Having shared Mary Alice Johanson-Haigh Cornwall's paternal blood line (Johanson) this entry will share Mary Alice's maternal history. Recognition goes to a 2nd great granddaughter of Mary Alice's maternal grandfather who spent "months of research" to piece together Johannes Larsson's history and posted the findings on Family Search on 16 April 2015. The perspective of that history is altered in keeping with the theme of these posts to follow the First Converts to the Mormon Church and their Coming to Zion, which applies to Johannes Larsson's wife, Catherina Nillson.
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| The position of the maternal blood ancestors of Mary Alice Cornwall are within the red outlined spaces. The names listed above follow the adopted heritage. |
Catherina (Katrina) Nilson was born 17 August 1835 in Ostra Kalserud, Fandefors, Alvosborg, Sweed to NIls Nilson and Marta Nilsdotter. Catherina became betrother to jahannes Larsson 13 August 1852 and they married 24 Jan 1853 in Gestad, Älvsborg, Sweden. They lived in Berg near her family for a few years. Their first daughter, Maria Johanna was born there on 22 Mar 1854.
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| Catherina Nillson Alexander |
"Mormon missionaries came to Scandinavia to preach the restored gospel in 1850. ...Falsehoods and misunderstanding confused many and angered others to make joining with the Mormons a very unpopular undertaking. Pastors counseled parishioners against being taken in by the Mormon teachings. The missionaries taught people in their homes and some meetings were held out doors... Cathrina and her sisters must have attended some of those meetings and were drawn to the teachings. Those who joined the church were shunned by their neighbors and often persecuted. Johannes was not happy about his wife’s interest in this new religion! Cathrina and her sister Maria Cajsa joined with the Mormons and left the country in 1865. Cathrina left behind her two little girls ages 11 and 8, her husband, parents and homeland. It could be that her husband gave an ultimatum of her family or her new found faith."
Cathrina’s parents, Nils and Marta Nilsson were sympathetic to their 3 daughters who were all baptized. A baptism date is not recorded for Nils and Marta. Cathrina joined first 24 Oct 1864 and her 2 sisters joined in March and April 1865. The next year, Nils and Marta left Berg to join their daughter in the Utah territory. They took with them their granddaughter, Maria Johanna age 12.
After sailing across the Atlantic, Cathrina Nilson Larson and her sister Maria joined a hand-cart company to cross the plains to Utah. While crossing the plains Maria, was captured by Indians and never seen again. Cathrina arrived safely to Utah and was recruited to be a cook at a sawmill operated by Alvah Alexander, being hired from the Immigration Station. Within the year she married Alexander. In the mean time Johannes had divorced her back in Sweden. In 1869, with the benefit of the just finished transcontinental railroad, Catherina's eldest daughter, Marian, and her parents joined her in Utah. Marian lived with her mother and step-father in their East Mill Creek home, and it was while she was residing there that she met and married John Johanson." Marian and John's 11th and last child, was Mary Alice.
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