A FORSGREN ADVENTURE LEADS TO AN AUSTIN SURPRISE!

While on a recent trip to American Fork for a Chilean Senior Missionary Reunion, I had my husband drive me down to the Harriet Harrington home on 1st E. & 1 South.  Earlier I had received an email from Andy Meredith who had found reference to the home on this blog.  He and his wife wanted to inform me that they had purchased it and are happily renovating it to live in.  I was so glad to hear this bit of news, because the last time I had driven by the home it was in a sad state of neglect.   My husband and I visited so I could see how the project was progressing, and hopefully find one of the Merediths on site.

You will remember that Harriet Frances Noon Smith was married for a short time to our John Erik Forsgren.  That marriage did not last.   After the break up of that marriage, and at the suggestion of President Brigham Young, she was married to Leonard Harrington as a plural wife.  He became Mayor of American Fork and served in that capacity for many years.  This is the home he had built for Harriet and her (their) children.

When we arrived I was astounded.  The Merediths have made a lot of progress and have really taken the house back to the bare bones - as, of course, you need to do!  They had even trimmed the massive trees that surround the home so there is more light (and undoubtedly more safety for the workers!)

I marched right past the No Trespassing signs since I heard voices inside, snapping a few photos along the way.

The interior reminded me of the demolition of the Peter Forsgren home in Brigham City.  Layers of flooring & piles of wallpaper and paint lay everywhere!  Original floor boards and stove pipes were exposed. Wiring is being redone, and a lot of strengthening.

The sound of voices led me toward the back of the house and to an incredibly steep staircase.  It was only 32 inches wide!  With my current hip problems I was not about to go up those stairs, and since I was trespassing anyway I just waited a few minutes and admired what I knew to probably be the original hand-turned spindles and railings.

 

 An electrician on his way back up told the voices upstairs that there was a visitor wanting to talk to them.  Happily, both Andy and Candy Meredith were there. They greeted me warmly and showed me around a bit more and discussed some of their exciting plans.  (For instance they are going to post large photos of Harriet and of Heber C. Kimball (who was her step-father) along with their history and a short story of the home)

They will be documenting all this on their own blog which I will link to this Forsgren site as soon as I know it is up and running.  I am sure descendants of John Erik, of the Harringtons, and home renovators alike will be happy to continue on to that link.

The surprise referred to in this blog title came when we were just chatting.  I remarked about the hanging greens over the front doorway.  Andy told me that they were placed there when just a month earlier he and Candy had been married in that doorway!  So, of course, I had to get a photo.

 Candy told me she was from Lehi.  When I commented that my husband's family was from there as well and mentioned they were Austins, she said, "I'm an Austin!  Well - I am a Grace from those lines!"   Couldn't believe the small worldness of it all!   Of course I had to hustle them across the street to meet Victor  who was waiting in the car.  They chatted together and tried to narrow down the family connection.   The whole brief time spent there just made me smile!!

This is the house from the back side.  The Merediths have no renovation restrictions because the home no longer qualifies for the Historic Register (because someone changed the roof line significantly in the 1930's) 

 I

They wish to move in October.  If Candy can stay on top of these workers each day I suspect they will achieve their goal!  This is not the first home they have restored. 

I am always glad when a piece of history is rescued.  It will be a joy to see the finished product!!

"NEW" HISTORY OF THE FORSGREN CONVERSIONS SURFACES

In June of 2013 I spent several hours with Clara May Forsgren Reeves, a great great granddaughter of Peter Adolph Forsgren.  She handed me the following account of the return of John Erik Forsgren to Sweden and of the baptism of his siblings and his father.  The history is only "new" in the sense that I have never seen it before.  It has now become my favorite account, simply because it contains a few details about the family's life in Sweden that are not included in subsequent, oft-repeated versions of this famous story.  It clarifies some things about the father, Johan Olaf, and adds some details about Christina's struggle to come to grips with her own conversion.  It talks about their occupations and trades.   The story is a translation  (and thus reads a little awkwardly in some places).  It was printed in 1884 in the Danish version of "The Morning Star" which was under the charge of Andrew Jenson.   I do not know if it was Andrew Jenson himself who wrote the historical sketch or if it was someone else.  I only note that it is the account written most closely to the actual event date I have yet seen!

Below is a photocopy of the title page of an 1884 edition available at the BYU Harold B. Lee Library

Here follows the translated story

HISTORY OF THE FORSGRENS

This history was translated by Mona Jardine from the "Morgenstjernen---Et historisk-borgrafisk Tidsskrift.  Redigeret og udgivet af Andrew Jenson---1884." 

(See online:  http://archive.org/details/morgenstjernenet00jens for a sample of a volume that is in the BYU library.   This is the “Morning Star; a Historical-Biographical Journal" – Danish version. Edited by Andrew Jenson)  Some changes or comments have been made in italics by Adele Austin as I retyped the version given to me by Clara Forsgren Reeves in June of 2013.  I have also taken the liberty of adding some paragraph breaks for readability] 

The First Saints in Sweden

            Peter Adolf Forsgren, a son of Johan Olaf and Christina Forsgren was born 26 July 1826 in Gefle, Sweden.  His mother died in 1832, when he was about six years old and since the father was a sailor and was seldom home, strangers mainly raised the children and Peter got a poor education.  When he was ten years old he began to work at a linen fabric [factory?] in Gefle, where he worked for almost 5 years.  Then he got a job on [in] a canvas factory where he worked as a foreman when his brother John in the summer of 1850 came to the country as a missionary from America to preach the gospel.

            John had twenty years earlier left home as a sailor and even though his family was overjoyed over his return, they were surprised that he came back as a preacher.  He had in his travels met with the Latter Day Saints in America where he was baptized and then went to Nauvoo.  Now, in addition to everything, he was along with Erastus Snow and two other brethren come back to start a mission in his homeland.  He star[t]ed right away to preach to his family and others and it wasn't long before he was known as a false prophet that had come from America to deceive people[.] 

            His brother Peter was influenced by his brother’s circular [circulating?] rumors and was scared away for a while even though he knew the Gospel that his brother preached was true.  While he thus staggered and didn't know whether he should be baptized or not, one day while he stood by a loom he was suddenly attacked by terrible pain and cramps in his stomach and was totally helpless.  His lungs were next attacked to the point where all that saw and heard him decided that he couldn't possibly live.  In this lifeless condition, he was carried to his brother John, who had rented an apartment in Staden.  He practiced great faith in God in behave [behalf] of his dying brother and in a miraculous manner, with ointment (oil) and prayer he soon was strong enough to go to work in a Swedish mill. 

            By [In] the harbor outside the city [he was] there baptized for forgiveness of his sins.  This happen[ed] July 19, 1850.  Peter Adolf was also the first to be baptized by divine authority in [all] the Scandinavian Countries.  It was more than three weeks later that Erastus Snow baptized the first twelve people in Kobenhavn.  That same night he received the laying on of hands.  This mode of baptism soon became well known.  Peter Forsgren soon became the object of people’s conversation, the object of curiosity and people’s feelings was [were] that he was insane, that someone with good sense could let someone baptize him by immersion in our day.

            Among his strongest opposition was his sister Erikka, who was later also baptized.  When his brother was arrested and Peter was brought in for questioning to give his testimony in regards to his health because there was much talk against John E. Forsgren, because there was also talk about him having healed the sick.[,] Peter freely bore witness that he had been healed by the power of God by his brother’s laying on of hands.  There was a doctor, whose name was Nordbald [who] was encouraged to examine him, which he did with the help of instruments – and announced that he was well. 

            Peter continued to bear witness about the truthfulness of the Gospel to many [,] especially to the people who worked in the factory.  But it was against the law to preach, so he showed them the scriptures so they could read for themselves.  He soon made friends.

            In the meantime his dad came from America to look for his son John, back from his tour and in the summer of 1851, traveled to Kobenhavn, where he was soon baptized.  Then he traveled back to Gefle and there was happiness in the family.

            None other than Forsgren and his sister, along with two others was [were] baptized there in the district until Elder Mikael Johnson in 1852 came as a missionary from Denmark.  He baptized an elderly woman and a couple of others in Helsingland, where he was born.  But when Brother Johnson after a short time was deported and sent to Malmo in chains, the preaching of the gospel was stopped in that part of the country.

            It is reserved Skaane and the other southern provinces of Sweden to be “the cradle” for Sweden’s concerns and not before more years there after the missionaries could have footings in the northern provinces.  In September 1852, Peter Adolf and his sister Erikka left their birthplace and traveled to Kobenhavn, where they immigrated to Utah in the John E. Forsgren Company.

            Peter settled in Brigham City, where he lives as one respectable and trustworthy man.  He works as first counselor to the Bishop in the First Ward plus other important callings.

            Christina Erikka Forsgren was born April 26, 1820 in Gefle, Sweden.  When she was ten years old she began to work for strangers and when her brother John came back in 1850, she was working for a grocer in Gefle.  She was very surprised to see him, because everyone thought he was dead since nobody had heard from.  Some of the first things he told his sister was that he was sent from God to save his family and relatives and that he had forgotten that his mother had asked of him on her death bed that he should see to it that his younger brothers and sisters wouldn't fall into transgression.  Now he came to keep his promise. 

            The happiness to see her brother after so many years was hard to describe, but she had in a strange way been prepared for his coming.  In January 1850 or about six months before his coming, she was sitting in church [and] she was influenced by an earnest concern with her soul’s salvation and the minute the preacher entered the pulpit she was overcome with a strange feeling, a kind of weakness that started in her head and went clear through her body, clear to her feet.  Her bodily strength left her completely and she was carried away in a vision where she three times saw a big black dog, which she thought should be the devil and this made her decide that never again would she go to the Lutheran Church.  Then she heard a voice that said the present church was wrong, but on June 26^th there should come a man with three books and all who wanted to be saved must believe the gospel he preached.  The voice also said that everyone who was saved must travel far away over the ocean.  It was not until they sang the last song in church that her strength came back.

            When the mentioned time arrived, the people in the area knew right away that he was the man and that the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants that he brought with him were the three books she had seen in the vision.  In spite of everything she still resisted for a while, but it wasn't long before, after several conversations with her brother, that she was completely pierced with happiness and contentment that she wanted to completely turn to the Lord and her brother’s hands, plus show obedience to the gospel.  So on the fourth of August she was baptized.  In the very minute her brother let her down in the water, she saw a bright light that filled her soul with indescribable happiness.  That same evening when she received the Gift of the Holy Ghost her eyes were opened and she understood the principals of the Gospel clear and plain and when she read the Holy Scriptures it was like something whispered in her ears and explained the scriptures to her.

            After Mikael Johnson’s arrival she was invited to come talk to the Dean, who would try to [convince her to leave] “Mormonism”.  To embarrass and humiliate her, she was taken between two police officers to the Dean’s residence.  Here she gave cheerful answers and bore a strong testimony to the Dean and to those that were present, and the results of it was that the Dean who thought he could change her mind about Mormonism, was shamed by her and was glad when she finally went away.

            When her dad, during the harvest in 1852, was in Kobenhavn, John told him about polygamy which was practiced among the Saints in Zion[.]  After he came home he told his daughter about it.  She had at that time made the decision that she would never marry and[,] having a disgusted attitude towards matrimony, it was therefore hard for her to understand about Celestial marriage.  The following night she laid awake wondering about the new religion and the following day she could think of nothing else[.]  But that evening before she went to bed, she prayed sincerely to the Lord to manifest to her that the doctrine was from him.  While she was on her knees, she saw two persons in long white robes standing in form of white clouds in front of her[.]  One was a woman [,] the other seemed to be an older man with a bald head.  In the same minute she heard a voice that told her that the older person was to be her future husband.  She jumped up and walked back in the room, whereupon the woman form walked right by and seemed to disappear into the next room, while the man form came nearer and nearer to her until a maid opened the door and the vision disappeared.  She was thus left to think about the strange thing that she had just seen and the thought that she[,] a moral and virtuous girl[,] should some day marry a man who already had a wife was disgusting to her.  But [she] now came to the conclusion that polygamy was right.  After she arrived in Utah in 1853 the vision she had came true because she became the second wife to an elderly man with whom she lives as faithful member of the church in Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah.  Sister Erikka was the first woman to join the gospel in Scandinavia in this dispensation.

            After the dad Johan Olaf Forsgren had been baptized in Kobenhavn on the twenty-ninth of August, he traveled back to Gefle in the hope he could bring some of his relatives into the gospel, but he was not successful because of his persecutors, so he went to sea and sailed different oceans for several years, then he taught school in the winter.  In 1863 he immigrated to Utah with help from his children and lived with his son Peter in Brigham City until he died in February, 1880.  He was born the seventeenth of October 1793 in Gefle, Sweden and started his sailor life at a young age.  Three of his four children accepted the gospel.

HAS THIS BLOG BECOME EXTINCT???

With the advent of the Church's new FamilySearch Family Tree the world has gained a great gift!

• For the first time EVER there is finally the possibility of there being ONE single site on the internet where everyone can see his ancestors and how they interconnect with all of humanity (instead of going to multiple websites to see what different people have uploaded as their personal version of an ancestral line).   
• Researchers who have access to original documents can help solve (for all of us) the discrepancies created by information "assumed" because of family tradition, or created because source information conflicts. We, all of us (the whole world), can collaborate & communicate and work together to have accurate records.    

     The potential and power of this is enormous!

   
     The website and Family Tree, is, of course, still undergoing changes and constant improvements.   The latest achievement is that now the capability is there to upload photos and life histories to attach to individuals on the Tree.  The capability to upload scanned copies of original documents for proving facts and for helping solve conflicting evidence will also soon be available.

     As I have become more and more familiar with Family Tree I applaud its vision.  I know great computer minds will continue to solve its problems and weaknesses (especially from feedback from us, its users, about what we don't feel is working well).

     I just returned from another genealogy conference.  As I listened to representatives from FamilySearch discuss the changes, the weaknesses, & the vision for the future of Family Tree, I suddenly thought to myself:  "Oh, no!  Then if everyone can upload photos and documents and life histories to THAT site, then all of the work I have been doing for the last three years on the three Forsgren blogs is wasted!"

     I have since tamed my reaction.  After all - the whole purpose of these blogs is to "get the information out there!"   Why should I, as Family Archivist, squirrel away all the photos and documents and research here in my home when we are in such an incredible age of information sharing??   That is also one of the missions of Family Tree.  But every document and every photo and every life sketch is not going to make its way onto their site,  for any number of reasons.  For instance, if a date is an undisputed fact people may not feel there needs to be a document ("proof") attached to it.  Secondly, there are WAY more photos in the world of people than ever should be or will need to be uploaded, etc. etc.  I love old photos.  I want to see them all.  But that is not appropriate for a site like Family Tree.  We can put as many on the Forsgren blogs as we can find!

    But the most convincing argument for keeping the blog up and running is that the blog itself can be a source and be linked to research questions on Family Tree.  Very lengthy research and analyzing has gone into solving various research problems on each of the blogs (for instance the research on all the wives of John Erik Forsgren).  Therefore, it is much easier to refer people to the blog (as a source quotation) so they can read the history of that research themselves.  This seems better than our trying to duplicate the data on Family Tree where the format will be much less wieldy and informative.

     Soooooo, my fellow Forsgrens.  For now the blogs are safe.  I will continue to work on them.  I will continue to note where we are weak on our data.  I will continue to hope that by getting comments "out there" through both the blog AND FamilySearch Family Tree I will in turn hear from more and more descendants who can flesh out the pages of our descendants.

     Some day I will be unable to continue the work.  I will age (mmm, that's already happening!) or I will die or the continued improvement of public sharing will become so sophisticated that the usefulness of the blog will have run its course.  Gratefully I have received warm and supportive comments from many of you out there who have "found" us on Google or some other search medium.  You have taken the time to express appreciation and you have opened the doors to gathering & greater sharing. It is always such a thrill for me to meet new cousins, receive new photos and clarify data.   That is what fuels my family history persistence!

     For several years now I have seen that new.familysearch (which is what is now being merged into FamilySearch Family Tree) is in all likelihood the fulfillment of the following prophectic statement made over 66 years ago:

     “A universal system of intelligent cooperation will begin to gather on one record sheet every fact in     existence regarding a particular family. This wealth of data will insure accuracy and banish error. Expensive and time-consuming duplication in research and repetitions in ordinances will be eliminated. No sooner will a new fact be uncovered in any part of the world by a researcher than it will be communicated to the Archives center and be assigned to its proper place on some family record.”

                                                           Archibald F. Bennett, Secretary, Genealogical Society of Utah, 
                                                           Church News, December 20, 1947, p.20

He had the vision, indeed.  Only we are no longer using "record sheets" in the sense we previously thought of them - pieces of paper, Family Group Records and Pedigree Charts, etc.  We are in a computer age that is magnificent and inspired.   Thousands of volunteers are daily indexing the vast record collection of the Church's digital and microfilmed record collection.  The capability to "communicate to the Archives Center" in an instant is fulfilled.

Almost exactly thirty years years later Elder Theodore Burton was equally prescient and commented further:

         I don’t think the present type of individual records is the type of record conforming to the “generations of Adam” spoken of in the scriptures.  There is no welding together of generations in that type of temple record and I seriously doubt that such a record would be regarded as an offering “worthy of all acceptation.”

          Up to the present we have not been able to put such a family record of ordinances together.  We have lacked both the technique and the equipment to accomplish so great a task.  Now, however, technology has developed to such a state of the art that the building of just such a family record has become theoretically possible.  To prepare such a record will require further study and research.  We now need to begin to devote time, money, and effort into learning how to construct such a genealogical record of Church families sealed together in proper order by generations.

                                       Elder Theodore Burton, October 11, 1976, "Long-Range Goals for Genealogy"

What Heavenly Father wants is ONE - and only one - "Book of Remembrance" laid at his feet.  He wants the record of the whole human family, connected & linked together.   We are no longer "waiting for the Millenium" to achieve this great linking and redemptive work.   We are there now, watching this miracle unfold before our very eyes!

May we go forth with joy, unafraid to try new things and be willing to accept the learning curve which comes every time something that is familiar is replaced with something that is different.   Engage the help of the young, for whom all this technology is second nature.  This effort will bless both your life and theirs!

2012 Reunion News

Saturday, August 11, 2012 found us gathered at the LDS Meeting House at 25 North 300 East in Brigham City. We were pleased to welcome about 70 people, many of whom came for the first time to the biannual Forsgren Family Reunion. Here are some highlights: 

Our Guest of Honor:

Erma Vilate Funk Walsh - Peter Adolph Forsgren's oldest living descendant!

     What an honor it was to have Erma with us. Still smiling, happy and vibrant at age 99! (She will turn 100 years old in December.) Erma is Peter A's great granddaughter through his first child Sarah Christine Forsgren Klem Christensen. Sarah's oldest child was Lorinda Klem who married Andrew George Funk. Eight children were born to Lorinda & Andrew. Erma was the baby, born after Andrew's return to his family from his mission to Denmark. Erma was brought to the reunion by her daughter Andrea and grandson John.  [Update to this paragraph Jan. 2013:  Erma enjoyed an open house at the Crestwood Care Center in Ogden where she lives, given by daughter Andrea and attended by many friends and family members.  She reached the 100 year milestone with ease and continues to love her life and enjoy good health.  She was honored in the LDS Church News later on that month.  I wish I could have been with her.  ]

      But not to be left out is LeJune Forsgren Maughan, Peter's granddaughter through his last child, Elias Peter Forsgren (born to Peter's second wife Elise Thomassen). LeJune Forsgran Maughan is 91 years old. Her health did not allow her to actually be with us but her daughter came (pictured below) to represent the family and also brought with her a box of letters & documents that belonged to Peter Adolph. Many Peter Adolph artifacts are still the possession of these great grandchildren: Chairs, animals, boxes, etc. that he carved, as well as many silk products made by his wife Elise. [See blog posts of Aug 9, 2010 & May 5, 2010] The gold headed cane which is referred to in the May 2010 post was donated to the DUP museum in Salt Lake City where it can be viewed by all.

LeJune Forsgren Maughan with daughter LeAnna & son-in-law Jay

     We wish both these ladies many more wonderful years of life and are glad to honor them at this time!



     The "Forsgren Scrolls" were once again rolled out (even though they had not been updated since 2010). If I literally knew of every descendant there would be no room for reuning! The scrolls would take up 4 times as much space. For some families we are still not current by at least 3 generations. I encourage you to get in touch with me to see how complete our records are, since tracking all the descendants of the three Forsgren siblings is part of the mission of the Association!  

Richard and Maxine Knight searching for themselves on the descendant scrolls

      We were excited to have Christina Erika's descendants represented this year (since we almost never have in the past). Fay Hubbard Nilsson (left in the photo below with some of her extended family) is also 91 years of age and full of zip and fun! (I hope I can still be that way when I reach her age)! (Dorthy) Fay is the daughter of Elfy Almira Davis Hubbard, who is the daughter of Oliver Frederick Davis, who was Erika's 2nd son.

      Fay's granddaughter, Heather Lewis, will act officially as the Forsgren Family Association Secretary for the next couple of years. I am happily relinquishing that title in order to spend more time as association Archivist. Heather brings a wonderful sense of family to the organization. Sooooo glad to have you on board, Heather!



Heather Lewis - Chr. Erika descendant, new Forsgren Fam. Assn. Secretary

The biggest surprise & disappointment is that this is the first year we had NO representation from any of John Erik Forsgren's descendants! Where were you???

Usually there is a good crowd from this branch of the family.

 

*******************

Summary of Minutes of the 2012 John Olaf Forsgren Family Reunion

August 11, 2012

Opened at 12:00 p.m., Prayer and blessing on the food by Morris Forsgren

Welcome and announcement of some people who needed honoring:

• Frank Forsgren - who passed away in Dec. of 2011 who had been a prominent and consistent attender and arranger of these reunions and past president several times.
• Clyde Forsgren - Also a frequent attender and supporter. He and his wife are both quite ill in Colorado. His wife Janet is being brought to Utah to stay with her daughter to have care.
• Erma Funk Walsh - Honored guest. The oldest living descendant of Peter Adolph Forsgren. Age 99. (See photos and comments above)
• LeJune Forsgren Maughan - Not in attendance because of health. Age 91. Peter's Adolph's only living grandchild.
• Laurie Bryant - Not in attendance and not a Forsgren, but the researcher who compiled a new biographical paper on John Erick Forsgren. Laurie was responsible for helping to solve the mysteries of two of John's wives - Mary Ann Hunt and the one heretofore known only as Ingeborg. [See the sidebar "labels" for the blog posts on these women]. Laurie and I worked closely while she finished her paper on John E. The paper was donated to the Utah State Archives.  She has been an invaluable friend to the Forsgrens.

Change of Command: The current presidency has been intact for 3 terms. This was the year we decided to seek a concensus on the future of the Assn. as it has been over dozens of years:  A gathering of the umbrella organization every two years on the even years, leaving the odd numbered years for people to have smaller family reunions on the odd years.

The problem we now face are the changes inherent in a mobile society and an electronic age. People move much more frequently & they change e-mails fairly frequently so maintaining an accurate mailing/contact list is very difficult. It is now very expensive to send out a reunion notice thru regular mail only to get 1/3 of them back. The wave of the future is to use online sources as much as possible to do research...

I (Adele) asked if we still wanted to try to keep up the bi-annual reunions. Most of the "old-timers" who organized it are gone now. Is there still interest in getting together every two years? Heather Lewis shared a moving story of a family member who was brought back from depression because she immersed herself into learning about her ancestors. She was inspired by them and their stories and consequently learned to have more love of self. Long story short: We will keep going. Accepting the positions for the new leadership are the following:

• Mark Forsgren, President
• Gillian (Jill) Forsgren (Mark's wife), vice president (Mark & Jill e-mail: mjforsgren@hotmail.com ) Mark will maintain the John Olaf Forsgren Association funds so donations to the Association can be sent to him. Adele will be changing the monies that have been kept in Las Vegas so that there will only be one account - the one maintained in Brigham City.
• Heather R Lewis, Secretary (e-mail: mrlckm6@gmail.com) Please send address & e-mail changes to Heather who will be in charge of reunion notifications & keeping the address list current.
• Adele Austin will continue as archivist/blogger (e-mail: vaustin4@centurylink.net ) Please send updates on family member's births, marriages & deaths, photos, family histories, obituaries, etc. to Adele)

Many thanks to the persistent hard work of the outgoing Presidency: Lester Knight, President, Morris Forsgren, Vice-President, and Adele Austin, Secretary/Archivist.


Financial Report: $ 315 was taken in at the reunion toward research goals and organization costs. Thank you all so much. Every dollar counts!

Achievements since the 2010 reunion:

• John Erik Forsgren's membership and temple blessings have been restored. A letter drafted under the signatures of Judd Forsgren (a JEF descendant) and Adele Austin, Assn. Secretary, was sent to the First Presidency requesting their consideration of JEF's membership status. They quickly replied that permission was being granted to have the work done and that it would be accomplished by a member of the 1st presidency in the Salt Lake Temple. We were advised in Nov. of 2011 that the work had been completed with full membership and all former blessings restored to John E. That was a very emotional and happy event.  [See details on this blog]
• Mary Ann Hunt's identity and history was uncovered. [For the full story, see the post on this blog]. Mary Ann was JEF's first wife, sealed to him in Nauvoo, by whom he had a son. When that son - Charles - died it has always been said that Mary Ann "left in the company of another man and returned to her people in Boston." That is true....just not true enough. What actually happened was that she came West to Utah in time to meet JEF who was returning from the Mormon Battalion. For some reason their sealing was cancelled and JEF went on to marry Sarah Bell Davis (through whom his only descendants are born). Mary Ann stayed in the S.L. area for a while, purportedly marrying Lafayette Granger, then left with Charles Snow and moved to the Sacramento area of California. Charles's livery stable was burned out in the big Sacramento fire. Sometime after that Mary Ann and Charles have ended up in New Hampshire. After her death to pneumonia Charles remains in Concord, Massachusetts where they are both buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery there. Great thanks go to the impecable skills of researcher Laurie Bryant for uncovering most of the details of this story. Adele was able to help with some aspects and was blessed to see the story to its conclusion with a visit to Concord to photograph their graves.

Next Research Goal:
      We want to begin actively seeking more information on another Forsgren brother, Carl Frederik who did NOT join the Church and settle in Utah with his siblings. There have been family stories passed down through the generations that Carl did come to America and visit his family in Utah but did not stay. Some say he migrated to the Northwest, others say he settled and married in the Wisconsin/Michigan area. Other stories say he returned to Sweden and died there. (I have been unable to prove any of these theories). It is time to hire a Swedish-speaking researcher to help us out. Donations were accepted at the reunion for this endeavor. If anyone else out there wishes to donate please feel free to contact me, Heather or Mark!

The Genealogy Corner:
     A series of handouts were available for those who were interested to answer questions about how each of YOU can help at this stage of your life. Even if the computer age is baffling there is so much that can be done, only by you, in order to benefit your posterity and your fellow Forsgren descendants. Adele will be posting to each blog a "Genealogy Corner" where those handouts will be available to anyone who wishes to use them. [I only ask that if you copy them for use in your wards or among family that you acknowledge who created them]

Thank you to Micah Forsgren (Mark & Jill's son-in-law) who provided extraordinary technical fetes to allow us enough computer time to show people what the blogs were looking like so they would be more excited to visit them.

Thank you to all who brought food to share for our pot-luck as well as display materials and wonderful stories of ancestors. As always, Morris Forsgren's homemade root beer was a hit!

Unofficial Count of Attendance:  70-80 people

The reunion was closed officially about 3:30 p.m. with a closing prayer offered by David J. Lee. Afterwards Mark and Jill led several groups of people over to the old Peter A. Forsgren home at 59 S. 100 E. and gave a tour. The home has been beautifully restored.

SEE YOU ALL IN 2014 !!

***************************

A few more misc. photos:

Mark Forsgen, new president of the Forsgren Family Assn.

Enjoying the displays - and cracking jokes to keep Adele laughing

All set up and waiting for the crowd.

JOHN ERIK STILL OUT THERE AND OF INTEREST TO MANY

From time to time one comes across the work of others, showing obvious study and time commitment.  One such website I found during a google search for information on missionaries to Sweden.  

The site has interesting photos, maps, sketches and quotes (from most of the same sources we allude to here on this blog)  You will find it interesting to read as well.     http://richardnelson.org/Parent-Frost%20Website/Forsgren%20&%20Gathering%20to%20Zion%20-%20Mormon%20emigration%20from%20Danmark.htm

Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom and follow the link to "Forsgren Company Danish Immigration in 1853" as well.

John Erik Forsgren TIMELINE

A timeline of a person's life serves many important functions.  It creates an instant "biographical sketch".  It is an indispensable research tool when you are trying to recall the order of events or the locations in which you should be searching for additional information.   It is a tool which helps you to analyze your data and find discrepancies.  As I have worked on this blog for the last year or so, sifting through hundreds of pieces of paper, emails, photos, websites, etc., it quickly became very clear that I needed a summary to refer to.  The JEF timeline came to be created.  Because it helped ME, it may also help YOU.  Enjoy.  (And, as always, please feel free to comment and contest.  That is how we achieve accuracy!)

John Erik Forsgren Timeline

1816, Nov 7   John Erik Forsgren born at Ovre Bergsgatan 6, Gefle, Geffleborg (now Gavle, Gavleborg) Sweden to Johan Olaf  Forsgren and Anna Christina Holstrand

Abt. 1825/26       Left for work on the sea – Reported to have wandered thru many seaports for 18 years.  John's account in his own handwriting said that he was at sea until "in 1832, being April (after I had buried my mother) i went on board of a ship, and according to my long desires came to Newyork, in the beginning of August, continued to sail out of Newyork three years and seven years out of Boston Massachusetts where I heard Bro. Erastus Snow preach the Gosple of Jesus Christ. . .)

1843, July 16   Boston, Massachusetts. Baptized into the LDS Church by William McGhen.  (John's handwritten account says he "was babtized by Elder Wm Meggin on the 26th Day of August 1843...")

1842-1843        Marries Mary Ann Hunt   Place and exact date are uncertain. The date usually given is 25 Dec 1845 in Boston, but they were already in Nauvoo on that date; that is actually the day they received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple.  Just how long they were married before that event is not yet known.   John arrived in Nauvoo in 1844 according to Andrew Jensen in the LDS Biographical Encyclopedia.  1843  Sometime during this time period, Mary Ann delivers a son – purportedly named Charles, who dies in infancy.   Birthdate, deathdate and place are unknown.   Most accounts believe the death was while she was in Council Bluffs.  [Update:  John Erik's own account, written in 1865, was that he delayed joining the saints in Nauvoo until the Spring of 1844 because of "sickness and death of my first born son, John Adolph, so I tarried until next Spring [in Boston] when I arrived in Nauvoo in 1844..."   It is not known to me why all these years people have referred to that son as Charles.  My speculation is that in the deposition to the War Dept by Kiersten's family the name was mixed up with that of the man that Mary Ann later married, Charles Snow.  The child would likely have been buried in Boston.   As of Oct. 2014 I still have no more information about him, his birth or where he would have been buried).

1844, June 18    Wrote an account of Joseph Smith’s last speech to the Nauvoo Legion which was later copied by others.  (typescript available in the Harold B. Lee Library at BYU)  John E. states that he joined with the companies known as the Nauvoo Legion and was guard around the premises of Joseph Smith's home and round about the City.   After the Prophet was martyred he worked on the Nauvoo Temple.

          July 29      Patriarchal Blessings given to JEF and Mary Ann Hunt Forsgren by John Smith. One reference has date of 1845

1845, Dec. 25      John Erik Forsgren and Mary Ann Hunt Forsgren endowed in the Nauvoo Temple.

1846, Feb 1          JEF and MAHF sealed to Heber C. & Vilate Murray Kimball in the Nauvoo Temple

          Feb 3          JEF and MAHF sealed in marriage by Brigham Young – Nauvoo Temple

          Feb.4           Exodus from Nauvoo begins. JEF and Mary Ann are among some of the first to leave, traveling with the Heber C. Kimball family wagons on Feb.16th

          July 16        Winter Quarters.  JEF mustered into the Mormon Battalion, Company D as Private

          July 20        Starts on the march with the Mormon Battalion – the only Swede among the 546 volunteers.

          Aug. 21       Sent $18 to Heber C. Kimball in addition to money sent to his family

          Oct. 9          Battalion reaches Santa Fe, New Mexico, having passed thru great hardships.

1847, Jan. 30         Mormon Battalion arrives in San Diego

          July 17         JEF mustered out of the Mormon Battalion

                               Working on the Fort in Los Angeles

1847                       Mentioned on an immigrant ship list arriving in California  Source: ANDERSON, SHAUNA C., ET AL, COMPILERS. Passport To Paradise: The Copenhagen Mormon Passenger Lists. Two volumes. West Jordan, UT: Genealogical Services. page 5.

                               JEF and other Battalion members head back to the S.L. Valley from California.  John starts off at least with the Levi Handcock company.
1847, June 18         Mary Ann starts West in the Abraham O.Smoot-George B. Wallace Co., traveling with a member of the Kimball family

          Sept 26-27    Mary Ann arrives in Salt Lake Valley

          Oct 1 or 16   John E. arrives back in Great Salt Lake Valley with other members of the Battalion. (Battalion members arrived at different times. Both dates purported to be correct for John)  JEF's personal account is that he arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on October 18, 1847.

1848, Sept.             Sarah Bell Davis (who would soon become JEF’s second wife) arrives with her parents into the Salt Lake Valley from their 3 month trek from Winter Quarters.

          Oct. 26          JEF's temple sealing to Mary Ann Hunt Forsgren is cancelled

           Nov.             JEF is named a member of the Amasa Lyman/Porter Rockwell party for a mission to California (JH Nov 26 p. 1 1848) He is not part of the group, however, when they actually leave.  He is shortly after found running the mail route between the SL valley and other outposts

1849, Feb 15           JEF marries Sarah Bell Davis, daughter of William and Sarah McKee Davis

          Oct. 9            At Conference John Erik is called along with Erastus Snow and Peter O. Hansen to go preach to the people of Sweden and Denmark.

          Oct. 19          The missionary party meets at the mouth of Emigration Canyon to embark on their travels. 35 men in the party. Arrived at Fort Kearney Dec 7, 1849

          Dec 19          John arrives in Liverpool

1850,  Jan 16           Son, Charles William, is born back in Utah to his wife Sarah who is living with her parents.

          Mar 23          A passport application bearing John E. Forssgren's signature is dated Philadelphia, March 23, 1850.  (Ancestry.com)
          June 14         Arrives in Copenhagen with Erastus Snow & George P. Dykes. (He had served under Dykes in the Mormon Battalion)

          June 19          JEF leaves Denmark headed for his home in Sweden

          July 26           JEF baptizes his brother Peter Adolph Forsgren in Gavle, Sweden. Peter is the first Scandinavian baptized into the LDS Church.  He also heals Peter from a long, nearly fatal illness.

          Aug. 4            JEF baptizes his sister Christina Erika

          Sept. 18         JEF is placed on a ship to be returned to the United States by authorities who, after a series of appearances before magistrates, pronounce him a threat and nuisance for preaching against Lutheranism. John befriends the Captain who instead lets him “escape” back to Copenhagen, Denmark where he rejoins his mission companions.

1852, Feb 24           Social & farewell party held for departing Erastus Snow who appoints JEF to succeed him as president of the Scandinavian Mission

           July               In Sacramento JEF’s former wife Mary Ann Hunt is enumerated as Mary A Snow and is with her husband Charles Snow. Shortly after this census,  Sacramento has a devastating fire which destroys most of the city. Mary Ann and Charles return to the East Coast where they are enumerated in 1860 in Franklin Co.,New York.

            Dec. 23        JEF is officially released from being Scandinavian mission presidenet after being  replaced by Willard Snow

             Dec 22        JEF and his emigrating company arrive in Kiel, Germany; travel by train to Hamburg

             Dec. 24       The company leaves for England

             Dec. 28       The Company arrives in Hull, England. They take a train to Liverpool

1853,    Jan. 1         The John E. Forsgren emigrating company set sail aboard the “Forest Monarch” . Their destination: Zion.

             Jan 16        The Forest Monarch encounters bad weather and has been delayed. Finally on this date it leaves the Mersey River in England bound for America

             Mar. 16       Arrive in New Orleans; Transfer to a steamer to travel up the Mississippi River. (Immigration records on Ancestry.com give the date of arrival at New Orleans as March 19.)

             Mar. 31       Arrive in St. Louis; transfer ships to go 200 miles up the river to Keokuk, Iowa

             May 8         In Keokuk, Iowa JEF marries Peter Adolph Forsgren and Anna Christina Knudsen whom he has met during the voyage

             Jun 27         The party of Saints, still under JEF’s direction, cross the Missouri River and start West

             Sept 30        Arrive in Salt Lake City

             Oct. 4          All members of the company are rebaptized by Erastus Snow

              Fall            John and Sarah Bell go to Brigham City

1854,    April 9        John and Sarah Bell are sealed as husband and wife. [JEF's personal account gives the date of April 8, 1854 in the Council House, sealed by Brigham Young]  Some sources say Endowment House. Official records show “Other” which could mean someone’s office. John was also ordained a High Priest on this date in Pleasant Grove, Utah "by a group of his Battalion comrades" [Source: Pleasant Grove High Priest Quorum Records, 1848-1872, SLFHC film [JEF's account give the date of his ordination as 9 April 1854 by the hands of President David Pettigrew.  JEF does not say where the ordination took place.  He refers to heading for the Carson Mission, so he may have been traveling only with other male companions to the same destination.  The question of where is a intriguing since it would be difficult to travel from Salt Lake to Pleasant Grove easily.

              July 12        Daughter Sarah Alice is born (One family account said it was a premature birth caused by Sarah Bell’s knowledge that John was leaving to take a polygamist wife)

              July 17         John is sealed to Harriet Frances Noon Smith, widow of David Smith and step-daughter of Heber C. Kimball. Sealed by Elder Kimball probably in his office. On the same day Harriet was sealed to her deceased husband. This marriage between John and Harriet does not last.

1856,      Feb 2           John, Sarah, Charles and Alice sent by Brigham Young to Carson, Nevada.

               Mar. 13      Back in Salt Lake a daughter is born to Harriet Frances Noon Smith Forsgren. She is probably the daughter of John Erik Forsgren because Harriet’s husband David Smith died in 1852. The child is given the name of Laura Vilate Smith.

               Oct 7           John Heber Forsgren born in Carson City to Sarah Bell Davis and John E. Forsgren. (There is some family speculation that Sarah had already become interested in Joseph Clapper and that John Heber is really Clapper’s son, not John Erik’s).

1857       Oct 20         Arrives in Brigham City, after returning with other Brethren from Carson Valley.  He makes no mention that Sarah Bell was with him.

1858       (Spring)       JEF and family called back to Salt Lake with the other settlers from Carson Valley because of the approach of Johnston’s army

                                   During this time period. John Erik and Sarah Bell have separated.  So far no record of an official divorce has been found.

1858 (Abt.)                 John marries Ingeborg Peterson

1859 (Spring)             John states that he heads South to help settle Moroni, in San Pete county. No mention of a marriage to Ingeborg, to separating from Sarah Bell or a sealing to Harriet Frances Noon Smith.

1859, May 21             Harriet Frances Noon Smith Forsgren is sealed as plural wife to Leonard E. Harrington of American Fork, by Brigham Young (who suggested the union to Bishop Harrington).

           Oct. 11              Sarah Bell Davis Forsgren marries Joseph C. Clapper

1860                             US Census taken. John E and wife Ingeburg were enumerated in Moroni, Sanpete Co. along with her sons William and Peter and his three children by Sarah Bell Davis: Charles, John and Alice. (The three Forsgren children are also enumerated that year with Sarah and Joseph Clapper!)

1862,    May 8              Ingeborg is granted a formal divorce from JEF (Sanpete Co., Utah)

1862,     Dec. 14            John marries fifth wife Kiersten Nelson Johnson (widow of Henrie Johnson) in Moroni, Utah by Bishop John Bradley.   JEF gives date of 8 Dec 1862 when he marries Kirsten Nielsen.   

1863,    Nov. 17           Sarah Bell Davis Forsgren Clapper dies, just a little over a month after the birth of her third child by Mr.Clapper. (She and all three of her children by Mr. Clapper die in 1863!)

1864,     Oct. 15           John and Kiersten Nielson Johnson sealed in EH by Wilford Woodruff.  [JEF gives date of Oct. 16, 1864.]

1865,     Jan. 22           JEF has been acting as Clerk of the High Priest's Quorum of Moroni Branch and delivers a book of summaries of Several High Priests - an account of their conversion, baptisms, ordinations etc.  John includes his own story and that of his father, John Oluf Forsgren]

1865,    July 24            John serves as Martial of the Day in the Moroni Pioneer Celebration.

1868,    June  22           Heber C. Kimball dies. How does this news affect John E.? Heber had earlier been an important figure to John Erik.

             July 24            John again serves as martial in a pioneer day celebration in Santaquin where he leads a procession of the band and Mormon Battalion members.

1869,    Oct. 11            John marries 6th wife: Mary Ann Mount Snyder. SLC by Elder Daniel H. Wells

1870                             Census of Santaquin, Utah Co enumerates John E Fosgren,age 54 and wife Kiersten age 60, along with John A. Caulfield (the husband of Alice Mariah Johnson - Kiersten’s daughter) and Cathrine Fosgren, age 14.

            Oct 10              SLC Social Hall. Party and dinner held honoring those who had served in Zion’s Camp and the Mormon Battalion. John was one of 63 who attended of the original 500.

1871,   July 12             John is sealed to 4 other wives in the Endowent House: Maren Jensen, Anna Petersen, Johanna Jensen and Anna Nielsen. It is not known if these were vicarious sealings or living. I do not know who performed the ordinances.

1872                             “Speaker sent out from Salt Lake for the semi-annual Conference at Moroni, Utah was Brother Forsgren” It was later found that he had smallpox and had infected his hosts. (Kate B. Carter, Treasury of Pioneer History, vol. 1. The Brother Forsgren is not specifically identified. It is not as likely to have been Peter Adolph Forsgren who was living in Brigham City. John E. had ties to Moroni and also knew the host family in Denmark as the account states.)

1874                             John and Kiersten moved from Santaquin, Utah Co. to SLC

            Oct. 13              Laura Vilate Smith (Forsgren?) dies in American Fork. Her mother Frances had married Leonard Harrington 31 May 1859.

1875                              Dover, (now a ghost town)Sanpete Co., Utah. JEF and others try to form a settlement operating under the Law of Consecration. (Plaque placed later by DUP)

            Jun 15              JEF granted a land patent of 160 acres near Santaquin (NE ¼ of Section 35, Township 9 South, Range 1 East). He sold 4 parcels the same day (approx. 10 acres each)

            July 17             Deed for above filed with the County Recorder

1878,   July 8                JEF took his 721 p. journal to the Church Historian’s Office for safe keeping.

            Oct. 1                JEF arrived and demanded it back.

1879,   Feb. 2                John Erik Forsgren is cut off (excommunicated) from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

1880                              Enumerated in the 1880 Salt Lake Census of Salt Lake as John Branch, living on the NW Corner of 11tth E. & 400 S. with wife Kiersten. Occupation: “Linguist”. He has set up a large tent and has assumed the name of J.J. Branch, the Prophet. Actively proclaiming his own religion and denouncing Brigham Young & others.

1880, Jan 3                    JEF's Father, Johan Olaf, dies in Brigham City;  What was the relationship with John and his father by now?   How often did they see each other?   How devastating it must have been for Peter and Erika to see the brother who had brought them the Gospel, turning his back on that very belief.

1881-1883                      “The Bench Prophet” is taunted and ridiculed in various articles in the Deseret News (Apr, Jun 1881; 1883)

1884                               Utah Gazetteer & Directory of Logan, Ogden, Provo and S.L. p. 487 lists him as John Forsgreen, “Prophet” 11th E. & 4th S. SLC

1886,       Jan 20             Wed.   Fire consumes the tent of John Bench (JEF). Kiersten is badly burned and disfigured. John was trying to save his manuscript. They are cared for by neighbors temporarily and a short while by Kiersten’s son Anders Johnson before leaving S.L. and going to Blaine Co., Idaho to live with Kiersten’s daughter Johanna Catherine Timerman  [Church's printed Historical Record for 1886 states it this way:  " The tent of John E. Forsgren, on the 10th Ward Bench, Salt Lake City, was burned."  There is a little confusion since the top of the page where this quote is listed says "Chronology - February 1885 p. 2"  yet the page preceding (p. 1) says Chronology January 1886. The following page is accurately identified as p. 3 - February 1886]

1889,     June                   John E. leaves Kiersten in Blaine Co. Idaho to seek a new home somewhere in Utah. Refused refuge by Anders Johnson, Kiersten’s son. JEF begins to wander around S.L. and Southern Utah looking for refuge, telling others he wanted to write a histor of the Battalion.

1890,      Jan. 22             John E. Forsgren dies at the home of Antoinette Carr, a former acquaintance, who took him in and housed & nursed him because she felt sorry for his condition. JEF’s body was moved to Brigham City by his brother, Peter A. Forsgren and buried near the PA/AP Forsgren family plots (Section B-16-7-8)

1891-1908                        Kiersten Forsgren and Mary Ann Fosgreen (as she was known), ex-wives of John E. both file claims for Pension. Over the years much investigation was done and affidavits taken to see which of the two women should receive benefits

1894,     Apr.  28              Kiersten passes away, before the claim is settled

1896,      Apr. 1                Mary Ann Hunt Forsgren Granger Snow (John’s first wife) passes away from pneumonia in Concord, Massachusetts

1908,      July 27              Pension claim is finally settled after detailed investigation. Kierstsen has already died; Mary Ann is proclaimed ineligible for the money because she is not recognized as an official wife.

1912,      Jun 11               Harriet Frances Noon Smith (briefly Forsgren) Harrington passes away in American Fork, Utah.

2000,      July 26             150 year anniversary of the first convert baptism in Sweden. Huge commemoration attended by many Forsgren descendants from America.

2001,     July 26             Monument to JEF placed in the public park in front of the Forsgren family home in Gavle, Sweden - dedicated by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Seventy. The bust was sculpted by great great grand daughters Trudi Iverson and Brenda Hansen (daughters of Judd Forsgren). [John Erik is revered by members of the Church in Sweden. Their gratitude for his part in bringing the Gospel to that nation is never forgotten]

2010,     Aug                   Letter written to the First Presidency by Adele Austin and Judd Forsgren requesting a review of John Erik’s excommunicated status to see if his blessings might be restored.

             Nov. 2               Full membership and blessings restored to John Erik Forsgren, Salt Lake Temple.