P. J. Berg and His Two Wives (Memoirs)

When we think of the religious figures in our ancestry, we likely gravitate to John Linn, brother of Gus Linn, who was a pastor and presiding elder over Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. He founded several churches including Union Park Methodist Church in Des Moines in 1874. But do you recall a post about Johannes Smedbom ordained as pastor in Vikingstad parish outside of Linköping in the 1700's? Do you consider our noble ancestors who were religious advisors to the King and who are buried within a Swedish church?

And when we recall Julia Linn, John Linn's daughter, do we remember that she was married to Peter Johan Berg, a renowned minister in the Midwest? Recently, I found Berg's Memoir which appeared in the Official Journal of the Western Swedish Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Volume Nine, Number One. Written and published shortly after his death, these few paragraphs tell us a great deal about Reverend Berg as well as the life that he and Julia lived.

The only error I see in this passage is the parish in which Rev. Berg was born. It was Berg parish, not Vergs parish. I have the reference for his birth on 7 June 1851 in Berg Parish, along with the names of his parents as confirmation.

Did you notice all of the churches in several states that Reverend and Mrs. Berg served? Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, and Nebraska. Some of those might have occurred after Julia's death in 1905; but it's clear that this family lived a life of packing and unpacking, moving often.

We know a great deal about Julia Linn Berg. What many of us immediately recall is her documentation as being the first white child born in Webster County on 8 January 1851. While this has occasionally been questioned, we now have another confirmation of this fact found in her memoir that appears in the 5 September 1905 Swedish Conference Book, Lincoln, Nebraska, pages 58-59. Below is the translation as Julia’s Memoir originally appeared in Swedish:

Mrs. Julia Berg, born on 8 January 1851 in Swede Bend, Iowa. History records that she was the first white child born in Webster County. At the age of two and a half, she was left without a mother. Converted to God at a camp meeting in Dayton, at age 18. She loved the Methodist Church within which she diligently worked for the salvation of her fellow men until the end of her life. The sermon about the crucified Christ and the cleansing in the blood from all sins always sounded like heavenly music to her heart.

She was married to Rev. P. J. Berg in Des Moines, Iowa, May 29, 1877. At twenty eight they followed each other on life's path to the great blessing of her passing in the following fields of work: Des Moines, Iowa; Clay Center, Kansas;  Denver, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Dayton, Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa for the second time; Red Oak and Essex, Iowa; Burlington, Iowa; and finally St. Louis Missouri, whence in great triumph, after severe suffering, she had her earthly tent demolished. Her last move took place on Sunday, 16 July 1905 at 4:45 am, aged 54 years.
The funeral took place in Dayton, Iowa, on Wednesday, July 19. Never have we been at such a high-spirited funeral. The church was overcrowded; and a variety of fragrant flowers from the parishes of St. Louis, Des Moines, and Dayton, as well as from many other friends, who hereby express their deep sadness. Several of our preaching brothers were also present and took part. All Dayton's church bells rang and rang during the procession to her final resting place, alongside her daughter Edna Lovisa, who rested there for eleven years. Pastor P. J. Berg and his daughter Frances feel deeply the loss of a faithful wife and tender mother. Seven siblings and an elderly father, Reverend John Linn, as well as a large circle of friends also mourn.
As a preacher's wife, she was a model. Uncomplainingly, she followed her husband to fields of work mostly new, without either church or dwelling house. In St. Louis, she worked for three last summers to collect money for the great church debt and had the joy of hearing the last time she visited the church that everything was paid.

Peace rest upon her active, faithful life.

 

After having been widowed for nearly three years, Reverend P.J. Berg remarried to Adelia Hugner Fuller who was born in Henry County, Illinois, in 1858. They were married in St. Louis, Missouri on June 8, 1908. This was Adelia's third marriage. Together the couple continued the ministry, moving to Kingsburg, Fresno County, California, after retirement. Rev. Berg died there in 1923 but his remains were returned to Iowa where he lies next to his first wife Julia and daughter Edna in Dayton Cemetery.

Adelia passed in 1940 and is buried in Kingsburg, California. Following is her short memoir taken from the Central Northwest Conference 64th Annual Session Year Book, page 93:

Mrs. Adelia Berg was called to her heavenly home on January 29, 1940, at the age of eighty-one years. She was born near New Windsor, Illinois. In her early life, she was soundly converted and remained always a consecrated follower of her Master, giving her greatest energy and interest to missions and WCTU (temperance union) work; Being widowed twice, she was later married to Rev. P. J. Berg, to whom she was an able and consecrated helpmate during the last years of his ministry.

Peter and Julia Linn Berg Wedding Photo

NOTE: When I was told that there were memoirs for Peter, Julia, and Adelia, I pictured a first-person account of some length. What we have in this post are short biographies written by someone shortly after their death.