Johanna Eliason

Biography

The Eliason's had a lovely home in Sweden located near a beautiful lake surrounded by a forest with crystal clear streams of water running all around it. The Gospel message reached the Eliason family in 1861. They immigrated two years later to America. The Eliason family brought many treasurers with them such as dishes, silver, linen, brass and elegant clothing. The family, dreaming of another home as lovely as the one they left in Sweden. Johanna discusses walking the entire way across the plains except for the times when she was terribly ill and rode in the wagon. They arrived to the Slat Lake valley in September of 1863.  Four years later Johanna married. Her husband, Stephen, was engaged in the freighting business and in stock raising. The freighting business took him away from home much of the time so she was left to care for the family. Stephen acquired a tract of land in the northwestern part of the Grantsville settlement and here a comfortable home was built. The family home was destroyed by fire March 17, 1907. All the family belongings except a piano were burned. Many valuable records and items of interest such as heirlooms were lost.