Jonas Johnson was born in the southern part of Sweden, 23 Feb. 1817, the first son, and second child of Anders Johnson and Eva Swenson; with a brother, a sister, twin brothers and another sister following him, making a family of seven children.

Sweden is a beautiful country, with its many lakes and rivers, its rolling wooded hills and blue, blue skies. The warm gulf currents from the south make the air in the greater part of the country, moist and balmy in the summer, with plenty of snow in the winter months. In the extreme north they have their land of the "Midnight Sun" in the summer and days of almost total darkness in the winter. But in the central and southern part of the country, even the winter months are not too cold, and the long summer days, with plenty of sunshine and moisture, make the vegetation grow almost spontaneously; making the forests and meadows among the most beautiful in the world. The farms are necessarily small because of the forest, the many acres have been cleared to make way for grain and other crops. Each farm has its cows, to provide milk, cheese, butter, etc. for the families living on them and to supply the city populations. In the early days, sheep and goats were also raised, to provide wool for clothing and bedding, which the women and girls, washed, corded, spun and wove and then made into clothing and other necessary household articles; much of the wool was knitted into stockings, shawls and head scarfs. Such was the world my great grandfather came into and grew up in. But it was a good life and he grew into a tall, angular man, measuring 6 feet 3 inches. He had blue eyes and straight light brown hair, a kindly smile and very gentle manner; always thoughtful and very considerate of his family.

Jonas entered the army at the age of 18 years, as all young men of Sweden did at that time. Five years of military training was required of all Swedish youth if they were physically and mentally fit. When Jonas had served his term in the Army of his country, he returned to his home farm, and began making plans for a home of his own. From among the group of good young women near his hometown, he chose little Anna Maria Larson for his life companion. Her father had reached some rank as an officer during his military training, so was given an Army name (Grek) which he retained after his training was over.

Jonas and Anna Maria were married in 1843 and settled on the farm he had acquired, (30 acres). Jonas was a very strong young man, and equally ambitious and thrifty, also very affectionate and loving to his wife, and family, making a wonderful father to the nine children who came to bless his home, four girls and five boys. The loss of his first two little girls, early in childhood, was a great sorrow to him.

He and Anna Maria were reared in the Lutheran Church, the State religion, and their education scholastically consisted of learning to read from the Bible, under the tutelage of the local minister. This most young people did very well, because it was about all they had to read during the long winter evenings.

During the first twenty years of their married life they prospered, farming their 30 acres with the help of their seven growing children and great grandfather also learned the carpenter trade, teaching his eldest son the trade also, they helped build homes for friends and neighbors, this augmenting their income. The children all were reared in the Lutheran Church and learned to read, by reading the Bible for the minister.

A great change came into this quiet, peaceful, loving home when the L.D.S. missionaries called at their door. Not that they caused dissension and sorrow to their home, as they did to many, where parents and children did not all see and understand alike. In this home they brought new joy and hope, and even greater unity, for the parents and all seven children were baptized into the new church in less than seven years, the father and mother being the first ones baptized, 30 June 1867.

The father and mother, Jonas Johnson 51, Anna Maria Larson Johnson 54, Charlotta 14, and Alfred 10, left their native land, never to see it again, to make a new home in a far away land, among strangers, to be with the people and church of their choice. They left Liverpool, England, June 24, 1874 on the Steamship Idaho, arriving in New York July 6th and in Salt Lake City July 15, 1874. There were 806 Saints in this company 700 Scandanavians and 106 British. The Johnson family came by rail from New York to Utah, settling in Grantsville, Tooele county, Utah, where three of their older children had already made homes, having left their native land some two years earlier. Andrew Gustave and his wife Charlotta and a young daughter, Louisa, left Sweden August 25, 1872 and sailed from Liverpool Sept. 4th, 1872 with 602 other saints under George W. Wilkins care, on the Steamship Minnesota, landing in New York, Sept. 17th and arriving in Salt Lake City 26th Sept. that same year. Carl Jr. and Adolph came on the Steamship Wyoming one year later, arriving in Salt Lake Sept. 29th 1873. Just when the other two children came is not definitely known but it is believed they came in Sept. 1874 with the family of Victor Sandgren, whom the daughter, Louisa Rebeka, later married.

Six years later they moved from Grantsville to Provo Bench (now Orem) where Jonas bought 30 acres of land and built a home on, for his family. The home was built of logs - a large kitchen and bedroom facing the west with a porch extending all across the front. There was a lean-to built at the back, on the east, for storage, and a stair way, leading to two attic bedrooms over the kitchen and bedroom downstairs. Great grandfather cleared the land of sage brush and helped bring water from Provo canyon to irrigate his crops. He and his sons cared for the land very diligently and soon had a nice farm and comfortable home, and sheds for his stock. But great trials were still in store for this devoted and loving couple for they were called upon to part with four of their children, just as they reached young womanhood and manhood. The other three children were married Charles Gustave living across the street, west of them, Carl Jr. living and farming land on the north of them. The only daughter remaining lived in Manilla, a small settlement north of Pleasant Grove, and some three miles from her parents home.

Jonas cared for his farm as long as he was able to, then rented it to his sons. He liked to read and after he came to this country, where reading material was plentiful he learned to read the English language, and to write it, also understand it when others spoke, but he never did learn to speak much English himself.

He lived here on Provo Bench the rest of his life, doing all he could to make a prosperous and happy community, plying his carpenter trade where ever and when ever he was needed. His was a good life, and a long and useful one. He died at the age of 87 years and was buried in the Pleasant Grove cemetery, March 1904, leaving his good wife, Anna Maria, his two sons, 25 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren to mourn his passing, also a young convert, Christina Pearson, who made her home with this good couple, when she came to this country, all alone, as a very young girl.

Source: Jonas Johnson Family Book (1600-1970)

Scanned into computer by Steven Glade Johnson 01/18/03.