Swedish American Genealogist

Volume 28 | Number 3 Article 1

9-1-2008 Full Issue Vol. 28 No. 3

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag Part of the Genealogy Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons

Recommended Citation (2008) "Full Issue Vol. 28 No. 3," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 28 : No. 3 , Article 1. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol28/iss3/1

This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. (ISSN 0275-9314)

A journal devoted to Swedish American biography, genealogy, and personal history

Volume XXVIIISeptember 2008 No.3 CONTENTS

A pioneer from the 1850s, part IV ...... 1 by Hans Mattson

Copyright © 2008 (ISSN 0275-9314) Vestkusten Archives in San Francisco ...... 5 by Erica Olsen Swedish American Genealogist A trip of a lifetime ...... 7 Publisher: by Dee Kleinow Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center Augustana College, Rock Island, IL 61201-2296 The silver spoon...... 11 Telephone: 309-794-7204. Fax: 309-794-7443 by Lois Haraldsen E-mail: [email protected] Web address: http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/ Bits & Pieces ...... 13

Editor: Elisabeth Thorsell Swenson Center photographs ...... 14 Hästskovägen 45, 177 39 Järfälla, Sweden by Christina Johansson E-mail: [email protected] In Memoriam: Dagmar Olsson ...... 16 Contributing Editor: by Christopher Olsson Peter S. Craig. J.D., F.A.S.G., Washington, D.C. A victim of a sea catastrophy...... 17 Editorial Committee: by Susan Dalhed & Elisabeth Thorsell H. Arnold Barton, Carbondale, IL Dag Blanck, Uppsala, Sweden A condition for a young man ...... 18 Dennis L. Johnson, Pottstown, PA by Elisabeth Thorsell Ronald J. Johnson, Madison, WI Christopher Olsson, Stockton Springs, ME A century of change – the 1800s ...... 21 Priscilla Jönsson Sorknes, Minneapolis, MN by Elisabeth Thorsell

Swedish American Genealogist, its publisher, editors, From ward of the parish to pastor ...... 22 and editorial committee assume neither responsibility by Kerstin Jonmyren nor liability for statements of opinion or fact made by contributors. Translation of documents ...... 24

Correspondence. Please direct editorial correspon- Book Reviews ...... 25 dence such as manuscripts, queries, book reviews, announcements, and ahnentafeln to the editor in Interesting Web Sites ...... 30 Sweden. Correspondence regarding change of address, back Genealogical Queries ...... 31 issues (price and availability), and advertising should be directed to the publisher in Rock lsland. The Last Page ...... 32 Subscriptions. Subscriptions to the journal are $28.00 per annum and run for the calendar year. Single copies are $8.00 each. Swenson Center Associates are entitled Cover picture: to a special discounted subscription price of $15.00. Direct all subscription inquiries to the publisher in Rock Some of the miners at Nordmarksberg in 1896. Island. (Photo in the collections of Nordmark Local Historical Society In Sweden the subscription price is 225.00 Swedish (Hembygdsfˆrening). kronor per year for surface delivery and 275.00 kronor per year for air mail. This subscription fee may be deposited in a plusgiro account: 260 10-9, Swedish American Genealogist, c/o Thorsell, Hästskovägen 45, S-177 39 Järfälla, Sweden. A pioneer from the 1850s – Hans Mattson tells the story of Vasa

Part IV (continued from SAG 2/2008)

After Vicksburg in a sporting mood, jumped up and guard for the purpose of maintaining About a week after the surrender of grabbed with their hands in the air, order, and the whole regiment was Vicksburg, the Third Regiment was as if trying to catch them. In less than soon quartered in the state capitol. transferred to the Seventh Army an hour the bridge across the deep Gen. C. C. Andrews, who held the Corps, under the command of Gen. channel was ready. A cavalry brigade position of colonel at that time, was Fred. Steele, and took part in the had meanwhile moved up to the ford appointed post commander at Little campaign against Little Rock. In the above, and now the signal for cross- Rock, and I, who had been promoted beginning of September, when we ing was given. The Confederates set to the rank of lieutenant colonel soon were only ten miles from Little Rock, fire to the steamer, which they were after the surrender of Vicksburg, took our regiment enjoyed the distinction unable to save. command of the regiment, whereby of marching at the head of the infan- It was about noon on one of those it became my duty to maintain law try column. We came upon the Con- glorious autumn days peculiar to this and order in the captured city. This federate batteries on the west bank country, which greatly enhanced the was an onerous and difficult task, for of the Arkansas River, where a brisk impression of the sublime spectacle it must be remembered that the only cannonade was opened. This combat then to be seen on the Arkansas Ri- executive authority in the southern afforded the most beautiful sight ver. The burning steamer reddening states during the war was vested in imaginable, if carnage and slaughter the atmosphere with brilliant flames the army, and especially delegated to may be called beautiful. of fire, a long line of cavalry fording the provost officers and guards. We stood on the east side of the the shallow river in three files, the The Third Regiment was occupied river, the Confederates on the west. infantry marching by the flank over with this task until the following The water being very low, a steamer the pontoon from which they jumped spring, and performed its duty so well had been grounded about an eighth into the water, forming on double- that the governor of Arkansas, in a of a mile above us, and near the quick, first companies, then battalion, message, expressed himself regard- steamer the water was so shallow whereupon they marched cheerily, in ing it, in the following language: that the cavalry could ford the river; knee-deep water, under flying ban- “During the time of their service in but just in front of the Third Regi- ners and to the beat of regimental our capital good order has prevailed, ment the water was so deep that we music, while the air was filled with and they have commanded the re- had to throw a pontoon bridge for the shells and balls. Before the infantry spect of our citizens. When called infantry. had reached the woods where the upon to meet the enemy they have Our regiment was stationed in a batteries of the enemy were hidden, proven themselves equal to any task, corn field near the river bank to cover the latter were already in retreat, and reliable in the hour of imminent the march across the bridge, and the and Little Rock soon fell into our danger. Such men are an honor to our soldiers were ordered to lie down on hands. government and the cause which the ground. But we found it very they serve. Their state may justly feel difficult to make them obey, for, in In Little Rock proud of them, and they will prove their eagerness to cross the river, On our march into the captured city themselves to be worthy sons of the they felt more like rushing ahead and the next morning, the Third Regi- same wherever duty calls them.” shouting for joy. Many shots from the ment was again accorded the place Toward Christmas I was ordered Confederate batteries passed over of honor at the head of the army. It to Fort Snelling, with a detachment our heads, so low that the soldiers, was designated to act as provost of officers and non-commissioned officers, for the purpose of recruiting Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 1 decimated ranks. I remained on this surrounded and threatened by a vigi- my command in the beginning of duty till the month of March, and lant enemy, the exhausted and sickly October, and remained in winter then returned with four hundred soldiers had to get up at three o clock quarters until the spring of 1865. recruits. Shortly afterwards the every morning for the purpose of battle of Fitzhugh’s Woods, near working at the entrenchments and Back in Arkansas Augusta, Arkansas, was fought, and strengthening and protecting our po- Shortly after our return to Arkansas, the regiment distinguished itself by sition in different ways. Meanwhile I assumed command of the First Bri- very gallant conduct. During the stay the number of those fit for duty was gade, First Division, Seventh Army in Little Rock most of the soldiers had daily decreasing at an appalling rate. Corps. This brigade consisted of my re-enlisted for three years, or until The hospitals were overcrowded with own regiment, the Twelfth Michigan, the close of the war, whereby we patients, and the few men left for the Sixty first Illinois, and a United acquired the title of “Veteran Regi- duty were continually occupied in States colored regiment. Our pro- ment.” caring for the sick and burying the spects for remaining in winter quar- But that was not the only dis- dead, until there were not men e- ters for several months being favor- tinction which was conferred on our nough left to bury their dead com- able, many of the higher officers sent men. A large number of young sol- rades, and I was obliged to ask a regi- for their wives. I did the same, having diers had been promoted from the ment, which had recently arrived, to first erected a comfortable log house ranks to be officers in several negro help us perform that sad duty. for us. My wife and two little child- regiments, which were organized in ren arrived a few days before Christ- Tennessee and Arkansas, and some On furlough in mas, and stayed in the camp the as officers of new regiments of our whole winter. No important event own state. Minnesota At this critical moment I received took place during the winter, ex- orders from Washington to take six cepting that we were once ordered to companies to Minnesota, on a six make an expedition up White River, weeks’ veteran furlough, to which the with a considerable force of cavalry regiment was entitled. Those went and infantry, and, after a fatiguing who were able to. Many died on the march. succeeded in breaking up a way, but those of us who survived camp of irregular Confederate troops, until we reached Minnesota were and taking many prisoners. soon restored to usual health and strength, so that we could return in Two incidents due time and again take part in the I will relate two incidents which took campaign in Arkansas. The remain- place near Duvall’s Bluff, one of a ing four companies, which had been serious, the other of a comic nature. Col. Andrews had meanwhile been furloughed the previous winter, were The first was the shooting of a promoted to the rank of brigadier ordered from Pine Bluff to Duvall’s young soldier of the Twenty-second general, and, in April, 1864, I was Bluff, on White River, where the Ohio Regiment, who time and again promoted to colonel of the regiment whole regiment was reunited under had deserted his post, and finally in his place, and was shortly after- wards ordered to march with its eight hundred men to Pine Bluff, on the Arkansas river.

Moving to Pine Bluff – a bad place From this time until the beginning of August the regiment experienced such hardships and sufferings from diseases and hard service, that it sustained far greater losses from these causes than any other regiment from our state had met with in open battle. Pine Bluff was a veritable pest-hole; the water was of a greenish color, the air full of germs of disease and poisonous vapors. Continually An execution of a deserter.

2 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 recently arrived regiment was sta- Editor’s note: tioned, and where the ground was Now that Colonel Mattson is safe and soft and marshy. Being challenged by going back home we will leave him the guard I answered who I was, but to go on with his life. as he could not plainly distinguish my But what was he going to do during uniform in the twilight and did not the rest of this life? know me personally, he ordered us, In 1866 he became the editor of with loaded gun, to stand still until Svenska Amerikanaren, published in he could call the officer of the guard. Chicago, but resigned in 1867 to It was no easy matter to obey his become an immigration promoter for order, for the horses continually sank the state of Minnesota. He returned down in the soft ground, but finally to Sweden as a representative of the the officer arrived and we succeded Minnesota Immigration Board in in getting to the camp without 1867–68 to recruit settlers, a suc- further trouble. I was not the first cessful undertaking. He brought al- officer who thus got into trouble by most 450 immigrants back with him. neglecting to write out a pass for Hans Mattson in the Civil War. In 1869 he became Minnesota's himself. Secretary of State, from which post joined a band of rebel marauders. It he resigned in 1871 and became the became my sad duty to execute the The murder of President chief emigrant agent for the North- sentence of death. My brigade formed Lincoln ern Pacific Railroad, which had enor- a hollow square, facing inward, and On a fine April day, which can never mous areas of land that needed many the doomed man, a strong, handsome be forgotten, the news came that our new settlers. youth of twenty years, sat on a coffin president, Abraham Lincoln, had Later he again became Secretary in an open ambulance, which was been murdered. Stricken with con- of State in Minnesota for 1887–1891. driven slowly along the inside of the sternation, I hurried down to the He also helped found banks in square, while a band marched in Third Regiment in person to tell the Minnesota and other institutions. He front of the wagon playing a funeral bad news. also had a brief diplomatic career, was march. After the completion of this Never, either before or since, have U.S. Consul General in Calcutta sad march the deserter was placed I witnessed such a scene as the one (1881-1883). Hans Mattson died 5 in the middle of the square, in front that followed. Some of the men went March 1893 in Minneapolis. of the coffin, with his eyes blind- completely wild with sorrow, folded. A detachment of twelve men weather-beaten veterans, embracing under a sergeant now fired simul- each others, wept aloud, other swore taneously, upon the signal of the and cursed. provost marshal. Eight rifles were In the prison yard, which was loaded with balls, and the unfor- guarded by men belonging to my regi- tunate young man fell backwards ment, a rebel prisoner took off his cap, into his coffin and died without a waived it in the air and cried, “Hur- struggle. rah for Booth!” A man by the name of Stark immediately loaded his gun Riding outside camp has and shot the rebel dead on the spot. its problems Many others, both inside and outside One day while taking a ride on the camp, were shot because they horseback in company with my wife, expressed joy at the death of Lincoln. who had a fine saddle horse, and had Passions were strong, and all toler- become an expert rider during her ance and patience exhausted among long stay in the camp, we galloped the Union soldiers on that occasion. mile after mile along the fine plain, The main army of the Confederates outside of the picket lines where men had already surrendered when this of my own brigade were on guard, till calamity ocurred, and the war was in at last we found ourselves several fact over. miles from the place where we had A few days afterward we sent our passed through our lines. families home. Returning toward camp, we struck the picket line at a point where a A booklet by Hans Mattson (in Swedish) about the good life in Minnesota, 1868. Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 3 Vestkusten Archives in San Francisco

An old Swedish-American newspaper lives on in a new format

BY ERICA OLSEN

The microfilm archives of the Swed- Historical newspaper is not only for historians but also for ish-American newspaper Vestkusten families who want to learn about have a new home at the San Fran- celebrated their heritage. cisco Public Library. On October 19, 2008, the Bay Area’s At the reception, lively conver- At the library’s San Francisco His- Swedish-American community met sations in English and Swedish took tory Center, researchers can consult at the library for a champagne recep- place against a backdrop of tables a nearly complete run of Vestkusten. tion to celebrate the Vestkusten leg- decorated with Swedish flags, while The microfilm collection covers the acy and the donation of the microfilm Afghani- and Swiss-themed exhibi- newspaper from 1887 to 1967 and to the San Francisco History Center. tions were on view in the adjacent 1991 to 1998. The reception also honored the wom- library galleries. The intersection of The West Coast’s Swedish-Ameri- en who were the most recent force cultures was typical of San Francisco, can newspaper had a 121-year his- behind Vestkusten: Barbro Osher, as was the cool, foggy weather. tory before its 2007 merger with publisher (and Consul General of Guests delved into the Vestkusten Nordstjernan, which has been pub- Sweden in San Francisco); Bridget archives, reading about the great San lished on the East Coast since 1872. Strömberg-Brink, editor; and Lena Francisco earthquake and fire of Sivik, chief administrative officer. 1906, which destroyed the news- Susan Goldstein, the city archivist paper’s office. Vestkusten was up and of San Francisco, worked with Vest- running again just a week later. kusten’s archives committee to bring The library brought out several the microfilm collection to the library. books from its historical collection for When it comes to San Francisco’s his- the event. California och dess Svens- tory, Vestkusten is “one of the few ka Befolkning (1910) by Ernst Skar- examples of an entire ethnic news- stedt, a former editor of Vestkusten, paper that has been preserved,” is extensively illustrated with pho- Goldstein said. tographs of people and places. Kali- In her remarks, Goldstein spoke fornien och Guldfebern: Guldgräf- of the importance of documenting varnes, Mormonernas och Indianer- San Francisco’s ethnic heritage and nas seder och bruk : antecknade un- described Vestkusten as a resource der en resa i vestra Nordamerika

The Vestkusten office in 1902.Vestkusten printing shop 1902. The Vestkusten office in 1906. Photos belong to the collections of Swedish American Hall Library and Archives, San Francisco, California.

4 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 [The habits and customs of the gold- diggers, Mormons and Indians, recorded during a trip through the Western North America], by Carl Gottfrid Wilhelm Vollmer, translated from German and edited by J.E. Thingren, published in Stockholm in 1862, gives an idea of what Swedes in the 19th century thought of the Wild West. The San Francisco Public Library’s History Center is in the main branch at 100 Larkin Street, in the Civic Center neighborhood, across from City Hall and next to the Asian Art Museum. For more information, go to sfpl.lib.ca.us/librarylocations/ sfhistory/sfhistory.htm.

Left to right: Lena Sivik, Bridget Strömberg-Brink, Barbro Osher. The writer is: Photo by Erica Olsen. Erica Olsen 22975 Guidotti Dr. Salinas CA 93908 415 264 0772 [email protected]

The beginning of the great San Francisco fire, April 18th, 1906. Picture from California och dess Svenska Befolkning, by Ernst Skarstedt (1910). Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 5 Your link to your history!

We have many new, exciting resources for The Tax records researchers. 1880 Swedish Here we mention (mantals- Census now covers just a few – there is längder) most of the län. much more on our from 1642–1820. Missing are only web site! Earlier than the Värmland, church records. Västmanland, and Parish indexes! Blekinge. 1897–1938 Scanned extracts from the Swedish Civil Registration. Births, Marriages New and Deaths, and The scans of the Census Gazetteer from original Mormon 1930. the 1880s by Carl microfilms for half Martin Rosenberg the län in Sweden. is now available on Try Ervalla parish our web site! in Örebro län Parishes, farms, for free! and much more. www.svar.ra.se

How do I get access to all these resources? By contacting SVAR and getting a subscription. You can subscribe for just a single visit or any period up to a whole year. Contact us at [email protected] SVAR, Box 160, S-880 40 Ramsele, Sweden. Phone + 46-623-725 00. Fax + 46-623-726 05. 6 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 A trip of a lifetime

Tracking the ancestral trails throughout Sweden makes many memories forever

BY DEE KLEINOW

My husband Ray and I have done a toured a little, stayed overnight, then to stay with Helmer and Maine Olofs- fair amount of traveling to different flew on to Copenhagen on the 15th. son, friends who grew up in the same places, but our trip to Sweden this We were met at the airport by my area of Slätthög, Moheda, Berg, Asa, summer tops my list of travels. cousins, Gert-Ove and Anny Nilsson, and Tjureda, as my mother’s father A number of years ago, I was giv- who drove us over the Öresunds and relatives did and have ties to en many old family photos without bridge to Sweden, and their home in southern Minnesota. With Helmer’s names. After sorting, arranging, and Höllviken, which is located in the far knowledge, we drove the back roads, researching them and putting the southwest corner, about a block in- through the village farms, and visited information into a genealogy pro- land from the sea. an old, out-of-the-way local museum, gram, my interest in genealogy and found farm history books, and visited researching all my family lines back In Skåne with the local historians. into Sweden became an addiction. Over the next several days, we went There are no words to really ex- This led to attending many classes, sailing on the Öresund and were plain your feelings while touring the many hours of research in records invited to numerous family reunions family farm sites, visiting the church both here and in Sweden, and many and relatives’ homes in the Malmö, where your emigrant family left hours of research volunteer work. Lund, Höör, and Löberöd area, where from, and touching the baptism font With this knowledge and connecting Swedish coffee, desserts, and deli- where your grandparents or great- with my special Swedish relatives cious meals were served. We were grandparents were baptized. While and friends, a wonderful month-long taken to the family churches, grave in Växjö, we strolled through the old th trip to Sweden was planned. Now a sites, and family farms around Väs- section of town, visited the 11 month sounds long, but with such an terstad, Östraby, Östra Kärrstorp, century cathedral, and the House of exciting, full schedule, it seemed as and Fränninge; visited the old Lund Emigrants where we had coffee with if time flew by. We have been asked Cathedral and watched the medieval a delightful elderly gentleman, Ivan to report on this trip, but we quickly calendar clock announce 12 noon; found we must give just the high- walked the streets of many of the old lights or write a book, so.… historic sea captain towns like Trel- leborg, Ystad, and Simrishamn; The travel plan toured many of the medieval castles We first decided on an overall plan and Viking villages along the Skåne of starting in Skåne; then Kronoberg; western, southern, and eastern Kalmar; Stockholm; Leksand in Da- coasts. There is so much history in larna; back to Stockholm; over to Sweden and this area to talk about, Värmland; relatives in Norway; and but it was time to move on. leave through Oslo. To do this, we chose Icelandic Air to break up our Växjö next! journey. Wednesday, May 21st, we packed our bags, said our tearful goodbyes to my Off we go! cousins in Skåne, and picked up our th We left Minneapolis on May 13 rental car in Malmö and worked our Dee ponders the ancestors and their 2008, arrived in Iceland on the 14th, way to Växjö, where we were invited baptisms. Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 7 Nilsson, one of the first volunteers at the Emigrant Center. We also took a tour of the Emigrant Museum which shows a very interesting dis- play of the emigrants leaving for America and Minnesota. We did not do any research here as we had already done it at home. With so much genealogy research resources available on microfilm or on the Internet, it is much easier, faster, and cheaper. So, do your family research before you plan to travel overseas. To Orrefors and Läckeby It was now May 23rd and time to drive Skokloster, northwest of Stockholm. east, through the region of Vilhelm area. Then over the bridge to the alogy was, of course, the main topic. Moberg and a tour of the Orrefors island of Öland, with its historical After we dropped off our rental car, glass factory which started produc- sites, windmills, and farmland mead- we were off to tour the 17th century tion in 1742. (Yes, we spent a few kro- ows, which was larger in size than royal palace, Drottningholm, King nor here!). we had expected. Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia’s Then on to Läckeby where long country home on the island of Lovön time genealogy friends, Susanne near Stockholm. While here we saw Åkerfeldt, Rune Eriksson, and child- Going north Monday, May 26th, we started our the changing of the guard and en- ren, who have family ties to Minne- joyed our walk through the beauti- sota, were waiting for us. After a nice, journey north along the east coast, through beautiful rocky green rolling ful landscaped grounds. Then we relaxed evening meal, we had a sur- were off to tour the countryside and prise visit from their neighbor, who hills and large farm fields of rapeseed and potatoes in full bloom. We to visit the Lovö parish church, which was a board member of the Kalmar is a very old kyrka with many rune- län Genealogiska Förening. We ex- stopped for a quick shopping trip through IKEA on the northwest side stones around the building and ceme- changed genealogy related items, tery. The next day, we toured the Sko- while listening to the beautiful night- of Stockholm, which was larger than our Minneapolis store. kloster kyrka and slott where Elisa- ingale’s evening song. beth has family ties. This is a pearl Highlights of this area took us to We met Bengt & Elisabeth Thor- sell, editor of the Swedish American among churches in this area, and is the medieval city center of Kalmar, still in use today. Skokloster Castle, which still has part of the city wall; Genealogist and a past guest speak- er at our Swedish Genealogical So- which is right beside the church, is Västerport, the main entrance to the the largest private palace ever built city, located close to the 12th century ciety of Minnesota meeting. She had invited us to their home where gene- (1645) in Sweden. It is a museum of Kalmar slott (castle). It has a terrific artifacts with many of the originals view of the city, ocean, and coastal still intact, including three rooms of a fantastic armory collection, dating to the 1670s era. With so much his- tory, our camera was working over- time. Dalarna next! Then it was off to cousin Annika and Peter Wallenskog’s beautiful historic home for an evening of visiting and relaxation. May 29th found us up early taking the train from Stock- holm to Leksand, Dalarna, where genealogy friend, Stenåke Petersson, met us with a surprise handshake from Leksand Mayor Lars Nygårds. We were off to another wonderful An Öland windmill. Runestone U47 at Lovö. See note.

8 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 center, on the shore of Lake Mäla- stad, Värmland, where Dr. Fredrik ren, whose history stretches back to Haeffner of SweGGate fame was the 13th century, and past the stately waiting for us. He had planned to give homes in that area. us a tour of the research center We also tried out the subway sys- (Emigrantregistret [The Kinship tem into downtown Stockholm, Center]), but it had closed early in where we bought tickets for a two preparation for Sweden’s national hour boat ride under the bridges and celebration on the 6th. After a nice around many islands of Stockholm. walking and driving tour of the area, We walked past many government he escorted us to Töcksfors and cous- buildings and where the Nobel Prize in Ingrid Andersson’s home, where awards are held; toured the Royal we had been invited to stay for the Palace (built and completed in 1754) next few days. where the royal official entertain- When we visited this area in 1995, ment functions take place; watched I only met two distant cousins. Be- the changing of the Royal Guards; cause my mormor’s lines go back to The House of Genealogy in Leksand. and toured the Stockholm Storkyr- the very beginning in the Töcksmark, Those filefolders in the back are full of kan (cathedral). Jan Eurenius, a staff Östervallskog, and Holmedal church microfiche from the whole of Sweden! member of Genline and a research records, I knew there would be more. three days of visiting, and traveling friend, gave us an interesting driving I was told that I had many relatives through the beautiful country a- tour of the islands north of Stock- waiting to meet us. After being given round Lake Siljan, visiting the old holm. We visited more of Gamla Stan the history and a driving tour of the historical village farms, and local mu- (Old Town, Stockholm). At the Vasa many family farms, and visiting a seums. We also took a tour down into Museum, the warship Vasa is dis- couple of my new-found relatives, the the Falun copper mines, which is one played. She capsized on her maiden big reunion day came on Saturday. of Sweden’s most important indust- voyage in 1628 and was raised in About 155 relatives replied that they rial monuments with history that 1956. The Vasa is the world’s only were coming. I was told that over 500 goes back almost a thousand years. surviving 17th century warship with relatives lived close by in the area. We toured Nils Olsson’s Dala Wooden over 95 percent of its original parts Horse workshop by Nusnäs. preserved. We can’t forget our visit to the The big reunion! House of Genealogy (Släktforskarnas The Töcksmark community center Hus) in Leksand, where we had To the Värmland was full! Dr. Haefner and cousin Ing- coffee and treats with the director cousins rid Andersson had planned a very and staff, toured their facility, and Thursday, June 5th, we said goodbye exciting reunion with lots of printed heard more about their working to our wonderful hosts in Stockholm, family information being shared. The connections with Genline. After an- and picked up our rental car at wood carvings behind the Töcksmark other delicious meal with Stenåke Bromma Airport. We started our church altar and around the church and Britt-Marie Petersson at their drive west across Sweden to Karl- were done by a relative. A family his- beautiful summer home, we said our tory program followed, mainly in goodbyes and took the train back to Stockholm and the Wallenskog home.

Exploring Stockholm Between June 1st and June 5th Peter Wallenskog, a member of the board of directors for Genline, invited us for a tour of the Genline facility, located in Stockholm. We met with the new CEO Mikko Ollinen and staff, and heard about their exciting future plans. We also were invited to visit Väsby Hembygdsförening, an old farm village which was used by their local historical society, and enjoyed a tour ending with coffee and treats. Next was the Steninge Palace culture The Family Reunion in Töcksmark.

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 9 average) temperatures for most of the trip. It had become very dry. We heard TV reports of forest fires in some areas of Sweden and Norway burning out of control. Going home Thursday, June 12th, we had a relaxed breakfast at the hotel, collected our belongings, and left for the Oslo/ Gardermoen Airport, where we re- turned our car. We flew back to Rey- kjavik, Iceland, another delicious meal, and a little more touring, before Sandwich cake (smörgåstårta) is a very common dish at big gatherings. returning home to Minneapolis in the Swedish, so I hope my personal his- over the former Norwegian territory evening of June 13th. tory was okay. A delicious meal down- in 1814. Your general fitness will de- Thanks to genealogy and all the stairs followed the program. After- cide whether you walk around this special relatives and wonderful wards, it was back upstairs for ques- fortress, which takes a good two friends that we’ve met along the way, tion and answer time in the after- hours with many steps. While visit- this was “A Trip of a Lifetime,” and I noon. Naturally, this followed with ing with cousin Frode, I was given a will remember it forever! coffee and a nice selection of desserts. family picture of my mormor with her parents and siblings. This picture is Note: Next stop: Norway! special, because I only had a pencil The text on the Lovö runestone #U47 By June 9th it was time to pack our drawing of my great-grandparents, says “Torgils och Sihnjut de reste ste- suitcases full of gifts and books and and never knew that this picture nen efter Vig, sin fader” (Torgils and visit the last items of interest around even existed. Sihnjut erected the stone [in mem- th Töcksfors. We said our goodbyes and June 11 we headed to Oslo, ory] of Vig, their father). headed over the border to my cousin checked into a hotel and went for a Frode Myhrvang’s home in Askim, tour of the Viking Ship Museum and Editor’s note: This travelogue was first Norway. We were given a tour of the the Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum, Nor- published in Tidningen 2008/3, journal Askim church and cemetery, and had wegian maritime museum. It had of the Swedish Genealogical Society of Minnesota. more delicious meals with relatives. many exhibits and artifacts of the th The next day we drove south to Vikings, and other ships from the 19 Halden and the large Fredriksten century polar expeditions. We took a Dee Kleinow’s address is 3204 Fortress, construction started in relaxed walk along the bay area and Barbara Ln, Burnsville, MN 1661, which covers approximately the public park surrounding these 55337-1819. 150 acres. It was a major point of buildings. We had sunny weather, E-mail: [email protected] defense before Sweden had taken with low 70s to high 80s (above Swedish(?) names in the 1870 U.S. Census

Recently I looked for a “lost” Swede Here are the names I read: And here are the names in Swedish: in the 1870 Census, and tried to find Dolber Dahlberg him by listing all the Swedes in his Benzston Bengtsson county. In the resulting list I found a Bumqust Blomquist number of names, where the name- Lindagrin Lindegren bearer was supposed to have been Gusto Nelson Gustaf Nelson/Nilsson born in Sweden, but the name looked Lofgrin Löfgren a bit odd. Ewickso Erickson/Eriksson When looking closer at some of the Chinburg Kindberg names, I think I could make out what Elenquist Elmquist many of them would have been, if Berystrom Bergström indexed by a Swede. Carsa Underson Caisa Andersson Comments welcome! Southergrust Söderquist Elisabeth Thorsell 10 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 The silver spoon

Even an old spoon can have its story

BY LOIS HARALDSEN

In the December 2007 SAG the she left their home in Vånga on 15 grandfather Jöns (John) was a brick- article “Birth, baptism, and church- Aug. with 4-year-old Jöns, our mor- layer. ing” with the picture of the silver far, and Eva Ingeborg age 2. When baptismal spoons brought to mind Anna arrived in Chicago no one was Anna visits Sweden Nils William Olsson’s article “The Old there to meet her and the children In 1912 Anna’s children sent her to Silver Spoon” in the December 1995 at the station because Jöns had to visit Sweden. Her mother Pernilla SAG. work. Anna took a cab to her brother- was still alive. While visiting the Because of my husband’s Nor- in-law’s home. Måns’s wife, Ella, left Ahlviken (schoolhouse) in Ivetofta, a wegian ancestors, we have several sil- Anna and the children waiting out- former maid met her and told her ver wedding spoons with the initials side until Jöns returned from work. this story. and dates of the bride and groom Anna and Ella were never friendly. Anna’s father Carl Tullberg was a engraved on them and also a bap- Måns would visit but Ella never. difficult man to work for and one day tismal spoon. When Jöns finally became a Uni- the maid was so angry with him she My Swedish family has a silver ted States citizen he became John J. took a prized silver spoon that the spoon with a history, owned by my Julian. Måns had taken the surname minister had given Carl and hid it in great-grandmother. Julian years earlier in Knox County, the stone wall that was in the house. Anna Gustafva Tullberg was born Illinois. Anna had a difficult adjust- Anna and the maid found it all those 22 April 1857 in Ivetofta, Kristian- ment at first to the U.S.A. She took years later and Anna returned to stads län, Sweden, to Carl Magnus in laundry to help with finances. She Chicago with it. One of our cousins Tullberg and Pernilla Mårtensdotter. helped many newcomers to adjust to has it now. Anna’s father had just become the the new life. Anna and John had 9 I am wondering if more of you have schoolteacher in Ivetofta. Before that children. Two little girls, each named silver spoons with a history? he was a carpenter in Grönby, Mal- Alma, died in Sweden, one just a few möhus län (Pernilla’s home parish, weeks before Anna immigrated. Five The writer is Lois Haraldsen see SAG 2/08 for her story). more children where born in Chicago. 1460 Stonebridge Trail 1-4 Anna taught school in Skärsnäs, John held many jobs, mostly doing Wheaton, Illinois 60189 Vånga parish, Kristianstads län. carpenter work. Two of his sons had Email: [email protected] The first night she spent at the their own construction company. Our school-house she heard so many scary noises that she would not stay there and was driven back and forth to school in a horse and wagon. On 27 July 1879, Anna married Jöns Jönsson from Vånga, Kristian- stads län (born there 6 July 1854). Their marriage is recorded in Ivetofta and Vånga. Jöns immigrated to Chicago in 1883. Jöns older brother, Måns, was already established in a coffee and tea business. Anna followed in 1885, Not THE spoon, but another early 19th century Swedish silver spoon.

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 11 12 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 Bits & Pieces

Canadian immigrants Minnesota marriages A Pietist Conference Ancestry.ca launches Canadian Pas- online A conference on the Pietist Impulse senger Lists, 1865-1935. One in three The Minnesota Official Marriages in Christianity will be held March 19- Canadians is descended from immi- System (MOMS) has just started to 21, 2009, at Bethel University in St. grants listed in this collection. put all Minnesota marriages online. Paul, Minnesota. * The official records of immigra- It is easy to search and the results A special feature of this conference tion to Canada by ship and overland are useful. If you want a copy of a will be a panel session of historians from the U.S. are indexed and fully certificate, you can order it for just representing Swedish-American searchable online for the first time. $9, and pay by check or money order. churches including Augustana, Cove- * Detailed records for all major I did not see that credit cards can be nant, Free, and Baptist. For general Canadian ports. used. However, they have just started information about the conference see: The collection is fully indexed by doing this, so it is best to first check http://www.bethel.edu/ name, month, year, ship, and port of the link “County Index dates” and see special-events/pietist/ origin and arrival of more than 4,000 if your county is already there. There ships, and includes original images is a link on page 30! for more than 310,000 pages of his- In Memoriam torical records. It is the first time The oldest woman in Maja Johansson that these records have been indexed and made available online. the world dies 1917 – 2008 There was an interesting news item (24/7 Family History Circle 17 Sep. 2008) in this week’s news from Shelbyville, Indiana. Edna Parker, the world’s End of slavery in the oldest woman, died. She was 115 years and 220 days old, according to British Empire Robert Young, a senior consultant for The Slavery Abolition Bill 1833 was gerontology for Guinness World Re- passed by the House of Commons and cords. Mrs. Parker was the 14th old- by the House of Lords. est validated super-centenarian in Maja Johansson, née Ellström, It received the Royal Assent history. Maria de Jesus of Portugal, widow of professor Carl-Erik Jo- (which means it became law) on 29 who was born on 10 September 1893, hansson, author of Cradled in August 1833 and came into force on is now the world’s oldest living per- Sweden, passed away 17 Sept. 1 August 1834. On that date slavery son. 2008 in Salt Lake City. She, Carl- was abolished throughout the vast A super-centenarian is defined as Erik, and their oldest children British Empire. someone who has reached the age of came in 1948 from Sweden to The Act automatically applied as 110 or more. Only one in a thousand Utah, where they spent the rest new possessions (principally in Af- centenarians achieve this age, and of their lives. Maja is mourned rica) subsequently became part of the only about 2% of those reach the age by 7 children, 26 grandchildren, British Empire. of 115. This is an extraordinary phys- and many great-grandchildren, (Link on page 30). iological achievement indeed! and many friends. (Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter (Deseret News 18 Sept. 2008) Swedish Council 30 Nov. 2008) website is renewed! A new Swedish CD- The web site of Swedish Council has been rebuilt, and is still not quite database done. One new page is a discussion Just before Christmas the new CD- forum, where participants can ask database Begravda i Sverige (Burials questions, and discuss what is going in Sweden) with some 5 million posts on in Swedish America! of burials was released. A review will http://www.swedishcouncil.org/ come in the next issue of SAG.

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 13 News from the Swenson Center

Swenson Center photographs and archival holdings available online

BY CHRISTINA JOHANSSON

A majority of the Center’s photo- homes, orphanages, hospitals, and Madrid photograph and subject graphs and archival holdings are now other buildings. collection. This collection includes available for users in an online Scandinavian American Portrait portraits and family photos of early database. All photographs included collection. This collection consists settlers in Madrid, Iowa, and a photo in the database have a digitized rep- mainly of portraits of the Swedish of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Mad- resentation whereas the archival American Lutheran clergy, August- rid, Iowa. records are only available in the form ana synod institutions, and related The archival records cataloged in of a catalog record. The database events. this database include personal pa- allows users to do keyword searches Upsala College photograph collec- pers, organizational and lodge rec- as well as just browse randomly tion, East Orange, New Jersey. This ords. In the near future we also hope selected images and/or archival collection includes early sport teams to add digital representations of holdings. at Upsala, class photos, photographs selected archival holdings. This database is a work in progress of campus buildings, and individual If you have any comments or and we will continue to add both portraits. would like to order a copy/copies of a images and archival records as time Rev. C.A. Larson family papers. particular photograph or archival permits. At the time of writing this, Photographs from this collection record, please contact us at photos from the following collections include family and individual por- [email protected]. have been scanned: traits of family, and photographs Please share this database with Augustana Book Concern (Rock from family outings in the Quad friends interested in Swedish Amer- Island, Illinois) photographs. Photo- Cities and along the Mississippi Riv- ican history and genealogy. graphs from this collection include er. many of the Augustana women’s Web site: http://augustana.pastperfect-online.com/

Some hints on how to use this site

First, when you enter the address in images,” or on just “photos” at the that may take you to other photos your web browser, you will get a dark bottom. The search window accepts that you did not know about. There screen which says that it is a “Splash both uppercase and lowercase lett- is another button for “Random Im- screen” and below this there is a link ers [Hasselquist versus hasselquist]. ages,” which is also fun. I found a nice that says “click here to go to the Next you will get a result window, picture of King Oscar II by that search page,” so just click on the link. as shown on the next page. It con- search. Next you will see the “Search tains copies of the photos. Then you If you are looking for an archival screen,” where you have several can click on the link below to get collection, you will get a full descrip- options to look for various things. more information, like the full name tion, but no pictures of the docu- Just try the different options until of the person, years of birth and ments. Instead you have to contact you get what you are looking for. death, occupation, photographer’s the Swenson Center to get the infor- If you want photographs, you can name, the person’s dress, and much mation you want. click on either “only records with more. There are even related links Elisabeth Thorsell 14 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 The “Result Screen.” Examples from the photo section of the database

Portrait of Dr. C. A. Evald (1849-1909) Exterior view of the Immanuel Deaconess Institute, Omaha (Neb.). Group portrait of and his wife, Emmy Evald Carlsson approximately 100 people standing on the porch, sitting on the entrance steps, and (1865–1946), and their two daughters. sitting on a bench next to the left of the steps. Undated. Undated.

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 15 In Memoriam

Dagmar Gavert Olsson In the early morning hours of Sep- Dad’s constant travels and many tember 28, 2008, Dagmar Gavert Ols- interests meant that she kept her son went – in that marvelous Swed- passport up-to-date and was al- ish phrase – ur tiden. ”Out of time.” ways prepared to entertain a seem- She had lived a very full life, rich ingly endless queue of guests. and varied. Born the year before the When time allowed, she was able outbreak of World War I, she was the to play her piano or her organ, or daughter of a Swedish Mission Cove- pursue her love of tapestry weav- nant minister in the Midwest. There ing. But mostly, she was a she attended college and graduate thoroughly supportive wife and school, and started teaching during partner to her husband of almost the middle of the Depression. She 67 years. had married Nils William and started We will miss her smile and her her family when World War II inter- sense of humor, her intelligence rupted so much of American life, and her wisdom, and – yes – even Dagmar G. Olsson during a visit to separating the young couple for her quirks and biases. She lived Sweden in the early 1990s. nearly three years. totally for Nils William and missed Photo by Bengt Thorsell. With the war over, she resumed him terribly after he died. During life as a college professor’s wife and the last 18 months of her life she mother of three, only to be swept up was devoted entirely to her child- in the whirlwind of diplomatic life as ren, her grandchildren, and her she accompanied NWO to posts in great-grandchildren. We all miss Reykjavik, Stockholm, and Oslo. her. Retirement to Florida gave her Christopher Olsson some hope of a quieter existence, but

The Swedish American Immigrant Monument in Munterville, Iowa

The first Swedish settlement in this and finally on 12 October area, in Wapello County, Iowa, was 2008 the monument was known as Bergholm and was founded unveiled. It was dedicat- in 1847. In 1870, when the first post ed to “honor Swedish im- office was established, the commu- migrants and to allow nity became known as Munterville in future generations to recognition of Swedish immigrant reflect on their struggles Magnus Munter, who served as post- and contributions.” master, school teacher, and promi- There is a web site for nent church leader. The Swedish this monument and the settlements that sprang up around group that has worked to the state of Iowa seemed to have one make it become a real thing in common. Wherever several attraction for all Swed- Swedish families located it was soon ish-Americans with roots after that a little frame church was in the area. raised, indicative of the faith that See p. 30 for the link. characterized those early pioneers, and Munterville was no different. The descendants of the pioneers have worked for a long time to set up a monument to their ancestors,

16 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 A victim of a sea catastrophy

BY SUSAN DALHED & ELISABETH THORSELL

After the article “An almost forgot- the area, and that their bodies had him as arriving in New York on 22 ten tragedy at sea” [about the Em- not yet been found. It was also men- Sep. 1907 on the S/S St. Paul, be- press of Ireland, which sank 29 May tioned that John had worked as a longing to the American Line. John 1914 in the St. Lawrence River] was farmhand in the area for several was listed as being 5 foot 11 inches published in SAG 2006/4, I received years, and that he planned to go tall, having a light complexion, yellow an e-mail from a SAG reader who home and marry his girlfriend and hair and blue eyes. And best of all, wanted to know if more was known then return with her. John’s brother he was going to his brother Clarence of the victim John Gustafson from Clarence had now left the area to go Gustafson in Houston, Minn.! His Minneapolis, who was reported as to Quebec and try to find his brother’s homeplace was given as Stamnared! “lost?” remains. Then a quick look into the 1900 An article in Svenska Amerikanska On 11 June the Houston Signal Census of Sweden (Sveriges befolk- Posten from June 1914 listed John reported that they had recieved a ning 1900) showed the following Gustafson as being not from Minnea- telegram that so far they had not family: polis, but from Houston in Houston found the body, and that 800 bodies County, Minnesota. were still on the sunken ship. Karlsdotter, Anna Britta b. 1862 This little research was done at The last notice in the Houston Sig- Mother, widow The Swenson Center while on my nal about John Gustafson was pub- Gustafsson, Klas August, b. 1886 way to the SAG workshop in Salt lished 18 June, when his brother son Lake City. One of the researchers in Clarence returned home after a fruit- Johan Emil, b. 1887 son the group was Susan Dalhed from less search. Klara Augusta, b.1893 daughter Eagan, Minn., and while we were Susan Dalhed wrote that she could Albin Natanael, b. 1895 son looking at her papers, I noticed that find no information of a burial for she had some people from Houston John, nor anything about the settle- and they all lived at Stamnared 11, in her research. I told her the story ment of his estate, which probably also called Stomgården. of John Gustafson, and she promised did not amount to much, as he was A check into the clerical survey for to look for him when she had the just a young farmhand. 1880-1900 showed that everyone in time. John was one of the many who the family was born in Stamnared, A couple of months later I got a went to the U.S. in the hope of a good and that the father of the family was very thick letter from Susan, which future, but only found early death. the sharecropper Gustaf Nilsson, held a lot of copies with information born 1855, who died in 1896, so the about John, and the other victims Who was John? Gustafsson patronymic was quite from Houston. The next step in the story of John correct. Johan Emil had been born It turned out that the A. Carlson was to find out where he was born 11 Dec. 1887, and brother Klas Au- from Minneapolis also came from and where he came from. gust 5 Feb. 1886. Houston as well as Ulf Johnson,who A good lead was found in the 1910 is not on the list, as he was going to census, where he is listed as a farm- What about Clarence? Christiania in Norway. hand with his brother Clarence, both Clarence is evidently an American- employed by Charles H. Johnson of ization of Klas. He left Sweden from News items about John Wiscoy in Winona County, Minn. Stamnared by way of Göteborg on 24 The local newspaper Houston Signal Here it was recorded that John was Feb. 1905 with a ticket for New York. published a little notice on 28 May 22 years old and had immigrated in When John came two years later, 1914, that mentioned that Andrew 1907; Clarence was 24 years old and Clarence was in Houston, and in 1910 Carlson, Ulf Johnson, and John Gus- had immigrated in 1905. he and John were in Winona County, tafson, and two women, D.A. Tiffany The database Emihamn showed a but by 1914 they had moved back to and Will Omodt, were all going to Johan Emil Gustafsson leaving his Houston. In 1920 Clarence lived on Scandinavia the same week. home in Stamnared in Halland, and his own in Money Creek, Houston Next week, 4 June, the Houston Göteborg on 11 Sept. 1907 with a County. He is still there in 1930, and Signal had an article about the dis- destination of Houston, Minn.! it is not now known when he died. aster and the three missing men from The Ellis Island database showed

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 17 A condition for a young man to emigrate A ticket was not the only necessary document to have for young men to leave Sweden

BY ELISABETH THORSELL

The Swedish government saw during gional archives for Värmland (Värm- He got his consent and left his home the 1880s that the avalanche of landsarkiv) in Karlstad. on 26 March 1890 and on 18 April he young men leaving Sweden could The example concerns Karl Gus- left Göteborg with a ticket for Chi- pose serious problems for the Swed- taf Gustafsson, born 9 March 1867 cago. What happened later to him is ish army in the future. If so many in Övre Ullerud, who in 1890 was a not known. young men left, who were to be the farmhand at Västsjö in Övre Ullerud. soldiers in the Swedish army in the future? On 2 Dec. 1886 a decree from King Oscar II and his government stated that young men that wanted to leave the country must have his testimony of removal (flyttningsbetyg) from his parish priest and also a consent from the local military authority. On 17 Feb. 1887 another decree stated which procedure the future emigrant had to follow to get the con- sent. He had to write to the com- mander of the local military area where he had earlier mustered, but addressed to the King. With this letter he must enclose a testimony from the parish, and a testimony that he had the necessary funds to emigrate, signed by parents or neigh- bors. When the local military command- Document #1 and #2. Front and back of Karl Gustaf’s application. All documents er had got all necessary information translated on page 24. he was to send the papers, and infor- mation, if the applicant had done his national service, to the Department of Defense, which after the decision was returned to the local commander and sent to the future emigrant. This is the explanation of the phrase Kungl. Majts tillstånd att emigrera or something similar that can be found in the field for remarks (anmärkningar) in the clerical sur- veys in 1887 and later. Some of these documents might still be found in the Swedish Riksar- kivet (National Archives), which has not yet been explored. By chance I happened to find some applications from Övre Ullerud this summer. They are kept in the archive of the parish (kyrkoarkiv), which is kept in the Re-

18 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 The Swedish National Service: From 1812 there was a new military system besides the old indelnings- verket (allottment soldiers) as the existing army was not supposed to be strong enough in the number of soldiers. From that year every man from age 20 to age 25 had to do his National service (beväringstjänst). Up to 1872 it was possible to hire somebody to do one’s service. In 1882 the time a man should serve was increased to 12 years, eight years in the army and four years in the militia, later augmented to 20 years. The actual time spent in training as a soldier was 90 days, 68 days the first year after muste- ring and 22 days the next year. If there was no threat of war, then they had done all that was required of them. In 1901 the old indelningsverket was abandoned, and the new army consisted of the young draftees. The military training was prolonged to about a year, with some repeat meetings in following years. (Source: Nordisk Familjebok 1876- )

Document #3. The pastor’s testimony.

Document #4. Testimony from the neighbors about Karl Gustaf’s financial situation.

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 19 Document #5. The royal consent to emigrate. Roots on the Åland Islands? The islands of Åland are situated 1720, as Åland was then occupied by between Sweden and Finland, and the Russians during the war, often are a mostly self-governing part of called the “Great Wrath” (Den stora Finland, with their capital at Marie- vreden). During this time most of the hamn (Maarianhamina) on the main Åland inhabitants fled to Sweden to island. The total population is about escape the enemy, and thus no re- 25.000 with some 10.000 in Marie- cords were kept, as there was nobody hamn, almost all Swedish-speaking. there to keep them. There are a number of parishes After the peace treaty of Nystad in there: Brändö, Eckerö, Finström, Fög- 1721 the people returned home and lö, Geta, Hammarland, Jomala, tried to pick upp their lives again. Kumlinge, Kökar, Lemland, Lum- Persons with roots in Åland can be start in the 1600s and goes to the parland, Mariehamn, Saltvik, Sot- very lucky, as there exists a series of present time. tunga, Sund, and Vårdö. books, in Swedish, that gives the The author is Håkan Skogsjö, a As these islands have belonged to genealogy for most people in a num- well-known Swedish genealogist and Sweden since the early Middle Ages ber of the Åland parishes. The books writer. He has a wide experience of or even further back in time, they are called Ålands Släktregister and other sources than church records, have the same kinds of church re- have so far been compiled for the which shows in his books. cords as mainland Sweden and Fin- parishes of Lumparland, Kumlinge, His web site is land, starting in the 1600s. There are Brändö, Vårdö, Sund, Sottunga, http://www.bokhandeln.ax/ often gaps for the period of 1714 to Lemland, and Saltvik. Usually they index.htm

20 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 A century of change - the 1800s

In 1800 Sweden was not much better than a third world-country of today. But many things happened during the 1800s.

1804 An Edict of Inoculation was proclaimed, which soon brought down the epidemics of smallpox. 1805-07 War against Napoleon in Pomerania, many Swedish soldiers were taken prisoners of war. 1808 War with Russia, which mostly took place in Finland. 1809 The King was dethroned and replaced by his uncle Karl XIII. A new constitution was adopted. 1809 In the Peace Treaty of Fredrikshamn, Sweden had to give up Finland to Russia. 1810 The French field marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince. 1812 The army was reinforced by more or less compulsory militia units (lantvärn and beväring). 1812-13 War against Napoleon and Denmark, which mostly took place in Germany. 1814 In the Peace Treaty of Kiel, Denmark gave up Norway to Sweden. The Norwegians resisted, but the following year had to accept a union with Sweden, as a double monarchy. Both countries had separate laws, constitutions, and governments, but the same head of state. 1818 Karl XIII died and was succeeded by Bernadotte under the name of Karl XIV Johan. 1830 The Göta kanal was finished, a step towards modern transportation. 1830 The newspaper Aftonbladet was founded by Lars Johan Hierta. 1834 An epidemic of cholera troubled the country. 1842 The Law of Public schools was passed; every parish had to have a school for the children in the parish. 1844 King Karl Johan died and was succeeded by his son Oscar I. 1845 The law of inheritance was changed so sons and daughters inherited equally; earlier sons inherited twice as much as daughters. 1845 The Swedish mass immigration to the United States started. 1846 The old guild system of masters and journeymen was abolished, and freedom of enterprise was declared. 1853 The first telegraph line was built between Stockholm and Uppsala. 1853 The Riksdag decided to start building the first railway lines. The main railroads were to be built by the state, but local branches by private companies. 1855 The old riksdaler wass changed to a decimal system, 1 riksdaler riksmynt= 100 öre. 1856 An unmarried woman could be declared legally capable by a court at age 25. 1858 The Conventicle Edict from 1726 was revoked, and more religious freedom was allowed. 1859 King Oscar I died and his son Karl XV inherited. 1860 Passports, both within and outside the country, were abolished. 1860 It was no longer an offense to renounce the Lutheran faith. 1861 Unmarried women were legally capable at age 25, but still needed the consent of a giftoman if she wanted to marry. This ended in 1872 for most women. Members of the nobility got the same right in 1882. 1864 Having a baby out of wedlock was no longer a crime. 1865 The old four estate Riksdag was abandoned and a new two-chamber constitution was adopted. Only men of property had the right to vote. 1866-68 Famine years increased emigration. 1872 King Karl died and his brother Oskar II inherited. 1873 The old name of riksdaler was abandoned, and the new name of ’krona’ was adopted. 1 krona – 100 öre. 1878 The metric system was introduced. 1880 The first telephone net is built in Stockholm. 1884 An unmarried woman became legally capable at age 21. 1899 The first provincial archives, at Vadstena, was started.

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 21 From ward of the parish (sockenbarn) in Sweden to pastor in America

“America, the land of opportunity” proves to be the truth

BY KERSTIN JONMYREN

Through my work as a professional autobiography he tells that he was genealogist I have made a new sold at auction to the person in the genealogy friend, Ned Nordine. He parish who gave the lowest bid to lives in Ludington in the Midwest keep him. He tells about the very and is active in the local Baptist difficult years that followed. He first congregation. It was founded a long lived with the Nils Jonsson family in time ago by local Swedish-Amer- Vike 2, and then, presumably after icans. Ned is in charge of the archive his confirmation, was able to work as of his church, and one day he found a farmhand at Väster Komsta, Fin- a number of autobiographies, all sta, Storboda, and last Kälen near written in Swedish around the turn Finsta. By 1860 he had already of the 20th century. They were all started to use the surname Hedberg. about pastors with a Swedish back- During his time as an orphan he got ground that had served his church. his birth date mixed up and is listed Of course, Ned was interested in thereafter as having been born on 16 these texts and asked me to translate June 1850. them, but first he wished to find out Around 1873 he met his future about the pastors’ Swedish back- wife Kajsa Greta Matsdotter, born 2 ground. Most of these pastors came June 1848 in Stöde, a nearby parish. from farmers’ homes in southern In 1876 they moved in with Kajsa Sweden, and had been educated in Greta’s father Mats Matsson Sund- Immigration Stockholm. ström, born 30 January 1814 in Mats, Kajsa Greta, and Isak all left One of them did not fit this pat- Stöde, who lived at Kälen as a Kälen on 25 November 1880, with the tern; he had both a different back- widower and former sharecropper destination of Muskegon, Michigan. ground and a different track in life. (torpare). Isak is then listed as a There is no record about why they His name was Isak Hedberg and he charcoal maker. left or how it was possible, but a year came from Torp parish in Medelpad later Isak was a student at a Baptist in northern Sweden. Meeting with Baptists seminary in Stromsburg, Nebraska, In his autobiography Isak tells that where he became a pastor. His first An unwed mother he met Baptists for the first time at mission was to Fish Lake, Minnesota, On 29 May 1850 an unwed maid at the home of some neighbors of the and later travelled as a “state mis- Backen in Torp gave birth to a boy. family where he was living as a sionary” in Minnesota, Michigan, and The child was christened a few days sockenbarn (ward of the parish). He South Dakota. later and given the name Isak. The happened to enter the room when He was in Dalton, Muskegon maid was named Cajsa Greta Sund- they held a meeting and at the end County, in Michigan from 1899 to ström, born 10 April 1815. She lived they also prayed for the orphaned 1901, and in South Dakota 1901– her last years as a lodger at Vagi in Isak, who was very touched by that 1903. A missionary of the Swedish Torp with her two boys, Isak and his they also cared for him, the orphan. Baptist churches in those days had older brother Per Olof, born 8 Aug. In 1873 he and his fiancée Kajsa responsibilities that might corre- 1845. Greta both joined the local Baptist spond to the job of the district execu- Cajsa Stina died 30 January 1857 congregation. tive minister and church planter of and Isak became an orphan. In his the Baptist General Conference to-

22 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 day. The missionary visited the was the sister of the groom.) Levia Sweden. He might be identical with churches in his district and offered and Andrew Anderson lived in Lu- the retired allottment seaman (båts- encouragement and whatever help dington following the wedding. They man) Per Olof Klots, born in1845 in he could. had four children. Levia died in 1921, Torp, who in 1900 lived at Flata in In 1904, pastor Hedberg left Mi- at the age of 32. Torp, with his family. chigan and moved to the Baptist In 1909 Isak and his wife Kajsa Church of Ludington (now Corner- Greta returned to Torp, where he ser- Sources: stone Baptist Church). He pastored ved for a year as pastor to the Frän- Database Emibas there in Ludington from October sta Baptist Congregation, but the Torp church records: 1904, until April 1906. The church’s Hedbergs returned in 1910 to the C:6, page 77 history describes his preaching as U.S. There he became the “finance AI:12b, pages 405, 560 “strong and courageous.” secretary” to the Sunset Home in AI:13b, pages 680, 686, 757, 704 The Hedberg’s foster daughter was Clay Center, South Dakota, a home AI:14, pages 353, 358, 710, 755 called Levia Ruby and was born on for old people, run by the Baptists. February 19, 1889. Isak only lived there for about 6 On November 9, 1906, Rev. Hed- months before he died 27 April 1911. berg conducted the marriage cere- The Hedberg couple did not have Kerstin Jonmyren is a Swedish mony which united his daughter with any children of their own, but during professional genealogist and re- Andrew Anderson. The marriage their time in the U.S. they took in sides in Nyköping, Sweden. took place in the Dalton church. The their foster daughter, who was listed E-mail: witnesses were Mr. and Mrs. Sven as next of kin with Kajsa Greta when Lexen of Ludington, (Emma Lexen Isak died. Isak also had a brother in

The church started as a Scandinavian Baptist Church in Ludington, Michigan. After a few years the Danes and Norwegians left and formed their own church. The church was then the Swedish Baptist Church until the Swedish language was dropped and the church became Washington Avenue Baptist Church. In 2004, the church moved to a new location no longer on Washington Avenue and now is the Cornerstone Baptist Church. (Information from Rev. Ned Nordine, Ludington.)

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 23 Translation of documents on page 18

Documents #1 and #2 Number 116 Karlstad Company District. N:o 51

This application seems legitimate. Karlstad 15 February 1890 [signed] Rudolf Björk

Hereby the undersigned in all humility for obtaining better income asks for permission to leave the realm. And to this end I am attaching all the necessary documents as stated in the Gracious Royal Decree of 28 January 1887. 1:o Pastor’s testimony 2:o Testimony about economic conditions

Västsjö in Öfre Ullerud 15 Febr. 1890 Karl Gustaf Gustafsson, draftee of the second class, number 122/156/1888

Document #3 That the draftee Karl Gustaf Gustafsson/ from Västsjö of the parish mentioned below/ is born 9 March 1867 (sixty-seven)/ has passable knowledge of his Christianity/ has no obstacle in going to Holy Communion/ and is in possession of his civil rights/ and has done the first and the second year of his national service/ is hereby testified for the cause of applying for Gracious permission to leave the realm, Öfre Ullerud parish in Wermlands län, 14 February 1890 (ninety)/ page 424.

[Signed] A. U. Bergh/ Pastor / Pastor’s Office, Öfre Ullerud, Wermlands län.

Document #4 That the draftee, Karl Gustaf Gustafsson from Vestsjö in Öfre Ullerud to us is well-known, and in the economic situation, that he without risk can undertake the journey to North America is testified by the undersigned. Nyckeby in Öfre Ullerud 15 February 1890 S. Aug.Larsson Elias Jonsson Homestead owner homestead owner

Document #5 His Majesty the King has graciously listened to the enclosed application from the draftee Carl(!) Gustaf Gustafsson from Öfre Ullerud parish, And has His Majesty the King found it well to admit that even the circumstance that the applicant’s total time in the National service has not yet ended, might not be an obstacle for him to leave the realm. Stockholm Palace 21 February 1890

By His Majesty’s Command, Hj. Palmstierna(?)

24 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 Book Reviews Here you will find information about interesting books on the immigration experience, genealogical manuals, books on Swedish customs, and much more. We welcome contacts with SAG readers, suggestions on books to review perhaps. If you want to review a book yourself, please contact the Book Review Editor, Dennis L. Johnson, at <[email protected]> or Dennis Johnson, 174 Stauffer Road, Bucktown Crossing, Pottstown, PA 19465, so he knows what you are working on. clothespin as punishment for his Gösta Berlings Saga, her break- A wild goose selfishness. He is carried off on the through and most well-known novel. back of a white farm goose which has She had over ten years experience as flight decided to join a flock of wild geese a teacher, in addition to her reputa- away on their annual migration to tion as an imaginative writer. She the far north. He accompanies his was asked to participate in creating The Wonderful Adventures of goose and the flock for an entire sea- a new reader for the Swedish ele- Nils, by Selma Lagerlöf, 48 pp., son on a tour of all of Sweden, all the mentary schools, and sought a new Hardcover, Ill., Floris Books, 15 way to Lapland and eventually back approach. After much thought and Harrison Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2005, Barnes & No- to his home in western Skåne. Along trial efforts, she settled upon the ble.com, $24.95 plus shipping, the way he visits most of the pro- right solution and wrote the story American Swedish Institute, Min- vinces of Sweden and has a series of quite quickly. Combining the ele- neapolis, $24.95 adventures with various creatures ments of a geography lesson, a moral- both friendly and hostile. In the ity tale, and some adventures by a Can you as a child in 1907, only four course of these adventures he learns little boy, with a variety of creatures years after the first powered flight a great deal about getting along with found in Sweden, her work won im- by the Wright Brothers, imagine others and repaying kindness with mediate recognition and popularity. being transported on an aerial tour kindness. He eventually returns It is a timeless children’s story for all of your entire country? You can in a home to his family, to normal size, ages. The illustrations by Lars Klin- wonderful children’s book by Selma and is a changed and much wiser ting are charming and add much to Lagerlöf, first published in 1907 in little boy. the lightness and spirit of the story Sweden. Her great gift of imagi- Selma Lagerlöf was 49 years old itself. nation in creating this story, and her when she wrote the book about Nils’s Selma Lagerlöf was born in 1858, other works, resulted in her being wonderful adventure. She was al- the daughter of Lieutenant Erik Gus- awarded the Nobel Prize for litera- ready an accomplished writer, having taf Lagerlöf and Louise Wallroth, the ture in 1909. She was the first woman published several books including couple’s fourth child. Selma grew up writer to receive this award. The book isolated from most other children and was originally published in Swedish an early illness left her lame in both under the title Nils Holgerssons un- legs. She later made a remarkable derbara resa genom Sverige. It has recovery, but as a result of her earlier been republished numerous times in condition, Selma was more serious as many as thirty languages. This and quiet than other children of her English version was edited and age. She was a gifted child who adapted by Rebecca Alsberg in 1989 enjoyed reading and even finished and translated by Joan Tate. It was reading her first novel by age 7, and first published in 1992, and in 2005 the entire Bible by age 10. She grew is in its fifth printing. Illustrations up on Mårbacka in Värmland, her are by Lars Klinting. The book, in one father’s family estate. In 1884 her version or another, is well known to father lost Mårbacka because of his all Swedes and to many Swedish- illness, and this loss had a deep Americans. impact on Selma, then only 26 years Nils Holgersson was a rather lazy old. She studied at the Royal Wo- and mean little boy, with little feel- men’s Superior Training Academy in ing for anyone or anything except Stockholm and then worked as a himself. His household tomte has schoolteacher in Landskrona. Her shrunk him down to the size of a first break in literature came when Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 25 Book Reviews ful Adventures of Nils. I wish I were town. They had servants of their able to read the original in Swedish, own.” However, Hilda’s new social since I feel that the text would be status has left her desperately bored even more colorful and fascinating when she is not dealing with the than in the English translation. culture clash between her Swedish Although the geography of Sweden family and her Irish in-laws. When a is not as familiar to most young man is killed in a barn fire and her Americans as that of their own coun- friend Norah’s husband is suspected she submitted the first chapters of try, this detracts little from the enjoy- in the case, Hilda jumps at the chance Gösta Berlings Saga to a literary con- ment of the book, and the lessons to investigate another crime. test in the women’s magazine Idun. included therein. This book will sur- As in the earlier Hilda books, She won a publishing contract for the vive for many generations and Dams skillfully interweaves a mys- entire book. through many more printings. There tery with the manners and social In addition to the Nobel Prize for are a number of other editions of this tensions of another era. The residents literature in 1909, Selma Lagerlöf book available at varying prices, with of South Bend in 1904 face unem- became a member of the Swedish different publishing dates, but this ployment and banking problems that Academy in 1914. When World War reviewer found this particular edi- resonate with today’s newspaper II began, she sent her Nobel medal tion to be an excellent example. headlines. Christmas preparations, a and her gold medal from the Swedish Dennis L. Johnson blizzard, and the Swedish Lucia Academy to Finland, to help them celebration add to the midwinter raise money to fight the Soviet atmosphere. Union. The Finnish government was While the Hilda Johansson books so moved that it raised the money The Swedish are a mystery series, the character from other sources, and returned the of Hilda – a spirited, independent medals to her. She wrote over a dozen Maid becomes young woman – is in the tradition of other books and novels after The Laura Ingalls in the Little House on Wonderful Adventures of Nils, the the Prairie books or Anne Shirley in last being several volumes of reminis- a Lady Anne of Green Gables. Indigo Christ- cences under the title Mårbacka in mas presents this resourceful immi- about 1932. Selma Lagerlöf lived for Indigo Christmas: A Hilda Johans- grant with a whole new set of chal- many years at Mårbacka, and died son Mystery, By Jeanne M. Dams. lenges. Although Hilda is liberated there in 1940. Her former home is Perseverance Press/John Daniel & from the hard work of being a house- now preserved as a museum. Since Co., 2008. 252 pages. $14.95. 1992, her likeness has been featured ISBN 978-1-880284-95-7 on the Swedish 20 crown banknote. Indigo Christmas is the sixth volume in Jeanne M. Dams’s series featuring Hilda Johansson, a Swedish house- maid with a talent for solving mys- teries. The series is set in South Bend, Indiana, in the early 1900s. In this book, the newly married Hilda has left her servant days behind. The Swedish maid has become a lady, but she is still a sleuth. As Indigo Christmas opens, Hilda is now the wife of Patrick Cavanaugh, the Irish fireman who was her love interest in the earlier books. Patrick There are few children’s books is no longer a fireman; he is a part- more suitable for a gift for young boys ner in his uncle’s business. “He and and girls, from the ages of about 8 Hilda were now a part of that upper years to 12 years, than The Wonder- class they used to serve. They lived in a fine house in the best part of

26 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 Book Reviews returned to Sweden. This book is about 1870 and continuing until the intended to be an evaluation of the 1920’s. The famine years in Sweden reasons for this return migration, of 1865, 1867, and 1868 resulted in and the resulting effects not only on increasing emigration from a trickle these return migrants, but also on to a flood. For Båstad kommun, Pers- the community from which they son’s research indicates a total of migrated. The book was written as a about 5,600 emigrants from 1860 and doctoral thesis by the author, who is 1930, and a return rate of some 21 maid, her new status means that she now a member of the Department of per cent during that period, some- has less freedom to do her detective History at Lund University in Swe- what greater than for Sweden as a work, to drop by the police station, den. whole. (These numbers are approxi- or talk to servants and tradesmen Since the task would have been mate and difficult to establish, since without being noticed. Hilda also has enormous to examine the entire some returned to other than their to negotiate awkward situations, country of Sweden, Magnus Persson original parish, and some returned such as being a guest in the house chose to select a small region and use for a time but then immigrated again where she used to work as a maid. that region to develop his conclusions to America.) “She had taken these women’s cloaks, for the nation as a whole. The region The author, as is customary in served them tea, opened doors for that he chose to use is the small Bjäre dissertations of this type, provides them, done a thousand little things peninsula in southwest Sweden, in chapters which outline his theory, the women were, in her opinion, the northwest corner of the province methodology, and sources, his use of perfectly capable of doing for them- of Skåne. This region, although in statistics, the demography of the mi- selves. She doubted they would re- Skåne, was thought to be more simi- gration, and other background infor- cognize her. People never really did lar in its migration history to the high mation about the area studied and look at servants, never saw past the emigration areas nearby in central Swedish migration as a whole. His cap and apron to the human being Sweden. It is now known as the Bå- final chapters look at the social mo- inside.” stad Kommun, and includes six par- bility of the migrants and the return- Hilda’s life is a classic American ishes: Båstad, Förslöv, Grevie, Hov, ees, various other aspects of social story, and Indigo Christmas is a Torekov, and Västra Karup. This is mobility, and the lifestyles, inno- satisfying read. For an entertaining an area of workable size, has accurate vations, and business opportunities fictional perspective on the Swedish- parish records, and has a represen- of the return migrants and the effect American experience, the Hilda Jo- tative sampling of emigrants and re- of returning entrepreneurs on the hansson mysteries are highly re- turnees. The Bjäre Peninsula is to- local communities. commended. day a prosperous farming and tour- Erica Olsen ist district with good communications to the rest of the country. It remains mainly a prosperous farming district, growing mostly potatoes. Skåne As in much of central Sweden in the 19th century, the Båstad kommun immigrants suffered from a rapidly increasing population and a limited amount of Coming Full Circle, Return Migra- arable farmland. Local farmers tion and the Dynamics of Social resisted government pressure to Mobility on the Bjäre Peninsula divide their land and the eldest sons 1860-1930, by Magnus Persson, then inherited the farm, with most KFS i Lund AB, 2007, softcover, younger sons and daughters having 269 pp. little opportunity except to migrate from the area or to America. At the Between 1860 and 1930, it is esti- time there were only two towns, the mated that about 1,300,000 people town of Båstad and the smaller left Sweden for America. During that fishing village of Torekov. The popu- same period, about 200,000 of these lation of the kommun began to shrink emigrants, or roughly 15 per cent, with the rise of emigration, beginning

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 27 Book Reviews from which they came. The thesis (Riksarkivet) in the series Diploma- was written in English by the author, tarium Suecanum: Appendix: Acta with no significant weaknesses Pontificum Suecica, II:Acta Poeniten- brought about by translation or un- tiariae. 526 p., hard cover, indexes. Prise 250 kr SEK + postage. familiar usage of terms and ex- Contact pressions. This volume is an im- portant contribution to the history of In the Middle Ages, the Apostolic the Swedish migration experience. In addition to the statistics pre- Penitentiary possessed the papal Dennis L. Johnson sented, the author also uses the powers to grant four types of graces: experiences of two Nilsson brothers to absolve Christians who had violat- as examples of those who migrated ed the rules of Canon Law, to grant and spent some years in America a- Medieval sins dispensations and licenses to those round 1900, before returning to their Auctoritae Papae, The Church who wanted to act against the norms home parish in Sweden. The Nilsson Province of Uppsala in the Apostolic of the Church, and to issue letters of brothers served to illustrate his Penitentiary 1410–1526, by Sara declaration that, for example, could conclusions about these returnees Risberg and Kirsi Salonen, pub- free the petitioner from an unjust and their impact on their home lished by Swedish National Archives accusation of murder. The office dealt community. For them, and many others, the time spent in America and the money they earned there helped them to improve their lives, to advance their social position, and has affected their own lifestyles and also the lifestyles of their neighbors who remained in Sweden. Persson’s con- clusions differ considerably from earlier studies on return migration, and he claims that the earlier re- search was affected too much by bias against the changes brought back from America by these returnees and in favor of traditional Swedish lifestyles. The author also found that many returnees advanced their so- cial position through marriages, achieved greater success in their farming operations through inno- vations learned in America, took part in local politics to a greater degree than those who did not emigrate, and were more active in founding local businesses and other entrepreneurial activities. This book is heavily footnoted and research is thoroughly documented, as expected in a doctoral thesis. The illustrations, family photographs, and anecdotal examples help make the book engaging and readable, as well as giving the reader more insight into the lives of both the re- turn migrants and the communities

28 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 Book Reviews The First Church Register 1885– Swedes in Pull- 1900. The first part of the book is a list- man, Ill. ing of all the families that were members. Unfortunately the com- piler only listed the full name of the The Greater Roseland Area och head of the household, and just first Chicago: Svenska Evangelical names for the rest of the families. All with numerous matters such as mar- Lutheran Elims Församlingen dates and places are also missing, riage, illegitimacy, violence, apostasy, 1885–1900, compiled by Janice which would really have made the and confession. In the registers of the Helge, published by the South Sub- book invaluable. If the head has a Penitentiary, documents involving urban Genealogical and Historical specific surname that helps a lot, but around 550 Swedes have been identi- Society (2004). Spiralbound, 77 pages. Order from South Suburban what about the Johnsons? Some fied for the period of 1410 to 1526. In Genealogical and Historical So- surnames are Ekeberg, Zetterstrand, that year Sweden became a Protes- ciety, 3000 West 170th Place, Lindeblad, Forsberg, Lönnquist, tant country, and all ties with Rome Hazel Crest, IL. 60429 - 1174, or Lundgren, Höggren, Ekström, Elmer, were severed. Some of the identified look at Nordin, Sandström, Granberg, Kärr- persons were members of the nobility, http://www.ssghs.org/sspub.htm ström, Saxon, and Sköld. including King Karl Knutsson Bonde Baptisms are listed by date, child’s (VII). This book is of great interest for any- name, and surname. Confirmation The present volume brings forward one with an immigrating relative in gives full name and date of birth. In this new source material, reveals the Pullman area of Chicago. the Marriage section bride and details on daily life, and shows the It starts with a short history of the groom are listed with full names, date influence of Canon Law on medieval Svenska Evangeliska Lutherska of marriage, and address. There is a society. Elim-församlingen, which was or- section on Reception and Dismissal The book is published in both Eng- ganized in 1885. of members and then Funerals, with lish and Latin. In 1969 the church registers were names, dates, and ages. A useful Elisabeth Thorsell microfilmed, and the present book is a compilation of the information in book! Elisabeth Thorsell New and Noteworthy (short notes on interesting books and articles)

A new book of general interest has recently been published, called How the States Got Their Shapes, by Mark Stein. He has done extensive research in many sources to be able to share his anecdotal findings on the biggest jigsaw puzzle of them all—the United States. It is little known that those shapes most everyone takes for granted are rooted in various histories of intolerance, military skirmishes, and ideological intrigue. Available at Amazon.com for $15.61. Read more at http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0809/states.html

A great book for young scholars is Kristina. The Girl King by Carolyn Meyer, Scholastic, Inc., 2003. ISBN 0-439- 24976-7. It is part of a series, The Royal Diaries, that are based on real royal figures and actual historical events, according to Scholastic press. However, some situations and people in this book are fictional, created by the author, Carolyn Meyer. Kristina’s diary runs from Midsummer Day, 1638, to October 2, 1639, during the time she is turning 13 years old. Although the purpose of the series is to make history alive and interesting to children in 4th to 7th grades, this book hits the mark for adults, too. An epilogue sets the diary in historical context, describes life in Sweden at the time, includes a Vasa-Palatinate family tree, black and white portraits of royalty, a 1638 map of Sweden, and a glossary of characters. Author Meyer gives the reader a window on the lives of the nobility, and a 21st century American’s view of Swedish history. As she put it, “I embraced the challenge to present this brilliant young girl who inherited the crown and then gave it all up to live the life she wanted.” And of course, 1638 was the year of the first Swedes coming to America! The book is available at Amazon.com for $10.95 in hardcover. Thanks to Lynn Campbell of Davis, Cal., for the tip about this book!

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 29 All links tested in December 2008 and Interesting Web Sites should work

The Anti-Slavery Society: http://www.anti-slaverysociety.addr.com/index.htm Guidelines for Heraldic Practice in the U.S.: http://americanheraldry.org/pages/index.php?n=Guide.Guidelines. Minnesota Official Marriage System: http://www.mncounty.com/Modules/Certificates/Marriage/Default.aspx The full text of Nils Hokanson’s “Swedish Immigrants in Lincoln’s Time” (loads slowly): http://ia311516.us.archive.org/1/items/swedishimmigrant008136mbp/ swedishimmigrant008136mbp.pdf A blog on being a Swede in California: http://jacalica.blogspot.com/ Swedish Press (a monthly): http://www.nordicway.com/search/swedishpress.htm Genealogy Resources by State: http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/History_Family/State_Genealogy.shtml Dick Eastman’s Encyclopedia of Genealogy: http://www.eogen.com/ Swedes in Texas: http://http://www.swedesintexas.com/ The Swedish-American Monument in Munterville: http://www.swedishmonument.org/home.html The Allotment System (Indelningsverket): http://www.algonet.se/~hogman/slsoldat_eng.htm Old aerial photos of Sweden: http://flygfotohistoria.mine.nu/sidor/english Genealogy and life in Skåne: http://www.understandingyourancestors.com/asl/skane.aspx Genealogy in Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-17449_18635---,00.html

Children from the Fogdhyttan orphanage in the Filipstad, Värmland, area around 1900.

30 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 Genealogical Queries

Genealogical queries from subscribers to Swedish American Genealogist will be listed here free of charge on a “space available” basis. The editor reserves the right to edit these queries to conform to a general format. The inquirer is responsible for the contents of the query. We would like to hear about your success if you receive useful information as a result of placing a query in this publication. Please send us your feedback, and we will endeavor to report your new discoveries in this section of the journal.

Carlsson, Nilsdotter, Persson, Nilsson Nils Carlsson, born 5 Nov. 1838 in Önnestad (Skån.), left in 1880, probably from Malmö, to go to America. In 1881 his wife, Ingar Nilsdotter, born 15 Aug. 1842 in Kiaby (Skån.) left with their three young children, all born in Ignaberga (Skån): Carl Anton, born 5 March 1872; Per, born 12 Aug. 1874; and Sven, born 30 Jan. 1879. According to Emibas they left from Ignaberga on 30 April 1881; according to Emihamn they left from Åsum (Skån.) 5 May 1881 through the port of Malmö with tickets to New York. They travelled with Ola Persson, born ca 1857, who also left from Åsum on 5 May 1881 on the same ticket number as Ingar and her children. The following year the oldest son, Nils Nilsson, born 29 Dec. 1866 in Ignaberga, left from Ignaberga 4 on 29 May 1882 to also go to America. All of them had tickets for New York, but what happened next to them? Any information at all is most welcome!

Rune Kronkvist, Hagvägen 23, S-370 10 Bräkne-Hoby, Sweden. E-mail: 1286

Tufvesson, Colver/Kolver/Tolver I am looking for descendants of my grandfather’s sister. Her name was Maria Tufvesdotter, born 4 Jan. 1872 in Källs Nöbbelöv (Skån.), and she left 14 March 1889 från Trä 3, in Norrvidinge (Skån.) for America. She left from the port of Malmö 28 March 1889 with a ticket for Winnipeg, Canada. In her mother’s estate inventory from 1913 it is stated that daughter Mary (Americanization of Maria) was married to the farmer Wilhelm Kolver in North America. In the 1910 Federal census a Mary Colver, age 39, widow, of Swedish origins, lived with her son Walter, 3 years old, born in Colorado, in Denver Ward 7, Denver County, Colorado. In 1920 Mary had remarried; to Frank Peterson, age 52, immigrant from Sweden. Walter is listed as being a stepson. Walter’s last name is from now on indexed as Tolver. The family lives at St. Paul Street in Denver. In 1930 Mary was again widowed. She and Walter still lived at the same address, and Walter is a baker at age 23. I hope someone can help me to find the descendants of Mary!

Elvy Fristedt (maiden name: Tufvesson), Säbygatan 7, S-261 33 Landskrona, Sweden E-mail: 1287

Anderson, Carls(s)on I am looking for descendants of my grandfather Täpp Carl Andersson, born 25 April 1845 in Norr Romme, Stora Tuna (Dala.). Two of his sons immigrated to the U.S. and I wish to know more about them and their families. The older was Carl August Anderson, born 20 Nov. 1868 in Stora Tuna. He left in 1887 for Chicago and probably stayed there until he died. He was married to Anna S., born 1870 in Sweden, and they had one son, Stanley William Anderson, born 8 Aug.1894 in Chicago, died Aug. 1976 in La Grange, Cook Co, IL. Did he have any children? The other son was Carl Bernhard Carlson/Anderson, born 14 Sep. 1883 in Stora Tuna. He immigrated in 1903 to South Chicago, where he worked as a stonemason. Before 1912 he and his family had moved to Indiana. He was married to Helen S., and they had three children, all born in Indiana: Harvey Carl, born 8 Jul. 1912; Werner B., born ca 1914; and Helen M., born ca 1916. What happened to them? I am very curious about what happened to my cousins in America!

Karl Åke Karlsson, Förrådsvägen 17, S-841 93 Östavall, Sweden. 1288

Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 31 The Last Page Dear friends,

The SAG Workshop was successful as dence, the county government of Kro- are both partners in the new web site usual, several of the participants noberg and the city council of Växjö Emiweb, which was released in late advanced backwards and found new withdrew their annual grants, which August of 2008. The listings of ancestors. Some moved forward and made the economy of the SEI very emigrants has just been upgraded found leads to living cousins in Swe- doubtful. Luckily two huge grants with some 11,000 people leaving from den. It is not too early to sign up for from the Swedish Riksbank (Natio- Västernorrland län (Medelpad and the next one. nal Bank) and the Pro Suecia Foun- Ångermanland), and in the not too In Sweden the best thing that dation, headed by Barbro Osher, distant future they will add a nice happened during the last part of 2008 Swedish American of the Year 2008, collection of pictures, and other was the release of the new CD data- made the situation more hopeful. tempting items. base Begravda i Sverige (Burials in The Kinship Center in Karlstad The winter here in Sweden has Sweden), which has information has thoughts of expanding their mostly been wet and dark, right now about millons of dead Swedes. It will activities and is now moving to new it is just cold and dark, but every day be presented in the next issue. quarters in the middle of Karlstad. there is more daylight, and spring is The situation for the House of The new location will make it pos- on its way. But genealogy is the Emigrants in Växjö (Svenska Emi- sible to show exhibitions about the perfect thing to do at this time of the grantinstitutet [SEI] is still not very immigrant experience and many year, don’t you agree? clear. When the board of the SEI other related things. Till next time! declined to give up their indepen- The Kinship Center and the SEI Elisabeth Thorsell

SAG Workshop in Salt Lake City 25 Oct. – 1 Nov. 2009

Welcome to join our happy group of researchers at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City!

The SAG Workshop is the highlight of the year – a fun learning experience and a chance to do your Swedish genealogy with hands-on help from experienced Swedish and American genealogists. The social side includes both welcome and farewell receptions, a buffet dinner & entertainment. Contact Jill Seaholm at 309-794-7204 or e-mail: Limited number of spaces!

32 Swedish American Genealogist 2008:3 Abbreviations

Table 1. Abbreviations for Swedish provinces (landskap) used by Swedish American Genealogist (as of March 2000) and Sveriges Sl‰ktforskarfˆrbund (the Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies, Stockholm [SSF]).

Landskap SAG & SSF Landskap SAG & SSF (Province) Abbr. (Province) Abbr.

Blekinge Blek. N‰rke N‰rk. Bohusl‰n Bohu. SkÂne SkÂn. Dalarna Dala. SmÂland SmÂl. Dalsland Dals. Sˆdermanland Sˆdm. Gotland Gotl. Uppland Uppl. G‰strikland G‰st. V‰rmland V‰rm. Halland Hall. V‰sterbotten V‰bo. H‰lsingland H‰ls. V‰stergˆtland V‰gˆ. H‰rjedalen H‰rj. V‰stmanland V‰sm. J‰mtland J‰mt. ≈ngermanland ≈nge. Lappland Lapp. ÷land ÷land Medelpad Mede. ÷stergˆtland ÷stg. Norrbotten Nobo.

Table 2. Abbreviations and codes for Swedish counties (l‰n) formerly used by Swedish American Genealogist (1981-1999) and currently used by Statistiska centralbyrÂn (SCB) (the Central Bureau of Statistics, Stock- holm).

L‰n SAG SCB SCB L‰n SAG SCB SCB (County) Abbr. Abbr. Code (County) Abbr. Abbr. Code

Blekinge Blek. Blek. K Stockholm Stock. Sthm. AB Dalarnaa Dlrn. W Sˆdermanland Sˆd. Sˆdm. D Gotland Gotl. Gotl. I Uppsala Upps. Upps. C G‰vleborg G‰vl. G‰vl. X V‰rmland V‰rm. Vrml. S Halland Hall. Hall. N V‰sterbotten Vbn. Vbtn. AC J‰mtland J‰mt. Jmtl. Z V‰sternorrland Vn. Vnrl. Y Jˆnkˆping Jˆn. Jkpg. F V‰stmanland V‰st. V s t m . U Kalmar Kalm. Kalm. H V‰stra Gˆtalandc Vgˆt. O Kronoberg Kron. Kron. G ÷rebro ÷re. ÷reb. T Norrbotten Norr. Nbtn. BD ÷stergˆtland ÷g. ÷stg. E SkÂneb SkÂn. M a formerly Kopparberg (Kopp.; W) l‰n. b includes the former counties (l‰n) of Malmˆhus (Malm.; M) and Kristianstad (Krist.; L). c includes the former counties (l‰n) of Gˆteborg and Bohus (Gˆt.; O), Skaraborg (Skar.; R), and ƒlvsborg (ƒlvs.; P). BD

Lappland Norrbotten

AC

Västerbotten

Ångermanland Z Jämtland Y

Härjedalen Medelpad

Hälsingland X Dalarna Gästrikland w Uppland C Värmland Västman- S U land T AB Närke Södermanland Bohuslän Dals- D land Östergötland E O R Västergötland P Gotland F Halland Småland H I N G Öland Blekinge Skåne L K M

The counties (län) as they were before 1991. The provinces (landskap).