Johanna Larsdotter Groberg

Larsdotter/Groberg/Neeley/Cornwall
John (Jan or Janne) Peter Andersson Groberg, the subject of the Flashback post two Friday’s ago, was the first of the Groberg branch to join the Church - in 1869.  Last week’s Flashback covered John coming to America/Zion, unmarried, at age 32 with his parents -  in 1872. This week’s subject covers the start of the maternal Groberg line - Johanna Larson (Larsdotter). Johanna is highlighted in orange on the family history fan chart below.  Other family members who have been the subject of previous posts are highlighted in bright yellow.  Their story can be found by clicking on the label "Family History".

Johannah Larsdotter Groberg

Johanna wrote a brief life sketch -  “I, Johannah Groberg, wife of John [Peter] Groberg, was born in Hedemora Socken. Dalarne, Sweden on the 8th of Sep 1845. My father was Lars Persson.... There were eight of us in the family. I was brought up in the Lutheran Church. My mother taught me to read at home as they couldn’t afford to send me to school. My mother died Sept. 8th 1859 when I was 14 years old. She had been sick for a long time. I did my duty and took care of her and the home during her sickness. Afterwards I was confirmed a member of the Lutheran Church in Hedenora Socken.

“I spent my days as a servant in the homes around my home town. I had a good faith and respect for the Lutheran Religion until I was 23 years old, when the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints came to our town and preached. I began to investigate their religion known as Mormonism. I was convinced that this was the true church and I was baptized July 26 1868 by Elder Persson and confirmed the same day by the same man. After this I was reprimanded and hated by the Priests as well as all my friends and relatives. I didn’t have any peace or happiness in my home town, so I moved to Stockholm on July 24 1871 and on the 30th I started to work in a silver plating factory where I worked until June 11th 1874, when I came to America [on the S.S. “Idaho”* when she was 29 years old.] and Utah. We reached Utah and Salt Lake City July 15th 1874. I stayed with Brother and Sister Westman one week then I started to work in a boarding house where I stayed until I was married to John Groberg Dec. 21st 1874. Then I moved to my new home in Ogden and Lynn Ward Dec. 21, 1874.”

 John was introduced to Johanna through a common friend, Sunvall, who recommended Johanna as good mate for John.  John wanted a Swedish wife and began writing to Johanna in Sweden.  John had been working at different jobs, mostly away from his parent’s home in Ogden on the railroad or in the mines since his immigration.  In due time, John sent Johanna the money for her passage to America.  Their acquaintance then ripened into love.  They were married two months later on Dec. 21st, 1874 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.  John records, “ On the 22nd of Dec. my wife and I got our Patriarchal Blessings from C. W. Hyde and on the 23rd we were baptized for 40 persons.”

Their first child, was born 2 Apr 1876 in their home in Lynn (Five Points) Ogden, Utah. They named him John Enoch.  (John Enoch is our Cornwall/Neeley ancestor.)  Of John Peter and Johanna's 8 children, 4 died in infancy and 2 preceded their parents in death, including John Enoch, who died at age 33 a short time after the death of his wife who died in childbirth of their 3rd child and only daughter, little Maudey (Dad's grandmother Neeley who would be raised by her maternal grandmother Brunt.)

John Enoch Groberg (son of Johanna)  as a Missionary in Sweden 1897-99

GROBERG NAME
As this will cover the Groberg story for now, it may be appropriate and of interest to note the origin of the family name Groberg.   John (Jan) Peter’s father - Anders Persson (son of Pers Ersson Helberg) followed his father’s career as a soldier. Pers died on a military campaign in France when Anders was two.  In the Swedish military, at the time, if there were soldiers with similar names, they were ‘given’ a name. Anders, upon joining the military, was given the surname name Groberg.  Ander's pride in his military service, and satisfaction with his military name is apparent as he used the name Groberg (rather than his patronymic surname - Persson) long after his retirement. Groberg stuck as he emigrated to the U.S. and it became the family name of his decedents.  John Peter Groberg was the only one of his siblings to use the surname Groberg, the other brothers used the name Andersson.

*Other Related Resources
SS Idaho Letter From Presiding Elder