no 7 2009-08 ROOTED IN

Swedish Genealogical Society of Colorado Denver Swedish Directory 1910

Destination Swedeland

An American in Dalsland | SwedGen Tour 2009 contents Destination Swedeland 3 The Digital Race 7 10 SwedGen Tour 2009 8

Denver Swedish Direc- 10 17 8 tory 1910 Swedish Genealogy 14 Society of Colorado 11 3 An American in Dals- land 14

Postscript 17 firstly... There´s a definite buzz surrounding genealogy these days. The number of members in the DIS society has more than doubled the past ten years, from 10,000 to 26,000 members. And it’s growing at a steady rate. 11 Media has also picked up on the Naturally, the more available the I think this is what’s appealing about subject. Swedish television has research becomes in web based da- family research. People in general combined the buzz with the ongo- tabases, the more public it becomes, want explanations; they want to see ing celebrity hype, picking up the and with younger participants. People the complete picture. Like actor Jere- BBC original: Who do you think you I meet are in general curious of what my Irons, in the BBC original, who’s are. Six famous are guided I tell them about genealogy, and my English, but owns a fisherman’s cot- through their dramatic family histo- own family research, and, believe tage in Cork, Ireland. He was always ries by expert researchers in six hour me; I can go on for hours on end. curious why he felt so much at home long programmes. The shows are at this place on the south coast of very well produced and interesting, There’s something profoundly human Ireland. The show revealed that his and they provide a host of tips for the about wanting to know more about great-great-great- grandmother had novice genealogist. Knowing how your origins. I think everyone at one lived just a few kilometres from his time consuming research can be, and point in their life will stop and think: cottage. Being separated by so many how often you lose track and wind up who am I, and what has made me generations, Jeremy, in theory, pro- in dead ends, it feels a bit too easy the one I am? That was the common bably has more in common with his for them, cruising in their rental cars, starting-point for all the celebs in the neighbour. But it doesn’t matter, to visiting old farm houses and local shows. Where did I get my funny him it made sense, it made the pic- history societies, letting someone bones from? Are there any artistic ge- ture complete. And that’s what’s im- else do “the dirty work”. But, still, nes in my family? portant. very entertaining. Joachim Schönström

2 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 Destination Swedeland

text: Paul Wahlquist images: Norwayheritage.com and Wikipedia.org

From 1875 to 1900 many families The poor rural Swedes wanted In 1880 there were about 65,000 decided to move from the west land to farm which was their own. Swedes living in Minnesota. of Sweden to America. The fa- They received letters from relati- People in Minnesota often refer- mines of the previous years had ves and other people telling them red to the area just northeast of St. seen children die from starvation. about the available land in Minne- Paul and Minneapolis as “Swe- Fathers were imprisoned because sota. deland USA.” This included the they stole food for their families. of Chisago, Isanti, Pine

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 3 and northern Washington . Women and families were almost berths in two tiers which are al- This area was named this because always accompanied by a man to most identical with the arrange- the population included the largest move the luggage. When the ships ments of those boats in the Atlantic number of Swedish speaking rural returned to Great Britain the Third trade, the berthing space of each people outside of Sweden. Class compart- individual being ments were used ”I noticed that these separated by a For someone to emigrate from to carry cargo as moveable board Dalsland to Minnesota in 1880 there were very Swedish emigrants eight inches high. they started in Dalsland with a few passengers had much more bed- horse and wagon to carry the emi- needing to travel Each of these grants and their luggage to Göte- Third Class in ding with them than Compar t ments borg. From Göteborg they boarded that direction. the Norwegians I saw has wooden a steamship which sailed down Many of the decks, and is well the North Sea to the English port steamships car- last year...” lighted and ven- of Hull. In good weather the trip rying emigrants tilated. They are from Göteborg to Hull took 40 from Göteborg or Oslo to Hull entered by ladders coming down hours. From Hull they travelled were owned by the Wilson Line. the hatchways abreast of each by train to their ship at either the Typical of these steamships was other at an easy angle. One ports of Glasgow or Liverpool. the Orlando. The Orlando, built in Compartment is set aside for the 1869, was 274 feet long and 32 feet accommodation of single women When the Transatlantic ships left wide. It had two decks and was and was fully occupied by them. Great Britain they would stop in registered as 1500 tons. It had ca- Ireland for fuel, water, food and bins for forty two First Class pas- I noticed that these Swedish emi- to pick up additional passengers. sengers and thirty Second Class grants had much more bedding Then they began the journey to passengers. The Third Class pas- with them than the Norwegians I New York City or another Ame- sengers travelled in large compart- saw last year, and there was not rican East Coast port. The tickets ments with bunks. The ship usu- the huddling together in the sleep- the emigrants purchased included ally carried about two hundred ing places such as I commented all transportation from Sweden to Third Class passengers. on in my previous report; I was Minnesota. informed that the supply of ship- An inspector for the Marine De- bedding and tins for the use of Most emigrants travelled Third partment, British Board of Trade emigrants is becoming quite an Class also called steerage. Third on a Wilson Line gave the follo- important industry at Gothenburg. Class passengers had a bunk wing information about travelling or a cot and access to a kitche- from Göteborg to Hull: The food supplied to the emigrants nette where they could make tea was in my opinion good in qua- and coffee. Emigrants in Third ”There are three Third Class lity and quantity and excellently Class brought their own bedding compartments fitted with open cooked. The cooking arrange- and utensils which consisted of a straw mattress, a pillow, blanket, tin mug, tin plate, knife, fork and tea-spoon. For hygienic purposes they would bring a wash basin, towel and marine soap. Fresh wa- ter was only available for drinking and cooking. The emigrants most likely had steamer trunks with them so the handling of luggage S/S Orlando, Wilson Line must have been a difficult problem.

4 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 ments of this vessel were excep- Another inspector’s report descri- They would then board the train tionally good and admitted of the bes the landing at Hull: for their departure port. food being issued in a cleanly and palatable state. I repeatedly tasted ”When the steamers arrive on There would be so many emigrants it and feel sure it must be superior Sunday arrangements are made to transfer that the train would be to anything the emigrants could for keeping the emigrants on up to 17 cars pulled by one steam afford to have in their own homes. board until the Monday morning. engine. The last four cars carried I was particularly impressed with Notwithstanding this I am told baggage with the cars in front the excellence of the soup and the that a good many do land on the filled with passengers. The emi- free use of butter on the bread. Sunday and wander about, and grant trains took precedence over some do not find their way back all other train services because of (This raises the question was the to the ship for the night. The fact their length. They usually left Hull food always this good or was it that they have the right to remain on Monday morning and arrived at good because the inspector was on on board, and to be fed on board their destination on Tuesday. board for this voyage.) for the Sunday, ought to be made known to the emigrants. When, Many ships had been built speci- There is an agitation I understand however, the time comes for the fically for transporting emigrants going on at present in Sweden to passengers to leave the steamer, of to America. Typical of these ships provide life-saving arrangements course they have to turn out and was the S.S. Circassia owned by for every person on board ship. go ashore; and it has been found the Anchor Line. It was a new ship The ship was in consequence hung on occasions, that the numbers are built in 1878 in Belfast, Ireland. round with life-buoys of the usual so great that the Liverpool agents The ship measured 400 feet long circular shape, and I was informed will not allow them to be sent to and 42 feet wide. It had one funnel, many more were to be provided. the port from Hull owing to the three masts rigged for sail, iron (Transatlantic) ships at being full construction and a single screw. In other respects the arrange- or nearly full.” Cruising speed was 13 knots. The ments at Gothenburg were much the same as in , with the exception that the police appeared to be more active in their supervi- sion, and in addition to a conside- rable number on duty at the gang- ways, I was informed there were several detectives in plain clothes present.

I travelled from Gothenburg to S/S Circassia, Anchor Line Hull on these immigrant vessels and on the question of overcrow- ding I thought the vessels were rather crowded, but no more than The North Eastern Railway trans- passenger accommodations in- the rules of the Board of Trade ad- ported the emigrants from Hull to cluded First Class cabins for 200 mitted.” Glasgow or Liverpool. The Rail- people, Second Class cabins for way built a special waiting room 100 people and large compart- The ship usually left Göteborg late for the emigrants at their Hull Pa- ments with cots for 800 Third Thursday and would arrive at Hull ragon Railway Station. This wait- Class passengers. Saturday night or early Sunday ing room had facilities for the emi- morning. It would enter the Hum- grants to meet their ticket agents, The ship sailed from Glasgow and ber Dock Basin and tie up at the wash, use the toilet facilities and stopped at Moville, Ireland to refu- Steam Packet Warf. take shelter from the weather. el and take on fresh food and addi-

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 5 tional passengers. The amount and sengers could make coffee or tea. from mixing with the immigrants. quality of food was dictated by the Provisions were made to care for British Board of Trade. In their extremely seasick and bedridden The immigrants found their way advertisements the Anchor Line passengers. The ship was designed to the train station and travelled promised that passengers would with separate promenade decks for west to Chicago. From there they receive the following on their trip the Third Class passengers. One travelled north through Wiscon- to New York: was forward and one astern. The sin to Minnesota and Swedeland amidships pro- USA. When they “so much of the best food, proper- menade deck was ”Castle Garden was reached St. Paul, ly prepared as they could eat, na- reserved for First well known as a place Minnesota if it mely: Breakfast 9 a.m.; Tea, coffee and Second Class was in the early to or hot chocolate, sugar, bread and passengers. where criminals would mid 1880’s they butter or biscuits and butter. Din- try to cheat and steal would board the ner, 1 p.m.: Soup, beef or pork with The sailing time steam powered potatoes, with plum pudding on from Glasgow to from unsuspecting riverboat which Sundays. Supper 6 p.m. Tea, cof- New York was immigrants.” went up the St. fee, or hot chocolate, sugar, bread about 10 to 15 Croix River and and butter or biscuits and butter.” days. The S.S. Circassia made its stopped at Stillwater, Marine Mills last voyage in 1897 and was scrap- and other smaller villages. The last The ship usually had a Scandina- ped in 1900. By this time emigra- stop was St. Croix Falls. The im- vian interpreter on board. There tion had slowed to where there migrants would get off at one of were matrons who supervised the were not enough emigrants to keep the piers closest to where their re- section occupied by the single the ship in service. latives lived and hopefully be met women. The Line had a physician by their relatives now located in on board and a sick bay in each of In the 1880’s the immigrants di- Minnesota. By 1890 train tracks the sections. Two special sick bays sembarked in New York at the pro- had been built to provide service were located on the top deck for cessing location called Castle Gar- to the area known as Swedeland. people with contagious diseases. den. It was used for this purpose until the buildings at Ellis Island The immigrants usually lived with The cots were made of canvas were completed in 1892. Castle their relatives for one or two years and could be removed, when not Garden was well known as a place until they could earn money to buy in use during the day, making where criminals would try to cheat land to farm and build their own room for tables and chairs. The and steal from unsuspecting im- home. The first priority was for the sections were each equipped with migrants. Ellis Island was a much immigrant men to find work. The a little kitchenette where the pas- easier place to keep the criminals Swedes had worked in the forests of Sweden as lumbermen. The lumbering of the St. Croix River area was a very large industry em- ploying hundreds of men. The in- dustry started in 1840 and the last log to be sawed in the mills floated down the St. Croix River in 1914.

James Taylor Dunn, historian of the St. Croix River, states that from 1840 to 1903 the St. Croix valley produced enough lumber to build Between decks 75,000 houses. In 1879 the trees harvested averaged 55 meters in

6 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 height. In the year 1890 three and pigs and chickens. Then when they a half million logs floated down earned more money they would Paul Wahlquist has lived in Los the St. Croix River to be cut into build houses and barns from lum- Angeles, CA, for 40 years, but lumber at the sawmills. Plenty of ber. Immigrants who in Sweden he was born and raised in the jobs became available each winter had only been able to rent a “torp” Big Lake Area outside of Min- and Swedish immigrants already or had lived in the barn now be- neapolis. This is the place that skilled as lumbermen found work came owners of very large farms he still calls home. to earn money. in Swedeland USA. His grandparents were early pioneers, arriving in Big Lake The immigrants used the money in 1881. they earned working in the lumber Paul has written his family his- camps to buy land for their farms tory, and several local history and lumber to build a house and articles. He has also co-aut- barns. They first would build a log hored a book called Pioneers cabin, log barns, buy horses, cows, of the Big Lake Community. the digital race Update on Swedish Online Resources SVAR Genline Ancestry ArkivDigital Church records Västerbotten’s län. Complete Värmland’s län and Every län partly, except -1860 Partly Värmland’s and partly Älvsborg’s län. for ’s, Gävleborg’s, Jämtlands län. Jämtland’s, Stockholm’s, Västerbotten’s and Västernorrland’s län. Church records Complete Complete vital records Same as above Same as above 1860-95 (SCB extracts) Complete for husför- hörslängder Church records Partly - - - 1895-1905 Vital records Complete SCB extracts In production - Same as above 1898-1937 Taxation records Complete - - Partly 1642-1820 Census indexes Partly (1860,1870,) 1880 - - - Complete 1890,1900 Other records Convicts, military records - Emihamn passenger Court records, probate Indexes of seamen, vil- lists records, military records, lages and farms, ... school records, prison records, name registers Fee - lowest fee 50 kr (6,- USD) for 3 75 kr (10,- USD) for 24 Free to try, but 30,- 135 kr (18,- USD) for a hours hours USD for a month month Fee - annual fee 995 kr (135,- USD) 1495 kr (195,- USD) 300,- USD 1045 kr (140,- USD) (DIS Members offer) (DIS Members offer) Web site www.svar.ra.se www.genline.com www.ancestry.com www.arkivdigital.se

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 7 SwedGen Road Tour 2009

text: Olof Cronberg images: Charlotte Börjesson

Have you hit a brick wall in your This year the group will make the strations on how to use the various Swedish research or don’t know following stops: resources for Swedish genealogi- where to begin? cal and historical research. There • Saturday, October 3, will be presentations on Swedish A group of Swedish genealogists – Worcester, Massachusetts genealogical online resources, will be touring the United States • Wednesday, October 7, Swedish genealogical CDs and this autumn to teach and assist – Berlin, Connecticut Swedish emigration. New this Swedish-Americans in how to find • Thursday, October 15, year will be a presentation about their roots and how to do Swe- – Cambridge, Minnesota historical local maps available on- dish research. line at Lantmäteriet. • October 16-17, A group of four Swedish genealo- – St. Paul, Minnesota The tour participants will assist gists are touring the United Sta- individuals with their personal tes for the sole purpose of helping The group will lead a Swedish research. The group will have ac- Swedish-Americans learn more genealogy research day that will cess to Swedish online and CD about their heritage. These four in- include presentations and demon- genealogical resources, including dividuals participated in previous SwedGen tours and have decided Expectant Swedish descendants - to continue the tradition with the SwedGen Tour 2007, Minneapolis new SWEDGEN 2009.

On previous trips, the group has been successful in helping many individuals getting started with their research as well as breaking down many brick walls.

8 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 resources specific to regional areas Olof Cronberg is affili- such as Kalmar, Kronoberg, Jön- ated with the Computer köping, , Jämtland and Genealogy Society of Stockholm. In addition the group Sweden (DIS) and is the will have access to the Dalsland former editor of DIS’s project (70,000 names from Dals- newsletter, Rooted in land including emigrants), index Sweden. He has since of names for the Swedish Ameri- more than 30 years ex- can churches and additional names tensive experience wor- of emigrants not yet included in king with both Swedish the Emibas CD. and American genealo- gical resources. He has a very strong understan- The Swedish tour participants will From left: Anna-Lena, Charlotte, ding of the genealogical Olof, Anneli and Kathy be Anneli Andersson, Anna-Lena database, Disbyt. Olof Hultman, Charlotte Börjesson and was a participant in SwedGen Olof Cronberg. Kathy Meade, the 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Other Swedish Archival Resour- U.S. representative for Genline, ces Online will also be accompanying the Anna-Lena Hultman has been Swedish Church Records Online group. doing genealogical research for Farms and Villages (If possible) more than 20 years and is well- Anneli Andersson has been doing known as an expert on emigration Assuming that 3 people are availa- genealogical research since 1988, research and Västergötland. She ble to help at all times from 10:30 and has worked at the was one of the key persons in the to 4:30, there can be 6 individual museum and genealogy archive development of the Emibas CD, sessions per hour or 36 individual for over 17 years. At the archive, a CD with information on more consultations. she assists visitors with their re- than 1.1 million emigrants leaving search, and has taught classes in Sweden between 1845 and 1930. More information about the work- genealogy. Anneli is experienced She also guides many North Ame- shops and the lectures will be av- in helping North Americans to find ricans during the summer months ailable at: their Swedish roots, and has as- in locating their ancestor’s homes- www.dis.se/swedgentour/2009 sisted them in locating where their tead in Västergötland. Anna-Lena ancestors lived and where they are was a tour participant in SwedGen There will also be information buried. Anneli was a participant in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008. about how to sign up for one-on- SwedGen 2002, 2007 and 2008. one sessions. The SWEDGEN 2009 Research Charlotte Börjesson has been Day will be a great opportunity to doing genealogical research for get help with your Swedish genea- more than 20 years and has deep logical research. experience with both Swedish and American resources. She is Suggested Presenta- affiliated with the Computer Ge- tions: nealogy Society of Sweden (DIS) Introduction and her areas of expertise include How to Find Ancestors research within western Sweden from Sweden – Availa- as well as computer genealogical ble CD Resources research and photography. Char- Facts About Emigration lotte was a participant in SwedGen Swedish Genealogical 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008. Societies Online

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 9 Denver Swedish Directory 1910

text: Joachim Schönström images: from the CD

Family research wouldn’t be as names. The CD also convenient and exciting if it we- includes an English ren’t for all those databases and translation of all the CDs available to us by the work occupations mentioned of members of non-profit associa- in the directory, and of tions. One of those CDs is Swe- a foreword probably dish Directory of Denver, Colora- written by the publis- do 1910 which has been produced her: Adolf E Bundsen. by Denver based society SGSC. 99 years after it was The directory consists of adverti- written, the foreword makes very sements and the names and add- interesting reading. It’s a fervent resses of about 6,500 Denver in- speech, urging Swedes to come The CD can be bought from habitants with Swedish origin. together, and unite in the Swedish Swedish Genealogical According to the publisher, these “colony”, by supporting the Swe- Society of Colorado. names merely represent the heads dish businessmen and industries in of families, which means that the the city of Denver. Contact Kate Johnsson: total Swedish population would [email protected] be about 15,000, quite a substan- It’s also fascinating to learn that Price: $15 plus postage. tial community in a city of about the well known Swedish envy was 200,000. already deeply rooted in 1910. Ac- SGSC website: cording to the writer this is a threat www.rootsweb.ancestry. The text on the scanned images to their own self-preservation and com/~cosgs/ is interpreted by OCR, so you economic interests, and “ought to can search for specific words and be shoved out the door”.

10 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 text and images: Kjell S Andersson

Swedish Genealogical Society of Colorado

The picture above was taken ”on (SGSC) was founded in April • Collaborating with other ge- demand” on June 6, 2009, on the 2007, by a number of enthusiasts nealogical and cultural organi- Swedish National Holiday, outside with a burning interest for genea- zations for the benefit of our- the conference room at Denver logy in general, and, more im- selves and the general public. Public Library where Swedish Ge- portantly, for research on Swedish nealogical Society of Colorado ancestry in particular. The society already has some 80 (SGSC) had a meeting that day. members, all with Swedish family Kate Johnson, President of SGSC The purpose of the SGSC is to as- connections. We meet on a Satur- is the fourth person from the sist members in their genealogical day morning each month in Den- right. Kjell S Andersson is number research by: ver Public Library on 14th Street eight from the right. • Encouraging the pursuit and and Broadway, downtown Denver. All interested family historians SGSC is first out of what will ho- preservation of Swedish-Ame- rican family research; are welcome to take part, and we pefully become a series of presen- of course welcome new members. tations of Swedish-American ge- • Collecting, sharing, and disse- Some of us speak and write Swe- nealogical societies. Are you keen minating knowledge related to dish, and can help with transla- on presenting your society? Send Swedish genealogy; tions of both Swedish church re- an e-mail to [email protected]. • Sponsoring events related to cords and private letters. But we Swedish genealogical research would like to have more Swedish resources, methodologies, and speaking members. culture; The genealogy experience varies • Publishing materials to aid in from zero to 30 years. Myself, the research of Swedish an- I’ve had genealogy as a hobby cestry as they relate to immi- since 1975. I joined the society grants and their descendants in February last year. Since May living in the State of Colorado last year, I function as a “coach”, and the Rocky Mountain Re- which means that I explain how gion; you go about exploring and inter-

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 11 preting old Swedish parish regis- ters.

At our meetings, we’ve had lectu- res on very different topics. It has often been about finding your an- cestors by using various computer programs and databases, like Gen- line, Ancestry.com, and SVAR, and Swedish censuses on CD, among other things.

We’ve also had the privilege of hosting special guest speakers on particular themes. The themes for our monthly meetings this year Postcard from has been, for example:

• Family in a shoe box – introduc- of Aurora and SWEA (Swedish with translations and results of the tion to postcards for genealo- Women´s Educational Associa- research. In total 186 pages were gists. Speaker Dede Horan tion), arranged and hosted Swedish handed over to the participants on shared her extensive know- Family Research Fair, a genealogy their arrival in the morning. ledge of postcard history, and conference with international tra- demonstrated how you can use ces. Some 50 aspiring and already During the day, a number of lectu- postcards to illuminate your devoted genealogists participated. res were given by guest speakers family’s legacy and learn more and by me. The first guest spea- about local history. kers of the day were Kathy Meade, In the conference invitation, we sales manager for Genline in USA • Swedish emigration lecture. offered early registers the service and Canada. With her was the Recognized speaker, Erik of helping out with tricky research Swedish sales manager, Jan Eure- Gustavsson, director of the problems, and a private session nius. Together they described the Swedish American Center of with our “ex- Karlstad, Sweden presented perts”, discus- a lecture on Swedish emigra- sing solutions tion. to the problem. • Restoring Family Photographs. We received Paul Ternlund, SGSC member 16 requests, and active member of Denver some of which digital photo club, demonstra- were rather tes the restorative capabilities complex, and of Adobe Photoshop, presen- we soon rea- ting “before and after” views lized that we of family photos. wouldn’t be On display in the able to solve exhibition room Saturday, October 4, 2008 was an these problems important date for SGSC. After “on demand” planning and preparing during the at the conference, without doing services provided by Genline, and Spring of 2008, SGSC, in coope- extensive analyses beforehand. were also available for questions ration with Community College Instead, we produced 13 reports, during the day of the conference.

12 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 Jay Devaughn, Director of Library SWEA (Ansi McHugh) Colorado (Kate Johnson, Claire Services, Community College of Genline (Kathy Meade, Jan Eu- Schaeffer, Maryanne Patterson) Aurora, spoke about accessing in- renius) ternational data bases via different Svenska Skolan (Anna Rivero) We in the SGSC were very happy online catalogues. McPherson County Old Mill Mu- with the big interest shown during seum, Lindsborg, Kansas (Lenora the day, and the conference was a After the lunch break it was my Lynam, Lorna Nelson) complete success. turn. Based on two real case stu- Swedish Historical Society of Co- dies, I had prepared a step by step lorado (Roland Nilsson) This October, the SGSC will ar- description of how to find your Olsongraphics Keepsake Family range an outing to Lindsborg, Swedish ancestors. I also provi- Trees (Becky Olson) Kansas, to participate in the Swe- ded the listeners with hints on fin- Swedish Club (Roland Nilsson) dish festival there. We’re expec- ding alternate routes and revealing Swedish Genealogical Society of ting that 20-30 people will go on misspellings by priests. the bus trip.

The last lecture was given by Kjell S Andersson was born in infrastructure with 20,000 em- Lenora Lynam from McPherson Värmland but grew up in Vax- ployees in 60 countries. In Colo- County Old Mill Museum & Re- holm, north of Stockholm. He rado Springs he worked as CEO search Archives, Lindsborg, Kan- lived for 30 years in Täby, out- of Omnipoint Technologies Inc. sas. She spoke about finding infor- side Stockholm. He became a until his retirement in 2000. mation on soldier ancestors. She member of DIS as soon as it had turned out be very knowledgeable started. His membership num- Kjell’s own research is nowadays on Swedish military history and ber is 5. focused on finding as many de- military archives. scendants as possible of his ol- He moved to Colorado Springs, dest ancestor: Påvel Olofsson In an exhibition room, next to the in January 1997. At that time he Suhoinen. He was born in 1594 auditorium a number of organi- had worked for Ericsson in Kista in Finland, but settled in Lövåsen, sations were gathered, presenting for 16 years and since 1992 as Sunne, Värmland. Among the de- their activities. Those present the Head of Business Unit GSM scendants are many famous pe- were: ople, such as Tage Erlander, Buzz Aldrin and Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Join the DIS Society! His database just recently cros- sed the 15,000 mark. He has dis- Are you still not a member of the DIS Society? tant relatives all over the United States. One Saturday a month The DIS Society is the Computer Genealogy Society of Sweden and pro- he’s available for free genealogy duces this e-zine Rooted in Sweden. As a member you will also get access assistance during a whole day at to the DISBYT database with over 12 millon records, which covers a third of the total population who lived in Sweden before 1907. You will also get Fika coffee house in Parker, south access to DISPOS, which is a tool to make it easier to find indexes to of Denver. It can be about “jum- sources. It also provides a fast link to the Genline records. ping the pond”, finding the place from where the ancestors emi- We are already more than 26,500 members. You are also welcome to grated, and tracing backwards in join the DIS Society. Annual fee: USD 18,- including e-zine Rooted time and interpreting and trans- in Sweden. USD 24,- including the Swedish magazine Diskulogen. lating Swedish church records.

www.dis.se/english/

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 13 The bell tower at Ör church

An American in Dalsland

text and images: Paul Wahlquist

14 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 works. I drove south from the Mo favorite is on the point where you find Church hoping to find some ruins of the remains of the Dalaborg Medieval the old buildings. To my surprise I Castle. It was built in 1304 by King found the old ironworks was now the Birger’s two brothers Erik and Wal- clubhouse and buildings for the Fors- demar. When you visit the Castle ru- backa Championship Golf Course. ins and look at the beautiful view of The Dalsland visitors can have some the lake you understand why they se- very surprising experiences when ex- lected this location. The castle burnt ploring the land of their ancestors. down during civil unrest in 1434 and was never rebuilt. You will find the But visiting Dalsland should be more ruins on the lake shore just east of than just trying to find one’s family Grinstad. history. To start with the churches are very beautiful and often open for vi- My ancestors left Rännelanda in sitors. The church most often listed in 1881. When they emigrated many travel books is the one at Skållerud. families lived in the parish. Most of It is old and very ornate, definitely a the farming was done with horses must see. Also the paintings on the and needed many people using hand Next stop on our geographical tour of Sweden is Dalsland. Because of Forsbacka Ironworks / the extensive emigration of the Golf club 1880’s and 90’s, this is where many Americans of today have their an- cestral roots. One of these is Paul Wahlquist, who visited Dalsland some years ago.

On my first visit to Dalsland, some years ago, my first thoughts were to find the places where my ancestors had lived. I had already researched the Swedish Church records so I knew the parishes I wanted to visit. I even had the farm names for some ancestors. Finding the farms required detailed maps. Fortunately the Dals- pews of the Mo church are very att- tools to plant, cultivate and harvest land Museum in Mellerud sells excel- ractive. I found it different that the the crops. Now one tractor can do the lent parish maps from the late 19th bell towers for many of the old chur- work of many people. The women Century that show the farm names. ches are separate buildings. Some milked the cows, made butter and of the bell towers cheese. Now farmers have milking machines and trucks come to pick With the maps on ”When you visit the which I have found up the milk and take it to a dairy for the car seat along very interesting Castle ruins and look processing. Men went into the forests side of me, I drove are the towers for with hand saws and axes to cut trees to the parishes of at the beautiful view the churches at Ör that would be used for lumber or to Mo, Rännelanda, of the lake you un- and Järn. Högsäter and Fär- make charcoal. Now the lumberman gelanda. I found derstand why they Lake Vänern uses a gasoline powered saw that can the ruins of buil- forms the eastern cut down a tree in a few minutes. I dings where my selected this location.” boundary of Dals- think to myself, would there have ancestors lived before they emigrated land. It is the lar- been any way for my ancestors to to Minnesota. In Mo my ancestors gest inland lake in Europe. There are make a living if they had stayed in had worked at the Forsbacka iron- many places to view the lake, but my Rännelanda?

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 15 In the mid Eighteenth Century fami- were not so many big rocks in Min- lies from Dalsland emigrated to many nesota so it was much easier to clear Facts about Dalsland different parts of the United States the land for their farms. and Canada. They wrote back about Often called ”a Sweden in minia- the places where they had settled. But It also was easy because there were ture”, with its lakes, plains, and after driving around Dalsland. I can so many people from Sweden already even a ”fjäll”. The terrain con- see why the letters sent by the immi- living there. The ancestors of the fa- sists of 1/4 agricultural lands and grants who had settled in Minnesota milies where I grew up had emigrated 2/3 forested lands. along the upper St. Croix River Val- from Ör, Erikstad, Grinstad, Ränne- The Dalsland canal was comple- ley attracted so many of the people of landa, Bolstad, Dalskog, Sundals-Ryr ted in 1868 and has 28 locks in Dalsland. This area is so similar to and other parishes in Dalsland. Most its length of 254 km. where I grew up. adults could speak some Swedish. Now the beauty of Dalsland is that The people of Dalsland that moved it has not changed that much from Population: 51,330 to the upper St. Croix River Valley what it was like when my ancestors Area: 3,708 sq km did not need to learn how to live in a left in 1881. At that time Minnesota new country. The climate was almost looked like Dalsland. Now Dalsland Biggest town: Åmål, 9,400 inhabitants identical. They found many of the looks like Minnesota did when my trees, plants and wild animals were ancestors arrived there. Dalsland has Highest mountain: just like they had seen all their lives. the unspoiled look of forests and fa- Baljåsen, 308 metres But best of all there was plenty of mily farms. No large developments Largest lake:Vänern work for the men during the winter in with hundreds of houses. No large the forests along the St. Croix River industrial areas polluting the air. Just Dalsland tourism: Valley and there was plenty of avai- somewhere to remind one that not www.dalsland.com lable land to buy for a farm. Probably all places have become 21st Century the biggest difference was that there crowded cities.

in short... Obituaries on the Internet Arkiv Digital - English news Obituarieshelp.org is DIS has a deal with Arkiv Digital. As an online resource for a member you can buy a one year obituaries and genea- subscription for 1045 SEK. logy search in America. Search by state and you They’ve also introduced latest news will find a great number of newspa- in English. The rest of the website is pers included in the database. still only in Swedish, though. www.arkivdigital.se/englishnews Ancestors buried in Stockholm? Now you can search among 525,000 people buried in Stockholm. The website is translated into English. www.hittagraven.stockholm.se

16 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • august 2009 recession, and cut- postscript backs are being made all over, in public as well as A while ago I watched the American private organiza- film Miracle. It’s about the heroic tions. The currency achievement of USA’s Olympic ice is at an all time low, hockey team in Lake Placid in 1980. which means that They beat the Soviets in a historic many Swedes will semi final and went on to win the gold choose a domestic medals. As I understand, this happe- summer holiday. ned at a time when the American eco- There´s nothing nomy was at a low, unemployment wrong with that, was high and a general state of dis- but still… We are content was growing across the coun- in dire need of a try. At the same time relations with boost of morale, ge number of job opportunities. The the Soviet Union were as chilly as self confidence and belief in the fu- tabloid newspapers have already star- ever in the cold war, after the Soviet ture. And what symbolizes the belief ted to cash in on the wedding to be, entry into Afghanistan. All this made in the future better than a wedding? publishing ”save it and keep for the these young Americans’ victory so And what unites a nation more than a future-issues” on the Engagement. immensely important to the morale royal wedding? The craze will peak next year. We of a whole nation. The Soviets would will turn frantically royal for a while, have beaten USA on nine times out So, the announcement of the engage- the nation will be flooded by yellow of ten, but on the day when it really ment between crown princess Vic- and blue flags, and it will do us good. mattered, USA won and it gave the toria and her future husband Daniel Look out for news about it. Maybe the country a much needed boost. Westling could not have come at a happy tidings will spread across the better time. The wedding will be next Atlantic. Let’s hope so, it would do Like many other nations across the year, and until then it will generate an wonders for our self-esteem. globe, Sweden is now in a state of industry of its own and provide a lar- Joachim Schönström

DIS Society - Computer Genealogy Society of Sweden The DIS Society was founded in 1980 to ”to investigate methods and develop computer tools to support genealogy research, and in general stimulate Swedish genealogy”. DIS is an abbreviation of Datorhjälp i släktforskningen, which means Computer Aid in Genealogy. The abbreviation DIS is used in the Scandianavian countries, where there are sister societies. The DIS Society is a non-profit organization. There are seven regional DIS Societies working actively throughout Sweden and arranging meetings about several topics in Computer Genealogy. We also have a force of sixty faddrar, which are members that are experts giving support and help in the use of different genealogical softwares.

Since 1980, the DIS SOCIETY has developed a genealogical software called DISGEN, which is the leading software in Sweden. The current version is 8.1e. Currently, the software is only available in Swedish, but print-outs can be made in several languages including English. The software is easy-to-use and has a good support for source registration, producing print-outs and family books. It also has a unique possiblity to link your data to a Swedish map.

Since 1989, the DISBYT database has been used to find connections and exchange data between genealogists. In 1998, the da- tabase appeared on the Internet, making it even easier to find relatives. With more than 6000 participants and over 20 million records, the DISBYT database covers half of the total population who lived in Sweden before 1909.

The DIS SOCIETY publishes a quarterly magazine called DISKULOGEN in Swedish. From 2005, we have extended our efforts to also publish a newsletter in English called ROOTED IN SWEDEN, which is published as a pdf newsletter.

At present (April 2007), the DIS SOCIETY has more than 26,500 members. More than 600 are overseas members. Address: The DIS Society, Gamla Linköping, SE-582 46 LINKÖPING, SWEDEN Phone: Int prefix+ 46 13 14 90 43. Fax: Int prefix +46 13 14 90 91. Email: [email protected] Web address: www.dis.se Annual fee: USD 18,- incl Rooted in Sweden. USD 24,- incl the Swedish magazine Diskulogen.

august 2009 • rooted in Sweden no 7 • 17