Charlotte Ericsdotter

Biography

Charlotte (Lottie) Ericsdotter was born in Ryd Övergården, Hemsjö, Älvsborg, Sweden on July 16, 1837 as the fourth of six children. She grew up in a good home with religious teachings and adequate schooling. In 1859, at the age of twenty-one, Lottie had a son, Ludvig Eriksson, though who his father was is unclear.
At some point her brother heard about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gradually Lotte and most of her siblings joined the Church. Lottie was taught and baptized by the missionaries in 1860, when she was twenty-three. In 1863, she emigrated to Utah with her sister, Anna Brita, and Anna's husband to join other members of the Church there. They sailed across the Atlantic on the B.S. Kimball, traveling with the poorest class, before making the journey across the plains with the John F. Sanders wagon company. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on September 5, 1863. Lottie's son Ludvig was with them, but he died in 1863, either on the journey across the plains or shortly after they arrived in Utah.
After arriving in Utah, Lottie got a job as a housekeeper. She worked hard despite not knowing English and not being paid much. Two years later, on March 18, 1865, Lottie married Anna Brita's husband as his second wife. His name was Charles Johnson, and he was also an immigrant from Hemsjö, when he and Anna Brita had been married. He had dark hair and blue eyes. They settled in Grantsville, Tooele county. Lottie gave birth to three sons with him. In 1878, Charles married Anna Olson, bringing the total to three wives.
Many years later, after one of Lottie's sons and his wife had died, she took in her grandson and raised him, also helping and spending time with her other grandchildren. She was an excellent cook, especially when it came to bread and cookies, and made fancy drinks and wove carpets. She was loved by all. Lottie passed. away on December 18, 1933 in Grantsville. She was ninety-six years old. Lottie was buried in the Grantsville City Cemetery.