Trials and Perseverance - Part I

Some 84 kilometers directly west of Stockholm and across Lake Mälaren, the third largest lake in Sweden, lies a small parish called Ytterselö. It was here that generations of Allan’s ancestors raised families and labored as horse handlers, shoreman, and rangers. Eric Gustaf Ericksson, born in 1808 in Ytterselö was one of the first in the long line of descendants to leave the parish as a Corporal in the Swedish army. It is likely he was married to Anna Cajer Larsson Hellstrom in Ytterselö attested by the birth place of their first child, Eric August. At some point however between Eric’s birth in 1830 and the birth of their second child, Catharina Charlotte in 1833, they located to Stockholm.

Stockholm would be the setting for Catharina’s childhood and where she would eventually marry her sweetheart, Carl Johan Lindberg, when she was 25. The passing of her father very soon prior to the wedding must have made the time bitter sweet for Catharina. But this would be only the beginning of what would become a life full of heartache and mourning.

Carl was remembered as a good man who made Catharina happy, but the marriage would be cut short with a sudden passing of Carl only three years into their life together. Carl was only 40 when he died and left Catharina widowed with a young child and one on the way. This must have been devastating for her. She would later admit in her old age that Carl was the best friend she ever had. Only months after Carl’s passing, Catharina’s mother also slipped into the next world. Coming from a family of humble circumstances, without a husband, without parents and two very young children, Catharina was surely in dire straits, but she would persevere.

Not two years after Carl’s passing, she met and married a young and talented shoemaker by the name of Johan Gabriel Kjelstrom, the son of Anders Gustaf Kall and Allan’s great grandfather. Johan and Catharina would have three children together, Johan Axel, John Valfread and Axel Gabriel. Young Johan Axel however would only live a few months. Left in the care of her oldest son from her marriage with Carl, Johan would suffocate on a blanket while she was out attending to some errands.

Her new husband’s talent extended beyond his career as it is reported he was also an accomplished singer in his church choir. In fact, it was Johan and Catharina who were taught the gospel of Jesus Christ and joined the Mormon church. Johan was given a calling right away as the leader and chorister of the Mormon Swedish choir. But he would soon succumb to alcohol and debauchery. He was disfellowshiped from the church for what was described as dissention from church leadership. He became bitter toward the church and threatened Catharina that her life would literally depend on her following him and leaving the church. It is unclear the exact details of what transpired next, but it is clear that at some point very soon thereafter, Johan attempted to make good on his threat and slit Catharina’s throat with one of his shoe knives. She had managed however to get her hand in the way, probably saving her life. Johan ran, leaving Catharina for dead. Luckily she was quickly found and taken to a medical facility while the police arrested Johan in a saloon and jailed him. She would stay in the hospital for months while her now 4 children were taken care of. Her life would be spared, but she would be cursed with grotesque scars on her neck and hand for the remainder of her life.

Johan was kept in prison while Catharina recovered and until a trial date could be set where she could testify against her cruel husband. But, being released from the hospital, she fled to Copenhagen, Denmark with her children and began creating a life for herself making holiday ornaments and peddling them from door to door. John Valfread remembers the pain he felt while watching his mother get ridiculed regularly for her poverty and thick scars. But she would persevere.

Johan was released from prison when no one would testify against him. Later he would collapse, drunk in the dead of winter, and freeze to death outside of Stockholm.

Catharina would eventually make enough money to send one of her children to Zion. It’s not clear how she made her decision, perhaps her older children helped her make a living and her younger children were too young, but the decision was made to send John Valfread to Salt Lake City in the care of Orson Pratt. Upon arriving in Utah, John was left in the temporary care of the editor of the LDS Swedish Newspaper and then placed with the family of Lorenzo Pettit, one of the original Mormon pioneers.

Brother Pettit lived on the Jordan River, northwest of Salt Lake City and owned a farm. According to the History of Utah, “Mr. Pettit was childless, and Jere (Jeremiah Langford) and another boy (John Valfread Kjelstrom) were raised by him as his own. He was an excellent, kind hearted man, and having prospered, he generously assisted his foster children and all his other relatives with means.” Brother Pettit would legally adopt John and send money for Catharina and her family to move to Zion.