Berg Ellingson was born May 3rd 1881, at Lehi Utah, the 11th of 12 children of Ole Ellingson and Abigail Evans.

He and Ole his brother came to Magrath Alberta shortly after the turn of the century, intending to farm, but Berg decided to work clerking for the Magrath Trading Company instead. This pointed him toward his life work, selling. He pursued this vocation all his life. It was while in Magrath that he met and courted Mary Hall. They were married on the 18th of July, 1905.

Berg’s selling career led him to Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Calgary. He mostly sold musical instruments such as pianos and phonographs. He is however credited with selling the first Singer sewing machine in Alberta.

Berg had a beautiful tenor voice, and everywhere he went he was asked to sing. He would just stand up anywhere, even without instrumental accompaniment, and start to sing. He was once part of a troupe of entertainers who held concerts throughout Alberta to raise money for the war effort. After the concert was over in one small town, he and others returned to the hotel. There was a piano in the lobby, and one of the guests played and Berg sang. Quite a crowd gathered, and they soon passed the hat for the war effort. They collected more money in the hotel lobby that night than they had at the concert.

Their 7th child was born in May of 1919 and died at birth. Complications related to the birth took Mary’s life a few days later. This left Berg with six children ranging in age from four to fourteen.

On August 5, 1920, he married Eva Sorensen of Claresholm, and they had seven children, five in Canada and two in Salt Lake City. Their last child, a boy, died after only living one day.

On November 10th of 1921, Berg was called as the Branch President of the Calgary Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. On August 12th of 1923, when the Branch was made into a Ward, Berg was called as Calgary’s first Bishop. He was released on January 8th, 1928 when he decided to move back to Utah.

The move was made primarily for health reasons, as the climate of Southern Alberta was particularly hard on his rheumatism. From an economic standpoint it could not have come at a more inopportune time, as the depression soon hit, and all but put salesmen out of business. He went back to selling as soon as things opened up, and even after his health would only allow a part day in the clothing store, he sold on commission. He would come in when he knew “the sugar was running”, and was able to make as much as those who worked full time.

At the funeral following his death on the 3rd of April, 1954, Pres. Hugh B. Brown, a member of the First Presidency of the Church, was the principal speaker. He recounted his long association with Berg, and the many funerals and meetings that they had participated in together, he speaking and Berg singing. They had, half in jest, made an agreement many years previously, that whichever died first, the other would take part in the funeral service.

The time of Berg’s funeral was the only time that his 12 children were ever all together at the same time.
Berg Ellingson, son of Ole and Abigail Evans Ellingson, was born May 3, 1881, Lehi, Utah. He was the tenth child of a family of twelve children and had all his schooling in Lehi. He and his brother Ole went to Alberta, Canada in the early 1900's, taking with them a herd of cattle. He married Mary Elizabeth Hall May 19, 1905. They had seven children: Malcom Berg, Ora Mary, David Elling, Sherwood Orson, Clarence Roland, Earl Hugh, and William, who died at birth. Mary also passed away at that time and Berg was left with six children to care for. On August 5, 1920 he married Eva Margaret Sorensen. They were also blessed with seven children: Eva May, Melvin Lee, Erma Dorene, Ronald Dee, Wayne LeRoy, Ralph Eugene, and John, who died at birth. Berg had a wonderful voice and took much pleasure in singing. But his greatest pleasure was when he could stand by the bedside of a sick person and cheer them with his singing. He was the first Bishop of the Calgary Ward. Berg was ordained Bishop by President Heber J. Grant August 26, 1923. When the news came out in the papers the next day, Berg was fired from his job. He was working at that time for the Heintz man Music Co. and his boss was a Catholic. He said he would not have a Mormon bishop working for him. While Berg was bishop (for six-and-a-half years) he had many wonderful, faith-promoting experiences. Because of ill health his doctor advised hinn to go to a warmer climate. After moving to Salt Lake City in 1927 he worked for the Consolidated Music Company. As his health began to fail him, he learned he had diabetes. He adjusted to living with this condition for a while, but he passed away April 3, 1954.