Born in Malmohus, Sweden in 1846. Johanna’s father taught her to read as a child so she could read the Bible to him while he worked. Her family were the first people to be baptized in Sweden even though a few Swedish people had joined in Denmark. Johanna’s parents faced persecution and were even arrested at one point. They sent their three children, including Johanna, to Denmark and later were able to escape in the night.

She emigrated to America at eight years old and crossed the plains in wagons. Johanna walked the whole way. She then got sick with fever, but her mother was ill as well, so Heber C Kimball and his family took care of her. Even after arriving in Utah, Johanna’s family was not very wealthy and there were many times she went hungry, including the time during the grasshopper war.

For a time, Johanna attended Professor Thomas’ singing school. In 1862 she married John Covington and they had ten children together. They moved to the United Order in Orderville in 1877. There, she helped in the kitchen as well as carding, needleworking, spinning, weaving, and making suits and hats. When her health took a turn, she was unable to walk for the last 12 years of her life. Johanna passed away in 1903 at age 57.