More Facts About Johanna Lovisa Lofdahl Evans

Today I went to the Family History Library in Idaho Falls and these are the treasures that I uncovered:

Johanna's mother was Christina Lovisa Dixelius. She was born 8 Aug 1809 in Uppsala, Sweden. Her records are recorded in the Enkoping Parish Records. Christina's parents were Anders Dixelius and Sara Dixeman. Christina was christened one day after her birth on 9 Aug 1809.

Christina Lovisa Dixelius married Johan Lofdal on 30 Dec 1832. Christina is recorded as being 23 years old and Johan is 28 years old.According to the marriage record, a marriage banns was posted on 9 Dec 1832. This marriage also took place in Enkoping Parish, Uppsala, Sweden.

It appears to me that Johan and Christina must have worked on Christina's family farm and probably lived either with her parent s or on the farm property.

A birth record for Johanna Lovisa was also found. She was born 8 Oct 1834 and christened on 12 Oct 1834. These records are also from Enkoping Parish, Uppsala, Sweden. Her mother, Lovisa, is recorded as being 25 years old when she gave birth.

Diggin deeper I found an additional record: Lovisa Christina Dixelius's death record indicates that she died from Barnsbord (childbirth). Lovisa gave birth to a little girl, Anna Lisa Lofdahl, on 10 Oct 1839. The baby was christened on the same day that she was born; 10 Oct 1839. This suggests that she was sick or unhealthy and was christened as soon as possible in her Lutheran faith. Anna Lisa only lived four days. She died on 13 Oct 1839 and was buried on 20 Oct 1839 - probably with or next to her mother.

As the above record suggests, Christina Lovisa died from complications of childbirth. She died three days after giving birth and was buried on 20 Oct 1839. Christina was 30 years old when she died. It appears that five year old Johanna was left in the care of her mother's parents, Anders and Sara Dixelius.

Based on Johanna's historical information, she was orphaned at five years of age. This means that both parents died within a year or the same year of each other. Johan Lofdahl died during the year of 1838 or 1839. I will look for his death information next time. I am looking to see if he died after Christina or before, but the following Household record indicates that he died before Christina in fact, he may of died in 1838..

A household Index records the following during the year of 1838:

Borgamen Anders Dixelius b. 1781 Enkoping
wife: Sara Elisabeth Bjorkman b. 1781
daughter: Lovisa Christine b. 1809 Enkoping
son: Lars Gustof b. 1815 Enkoping
son: Asrael b. 1819
Daughter: Johanna b. 1831 (s/be 1834)

Notice that the above record has no listing of Johan Lofdahl. Also, Johanna was raised by two bachelor uncles following the death of her mother and then her grandparents. I think that she was raised by Lars and Asrael. She then sold her birthright of the farm and headed to Zion when she was older.

All of these records are in my PAF. They were found using the Genline 2.5 Swedish software only available in the FHL. I had a great sister missionary help me and was thrilled to finally solve a family puzzle.

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Johann Lovisa Lofdahl Evans

My love for family history has been ongoing since I was four months pregnant with Noah. Jeremy, the kids and I took an impromptu weekend trip to Logan, UT and Preston, ID to photograph tombstones over this past summer. A crazy past time I know, but one that I truly couldn't wait to do. We researched Jeremy's ancestors and learned a very humbling life story of his 5th great grandmother. I used her in my talk on Gratitude last Sunday...what an example of strength, passion and love for the gospel of Jesus Christ! (She is actually not buried next to Samuel, but she is buried near one of her sons on the land that used to be her family's farm in the same Logan Cemetery as Morgan. Logan City Cemetery, Logan, UT)

Johanna Lovisa Lofdahl was born October 8, 1834 at Enkoping, Sweden, the daughter of Yan Olsson Lofdahl and Lovisa Christine Dixelius Lofdahl. She was orphaned at five years old, and lived a lonely child life, being taken first into the home of her grandparents; then upon their deaths she was raised by two bachelor uncles, then a neighbor and his wife. Her religious education was the Lutheran faith until in young womanhood she was converted and baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So firm was she in her faith that she left friends and family and set out for America alone. To own a farm in Sweden was considered by the peasant farmers as a priceless inheritance. When Johanna sold her share of her Grandfather Dixelius' estate her relatives were shocked beyond measure to think that she would join such an unpopular American religion and use this money to emigrate to Utah. Dismayed beyond repair at her rash actions, they made no attempt to contact her again, consequently she did not see them nor hear from them again in her lifetime.
Unable to speak or understand any but the Swedish language she made her way to England and boarded the ship Amazon and sailed to America in 1863. Coming west in a company with Wm. B. Preston as captain, Johanna met with an accident which crippled her for the rest of her life. The company paused before fording a river. Johanna, thinking it best to leave the wagon to lighten the load jumped from the wagon as the order to move was given. She slipped and the wagon passed over her leg, breaking it below the knee. This was just nine days before entering Salt Lake city, and thinking that she would soon receive medical aid, she refused to allow the inexperienced members of the company to set the limb. Upon arriving in Salt Lake City she was placed on a quilt upon the dirt floor of an unoccupied log cabin and was given the best aid available.
While crossing the plains Johanna became acquainted with Morgan Samuel Evans, a member of the company who had been called by President Brigham Young to drive his ox team to the Missouri river to bring the immigrants to Salt Lake Valley. Upon returning to his home in Logan, Morgan told his wife Mary of the sad accident which had befallen Johanna, and Mary insisted that he return to Salt Lake City and bring Johanna to their home in Logan that they might care for her. The same year with the full consent of Mary, Johanna became the plural wife of Morgan S. Evans. She became the mother of seven children, 3 boys and 4 girls. She died December 12, 1912 and is buried in Logan City Cemetery.

She was baptized on 25 July 1849, when she was 14 and emigrated to America in 1863 at the age of 28 on the ship "Amazon" with a group of 895 LDS passengers from London, England. The ship traveled for 44 days from 4 June 1863 to 18 July 1863.

Blogging With a Purpose

I have over 10 years of family history stories, facts, articles, maps, and information that I have accumulated. Many of it came from free online resources, family pedigree charts, and information that was verbally passed along through family lines. I have also accumulated a collection of pictures. It is my goal to pass this information along to other family members that might be interested. It is also my intention to correct errors if needed. My hope is that people will enjoy what they read, feel a connection to those in their lineage and take what they want to add to their histories. I am always on the look for more, so email me your stories or information if you want to add it to the site. Genealogy has never been easier to do!