Matilda Jansson 1842-1926

12 April 1842

Matilda was born in Sonkarby, Österunda Parish, Västmanlands County, Sweden. ¹ 

1845-1846

At the age of about 4, Matilda spent about 6 weeks crossing the ocean with her father, Erik Jansson, mother, Maja Stina Larsdotter, and brother, Eric as well as other, more distant relatives, including her father's cousin  Charlotta . According to a letter written by Matilda's granddaughter, Erik and Maja Stina had another child who died during their voyage, and Maja Stina was pregnant with a child who was born upon their arrival in New York but passed away shortly after. ² 

1846

After Maja Stina recovered, the family along with dozens of other colonists traveled by water to Chicago before walking the long 150-mile trek across Illinois to what would become the town of Bishop Hill, located in Henry County.

After a harsh first winter, which many colonists did not survive, conditions in the colony improved. ³ 

1849

Cholera hit the still-young colony and killed another large portion of the population. In an attempt to escape the disease, Matilda and her family fled to the Rock Island Arsenal, just up the river. However, of the family, only Matilda, Erik, and Eric survived. Maja Stina and Matilda's two remaining siblings were buried in an unmarked grave on the Arsenal. ⁴ 

Late 1849-early 1850

Matilda joined the colonists in returning to Bishop Hill where her father soon married Sophia Pollock Gabrielson, a teacher at the school in the colony. From Sophia, Matilda and Eric learned English. ⁵ 

Sophia was born in Gothenburg (Göteborg), Sweden. Before, marrying Erik, she outlived her first three husbands, the last of which, Lars Gabrielson, died of Cholera along with many other colonists. Upon marrying Erik, she took on the role of his secretary while also managing "the women's work in the colony." ⁶ 

13 May 1850

While in Cambridge, Matilda's father, Erik, was murdered by a man named John Root, the husband of Erik's cousin Charlotta.

With no surviving parents, Matilda stayed in the care of Sophia and moved with her to Galva where she helped her stepmother run a boarding house. ⁷ 

1850s

After helping her stepmother for only a short time, Matilda moved back to Bishop Hill. As she grew up in the colony, she found herself working a variety of different jobs to help sustain the colony, ranging from dairymaid to brickmaker. She also made many friends, including Kate Johnson Norlin. ⁸ 

In this image, "Youth of 1846-1860" Eric and Matilda, the pair standing in the middle, are seen attending a reunion of colonists in 1896, surrounded by many of the friends Matilda made during her youth.

Late 1850s-Early 1960s

Matilda's brother, Eric, enlisted to fight on the side of the Union in the Civil War along with his friend Andrew Gustaf Warner. The pair joined Bishop Hill's Company D of the 57th Illinois Infantry and began training in Chicago. However, Matilda grew interested in Andrew prior to his enlistment and, accompanied by Kate, followed him to Chicago. During their time in the Windy City, Matilda and Kate worked as maids.

Upon completion of training, Eric and Andrew were sent south to fight in the war. No longer having ties to Chicago, Matilda and Kate returned to Bishop Hill and found jobs at the Broomcorn factory. Working conditions were tough, and Kate lost an arm in a machinery accident. ⁹ 

1860s

Throughout the entire Civil War, Matilda and Gustaf (as he seems to have been called by Matilda) exchanged dozens of letters and their relationship blossomed. In 1864, Gustaf was promoted to "Captain of Company A. 63rd U.S. Colored Infantry." ¹⁰  After the war, Gustaf returned home to Henry County, and he and Matilda were married on 4 December 1865, in Galva.

Due to his rank as Captain, Gustaf had further responsibilities after the war and returned to the South for a brief period. Matilda followed. On 9 January 1866, Gustaf was discharged from service at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas after more than 4 years of service. ¹¹ 

Following Gustaf's service, he and Matilda returned to Henry County and bought a farm just outside of Andover, Illinois. On 17 March 1867, Matilda gave birth to a son who was given the name Charles Anselm.

After about a year in Andover, Gustaf was elected as the Sheriff of Henry County in 1868, and the growing Warner family moved to Cambridge, Illinois where Matilda gave birth to a second son, Henry. Henry, unfortunately, passed away at just two years old. ¹² 

1870s

After spending only a few years in Cambridge, the Warners moved again and bought a farm outside of Bethesda, Page County, Iowa in the spring of 1871. This farm was referred to as "Lilac Home" and the land, but not the house, is still owned by the Warner family. During their time in Page County, Gustaf and Matilda joined the Bethesda Lutheran Church, which several of their descendants are still members of. ¹³ 

On 23 March 1873, Matilda gave birth to a daughter, Anna Maria Christina Warner. ¹⁴  Just over two years later, on 5 December 1875, ¹⁵  Gustaf passed away after battling appendicitis. Following her husband's death, Matilda packed up and returned home to Bishop Hill with her two children. In Bishop Hill, Anna befriended Minnie Norlin, the daughter of Matilda's friend Kate. ¹⁶