Maja Stina Olsson

Biography

Maja Stina Olsson was born on November 2, 1823 in Jern, Älvsborg, Sweden. She was the fourth of eight children. On April 1, 1844, she married John Andersson. They had five children, three sons and two daughters, together. Tragically, all of their sons died as children.
At some point before 1862, the family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and, on April 18, 1862, Maja set out across the Atlantic on the ship "Electric". She journeyed with her two daughters, her husband staying behind to sell the jewelry shop before he could join them. Maja and her daughters crossed the plains in the Joseph Horne Company. The journey was difficult and Maja's daughter Anna took very ill, but they all completed the journey safely, arriving in Salt Lake City on October 1, 1862.
Once in Utah, Maja settled in Grantsville. She lived there for almost twenty years, working hard to build Zion with her family. They took up spinning wool to support themselves, and both of her daughters became accomplished organists. Maja passed away on August 22, 1881, at the age of fifty-seven. She was buried in Grantsville.