Johanna Maria Svensen, known as Hannah, was born on April 21, 1835, in Munka-Ljungby, Kristianstad, Sverige (Sweden). She was the daughter of Anders Svenson and Cecilia Svensdotter, who raised her in a rural setting typical of 19th-century Sweden. The Svensen family lived in a time of significant social and economic change, as Sweden was transitioning from an agrarian society to a more industrialized one. This period was marked by widespread emigration, as many Swedes sought better opportunities abroad, particularly in the United States.