Sharing our Links to the Past
by Wally and Frances Gray

Hilma (Helen) Augusta LUNDQUIST #M6a

Born: 27 Dec 1873
Died: 4 Nov 1948

Father: #M12Carl Gustaav (Larsson) LUNDQUIST (9 Feb 1834-24 Sep 1880)
Mother: #M13 Karin (Carolina) ERRSON (12 Sep 1832-11 Mar 1903)

Married: 22 Jun 1895 to John Wallace SIMPSON. They had no children.

Biography by Elsie Lundquist McNabb Saye
Written 28 Feb 2000

At age 95 I am trying to recall my home and girlhood and what I can about my father's [Emanuel Richard LUNDQUIST] sister Hilma whom we called Aunt Helen. We lived on the avenues in Salt Lake City, Utah, and she came to our house quite often to see us. She was a widow and had no children so she took an added interest in our family which was always increasing: five boys and three girls of Emanuel Richard Lundquist and Grace Honor Bushman.

We enjoyed her visits as she always brought something special to eat. My mother [Grace Honor Bushman] died when I was seven years old, and I remember Aunt Helen stayed with us for awhile.

She surprised me on one brithday when she gave me a gold ring with an opal in it. That was very thoughtful becasue it opal was my birthstone. I wore it until it wore out [opal being soft] and was very proud of it. Another time she took me out to dinner to a cafeteria on Main Street, my first experience in a big restaurant. I couldn't believe how many different things I could select. of course I couldnn't eat them all, but I have never forgotten this experience.

Later when my sister Ruby [Ruby Smuin] and I were both married and had our families of children, Aunt Helen would come to visit us. She liked her coffee. One time when we fixed a pot of coffee for her and gave her a cup, she said, "Don't you have any nice china cups?" We didn't so next time she came she brought us a beautiful set of cups and saucers in delicate china. Frances, my daughter [Frances Mildred McNabb Gray] and Wally [Wallace Firman Gray] now have them displayed in their china cabinet.

Aunt Helen lived in Los Angeles, and I visited her in her nice apartment. Next door to her was her brother Aaron [Aaron Wilhelm LUNDQUIST] who was a watch repairman. His room was full of clocks and watches all ticking away, which fascinated us [Elsie and her children Frances and Gordon McNabb.] Aunt Helen also visited Ruby and Frank Smuin who lived closer to her.

(End of Elsie's biography)

Note this statement telling of Helen's (and siblings's) early experiences with their family: It was in 1880 that the family first heard of the Gospel by Olaf Olafson, a farmer living some 12 miles south of them. He would stop by and discuss Mormonism and Utah. Carl's wife Karin seemed to be the only one in the family who was interested. About a year after the death of Carl, Emanuel Lundquist reports, Karin sold the farm and with 4,000 Krawns from the sale, left for Utah with her children. According to a copy of the Skarsburg Co.1881 emmigration (Family History Library Microfilm #083159) the family consisted of "Karin Ersdotter, Axel Lundquist, Emanuel Lundquist, Carl Emil Lundquist, Erick Benjamin Lundquist, Hilma Augusta Lundquist, Hulda Maria Lundquist and Viktor Lundquist." This means all eight surviving children accompanied their mother to the States. Most of the family went to Logan, Utah, but apparently Victor, Aaron and Alex went to the East. Emanuel's autobiography indicates that they joined the family in Logan about a month later. (Taken from information in Karin Ersson site.)

Home | Biographical Index |
Frances McNabb Gray Ancestor Chart | The Lundquist Family
The Value of Genealogical Stories