(ISSN 0275-9314)
A journal devoted to Swedish American biography, genealogy, and personal history
Volume XXIX June 2009 No. 2 CONTENTS
Joseph B. Oakleaf’s journey ...... 1 by Steve Cox
Copyright © 2009 (ISSN 0275-9314) Else Andersdotter – a model for Kristina? ...... 5 by Elisabeth Thorsell Swedish American Genealogist The 2009 Olsson scholar ...... 7 Publisher: By Erika Jackson-Eckerly Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center Augustana College, Rock Island, IL 61201-2296 Those mysterious words, part 2 ...... 8 Telephone: 309-794-7204. Fax: 309-794-7443 By Elisabeth Thorsell E-mail: [email protected] Bits & Pieces ...... 9 Web address: http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/ AHA Gathering ...... 10 Editor: Elisabeth Thorsell Hästskovägen 45, 177 39 Järfälla, Sweden A couple of new CD databases ...... 11 E-mail: [email protected] By Elisabeth Thorsell
Contributing Editor: A Swede in Joliet prison ...... 13 Peter S. Craig. J.D., F.A.S.G., Washington, D.C. by Elisabeth Thorsell
Editorial Committee: Finding Sissa (and much more)...... 14 H. Arnold Barton, Carbondale, IL by Lisa Lindell Dag Blanck, Uppsala, Sweden The Swedish Colonial Society ...... 18 Dennis L. Johnson, Pottstown, PA by Herbert R. Rambo Ronald J. Johnson, Madison, WI Christopher Olsson, Stockton Springs, ME The Old Picture ...... 19 Priscilla Jönsson Sorknes, Minneapolis, MN Handwriting Example XXI ...... 20 Swedish American Genealogist, its publisher, editors, and editorial committee assume neither responsibility Volunteers to index Swedish records ...... 21 nor liability for statements of opinion or fact made by A little boy was killed ...... 22 contributors. by Elisabeth Thorsell Correspondence. Please direct editorial correspon- The solution to the Handwriting example ...... 24 dence such as manuscripts, queries, book reviews, announcements, and ahnentafeln to the editor in Book Reviews ...... 25 Sweden. Correspondence regarding change of address, back Interesting Web Sites ...... 30 issues (price and availability), and advertising should be directed to the publisher in Rock lsland. Genealogical Queries ...... 31 The Last Page ...... 32 Subscriptions. Subscriptions to the journal are $28.00 per annum and run for the calendar year. Single copies are $8.00 each. Swenson Center Associates are entitled to a special discounted subscription price of $15.00. Cover picture: Direct all subscription inquiries to the publisher in Rock Per (Peter) Svensson Lundin with his railroad crew in Colorado. Island. Peter is third from the left. Photo around 1900. (Lisa Lindell In Sweden the subscription price is 250.00 Swedish collection). kronor per year for surface delivery and 275.00 kronor See article on page 14. per year for air mail. This subscription fee may be deposited in our plusgiro account: 260 10-9, Swedish American Genealogist, c/o Thorsell, Hästskovägen 45, S-177 39 Järfälla, Sweden. Joseph B. Oakleaf’s boyhood journey to Kansas
– a sequel to B.P. Oakleaf’s reflections in SAG 1/09
BY STEVE COX
In 1869, when Joseph B. Oakleaf was daughters to make the trek to Kan- 1870s, about half of Moline (popula- not quite eleven years old, his Swed- sas: Charlie (born 1856), Joseph tion 7,800 in 1880) was Swedish.6 ish immigrant family left their home (1858), Junia (1862), Lydia (1866), Moline was a compact, lively in- in Moline, Illinois, to make a fresh and Emanuel (1868). Two children dustrial city, full of things for child- start farming virgin land in south- had died in Moline, and the last ren to see and savor – steamboats on eastern Kansas.1 Oakleaf child, Stephen, was born in the Mississippi, the railroad carrying Joseph Oakleaf remembered that 1871, two years after they arrived in goods and people to the West, the fire trek to the end of his days. Kansas.4 and smoke and bustle and rumble of His parents, Benjamin Peter (B. P.) workers and machines in the fac- Oakleaf (1827-1893) and Mary Oak- Neighbors tories: when the John Deere plow leaf (1830-1905), were among the few Just next door to the Oakleaf family shop worked late, the constant Swedes – no more than 1,400 of them in Moline lived Peter and Johanna pounding of the drop hammers rat- 2 – who came to America in 1854. Swanson, who had emigrated from tled the windows of the town far into 7 B. P. Oakleaf was twenty-seven Sweden in 1855, the year after the the night. years old and Mary twenty-four, Oakleafs, and their five daughters. In when, with two young children in tow, age, the Swanson sisters fit with the The Civil War came they sailed for America. Leaving Oakleaf children like cards expertly The Civil War added to the excite- their home near Melbystrand, on the shuffled. Augusta or Gustie Swanson, ment. Moline was far from the front, southwestern coast of Hallands län, the eldest, was born in 1855; she was but Gustie Swanson remembered, as they sailed from the port of Göteborg a year older than Joseph’s elder an eight-year-old girl, watching Con- on June 25, 1854. Their son Chris- brother Charlie Oakleaf. Then came federate prisoners, captured at the tian, two and a half years old, died at Lottie Swanson (1857), a year older Battle of Chattanooga of November sea. They landed in Boston forty-five than Joseph, and Nell Swanson 1863, being marched to the military days later and, along with other (1859), a year younger than Joseph, prison on Rock Island, visible from Swedes who had come on the same and Jenny Swanson (1862), the same Moline across a narrow channel of ship, the Oakleafs went directly to age as Joseph’s sister Junia, and Pau- the Mississippi River. Moline. A few days later, their seven- line Swanson (1869), the youngest The brick schoolhouse, built in teen-month-old daughter, Christina, Swanson, born in January 1869.5 1843, was a short three-block walk 3 also died. The Oakleafs and Swansons were from the Oakleafs’ home. The paper B. P. found a steady job in the S. W. among the few Swedes in Moline mill where B. P. worked was down- Wheelock paper mill, in Moline, and when they arrived, but more and town, six blocks away, and just five the Oakleafs started a new family. By more Swedes came until, by the blocks east and around the corner 1869, they had three sons and two was the home of Moline’s most pro- One of the early factories in minent citizen, John Deere, whose Moline. plow factory was the anchor of This is the wagon factory, Moline’s industry. but the others probably B. P. Oakleaf was an orphan who looked much the same. had made his way in Sweden as a The Swedish population soldier and had acquired, according grew from about 360 in 1860 to one chronicler, “a sound English to about 4100 in 1900, com- pared to the total population education.” Within six years of arri- of 19,700. ving in America, he held a personal
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 1 estate of $1,600 and real estate stat line some 140 miles directly valued at $600. His neighbor Peter south from Kansas City to the Swanson, a farmer in Sweden, had southeastern corner of Kansas, and worked in a sawmill for all of his from there almost directly west 40 fourteen years in Moline.8 miles to Mound Valley. Joseph re- membered the names of a string of The Oakleafs go west towns along the route, perhaps the B. P. Oakleaf was capable of better locations of inns where the party things than working at the paper stayed rather than making camp mill. And breathing the chemical each evening and breaking camp 11 fumes of the paper plant made him every morning. ill. He had once taken a three-year break from the paper mill and its The journey to Kansas fumes to try farming in the Rock Riv- In his reminiscence, Joseph wrote: er valley. Finally, his doctor recom- “Father could have purchased land mended that he go west for his around Kansas City for $10 an acre, health. but it was hilly and rough and he Joseph B. Oakleaf as a young man. After the Civil War, land in the didn’t think it was very good for West was opening up. Late in May farming. He wanted government short distance from the wagon road, 1869, B. P. Oakleaf and Peter Swan- land so he continued on south and and then we started up towards the son, both in their forties, quit their finally reached the quarter section on house. It was a little bit uphill all the factory jobs, left their families in which he lived when he died. way, and the light shone brightly. Moline, and went to Kansas, lured by “He reached there [Mound Valley, the prospect of good, cheap land.9 Kansas] about the first of June, 1869, Joy at meeting By riverboat, train, and wagon, and built a house. We ran ahead of Mr. Swensson and finally on foot, the two men made “Mother and we children left for [Swanson] and pounded on the door their way to Labette County in Kansas on the 20th day of September, and called “Papa, Papa, Papa.” He southeastern Kansas. By June 10 1869, and there were several immi- had gone to bed, for he didn’t know they had staked claims on Osage In- grants who had just come from when we were coming. He was dian land in the valley of Pumpkin Sweden who went with her. She had overjoyed to see us and we just hung Creek. About two miles from their to be the spokesman for all of them. onto him as though we could never claims, settlers were organizing a “We went to Rock Island [IIl.] and let go. The next day, the first of brand-new town, Mound Valley.10 took a steamboat for Quincy [Ill.] in October, was my birthday, and I was While B. P. Oakleaf settled his order to get the Wabash train, as that eleven years old. Kansas claim, Peter Swanson re- was the only railroad which went “The next day the caravan arrived. turned to Moline to spend the three through Kansas City. We took the Father had not seen the Petersons summer months organizing the move Wabash railroad at Hannibal [Mis- since we left them in Sweden, and and preparing to pilot a party of souri] for Kansas City. they surrounded him and left Moth- twenty or more Swedes to Kansas: “When we reached Kansas City, er sitting over on the wagon waiting his wife Johanna and their five Mother went out and hired a couple for him to come over to her. He was daughters, B. P. Oakleaf’s wife Mary, of wagons and two men to take the so bewildered he didn’t seem to know three Oakleaf sons and two Oakleaf caravan down through Kansas. We which way to turn, so finally she daughters, and, in addition, as B. P. passed through Fort Scott and Gir- called out, “Peter, don’t you know I recorded, “Swan Peterson and family, ard, they are the only towns I can am here too?” Then of course he came Carl Olson and family, Mr. Swan remember, and then on through Co- to his senses and helped Mother Larson, Mr. Sandburg and youngest lumbus, I remember that, and the down. daughter.” county seat of Cherokee County and “It was a wonderful evening, and Decades later, Joseph B. Oakleaf, Oswego, the county seat of Labette we didn’t get to sleep until early mor- the Oakleafs’ second son, recalled County. When we came to a hill ning. Just think of it! Some had to this adventure as seen through a halfway between Mound Valley and sleep out in the wagon, some under boy’s eyes. It was a fast trip – in home, he [Peter Swanson] pointed the wagon, and the rest crowded into eleven days, between September 20 out to us a light which shone from a the house, which was only thirteen and September 30, they traveled house not far distant, and he said by sixteen and beds were made on more than 520 miles, 180 of them by that was where Father lived. We were the floor. That was my first night on wagon caravan, averaging all told walking, and how jubilant we were the old homestead where I lived until better than 47 miles per day. For the that we would soon see Father. We the fall of ’76 when I went east to final part of the route, by wagon, the had not seen him since May. The school. party followed the Missouri-Kansas creek was low so we could ford it a 2 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 Moving to Kansas, B. P. Oakleaf Notes: 10) B. P. Oakleaf reminiscence, took the long view. Near his own 1) Ilene Oakleaf Bussman, Descen- Mound Valley (Kansas) Herald, claim, he also purchased a quarter dants of Benjamin Peter Oakleaf April 27, 1882, reprinted in Mound section of land for each of his sons, (2008), formatted by a second Valley Times-Journal, (Thursday, and three of the Oakleaf sons—Char- Oakleaf descendant, Anne Frank August 21, 1969). See also SAG lie, Emanuel, and Steve—farmed Chittenden. 1/09, p.1. there all their lives. Indeed the home 2) Hans Norman and Harald Run- 11) Reproduced in Bussman, p. 12. place remained in the Oakleaf family blom, Transatlantic Connections: 12) Until 1976, after the death of his 12 for more than a century . Nordic Migration to the New grandson, Marcus Oakleaf, in B. P. Oakleaf also joined with other World After 1800 (Oslo: Nor- 1974. Bussman, p. 14. civic-minded settlers in building the wegian University Press, 1988), p. 13) As he testifies in his own re- community of Mound Valley. He was 115. miniscence and as recalled by his among those investing in stores and 3) Bussman, p. 11. granddaughter, Gertrude Oakleaf encouraging business ventures, and 4) Bussman, pp. 11, 12. Belknap, Bussman, p. 14. until the government established a 5) Birth dates of Swanson daughters 14) William G. Cutler, History of the post office in Mound Valley, B. P. in membership roll of the First State of Kansas (1883), chapter on Oakleaf himself carried the mail Lutheran Church of Moline Chautauqua County. Peru, Kan- seventeen miles from the county seat, (founded as the Swedish Evan- sas, is coincidentally the birthplace 13 Oswego. gelical Lutheran Congregation in of Madelyn Dunham (born 1922), Moline), in Swenson Swedish the grandmother of President Ba- Son Joseph goes to Immigration Research Center, rack Obama. school Augustana College, Rock Island, 15) Bussman, pp. 12, 19. Still, the quiet farm town of Mound Illinois. Valley stood in contrast to the busy 6) Lilly Setterdahl, Swedes in Mo- little industrial city of Moline. School- line, Illinois, 1847-2002 (Moline: ing was sketchy, and B. P. Oakleaf Universal Publishers, 2003), p. 17. seems to have recognized that by 7) John Diehl, a John Deere em- nature his son Joseph was meant for ployee of 1874, described the shop business, not farming. By age fifteen, of earlier days, as quoted in Wayne Joseph was clerking in a store in the G. Broehl, Jr., John Deere’s Com- larger nearby town of Independence, pany: A History of Deere & Com- Kansas, and then in Peru, a smaller pany and Its Times (New York: and newer town, founded in 1870 Doubleday, 1984), p. 230. further west in Kansas.14 8) Bussman, pp. 11, 12, 13, citing In 1876, which he called “the year William G. Cutler, History of the of the great grasshopper plague,” Jo- State of Kansas (1883), Labette seph Oakleaf went east to Bailey’s County, Part 29, Biographical Mercantile College in Keokuk, Iowa, Sketches. Moline city directories on the Mississippi River about a list Peter Swanson as working as hundred and twenty miles down- a “lastmaker” (probably a mis- stream from Moline. spelling of lathmaker; 1856) and On graduation, he returned to his sawyer (1867). birthplace, Moline. Within three 9) Bussman, p. 12; B. P. Oakleaf years, he married Josephine Ander- refers to Peter Swanson as Peter Joseph B. Oakleaf as an elderly man. son, a daughter of Swedish immi- Sfanson, and Joseph refers to Pe- grants who came to America on the ter Swanson as Svennson. The same ship with B. P. and Mary Swanson family left Kansas for Oakleaf, twenty-five years before. Colorado in 1876 (perhaps as a In Moline, Joseph B. Oakleaf result of the grasshopper plague became a successful lawyer and a that Joseph mentions) and seems well-known collector of books and to have disappeared from the The author is manuscripts concerning Abraham Oakleafs’ awareness. (The eldest Steve Cox Lincoln. He wrote this memoir in Swanson daughter, Augusta, mar- 5242 E. Alhambra Place April 1930, just two months before ried a local farmer, Charles Tib- Tucson AZ 85711 he died at age sixty-two.15 bets, and raised her family on the (520) 795-0315 Tibbets’ farm near the Oakleaf E-mail:
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 3 Else Andersdotter – one of the models for Kristina?
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
In SAG 2/08 we told the story of An- drew Peterson, who left Sweden as Anders Pettersson in 1850 and be- came a farmer in Minnesota. He wrote diaries for many years, and author Vilhelm Moberg used those as part of the sources that described Karl Oskar Nilsson’s life in Minne- sota. Andrew’s wife Else Andersdotter is seldom mentioned. Still she was an important part of the pioneering life. She was born in 8 Oct. 1835 at Brunslöv #8 in the parish of Östraby in Malmöhus county, the eighth child of the rusthållare and shoemaker Anders Ingemansson and his wife Elna Olsdotter. Anders died 3 May 1851 in Brunslöv (of a long-lasting illness), and his widow had to care for all the children. In the later 1850s Elna immigrated to the U.S., and so did at least six of her children, and they all seem to have settled in Minnesota. Most of the children seem to have used vari- ations of their father’s patronymic as surnames; Ingeman, Ingemanson and Engman). Else soon (15 Sep. 1858 in Waconia, MN) married Andrew Peterson and started her life as a pioneer wife. Andrew and Else (called Ellen and Elsie in the various censuses) lived the rest of their lives on a farm in Laketown, Carver County, Minne- sota. Andrew died 31 March 1898. They had nine children but none of them had any children in their turn. In the 1920 census Elsie Peterson is still the “head” of household, and with her lived son John (56), son Charlie (54), son Frank J. (52), daugh- ter Emma R. (49), and son Oscar B. (41). Elsie died 8 March 1922 in Car- ver County, MN. Picture of Else Andersdotter Peterson around 1890–1900.
4 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 Else Andersdotter’s ancestors
1 Else Andersdotter, born 8 Oct 1835 He moved to Skartofta in 1842, not Generation II in Brunslöv 8, Östraby, M [C]. Died followed. 8 Mar 1922 in Scandia/Waconia, Margareta Andersdotter, born 20 Feb 4 ff Ingeman Mårtensson. Lodger MN, USA. To the U.S. in 1858. 1823 in Tulsåkra, Östra Sallerup, (husman) at Bjälkhults hus in (Father 2, Mother 3) M. She probably stayed in Sweden. Fränninge, M. (Child 2) Married 15 Sep 1858 in Scandia/ Elna Andersdotter. Born 2 Mar 1825 Married 30 Sep 1781 in Öved, M [E] Waconia, MN, U.S.A. to Andrew in Tulsåkra, Östra Sallerup, M. to the following ancestor. (Anders) Peterson, born 20 Oct To America in 1856 with her hus- 1818 in Sjöarp, Västra Ryd E. Died band Hans Olsson Ringius and Children: 31 Mar 1898 in Scandia/Waconia, their children. They evidently soon Anna Ingemansdotter, born 23 Jan MN, U.S.A. came back, as they emigrated 1785 in Bjelkhults hus, Fränninge, again 1868 from Västerstad par- M [C]. Children: ish, also in Malmöhus län (Emi- Anders Ingemansson, born 31 Aug Ida Peterson, born 5 Aug 1859. Died bas). 1788 in Bjälkhults hus, Fränninge, 2 Nov 1900. Hanna Andersdotter, born 2 Mar M [C]. Died 3 May 1851 in Bruns- George “Sture” Peterson, born 19 Feb 1827 in Brunslöv, Östraby M. To löv 8, Östraby, M [Östraby F]. (See 1861. Died 21 Dec 1928. America in 1858 with her husband 2). John “Axel” Peterson, born 16 Dec Ola Johansson and their five child- 1862. Died 6 Mar 1930. ren. 5 fm Elna Persdotter. (Child 2) Charles Peterson, born 8 Apr 1865. Bengta /Bertha Andersdotter, born Married 30 Sep 1781 in Öved, M [E] Died 30 Oct 1941. 14 May 1829 in Brunslöv, Östraby to the previous ancestor. Frank Peterson, born 29 Oct 1867. M. She might have emigrated too, Died 22 Jun 1921. but is not found in Emibas. 6 mf Ola Larsson, born 17 Feb 1752 Emma Peterson, born 11 Apr 1870. Anna Andersdotter, born 12 Apr 1831 in Östraby, Östraby M. Died 30 Oct Died 17 May 1943. in Brunslöv, Östraby, M. To Amer- in Sniberup 10 in Östraby. Farmer Anna Peterson, born 14 May 1872. ica in 1858, probably in the com- at Sniberup 10, Östraby. (Child 3). Died 19 Sep 1889. pany of her mother and sister Else. Married 1st 21 May 1779 in Östraby Josephine Peterson, born 13 Aug Ola Andersson, born 27 Nov 1833 in [E] to Truen Nilsdotter, born 4 Dec 1875. Died 18 Oct 1908. Brunslöv, Östraby, M, not followed. 1749 in Östraby. Died 18 May 1793 Oscar Peterson, born 3 Dec 1878. Died Else Andersdotter, born 8 Oct 1835 (in childbed) in Sniberup, Östraby. 24 Jul 1941. in Brunslöv 8, Östraby, M [C]. Married 2nd to the following an- Died 8 Mar 1922 in Scandia/Waco- cestor. nia, MN, U.S.A. (See 1). Generation I Elisabet Andersdotter, born (twin) 21 Children: Jun 1840 in Brunslöv, Östraby, M. 1. Ingar Olsdotter, born 4 Apr 1780 2 f Anders Ingemansson, born 31 Aug To America in 1858. Lived at in Sniberup, Östraby M. 1788 in Bjelkhults hus, Fränninge, Brunslöv nr 8. (Emigranten Popu- 1. Bolla Olsdotter, born 5 Mar 1783 M [C]. Died 3 May 1851 in Bruns- lär, Emipass) in Sniberup, Östraby M. löv 8, Östraby, M [Östraby Death Johannes Andersson, born (twin) 21 2. Elna Olsdotter. Born 13 Sep 1798 records]. He was a rusthållare and Jun 1840. Died 6 Apr 1841 in in Sniberup, Östraby M. (See 3). shoemaker, first at Tulsåkra in Brunslöv, Östraby, M. Östra Sallerup, Malmöhus län, 7 mm Margareta Svensdotter? born and moved with his family in 1825 3 m Elna Olsdotter, born 13 Sep 1798 1753 in Östraby, M (Child 3) to Östraby, also Malmöhus län, in Sniberup, Östraby, M. To Amer- Married to the previous ancestor. where he lived the rest of his life. ica in 1858. -0-0-0- Ref: Östraby AI:3:254. (Child 1, Fa- (Child 1, Father 6, Mother 7) ther 4, Mother 5) Married 16 April 1820 in Östraby to Married 16 April 1820 in Östraby to [C] = date from birth records the following ancestor. the previous ancestor. [E]= date from marriage records [F]= date from death records Children: M = code letter for Malmöhus län Nils Andersson, born 17 Feb 1821 in (Research by Birgitta Rääf, Lena Kind- Tulsåkra, Östra Sallerup, M [C]. stedt, and Elisabeth Thorsell) Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 5 Your link to your history!
We have many new, exciting resources for Tax records The researchers. 1880 Swedish Here we mention (mantals- Census just a few – there is längder) now covers most of much more on our from 1642–1820. the län. Missing is web site! Earlier than the only church records. Parish indexes! Blekinge. 1897–1938 Scanned extracts from the Swedish Civil Registration. Births, Marriages New and Deaths, and The scans of the Census Gazetteer from original Mormon 1930. the 1880s by Carl microfilms for half Martin Rosenberg the län in Sweden. is now available on Try Ervalla parish our web site! in Örebro län Parishes, farms, for free! and much more. www.svar.ra.se
Contact us at [email protected] SVAR, Box 160, S-880 40 Ramsele, Sweden. Phone + 46-10-476 77 50. Fax + 46-10-476 77 20.
6 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 News from the Swenson Center The 2009 Olsson scholar – Erika Jackson-Eckerly
Erika Jackson-Eckerly of Michigan agencies within the city, but would focus on representations of Scan- State University, East Lansing, Mich- place advertisements in papers such dinavians in the media and in public igan has been named the Olsson as the Chicago Tribune and the Chi- dialogue, as well as the experiences Scholar for 2009. cago Daily News which would note of work within the urban sphere. At Ms. Jackson-Eckerly is working on their preference for Swedish, Nor- the Swenson Center, the source that a project which she describes as wegian, or Danish women and men appears to be the most vital to my follows: as workers in their palatial homes. study is journalist Inge Lund’s im- The focus of my dissertation, titled These combined social practices pressions of the working conditions “Scandinavian Preferred”: Nordic would create a vital public discourse of Swedish immigrant domestics in Ethnic Identity, Gender, and Work focused on representations of how her work, En Piga i U.S.A.: ett penn- within Chicago, 1879-1933,” centers Americans perceived Scandinavians. skafts äventyr – this perspective of on the public and private represen- Therefore, my dissertation links the an outsider to the job but an insider tations of Swedish, Norwegian, and importance of these urban and sub- to the culture would help to better Danish women and men who navi- urban spaces to the ways in which contextualize my discussion of Swe- gated Chicago and transformed city Scandinavians made use of such dish domestics at the turn of the spaces into their adopted homes. At perceptions to meet their needs, as century. There are a number of works the peak of migration from the many were able to find success and that also appear to explore the his- Northern and Western European eventually move into the suburban torical dichotomy of work and home, countries to America in the 1880s, edges of the city. including Allan T. Nilson’s book, They several editorial commentators The ultimate goal of my study is Built Railway Cars on the Swedish would create nativist dialogues that to create a narrative that employs the perspective of the Pullman experi- conceived of Nordic ethnicity as fall- study of labor, immigration/emigra- ment; documents from Chicago’s ing into the upper echelons of an tion, ethnicity, women and gender, Immanuel Woman’s Home; and Per imagined social pyramid. consumer culture, and sexuality in Nordahl’s Weaving the Ethnic Fabric Following these commentaries an effort to better understand the on Swedish-American radicals in within newspapers, many Chicago- experiences of Scandinavian im- Chicago. Within my work, I am also ans began to form very specific so- migrants in Chicago. Within my re- looking to expand upon the evidence cial conceptions of the “typical” Scan- search of Scandinavian immigrants, of immigrant voices by using Anna dinavian – images focused on both I hope to move past older frameworks Larson’s recollections of Chicago’s the physical and behavioral ideals of and interpretive methods to incor- suburban regions in the 1880s in Nordic identity, equating Scandina- porate more contemporary and ana- Mom’s Letters Home, and by explor- vian women with fair beauty and lytical concepts, including the study ing additional archival collections men with a virile, yet gentle brand of ethnic identity and cross-cultural held at the Swenson Center. For my of masculine traits. The World’s contact; comparative study of the final chapters that focus on the Columbian Exposition of 1893 would dichotomy between the urban and growth of Scandinavians in the play a vital role in the transmission suburban experiences of Scandina- middle- to upper-classes, I intend to of such ideals, as Sweden’s and Nor- vian immigrants within Chicago; in- compare the records of the Swedish way’s pavilions represented their terpretation of cultural symbols to Blue Books from 1927 through 1930 own as well-educated, poised, and explore the creation of spatial, phys- to a collection of sources I have culturally proud – even in the wake ical, and emotional ties Scandina- located at North Park University in of nativist calls for acculturation into vians formed with their cities and Chicago. In completing my disserta- American society for all who wished neighborhoods; and gender analysis tion research, I am eager to explore to be “American.” to investigate the identities and ex- the archival and library holdings at In this era, the urban elite of Chi- periences of Scandinavians as men the Swenson Center and am con- cago’s Prairie Avenue district and the and women at work, home, and lei- fident that these materials will be North Shore regions would come to sure. essential to my study of Scandina- view Scandinavians as equally trust- For my dissertation, I am current- vians in Chicago. worthy and poised, and would not ly in the process of drafting my only seek the services of recruiting second and third chapters, which Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 7 Those mysterious words – what do they mean? Part 2
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
Koja from 1701 for the kronobonde to buy This type of land could not be sold A koja is a very small, probably also the land, and he had priority to buy out of the extended family, unless poor, cottage. My dictionary trans- the farm he lived on. This is called nobody wanted it. The intended sale lates it as a “hovel.” “skatteköp” and there are records had to be announced (uppbjudet) at about these purchases that can give three court meetings. If nobody in the Bonde (pl. bönder) a description of the various fields and family complained, then the buyer other properties belonging to the would get his land title (lagfart) In general it means farmer, but there farm, and also the price that was during the fourth court meeting. were three kinds of farmers: paid. Land that people had purchased 1) skattebonde; he owned his land, themselves (avlingejord) was easier the children could inherit it, and he Inheritance of farmland to sell, but still had to be announced paid his taxes to the Crown directly. at three court meetings. 2) frälsebonde; he farmed land be- When a skattebonde died, one of his The records for purchases of land longing to a nobleman (adelsman), children usually took over the farm, are kept in the records of the local and paid his taxes to the nobleman, and after evaluation paid the siblings court (häradsrätt), and are micro- who kept it, as the nobility was their share of the value. The distri- filmed to the mid-1800s. During the exempt from ordinary taxes. After bution of the inheritance (arvskifte) 1800s the documents in possession 1789 a frälsebonde was able to buy was regarded as a private matter, of the farmer about land purchases the land he had rented from his and does not often show up in the start to be listed in the estate in- landlord. records of the local court. ventories (bouppteckningar). 3) kronobonde; he farmed lands But it was a different matter if the farmer wanted to sell land. If he had belonging to the Crown and paid his Försvarslös taxes to the Crown, It was possible inherited it, it was called “arvejord.” In the old days you had to have a steady job, like being a farmer, a tenant farmer, a craftsman, or be hired as a dräng or piga for a year. If you did not have a master who gave you protection (försvar) and who could write a testimony for you, you might end up as being regarded as a vagrant (lösdrivare). A vagrant could be arrested and taken to the county capital (residens- staden), and interrogated. These interrogations (förhör) are still to be found in the county records. If your answers were not satisfac- tory, you might end up in the en- listed army, or be sentenced to work in a state-owned quarry. Women usually were sent to a female prison, where they worked spinning for factories. If a vagrant could find somebody The interior of a “koja” in Åsle, Västergötland. Imagine man, wife and six kids in the in the home parish to give him/her a one room! job, he/she was released. 8 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 Bits & Pieces
Olov Isaksson Award to Dr Peter S. Craig Chicago SAMAC Lilly Setterdahl Receives Award Volunteer Awards The Bishop Hill Society in Sweden In April 2009 a Volunteer Appreci- has decided to award the 2009 Olov ation Dinner was held at the Swed- Isaksson Prize to Lilly Setterdahl of ish American Museum in Chicago. East Moline, Illinois. Each year the museum honors a The Society described Setterdahl “Volunteer of the Year.” This year as one of the most widely traveled they honored two people who have documenters of immigration history. done a lot of work to redo the Nordic They noted her translation and pub- Family Research Room in the mu- lishing of letters from Bishop Hill seum, now renamed the Nordic Fam- settlers to Sweden, her extensive im- ily Genealogy Center. The award migration research that she and her recipients were Susan Jackson and late husband, Lennart Setterdahl, Wayne Nelson, both longtime mem- carried out as they traveled within bers of the annual SAG Workshop in the U.S. interviewing and recording Salt Lake City. oral histories of Swedish Americans, Thanks to Shirley Koelling for and the resulting cultural and histo- sharing this piece of news! And rical research articles and books that congratulations to Sue and Wayne! she has published. Dr. Peter S. Craig will receive the Swedish Colonial Society’s Lifetime The Swedish Achievement Award at the Cen- Genealogical Society tennial Jubilee Dinner of the Society Has a New President on 23 October 2009 in Philadelphia. In April 2009 Tomas Risbecker was Dr. Craig is considered the authority elected president of the Genealogiska on the genealogy and biography of Föreningen, or The Swedish Genea- the Swedes who settled in New logical Society, that started in 1933. Sweden in the 17th century. He is also The society has had its ups and a descendant of many of them. downs, but now seems to be regaining Dr Craig is also a Contributing its strength. It has revived its jour- Editor of SAG. SAG sends its congrat- nal Släkt och Hävd, which ceased ulations! publication a couple of years ago. The SAG congratules Lilly! society has initiated a project to Swedish Consulates in digitize its extensive collections, Dalsland Conference on the U.S. to be Closed beginning with the large number of At a press conference held 23 July press clippings of births, marriages, 13–15 August 2010 and deaths from the 1930s onwards. The three-day Emigration Confe- 2009, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt, disclosed that the The society has also recently pub- rence starts with a tour of Dalsland lished a CD with 7,000 Stockholm on Friday, continues with seminars consulates general in New York and Los Angeles will be closed in 2010. divorces from the 1800s. at Kulturbruket Mellerud on Satur- Tomas Risbecker is a longtime day, and concludes with a church ser- The cutbacks, which also include con- sulates in other countries, have been SAG reader. He is now working on a vice on Sunday. The conference fee book about brigadier general Carl includes Friday lunch and supper, made necessary to restore order to the finances of the Swedish Minis- Johan Stålbrand, a.k.a. Carlos J. Saturday lunch, snacks and banquet, Stohlbrand of Civil War fame. and Sunday church coffee with Swe- try of Foreign Affairs. For the last years, since 2006, the ministry has a dish sandwiches. www.genealogi.net See a link on page 30. total deficit of 50 million SEK. (Svenska Dagbladet 23 July 2009). Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 9 AHA Gathering VII at Augustana Celebrates Sesquicentennial
The Augustana Heritage Gathering Symposia and lectures are now A registration form will be in the VII in Rock Island, Illinois, next June being developed to tell the many Augustana Heritage Association Fall 10-13 will offer special opportunities stories of Augustana ministries, with Newsletter which is sent to all mem- to remember the beginnings of the special emphasis on the role of bers of AHA. To become a member, historic Augustana Synod and its in- women and foreign ministries. Topics check out the web site. stitutions during this 2010 Sesqui- include the Americanization of the centennial Year of its founding in Augustana Synod, founder Lars Paul Välkommna! 1860. Esbjörn’s continued contacts with, Archbishop Anders Wejryd of the and interest in, the Augustana Syn- Church of Sweden, himself a former od after returning to Sweden, Au- exchange student in Sparta, Michi- gustana hymnody, and the impact of gan, has confirmed his participation, Augustana traditions on contempo- as have ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson, rary church life and ministry. and Bishop Gary Wollersheim of the A day tour of Augustana Synod Northern Illinois Synod. immigrant sites in the area is being In recognition of the role played planned to include the Jenny Lind by Swedish operatic star Jenny Lind Chapel and Augustana Lutheran in funding early Augustana minis- Church at Andover, and nearby sites tries, Sweden will also send its 2010 related to its earliest ministries, in- Jenny Lind Travel Scholarship win- cluding First Lutheran Church of ner and her accompanist to the Moline and other locations in and gathering for a special Friday eve- around the Quad Cities. ning Jenny Lind concert, in con- Remember your heritage. Enjoy a nection with traditional Midsummer Midsummer celebration. Explore the festivities. legacy of the Augustana Synod.
Web site: www.augustanaheritage.org The Rev. Lars Paul Esbjörn (1808–70), E-mail (local contact): [email protected] the founder of the Augustana Synod. Phone (AHA at LSTC): 1-800-635-1116 ext. 712 Photo courtesy of Special Collections, Augustana College, Rock Island.
Bishop Mark Hanson of Bishop Gary Wollersheim of Jenny Lind, singer. Archbishop Anders Wejryd of Sweden. the ELCA. the Northern Illinois Synod.
10 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 A couple of new Swedish CD databases
During the annual Genealogy Days 2. Nixon (Necessary (Släktforskardagarna) held every IndeX Of Names) year in different locations, this time in Falköping, a number of new CD- Since 1994 the staff of the regional databases were shown. Some of them archives of Vadstena has been work- might be of interest to some of the ing on indexing a large number of SAG readers. books of genealogy and biography, mostly concerning the area of Öster- götland, Småland, and Öland. By 1. Divorced in now the database contains some Stockholm 500,000 names with a reference to the name of the book, and even a number of sources in the archive. The search interface is a little bit unusual, in that you will have to remember to use capitals in names, The PLF cds, there are four of them, not bjälbo, but Bjälbo, nor lundin, but can be very useful if used with care. Lundin. All dates must be checked in the ori- ginal records, just as in all other data- bases. For more information, see the link on page 30.
Some other CD:s There are new versions in the works This CD lists 7,220 divorces regis- for both the Kronoberg and the Jön- tered in the minutes of the Stock- köping area databases. holm City Consistory, which was the For Blekinge Björn-Åke Petersson court of the church in Stockholm. The has produced 3 CD:s with tran- database is searchable on the first scriptions of the introductions in the name and the surname of the people estate inventories (bouppteckning) involved. A hit shows the date of the for the Östra härad (1737–1840), for Nixon costs about 395 SEK, and more decision in the Consistory, and then Karlskrona city (1790–1828) and for information can be had by e-mailing you would have to contact the Stock- the Medelstad härad (1699–1799).
save nearly on a annual genline subscripion! Register with Genline as a new member and enter GENCOM990 in the Special Coupon Box and redeem. If you are a current member, sign in and enter GENCOM990 in the Special Coupon Box and redeem. If you have a current subscription, your purchase will be added to your current subscription. Expiration date, December 31, 2009. 1005 SEK is approximately $141 based on currency exchange rate as of 8/5/2009.
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12 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 A Swede in Joliet prison
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
How many of your 19th century an- In the prison record it says that 3 years in prison, he probably showed cestors do you know this much about? Otto’s father died when Otto was 25 good conduct. This young man evidently ran years old, and Erland Nord did die 7 He is not found in the 1900 U.S. afoul of the law and ended up in Joliet Aug. in 1885, according to Fliseryd Federal Census, but in 1910 he is liv- Prison, Joliet, Illinois. AI:11, p. 338. ing in Rockford, Winnebago County, This is what the prison records tell Of Otto’s siblings his sister Maria IL, and works as a finisher in a about him: Sofia, born 9 May 1863, left on 11 Nov. furniture factory. He is married to 1883 for Galesburg (Emihamn). A Mathilda Christine, a fellow Swede, Name: Otto Nord few years later sister Emma Julia, born ca 1871, and they had been Date of reception: 23 Dec. 1886 born 23 July 1866 in Fliseryd, left for married for seven years (ca 1903). Number: 8044 America on 5 Sept. 1887 (not found She probably was a widow as there County Court: Knox in Emihamn). were children in the family older Crime and sentence: Horse stealing, than that: Edward (18), Walter R (16), 3 years 6 months In America Norma M (14), and Harold E (10). The Age: 26 Otto had a ticket for Galesburg when youngest was Ture L. Nord, born ca Height: 5 ft 8½ he left from Göteborg on 19 May 1904. By 1930 they are still in Rock- Weight: 170 1882, and so far nothing more is ford; Otto is now a janitor in an apart- Complexion: Medium dark known about his early life in the U.S., ment building, and stepson Edward Eye color: blue except that he was sentenced in Knox S. Olson is an assistant in a bottling Hair color: brown County in 1886. If he for some rea- factory. Nativity: Sweden son had to steal a horse, then he So after his time in prison Otto Occupation: farm laborer probably was wise to do it in the more Nord came back to an ordinary life, Religion: catholic [!??] civilized part of the country; further which probably was a blessing for Education: R & W 4 years out west he might have been hanged him, instead of becomign one of the Habits (alcohol): moderate from a tree. many “missing Swedes.” Are parents living? Or As he was released after less than A link to the prison records is found age of prisoner when on page 30. parents died: Mother living, father age 25. Father’s POB: Sweden Mother’s POB: Sweden Age of prisoner when he left home: 22 Conjugal staus: single When discharged: 23 Oct. 1889
In Sweden What was Otto’s background? Ac- cording to Emibas Otto Ludvig was born 23 March 1860 in Fliseryd in Kalmar län, one of at least seven children of the homestead owner Er- land Nord (b.1823 in Döderhult) and his wife Maria Persdotter (b. 1831 in Döderhult). When Otto left home in 1882 for the trip to the U.S., they all lived at Kvarntorp 1 in Fliseryd. Joliet Prison, where Otto Nord spent almost 3 years.
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 13 Finding Sissa (and much more)
– A journey into the past
BY LISA LINDELL
In 1997, my article “Searching for There we found a Sissa Jönsdotter are listed on the same page in the Sissa” appeared in the Swedish born in Fogdakärr, Bräkne-Hoby, on village of Agerum.4 Their close American Genealogist.1 Over a dec- the exact date as our Kansas Sissa. proximity explains how they would ade later, I am still engaged in and This Sissa Jönsdotter moved to have known each other prior to Nils’s fascinated by the pursuit of family Gammalstorp parish in 1860 and left immigration to America in 1868 and history. Although I know little Swed- there for America in 1869, shortly the couple’s marriage upon Sissa’s ish beyond a few basic terms and am after my great-great-grandfather arrival in 1869. certainly a genealogy amateur, a Nils Jönsson emigrated from the Even before I became certain of breakthrough in the Sissa search and same parish.3 (Unlike with Sissa, her identity, I had begun searching recent discoveries on a related line Nils’s immediate ancestry and path the Bräkne-Hoby records to find have rekindled my excitement in from Sweden to America were, happi- Sissa Jönsdotter’s ancestry. I was tracing my Swedish roots. In my re- ly, straightforward to track.) able to follow her father’s line back search, I have relied upon the indis- one generation and her mother’s line pensable work of family members, The right Sissa! back two generations. But then I record keepers, and genealogists, and In my 1997 article, I could not state came up against a seemingly insur- have greatly benefited from the with certainty that the Sissa Jöns- mountable barrier, caused by the loss wealth of information and original dotter we had found in the Swedish of critical church records in nine- records now accessible online. records was my great-great-grand- teenth century fires in the parishes “Searching for Sissa” was the story mother. Since that time, however, I of Jämshög (Blekinge län) and of researching my great-great-grand- have discovered parish records which Näsum (Kristianstad län) where mother (the mother of my father’s wholly convince me that we do indeed Sissa’s parents were from. I had al- maternal grandmother). Swedish- have the right Sissa. most given up tracing the line further born Sissa was a Kansas immigrant In two household examination rolls when I serendipitously happened who died in 1887 at the age of forty- (husförhörslängder) from Gammals- upon http://www.jamshog.net/, a 2 one. Surviving her were her hus- torp parish in the 1860s, the Sissa website devoted to the local history band Nels (whom she had married we had traced from Bräkne-Hoby of Jämshög and Kyrkhult parishes. in Illinois) and ten children. The and my great-great-grandfather Nils Scarcely daring to hope, I wrote to youngest was two-week-old Phillop, who, sadly, died a week after Sissa; and the oldest was my great-grand- mother Jennie, who at seventeen was obliged to take on a mother’s role.
Sissa’s background Sissa’s ancestry and even her maid- en name were unknown to our fami- ly and presented a challenge to trace. In our search, we consulted obit- uaries (including one initially send- ing us on a false trail), family letters and diaries, church and census re- cords from Illinois and Kansas, and, finally, the Bräkne-Hoby, and Gam- malstorp parish records in the county The Gammalstorp clerical survey (Husförhörslängd), AI:18, [1861-1866] page 379, (län) of Blekinge in southern Sweden. showing Nils Jönsson and his future wife Sissa working at Agerum #42.
14 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 the site manager with my dilemma tographs. My father’s font of stories and got an immediate reply, “I can and memories from treasured times help you!” followed in a few days with spent visiting his grandmother about thirty new family names, some Jennie and the family at the Kansas of them going back to the 1600s. My farm were also of great interest. In source for this welcome new informa- 1997, my father had a headstone tion, genealogist Maj-Britt Sundin, placed on Peter’s previously un- has spent over twenty-five years marked grave in Colorado Springs to compiling the family lines of Jäms- honor his grandfather’s memory and hög and Kyrkhult parishioners. What to benefit future generations inter- satisfaction to finally be able to ested in family history. complete the search for Sissa and Following Peter’s lineage back to fully place her within our family his- Sweden, we learned that Peter’s tory.5 mother Elna Ingemansdotter had died when Peter was just five years Another track old and that Peter’s father subse- 7 In the meantime, the difficulties with quently married Elna’s sister Inga. Sissa led to other unexpected results. While stalled on Sissa’s line, I became Unexpected roots absorbed in tracing a related Swed- In pursuing the ancestry of the two ish line, that of my great-grandfather sisters, I have been excited to learn Peter Lundin (the husband of Sissa’s more about my family’s religious and daughter Jennie. His Swedish name: cultural heritage. A sense of person- Per Svensson), which led to intrigu- al connection with events and move- Peter and Jennie Lundin ca 1900. (Lisa ing discoveries and broadened my ments of the past brings history Lindell collection). historical knowledge. fascinatingly alive. Our research ing resided in Malmö in Malmöhus Like Sissa, Peter emigrated from soon uncovered a seventeenth cen- län (now part of Skåne län), and, in Sweden, a young adult, and died an tury German connection. 1712, came to Jämshög. There, he untimely death. After arriving in Peter’s third great-grandfather America in 1886 from Väghult in Lorentz Christian Schöning was born served as klockare for forty-five Kyrkhult parish, Blekinge, Peter in Germany (likely in Brandenburg) years. The klockare (literally “one settled in Gypsum, Kansas, and in 1681. Unfortunately, information who tolls the bells”) was the parish found employment with the Missouri about his ancestry is yet unknown. clerk or sexton. Schöning’s duties Pacific Railroad. He married Jennie After immigrating to Sweden, Schön- included teaching the children and in 1895, and the couple moved to youth of the congregation. Upon his Colorado, where Peter continued railroad work. In 1904, while working as a section foreman near Colorado Springs, Peter was fatally injured in a fall from a building. He died at the age of forty-four,6 leaving Jennie with three young children and another child on the way. Jennie, who was once again shoul- dering weighty family responsibility, moved back to Kansas and success- fully raised her children on a farm near Assaria in Saline County.
Peter’s background As I began work on Peter’s family, research already done by family members proved invaluable. My un- cle had traced one line of Peter’s ancestry back five generations, and both he and my father have pre- Jämshög church, photo from about 1900. Picture from “Kulturmiljöbilder,” at served many family papers and pho- http://www.kms.raa.se/cocoon/bild/public_search.html Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 15 death in 1761 at the age of eighty, St. Petri and producer of the first Schöning was buried in the main Danish hymnal (Malmø-salmebog- aisle of the Jämshög church. Jöran en), published in 1528.9 Johan Öller, in his account of Jäms- hög parish published in 1800, com- They were Danes! mended Schöning’s exemplary in- This Danish reference brought to struction, beautiful handwriting, and light a part of Scandinavian history 8 thoroughness and honesty in his job. of which I had been previously unaware. In going back in time, I Online sources found that my Swedish ancestors and The ready online accessibility of their fellow citizens had unex- primary sources and email com- pectedly turned Danish. Southern- munication has been of tremendous most Sweden belonged to Denmark Drawing of Lund Cathedral by S. Abild- help in my research. Through this until the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658. gard from 1753. Source: http:// means, I was able to establish with Thus, my seventeenth-century pro- www.kms.raa.se/cocoon/bild/ public_search.html certainty the ancestry of Lorentz genitors changed nationalities, even Schöning’s wife Anna Catharina though they remained in the same closely connected it to the towns of Corvin, my sixth great-grandmother. location. northern Germany, bringing in ships I was especially fortunate to receive In researching these new Danish bearing not only trade goods but also the generous assistance of Blekinge ancestors, I came upon Baltzer Ja- the Protestant faith. Local reform genealogist (and sixth cousin) Hans cobsen (my twelfth great-grandfa- leader and hymn writer Claus Mor- Rosenlund, who shared with me the ther and the paternal great-great- tensen was the first Lutheran pas- estate inventory of Anna Catharina’s grandfather of Hans Willumsen tor in Malmö.10 sister Maja, identifying Anna Catha- Corvin). Jacobsen served as arch- While tracking Baltzer Jacobsen, rina as the full sister of Maja and deacon in Lund from 1562 until his I learned that he attended Witten- daughter of Wilhelm Corvin. Anna death in 1585, when he was buried berg University in Wittenberg, Ger- Catharina was the daughter and in the Lund Cathedral (Lunds dom- many, in the 1540s. Here, professor granddaughter of parish pastors kyrka). Born around 1522 in Malmö, Martin Luther had ignited the Re- (kyrkoherdar) from Ronneby, Ble- Jacobsen grew up as the Protestant formation with the posting of his 95 kinge. Her father Wilhelm Corvin Reformation swept across northern theses in 1517 and his doctrine of was ordained in 1692 and her grand- Europe. Malmö, in fact, was one of justification by grace through faith. father Hans Willumsen Corvin in the first Scandinavian cities to A roster of the Danish students 1654. Brief biographies of both of embrace Protestantism in the 1520s attending the university during the these men are included in the Lunds and played a leading role in the time of the Reformation shows that Stifts herdaminne, a multi-volume evangelical movement. Malmö’s Jacobsen matriculated in July 1543. work providing historical informa- alliance with the Hanseatic League During Jacobsen’s years at Witten- tion about the pastors of Lund berg, Luther was still active, serving diocese. as the dean of the theology faculty until his death in 1546. I find it Many men of the cloth amazing that a direct ancestor of mine lived in such close proximity to I discovered that many other men in Luther, no doubt influenced and the Corvin line entered the ministry inspired by this revolutionary figure as well. Notable among these was and giant of the faith.11 Hans Hansen Raffn (the maternal grandfather of Hans Willumsen Corvin), who served as parish pastor Bible translators and dean of St. Petri in Malmö in Also meaningful to learn and to savor what is now the southern tip of was the fact that two of Jacobsen’s Sweden. I learned that Raffn (some- relatives, both early converts to Lu- times known by his Latin name Jo- theranism, were instrumental in the hannes Johanis Corvinus) was pop- first translations of the Bible into ular with his parishioners and was Danish. Jacobsen’s brother-in-law also a translator of literature and Christiern Petersen was first to hymns. In 1625, Raffn died of the produce a full translation. This Bible, plague and was buried at the altar The Malmö Sankt Petri church. Illus- completed before 1543 and reworked of St. Petri church in the same tomb tration from 1867 in Ny Illustrerad and published by a royal Bible com- as Claus Mortensen, a predecessor at Tidning. mission in 1550, was declared by
16 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 5. Sissa’s father Jöns Pettersson was born Corvin,” email message to author, 14 6 May 1804 in Jämshög parish and July 2008). died 1 June 1855 in Fogdakärr, Bräkne- 10. Geoffrey Rudolph Elton, The New Hoby parish. Sissa’s mother Berta Cambridge Modern History: The Refor- Carlsdotter was born in Näsum parish mation, 1520-1559 2nd ed. (Cambridge: on 2 November 1801 and died 6 June Cambridge University Press, 1990), p. 1855 in Fogdakärr, Bräkne-Hoby; no 146; Ole Peter Grell, “Scandinavia” in cause of death is listed for either of The Early Reformation in Europe, edit- them. I am indebted to Maj-Britt Sun- ed by Andrew Pettegree (Cambridge: din for her help in supplying the names Cambridge University Press, 1992), p. of further generations of Sissa’s 107. ancestry. (Sundin, “Re: Seeking help in Sources providing information about tracing ancestors from Jämshög,” Baltzer Jacobsen include Holger Fre- email message to author, 26 April derik Rørdam, “De Danskes Stude- 2009). ringer i Vittenberg i Reformationsti- 6. Per Svensson (Peter Lundin) was born den” in Ny kirkehistoriske Samlinger 22 July 1860 in Väghult, Jämshög vol. 1 (1857-59), p. 467; Rørdam, His- parish. He left Kyrkhult parish 9 toriske Kildeskrifter og Bearbejdelser af March 1886 to come to America. He Dansk Historie især fra det 16. Aar- married Jennie Johnson 12 October hundrede. Monumenta historiæ Dani- 1895 in Salina, Saline County, Kansas. cæ (Copenhagen, 1887), vol. 2, pp. 283- Peter died 15 December 1904 in Colo- 284; Johan Corylander, Berättelse om The first page of the Danish Bible from rado Springs, El Paso County, Colo- Lunds Domkyrka på Allernådigste Be- 1550. rado. fallning (Lund: C.W.K. Gleerups För- 7. Elna Ingemansdotter was born 12 lag, 1884), pp. 128-129, 181; Richard King Christian III as the official Bible March 1834 and died 26 November Bonnevier, “Re: Burials in Lunds dom- of Denmark. In 1524, Jacobsen’s 1865 in Jämshög parish. She married kyrka,” email message to author, 20 probable uncle Hans Mikkelsen Sven Svensson on 4 November 1859 in February 2009. (Mickelsen) had been the first to Väghult, Jämshög. Inga Ingemans- 11. Wittenberg University was estab- translate the New Testament into dotter was born 7 August 1822 and lished in 1502. Martin Luther (1483- Danish.12 died 24 November 1884 in Jämshög 1546) began teaching there in 1508. parish. She married Sven Svensson on 12. Christiern Pedersen was the husband As I persevere in tracing my 26 October 1866 in Väghult, Jämshög. of Baltzer Jacobsen’s half-sister Else. family’s roots, I feel blessed to have 8. Jöran Johan Öller, Beskrivning öfwer Hans Mikkelsen is believed to have discovered such remarkable stories Jemshögs sochn i Blekinge (Wexiö: A. been a brother of Baltzer Jacobsen’s and ancestors. My genealogical quest Thetzells enka, 1800), pp. 316, 320, 323, father Jacob. Both Hans and Jacob has been a richly rewarding ex- 349. were mayors of Malmö in the early perience. In addition to the histori- 9. The family was known variously as sixteenth century. cal learning opportunities, I love the Corvin, Corvinus, Rafn, Ravn, Rauffn, For information on the Danish Bible puzzle component. Carefully fitting and Raffn, all meaning raven or crow. translations, see Lillemor Santesson, together the clues and discovering a Helpful sources in tracing this family “Nordic Language History and Reli- line were A.U. Isberg, Bidrag till gion/Ecclesiastical History III: Luther’s new ancestor or lead is always Malmö stads historia (Malmö: Förfat- Reformation” in The Nordic Languages: exciting and a powerful enticement tarens förlag, 1895), pp. 68-75; Gun- An International Handbook of the His- to persist. nar Carlquist, Lunds Stifts herda- tory of the North Germanic Languages, minne (Lund: C.W.K. Gleerups förlag, edited by Oskar Bandle, Kurt Braun- 1943- ), series 2, vol. 2, pp. 32-35 and müller, Lennart Elmevik, Gun Wid- Notes vol. 13A, pp. 329, 352; C.F. Bricka, ed., mark (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2002- Dansk biografisk lexikon (Copen- 2005), vol. 1, pp. 414-418; James hagen: Gyldendal, 1887-1905), vol. 13, Townley, Illustrations of Biblical 1. “Searching for Sissa,” Swedish Ameri- p. 539. Literature, Exhibiting the History and can Genealogist 17.1 (March 1997), pp. Genealogy web sites, including Fate of the Sacred Writings (New York: 23-28. Jens Jensen Yde’s Slækt at http:// Carlton & Porter, 1856), vol. 2, pp. 33- 2. Sissa died 24 July 1887 near Salems- www.starch.dk/private/niels/ 38. borg, Saline County, Kansas. yde6.asp 3. Sissa Jönsdotter was born 12 January Bengt Jönsson’s Hemsida at 1846. She left Gammalstorp parish on http://hem.passagen.se/nbbj/ The author is 20 April 1869 to come to America. Nels Hans Rosenlund’s Släktdatabas – Lisa Lindell left Gammalstorp parish 29 May 1868. Genealogy Files at 1821 8th St. #109 4. Gammalstorp parish (Blek.) House- http://hans.alltidhult.se/tng/ were Brookings, SD 57006 hold Examination Rolls Vol. AI:18 of great value. I am grateful to Hans
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 17 The Swedish Colonial Society
BY HERBERT R. RAMBO
Founded in 1909 at Philadelphia, work Colonial Records of Swedish Ambassador to Sweden and Swedish Penna., by a group of prominent Churches in Pennsylvania, edited by officials at the start of the Carl Lin- academics, the Swedish Colonial So- the Society’s renowned historian Dr. naeus Tercentennial in Uppsala, ciety is America’s oldest Swedish his- Peter S. Craig and Dr. Kim-Eric Wil- Sweden, in 2006. torical organization and unique in liams, the leading translator of 17th Currently the Society is working this country because of its relation- century Swedish. with the American Swedish Histori- ship to the Swedish royal family and The most public face of the Swed- cal Museum to develop an action plan the Swedish government. ish Colonial Society is the national for the many historical artifacts at Over the past century, the Society’s award winning website the closed New Sweden Farmstead research has become the foundation www.colonialswedes.org Museum, Bridgeton, NJ. for the study of the New Sweden and the Swedish Colonial News, the In addition to being a historical Colony (1638-1655), the short-lived undisputed journal of record for the organization, the Swedish Colonial effort by Sweden to claim a stake in New Sweden Colony. The colony was Society has a hereditary program. colonial America. After 1655 the a brief but significant chapter in Those able to prove their descent Swedish flag no longer flew over- America’s colonial past. from Swedes coming to America be- head, but the Swedish and Finnish In 2000 the Swedish Colonial So- tween 1638 and 1783 are awarded colonists remained as the majority ciety moved its historical archives to Forefather Member status certifying population in Delaware, South- the professionally managed Luther- that they are among America’s old- eastern Pennsylvania, and Southern an Theological Seminary at Philadel- est Swedish families. New Jersey under successive Dutch phia, making scholarly research A unique aspect of the Swedish and English rulers. They lived with readily available on a daily basis. Colonial Society is its connection to a considerable degree of self-govern- Historical preservation has been Sweden’s royal family and recog- ment until the arrival of William a high priority over the years. The nition by the Swedish government. Penn and the flood of several thou- Society coordinated the effort leading King Gustav V was the first “High sand English Quakers ended the so- to Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church Patron,” serving as the Society’s called “Swedish Nation on the Dela- being the first religious building in honorary leader and establishing the ware” (1655-1681). American to win designation as a tradition that continues today with New Sweden was unique among National Historic Landmark in 1942. King Carl XVI Gustaf. In 2003 Crown the American colonies because the The Society established “Printz Princess Victoria accepted “Deputy colonists lived peaceably with the Park,” honoring Royal Governor Jo- High Patron” during her visit to Phil- Lenape Indians and the friendship han Printz who lived on that site. The adelphia and Wilmington, Del. between the two communities con- Society also worked with the State Sweden’s ambassador to the Uni- tinues into the 21st century. government to preserve the Morton ted States Jonas Hafström is the It was also in 17th century New Homestead with its ties to Decla- Society’s “Patron,” another honorary Sweden where Swedes and Finns ration of Independence signer John leadership position, and the Swedish carved homes from the forest and in- Morton. government has authorized the Soci- troduced the most iconic symbol of The Society coordinated the return ety’s use of the “Tre Kronor” as ap- the American frontier, the log cabin. of the Rambo Apple Tree to Sweden, propriate for an organization headed Over the years the Society has where it had been extinct following by His Majesty the King. Among the published 13 books, beginning with a severe winter in 1709-10. The spe- current leadership there are five reci- Swedish Settlements on the Delaware cies survived because a New Sweden pients of the “Order of the Polar Star” (1911) by Dr. Amandus Johnson. colonist took its seeds to America in awarded by the King. Additionally, the Society is in the 1640. The first planting in Sweden, midst of publishing the seven-volume financed by the King, was by the U.S.
18 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 The Old Picture
On this page we publish old pictures sent in by our SAG readers. If you have a picture you want to see on this page, either send a digital copy, scanned in at no less than 300 dpi and saved as a jpg or tif file, or send a good paper copy to the editor at the address shown on the inside cover. Do not send any originals, as we can not accept responsibility for them. Neither can we promise to publish all pictures.
This picture is called Minne af Svenska Gymnastik Föreningen[s] i New York City Första årsfäst[!] d. 15 Dec.1905 (Memorial of the first annual party of the Swedish Athletic Society of New York 15 Dec. 1905). It was sent in by Georg Lundblad, Möllegränden 12, 252 23 Helsing- borg, Sweden. His e-mail: [email protected] Mr. Lundblad’s father, the photo- grapher Axel S. Lundblad, took the picture, but is also in it himself. He is the young man at the right with his elbow sticking out. Axel Lundblad was born 30 July 1883 in Helsing- borg, and left Sweden in 1902. He first spent some time in Cadillac, MI, with an aunt and uncle to learn the English language. In 1903 he moved to New York and started to work as a photographer. He returned to Swe- den for a visit in 1910, and to stay in 1913, but returned again in 1915 to the U.S., and lived in Jersey City, NJ, until his final return to Sweden in 1918. He worked as a photographer in Sweden, and died on 8 Aug. 1976 in Helsingborg. During his time in New York he was one of the founders of the Swed- ish Athletic Society. In 1905 they had their first public appearance in Carnegie Hall; the members were I.K. Rahmn, M. Peterson, C. Rahm- sen, E. Stocklassa, H. Peterson, G. Moe, W. Lidfelt, W. Olson, A. Ander- son, B. Holmqvist, N. Gruggel, S. Wes- ter, W. Lundblad, J. Carlson, A. Mellgren, W. Sahlberg, H. Carling, T. Åsbrink-Melander (the instructor), T. Sjögren, A. Lundblad, C. Witgen, G. Widman, C. Bergman, and W. Witzell. How long this society survived is not known, but more information can be sent to the SAG Editor.
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 19 Handwriting Example XXI
This is the first page of the estate with no date or place of the death. his widow, the children from his first inventory (bouppteckning) for the The researcher then needs to go to marriage and the children of his pre- soldier Israel Östenstierna, born ca the military records and find a note sent marriage are also listed, as well 1765, lived at the Delsbo soldier’s in the muster rolls about his death. as which relative had come to guard cottage in Tidersrum, Östergötland, This was done for Israel, but the the rights of the children. and died at the military hospital in date must be wrong. The researcher It is not mentioned here, except Norrtälje in April 1809, during the was told that he had died in May that it was not known where the war with Russia. 1810, but when his estate inventory children of the first marriage were Israel’s inventory is an example was found, the date indicates an living, but Israel and his first wife that shows that a soldier might not earlier death. The inventory was tak- were divorced, which was rather have died in his bed at home, and en on 13 March 1810, but it also men- unusual at that time. Another pro- then been registered in the death tioned that Israel had died almost a blem for the researcher to solve! records of the parish where he lived. year before. Source: There is a note in the clerical sur- On this first page it is listed what Kinda häradsrätt FIIIa:48:1111 (Re- vey that Israel had died in 1809, but was known about his death, and then gional archives at Vadstena).
20 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 Volunteers to Bring Historic Sweden Church Records Online
The following announcement was Web in the millions of scanned free public index that will be made written by FamilySearch: records will attract many beginners available, SVAR might charge a nom- of all ages,” said Anders Nordström, inal fee for public patrons who want Falköping, Sweden director of SVAR. “To the academic to view or print the images. FamilySearch and Svensk Arkiv- researcher, this is an entirely new FamilySearch is the global leader information (SVAR), a division of the means. It makes it possible to do re- of online indexing. It launched its National Archives of Sweden, an- search within disciplines on a micro online indexing program in 2008, and nounced today the launch of the level, an extent that was never tens of thousands of volunteers largest online indexing initiative possible before now,” added Nord- recently helped reach another major undertaken to date. The two groups ström. milestone by indexing their 250 unveiled plans to engage Swedish The way Swedes passed on a millionth name. FamilySearch cur- volunteers throughout the world to family name throughout the cen- rently has 65 online indexing projects help create a highly searchable, free turies is another reason why the underway. online index to the historic parish indexing initiative is so important to For this project, FamilySearch will registers of Sweden—200 years of family historians. “Imagine being in create digital images of the Sweden recorded Swedish history as docu- a Swedish community 200 years ago church records provided by SVAR. mented in the Sweden church re- and 10 out of 100 people have the Volunteers worldwide will then use cords – comprising over 400 million same first and last name as you. FamilySearch’s Web-based indexing names. That’s how small the naming pool tool to view the digital images and In 1608 the Archbishop of Sweden was in Scandinavia,” said Jeff Svare, extract only the desired information asked the clergy to begin making FamilySearch Scandinavian collec- from the image. That data will then records of births, christenings, mar- tion management specialist. be processed and published online in riages, and burials of all the residents If you were Anders Andersson, searchable indexes linked to the di- of Sweden. By 1686 they were con- your father could have been Anders. gital images. ducting regular examinations of the Your brother could have also been Volunteers need only Internet ac- population of each parish. The named Anders, as well as your un- cess and the ability to read Swedish church records (often called “parish cle. To help distinguish which Anders to contribute to this historic effort. A registers” or “church books”) span Andersson you were referring to at unique quality control process en- over two centuries and chronicle the the time, locals added the name of sures a highly accurate, finished in- vital life events of an estimated 418 the farm (residence) of an individual dex. Each document is transcribed by million people who moved in and out to keep them straight. “Otherwise, two different indexers, wherever they of parishes in Sweden. when you’re trying to search for An- are in the world. Any discrepancies “The church records are a key ders Andersson today, your ancestor in their two extractions are then source for genealogists seeking falls into the proverbial fog of same- forwarded to a third volunteer – an Swedish ancestors because nearly named people and you don’t know arbitrator – who makes any needed everyone who lived in Sweden was who they are without the additional corrections between the two inter- recorded in a church record,” said context,” added Svare. The Family- pretations. David Rencher, FamilySearch chief Search index will include the resi- The project will start with records genealogical officer. “The challenge dence or farm name from the indi- from Örebro, Uppsala, and Söder- now is to make those records, which vidual’s vital record. This information manland counties. Indexing will are written in Swedish, available to has been extracted to assist patrons begin with the earliest year available researchers worldwide,” concluded in identifying their Swedish ancestor. for each parish and continue through Rencher. The goal is to engage the Swedish 1860. A typical downloaded “batch” “We are very pleased with the ex- community in creating a highly (group of records) will take a volun- cellent cooperation we have enjoyed searchable, free online index to the teer about 30 to 40 minutes to com- for many years between Family- Sweden church records. When com- plete. The indexing utility has built- Search and the National Archives to plete, the index will be the single in tutorials and helps. Anyone inter- microfilm and scan the Swedish largest point of access to information ested in volunteering for the Sweden church records. Now we are going to contained in the historic parish regis- Church Records project can do so at create an index that will revolu- ters of Sweden. The free index will tionize genealogy research in Swe- link to images of the original records indexing.familysearch.org. den. The simplicity of finding and hosted by the National Archives of reading about one’s ancestors on the Sweden (SVAR). In addition to the
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 21 A little boy was found dead – was he killed by his mother?
BY ELISABETH THORSELL
My favorite parish in Sweden is Petter had heard the rumors, but This was most often done when there Nordmark in eastern Värmland, regarded them just as spite and envy. was a serious crime to try, and it was partly because we have our summer But the women of the village kept called an “urtima ting” [court meet- home there, and partly because some looking at Lisa and noticed changes ing out of time]. And as it could be of my roots go deep down there in the in her body, and started to talk. supposed that Lisa was sentenced to the mineral-rich and rocky soil. Within a few days the rumors reach- death, the case was transferred to the I have spent many hours going ed the ears of the local pastor, Arvid Court of Appeal (hovrätt), which was through the church records, mostly Olsson, and one of his pastoral duties the Svea Hovrätt. Those records are finding something I have not seen was to uphold the morals in the par- kept in the Riksarkivet (National before. ish. He contacted the bailiff (läns- Archives in Stockholm) which is One day I noticed in the death rec- man) Erik Brattström, and both men where I found that Lisa had been ords for June 1817 that the pastor went to Grundsjön to question Lisa. sentenced to be beheaded and after- had written about a little boy from wards burnt, according to the sen- the village of Grundsjön who had Confession tence by the local court. been murdered by his mother. After receiving severe admonitions The Svea Hovrätt looked at the In the clerical survey I found that from the pastor and the bailiff, Lisa case and wanted more information, his mother was named Lisa Mats- finally confessed that by Midsummer so the case was sent back and more dotter, born 25 Jan. 1792, a daughter she had given birth to a child, which people were heard. The most impor- of the mining farmer (bergsman) she first had hidden in the forest, and tant was Lisa’s boyfriend Jan Jons- Mats Matsson and his wife Stina the next day put in a cavity in the son of Sundsjön, who told that he Jansdotter from the nearby village of floor of the local smithy and then lived close to Lisa’s parents and that Sandsjön. covered with soil, where the little he had had intercourse with Lisa On 25 May 1817 Lisa had married corpse was now found by the bailiff. many times, until he heard that she the young bergsman Petter Nilsson Lisa’s explanation for her actions had become engaged to Petter. She from Grundsjön, born 19 March 1788, was just that she had never told Pet- had never told him that she was preg- and moved into his house. This was ter that she was pregnant by another nant. only a month before the little boy man, out of fear that if he heard this, Lisa also told more details about died. Why did he have to die? he would change his mind and not what had happened, like that her The boy was murdered directly marry her. She would then lose all husband had been in the forest after his birth and was never bap- her future support from this man, felling trees for charcoal burning tized. This suggested that he was not whom she “truly loved.” Another rea- while she was giving birth. the son of Petter, and that Lisa had son for her confession was that one Petter was also heard and said that married while she was carrying of the local married women had he had been totally unaware of Lisa’s somebody else’s child. examined her breasts and found condition and that in her he had them full of milk, a fact that was hard found his happiness for all times, and Rumors to deny. that he wanted her to be spared from Lisa had tried to hide her pregnancy, the death penalty and was eager to and her fiancé and later husband had resume the marriage, after she had Court records gone through her punishment. not noticed anything, which is a bit After her confession Lisa was ar- surprising. But the women of Grund- The Svea Hovrätt finally decided rested and take to the local prison, not to change the verdict of the hä- sjön had sharper eyes, and one of where she was kept until her trial, them, a relative of Petter’s, had asked radsrätten; Lisa was still to be which took place in August of 1817, beheaded and burnt. Lisa outside the church if she thought First I could not find any records of she was doing the right thing in She was given the option to write her trial, but then realized that as to the King for mercy, which she did, marrying Petter in her state. Lisa had this was about a murder, there would denied everything and told this wom- and her sentence was changed to have been called an extraordinary eight years in a female prison. an to mind her own business. meeting of the Färnebo häradsrätt.
22 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 What happened next? local tax lists (mantalslängder) for 16 Jan. 1783, from then on lived in a At that time there were only three married Lisas of the right age. Then dug-out on the Sandhem Södergård female prisons (spinnhus) in Sweden, I thought I should check the prison lands in Starrkärr. one in Stockholm, one in Norrköping records again, in case I had missed a Little Brita Stina died 27 Dec. and one in Göteborg. The first two clue. There I found a reference to the 1826, and Lisa’s son Emanuel, born have indexes on the internet, and she church records of the Göteborg poor- 1 Sept.1829, died 18 Jan.1843, but by was not found there. Luckily she was house (Fattighusförsamling). In their then Lisa was already dead. She died found in Göteborg, where she served marriage records only one marriage 6 June 1838 of typhoid. Johannes her time, and was released in 1826. was listed for the early 1800s – Lisa’s stayed on in his dug-out and died 13 Petter had said the he would wait marriage 29 August 1826 to a Johan- March 1860 of old age. for her, but in 1825 he got a divorce nes Johnson from Starrkärr in Väs- Lisa and Petter, her unfortunate and remarried. When Lisa was out tergötland! first husband, had a number of sib- of prison the first thought was that How they met I have no idea, but lings, with many descendants. Petter she had gone home to her family in they must have known each other for also had a son Nils in his second mar- Värmland, and when her father died some time, as Lisa gave birth on 7 riage with descendants, but the in 1833 she was mentioned in his Sept. 1826 in Starkärr to a daughter whole story seems to have been for- estate inventory as a married daugh- Brita Stina, just a week after her gotten in Nordmark, almost 200 ter, but with no indication where she marriage. years ago. lived. Next I started to look in the Lisa and Johannes, who was born October 16th–17th 2009 Swedish Fall Research Conference in Minnesota
The Swedish Genealogical Society cipants will also support the SGSM jesson, and Olof Cronberg. of Minnesota will host a day and a Fall Research Conference with pre- half Fall Research Conference sentations and demonstrations on Genline featuring SwedGenTour2009; Gen- how to use the various resources for The participants from Genline. line Sweden/Genline North Amer- Swedish genealogical and historical com, Jan Eurenius from Stock- ica; and Swedish American Gene- research; on Swedish genealogical holm, Sweden, and Kathy Meade alogist (SAG) participants! Many online resources; Swedish genea- of Chicago, are also very vendors will have genealogy re- logical CDs; and Swedish emigration. experienced genealogists and will lated items for your review. The SwedGenTour2009, Genline help with your Swedish research and SAG participants will assist problems. SwedGenTour 2009 individuals with their personal re- The SwedGenTour2009 is a group search. The group will have access to Swedish American of four renowned Swedish genea- most major Swedish online and CD logists touring the United States genealogical resources including Genealogist for the sole purpose of helping resources specific to regional areas The participant from the SAG will Swedish-Americans learn more such as Kalmar, Jönköping, Halland, be Elisabeth Thorsell of Järfälla, about their heritage. These four Jämtland, and Stockholm. In addi- Sweden. She is presently the editor individuals participated in pre- tion, the group will have access to the of the Swedish American Genealog- vious SwedGenTours and have Dalsland project (70,000 names from ist, published by the Swenson Swe- decided to continue the tradition Dalsland including emigrants), index dish Immigration Research Center with the SwedGenTour2009. On of names for the Swedish American in Rock Island, Illinois. Elisabeth all the previous trips, the group has churches, and additional names of has co-authored a number of man- been successful in helping many emigrants not yet included in the uals on Swedish genealogy. She individuals get started with their Emibas CD and more. also has extensive experience in research as well as breaking down The SwedGenTour2009 partici- doing Swedish research for Ame- brick walls. The SwedGenTour pants will be Anneli Andersson, ricans for 30 years. 2009, Genline and SAG parti- Anna-Lena Hultman, Charlotte Bör-
For more information, go to http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnsgsm/9frcinfo.htm
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 23 The solution of the Handwriting Example XXI
Transcription År 1810. den 13 Martii voro underteknade, uti Torpet Delsbo på Örsgänge ägor Laga Bouptekning förrättad efter Lifgrenadieren Israel Östenstierna, hvilken aflidit på Norrtelje Sjukhus uti Aprill månad 1809, men icke blifven af Rapporterad som död, förrän man derom nu fått säker underrättelse, haft med sitt förra gifte 3ne Barn en son och 2ne döttrar Sonen Johannes och döttrarna Lovisa och Anna Stina, men om desse döttrars vistande är man ännu obekant om; i sednare giftet med nuvarande Änkan Kristina Nilsdotter äro 2ne döttrar vid Namn Stina och Maria, hvilkas rätt äfvensom till Sonen Johannes, deras Farbroder Anders Jonasson från Malexander instälde sig at bevaka och å Änkans sida dess Broder Rusthållaren Magnus Nilsson i Örsgänge, som biträde, och upteknades och...
Translation In the year 1810 we the undersigned in the cottage Delsbo on Örsgänge lands did the legal estate inventory after the the Life Grenadier Israel Östenstierna, who died in Norrtälje Hospital in the month of April 1809, but who has not been reported as deceased until now, when certain information of his demise has been obtained. Had with his former wife 3 children, 1 son and 2 daughters, son Johannes and daughters Lovisa and Anna Stina, but where these daughters are now living is not known; in his later marriage to the present widow Kristina Nilsdotter are 2 daughters by name of Stina and Maria, whose rights as well as those of son Johannes are guarded by their paternal uncle Anders Jonasson from Malexander who was present; for the widow her brother the rusthållare Magnus Nilsson of Örsgänge was present as her assistant, and was recorded and ....
That the gentlemen who made the inventory did not know where the older daughters live was because after the divorce between Israel and his first wife Ulrika Lovisa Björklund in 1802, she had taken her daughters and moved to Östra Ny parish, also in Östergötland, but quite a distance from Delsbo in Tidersrum parish, where Israel lived. Rusthållare: a man who owned a farm that was big enough to enable him to keep a cavalry soldier and his horse. A soldier’s cottage from the 1830s, probably just the same as in the 1700s. 24 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 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 Review Editor, Dennis L. Johnson, at <[email protected]> or Dennis Johnson, 174 Stauffer Road, Bucktown Crossing, Pottstown, PA 19465, so he knows what you are working on. is a student of Swedish American in troubled, impoverished families in Sad story of culture and social history in Minne- Värmland in several parishes near sota. Not related to any of the per- Lake Vänern. They married in 1862 troubled sons who are the subjects of his book, and, by 1868, immigrated with their Prof. McKnight, in the course of two daughters, and an older sister researching prison records in Still- and her family, to America. After families water State Prison in Minnesota three years of westward travel fol- came across the records of an inmate lowing the railroads, they settled in Severed Ties and Silenced which, in turn, led him to research Watonwan County near Kansas Lake Voices, Separation and Adapta- the families involved in a case of a in Minnesota. The other central tion in Two Swedish Immigrant murder which had taken place in the figure in the story was Anders Johan- Families, Roger McKnight, Nordic winter of 1872-73 near Kansas Lake. nesson, born in 1833 in the parish of Studies Press, Chicago, 2008, 293 As the author unravels the stories of Breared in Halland, just across the pages, Softcover, Illustrated, Amer- these families, the murder, and the strait from Denmark. Anders mar- ican Swedish Institute, Minnea- aftermath of this incident, we learn ried Johanna Persdotter in 1862 and polis, $15.00 plus shipping. a great deal more. moved in with his parents to work Not all immigrant stories are based Woven into this story of the his- their farm, his older brother having on heroic figures who left Sweden to tories of the two families in Sweden, become a tenant farmer nearby. By begin new and prosperous lives in one from Värmland and one from 1867, after famine years and the loss America. This book by Roger Mc- Halland, are many rich details about of their farm, Anders left for Amer- Knight records the stories of two the social conditions at the time in ica with his parents, brother, and sis- Swedish families who came sepa- Sweden, local customs, economic ter. He left behind his wife and two rately to Minnesota in the late 1860’s conditions, folk culture at the time, sons. By 1869, Anders settled on and settled as neighbors on pioneer and much more. The plight of the homestead acreage near Kansas farms on the prairie near Kansas very poor and their lack of opportu- Lake. Lake in Watonwan County, near St. nity in their homeland, the separa- The two families had met and James, in southern Minnesota. (This tion of families and their uprooting become acquainted during their was the same decade in which my to immigrate to America, and the travels to Watonwan County and own great-grandfather came with his difficulties of ocean travel are all de- settled in as near neighbors on land family to settle in Bernadotte, west scribed in great detail. opened up for settlement by railroad of St. Peter in Nicollet County, less Finding their way to a destination construction. Anders’s name had than thirty-five miles from Kansas in Minnesota and the difficulties of become Americanized to Andrew Lake). While the lives of my own establishing farms on the prairie as Johnson, and Lars Johannesson ancestors came from very similar pioneer settlers are all part of the Holm and Karolina became Lars and circumstances in Sweden to confront background of this story, bringing to Caroline Johnson. (Several neighbors very similar conditions in Minnesota, readers a highly colorful and vivid were also named Johnson, so the there the parallels in the lives of picture of what this immigrant life reader is pressed to keep all these these families with my own took a was like in the 1860’s. A group of unrelated Johnsons straight). Lars, vastly different course. photographs are included to show with a history of bizarre behavior The author, a professor of Scandi- many of the individuals involved in dating back to his years in Sweden, navian Studies and Swedish at the story and the places they lived, became increasingly unbalanced and Gustavus Adolphus College in St. both in Sweden and in the U.S. efforts were made to have him com- Peter, MN, has written several books This story centers around Lars mitted to an asylum after several about the immigrant experience, has Fredrik Johannesson Holm and violent acts. He left home to go studied and taught in Sweden, and Karolina Andersdotter who grew up wandering shortly before the Novem-
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 25 Book Reviews chronicle every family who came to while growing up in Sweden. The America in this period. Yet this author’s astonishing memory for massively researched and docu- details from that time in her life pro- mented work by Prof. McKnight vides a vivid picture not only of the helps us all better understand the effects of this war on neutral Sweden, circumstances and difficulties faced but also a detailed look at daily by so many immigrants in dealing family life in Sweden during those ber blizzard of 1872, and never re- with troubled families, hardships, years. turned. In the spring of 1873, his poverty, alcoholism, mental illness, Lilly Setterdahl was born in the body was found with many head separations, and the breakup of small village of Sivikan, in Frände- wounds on the shore of Kansas Lake. cultural and religious ties brought fors parish, Dalsland, near the south Rumors flew, and Andrew Johnson about for so many by the immigra- end of Lake Vänern, not far from was eventually charged with his tion experience. And this gives Uddevalla. Her parents were Adrian murder. He and Caroline had run readers a better appreciation of the and Elin Anderson; her father was a away together soon after the dis- strengths of those who overcame all farmer and small businessman. Lilly covery, but he was found, returned these hardships to keep their fami- began school in 1938, just before the to St. James, and convicted of the lies intact and their heritage of war began in Europe, and she had murder of Lars Johnson. He was cultural and religious ties strong as an older brother and a younger sis- sentenced to serve twenty years in they became citizens of their new ter and brother. Much later, in 1957, Stillwater State Prison. land. she married Lennart Setterdahl, and These tragic events shattered two Dennis L. Johnson the couple immigrated to the U.S. and families. Andrew is in prison, Carol- settled in Cleveland, OH. They both ina (the victim’s wife) leaves to later had a strong interest in learning remarry in Wisconsin, Andrew’s more about Swedish-Americans, and family in Sweden is abandoned, and this interest turned into a career for others go on with heavy hearts, carry- both of them. ing the tragic memories of their once A young Moving to Quad Cities in 1971 to hopeful lives. The author has fol- pursue these interests, her husband lowed the broken pieces of these Swedish girl became a chronicler of the records of families, along with several other Swedish-American organizations participants in the tragic murder and and numerous church records. Len- Growing Up in Sweden in the nart amassed large collections of trial, and reveals more of the details Shadow of World War II, Lilly of their lives and that of their photographs and interviews, many of Setterdahl, Fidlar Doubleday, Inc. which are now at Augustana College, descendants. Many of these de- 2008, 167 pages, Softcover, Illustr., Bishop Hill, the Emigrant Institute scendants remained unknown to Amazon.com, $11.00 plus ship- each other, with no knowledge of the ping. in Växjö, the Royal Library in Stock- tragic events of 1872 until recently, holm, and other archives. His un- when Prof. McKnight tracked them Those of us born in the 1930’s and timely death in 1995 ended this part- down to interview them. Also revea- before all have vivid memories of life nership but brought Lilly’s work into led are the final days of the released during World War II. We remember more prominence. She has now Andrew Johnson, who returned to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, ration- authored some eleven books about farming in Kansas Lake, and later ing, gasoline shortages, collecting Swedish-Americans in various cities to work and retirement, living with scrap metals, relatives in military in the U.S. and even a recent book of a son in Duluth. service, blackouts, news from the war fiction. Lilly is well-known to the Severed Ties and Silent Voices fronts, and many other of the many Swedish-American community and is a sad story of troubled families, and changes to our lives during the five continues speaking and writing a reminder that not all went well for years that Americans were in the about Swedes in the U.S. all of the hundreds of thousands of war. In Growing Up In Sweden, Lilly Swedes who immigrated to America. This recent book by Lilly Setter- describes in some twenty chapters This kind of story is no doubt repeat- dahl adds to our recollections the the many aspects of her life in ed numerous times in many sad memories of a writer in the same age Sweden during the World War II variations if one were to try and group who was experiencing the war years, ranging from her home, her village, her parents, grandparents,
26 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 Book Reviews were part of her life at the time. grandfather’s cousin Fredrik von This is an engagingly readable Sneidern (1734-1796). Hedda’s broth- book, filled with all of the details of er had issue, among which there were daily life in Sweden during these war emigrants, so there could be Ström- years. This is especially so for those bergs of von Sneidern paternal origin having similar memories of the same still flourishing in the U.S. Beer- years here in the U.S. who can relate ståhl’s theory was that the Ström- siblings and pets, other relatives, her to the similarities and the differ- berg name is composed by Fredrik country school, her church, the town ences. Few of us would have the von Sneidern himself through com- of Vänersborg, games, faith, fears, powers to recall the amazing degree bining the first part of his step- accidents, her parents’ work, and of detail that Lilly Setterdahl has mother’s name Strömsten with the more. recorded in her memoir of that pe- last part of his mother’s name Swed- Ever-present in the background is riod. Younger readers will also find berg. the looming presence of the war in this book both engaging and illumi- The title of Beerståhl’s leaflet is Europe and how it affected their nating about these remarkable years, “Immigration and Emigration during lives. and the effects on the lives of those the 18th - 19th - 20th Century.” The She remembers well their fears of who experienced them. title is misleading: the Swedish im- invasion as the neighboring countries migrant in Chicago, Polycarpus von of Denmark and Norway were occu- Dennis L. Johnson Schneidau, is the central figure and pied by German forces and the near- almost nothing on immigration and total cutoff of trade with the west, emigration in general is described. A with food rationing, shortages, and more suitable title would have been substitutions for coffee and other “A Rhapsodical Overview of the von favorites. Many Swedes with cars or Polycarpus von Sneidern-von Schneidau Family”, trucks, such as her father, were since that is what Beerståhl has forced to adapt them to run on char- Schneidau and written. He goes as far back as the coal, gasoline was so scarce. The origin, when the name was Schnei- entry into the war of the U.S., ref- der(n) (German: ‘tailor’) later von ugees from Finland and elsewhere, his family Sneidern. This was changed by some transit through Sweden of German family members to von Schneidau, soldiers, disruptions to family life, Immigration och Emigration under because they thought – or hoped – deferral of schooling, and other ef- 1700-tal - 1800-tal - 1900-tal. Med that they were descended from fects of the war are all remembered den svenske emigranten i Chicago Frantz Schneider, who had been in detail. She concludes with a de- Polycarpus von Schneidau som ennobled by the German emperor in centralfigur, by Nils Fredrik Beer- scription of the ending of the war, and 1649 with a typical German two-part the ending of her childhood. She soon ståhl. Falköping, 2009, A5 leaflet, 48 pp. Can be purchased from the noble name, Schneider von Schnei- left her little village to continue her dau. In Sweden, the von Sneidern- education and eventually move to the author, Mössebergsgatan 11 D, SE-521 32 Falköping. (In Swedish) von Schneidau family never was en- U.S., but has returned often to her nobled. As a family of officers they home in Sweden. For more than fifty years, Nils Fred- had social status on level with noble In a brief epilogue, the author adds rik Beerståhl has collected genea- families, and Polycarpus’s family tree a chronology of the war years, in- logical material about the family of gives proof of this – almost all of his cluding such items as her father’s Polycarpus von Schneidau (1812- ancestors, except on the paternal line, service record, the ringing of all the 1859), the famous Swedish daguer- were nobles. church bells in Sweden when Poland rotyper in Chicago. His interest Beerståhl reveals some findings on was invaded, Swedish aid to Finland comes from his own connection to the the von Sneidern arms, more speci- and Norway, and a summary of civil- family. His maternal grandmother’s fically the colors of it in an enamelled ian and military casualties for the paternal grandmother was Hedvig brooch, and has noted parts of merit countries in the war in Europe. The (Hedda) Elisabeth Strömberg, a lists of some of the officers of the book is laced with many personal and daughter of Anders Strömberg (1772- family. family photos of this period of her life 1848), farmer (lantbrukare) in Ler- Magnus Bäckmark in Sweden, her home, her family, and dala parish, who was an illegitimate many other places and people which but acknowledged son of Polycarpus’s
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 27 Book Reviews influence of early immigrant S.M. hailstones killed calves, rabbits, Swenson from Barkeryd. Others lambs, chickens, and even broke came from Västergötland, Närke, through the roof one year. Further Hälsingland, and Skåne. misery was added when that family’s The central place in the area was milk cows ended up in a cattle drive, called Type, where there was a post and never returned. office for a few years and a general Later their luck changed and they store, and even a printing press. could buy new cows and start a new There were also two churches in crop. Swedes in Type; one a Free Mission Church, and A macabre story is told about an the other was Bethlehem Lutheran old couple who died in Sweden, and Texas Church. There does not seem to be their son had them photographed in any microfilmed Swedish American their coffins (they died within days church records from this area. of each other). Then he hanged an Stuck in the mud at Post Oak Island, by Charlene Hanson Jordan, 1361 There are many memories told enlargement on the wall in his home, County Road 464, Elgin, TX 78621. about the early life in the area, how as the author, his granddaughter, re- E-mail: [email protected] Price $19.95 + tax 336 pages, letter format, ill., index, bibliography. 2008.
This well-researched book is about a small community in an oak grove in central Texas, not far from Elgin and Austin. There is much about the early history in the first section of the book. For instance the Confederate gene- ral Robert E. Lee was a guest in a home here before the Civil War. During the later 1890s many Swedes settled in the area. Some of them were featured in Svenskarne i Texas (1916–1918), but many were also left out for various reasons. About 80 Scandinavian households eventually bought land and settled here. The agricultural land was mostly black and gumlike soil, so some people left and moved to California, Colorado, Washington State, and Wis- consin among other places. Here is also described how the Swedes kept themselves to them- selves and did not interact so much with other ethnicities. The lutfisk became a cherished traditional dish, as in other Swedish-American com- munities (ed:s note: I have not eaten lutfisk since I became big enough to defend myself). Most of the Swedes came from Småland, supposedly an effect of the 28 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 Book Reviews There is a cemetery at Type, and 1861 in Vistorp (VäGö), which tallies in this book there is a list of the with the information in Emibas. people buried there from 1908, Dates do not seem to have been mostly people with Swedish names, always checked in Swedish records, and there are even two tombstones but rather found in Svenskarna i with Swedish inscriptions. Those are Texas. The part that is especially in- for Anna Amalia Hanson (d. 1910) teresting to modern Swedes is the in- and Christina Fredrickson (d. 1915). formation on what happened next, members. Another story is about There are very few people buried how families grew and children Willie Schiller who ran the grocery there after 1950, as the younger gen- moved. This is very difficult for us to store in Type, and was said to carry eration had become more assimilated find from afar, even though the his money in a molasses bucket a- and moved to the cities. internet has made that kind of re- cross the street from the store and An important invention is also search easier. Also very valuable is saloon to his home. Having problems mentioned; the advent of the barbed the notes on changing the surnames, with burglars, he rigged a shotgun wire around 1877, which made life like Björklund to Borkland, Björk- in the store and loaded it with blanks so much easier for the farmer that man to Burkman, or just a Johannes- the first time, but later with real am- wanted to grow crops, but of course son who chose to use the name Blom- munition, and then forgot all about was not liked by the cattlemen who berg; so difficult to find for the one it, and managed to shoot himself and preferred the huge, open prairie, who is looking for him! later died from the wounds. As the where they could drive their cattle Anyone with relatives that went rumor was that he had buried his everywhere. to Texas would do well to study this money in his backyard, many people It is really rather fun to read all book. It has a good name index and a digged there, but nothing was found. these memories from a way of life long list of literature and records that Oil was of course important, and that is almost completely gone. have been used in the compilation of masny of the settlers built derricks Then there is an appendix, which this book, as well as informative and drilled for liquid gold, and some lists all the families in the area in endnotes. were lucky, while for others it was alphabethical order, the first being Elisabeth Thorsell just a dream. August Adamson, born 25 March New and Noteworthy (short notes on interesting books and articles)
Ancestry Magazine Sept/Oct 2009 has a very good article on “Following the Footsteps of Ellis Island’s Immigrants,” which shows in details the immigrants’ route through medical examinations and other inspections. Well worth reading. Swedish genealogists Ted Rosvall and Anna-Lena Hultman have just released (in Swedish) a manual for Swedes on how to trace the immigrants in the U.S., Emigrantforskning, published by the Sveriges Släkt- forskarförbund (Federation of Swedish Genealogical Societies). The book, 112 pages, describes how to search first in Swedish records, and then goes through various U.S. records, mostly thosr thatcan be found on Ancestry: census records, draft registration cards, and much more. Rootsweb is included as well as Familysearch, Findagrave and USGenweb, even Facebook. The Swedish-American church records are mentioned, but some- what hard to access, as are the Swedish-American newspapers, but there is a project hopefully starting soon to digitize those papers. SAG is also mentioned. This book might be of interest to American researchers too, but you need to read Swedish! The Swedish American Historical Quarterly 2/09 has an interesting article, by Claes H. Jacobson, about John Anderson a.k.a Johan Albin Andersson, born 25 March 1869 in Vinberg (Hall.), who left for the U.S. as a small child in 1870. The family settled in Pennsylvania, but went west in 1883 to Valentine, Nebr., close to the border of South Dakota and the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Soon John had grown up and started to work as a carpenter, saved money and bought a camera. With this he started a second career as a photographer, and in this way saved much history about the Sioux and their ways of life.
Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 29 All links tested in Aug. 2009 and Interesting Web Sites should work
The Swedish Genealogical Society of Colorado: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cosgs/index.html Some Swedish Military History: http://hem.bredband.net/b111807/English/index-eng.htm The 2010 Dalsland Emigration Conference: http://www.emigrationdalsland.com/en/conference.html News about Swedish business and politics today: http://www.swedishwire.com/ First settlers of New Sweden, Maine: http://jeanbduncan.com/swede/index.htm A blog on New Sweden: http://aroostookrabbit.blogspot.com/ The Swedish Bishop Hill Society: http://home.swipnet.se/bishophill/indexeng.htm A searchable database of all marriages in Skåne (in Swedish): http://www.digiarkiv.se/index.php?lsubmenu=regvig Arkiv Digital (Swedish church records in color): www.arkivdigital.net PLF Oskarshamn (CD:s for Kalmar county and more): http://www.plfoskarshamn.se/default.aspx?meny=sprak&id=2 A list (in Swedish) of many genealogical CD:s: http://www.dis.se/cdindex.htm Prisoners in Joliet (IL) prison: http://genealogytrails.com/ill/convicts/convictregister.htm The Minnesota Swedish Fall Research Conference: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnsgsm/9frcinfo.htm Almost 200,000 graves in Stockholm for free (and in English: http://hittagraven.stockholm.se/ A genealogical wordlist in English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Icelandic [just enter the word you want translated in the little search window and click on “Finn” (find)]: http://www.nordgen.com/index_ordbok.htm Links to Danish genealogy: http://www.dis-danmark.dk/dis-english.asp Links to Norwegian genealogy: http://www.disnorge.no/eng/index.html Another Norwegian link: http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/sab/howto.html Searchable Finnish extracts of church records: http://www.hiski.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109&Itemid=286&lang=en
All the above web links will be found as clickable links on www.etgenealogy.se/sag.htm
30 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 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.
Larsdotter, Ohleson
Pell Katarina Larsdotter (b. 2 July 1871 in Järna [Dala.]) immigrated to the home of her moster (maternal aunt) Ål Carin Samuelsdotter/Nelson in Valparaiso, NE, on 30 March 1888. She left the port of Göteborg on 6 April 1888 with a ticket for Valparaiso, NE, and travelled alone. Katarina remained in Nebraska until 1895 during which time she married another Swedish immigrant, Andrew Law- rence Ohleson and produced a son with the same name. In 1895, the Ohlesons moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where Katarina and Andrew lived out the remainder of their lives. In the attached photo, Katarina is the pretty girl on the right in the second row (see arrow). It, more than likely, was taken during Katarina's early years in Nebaska. I would like to know who the other five women are. At least some are probably others of my family who immigrated to the Midwest.
All information most welcome!
Brian Samuelson, 19415 N 132ND Dr., Sun City West, AZ 85375-4503. Ph.: 623-214-1338 E-mail:
1291
Send queries to SAG! Everything is not online! The Crayfish time is here! In late August many Swedes put on funny hats, tie funny bibs around their necks, and often sit in the garden with lighted moon-shaped paper lanterns tied on strings above the table. What are they doing? They are enjoying a crayfish party (Kräftskiva) where crayfish, cooked in beer and dill and lots of salt, are eaten cold, together with a glass of beer or aquavit, or even milk, accompanied by a tasty Västerbotten cheese and toast. Special drinking songs are sung, some say that for every claw you must down a little aquavit and sing a song. The eating of crayfish must be done exactly right, following the rules, or others will call you “not a true crayfish lover,” which is a hard thing for a Swede to hear. Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 31 The Last Page Dear friends,
Summer has been and is now gone, young man is a 5th cousin to my sons, Falköping in Västergötland. As usual at least here in Sweden, where we and in a few weeks I hope to intro- it was hot and people were every- can feel fall leaves coming down and duce him to an American cousin, who where, but lots of fun. All major pro- the days are getting shorter every is a 3rd cousin to his father. It is viders of church records online were day. amazing, isn’t it? there, as well as several of the ar- We have spent most of our sum- During the summer I have spent chives and about 50 different soci- mer in the old house in Värmland, time on building a database of all eties, and all of them sold books, and where house repairs and yard work people who have died in “my” parish CD:s, and wanted you to become a keep us busy. It is a joy for us to go during the period of 1901 to 1946, and member. There were also several back there every summer and con- so are many other researchers a- lectures, with some very popular nect again to the members of the round the country working on their lecturers. And, of course, a fancy din- family that lived there a hundred parishes. This will hopefully result in ner with awards handed out, and years ago, to go to the cemetery and a new version of the Swedish Death music and entertainment. check the graves, and generally to Index, covering the period of 1901 to The usual greeting on the Sunday, live a more quiet life than in the city. 2009, which will be released next when everything closed, was “See This summer I had the pleasure of August. you next year in Örebro”! meeting a new cousin from the area, The third weekend of August was who had found me on the internet, spent by me and many others in go- Till next time! when I had posted a photo of his ing to the Swedish Genealogy Days Elisabeth Thorsell great-grandparents wedding. This (Släktforskardagarna), this year in
Limited edition NWO tote bag!
This very special tote bag was made for the 2007 SAG Workshop in Salt Lake City, and there are a few left for sale. The tote bag is of sturdy material and is perfect to carry genealogy notebooks and copies in, maybe even a laptop computer. The cartoon of Nils William Ols- son was drawn by his son Christo- pher in 1981. The price is $10 + $3.50 for sales tax and shipping in the U.S. and Canada, each ($13.50). Checks (payable to “Swenson Center”) are to be mailed to:
Swenson Center Augustana College 639 38th St Rock Island IL 61201-2296
32 Swedish American Genealogist 2009:2 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 Bu- reau 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 Dalarnaa 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. O 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). BD
Lappland Norrbotten
AC
Västerbotten
Ångermanland Z Jämtland Y
Härjedalen Medelpad
Hälsingland X Dalarna Gästrikland w Uppland C Värmland Västman- S U land T AB Närke Södermanland Bohuslän Dals- D land Östergötland E O R Västergötland P Gotland F Halland Småland H I N G Öland Blekinge Skåne L K M
The counties (län) as they were before 1991. The provinces (landskap).