Matilda Sophia Schramm

Matilda Sophia Schramm was born in Calw, a town in the middle of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on September 10, 1834. Her parents were Carl Gottlob and Augusta Fritz Schramm. Her father, Carl was a manufacturer of dyes. In her early girlhood the family moved to Wertheim, where they lived very near the Northern Black Forest. Matilda grew up religiously minded. She joined the Baptist religion because she believed in baptism by immersion but two years later, Matilda learned of the restored gospel and the Book of Mormon and became baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Her mother believed Matilda had been deceived with her new religion but Matilda was determined to remain faithful.  She did succeed, however, in getting her brother Carl to accept the gospel and be baptized. In fact, at the age of 22, Carl served as a missionary for three years in Baden, Germany, and in Switzerland.  Carl and Matilda decided to go to America and join with the Saints gathering in Utah. After arriving in New York on 3 June 1864, they travel to join the William Hyde Company, arriving in Salt Lake City on 9 August 1864. While in Salt Lake City, Matilda meets John Alder, and they were married 4 March 1865 in Salt Lake City. Matilda and John make their home in Manti, Utah and lived there for the rest of her life. Matilda became mother to John’s older children, Ferdinand (15), Alfred (14), and Emilie (9) when she arrived in Manti. John and Matilda have four more children together, two boys and two daughters.