Anna Karine Gaarden

Biography

Anna Karine Gaarden was born on June 4, 1849 as the first child of Beret Martha Jørgensdatter and Peder Olsen Gaarden. They lived on a small island called Frøya. Anna’s father was the royal ship captain, so he frequently travelled all around the world. The Gaarden family was quite well off. Anna and her younger sister Petroline learned the trades of young women from their mother and nanny. In 1861, Anna’s mother suddenly passed away, which left many of the household responsibilities to Anna.

Anna fell in love with and married her schoolteacher, John Andersen Widtsoe, on December 29, 1870, though he was ten years her elder. Anna and John built a house on the North of the island of Frøya, and began establishing their household. It was there that Anna gave birth to her first son and future apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints John Andreas Widtsoe.

The Widtsoes ultimately ended up moving to Nasmos, Norway, with a hope that John Sr. could secure better work and pay. John and Anna worked at the same school together, where Anna taught domestic arts. Anna gave birth to another son, Osborn John Peder Widtsoe on December 12, 1877.

About two months later, Anna’s husband suddenly and unexpectedly died, leaving Anna as a widow with two young sons. Anna was devastated, but did what she could to take care of her family. She secured a schoolteacher’s pension from her husband’s death and opened a dressmaking shop with her sister Petroline.

It was around this time that Anna first heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after a local shoemaker gave her tracts about the religion. Anna was not interested in joining this new religion and battled for several years with the concept. Ultimately, Anna came to the conclusion that she needed to join this church and was baptized on April 1, 1881.

After joining this church, Anna felt a deep desire to join the Saints in Zion. She left with her boys for America in October 1883, leaving behind her sister. Upon arrival in Utah, Anna settled in Logan, Utah, where many other Norwegians had settled. She continued making dresses to save money for her family. She always worked as hard as she could so she could help her sons get a good education, knowing that that is what their father would want. Anna’s efforts worked out, as both of her sons graduated from college and eventually attained PhDs.

By 1885, Anna’s sister Petroline had joined the church and settled in Salt Lake City. In 1903, Anna and Petroline were called to serve a mission together in Norway as the first single sister missionaries in Norway. They served for several years, sharing the gospel and gathering their family history, eventually returning to Utah in 1907.

On July 11, 1919, Anna passed away in her home in Salt Lake City at the age of seventy. She was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.