(ISSN 0275-9314)
Volume XXIV June 2004 No. 2 CONTENTS
A Visit with the Children in The Woods 1 by Elisabeth Thorsell
Copyright ©2004 (ISSN 0275-9314) The Start of New Sweden 4 by Elisabeth Thorsell Swedish American Genealogist Listening to the Prairie II 7 Publisher: by Dennis L. Johnson Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center Augustana College, Rock Island, IL 61201-2296 News from the Swenson Center 11 Telephone: 309-794-7204. Fax: 309-794-7443 E-mail: [email protected] In Memoriam: Phyllis J. Pladsen 12 Web address: http://www.augustana.edu/ administration/swenson/ by Elisabeth Thorsell
Editor: Elisabeth Thorsell The Swedes in Canada 12 Hästskovägen 45, 177 39 Järfälla, Sweden E-mail: [email protected] The Swedish Archives: Arninge 13
Editor Emeritus: Nils William Olsson, Ph.D., by Elisabeth Thorsell F.A.S.G., Winter Park, FL Contributing Editor: Bits & Pieces 14 Peter Stebbins Craig. J.D., F.A.S.G., Washington, D.C. A Hand-writing example 15 Editorial Committee: H. Arnold Barton, Carbondale, IL The Swedish Bishop Hill-Society 16 Dag Blanck, Uppsala, Sweden Dennis L.Johnson, Limerick, PA by Lars-Ove Johansson Ronald J. Johnson, Madison, WI Christopher Olsson, Stockton Springs, ME Nils William Olsson is 95! 17 Priscilla Jönsson Sorknes, Minneapolis, MN The Philadelphia Viking Symposium 18 Swedish American Genealogist, its publisher, editors, By Dennis L. Johnson and editorial committee assume neither responsibility nor liability for statements of opinion or fact made by Great-grandmother's Strange Name Change .. 20 contributors. Correspondence. Please direct editorial correspon• by Edith E. Anderson dence such as manuscripts, queries, book reviews, announcements, and ahnentafeln to the editor in Solution to the Hand-writing Example 23 Sweden. Correspondence regarding change of address, back The Örberga Poorhouse 24 issues (price and availability), and advertising should be directed to the publisher in Rock Island. By Gerda Tell and Ann Little Subscriptions. Subscriptions to the journal are $25.00 per annum and run for the calendar year. Single copies Book Reviews 27 are $8.00 each. Swenson Center Associates are entitled to a special discounted subscription price of $15.00. Interesting Web Sites 30 Direct all subscription inquiries to the publisher in Rock Island. Genealogical Queries 31 In Sweden the subscription price is 200.00 Swedish Cover picture: kronor per year for surface delivery and 250.00 kronor This is Dagmar Gavert, age 2, in her home in Sioux per year for air mail. This subscription fee may be City, IA. Dagmar later married Nils William Olsson. deposited in a postgiro account: 260 10-9, Swedish {Karna Olsson picture collection). American Genealogist, c/o Thorsell, Hästskovägen 45, S-177 39 Järfälla, Sweden. A Visit with the Children in the Woods
A short stay among the Swedes in Northern Maine
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
In late April of this year my husband, By then we had said good-bye to rural and very quiet area, but the Bengt, and I had the opportunity to the highway and were now driving facts tells otherwise. One man died visit with Karna Olsson (daughter of on country roads through fairly open, of poisoning and others are still feel• Nils William Olsson, SAG Editor but hilly, landscape towards a more ing the effects of the deed. Why this Emeritus) and her husband Phil forested area. happened is the big question. One Brown in their home in Belfast, man committed suicide the week Maine. Gustavus Adolphus after, which some take as a token of We were attracted not only by their guilt, but other explanations are also company, but also by the possibility Church possible. The police are still working of a visit to the Swedish colony of Suddenly coming up a little hill, on the case. Two books are in the New Sweden in northernmost Maine. there was a church on the right side making about this drama, one by Both Karna and her brother Chris, of the road, which turned out to be outsider Christine Young, whose also living near Belfast, had lived for the now infamous church of the book is named A Bitter Brew - Faith, years in New Sweden, and Phil is arsenic poisoning in the spring of Poison and Power in a small New also familiar with the area, as he had 2003. It is hard to believe that such England Town. The other book is lived in Presque Isle and Caribou, an event has happened here in this the two bigger towns of the area. So early one morning we all board• ed Phil's huge van and headed north. After picking up Chris in Stockton Springs, we drove north for another hour and landed in Bangor. There was now time for breakfast at the famous truckstop Dysarts, where one can have breakfast 24 hours a day. It was interesting to see the different choices: bacon and eggs, fruit salad and omelet, hamburgers, blueberry pancakes, and huge cinnamon buns. On the road again we continued north for another couple of hours and finally reached Presque Isle, the capital of Aroostook County. On our way north we had seen many of the peculiar potato barns, where the roof seems to meet with the ground, a method of keeping the right tempera• ture for the potatoes. Gustavus Adolphus Church, New Sweden.
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 1 written by the local journalist Bren- During our visit to the cemetery da Jepson and the title will be Mur• an older man appeared and spoke to der in Maine's Swedish Colony: A Bengt, and was much surprised when Memoir (info from the Bangor Daily he heard that Bengt was a genuine News Apr. 15, 2004). In a closed Swede. At once this man changed to community like New Sweden it almost perfect Swedish, and pre• might be easier for a local resident sented himself as Alwyn Espling, of to get a more accurate sense of the Swedish heritage. Alwyn mentioned feelings of the people in the area. The that he had the keys to the local whole story might never be dis• museum and offered to open it for us covered, and New Sweden may have in the afternoon. to learn to live with an eternal By noon we visited the friendly mystery, like who killed John F. Ken• home of Dan and Megan Olson, who nedy, or who killed Olof Palme, for live in an older house that they are us Swedes. renovating. The talk became lively as the "genealogy" of the house was The cemetery discussed. "Isn't this the house that so-and-so built in 1906, but has it The next stop was the cemetery, and been moved since?" was one of the some of us walked and read the questions. And all of them were inscription on the stones. At other The location of Aroostook County. quickly answered by Megan's mother cemeteries we have visited, where feeling to visit a cemetery with those Helen Espling, a long-time teacher/ old Swedish immigrants are buried, familiar names, knowing that they principal in New Sweden, who knows in Chisago and Center City, Minne• made their last home so far from all family relationships like her own sota, for instance, it seems to have their roots. One is inclined to guess backyard. Unfortunately she has no been the custom to mention the home if they were happy in their new land, intention of entering them into a parish in Sweden. Here we found pleased with what they had achieved computer program, and seemed very few stones with that info, but here, which would not have been satisfied with just knowing them. from reading the dates, it was easy possible in the Old Country? Or if Maybe the younger generation can to guess where the early immigrants they ached for the old home, for get started on that, when the house were buried. parents and brothers and sisters that is done? For a Swede it is always a special stayed?
New Sweden Cemetery April 2004.
2 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 Christina Sunnergren much more than a crossroads. We passed the cemetery in Jemtland, Helen told a fascinating story about and went through Westmanland. her great-grandmother Christina Those names are reminders that the Sunnergren from Kållandsö in Väs• New Sweden inhabitants came from tergötland. She was married to a many places in the Old Country. much older man, and they emi• Karna and Chris did a running grated. He died and Christina remar• commentary on all the changes in the ried to a man named Carl Johan Bör• landscape since the early 1970s, jesson, and lived in Woodland, south mostly commenting on how over- of New Sweden. The marriage was a grown many fields had become and mistake and Christina returned to how sad and lonely many abandoned Sweden, where she lived with a son and forgotten farms looked. The from her first marriage. That turned closure of an Airforce base in the area out to be another mistake and Chris• has not helped the job situation tina wanted to return to the U.S. and either. It is a familiar tune for us, as wrote her daughter Maja Lisa in The Museum in New Sweden. we spend time in the summer in the Woodland, who sent her mother now waited for us and was eager to Bergslagen area in Sweden, where travel money, without telling her own show all the treasures that tell about the mine jobs are no more, nor are husband. Christina lived with the many hands needed in the forests younger family until she died, but people long gone but once important anymore after the big machines have supported herself by spinning and in the history of the town. come. weaving for people. On the main floor were many huge photos of important men, furniture, Despite problems with jobs and This was just one of the stories and books, many in Swedish, and depopulation, one could see that New about the pioneers that are very much more. Upstairs one could ad• Sweden is still a living community. much in danger of being lost, if no mire the long skis, used by the It needs more new people with new one takes care that they are saved Swedes, to the amazement of their ideas on how to make the assets of in some way, on paper, on tape, on American neighbors. Here we also the area useful for new jobs. video, or on the computer. saw some big chests, used for trans• For the people of the big cities it is Dan, who works full-time in Cari• atlantic travel. One had the sim• within commuting distance, and they bou, seems to be one of the few plistic inscription "Signe Granlund, would enjoy the forests, rivers, and younger ones in the area to take an Kvebäck", her very own spelling of lakes, and learn to appreciate the old interest in the history of New Swe• Quebec. Here one could also find Swedes that broke the land 135 years den, but cannot cope by himself to numbers of old tools, including many ago. rescue all traditions and stories. well-worn axes and saws, from a time We hope that maybe more Swedes Other discussions during lunch well before the advent of power tools. would come and find their emigrants showed many similarities between After the tour of the museum we in New Sweden's records, and we New Sweden and many areas in drove on and covered most of the hope to be back ourselves one day. Sweden, where people have been New Sweden area, including Stock• dependant on farming and forestry holm, which did not now amount to to make a living. When easier and better jobs are found in the cities the young people leave, and the original area has an aging population with very few young ones to care for them. Many houses looked empty, but at least some of them get a new lease on life during the summer when descendants come back to enjoy life closer to nature than in the cities.
To the Capitol After lunch we went back to the Museum, which we now understood was the old Capitol, one of the first buildings in the town, which had been used as a meeting place for the inhabitants for many years. Alwyn Alwyn Espling and Chris Olsson in the New Sweden Museum April 2004.
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 3 The Start of New Sweden
New Sweden, Maine, is mostly the result of the efforts of one man
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
During the 1860s the governing men being experienced farmers. of Maine discovered that their state Soon people applied from all parts was the only one losing people, except of Sweden and by Midsummer 1870 New Hampshire. All other states the first group of colonists gathered increased their number of inhabi• in Göteborg. The group consisted of tants, either by births or by immi• twenty-two men, eleven women, and grants. Most of the immigrants that eighteen children. To cite Mr. Thomas arrived in the U.S. from Europe "All were tall and stalwart, with blue preferred to settle in the Midwest, eyes, light hair, and cheerful, honest where lands prices were low or even faces; there was not a physical defect free, and the climate temperate. Also or blemish among them, and it was they discovered that many of the new not without some feelings of state settlers of Maine were French Cana• pride that I looked upon them as they dians, and they became worried that were mustered on the deck of the the northern part of Maine would Orlando, and anticipated what great become French-speaking. results might flow from this little The solution to the problem ap• beginning for the good of Maine." peared to be to make sure that pros• William Widgery Thomas, Jr. pective immigrants were told about (1839-1927). Where were the homes the good sides of Maine as a farming country, also to promise them free Mr. Thomas immediately put his of the emigrants? land and a cabin and other benefits, affairs in order and sailed for Sweden The group has been found in the if they decided to go to Maine. on 30 April, and landed in Göteborg Göteborg Police Chamber lists of What kind of immigrants did the on 16 May. emigrants, all with tickets for Hali• government wish for? They wanted Now he was faced with the pro• fax. However, only 45 of them were tall, stout, and hardy men, used to blem of letting the public know listed, the others may have been hardship, frugal, and religious and about the favorable conditions for missed in the keyboarding into the the same qualities in the women. In emigrants to Maine. He hired cap• database which is not unusual. fact, they wanted Scandinavians, as tain G. W. Schroder as his agent in The surprising thing is that they they were regarded as good workers, Göteborg, and he himself travelled came from such different areas of the and also were used to the type of all over the country, giving talks in country. There were 8 from Nord- climate. Swedish. He had special agents hired maling in Västerbotten (the Jonas On March 23, 1870, the Maine for the northern counties. He pro• Bodin family), 1 from Uppland, 1 House of Representatives passed a duced notices, advertisements, bro• from Östergötland, 1 from Småland, law authorizing a Board of Immi• chures, and circulars, and sent them 14 from Skåne, 9 from Halland, 7 gration, consisting of the governor, a all over Sweden. from Västergötland, 2 from Karlstad land agent, and the secretary of state. Prospective emigrants were told and 2 from Mora in Dalarna. It is Within two days they appointed Wil• that they were to pay their own pas• amazing that the info in a few weeks liam Widgery Thomas, Jr. as their sage, and that they must have a had reached so many different areas, commissioner. He had earlier lived testimony of good conduct from their in a time without Internet or TV or for three years in Sweden and felt clergyman, and that they should other fast ways of communications. he knew the country and its people. know a craft, like carpentry, besides
4 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 Over the North Sea and surveyed lots of 100 acres, one for each family, and had workers clear 5 Some Census figures further acres in one corner, adjoining the 1870-1950 According to Mr. Thomas' story the neighbor, so they could build their Swedish born in group had a bad crossing over the cabins within easy walking distance. Aroostook County North Sea, and did not reach Hull The first day in the colony was a until on 27 June, after three days. Sunday and celebrated by a service, 1870 6 Next day they took the railway to sadly enough also by a funeral of 1880 597 Liverpool, where they had to wait for baby Hilma Clase, who had died 1900 889 another three days until boarding along the river. 1910 824 City of Antwerp on 2 July. The ship On Monday work began, after the 1920 684 belonged to the Inman Line. distribution of the farms, and every 1930 465 On the Wednesday 13 July they all family started on their place. But as 1940 298 landed at Halifax, where the inhabi• they arrived in late summer, they 1950 161 tants were shy of the new immi• must be supplied with food until the grants, who had to spend the night first harvest next year. This was paid Source: University of Virginia Geo- in a vacant warehouse. Next day they spatial and Statistical Data Center. for by doing work on roads, building United States Historical Census Data travelled on to the city of St. John, houses and felling trees, and each Browser. ONLINE. 1998. University of where they boarded a steamer on the man got $1 a day, which he could use Virginia. Available: St. John river, bound for Fredericton. in the colony storehouse. http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ May 2004. There the river was too shallow for In late July the first letters from boats, so their baggage had to be put the home land came, and also the on barges and towed along, which first settler, who did not belong to the Further reading: took six days before they got to group, Anders Westergren. In Oc• Centennial History 1870-1970, Tobique Landing, where they all tober the structure of the first com• compiled by Richard Hede. debarked. After resting they left the munal building, the Capitol, was Declarations and Naturalizations next day for the final stage by teams raised, which often was used for in New Sweden, ME, (1873-1900) by of wagons to go to Maine. At ten housing new settlers when they first Nils William Olsson in SAG 1981:3. o'clock they reached the border and arrived. 7b New Sweden on Her Centen• "beneath us lay the broad valley of nial, by Arthur Landfors, in SPHQ Aroostook. The river glistened in the [Swedish Pioneers Historical Quar• sun, and the white houses of Fort Next year and then terly] 1970:4. Fairfield shone bright-ly among the During the winter the settlers had Maine's Swedish Pioneers, author green fields along the river bank." corresponded with family and James S. Leamon, in SPHQ 1975:2. When the party crossed the border friends, and next year several groups Letters from New Sweden, ME, ed. they were greeted by a cannon shot of new settlers came. And the next and transl. by Per-Olof Millgård, from Fort Fairfield, and the land year and the next and the colony SPHQ 1975:2. agent gave a speech. At noon they grew. Some stayed on and still have More Letters from New Sweden, reached Fort Fairfield and were descendants living there, others left ME, ed. and transl. by Per-Olof Mill• greeted by all the inhabitants, and for more southern places, somewhat gård, SPHQ 1979:4. given a big meal. Then they con• disappointed after having found that A Visit to New Sweden, ME. Remi• tinued west and reached the town of the farming soil was very thin and niscences of an Era, by Lilly Setter- Caribou, where they spent the night. the growing season short. dahl, SPHQ 1975:2. Many stayed in Maine, but many A letter of Tribute to Grandfather others heard the lure from the huge (Farfar) Lars Jonsson Stadig, by Clinton C. Stadig and Linnea Stadig Arrival factories in the Worcester, Mass., Staples, SPHQ 1970:4. The next day, 23 July, less than a area and moved there. Swedish Colony in the Maine month after leaving Göteborg, they Mr. William Widgery Thomas Woods, by Evadene Burris Swanson, found themselves at a crossroads in always kept an interest for the well- SPHQ 1966:1. the forest, where they were told that being of the Swedes in Aroostook, the center of New Sweden was going "his Children in the Woods" and Church records to be. The arrival was celebrated by visited them often. For New Sweden there are records speeches of Mr. Thomas and others, from 1st Baptist Church (1871- ), but there was work to be done. Evangelical Covenant Church (1886- The group of emigrants had come and Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran much earlier than the land agent had Church (1871-). For Stockholm there expected, so of the promised cabins, are records from 1st Baptist Church one for each family, only a few had (1904- ) and Oscar Fredrick Lu• yet been built. The land agent had theran Church (1906-).
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 5 Swedish census At www.arkion.se you will find the decennial censuses as searchable databases 1890 is complete and contains 4 800 000 individuals 1900-3 300 000 individuals 1880-281 000 1870- 170 000 1860-12 000 A total of 8 563 000 posts and constantly growing.
You will find information on family status, occupation, place of birth, other members of the household with different names and much more. In the 1900 census most posts are linked to images of the original pages
You may add your own information for other researchers too see, or find information others have added.
Released prisoners
At www.arkion.se there is a database of released prisoners during the period of 1876-1925. The information on each prisoner contains information on his name, place of birth, current sentence and previous convictions, personal description (hair and eye color etc) and a photograph.
www.arkion.se Find your is constantly growing ancestors
Where do you find it ail? www.arkion.se The databases are in English, still need help, look at our translation help, still need help? Contact [email protected] and we will do our best to guide you right. Arkion Storgatan 77 881 31 Sollefteå Sweden +46 620 259 10
6 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 Listening to the Prairie
The old Jansson homestead in Minnesota is visited by a descendant. Part II
BY DENNIS L. JOHNSON
Winter Worn-out clothes and other rags were and wind came, he headed for home. collected and cut into strips, the He had heard about these storms the The first crop of wheat had been strips sewed end to end, then braided Americans called "blizzards." He pretty good. With the help of neigh• to make rugs for the floor of their could hardly see to find the way and bors in exchange for his own, Jonas dugout. Some of the other Swedish by the time he reached his own house had successfully harvested nearly a ladies at church meetings had told the snow was several inches deep. It thousand bushels of wheat, enough her of the American custom of snowed steadily for two days and two for at least ten wagon loads to be Thanksgiving, late in November, nights, and the wind howled and hauled in to St. Peter for sale. Even when the harvest was in. They all shook the door. Snow blew in around after buying a supply of flour, molas• celebrated by roasting one of their the window curtains, and piled up on ses, sugar, salt, and other items, Jo• new hens over an open fire, with the floor. Jonas had to dig his way nas had over fifty dollars left in his biscuits and gravy. out the door to get more firewood for pocket, more money than he had ever the stove, and did not try to go any seen before. Now it was time to further. On the third morning it prepare for the long, cold winter his First Christmas dawned bright and clear, and the neighbors told him about. He, Lars, It was not long after that Stina first wind had died down quite a bit. The and Ephraim worked hard for many felt her baby move. Her thoughts snow lay nearly two feet deep on the days cutting, hauling, and stacking turned to what she would do when ground, with a drift in front of the firewood from a woods by the stream the baby came in March. Babies were house almost as high as the roof. The some distance away, until he felt he still usually born in bed, a doctor was temperature kept falling, colder and must have enough to last the winter. at least four hours away by horse- colder, until it was colder than Jonas They would burn the wood for heat, back. This was to be her seventh had ever experienced in Sweden. The and cook on the cast-iron stove they childbirth, and everything had gone snow would squeak as he walked had bought at the general store in all right before. Now she was 43 down the well-trodden path to the St. Peter. Other chores kept them years old, however, and it had been outhouse, and frost formed on his busy: building a chicken house and three years since poor little Johan• beard. He busied himself carving a a better outhouse, digging a deeper nes was born. Well, she mustn't few new serving bowls from some well, and preparing their house for worry, she had her family with her Basswood he had bought, and won• winter. and several of her new neighbors dered if the firewood would last the were experienced and could be sum• winter. Indoors chores moned when her time came. She had not expected this baby, they had Stina and the girls found time to enough to do with all the farm- and Church and friends prepare also, besides their normal house-work, but she had little choice The next Sunday, it was a struggle housekeeping and cooking. Stina in the matter. She would put her to get to Church. The snow lay deep, taught the girls to knit and sew, and trust in God. and Jonas broke trail for the rest of many pairs of wool socks and several Just before their first Christmas the family until finally they joined sweaters were knitted, clothes were on the farm, a terrible storm came. the path made by others who had repaired, and even the sacks from the Jonas had been to see a neighbor ridden their horses or drawn a sleigh flour they had bought were put to use with a sick calf, and gone to his farm down to the schoolhouse serving as for everyday dresses and shirts. to try to be of help. When the snow a church. It was warm inside as they
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 7 sang their old Lutheran hymns, neat as a pin and the family longed the men working in the summer mostly in Swedish, but they also for a real house with wood floors and heat. Wagon loads of lumber and tried to learn a few new songs in glass windows, a stove, and a chim• supplies had to be brought to the English. John Magnus Peterson led ney. With money from several good farm, most likely from St. Peter, and the worship service, his wife led the harvests in his purse, it was now time a forgotten item was sorely missed. singing. The pastor from Norseland, to think of building a proper house. There was no hardware store or ten miles to the East, did not try to I thought about our recent adven• Home Depot close by. All work was get there through the snow. They tures building our own vacation done with a hammer, saw, and a few prayed for the families on outlying home on a lake in Northern Minne• other hand tools owned by the farms, and for their deliverance from sota. It was to be a family project, carpenter. First the foundation had the storm. After the service, they all built with the aid of two hired car• to be dug and foundation walls built, stood around and talked about the penters guiding the work according then the first floor could be put down storm and shared their experiences. to plans drawn and designed by me. and the framing of the walls could Finally, they said their good-byes and My four sons, now grown, all pitched begin. Little Otto William watched headed back the long walk to their in to help along with some of their it all in wonder as he toddled about, farms, a little easier going through spouses. We had to face many of the his older sister Mathilda probably the now trodden snow. challenges Jonas and Stina did and being assigned to keep him out from know how they must have felt as the underfoot. Long hours of hard work The new baby work progressed. While they had the to take advantage of the warm sum• dugout to live in, we stayed in a mer days interrupted only by a break On March 21, little Otto William was travel trailer borrowed for a few for dinner at noontime and a late born in the middle of the night and weeks, plus our family camp trailer. supper. without any complications. Jonas I had the benefit of electricity, which had made a cradle out of pine boards, I wondered if when the last roof Jonas's farm was not to have for at and the baby spent most of his time rafter was in place did they pause for least 80 years or more. But for both rocking near the stove. He was given the old Scandinavian custom of of us, there was a lot of making do even more attention than usual, putting a small evergreen tree at the and improvisation until the house because two babies had died after top of the house, to bring good luck, was far enough along to move inside. Ephraim was born, and he was con• the taklagsfest? I know we did when Meanwhile, for Jonas, farm work had sidered a special gift. The first natu• we topped out the last beam at to continue. ral born American in the family! A "Myggebacke," our vacation home, in neighbor had brought some milk Jonas no doubt hired a carpenter 1992. We passed cold beers around; when she heard of the new arrival, but also pitched in himself, and sons did the Jansson family celebrate and Stina made Otto a sugar-teat out Lars and Ephraim were now old with a special treat for dinner? of a rag and string to keep him occu• enough to help with the work. Stina Perhaps a chicken from their grow• pied between breast feedings. The and the girls kept everyone fed and ing flock? Work quickly resumed winter had been cold, but the family supplied cold water from the well for with the installation of siding, floor- could begin to think of spring coming. In a few weeks they would begin to see migrating birds heading north with the spring thaw. In two more months it would be time to plant again, and Jonas was already begin• ning to make plans with his neigh• bors to share in the plowing.
The Farmhouse I looked more closely at the old farm• house, now sagging and in disrepair. Typically, it would have been built a few years after the settlers arrived and when money had been earned from the sale of several years' wheat crops. The dugout sod house had certainly served them well, but was damp, crowded, and difficult to keep warm and to keep clean. Their house in Sweden, although small, had been The Jansson Homestead in 1986.
8 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 ing, and a roof to keep the weather pastel ochre, blue, or yellow if the Barely 500 square feet (45 sq. out. A mason had to be brought in to owners were a little more affluent. meters), the house was crowded for lay a brick chimney for the stove, a Typically Swedish casement win• a family of five children, several of cast-iron stove to cook on and to heat dows gave way to double hung whom were grown or nearly so. It is the entire house with warmth from windows in the U.S., already being likely that within a few years the the kitchen. Sawdust was used to fill massproduced in factories in Chicago addition to the house was decided on the spaces in the outside walls and or Minneapolis. to make more room. It was a time hold the heat in the winter. Then The kitchen was where most time when needs were great, but a good plasterers did all the inside walls and was spent, much of it occupied with crop would bring cash. partitions, so that the carpenter food preparation and because it was The yield in wheat was about 20 could install the new windows and warmest around the stove in the bushels per acre in those years, and doors. The windows and doors had winter. The other rooms got what there was a ready market in St. Pe• to have simple wood trim applied, heat they could through the door• ter for barges of wheat to go down then the walls were ready for wall• ways and rising up the stair to the the Minnesota River to Minneapolis//St. Paul. Flour mills there would mill paper, patterns carefully picked out second floor. The other downstairs the wheat into flour to feed a growing in town by Stina. room, two windows facing the front, and hungry nation. But Jonas and was probably Jonas and Stina's bed• Stina also needed their own team of The Design room at first, with the boys sharing horses for farm work, plows, harrows, one upstairs room and the girls and other implements of their own, The design of the first stage of the sharing the other. Small rooms had and a wagon to get to town now and new house was very similar to the attic eaves on either side and a then. Chickens provided eggs and simple Swedish cottages of the pe• window at the end. Little Otto most meat for the table, but a fine cow or riod. There were two rooms down• likely slept in his mother and father's two would add milk, butter, and stairs and two rooms upstairs, with bedroom, in a crib. On cold winter cheese to vary the fare. And they a stair near the center. There was a mornings, everyone came to the needed a barn to keep the horses and porch in the front, possibly open at kitchen to get dressed in the warmth cow in. All required money. first like all Swedish porches, but of the stove fed by kindling and later closed in against the bitter cold corncobs. A cold trip to the outhouse, The addition to the farmhouse was Minnesota winters. But there were also supplied with corncobs, was a to the rear, or west side. They added some differences brought about by morning ritual, followed by a big two new rooms downstairs, and over different customs in America. Nar• breakfast in the kitchen. Bathing these two rooms, another bedroom row ship lap siding painted white was infrequent, water had to be upstairs. They built a new chimney was most common, rather than the heated on the stove and a washtub for another stove in the new parlor, board and batten vertical siding, or on the kitchen floor allowed little facing the road, and a room rarely sometimes painted stucco found in privacy. Stina and the girls had to used except when company came to Sweden. Swedish houses were most wash their hair regularly, however, visit. They also added a separate li• often the dark "Swedish Red," often together with a Saturday night bath ving room downstairs where the used for barns in the U.S. because to look their best at church on Sun• kitchen was, and a better kitchen at this was the cheapest paint. Or day morning. the rear. The house was now up to sometimes stucco was painted in
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 9 nearly a thousand square feet (90 sq. nes (John) Hed, had 2 horses, 7 cows, cing his allegiance to the King of meters), and allowed the family to 4 oxen, 5 head of cattle, and 2 pigs. Norway and Sweden in favor of alle• spread out in more luxury. (Today, That year, with his son's help, John giance to the Constitution of the Uni• new houses average 2,000 to 2,500 had planted 30 acres of spring wheat, ted States of America. In this paper, square feet in typical moderate in• Indian corn, oats, and barley. Ma• he signed "Jonas Jansson," but the come neighborhoods, with "Executive thilda moved into the Hed family clerk of court of Nicollet County Homes" likely to be 3,500 to 5,000 house with Charles after their mar• wrote the name as Jonas Johnson. square feet.) There was still no in• riage, and some years later Charles From that time, the family name was side bathroom or plumbing; that was bought his own land nearby. He la• now Johnson. to be added many years later. The ter became one of the first farmers well was down near the barn, and the in the area to own a newly invented A Growing Community outhouse remained about 30 steps in threshing machine, and hired it out The new Lutheran Church was final• back of the house. to other farmers for miles around at ly fully completed in June, 1873, in• harvest time. cluding all the interior decorative The Wedding My wife tapped the horn in the woodwork and new wooden pews. At motor home to indicate lunch was Later in 1866, the same year that Mathilda's wedding in January, it ready. I snapped the last few photos Jonas and Stina began their farm, a had still been bare and makeshift, on my roll of film, and walked out new neighbor settled across the road. with temporary benches. She had the farm road to join her for a sand• A young man from Sweden, Carl been married by the new pastor, wich and cup of tea. I had to step over (Charles) Hed arrived with his fam• Swedish-born Mr. CM. Ryden, 48 a rusty harrow that the current ily in November of that year, and years old, and called by the church owner had placed in the road to keep soon became acquainted with the in June, 1871, even though he had out the cars of local teenagers, who Jansson family. He was 18 years old, just finished seminary. Assisted by found the old homestead a place to and no doubt caught the eye of his wife, he led services for a time in party and vandalize. How would Wilhelmina, 16, and Mathilda, now the schoolhouse until the church was today's young people have fared in 14. It was not until January 31 of ready. the pioneer life, I wondered, having 1873, only a few months after the new grown up in a different world? A (to be continued) church was completed, that Charles, world of dawn-to-dark constant work now 24, and Mathilda, 20, were from an early age, little chance to married. This was the same January roam, no radio, no TV, no rock music, that had brought one of the worst no ready access to beer and more blizzards ever experienced by the harmful substances, no air condi• new settlers. tioning, never a restaurant meal, and The wedding of Charles Hed and little variety in their food. I sat down Mathilda Jansson was possibly one in the dinette and began to eat my of the first weddings to take place in sandwich with a few potato chips and the brand-new, but still incomplete a cold glass of pop (soda), gazing a- church, and all the neighbors gath• round at the countryside. There was ered on that cold winter day to not a soul in sight; one car passed by celebrate this marriage. The first in the entire time we were there. wedding for the Janssons, Jonas no doubt felt as all fathers do when giving away their daughters in mar• Troubles riage, both proud and a little sad to Despite hard work and slow improve• see their little girl now grown up. She ments at the farm, life was a struggle was to be close by, however, living just for the new settlers. Some no doubt across the road from her family. looked back with longing to their Mathilda and Charles were to farm homes in Sweden, others only re• near both their parents all their lives, membered the poverty, the hunger, The second Swedish American Lutheran raise 11 children, and later would and the hopelessness of a life with Church in Bernadotte, Nicollet County, care for Jonas and Stina when they little opportunity and too many Minnesota. This church was built in 1897. became too old to continue with the people on not enough land. Most had farm work. little desire to return home, their The author is Dennis L. Johnson, The Hed family had lived in a struggle and their opportunity was an architect, but also the SAG here on the Minnesota prairie. dugout house for 3 years until they, Book Review Editor. He lives in too, were able to build a house in Jonas became a naturalized citi• the Philadelphia area and can be 1869. By 1870, Charles' father, Johan• zen on November 21, 1871, renoun• reached at
10 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 News from the Swenson Center
Jag lever och har hälsan: A Conference on Letters and Diaries of Swedish Immigrants in North America
The great majority of the 1.3 million ica. It will also address ways in which Conference Schedule at Swedish immigrants who settled in the immigrants related to events in Augustana College North American between 1840 and both the new and the old countries, 1930 were literate. For this group the as well as ways in which they served Campus act of writing was important, and to maintain contacts with friends over the years hundreds of thou• and family on both sides of the At• Friday, October 15 sands of letters were sent from im• lantic. 7:30 p.m. migrants in America to friends and Persons successful in their new Keynote address and 2004 O. Fritiof family in Sweden. The so-called lives may have been more likely to Ander Lecture, Werner Sollors, "America letter" became a regular write home and share their expe• Harvard University feature of Swedish life in the nine• riences with friends and family than teenth and early twentieth centuries, those who were unsuccessful. We Saturday, October 16 and it played a highly significant role should thus ask ourselves not only 9:00 a.m. in creating an awareness of America what the letters talk about but also Orm Overland, University of Bergen in Sweden and in assisting and what they do not talk about. A 10:00 a.m. promoting Swedish emigration to related question is what the immi• Jennifer Attebery, Idaho State Uni• America. In 1883, the growing trans- grants were most likely — or least versity Atlantic correspondence was noted likely - to write home about. The Ulf Jonas Björk, Indiana University by one Swedish observer, who said peak experience for most emigrants Britt Liljewall, Göteborg University that "Thousands, millions of such was unquestionably the Great Jour• letters fall like flakes from a snow ney to the new land, for which rea• 11:30 a.m. Lunch cloud over the entire land from son we still have any number of Skåne to Lapland." detailed descriptions of the depar• 1:00 p.m. Letters did not only cross the At• ture from home, the Atlantic cros• Solveig Zempel, St. Olaf College lantic in one direction. Significant sing, and the arrival at American Joy Lintelman, Concordia College numbers of letters were sent from destinations. Thereafter, immigrants 2:15 p.m. Sweden to North America as well, normally wrote home most often Eva St. Jean, University of Victoria, and became highly important in the during their earlier years of adjust• Canada process through which Swedish ment to new conditions and during Maria Erling, Lutheran Theological immigrants maintained ties with the period of greatest nostalgia for Seminary at Gettysburg their ancestral country and culture. home. Scholars have long recognized the The thousands of letters have 3:15 p.m. Coffee importance of immigrant letters, and helped us gain a deeper understand• several collections have been already ing of the Swedish immigrant ex• 3:45 p.m. published. In addition, several perience. Through them we can learn Concluding remarks, Byron Nord• archives on both sides of the Atlan• about many aspects of the lives that strom, Gustavus Adolphus College tic have systematically collected im• the immigrants lived, and of their migrant letters. hopes, aspirations, and disappoint• Registration Information This conference, Jag lever och har ments. Please join us for a confer• There is no registration fee to attend hälsan (I am alive and well), will ence which will explore a central and any of the lectures, but pre-regis- examine Swedish immigrant letters exciting dimension of Swedish-Amer• tration is requested. Contact us to from a variety of perspectives, with ican history! receive a brochure with registration some comparisons to Norwegian let• form. The buffet lunch on Saturday Swenson Center, Augustana College, will cost $7.50 per person; reserva• ters. It will discuss what the letters 639 38th St, Rock Island IL 61201- tions are required. If you wish to att• tell us about social, religious, politi• 2296. Phone: (309) 794-7204. Fax: end, we request that you send in your cal and cultural dimensions of Swe• (309) 794-7443. reservation and check to the Swen• dish immigrant life in North Amer•
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 11 In Memoriam - Phyllis J. Pladsen
Phyllis J. Pladsen, 71, of White found in some libraries in Sweden. Bear Lake, Minnesota, passed My own contacts with Phyllis away at her home on April 11, started in 1989, at the NGS Con• 2004, and will be missed by her ference in St. Paul, and then we kept family and many, many friends in contact, lately more often as e-mail both in the U.S. and in Sweden. made life easier. I also remember Phyllis was devoted to search• some good meetings with her and her ing for her Swedish roots, and society members at her home. A few while doing so learnt a lot about years ago she also came to the SAG Swedish genealogy, and how to do Workshop in Salt Lake City, but it. She became known for her health problems kept her from knowledge and helped many fel• coming again. Last spring she invited low Minnesotans to find their me and my husband for an evening roots in Sweden, both by teaching meal during our visit to Minnesota classes at the American Swedish and Wisconsin. It was a good evening Institute in Minneapolis and by and we had many things to discuss. children will continue to sell the freely giving advice. We had hoped to see her and Warren Dictionary, see the SAG Web site Phyllis was cofounder and pre• in our home some day, but that is not page (p.30). sident of the Swedish Genea• to be. Donations in her memory can logical Society of Minnesota, In cooperation with Joseph C. be made to "Friends of ASI Ar• which grew in numbers during Huber, Phyllis compiled the "Swe• chives and Library," 2600 Park her years. She also was associate dish Genealogical Dictionary", now Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407. editor of the society's newsletter in its 4th edition, which has been a Elisabeth Thorsell Tidningen, which is even to be big help to many genealogists. Her The Swedes in Canada - a worthwile project
The Swedes in Canada project, which for a couple of years and much ma• and also mentions some of the finds was first mentioned in SAG 2002:1 terial has been collected, but Elinor during the research. is progressing according to plan. Barr suspects that much more might Elinor Barr regrets that she is The researcher, Elinor Barr, has be hidden in private homes. She is unable to assist people looking for recently spent time at the Swenson interested in letters, diaries, obitu• lost relatives in Canada. Center in Rock Island to find data in aries, etc, anything that gives an The project leader can be reached their rich collections about the insight into the lives of the Swedes at elusive Swedes. During the summer and how they experienced life in a Mrs. Elinor B. Barr she is visiting Sweden and doing re• new land. 104 Ray Boulevard search at the National Archives More information can be found on Thunder Bay, Ontario (Riksarkivet), The Swedish Emigrant the web site of the project: P7B 4C4 Institute in Växjö, and the Provincial http://www.swedesincanada.ca/ Canada archives at Lund and Göteborg. There is also a newsletter that The project has now been going on informs on the progress of research E-mail:[email protected]
12 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 The Swedish Archives
2. Arninge Microfiche Center
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
The Arninge Microfiche Research Center is a branch of the Swedish National Archives, and is situated in Täby, just north of Stockholm. The huge building is also a repos• itory for several paper archives from defunct governmental agencies, but also the consular archives from the Foreign Office (Utrikesdepartemen• tet), and many other interesting documents. However, for the genealogist it is the microfiche room that is of inter• est. Here there are copies of all church records for the whole coun• try available up to ca. 1895. There are also documents relating to emi• gration, like the lists from the Cen• Facts: tral Bureau of Statistics. Also com• Mailing & visiting address: Mätslingan 17, 187 66 Täby, Sweden puters with genealogical CDs are Phone: +46 8-630 15 00 Fax: +46 8-630 92 33 available. E-mail: [email protected] The microfiche reading room has Web site: http://www.ra.se/indexengelska.html 60 machines, and the entrance is Opening hours: Mon 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. free. However, there is a great inter• Saturday 9 p.m.- 1 a.m. In the summer (June 1 - August 31) the rea• est in using this facility, so readers ding rooms close at 4 p.m. Monday - Friday, and remain closed all day may sometimes only have the use of Saturdays. a machine for 31/2 hours, if others are Means of transportation: Bus 629 from underground station Danderyds sjukhus or Mörby waiting. Centrum to bus stop Måttbandsvägen in Arninge. Time tables and maps are available through the local public transport company, http://www.sl.se/english/ The microfiche are placed in en• velopes in huge cabinets, and you are only allowed to look at one envelope at a time. When the staff directs you to a free reader, you will also get a disc with the machine's number. When you take out an en• velope, you put your numbered disc in the place of the envelope, which makes it easier to put it back cor• rectly. There are good catalogs to help you find the right fiche. The LDS film numbers are not used in Sweden, so you need to know the time periods you are looking for. There are outlets so you can use your laptop. There are vending machines for coffee and snacks in the building, and restaurants within walking distance. The staff is friendly and helpful, and understands English.
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 13 Bits & Pieces
Swedish American of Swede Finn researcher New Emigrant CD may the Year: Lars Lerup on the Pacific be out by New Year
Every year the two District Lodges Swede Finn researcher KG Olin of The Sveriges Släktforskarförbund in Sweden of the Vasa Order of Amer• Jakobstad, Finland, is a prolific (Federation of Swedish Genealogical ica, after consultation with the Swed• writer on the old Swedish-speaking Societies) and the Swedish Emigrant ish Foreign Office, elects the Swedish Finlanders and their emigrations. He Institute, Växjö, have recently signed American of the Year. This year Pro• has so far written 11 books about an agreement on working together fessor Lars Lerup of Houston, Texas, them, starting with their contri• to make the database Emibas avail• has been elected. Dr. Lerup was born butions at New Sweden in Delaware able to the public. 1940 in Växjö, Sweden, and is an in 1630s onwards. He has written Emibas is a long-time project architect and since 1993 Dean of Rice about the period when Alaska be• where volunteers all over Sweden School of Architecture at Rice Uni• longed to Russia, but was ruled by have combined efforts and excerpted versity in Houston. In 2002 he re• Finlanders, and much more. emigrants from the clerical surveys ceived an Honorary Doctorship from Recently he has started to research and removal records of many parish• Lund University in Sweden and has the Swede Finns and Finns that es. Then they have computerized the been working on improving the con• ended up in the Coos Bay area of data and sent them to Växjö, where tacts between the Lund Technical Oregon, starting with a shipwrecked they have been added to the main College and NASA in Houston, as crew in the 1840s. (GenealogyBlog database. This one covers about 1.3 regards industrial design. Dr. Lerup May 20, 2004). million individuals. will probably take part in some of the The best thing about Emibas is Swedish American festivities in Swe• Stockholm City Archives that it is usually possible to search den during the summer. (The Bridge for a person by parish of birth or date 2004:1) to open again of birth, something that is impossible with the Passenger lists database Summer Events in The Stockholms Stadsarkiv (City Emihamn, on the CD Emigranten. Archives) has been closed for Sweden The partners in the project hope rebuilding for about two years. The that the first version will be ready new facilities were to open again last by 1 January 2005. June 24 Bishop Hill Day, Biskops• November, but just a week before kulla they found mold in the offices. So they have spent all winter and A New Index to Some July 18 Öland-Amerika Day, Run• spring getting rid of that, and will sten now open again on 28 June, if Old Books everything goes as planned. July 24, John Ericsson Day, Filipstad A student at Augustana College, but also working for the Swenson Cen• Aug.l Sweden-America Day, Kal• ter, Kate Saul, has been doing an In• mar dex to the following four books: Svenskarne i Illinois by Eric Peter• Aug. 8 The Minnesota Day, Växjö son and C.F Peterson (1880) The Swedish Element in Rockford, by O.M. Nelson (1940) The Göteborg Emigrant Swedish Settlements in Iowa and Museum SAG wishes the Western Illinois, by O.M. Nelson Readers (1938) Plans were made to open an Emi• The Swedish Blue Book of Chicago a Happy grant Museum in Göteborg this sum• 1927, by the Swedish-American mer, but so far it has not material• Summer! Publishing Company (1927). ized. The link is on the Web site page, p.30.
14 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 A Handwriting Example
This half page is from the Death cal knowledge was very limited in on other farms, marriage and num• records of Skärstad parish in Små• the old days, the causes of death are ber of children, and finally what land, north of the city of Jönköping. mostly guesses, unless there was an hymns the deceased preferred and It shows how lucky you can be and accident, or something very obvious, the last words. Often this text can find records that tells a little more like a death in childbirth. be very stereotypic, and very seldom than just that somebody died. This page has been cropped in the mentions any bad things about the Now get an ordinary big notebook left-hand margin, so the date you see deceased, like having been a drunk• and start reading and writing as well is the burial date. The actual date of ard or a scolding woman. as you go. If a letter looks like death should be further left. nothing, just leave it, but also leave In the death records for Västerås an open space so you can add it when stift (diocese), which covers the You can find a transcription and you have figured out the whole word. provinces of Dalarna and Västman• translation of this text on page 23. In a Death record you can expect land, it often happens that the death to find the name of the person who records can be very long and tell died, his or her marital status, the several details about a person's life. place where he or she lived and how In those texts, called Personalier old he or she was. You may also find (sometimes kept in separate books) the cause of death and how long the you may find names of parents, deceased had been ill. As the medi• details about education and service
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 15 Swedish-American Organizations
The Swedish Bishop Hill-Society
The Swedish Bishop Hill-Society was Hill-Society visited Bishop Hill in founded in Biskopskulla, Sweden, 1996 to celebrate the 150th anni• This year (2004) we celebrate the 20th Bishop Hill-Day. A special program May 27th 1989. The society is a versary with the people of Bishop friendship organization working to Hill. In connection with this event, with music will be held in the Bis• promote interest in Bishop Hill and the Bishop Hill-Society presented a kopskulla Church. the history of the Bishop Hill colo• gift of two "liars-benches" {Ijugar- The Bishop Hill-Society publishes ny. The organization has contacts bänkar) to the city of Bishop Hill as a newsletter Bulletinen (The Bulle• with the Bishop Hill Heritage Asso• a symbol of the friendship between tin) twice annually. It contains ar• ciation and the Bishop Hill Old Bishop Hill and Biskopskulla, Swe• ticles about the history of the Swed• Settlers Society and promotes con• den. ish emigration, news from Bishop Hill, etc. In 1996 the Bishop Hill-So• tacts with Bishop Hill and stimu• Over the years the Bishop Hill- ciety issued a book called Det blåser lates interest in this aspect of Swe• Society has hosted several groups en vind which contains many inter• dish emigration history. Today the from Bishop Hill and other places in esting articles about Erikjansisterna organization has 388 members. Each the U.S. At some occasions groups and Bishop Hill as well as the emi• year the Swedish Bishop Hill-Society have been visiting during the Bishop gration in general. The articles are presents "The Olov Isaksson-prize" Hill-Day, an event held each year the all in Swedish. in remembrance of Prof. Olov Isaks• day before Midsummer Eve. son, an expert and friend of Bishop The Bishop Hill-Society is in• Address to The Swedish Bishop Hill. volved in various activities during Hill-Society on the internet: The Bishop Hill-Society also the year including Bishop Hill Day http://home.swipnet.se/bishophill/ operates the Bishop Hill Museum in and Seminars. The Bishop Hill-Day Lars-Ove Johansson Biskopskulla, Sweden (near Enköp• event usually draws a large public. ing, northwest of Stockholm). The museum is open daily during the summer. The rest of the year it's only opened on request. The holdings of the museum include books about the emigration, photographs, and other historical materials concerning the Bishop Hill Colony. During the year 2003, the museum had about 2,000 visitors. Among the holdings are Erik Janson's Cateches from 1846, Erik Janson's Songbook, and we have all issues of George Swank's Galva News, copies of Anna Lindwall's let• ter collection from the early emi• grants, and a database of "Old set• tlers" in Bishop Hill. The museum also includes an exhibition of large photocopies of Olof Krans paintings. Over the course of years, the Bishop Hill-Society has arranged various chartered tours both within Sweden and over to Bishop Hill, Illi• nois, in the U.S. The Swedish Bishop The Bishop Hill Day Parade.
16 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 9^ils 'William Olsson is 95!
!My very dear 9{iCs William, Time goes very quickly these days, We have met in Sweden and in many was playing her music. I remember and looking for photos of you, I places in the U.S. Our favorite place visiting the church in Upper Merion suddenly realized that 15 years have was Salt Lake City and the library, and the Lower Swedish Cabin with passed since your 80th Birthday re• and I still expect to see you there, you. ception in Minneapolis. Most of those with your head well into the reading I and all of your friends, both in years have been good, some rather machine, even though I know it is no Sweden and America, have many bad for you due to an insubordinate longer possible. I remember happy fond memories of you, and all of us body, but during these years we have evenings at Mulboons, while the fa• wish you all the best for the future! had fun. ding evening light slowly wiped out Your friend the city below. I remember simple Elisabeth meals of salt herrings in our kitchen. I remember the fantastic pancakes you served me, Bengt, and son Hå• kan in your home in Florida. I re• member many discussions on Swed• ish customs and how this or that per• son emigrated. I remember a quiet evening in your home, while Dagmar
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 17 The Philadelphia Viking Symposium 2004
In SAG 2004:1 there was a little note possible with the advanced tech• sense of evening accounts and bal• on p. 22 about the upcoming Viking nology of these remarkable sailing ancing hurts in a wise, practical way. Symposium, which was arranged by ships. The afternoon session began with The American Swedish Historical Without the strong, able, and in• a presentation on The Rus, Russia, Museum and the Leif Ericson Viking dependent women of the Viking age and the Black Sea by Dan Carlsson, Ship Inc. to manage their farms, produce the of Gotland University, Visby, Sweden. The Symposium took place in late wool textiles for their sails and their Dr. Carlson, publisher of Viking Heri• April and was a huge success. seagoing garments, bear and raise tage magazine, illustrated the travels their children, and transmit their of the Vikings, mainly from Sweden, The truth about Vikings! culture, the achievements of the to the rivers of Russia and beyond. Vikings would have not been pos• Viking chiefs founded the beginnings This was what over 160 people came sible. Professor Jenny Jochens of of the Russian state, settled and to hear at the April 24 Viking Sym• Towson University explored their developed several major cities, and posium held in Philadelphia, spon• role in Viking society through exa• ruled these eastern lands while their sored by the American Swedish His• mination of their property rights, fellow Vikings traveled to the Black torical Museum and the Leif Ericson their economic contributions, and Sea, Constantinople, the Mediter• Viking ship Norseman. Seeking to their essential role in maintaining ranean, and lands in the Middle dispel the widely held but faulty and advancing the knowledge and East. They engaged in trade, served image of Vikings in the minds of culture of the Vikings. Her research as mercenary soldiers to eastern many people, this event brought has been based heavily on runic emperors, and even linked up with together some of the world's leading inscriptions and on the Viking sagas. trade routes to the Far East. experts on Vikings to talk about this unique culture of over a thousand years ago. Did Leif really come? From the rivers and trade routes Vikings in North America was the of the Middle East to the northern subject of an illustrated talk by Bir• coast of the New World, Vikings from gitta Linderoth Wallace, archae• Scandinavia extended their reach ologist with Parks Canada and lead• and left their influence on modern ing investigator of the World Historic civilization. The Viking Legacy Sym• Site discovered in Newfoundland posium at the Independence Seaport over thirty years ago. Through her Museum on Penn's Landing broad• research and analysis of the Viking ened knowledge about various as• settlement at L'Anse Aux Meadows pects of the age of Vikings. New and around the year 1000, Dr. Wallace recent discoveries in Viking sea• has concluded that this site was the manship, exploration, trade, story chief base of operations in North telling, systems of justice, and the America for Leif Ericsson. She After a hearty Viking box lunch place of women in Viking society, presented her theory that "Vinland" enjoyed on the deck of the Seaport captured the attention of a diverse was the name for the coastal areas Museum overlooking the Delaware audience. surrounding the Gulf of St. Law• River, Professor William Ian Miller, In the morning session, Dr. John rence, presently parts of Ontario and University of Michigan Law School, Hale of the University of Louisville New Brunswick. These areas fit the gave the symposium's keynote ad• talked about new research in the descriptions in the two sagas describ• dress. Dr. Miller spoke animatedly of evolution and construction of the ing the several voyages led by Leif the means of obtaining justice in a famous Viking ships, which allowed Ericsson and others of his family, society without written civil or crim• the Vikings to travel to distant lands, with their Greenland and Icelandic inal laws, jails, or law enforcement spread their culture, and establish crews, to Vinland. The settlement did systems. Using mainly an analysis new colonies across Europe and the of events as recorded in the Viking not become permanent due to the Atlantic. Navigation far from land, sailing distances involved, the pres• sagas dating to the 12th century, he dealing with harsh weather con• illustrated how getting justice often ence of hostile natives, and the lack ditions, warfare, and colonization, meant getting even, through a keen of an adequate number of people to and engaging in trade all became be spared from the Greenland sett-
18 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 lement to sustain the of the American Swedish Historical best in the world for news about colony, according to Museum. Vikings, latest archeology and re• Dr. Wallace. One of the organizers, Dennis L. search, etc. He was going on to give After these presen• Johnson writes "we just finished a talks in Jamestown, NY, and in Ohio tations, Dr. Ruth very busy week and weekend with before returning home to Gotland. Mazo Karras, histori• the Viking Symposium, and are now Sunday we took Dan Carlsson an and advisor to the unwinding and catching up on other with us to the annual Forefathers' Symposium Commit• work. The Symposium was a great luncheon of the Swedish Colonial tee, provided a sum• success, with about 160 people in Society at the historic Old City mary and conclusion attendance. We received nothing but Tavern in downtown Philadelphia. of the Symposium for praise for the speakers we had, and Many members are descendants of the audience. Led by everything worked out very well. the original colonial Swedes who Dr. Karras, the panel This was the first time we had tried came in 1638, now about 9th or 10th of speakers answered many ques• such a thing on Vikings here in Phi• generation. Peter Craig was there tions from listeners about the sub• ladelphia and I was uneasy about also. It was a good time with waiters jects of their presentations and their what kind of attendance we would in Colonial costume and a more or work. be able to attract. There really aren't less Colonial menu. I also had a This Symposium was made pos• that many Scandinavian Americans chance to sit next to Birgitta Wallace, sible through the generosity of the in this city, we don't even outnumber chief Archeologist with Parks Ca• Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foun• the Quakers. nada for the L'Anse Aux Meadows dation, The Elis Olsson Memorial "We hope to publish the proceed• site. She is Swedish born and now Foundation, Volvo Group of North ings if we can, and/or make a DVD lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She America, Inc., and other corporate of the presentations. We have it all has retired but does many speaking sponsors. The planning committee on video and audio tape. engagements, a very knowledgeable for the Symposium included Mr. Len "I spent quite a bit of time with and interesting person to talk to. She Gustafsson, chair, Mr. Dennis L. Dan Carlsson, from Visby, Gotland, also spoke at our Viking Symposium, Johnson, Mr. Gene Mårtenson, Mr. who gave a wonderful presentation as did Jenny Jochens on the subject David Segermark, Mr. Richard on the Vikings in the East and their of the role of women in Viking Cul• Thornton, and Dr. Ruth Mazo Kär• travels. Dan is also the publisher of ture." ras of the University of Minnesota, Viking Heritage Magazine, an eight and Mr. Richard Waldron, Director year old periodical on Vikings, the A Cup of Coffee in Chisago
A couple of months ago I recieved an subjects can be anything and eve• Women are also allowed to come, e-mail from SAG reader Paul A. rything. Many of the members in the but their number has never been Johnson. It was an answer to my plea group still have contacts with their great. The article still gives a feeling in the December SAG that the SAG relatives in Sweden and need their that it would be worthwile to come readers should report news from Swedish to maintain the con-tacts. to Chisago on the second and fourth their areas that would be of interest Others have been to Sweden or are Tuesday of the month, just to listen to everyone. planning to go in the future. One to all the stories from childhoods in So what did Paul send me? He sent member has been there 11 times. a world long gone. a link to an article in the Chisago The number of people that meet There are probably many little County Press, a newspaper right in varies, but usually around 12 or so. groups like this one, that does a Vilhelm Moberg land in Chisago Not everyone lives in Chisago, but grassroot type of work to preserve County, Minnesota. some drives there from the Twin the Swedish heritage. I have had the The article told about a group of Cities for these friendly meetings. privilege of visiting with the Swedish men that have met at the Wagon The emigrant ancestors of the Class at the Ishpeming Evangelical Wheel Cafe in Chisago City for more group came along at different times Covenant Church in the Michigan than twenty years, for just one pur• from the 1860s to 1913 and from dif• Upper Peninsula, and they did a su• pose: att tala svenska! ferent areas of the old country, so the per job of keeping the Swedish alive. They meet every other Tuesday Swedish these men speaks is an Do keep me posted on these Swe• morning and have a nice big break• older form, than what is used in dish groups that works to keep the fast, and talk Swedish all the time Sweden these days, which makes the heritage alive. to keep their language living. The meetings interesting. Elisabeth Thorsell
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 19 Great-grandmother's Strange Name Change
Persistence pays off!
BY EDITH E. ANDERSON
From the time I was first aware of her 1978 death. Included was the key the name by which my great-grand• to my own research — a copy of my mother (mormors mor) was called, I mormors baptismal certificate (dop• have been fascinated with her. "Tyre." attest) from Vedby parish (Kristian• The name fell lightly from the tip of stad län). It had been provided by a my mother's tongue. Her full name Pastor CL. Malmberg, pastor of was Tyre Nilsdotter. Vedby's mother church at Klippan in Born in southern Sweden, mor• 1957. My own research was to be gi• mors mor had died in Chicago when ven the same kind and generous help my mother was seven; and my mor• he had provided to my mother by way mor had died before I was born, so I of their correspondence in the Swe• had not known either of them. But dish language. It was from Ulla Lars- Mother's frequent references to as- son, clerk of the Klippan church, that pects of their lives were windows into my help began coming - in English, which I peeked from time to time. thankfully! - in 1995.
Contacts with Sweden What's In a Name? Tyre had had many children, creat• I was to learn that Tyre Nilsdotter's ing a generous assortment of rela• name had undergone many changes tives whose letters and members over the years. Who knows what comfortably entered our home at thinking and social practices effected Tyre Nilsdotter and Per Knutsson. regular intervals. Some of those let• those changes? Her marriage to Per Portrait taken in Helsingborg before 1900, ters came from Sweden, pasted with Knutsson in 1854, in Flenninge reproduced in Chicago. distinctive stamps and bringing parish (Malmöhus län), was not one sweet pressed flowers and intricately of them. The Swedish practice then to know the name used by the crocheted doilies. A portrait of an was one which retained a woman's individual in Sweden. Otherwise it elderly couple connected them all. It maiden name after marriage, hers can become difficult, if not had been made in Helsingborg. It coming from the patronymic of Nils impossible, to locate the individual showed Tyre with her husband, Påhlsson, 1802-1861. From her birth in Swedish records. My problem was whose death in Sweden had preceded in Strövelstorp parish (Kristianstad the opposite - that of locating Ame• her making the transatlantic journey län) on the last day of 1831 through rican records in the face of an un• to join her Swedish-American sons the birth of her eighth child in 1870, certain name change. In this family and daughters for her final years. she kept the same name. Then, were so many name changes, of both There were no windows into the suddenly, with the birth of son Nils first and last name, with siblings details of that voyage. There was only in 1872, she became Tyre "Nilsson", choosing from among no fewer than the knowledge that one of Tyre's and continued with that name four different surnames even before children had provided us with through the births of two more child• marriage, that I expected anything Scanian relatives. ren. In Chicago her name was listed could be possible. on her own death record, February Eventually I had gotten a copy of 5, 1907, as "Tyra Knutson" and on Early notes Tyre's death certificate, but only the Illinois death certificates of four after the custodian of the vital When in my teen years, I jotted down of her children her maiden name had records had notified me that a a brief outline of these various rela• become "Nelson." diligent search could not find it. (It tives. Many years later I attempted paid to be persistent; and it helped to flesh out the outline, with the help Everyone who has done genealogy that I had first found her name listed of some essential details collected research of Swedish immigrants to in a Chicago death index.) and left behind by my mother after America knows how important it is
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 Searching for the Details The letter from Helsingborg's them might be using, I entered into Maria församling had contained an• my search every possible name Now I searched for details of the trip other piece of information that in• combination and spelling variation that brought Tyre to Chicago. In the terested me very much, however: I could think of; but I continued to Vedby parish household rolls {hus- Botilla's two older children had both draw a blank in both databases. I förhörslängd) I found the likely date "moved to U.S.A." ahead of their searched for every 69 year old in CD- mormors mor was given permission parents. The younger of the two, a Emigranten for 1900-1903. Nothing. to leave her Vedby parish — January daughter, had gone in August of I felt sure that were I to find one of 23, 1901. But I found neither emi• 1899. The elder, a 19 year-old son the pair I would find the other. By gration nor immigration records for named Thure Ferdinand, "moved to what surname had Thure Ferdinand her. USA 30 January 1901." This was gone, I wondered. Johannesson? Jo• Tyre's married daughter Botilla Tyre's oldest grandson, living at the hansson? Sandström? (Persdotter), the last of her living time in Helsingborg's stadsförsam• In early February of 2004, I de• children still in Sweden, lived 30 ling. cided to look for every person sur- miles away in Helsingborg. Botilla named "Sand- " arriving at Ellis Is• and her husband, Johannes Persson Ulla Larsson, from the Klippan land in 1901. There were some 380 Sandström, had four children, the church, agreed with me that it was of them. None of the given names younger ones being Knut Viktor and reasonable to assume Tyre and beginning with "T-" was the indi• Lilly Walborg. Lilly Walborg^ grand• Botilla's older son had left Sweden vidual for whom I was looking; but son in Sweden had written to me in in early February and that the others just above them, on the same page, the 1980s that his grandmother had had gone later that year, after school the name "Sure Sandström," a 19- once been in America "in her youth." was out for the younger children. year-old with residence of Sweden, I began to wonder whether Botilla (Botilla and her tailor husband and caught my eye. When I clicked on it I and Lilly Walborg could have accom• younger children later moved back found a male arriving from South• panied Tyre on her long journey? to Sweden after only a few short years in Chicago. She was the only ampton on February 21. Indeed, I located all four of these one of Tyre's children to remigrate.) family members in the 1901 Malmö• hus län utflyttade (emigranter) Whoa! records under the name "Johan Asking the Right Sandström." Since Tyre's name was Question Turning to the original ship mani• not listed with them, and lacking a fest, I was elated to read on line 8: Now I concentrated on Tyre and her more exact date for their departure "Ture Sandström," and immediately 19 year-old grandson Thure Ferdi• from Helsingborg, I wrote to Skane's nand in CD-Emigranten and the El• below him, "Tyre Knutssen," age 69, provincial archives, Landsarkivet i lis Island Internet records a widow headed for Chicago. Several Lund, for help. From there I was (
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 21 They had come on the Vaderland, a new British steamship accommo• dating nearly 1,200 passengers. Tyre and her grandson, like some 600 others, were traveling in third class (steerage) on the 13-day voyage from England. Moreover, they apparently were traveling in the company of Tyre's married daughter Ingar "Em• ma" Palmen1, already a U.S. citizen of several years. How had I not found Tyre in my many earlier attempts to do so since the Ellis Island records had first come on line? I clicked on the "text Emma's brooch. version manifest," the typed record for that page. There was the obvious ity." I never had heard this - or answer: Not only had Tyre been anything like it - spoken in regard listed as a male, with a surname to Tyre. Somehow, it seemed much ending in "-ssen," but she, also, had different from the phrase "old age" been entered into the transcribed Ingar "Emma" Persson Palmen (1861- written on her death certificate. database with the given name of 1947). Photo taken in Chicago, unknown However, if after raising eleven child• "Sure." "Sure Knutssen" 69 year-old date. Note the brooch which Emma wears, ren under adverse conditions she had male. Would you have recognized bearing the likeness of her parents. become too forgetful to undertake her? this long journey with only a young gration records, either, it would not Had I been more creative with my grandson to accompany her, she be a surprise to learn that she entering of information into the probably would have earned that followed their travel route. I remain database query, I probably could privilege! open to other possible ports of emi• have come up with Tyre sooner. As it Emma and her husband, Edward gration for my name-changing mor• was, I never did go to the option of Palmen, were to make another visit mors mor, as well. searching the ship manifests, line by to Sweden, in 1907 - a fact which, line, for ships arriving at New York curiously, resulted in my meeting up from European ports during Feb• Note: with a previously unknown cousin ruary of 1901. It was by this method 1. The presence of Emma's name on north of Helsingborg some 90 years that I had found my mormor in the the manifest came as a complete later. But that is another story. manifests some years earlier — a surprise to me. Although the Chicago tedious job! Had I used this method address listed there for her is not Author Edith E. Anderson was for mormors mor, however, I would corroborated by other family docu• raised in Wisconsin and resides likely have recognized her name in ments, the names of these three now in Brownsville, Texas. E- the clear, handwritten manifest passengers have been grouped to• mail:
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 The Skärstad Death Records
Transcription
Döde och begrafne, åhr 1743.
[No]vemb 13 Pilten Jon, Håkan Perssons Son. Thet första året friskt, thet an• dra siuklig, thet tredie åter frisk. Sidst 13 dagars durchlopp 3 [år]
Dec. 4 H. Marit Olufsdr Måns Åkessons hustru i Botarp. Som något öfwer the 7 sidsta åhren warit sängliggande, och mest klagade sig öf.r owanligt sus och buller i hufwudet. Samt the sidsta 3 åhren brukat Medewi Surbrunn. Sidst till• slog en smärtefull swullnad i 7 wekors tid. 57 [år]
" 4 Gamla Pigan Elisabet Jönsdr ifrå Lekeryd Sochn, som en rund tid här i församligen tient, och sidan wid pass 7 åhr merendels warit sängliggande af bröstsiuka, hwar til sidst slog durchlopp. Åldern obekandt.
Translation
Dead and buried, (the) year 1743
[No]vemb 13 Little boy Jon, Håkan Persson's son. Healthy his first year, the 2nd 3 [year] poorly, and the third again healthy. Lately 13 days of diarrhoea
Dec. 4 Goodwife Marit Olufsdotter, Måns Akesson's wife of Botarp. Who somewhat more than the last 7 years had been bedridden, and mostly complained about unusual noise and din in her head. Had for the last 3 years used the Medevi Spa. Lately there was a painful sawelling for 7 weeks time. 57 [year]
" 4 Old maid Elisabet Jönsdotter fromLekeryd parish, who for a long time has been serving in this parish, and since about 7 years been bedridden from chest illness, to which was at last added diarrhoea. Her age was not known.
The script of this page is a very god usually means an assortment of "m" looking just the same. example of the Gothic or German and "n". When you are reading old script, script (tyska stilen), which was used Try this by writing "kammerera- don't hurry, take your time and make from the end of the 1600s until the ren" in your own hand and see if you sure you have got everything right, early 1800s, when the clergymen can make out the individual letters. especially the names. Otherwise you most often changed to the Latin This man was an accountant. Dou• may end up with the wrong ancestors script. ble "m" can sometimes be written as or places. The German script is a bit difficult, a single letter with a ~ on top of it; The maid above came from Lek• but by training it is possible to read when transcribing, do the double eryd parish, which is close to Skär• it. One just has to remember that the "mm", otherwise it might be difficult stad. But further south in Småland letters does look a bit different. to find the word in your dictionary. there is Lekaryd parish, and careless What looks like a "4" is most often The vowel "u" mostly also has a ~ reading might take you to the wrong an "r", and the long letter "s", which on top, to make it clear that there is place. also has many short varieties, can be a vowel there. It can be hard to see an "f". Many curves up and down in the mass of other letters, all
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 23 The Orberga Poorhouse - A Woman's Work
BY GERDA TELL
TRANSLATED BY ANN LITTLE
The Old Peoples Home (Fattig• We lived in a large, oblong shaped enough room for 16 loaves to be stugan) in Örberga, Östergötland, room, with an iron stove and panel• baked at the same time. Mother has long since been demolished, but ling on the walls. In my memory it would bake for the old people as well I have many memories from there, all seems so dark, but there were as for us. which I will try to relate here. "points of light." Mother was lucky It was not always easy to In the New Year period of 1899, with flowers and the potted plants keep check on their small individual my mother, walking with heavy and in the windows, and we had beautiful bags of flour, and some of the people tired footsteps, was on her way to see curtains. seemed to suspect "foul play," but the chairman of our Parish Council, There was one window facing mostly they trusted "Mor Stava" who had sent for her. She had been north, and another facing south, but (mother Stava) as they used to call offered the position of matron at no electric lights at that time; only her. Örberga "poorhouse," as it was called kerosene lamps, which did not light To the right of the front door, a long in those days. up such a large room very well. passage led to our one room. To the My father, worn down by pain, and left was stora stugan; the main room. suffering quite badly with his nerves, The Old People There lived eight old women and was unable to support his family their beds were put close together Everybody, young and old, would single-handedly. He was employed as along the walls. If you went in when enter the house through a wooden a stallförman and coachman at they were making coffee, you would veranda. Opposite the front door was Arneberga gård (manor farm). Mot• see the top of their stove covered with the kitchen, where there lived three her helped in the fields at harvest coffeepots. They had to do their own old men; they had an open fireplace, time, and had to take the children housekeeping. Communal meals, where they would put their tripod along with her; she worked so very paid for by the parish, did not exist legged coffeepots when they made hard. in those days. - Oh no, the few their coffee. There was also a large 'pennies' they received in parish re- On the day in question, my mot• baking oven in the kitchen, with her felt very down, something she would often tell us children about. I was not yet born then, but she was carrying a little one next to her heart, who would be born in May of that year. It is not surprising then that her walk was heavy and her mind troubled at the thought of having to care for a lot of feeble old people. Mr. Hägerström, the local minis• ter, and his wife thought that Moth• er was well suited to work with the old, and had told her so on many previous occasions. And so, Mother took the job; she felt that she had no other option, as she would often say to us. She was strong and healthy, and had a good temperament. I cannot recall Mother being ill for more than one day when we were young. Örberga church. May 2004.
24 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 lief was not even enough for one square meal a month. One month they received 1.65 kronor and the next 1.50 kronor, and then, as pay• ment in kind, a small amount of flour and a few potatoes, once every three months. Above the stora stugan (the main room) lay a järnspiselrum (iron stove room). There lived two mothers with their five children. They were not too well off either, poor things, but they seemed content nevertheless. What joy there was at Christmas time amongst both young and old when the coachman arrived from Naddö (a manor in the parish), with "provisions" from Mrs. von Heiden- stam, who always remembered us children. There would be baskets packed with nice things; sweets for the children and sugar, coffee, and rice for the old people, as well as for our family. In the summertime, we children were allowed to pick lots of fruit at The Karl Otto Pettersson family in 1903: son Karl Erhard in the back, then Gustava Naddö. Such kindness is never for• with baby Gerda, Karl August, Hilda, and Karl Otto. In front son Enock. gotten. On Christmas Eve, Mrs. Marga• knitted for bondkäramororna — the closed fist can receive nothing." True reta Ohlsson at Ullevi Västergård farmers' wives - preferred to be paid words. However, when I was very sent a delivery of coffee, sugar, and "in kind," and the farmers wives young, before I started school, Moth• bags of rice, as well as the finest would give them pieces of pork, er did not have much to share. I bread. loaves of bread, and new potatoes, if remember well how we would often Mother would cook rice porridge it was that time of the year. eat vattgröt (porridge made from rye for everybody in the home on Christ• There were some people who flour) for our evening meal, with milk mas Eve, and coffee on Christmas received help from their children - or syrup-water; bread and pickled Day. even from America - and then, their herring and raw onion. It tasted Supplies came from Arneberga lined old faces would light up in joy. wonderful when you were hungry. gård too; a large tub of milk, which Perhaps it lacked something in the Mother would share out between the What we ate way of vitamins, but we were healthy, old people. This meant that they did nevertheless. How well I remember Thursdays' not have to touch their own scant As time went by, we would some• yellow pea soup, when the old people money to buy milk for a long while times have meatballs on Sundays, would bring their pieces of pork to (milk cost 8 öre per liter in those and for dessert soup made from dried Mother, tied around with bits of days). A lot of other things arrived fruit. Mother would halve the meat• thread for the purpose of identifi• from Arneberga, however, we child• balls for us children, and share them cation; there was even red-colored ren did not "get a look in"; Mother out between us. What a feast! would carry everything indoors for thread. Not very hygienic perhaps, We could eat as many potatoes as the old people; they took priority, but nobody worried about such we could manage; we grew our pota• which was only right. Mother knew things in those days. Everything toes on land belonging to Mr. Dahl• where her responsibility lay. tasted good. Mother was a marvelous cook and could make a tasty meal out gren, the tenant of the Komminister of very little. gård in Örberga. He was always very kind to Mother, who kept a pig in Mr. Ways of earning money On Saturdays, we always had Dahlgren's pigsty. We did not have A lot of the old people earned extra mashed rutabagas, and on Tuesdays, any outbuildings, only a cellar which money by lacemaking and knitting we had soup. was built after I began school. socks (there was even an old man Mother always shared with others who made lace). The women who of what she had. Her motto was; "a
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 25 The pig Other income Other duties In early spring, Mother would make Mother also had other sources of The parish stables were situated on her way to August Karlsson, the income; she did not get any money the west side of the churchwall. owner of Säby Södergård. She would for looking after the mail and news• There, in a stall, were black coffins bring a sack along for the pig she was papers for the villagers, but she for the poor, stacked one on top of the buying, and then carry it home on her would be paid by different means. other. Mother would collect a coffin back. Also, she would hand over peoples' from there when a person died. She One year, Mother did not have mail to the postman when he was on would make the deceased look so enough money for a pig, and we were his way back from the Nässja round nice; put flowers in their hands, if it all very sad. But then one day, twenty in the afternoon. was summertime; otherwise she kronor arrived in the post from one The telephone exchange was put would use a bit of greenery from her of my brothers, who was living in the in our house on 23rd November, potted plants. Some of those who died town of Enköping, where he was 1905, after the big fire in Örberga. It had no next of kin; then Mother training to be a gardener. did not pay much, but the pay in• would always walk with them to the We felt really happy, as the a- creased with the years as did the graveside. mount was exactly the price of a pig; number of subscribers. I think that Many schoolchildren would bring they were quite cheap in those days. each subscriber paid 20 kronor a their little troubles to "Moster Stava" Mother shared everything with year, before 1936, when the tele• (Auntie Stava) as they would call the old people in the house, making phone exchange became automated. her. Sometimes they had damaged sure that they got more than just the By then, Mother had run the tele• their clothes, and sometimes they "cooking-smells." phone exchange for 31 years, coupled had "damaged" themselves. with all her other duties. She would also go to people's Modern times are Mother also had the responsibility houses to lay out their dead. How she of heating the village school and the found the time and strength to cope coming parish council room. It was generally with everything is a mystery. Mother In 1916, "the year of the light" arri• us children who did the cleaning; always put her trust in a "higher ved in Orberga old village. That was Mother saw to the dusting and heat• power," and was content with her lot. thanks to our Prince Eugen, who ing. I can picture her in my mind still Also, Mother was remarkably fit brought electricity to his newly built carrying the heavy boxes of coal for and healthy. Now, in the year 1920, manor of Örgården, and to Örberga the fires in winter. her wages had been increased to 150 village. kronor a year, so things were a lot By then, the "poorhouse" had seen The bellringer better than they used to be. a few changes too; our home had been The memories come and they go; Another of my Mother's duties was, made much brighter. Our one, long how well I remember the day I came for many years, to ring the Örberga room, had been made into two rooms; home from school to discover that church bell every weekday at 6 one large and one small. Also, there Mother had found 90 kronor in a pile o'clock in the morning and at 6 o'clock was now a doorway into the kitchen of dirty shirts she was sorting in the evening, from the 1st of April and a kakelugn (tiled oven), in the through, after an old man that had to the 1st of October. For this she was large room. recently died. She immediately took paid 5 kronor at the end of the six There were two old men living in the money to the "parish room," months. I know she had a pile of the kitchen at that time; later there where a meeting was taking place stones in a corner of the church porch would be only one. (After 1930 there that day. She received no reward but; during the summer. When she pulled were no old people in the kitchen.) "a clean conscience is worth more at the thick bell rope hanging from The room in which the old women than money." the roof space, she would kick away lived had become so much brighter When Dalsgården, the new Old a stone with each peal of the bell, so as well, with light colored ceiling and People's Home stood ready in 1931, as not to lose count. beautiful wallpaper on the walls. The there was only one "old age pensio• children were all grown up by then, Mother was quite strict with us ner" left to move from Örberga. and had left home; all except me. children, but fair, and we all loved Mother fell asleep on the 6th of her very much. There were still bedridden people September, 1946. Her memory lives I remember her saying to me once, in the home; people who had been on in us her children for as long as when I was a bit older, "there are lying in bed for years, and Mother we ourselves are alive. probably many who are jealous of had to look after them. But now she me." But now, in hindsight, it doesn't [Editor's note: This article is a had better pay; 100 kronor a year, seem much to be jealous of, the way translation from a newspaper in the Lin• instead of 50 kronor a year, as in the Mother had to work so hard for pal• köping area, probably the Östgöta Cor- past. respondenten in the late 1940s. The trans• try wages. lator, Ann Little, is a great-grandchild of "Mor Stava" and lives in Cornwall, Eng• land. Her e-mail is [email protected]]
26 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 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 Re• view Editor, Dennis L. Johnson at
and 18th centuries. How the religious for immigrant Swedes in Chicago to Correction needs of these colonial Swedes were maintain images of home and be• Lilly Setterdahl's book about met, interchurch cooperation with longing by creating a large number Swedes in Moline has a price Anglican congregations, religious of Swedish provincial societies dur• tag of $25.95. commitment measured by com• ing this time period. Almost every munion frequency, and confessional province from Blekinge to Värmland attitudes during this time period are had its own club or social group, all examined. Members of Holy sometimes more than one. The What Is It to Be Trinity (Old Swedes) Church in Wil• author examines the origins, stated mington, DE, and of the Wicaco con• goals, growth, and decline of these gregation (Old Swedes) in Philadel• clubs, and their role in linking a Swede? phia are the principal subjects of the members with the past and pre• study. paring them for their new lives in America. The paper identifies 24 of Swedishness Reconsidered, ROGER KVIST: Religious Per• these clubs and includes group Three Centuries of Swedish-Amer• photographs of several. Nordahl ican Identities, Daniel Lindmark, fectionism, Early Swedish Immi• examines the purposes of the pro• Ed., Umeå, 1999, Tryckt av Livrena grant Political Identification, and T. Grafiska AB, Kungälv, 1999. Soft N. Hasselquist. vincial societies, concluding with: Cover, 142 pages, in English. Dr. Kvist has concentrated his "The loss of their old place was study on the political/religious beliefs resolved by the construction of a new This volume is a collection of re• of early Swedish immigrants before one based on the collective memory search papers by five scholars at and during our Civil War (ca. 1840- of their past". Reviewer's comment: Umeå University in Sweden, edited 1870). His principal thesis is that Few American cities had a large by Daniel Lindmark, Associate Pro• Swedish Lutheran Pietism in these enough Swedish population to allow fessor of History. Two of the five are new citizens was strongly influenced the proliferation of provincial clubs. doctoral Students, the other three, both by their homeland beliefs, and Chicago was almost unique in that including Dr. Lindmark, are faculty by contact with Yankee Protestants. respect, with by far the greatest members at the University in the This, together with the strong in• number of immigrant Swedes of any Department of Historical Studies. fluence of their religious leaders such city during this period. Each paper addresses a particular as T. N. Hasselquist, caused the aspect of Swedish migration to the majority to give their allegiance to CARINA RÖNNQVIST: Scattered U.S. or, in one paper, to Canada. As the Republican Party in the political Swedes and Single Settlers: On ethnic with most research papers, they are realignment which was occurring identity reflected in nationalistic written in the academic style and are during that period. While the earli• sentiments, gender and class in 20th thoroughly documented with a de• est immigrants were inclined to the century Canada. tailed list of sources, intended more Democratic Party, their allegiance In this paper, the author draws for the scholar than for light reading. underwent a shift as a result of their distinctions between the Swedish Pietist perfectionist beliefs and the immigrant population in Canada, DANIEL LINDMARK: Swedish Republican Party's stand against and those in the United States. The Lutherans Encountering Religious slavery. Canadian immigrants were pre• Diversity in Colonial America: From dominantly men (about 70%) and Swedish mission studies to American PERNORDAHL: Lost and Found most of them were single. The time religious history. - a Place to Be: The organization of period was a little later, about 1910 This essay looks at patterns of provincial societies in Chicago from to 1920, and these immigrants came church activity among descendants the 1890's to 1933. in a time of greater industrialization of New Sweden colonists in the 17th Prof. Nordahl addresses the need and more as individuals, not family
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 27 Book Reviews and/or they had stronger social and polis) in 1854. Others came later on, family ties to their country of origin. such as Inga Svensson who arrived The case for ethnicity or class as in Minnesota about 1889 and spent determining factors in their return much of her adult life as the beloved is not strongly made. cook to the family of Governor Alex• These five research papers offer ander Ramsey. The author also glimpses into particular aspects of included several more recent im• groups or even whole neighborhoods the Swedish migration to North migrants who she describes as "world as with the earlier immigrants to the America, which are of interest to citizens," couples who have alter• U.S. They were more scattered and those wishing a more complete nated between living in Sweden and less likely to be found living among understanding of these immigration in Minneapolis. fellow Swedes. Ms. Rönnqvist exam• patterns. In addition, to this review• A number of prominent citizens of ined three individual men by means er, they also offer some insight into Swedish ancestry are also profiled in of a number of their letters written the attitudes of these contemporary this book, such as Axel Ohman, home to Sweden over a period of Swedish scholars toward this migra• builder of many buildings including years; men who settled in the Ca• tion and the people involved. the landmark Foshay Tower. Axel nadian prairie provinces about 1905- Dennis L. Johnson came as a young lad from Leksand, 1910. She identifies the three as "The Dalarna, in 1922. The well-known Adventurous Conservative, the Hot- Youngdahl family, (Ljungdahl, in tempered Socialist, and The Ro• Once Upon a Sweden), whose ancestors came to mantic Settler." Through their let• the U.S. before 1892 and produced a ters she analyzes their attitudes governor of Minnesota (Luther), the about ethnicity and nationalism in Time in Mpls. pastor of the largest Lutheran Canada. Congregation in the U.S. (Reuben), So Far Away in the World, Stories an author, a congressman, an attor• ney, a college dean, and others of PER-OLOF GRÖNBERG, "My from the Swedish Twin Cities, Anne prominence among their children. (I Kind of Town?" Ethnicity and class Gillespie Lewis, Nodin Press, Minneapolis, MN 2002, Soft Cover, was confirmed by Reuben Youngdahl as determining factors for return mi• 175 Pages, $19.95 in 1945 at Mt. Olivet Lutheran gration or permanent settlement a- Church in South Minneapolis.) mong Swedish engineers in Chicago Anne Gillespie Lewis grew up in 1910-1930. Gretchen Carlson (Miss America Minneapolis and, after working as a In this study, the author looks at in 1989 and now a CBS News corre• journalist and author, is now a free• a population of young men trained spondent), former Governor of Min• lance writer. She has a Swedish at various technical schools in nesota Wendell Anderson, Axel John• grandmother and, in addition to Sweden who migrated to Chicago in son, saloon keeper, Oscar Danielson, writing several books, writes a the first decades of the twentieth leader of the Oscar Danielson Or• column for the American-Swedish century. His method was to look at a chestra, early Pastor Eric Norelius, Institute's newsletter Posten. This population of 158 of 218 Swedish and basketball star Don Carlson of book strikes very familiar chords engineers who joined the Swedish the Minneapolis Lakers are more with the reviewer, since I grew up in Engineers' Society of Chicago in examples of the variety of people of Minneapolis only ten years or so 1910-1913. (The other 60 could not Swedish descent Ms. Lewis writes earlier than Ms. Lewis. be tracked, and were deleted from about. Many more less well-known the sample.) He found that of these Using primarily personal inter• but interesting members of the Swe• 158, 65% settled in Chicago, 15% views with the subjects or their dish American community are also settled elsewhere in the U.S., 2% descendants, Ms. Lewis writes about included. several dozen well-known people went to another country, and 18% Worthy of mention are several who lived in Minneapolis who were returned to Sweden. The proportion uniquely Scandinavian institutions born in Sweden, or who are de• returning to Sweden was only slight• in the Twin Cities such as Inge- scended from these immigrants. ly greater than the general Swedish bretsen's on Lake Street, source of Subjects include among the earliest immigrant population, about 15%. many Scandinavian foods and spe• settlers in Minnesota such as Bertha He concludes that most of those who cialties, the American-Swedish Insti• Brunius, who came to St. Anthony returned saw their time in the U.S. tute and it's benefactor, Swan Turn- Falls (now within the city of Minnea• as enhancing their careers in Sweden blad from Småland, and others. Scat-
28 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 Book Reviews tered among all the biographical three sides. The community was set• sketches are a variety of recipes for tled mostly by Swedes, Norwegians, Swedish cooking which were collect• and Finns, with a scattering of ed by Ms. Lewis in the course of all people from Iceland, Denmark, and her interviews, and some from her a few other groups. Most of these Swedish grandmother. The two people immigrated directly from dozen recipes are indexed and classi• their old country. For a few it was fied in the back of the book for easy the final stop of several in the U.S. despite hard times, wars, and reces• reference. Major annual Swedish- or Canada. sions. The next generation largely oriented festivals and events are also The voices of Ballard, referred to attended college and often achieved listed in the endnotes, together with in the title, are short chronicles of prominent positions in the profes• a complete listing of all the persons nearly one hundred individuals and sions, teaching, politics, or other mentioned in this volume. Sources their families settling in Ballard, areas. The book provides many of information are also thoroughly culled from over 120 interviews glimpses into family life and growing listed in the Bibliography. collected and deposited in the Nordic up in Ballard, including entertain• These brief sketches of Swedish Heritage Museum, a center for Scan• ment, ethnic societies, churches, Americans of several generations in dinavian culture in Ballard. The schooling, and working. the Twin Cities provide the reader interviews have been transcribed These families tended to stay with a warm portrait of many facets and are in the Museum's archives for mainly with their own countrymen of life for their subjects in the period future researchers. An exhibition for churches and social groups, but between 1850 and the beginning of and two videos were also created mixed frequently and freely with the 21st century. All those interested along with this book, and are avail• others for their work and in their in the Swedish American experience able for loan from the Museum for community. They got along pretty in America, and particularly in the groups who wish to learn more about well with each other, but were Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Ballard. conscious of the differences. One Paul, will be enriched by these The editor, Lynn Jolie Moen, a life• anecdote mentioned was the com• sketches and anecdotes. long resident of Ballard, has organ• plaints of the Norwegian fishermen Dennis L. Johnson ized the collection of stories into that the Swedes clogged the bay with three groups. These are: Coming to their logging, so the Norwegians Ballard, Living in Ballard, and couldn't get their fishing boats in and Working in Ballard. Each narrative out of the docks. From the is written in the first person, as told In addition to the value of this col• by the person interviewed. At least lection of stories to historians, this six of the subjects have died since book provides a fascinating picture Pacific being interviewed, and the editor of one Scandinavian settlement in stresses the importance of these the U.S. which we can all compare kinds of histories to record the mem• with our own experiences and savor Voices of Ballard, Immigrant ories of the "Vanishing Generation" the differences with other locations, Stories from the Vanishing Gene• in Ballard. Photographs of the other decades of history, or other ration, Lynn Moen, Editor, Nordic subject of the narrative are included Heritage Museum, Seattle, WA, kinds of occupations. Those who wherever available. A complete in• 2001, Soft Cover, 294 Pages, would understand the full entirety dex makes it easy to locate persons $15.95. of the immigrant experience will and places referred to in the book. welcome this book into the menu, Ballard, Washington, was a mill town Each narrative represents a life joining books about other Swedish in Seattle, now a neighborhood of created in Ballard by the new Amer• communities such as Moline, IL, that city. The town was settled ican, with his or her family. Working Minneapolis, MN, Chicago, IL, New beginning in the 1880's as a working in the mills, as a commercial fisher• Sweden, ME, and many others. community for those employed in the man, a tailor, a baker, a restaurant Dennis L. Johnson sawmills, ship chandleries, machine owner, or another career, each per• shops, and fishing docks. Located just son struggled to survive and make a north of downtown Seattle and living in their new land and raise between Puget Sound and Lake their families to succeed. All the Washington, Ballard has water on stories are upbeat and optimistic
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 29 Interesting Deb Sites
(All links have been tried in May 2004 and should work)
How much is that worth today? http://eh.net/hmit/ppowerusd/dollar_answer.php Examples of the cost to emigrate: http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/fares/index.htm Viking Heritage Magazine: http://viking.hgo.se/Newsletter/default.html Probate Index for Delaware 1680-1925: http://www2.state.de.us/dpa/probate/result.asp Swenson's New Book Index (see p. 15): http://www.augustana.edu/administration/swenson/booksl01-104-a-e.htm Bremen Passenger Lists from 1920- :http://db.genealogy.net/maus/gate/shiplists.cgi?lang=en Brooklyn's Greenwood Cemetery (searchable database): http://www.green-wood.com/ A web site for New Sweden, Maine: http://www.aroostook.me.us/newsweden/ Another web site for New Sweden, Maine: http://www.geocities.com/maineswedishcolony/ Nordisk Familjebok (in Swedish) an encyclopedia: http://www.lysator.liu.Se/runeberg/nf/#preface New York City Death Index 1891-1911: http://www.italiangen.org/NYCDeath.stm An easy way to search for names: http://expertgenealogy.com/free/search.htm The Swedish Genealogical Dictionary: http://home.netcom.com/~v31ry/ Old names of occupations (English): http://rmhh.co.Uk/occup/b.html Searchable database of Canadian soldiers from WWI: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/02/02010602_e.html
New and Noteworthy (short notes on interesting books and articles)
Learning and Returning, Return Migration of Swedish Engineers from the United States, 1880-1940, by Per-Olof Grönberg, Department of Historical Studies, Umeå University, Sweden, 2003, 290 pp., paperback. This academic study is an expanded research report of about 6,000 Swedish Engineers who graduated between 1880 and 1919. (The author had previously written a paper on the subject, one included in the book Swedishness Reconsidered, Daniel Lindmark, Ed., 1999.) Highly detailed, thoroughly documented, and technical, this study may be of special interest to those in the profession or as a resource for specific immigration patterns among professionals. Tidningen, Winter 2004 (Swedish Genealogical Society of Minnesota) has a good story by Larry Oakes on his research for his Swedish roots and eventual success, and finally his visit to Sweden. See also SAG 2002:1.
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On a lighter note: Browsing the Crime stories section in a bookstore a series of books with a Swedish named heroine was found. The author is named Joanne Fluke and her heroine is cookie-baker Hannah Swensen of Lake Eden, Minnesota. She figures in the Lemon Meringue Pie Murder, Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder, Strawberry Shortcake Murder, Blueberry Muffin Murder, and the Fudge Cupcake Murder. At least the first one was nothing spectacular, but still a little feeling of smalltown Minnesota.
30 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 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.
Persson, Danielsdotter I am doing research on my great-grandfather's family who immigrated from Sweden to Paxton, Illinois, in 1864. He was Nils Peter Peterson/Persson, b Mar. 25, 1820, in Horn (Östg.) He was married to Carolina Danielsdotter, b. March 5,1826, in Västra Eneby (Östg.) Their daughters were Kristina Louisa, b. Dec. 29,1853; Maria Charlotta, b. Nov 6, 1856; Karolina Josefina, b. Dec, 22,1859; and Clara Albertina, b. June 27, 1863. The family immigrated to Paxton IL from Kättilstad Parish (Östg.) in July 1,1864. Nils Peter, his wife, Karolina, and four daughters comprised the family at that time. However, my grandmother, Emma Peterson, was born in Paxton on March 25, 1865. My research indicates that the family moved from Paxton, IL, to Orion, IL, in 1879. In looking in church records, census, etc., I have been unable to find any mention of the one daughter, Karolina Josefina, in the U.S. I have also checked state death registers as well as marriages for information on Karolina Josefina Persson (Peterson). In Mercer Co. Historical Society, the records indicated that at the time of Nils Peterson's death (Feb. 13,1907), he was survived by five living daughters, which tells me that she was alive then. I am trying to find out what happened to Karolina Josefina. Any help or advice would be appreciated very much.
Thanking you, Mrs. Leslie Enstrom, 3217 37th Ave, Rock Island IL 61201. E-mail: [email protected] 1245
Johnson, Olson, Pearson, Svenssan, Anderson
I am searching for the Swedish origins of my great-grandparents Martin Johnson and Hannah Olson. They were married by a Swedenborgian minister 17 October 1873 in Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts. Their children were all born in Gloucester: Charles (5 November 1874); Hulda Marie (1 February 1877); Anna Louise (9 October 1880); twins Gustaf & Martin (16 December 1883) and Gertrude May (24 October 1886). One of the twins died almost immediately; the other twin died just after his first birthday. The family lived at 25 Liberty Street, Glouces• ter. Hannah and Martin were divorced in 1887. Hannah married William Wilson 02 January 1889 in Gloucester. Hannah and William Wilson moved to Seattle, Washington, before June, 1900, with her children, including Hulda Marie who had married Capt. Fred Fredricks in 1895. The Fredericks had daughters Helen Gertrude (born in 1896) and Ethel Louise (born in 1898). When Martin and Hannah were married, his parents were recorded as John Pearson and Martha Johnson. His occupation was fisherman. Hannah's parents were recorded as Olof Svenssan and Bottilla Anderson. When Hannah and William were married, her parents were recorded as Olof Olsen and Tilda Anderson. Martin Johnson (signed Martin Johanson) renounced his allegiance to Oscar II, King of Sweden, and became an American citizen on 26 March 1875. His witnesses were John Wilson and Sigurt Anderson. The obituary for Martin Johnson appeared in the Gloucester Daily Times, June 18,1907: "Died at Almshouse. Mr. Martin Johnson, a former fisherman, and who for many years conducted a fisherman's boarding house, died at the almshouse yesterday, having been ill about two years. He was 63 years old, and has a widow and family in Seattle." Hannah Wilson died 19 January 1926 in Seattle.
Carol Gaiser, 14620 NE 13th Place, Bellevue, WA 98007-4008. E-mail: [email protected] 1246
The Question Chest has recieved a number of questions, but due to lack of space we will try to answer them in the next issue. So there is time for more questions!
Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 31 The Last Page Welcome back! number of stories on the emigrant What else is there to discuss with and his travel across the North Sea, you, dear Reader? This issue is a bit It seems that some of you were a bit it might be too much with another late, but efforts will be made so that surprised by the new costume for one. Stories about strange happen• the next one will come to you during SAG, and maybe you should have ings, serendipity, anything unusual September. had a warning about the intended have better chances of being consid• change in the December issue. September is a word one does not ered for publishing. want to think of in late May, when However, the reactions have been the summer has finally found its way very positive, most people like the to Sweden. A recent visit to Värm• new bigger pages and the possi• Nils William land showed us that the Lilies of the bilities for more and better pictures. In this issue a page is devoted to the Valley (liljekonvaljer) were showing The intention is also to continue 95 th birthday of Nils William Olsson, their fragrant flowers. By now even publishing the usual type of articles, Founder and Editor Emeritus of the dandelions have been pushed lists of church members, etc, but also SAG. If someone feels they would like away by the violet Midsommar• to publish articles that will directly to know more about this remarkable blomster, and the other flowers young help the working genealogist. Stories man, I would refer them to SAG girls are supposed to pick on Mid• about how to use a certain type of 1999:2-3, editor Fritz Erickson's mas• summer's Eve and then put under documents, whether successful or ter piece, which contains several their pillow to dream about a certain not, are always welcome. So are all articles on Nils William's life and young man. contributions from the readers, but work. In the Swedish American His• sometimes they can not be published torical Quarterly for 1984, p. 322, his Best wishes for a happy summer! for various reasons. If we have had a bibliography can be found. Elisabeth Thorsell
Search SAG Workshop Salt Lake City DISBYT 17-24 October 2004 Find Welcome to join our happy group of Swedish Ancestors researchers at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City! and Genealogists The SAG Workshop is the highlight of 7.7 million records of Swedes who lived before 1911. the year — a fun learning experience and a Disbyt is the biggest genealogical database in Sweden. chance to do your Swedish genealogy with The information is submitted by members of DIS society. hands-on help from experienced Swedish genealogists. To search Disbyt and find ancestors is free. As a member The social side includes welcome and you will be able to contact the submitters and also to submit Gedcom extracts from your family history program. farewell receptions, a buffet dinner & en• tertainment, Swedish movies, etc. Join DIS at the US web site digibuy.com. Annual fee: $17. Contact Karna Olsson at 207 338-0057 or e-mail: [email protected] DIS Limited number of spaces! Computer Genealogy Society of Sweden A non-profit organization founded in 1980. Now 20300 members. www.dis.se
32 Swedish American Genealogist 2004:2 Abbreviations
Table 1. Abbreviations for Swedish provinces (landskap) used by Swedish American Genealogist (as of March 2000) and Sveriges Släktforskarförbund (the Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies, Stockholm [SSF]).
Landskap SAG & SSF Landskap SAG & SSF (Province) Abbr. (Province) Abbr.
Blekinge Blek. Närke Närk. Bohuslän Bohu. Skåne Skån. Dalarna Dala. Småland Smål. Dalsland Dals. Södermanland Södm. Gotland Gotl. Uppland Uppl. Gästrikland Gäst. Värmland Värm. Halland Hall. Västerbotten Väbo. Hälsingland Häls. Västergötland Vägö. Härjedalen Härj. Västmanland Väsm. Jämtland Jämt. Ångermanland Ånge. Lappland Lapp. Öland Öland Medelpad Mede. Östergötland Östg. Norrbotten Nobo.
Table 2. Abbreviations and codes for Swedish counties (län) formerly used by Swedish American Genealogist (1981-1999) and currently used by Statistiska centralbyrån (SCB) (the Central Bureau of Statistics, Stockholm).
Län SAG SCB SCB Län SAG SCB SCB (County) Abbr. Abbr. Code (County) Abbr. Abbr. Code
Blekinge Blek. Blek. K Stockholm Stock. Sthm. AB Dalarna3 Dlrn. W Södermanland Söd. Södm. D Gotland Gotl. Gotl. I Uppsala Upps. Upps. C Gävleborg Gävl. Gävl. X Värmland Värm. Vrml. S Halland Hall. Hall. N Västerbotten Vbn. Vbtn. AC Jämtland Jämt. Jmtl. Z Västernorrland Vn. Vnrl. Y Jönköping Jön. Jkpg. F ' Västmanland Väst. Vstm. U Kalmar Kalm . Kalm. H Västra Götalandc Vgöt. 0 Kronoberg Kron. Kron. G Örebro Öre. Öreb. T Norrbotten Norr. Nbtn. BD Östergötland ög. Östg. E Skåneb Skån. M a formerly Kopparberg (Kopp.; W) län. b includes the former counties (län) of Malmöhus (Malm.; M) and Kristianstad (Krist.; L). c includes the former counties (län) of Göteborg and Bohus (Göt.; O), Skaraborg (Skar.; R), and Älvsborg (Älvs.; P). Sweden 2004