Julia Matilda Olsen

Biography

Julia Matilda Olsen was born on September 7, 1860 in Christiania, Åkerhus, Norway (now known as Oslo). She was the eighth of ten children. When she was just six months old, her family joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Much of her childhood was influenced by the family's desire to immigrate to Utah to join the other Saints. Her older sister left when she was still quite young, and her father and older brother joined her when Julia was nine. However, it was not until 1872 that Julia and the rest of her family were able to join them.
Julia crossed the Atlantic on the ship "Nevada" with her mother and siblings, arriving in New York on July 8, 1872. From there, they traveled to Utah by rail. As they ran out of bread two days before they made it to Utah, they were very hungry by the time they arrived.
Julia and her family settled in Santaquin after their arrival in Utah. Julia herself helped her father mix mortar to build their house. She also helped her mother glean nearby fields. As the years went on, she helped the neighbors gather their crops and worked for women while they were confined. She also did the housekeeping at home.
When Julia was sixteen, she moved to Provo to work. On New Year's Eve of 1878, she met Andrew Iverson, another Norwegian immigrant. They were married eight months later, on August 8, 1878. Julia had not yet had her eighteenth birthday. Julia and Andrew settled in Salem. They were joined by Julia's sister Josephine and her family, who lived with them for four years before they could get their own house.
Julia had twelve children with Andrew, seven daughters and five sons. She buried six of her children, all of whom died young. Julia was often ill when giving birth. She supported Andrew as he worked in the temple quarry, even when he was blinded in one eye in an accident. She also helped build up their farmstead. Julia was always happy to be at their home in Salem. She died on April 22, 1924, at the age of sixty-three.