this name is listed as Kjersti on the L.D.S. emigration list from the Skaane Conference 1864), Annie and Johanna. (Johanna is listed as Josephine on L.D.S. Conference from Skaane, 1864). Johanna, the youngest was fifteen years of age when they arrived in Utah.
The life of Lanamia from the time she married in Sweden until she died in Tooele, Utah, follows very closely the pattern of her husband's life. She and her husband joined the L.D.S. church in Sweden and there after turned every effort toward coming to Utah.
Upon leaving her native land she faced much hardship and sorrow. To begin with, her eldest daughter, Mrs. Hannah Matson, who married and had a family of her own, could not accompany them to their new home. Her husband declined to leave and since they were living in comfort and well established where they were, would not consider leaving.
Lanamia worked and planned and saved for the day when they would leave for Utah. Her son Mathias left first and after he was here a short time was able to send her parents financial aid and quicken the time when they would join him here in Zion.
In the spring of 1864 all was in readiness for their departure. They looked for the last time on their beautiful Sweden, the home they had known for generations. The home of lakes, pastures, winter's snow and summer's awe inspiring midnight sun. They said good bye to a daughter they would never see again. They boarded a train to Hamburg, Germany and started the long, arduous trip to Utah. From Hamburg they traveled by steamer to Hull, England and from Hull to Liverpool. On April 26, 1864 they set sail across the Atlantic on the "Monarch of the Sea." There were nine hundred and seventy four persons aboard. The L.D.S. were under the supervision of Patriarch John Smith and Elders John Chase, Johan P.R. Johansen and Parley P. Pratt Jr.
The voyage was rough, tiresome and long. Passengers were often clutched with fear as the ship floundered from side to side tossed about by the waves which seemed surely to capsize it. Sickness and death rode the ship with them. Victims of disease who died were fastened securely to a plank and with weights tied to their bodies were buried in the ocean during the night. The spirit of the Lord was also aboard, keeping their faith strong and comforting their worn spirits.
The ship anchored in New York Harbor on the morning of June 3, 1864. The landing of the emigrants at Castle Gardens took place at once. The ocean trip had lasted five weeks and two days. In the evening they boarded a steamer for Albany, New York. From Albany they traveled in crowded freight and cattle cars to St. Joseph, Missouri, then by steamer up the Missouri River to Wyoming, Nebraska, a L.D.S. outfitting post. On July 27th they left the outfitting post as members of Captain Isaac Canfield's ox train. They numbered 211 people. They suffered a good deal on the trip across the plains. They were not well equipped. Rainy weather, cold, and crossing swollen rivers with ox teams kept them very uncomfortable most of the time. The mother and her daughters sewed pieces of canvas together to make shelters for themselves. Christine (Kjersti), the 18 year old daughter however, had endured too much exposure and contracted pneumonia, from which she died. She had walked most of the way as had the other members of the company. But with her physical energy being taxed to the limit, she died. Her grave was added to the ever increasing number of graves marking the trail to the Salt Lake Valley. She was wrapped in a sheet and a blanket, buried in the earth and a fire built over her grave to deceive Indians and animals, thus the Swensons bade good bye to another daughter.
Besides sickness and heartaches, there was always the worry of Indians. The rivers were high and dangerous to cross, but somehow the end of the trail came on October 5, 1864 as Lanamia and Nils Swenson, Annie and Johanna arrived in Salt Lake City,
They came directly to Tooele where their son Mathias had settled, Swen and Peter would arrive the following year after their missionary labors were complete in Sweden.
In the spring of 1865 she and her family took up farming in the Vernon area. (They had traveled with and were close friends of the Pehrsons). Their stay in Vernon was short. Coming back to Tooele they lived in a dugout on the property near the original John A. Lindberg home. Nils later built a two room home.
Lanamia died in Tooele on September 24, 1867, about three years after her arrival. She is buried in Tooele Cemetery.

History of Nils Swenson

Nils is married to Lena Maria Brock Swenson

Nils is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ great great grandfather

Nils Swenson was born in Gustava, Sweden on the 4th of April, 1806. You will notice the Scandinavian way of the sons using the father's given name as their own surname.
Nils Swenson married Lena Maria (Lanamia) Brock in Sweden. Seven children were born to them. Three sons Mathias, Swen and Peter. Four daughters, Hannah, Christine (Kjersti) Annie and Johanna.
The L.D.S. missionaries working in Sweden converted Nils and his family to their faith and it appealed to them to such an extent that they decided to fully embrace the gospel and come to Utah.
His oldest son Mathias left their homeland first to come to Utah. Upon his arrival here he settled in Tooele and worked industriously to send money to his parents to pay for the emigration to Utah. During this time Nils and his family were also working and saving the necessary money for expenses.
Sweden is a beautiful place. It had been a peaceful home to Nils and many generations before him. Now at the time of leaving they all thought of its beauty and friendliness, its rocky coast, its mountains and lakes, its forests and cultivated valleys. To bid farewell to all of this was a difficult thing to do, but their desire to come to Utah overshadowed the thought of leaving their beloved Sweden. One sadness that always remained with them was that their eldest daughter, Mrs. Hannah Matson, who was married could not accompany them. Hannah had a family of her own, her husband had good employment and they declined leaving.
Swen and Peter were doing missionary work for the church in Sweden so remained until it was finished. They departed to join their parents on May 8, 1865 on the last voyage of the B.S. Kimball.
In April of 1864 they (Nil's family) bade good bye to their homeland and loved ones. Boarding a train they traveled to Hamburg, Germany. From there they traveled by steamer to Hull, England. From Hull to Liverpool by train. On April 26, 1864 they went aboard the "Monarch of the Sea" and started their long voyage to America.
The "Monarch of the Sea" carried the largest number of passengers of any ship bringing "Mormons" to America. When it left on this trip it carried 974 people. Patriarch John Smith was President of the company and Elders John D. Chase, Johan P.R. Johansen and Parley P. Pratt Jr. as counselors.
It is known that "Mormons" objected to taking passage on ships carrying other emigrants and if they did it was always arranged that a partition was built to separate them from the gentiles. Bancroft, the manager of one of the New Orleans packet lines said, his experience with the "Mormon" emigrants aboard ship compelled him to speak of them in the highest regard. He said
they were generally intelligent, well behaved and most of them highly respectable. He declared that the precautions taken for the preservations of order, decency and cleanliness on board were admirable and worthy of imitation.
As all trips across the sea in those days, it was rough, tiresome and long, filled with days and nights of sickness and death, of fear and hope. Passengers who died aboard were buried at sea during the night. The horror of it gripped at their hearts but their faith kept strong within them.
The "Monarch of the Sea" dropped anchor in New York Harbor on the morning of June 3, 1864. The landing of the emigrants at Castle Garden began immediately. By evening they were aboard a steamer for Albany, New York. From there they traveled in a crowded freight and cattle car to St. Joseph, Missouri, thence by steamer up the Missouri River to Wyoming, Nebraska, the L.D.S, outfitting post.
They left the outfitting post in the Isaac Canfield Company, two hundred and eleven people. During the first part of the trip they were without tents or adequate shelter. They later told of spending nights in down pours of rain, bedding and supplies getting wet, and they themselves sometime standing around all night in water knee deep. Later on they acquired some canvas and the mother and daughters fashioned tents for their protection. So many times were they exposed to the cold winds of night and the dampness that their daughter, Christine (Kjersti) contracted pneumonia and died. This was a horrible shock to the brave father and mother and the younger sisters. They wrapped her body in a sheet and then in a blanket, placed her in the grave, then simple rites were conducted. The grave was filled to level with earth and a sage brush fire built over it so the Indians and animals would not suspect that beneath the ashes lay a newly buried body. With heavy hearts they left their beloved Christine in her last resting place, somewhere along the great trail, and drying their tears they took up their few belongings and continued their journey westward. The fact that their son Mathias was waiting for them in Utah, bolstered their spirits.
It being an unusually rainy spring, the rivers were high and dangerous to cross. They had difficulty getting the oxen and wagons over the swollen streams. The Indians were bad all the way. One time they stole some mules from the company and in attempt to recover them, three men were killed and were promptly buried near the sight.
Nils and his family arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on October 5, 1864. They came directly to Tooele where they spent the first winter. In the spring of 1865 they moved to Vernon where they engaged in farming. Their stay in Vernon was not long, and they moved back to Tooele the following year, where they remained. Their first home here was a dugout on the property later belonging to John A. Londberg. Later Nils built a two room home. His wife died in Tooele on September 14, 1867, a little less than three years after arriving here.
Nils Swenson was a man of medium height. He was sturdy looking, had dark brown hair and dark grey eyes. He was handy as a carpenter and helped his son Mathias build the two original front rooms of the "Nelson House." The "Nelson House" on the corner of 1st North and Main Street was an important stopping place for the old overland stage coaches and heavy freight wagons. Here teams were exchanged and the tired horses watered and rested. Passengers were
fed and given rooms for the night. The old "Nelson House" has given shelter and food to many western travelers of all walks of life.
Nils took a second wife named Mary. There were no children born to them but all Nils' grandchildren called her "grandma."
His two sons Swen and Peter arrived in Utah and brought their wives with them. They had been married aboard ship.
Nils Swenson died in Tooele July 15, 1872 at the age of 66 years. He was buried in the Tooele Cemetery. The many Nelsons in Tooele today are direct descendants of the Swensons, Nils and Lanamia.

History of Mrs. Johanna Swenson Elison

Johanna is Andrew Elison’s Wife

Johanna is Vonnie Elison Ellis’ great grandmother

Mrs. Johanna Swenson Elison was born August 1, 1894, in Malmm Gustofsoken, Sweden. She was the daughter of Niels and Lena May Swenson. She left Sweden with her parents in April 1864, traveled by train to Hamburg, Germany by steamer to Hull, England and then by train again to Liverpool. On April 26, 1864, she with her parents and a party of Saints, left Liverpool on the sailing ship "Monarch of the Sea", which arrived in New York Harbor June 3, 1864, with its 973 passengers, most of whom were Saints. Patriarch John Smith was chosen President of the company with Elder John D. Chase, Johan Pr. Johansen and Parley P. Pratt, Jr. as Counselors.
They were 5 weeks and 3 days in crossing the ocean. Due to the long voyage and the hardships they had to endure, there was a considerable amount of sickness many dying while crossing. The bodies of the dead were lowered into the ocean.
After arriving in New York City and spending one night there, they traveled by train and river steamer to Wyoming, Nebraska, which was the L.D.S. outfitting post for emigration in 1864. As at that time passenger services was not available to these outfitting posts, the Saints were loaded into freight and cattle cars to make this westward trip. On July 27th, Bro. Niels Swenson and his family left Wyoming, Nebraska as members of Captain Isaac Canfield's ox train with 211 passengers.
While traveling through Illinois, Mrs. Elison remembers Isaac Canfield the caption of their company pointing out Carthage Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith was slain.
They spent several days in Missouri and it rained during most of their stay there. The first night they were without tents or wagon covers of any kind. Her father, mother and older sisters assisted in making tents and wagon covers for the westward journey. Due to the cold and exposure, her sister Christina 18, died and was burled in Missouri.
As this journey was made in the spring the emigrants and their belongings were ferried across the river. From Nebraska to Salt Lake City the journey was made by ox team. Mrs. Elison walked most of the way across the plains as the wagons were heavily loaded with provisions.
While crossing the plains the company was attacked several times by Indians. Mules and oxen were stolen, and on one occasion, three men of the company were killed. Simple services were conducted for any who died, as they were buried not far from the roadside. The corpse was covered with a sheet, wrapped in a blanket, then consigned to a grave in the earth. The grave was then dedicated and a brush fire was lit over it to ward off wild animals.
This company of emigrants arrived in Salt Lake City, she and her parents came to Tooele to live the first winter. This was October 5, 1864. In the spring of 1865 the family moved to Vernon where her father farmed that year. As a girl she helped her mother card and spin wool, knit stockings and weave cloth. She remembers of her mother trading 30 yards of woven material to John Bevan for groceries. At this time materials were very high factory .90 per yard, and calico $1.00 per yard.
Later they moved back to Tooele, living on what is now the John Lindbergh property. They lived one year in a cellar; during that time her mother became very sick and passed away. Later her father built a two room house. Sophia De La Mare was the first girl she met and became acquainted with in Tooele. She taught her to speak English as her training had been only in Swedish schools.
In the year 1867 she married Andrew Elison, in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. They then moved to Ogden and in 1869 Mr. Elison worked in helping to build the first transcontinental railroad.
After leaving Ogden they moved to Lincoln, Tooele County and later to Grantsville, Utah. In the year 1881 they moved to Oakley, Idaho where they homesteaded, being among the earliest settlers in that part of the country. Their first house consisted of a wagon box and later they built a two room log house. The first lights in the house were candles; later kerosene lamps were used.
A family of eleven children were born to this couple. Six of whom survive today. In 1917 Mr. and Mrs. Elison celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary. After living 46 years in Oakley, Idaho her husband Andrew Elison died March 21st, 1927.
Mrs. Elison moved back to Tooele, Utah, in the spring of 1927 where she is still living and enjoying good health at the age of ninety years, August 1st.
Mrs. Elison was always ready and willing to assist others in taking care of the sick and needy. She has been an active member and worker in the L.D.S, church and especially in the Relief Society.
She has four daughters all living in Tooele. Mrs. Agnes De La Mare, Mrs Annie M. Callister, Mrs. Clara Nelson and Mrs Edna De La Mare, and two sons George Elison, Farmington, Utah and Lewis, Oakley, Idaho. She has 43 grandchildren, 98 great grandchildren, and 100 great great grandchildren.
Grandma Elison, died October 11, 1945
George Elison, died April 9, 1952
Clara Nelson, died Mar 1, 1957