Item Detail
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Tietjen, Ida Fredraca Kruger
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1825-1887
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MSS SC 2781
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Autobiography
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Ida Fredraca Kruger Tietjen was born in Meeklenburg, Strelitz Town Leepeen, Germany on September 8, 1825 to Andreas Kruger and Dorathea Linstead. After hearing the Mormon missionaries in 1857 in Sweden, she was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints along with her husband August Tietjen. She experienced many hardships and persecution in Sweden from family and friends who disliked the Mormon Church, so the family moved from Sweden to Utah in 1859, arriving September 15th of the same year. August Tietjen became sick on their arrival, so Ida was tasked with both taking care of the family as well as working to sustain them. When the Relief Society was organized August 29, 1868 she became one of the first teachers. She died June 14, 1887.
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This folder contains the three-page, typed autobiography of Ida Fredraca Kruger Tietjen which she wrote for her posterity 50 years from her writing. The last few lines which states her death and surviving children were added by Genevieve Willardson Tietjen. Ida starts her autobiography by stating that she grew up in the Lutheran Church. Her mother died when she was two and Ida started school at age six until at age 12 when she moved to live with her step-grandmother. It was there that Ida learned more about religion and Jesus Christ. Idas step-grandmother taught her about the dairy business at age 15 and at age 18, Ida left to manage the dairy farm of Baron von Malzen as the Superintendent of Dairy. There, she met her husband, August Tietjen whom she married on October 22, 1847. Ida and her husband moved to Sweden in 1847 and in 1857, Ida and August met Mormon missionaries. August accepted the gospel at once, but Ida was reluctant. When August desired to move to Utah, she felt the desire to learn more or be separated from her husband. She prayed to the Lord and determined that if she would be baptized then she would either have a testimony or seek forgiveness from God. After her baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints she states that she received a testimony of the gospel and became fervent in sharing with her friends who despised the church. Ida witnessed many miracles like a blessing by some elders which healed the sight of her eldest sons left eye. Eventually, she and her family left Sweden to go to Utah. She described the journey with we had a great many trials to pass through. But still I felt like it was a pleasure trip. I felt satisfied when I got here with the way I found it for they preached the same gospel here as they did in the old country. Ida still faced hardships in Utah. She and her husband donated their money to other Latter-day Saints to cross the plains, but were left with no money themselves. In 1868, Ida became a teacher in the Relief Society. At the time of writing her autobiography, Ida stated that she was Counselor to the President of the Silk Association.
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1825-1870