I, Jacob I. Jacobson, was born 12 Feb 1853 at Murgin-in-Linde, Gotland, Sweden, the son of Ingan Wilhelm Jacobson, who was born 6 Apr 1829 at Aflava, Gotland, Sweden and Catharina Jacobina Lorentina Jacobson, born 11 Nov 1833, at Murgn-in-Linde, Gotland, Sweden.
Our lineage, in the genealogy society of Salt Lake City, Utah, is of Old Swedish Stock. We have traced our genealogy to Oden the Great. One of Oden's sons was Governor of the Island of Gotland, of whom we are descendants on my fahter's side. My mother was also of Old Swedish Stock.
Like most people of Swedish birth, my parents were devout memebers of the "State" or Lutheran Church. They later, however, joined the Baptist Church to which they belonged when two Mormon Elders came to their home with the "Gospel Message". Father, who was well versed, had a heated discussion with them on religion for several hours, when finally his voice softened and he became friendly with them.
After reading some of the tracts left by Elders Alexander Hedquist Sr and John Erickson, he attended some meetings and a year later, 1866, joined the Church of JEsus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mother joined the church a year later, in June 1867. The Elders often visited with us at our home where we would enjoy our new religion, and sing the songs of Zion.
No sooner had my parents joined the Church than their friends turned against them. This was especially true with mothers folks, for they seemed to think that their daughter had done a most horrible thing. On one occasion, father was returning from Church through his timber land when he was attacked by seven drunken men, headed by his father-in-law, who said they were going to do away with him. Father, who was a large man of two-hundred pounds, beat them off with a cane, which he was in the habit of carrying. He finally managed to slip away from them.
Every conceivable obstacle was put in their way when they decided to dispose of their property, and emigrate to Utah. They were determined mother should not leave.
Father's land holdings were quite extensive. Besides his farming land, he had considerable timberland where he operated a saw mill, and here too I am reminded of four old wing grist mill overlooking all; also the meadow dotted with the white birch trees, and the fish pond just back of the large L shaped barn. The old home was a long two story house common in the country town. Father sold this property at a great sacrifice.
THE KETTLE
It was made to order in the year 1868, at the City of Visby on the Island of Gotland, Sweden.
For Ingman Wilhelm Jacobson, who came to Utah in the year 1869. The kettle is make of
Swedish copper from teh Eskel Tuna Mines, which were over 600 years old. The cost of the
kettle was 160 crowns. The kettle was used to bring the silverware, fine linens, woven
shawls, and silk, of the I. W. Jacobson family, to America. An iron lid covered it, and
was locked to it. (This kettle is now at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers relic building
at Soiouette Park, in Provo, Utah. Better known as the North Park.)
About this time Elder Hesse delivered a message from Apostle Albert Carrington, President of the European Mission, requesting that father help as many poor LDS families as possible who were desirous of emigranting to Utah with the next company. Father volunteered to do this. We left our Island home together with several emigrant families, arriving at Stockholm where we spent a few days. Here father paid for the emigration of twenty-nine families to America. For this, notes were taken from each family arranged by President O.C. Olsen of Stockholm. (The notes were never repaid.)
In 1869 the company of seven hundred and fify saints left Liverpool, England, aboard the steamship Minnesota, the first Mormon emigrants to sail by steamship across the Atlantic Ocean. This voyage was made in eleven days and twelve hours, landing at Castle Garden, New York. We took the train from New York to Omaha. While passing through Chicago, my brother, Ephraim, was born. This naturally caused quite a confusion, but the conductor made things as comfortable as possible for mtoher, and when all was over, he smilingly told father his baby was born while the passenger train was going forty miles an hour.
We were obliged to stop at Omaha several days, waiting for the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Finally the maiden trip was to be made, and we got aboard some old battered passenger coaches used in the Civil War. Two engines were used ahead with one pushing behind. Much precaution was taken on account of the new road, making it a slow tiresome trip. The trip was also telling on mother, and Emil who was young and needed milk and proper care.
Omaha Memories of J. I. Jacobson
1869
When Antone and Jacob spent the night in Omaha, Neb, on their way to Utah,
they stayed in a four-story frame hotel, one of the best in Omaha at the time.
Uncle Antone crawled in between the white sheets before Jacob, and all of a sudden
he says "There's lice in this bed. They're biting me". Jacob said, "They're not
lice. I believe they are "Veigger-luce" meaning wall lice". They've never
seen them before, but I've heard of them. Before the night was over they were
well acquainted with them, after scratching and fighting them for an hour or two
they got out of bed, and lighted the lamp and spent the rest of the night
sitting in their chairs.
The next morning the owner of the hotel said that they were bed bugs,
and that they came in with the lumber.
At Platte River there was a short stop. Here father tried to buy some milk, and was left behind having been misdirected by some men playing cards in a tent. Mother who was not feeling strong, together with us children were much concerned, but fahter was picked up by the Road Master's car which followed and caught up with us at Ogden.
The trip to Salt Lake City was made by team and wagon, sent by the Church to meet us. We arrived here about 20 Aug 1869. With the company of saints, we camped at the old tithing yard, and stopped with friends for about three weeks, Emil was quite sick during most of the time.
We intended to move on to Richfield, Utah. Father purchased a team and wagon, and we arrived at Provo where we met Lars P. Nelson, who directed us to Geroge W. Gee, who had been on a mission and had visited us in the old country. Both Lars P. Nelson and George W. Gee persuaded us to stop in Provo, which we finally decided to do an account of reports of Indian hosilities in Sanpete and Sevier counties at that time.
Father bought a few acres of land with a log cabin, just outside of the old wall in the south field. Here we made our first home in Utah with our family of ten which included: Father, Mother, Jacob I., Antone R., Augusta, William Lars, Mary, Mathew, Emil and Ephraim.
My Own History
(From here I shall relate my own history)
I attended a district school for three years, then I attended a Baptist school for four years. Later when fahter joined the LDS Church, Antone and I were sent to Stockholm for a year to learn the English language, under Prof. Green of New York City.
I was sixteen years of age when we landed in America.
Father bought some more land and we boys were put to work at once making a new home. Things were very different from the conditions and scenes we had just left.
In the old country, things were quite well developed. While here, there wa still some pioneering to be done. But I shall never forget the spirit of happiness and freedom we enjoyed in our work, digging ditches, grubbing brush, and leveling the ground.
We had hardly got settled when Emil and Mathew took sick with mountain fever, as they called it then, but known later as typhoid fever. Emil died in Oct 1869. Mathew lingered until Dec 1869. When he died, this was quite a shock to us all.
I shall never forget the time I was trying to help brother Mathew in his weakened condition. Oh, how he begged for me to help him. He said he did not want to die.
Father was a very vigorous man and a hard worker. For three years we worked early and late on the farm. In the fall of 1869, following the grasshopper war, we were obliged to pay $60.00 a bushel for wheat and $2.00 a bushel for potatoes.
During this time, we made frequent trips to the canyon after wood and logs for fuel, and building purposes. Father seemed to be over anxious to get buildings under way and was buying land as fast as he could arrange for it.
In the fall of 1871, father took sick with typhoid fever, he lingered until May 1872 whe he died. These eight months of fahters sickness were very trying to us all. He could hardly be kept in bed, always wanting to get up and go on with the work. Everything possible was done for him. Two doctors attended him, and finally we had Dr. Simmons from Payson attend him.
Mother missed fahter very keenly, he was always so staunch and firm in his religion and mode of living, and she was frequently bolstered up by his storng will power. He was a natural leader, and was loved and respected by everyone.
I was the eldest son, so naturally the burden of the family fell upon my shoulders. I worked on the farm while Antone worked the grist mill. Mother reconciled herself to our conditions and soon she was helping us, as only father could have done in our work and welfare. I sometimes wonder at the faith and courage of my parents through these trying days.
In the spring of 1873, I worked on the big rock building of the Provo Woolen Mills, earning $200.00 in shares. Here I met and shook hands with President Brigham Young together with two U.S. Senators, ----Clark of Montana and Garfield of Ohio. James A. Garfield later became President of the United States. Later I worked and helped to complete the Second Ward meeting house, now known as the Old Social Hall.
In 1875, I was in Salt Lake City working on a coal wagon. While delivering a load of coal, I met a young blue-eyed girl, Mary Ellen (Elenora) Chrisotphersen Nielsen, who later became my wife. We were married 26 Sep 1878, in the Old Endowment House.
Father Jacob I. and President Wilford Woodruff
(1878)
When Jacob I. Jacobson and Mary Ellen (Elenora) Christophersen Nielsen,
with her mother, little Ellen Nielsen, drove into Salt Lake City to be married
in the Salt Lake City Endowment House, they found that the recommend,
given by Bishop Loveless in Provo, could not be accepted by the Temple
authorities, as he had not been ordained an Elder. He was still a Priest,
although he had been a Ward Teacher for some time, and had qualified
to be an Elder
Since the ride back to Provo, for the recommend, was long and tedious,
Jacob decided to appeal to President Woodruff, to see what could be
done in Salt Lake about a recommend. He was sent to see Wilford
Woodruff personally, and he found him hoeing in his first wife's lot.
Jacob told President Woodruff of his difficulties, and President
Woodruff told him he would have to return to Provo, and be
ordained. He asked who Jacob was to marry, and he told him that
she said that she had cooked many a meal for him. "Well", said
President Woodruff, "Who can that be?" Jacob then asked him if he
could remember a young lady staying with the family of George Q. Cannon
in St. George. And he answered, "Why bless your soul. Is it little Mary?"
Jacob told him that he thought that that was what they used to call her.
President Woodruff then said, "I'll sign your recommend, because I
know if you had not been a good Latter-day Saint, that she would
never have consented to have married you".
Wilford Woodruff was well acquainted with Mary Nielsen, as she was one of the
17 young ladies, who went through the St George Temple and took out
the Endowments for one thousand of his female relatives.
After returning to Provo, I worked on the railroad and bought a thome, the old landmark which still stands, known as the William Ellison place (565 West 3rd South). This was originally an old school house known in the early days as the Second Ward School and Meeting House. Here I lived until 1889, when I built a home on my farm at 950 South 500 West, where I moved with my family. This is where most of the family was born and reared.
All my life, in a humble way, I have worked in some capacity in the Church, either Ward Teacher, Sunday School Teacher, or some office in the Priesthood. I served as President of the High Priest Quorum of the Second Ward for several years.
In 1906, I was considered for a foreign mission, bu on account of my health at that time, I was advised not to go.
The Prayer Circle of the Second Ward was organized by A.O. Smoot in 1890. I ahve the honor of being the only living memeber since it's organization, attending continually since 1890. After selling my farm, I had some leisure time, so I have been assigned some special work by the Bishop, in visiting the sick and other such duties. In recent years, I have devoted most of my time to temple work. Up to date, I have done work for 400 ancestors, all from the old country, some of these names were secured with much difficulty and expense. This is due to the condition of the records in teh Archives of the Island of Gotland. Up until about 700 years ago, the Island was owned interchangeably by different European nations, who in turn would change conditions of record keeping.
On Feb 12, 1933, I celebrated my 80th birthday.
My wife died 28 June 1921. In 1928 my old home was sold to my son Rufus. I have since lived with my children, which I shall name, ten of them: Augusta Elnora, Marguerite Christine, Emil Jacob, Laura Marenda, Raisa Johanna, Rufus Ingman, Eva Marie, Vera Odelia, Edna Neoma, Clyde Albert.
In the year 1869, all church members were re-baptized by orders of Brigham Young. Father was re-baptized in Utah, 15 Sep 1869.
My Testimony -- Jacob Ingman jacobson (193)
I now want to bear my testimony to all my children and all my posterity. That
I have a perfect testimony that the Church to which I belong is the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The only Church now upon the earth that is organized exactly the same as
the Church organized by Jesus Christ and his Apostles in teh former days, and
I also do testify that it cannot be Christ's Church unless it is organized
exactly the same as it was in His life time upon the earth. Therefore,
I would advise all my posterity to hold fast to the principles of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is my
Testimony to all.
