Kerstina Okelberry

Biography

Kerstina Okelberry, who was later known as Kate, was born on December 1, 1855 in Genarp, Malmöhus, Sweden. She was the youngest of nine children. When she was just seven years old, she, her parents, and the three siblings just older than her left for Utah. They sailed on the John J. Boyd, arriving in New York on May 29, 1863. Then, they crossed the plains with the John R. Murdock company, arriving in Salt Lake in September.
Once in Utah, Kerstina and her family settled in Grantsville. After several years, she moved to Salt Lake City with her older sister Johanna to work. The two sisters were known to be beautiful, witty, and fun-loving. They were very popular with other young people in the area.
At some points, Kerstina met Charles Van Ransselaer Clinton, a native of Salt Lake City. They were married on September 5, 1883, and had three children together. For several years around 1900, Kerstina and her family lived in Nephi, Juab county, where her youngest daughter was born. However, by 1910, the family was back in Salt Lake City.
Kerstina seems to have settled in Salt Lake for the rest of her life. In 1924, her husband died, leaving her a widow for ten years. In 1928, her youngest daughter also passed away in childbirth. Kerstina died on April 23, 1934, at the age of seventy-eight. She was buried in Salt Lake City.