Swedish American Genealogist

Volume 34 | Number 1 Article 2

3-1-2014 Travels to Pine Lake 1850 Fredrika Bremer

Mary Howitt

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Recommended Citation Bremer, Fredrika and Howitt, Mary (2014) "Travels to Pine Lake 1850," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 34 : No. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol34/iss1/2

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Miss Bremer visits the Swedish settlement at Pine Lake, WI

Famous Swedish writer travels in America 1849-1851

BY FREDRIKA BREMER

TRANSLATED BY MARY HOWITT 1853

Introduction The Pine Lake settlement Fredrika Bremer was born in Abo, Pine Lake Settlement (New Up- Finland, in 1801 in a well-to-do fam- sala) in Waukesha County, Wiscon- ily. In 1804 the Bremer family moved sin, was founded in 1841 by Gus- to Stockholm, and in 1805 bought the taf Unonius and friends, but by manor of Arsta, in Osterhaninge 1849 most of them had left for parish southeast of Stockholm, which other places, as the farming land was the family home for decades. was not good, and the Swedes were Here she lived with her siblings and scholars, not farmers. Mr. Unonius was educated at home. She stayed entered the Episcopalian church, unmarried, and in the 1820s started and later in 1849, he founded the a career as a writer. Her first pub- Swedish Episcopal Church of St. lished work was Teckningar utur Ansgarius in Chicago, Illinois. In hvardagslifvet (Sketches from every- 1858 he returned to Sweden, hop- day life) in 1828, then she published ing to get a post in the Church of more novels and became very popular Sweden, but that failed and he be- in Sweden. In the 1840s her works came a customs officer, and died Fredrika Bremer in the 1840s. were also translated into other lan- in 1902. quality of the soil, they determined guages, including English. Politically, to found here a New Sweden, and to she was a liberal who felt sympathy build a New Upsala! I spent the for social issues and for the working forenoon in visiting the various Swe- class movement, and, of course, for Fredrika comes to Pine dish families. Nearly all live in log- women's rights. Lake In 1849 she left for a study tour of houses, and seem to be in somewhat On the morning of the 29th of Sep- low circumstances. The most pros- the U.S. and stayed until 1851, tember 18501 arrived at this, the first travelling to many parts of the coun- perous seemed to be that of the Swedish colony of the West. Herr smith; he, I fancy, had been a smith try, always eager to learn about the Lange1 drove me there in a little in Sweden, and had built himself a questions of the time: abolition, so- carriage, along a road which was any- pretty frame house in the forest; he cial problems, and women's right to thing but good, through a solitary was a really good fellow, and had a education, and much more. As a region, a distance of somewhat above nice young Norwegian for his wife: celebrity she was also able to meet twenty miles from Milwaukee. It was with Bronson Alcott, Ralph Waldo also a Mr. Bergman,2 who had been on a Sunday morning, a beautiful a gentleman in Sweden, but who was Emerson, and other famous persons. sunshiny morning. here a clever, hard-working peasant After her return to Sweden she There remain still of the little published her American experiences farmer; had some acres of good land, Swedish colony of Pine Lake about which he cultivated ably, and was in The Homes of the New World: Im- half a dozen families, who live as getting on well. He was of a remarka- pressions of America in 1853. She farmers in the neighborhood. It is continued to work for better condi- bly cheerful, good-tempered, and lake scenery, and as lovely and vigorous Swedish temperament; he tions for people and was one of the romantic as any may be imagined - founders of a school for deaf people, had fine cattle, which he himself at- regular Swedish lake scenery; and tended to, and a good harvest of and also worked for the right of one can understand how those first women to vote, etc. Fredrika Bremer maize, which now stood cut in the Swedish emigrants were enchanted, field to dry in the sun. He had en- died at Arsta in 1865. so that, without first examining the Elisabeth Thorsell larged his log house by a little frame Swedish American Genealogist 2014:1 house which he had built up to it; and many difficulties. The difficulty of handsome, came out to receive me, in the log house he had the very obtaining the help of servants, male bent double and supported on a prettiest, kindest, most charming and female, is one of the incon- crutch-stick, but her open counte- young Swedish wife,3 with cheeks as veniences and difficulties which the nance beaming with kindness. She is fresh as red roses, such as one sel- colonists of the West have to en- not yet fifty, but is aged and broken dom sees in America, and that spite counter. They must either pay for down before her time by severe labor of her having a four-weeks' old little labor at an enormously high rate - and trouble. I saw in her a true type boy, her first child, and having, with and often it is not to be had on any of the Swedish woman of the middle the assistance only of her young sis- terms — or they must do without it; class, with that overflowing heart ter, to do all the work of the house and if their own powers of labor fail, which finds vent in tears, in kind herself. It was a joyous and happy either through sickness or any other looks and words, and who does not home, a good Swedish home, in the misfortune, then is want the inevi- measure by any niggard rule either midst of an American wilderness. table consequence. There is need of what the hand gives or the tongue And the dinner which I had there much affection and firm reliance for speaks; a regularly magnificent, was, with all its simplicity, exquisitely any one, under such circumstances, warm-hearted gossip, who loves to good, better than many a one which to venture on settling down here; but entertain her friends with good cheer I have eaten in the great and magni- these both lived in the heart of the as much as she loves her life. She ficent hotels of America. We were ten young Swede, and her eyes sparkled regaled us with the most delicious Swedes at dinner; most of the num- as she spoke of her husband, his kind, coffee, and flavored that warm bever- ber young men, one of whom was good heart, and his vigor both of mind age with warm, kind looks, and betrothed to the handsome young sis- and body. While we were standing words. ter of the mistress of the house. Good beside that quiet lake, garlanded by Her husband began here as a milk, excellent bread and butter, the thick branching trees and under- farmer, but neither he nor his wife most savory waterfowl and delicious wood, splendid with the coloring of were accustomed to hard work; their tarts, cordial hospitality, cheerful- autumn, we heard the husband's land was poor (with the exception of ness, and good feeling, crowning the voice as he drove the oxen down to Bergvall's farm, all the land around board; and, besides all the rest, that water, and soon we saw their huge Pine Lake appears to be of a poor beautiful Swedish language spoken horns pushing a way through the quality), they could not get help, and by every one - these altogether made thick foliage. Our cheerful, well-bred they were without the conveniences that meal a regular festival to me. host was now a brisk ox-driver. of life; they had a large family, which Our young and handsome hostess kept increasing; they endured incred- attended to the table, sometimes Next visit ible hardships. Mrs. Petterson, while went out into the kitchen - the ad- After this we betook ourselves to the suckling her children, was compelled joining room - to look after the cook- oldest house of the colony on Pine to do the most laborious work; bent ing, or to attend to her little baby in Lake, where lived Mrs. Bergvall's double with rheumatism, she was the cradle, which cried aloud for its often obliged to wash for the whole mother, the Widow Petterson,4 and dinner, then came back again to us, who expected us to coffee; and thither family on her knees. Her husband and still the roses bloomed freshly on we drove, Mr. Lange and I, in our was at last obliged to give up farming; her cheeks, and still the kind smile little open carriage, the other Swed- he then took to shoemaking, and at was on her lips, spite of an anxious ish families driving there also, but this trade succeeded in making a look in those clear blue eyes. Both sis- with oxen. A young Swede, who had livelihood for himself and his family. ters were blonde, with round counte- married a fat, elderly American wid- He had now been dead a few years, nances, blue eyes, light hair, fair ow, was of the company. I saw them and his widow was preparing to leave complexions, regular white teeth, lo- going on through the wood, she sit- the little house and garden, which vely and slender figures - some true ting with her parasol on the carriage, she could no longer look after, and Swedes, especially the young wife, a while her young husband drove the remove to her son-in-law, Bergvall's. lovely specimen of the young Swedish oxen. One of Mrs. Petterson's sons, a She felt herself worn out, old, and woman. young man of about twenty, rode finished before her time, as she said; In the afternoon she took me by a before us as a guide through the but still did not regret having come little path through the wood, down labyrinths of the wood. Thus we arri- to America, because, as regarded her to the wonderfully beautiful Pine ved at a log house, resembling one of children and their future, she saw a Lake, on the banks of which, but the peasant cottages around Arsta, new world opened to them, richer deeper still in the woods, her home standing upon a green hill, com- and happier than that which the was situated, and near to which the manding the most beautiful view mother country could have offered other Swedish houses also stood. On over the lake, which was here seen them, and she would have been glad our way I asked her about her life, in nearly its whole extent. to have purchased this future for and thus came to hear, but without Mrs. Petterson, a large woman, them at the sacrifice of her own life; the least complaint on her part, of its who in her youth must have been she would be well contented to go Swedish American Genealogist 2014:1 down to the grave, even before her time, and there to have done with her crutch. Their children, four sons and four daughters — the two youngest born here, and still children — were all of them agreeable, and some of them remarkably handsome, in par- ticular the two youngest boys — Knut and Sten. Sten rowed me in a little boat along the shores of the charming lake; he was a beautiful, slender youth of seventeen; and as he sat there in his white shirt-sleeves, with his blue silk waistcoat, with his clear, dark-blue eyes, and a pure, good ex- pression in that lovely, fresh, youthful countenance, he was the perfect idea of a shepherd in some beautiful idyll. The sisters, when we were alone, praised Knut and Sten as sincerely A cabin by the Pine Lake shore. kind and good lads, who would do (From Swedes in Wisconsin by Frederick Hale [2002].) anything for their sisters and their the evening - altogether one-and- pressed with a deep solemnity when home. twenty Swedes - in games, songs, and the men, led by Bergvall, sang, with dancing, exactly as if in Sweden. I their fresh, clear voices, The site of New Upsala had, during the whole time of my "Up, Swedes! for king and father- We rowed along the wooded lake- journey to the West, been conning land," and after that many other old shores, which, brilliant in their over in my mind a speech which I national songs. Swedish hospitality, autumnal coloring, were reflected in would make to my countrymen in the cheerfulness, and song live here as the mirror-like waters. And here, West; I thought how I would bear to vigorously as ever they did in the Old upon a lofty promontory covered with them a salutation from their mother Country. splendid masses of wood, was New country, and exhort them to create a The old lady, Petterson, had got Upsala to stand - such was the in- new Sweden in that new land! I ready a capital entertainment; in- tention of Unonius and his friends thought that I would remind them comparably excellent coffee, and tea when they first came to this wild re- of all that the Old Country had of especially; good venison, fruit, tarts, gion, and were enchanted with its great and beautiful, in memory, in and many good things, all as nicely beauty. Ah! that wild district will not thought, in manners and customs; I and as delicately set out as if on a maintain Upsala's sons. I saw the wished to awaken in their souls the prince's table. The young sons of the desolate houses where he, Unonius, inspiration of a New Scandinavia. I house waited upon us. At home, in and von Schneidau5 struggled in vain had often myself been deeply affected Sweden, it would have been the to live. by the thoughts and the words which daughters. All were cordial and But the place itself was delightful I intended to make use of. But now, joyous. When the meal was over we and lovely — characterized by a Swed- when I was at the very place where I had again songs, and after that ish beauty, for dark pines towered up longed to be, and thought about my dancing. Mrs. Petterson joined in among the trees, and the wood grew speech, I could not make it. Nor did I every song with a strong and clear, down to the very edge of the lake, as make it at all. I felt myself happy in but somewhat shrill voice, which she is the case in our Scandinavian lakes, being with my countrymen, happy to said was "so not by art, but by na- where the Neck sits in the moonlight, find them so agreeable and so Swed- ture, since the beginning of the and plays upon the harp, and sings ish still in the midst of a foreign land. world!" The good old lady would have beneath the overarching verdure. But I felt more disposed for merri- joined us too, in the dances and the The sun set; but even here, again, all ment than solemnity. I therefore, polkas, if she had not been prevented wore a Northern aspect; it was cold, instead of making my speech, read by her rheumatic lameness. I asked and without that splendid glow of to the company that little story by the respectable smith to be my part- coloring which is so general in Ame- Hans Christian Andersen called "The ner, and we two led the Nigar Polka, rican sunsets. Pine-tree," and then incited my which carried along with it young countrymen to sing Swedish songs. and old, and electrified all, so that the An evening party Neither were those beautiful Swed- young gentlemen sprang up aloft, ish voices lost here in the New World, and the fat American lady tumbled Returning to the log house, we spent and I was both affected and im- down upon a bench overpowered by Swedish American Genealogist 2014:1 laughter; we danced, finally, round Heartfelt kindness and hospitality, the house. seriousness and mirth in pure family After that we went in the beautiful life -these characteristics of Swedish evening down to the shore of the lake, life, where it is good - should be and the star-song ofTegner was sung transplanted into the Western wil- beneath the bright, starry heavens. derness by the Swedish colonists, as Somewhat later, when we were about they are in this instance. That day to separate, I asked Mrs. Petterson among the Swedes by Pine Lake; that to sing a Swedish evening hymn, and splendid old lady; those handsome, we all joined in as she sang, warmhearted men; those lovely, mod- "Now all the earth reposeth." est, and kind young women; that We then parted with cordial shak- affectionate domestic life; that rich ing of hands and mutual good wishes, hospitality in poor cottagers — all are and all and each returned to their to me a pledge of it. The Swedes must homes in the star-bright night. Mrs. Pettersson, Charlotta Magdalena continue to be Swedes, even in the Berg (1803-187?). (From Swedes in Wis- New World; and their national life consin, by Frederick Hale [2002].) Staying the night and temperament, their dances and I was to remain at Mrs. Petterson's, down, she said, "Ah, Miss Bremer, games, their star-songs and hymns, but not without some uneasiness on how much more people can bear than must give to the western land a new my part as to the prospect of rest; for, can be believed possible!" I sighed, element of life and beauty. They must however sumptuous had been the and said, "Yes, indeed!" gave up the continue to be such a people in this entertainment of the evening, yet search for an extinguisher, which country that earnestness and mirth still the state of the house testified could not be found, put out the can- may prosper among them, and that of the greatest lack of the common dle, therefore, with a piece of paper, they may be pious and joyful at the conveniences of life; and I had to and crept into my portion of the bed, same time, as well on Sundays as on sleep in the sister's bed with Mrs. where, though my sleep was nothing all other days. And they must learn Petterson, and six children and to speak of, I yet rested comfortably. from the American people that regu- grandchildren lay in the adjoining I was glad the next morning to feel larity and perseverance, that system- room, which was the kitchen. Among well, and to rise with the sun, which, atizing in life, in which they are yet these was young Mrs. Bergvall, with however, shone somewhat dimly deficient. A new Scandinavia shall her little baby and her little stepson; through the mist above the beautiful one day bloom in the valley of the for, when she was about to return lake. It was a cool, moist morning; but Mississippi in the great assembly of home with Herr Lange, his horses be- these warmhearted people, the warm peoples there, with men and women, came frightened by the pitch dark- and good coffee, and the hospitable games, and songs, and dances, with ness of the night and would not go entertainment, warmed both soul days as gay and as innocent as this on, and she herself was becoming and body. day at Pine Lake! frightened too, would not venture with her little children. Bergvall, Leaving Pine Lake Advice from Pine Lake therefore, set off alone through the It was with heartfelt emotion and During this day I put some questions forest, and I heard his wife calling gratitude that I, after breakfast, took to all the Swedes whom I met regard- after him: "Dear Bergvall, mind and leave of my Swedish friends. Mrs. ing the circumstances and the pros- milk the white cow well again to- Petterson would have given me the pects of the Swedes in this new night." (N.B.—It is the men in this only valuable which she now pos- country, as compared with those of country who milk the cows, as well sessed - a great, big gold ring; but I the old, and their answers were very as attend to all kinds of out-of-door could not consent to it. How richly nearly similar, and might be com- business.) He replied to her with a had she gifted me already! We parted, prised in the following: cheerful "Yes." And Mrs. Bergvall and not without tears. That amiable "If we were to work as hard in her mother prayed me to excuse young mother, her cheeks blooming Sweden as we do here, we should be there being so many of them in the like wild roses, accompanied me as well off there, and often better. house that night, etc. - me, the through the wood, walking beside the "None who are not accustomed to stranger, and who was the cause of carriage silently and kindly, and hard, agricultural labor ought to this throng! It was I who ought to silently we parted with a cordial become farmers in this country. have asked for excuse; and I would pressure of the hand and a glance. "No one who is in any other way rather have slept outside the house That lovely young Swede was the well off in his native land ought to than not have appeared satisfied and most beautiful flower of that Ameri- come hither, unless, having a large pleased with every thing within it. can wilderness. She will beautify and family, he may do so on account of And when Mrs. Petterson had lain ennoble it. his children; because children have

Swedish American Genealogist 2014:1 a better prospect here for their future With that ascending September Endnotes: than at home. They are admitted into sun, Mr. Lange and I advanced along 1) Oscar Lange, a business man, born in schools for nothing; receive good the winding paths of the wood till we Sweden in 1812, and residing in Mil- education, and easily have an op- reached the great high road, where waukee, Wisconsin. Married to Cath- portunity of maintaining themselves. we were to meet the diligence by arine, born in Ireland around 1822. "But the old, who are not accus- which I was to proceed to Madison, (U.S. Federal Census 1850, Wisconsin, tomed to hard labor, and the absence while Mr. Lange returned to Mil- Milwaukee, Milwaukee Ward 3.) of all conveniences of life, can not long waukee. Many incomparably lovely 2) Probably identical with George Ed- resist the effects of the climate, lakes, with romantic shores, are vard Bergvall, born 8 April 1806 in sickness, and other hardships. Goteborg Domkyrkoparish, as no scattered through this district, and suitable Bergman has been found in "Young unmarried people may human habitations are springing up SPANY. Mr. Bergwall (#672 in come hither advantageously, if they along them daily. I heard the names SPANY) was a customs official, and will begin by taking service with of some of these lakes - Silver Lake, after been involved in a scrutiny of his others. As servants in American fami- Nobbmaddin Lake, as well as Lake work, he left Sweden in 1842, and set- lies they will be well-fed and clothed, Naschota, a most beautiful lake, on tled in Pine Lake. After having been and have good wages, so that they the borders of which I awaited the widowed in 1846 he married again. He may soon lay by a good deal. For diligence. Here stood a beautiful and his family are listed in the 1850 young and healthy people it is not newly-built country house, where the U.S. Federal Census under the name difficult to get on well here; but they of Bargwell. (U.S. Federal Census grounds were beginning to be laid 1850, Wisconsin, Waukesha County, must be prepared to work really out. Openings had been made here Merton). hard, and in the beginning to suffer and there in the thick wild forest, to 3) She was Ebba Maria Eleonora Petters- from the climate and from the dis- give fine views of that romantic lake. son, (#749 in SPANY) and was born eases prevalent in this country. The diligence came. It was full of 10 Sep. 1828 in Molltorp (Vago.). She "The Norwegians get on better in gentlemen; but they made room. I came in 1843 to Pine Lake with her a general way than the Swedes, squeezed myself in among the mother and siblings. After being wid- because they apply themselves more strangers, and, supported by both owed in 1846, she soon remarried to to work and housewifery, and think hands upon my umbrella, as by a Geoge Edvard Bergwall. According to less of amusement than we do. They the Census the Bergwalls had a stick, I was shaken, or rather hurled, daughter Agnes age 4, and a son Can- also emigrate in larger companies, unmercifully hither and thither upon ute (Knut) aged 2 in 1850. and thus can help one another in the new-born roads of Wisconsin, 4) The Widow Pettersson was born Char- their work and settling down." which are no roads at all, but a suc- lotta Magdalena Berg, 16 June 1803 The same evening that I spent at cession of hills, and holes, and water- in Soderhamn (Hals.) (#744 in Mrs. Petterson's, I saw a peasant pools, in which first one wheel sank SPANY). She was married to Knut from Norrland, who had come with and then the other, while the opposite Hallstrom, a Swedish civil servant his son to look at her little farm, one stood high up in the air. Some- with the postal services, who had fled having some thought of purchasing times the carriage came to a sudden Sweden in 1842 after being suspected it. He had lately come hither from of falsifying his accounts, and altered stand-still, half overturned in a hole, his name to Bengt Pettersson. In Sweden, but merely, as he said, to and it was some time before it could SPANY he is recorded as being a look about him. He was, however, so be dragged out again, only to be shoemaker in Wisconsin, and died in well pleased with what he saw, that thrown into the same position on the Pine Lake in 1845. Widow Pettersson he was going back to fetch his wife, other side. To me that mode of travel- died between 1870 and 1880. She was his children, and his movables, and ing seemed really incredible, nor two years younger than Fredrika, who they return here to settle. The man could I comprehend how, at that rate, still calls her "Old lady Pettersson." was one of the most beautiful speci- we should ever get along at all. Some- 5) Polycarpus von Schneidau, (# 689 in mens of the Swedish peasant, tall, times we drove for a considerable SPANY, born 29 Feb. 1812 in Stock- strong-limbed, with fine, regular holm, immigrated in 1842 with his distance in the water, so deep that I wife, who was a Jewess, and not pro- features, large, dark blue eyes, his expected to see the whole equipage per for an officer's wife. They settled hair parted above his forehead, and either swim or sink altogether. And in Pine Lake, but moved in 1844 to falling straight down both sides of his when we reached dry land, it was Chicago, where he became a successful face - a strong, honest, good, and only to take the most extraordinary daguerrotypist. He died there in 1859. noble countenance, such as it does leaps over stocks and stones. They one good to look upon. The son was comforted me by telling me that the SPANY = Swedish Passenger Arrivals in quite young, but promised to resem- diligence was not in the habit of being the United States 1820-1850, by Nils ble his father in manly beauty. It upset very often! And, to my a- William Olsson and Erik Wiken (1995). grieved me to think that such men stonishment, I really did arrive at should leave Sweden. Yet the new Watertown without being over- Sweden will be all the better for turned, but was not able to proceed Downloaded from University of Wis- them. without a night's rest. consin Digital Collections 2014. Swedish American Genealogist 2014:1