Just wondering....

Marie Louise Bratt mlbratt@bridgetosweden.com
Endicott, NY 
www.bridgetosweden.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Hej Marie Louise,

Yes, as you know, I have family who emigrated - my father in particular as well as my farfar and farmor.

I am interested in learning about what life was like for my Dad, born in 1905 in Halltorp, his brothers, sisters and himself growing up in Sweden.  Naturally, I have some knowledge of his early life but I would like to hear what it was like for his generation and for the younger people growing up (such as yourself) and how it was different from growing up in the US (if it actually was).

When I was in high school (in the late 1950s), I wrote a term paper on the government of Sweden.  If I remember
correctly the subject was that it was a social democracy. I have often wondered how the government has changed since that time.  I am interested in the facts, not people's personal opinions necessarily.  For example, how many political parties are there now in Sweden and what is each party's philosophy or platform.  I have noticed that there is a greater percentage of women in governing bodies at the kommun and, I think, at the national level than is common in the US.  However, I don't fully understand how the different levels of governing bodies work.

These are topics that are difficult to discuss on the other genealogy lists and I was hoping that SWEDE-L would discuss this type of subject.  Of course, I am still curious why each of my ancestors left such a beautiful country.  I, selfishly, am glad that my Dad did, but still I understand completely what Rune Persson told me my Dad said on a visit home in 1964 that he was sorry that he left.

MVH, Phyllis Nelson NELSON@GEORGE.BAKERU.EDU
Baldwin City, Kansas

>>>12/06/01>>>
my farmor came across from gotland in the mid 40's... on my mothers side her morfar and mormor came from dalarna sometime during the 20's. my parents have done extensive genealogical work on both lines- it's pretty addicting to get into! does anyone else have gotland ties? 

.seth neilson Seth.Neilson@activate.com 
 http://www.untickalock.com 

>>>12/06/01>>>
My Great-grandfather, Simon Erik Flink and Great Grandmother Anna K. Johnson Came from Sweden. So did my Great great Grandmother . I wonder if Sweden was not a very good place at that time, to want to leave your home land and come to the USA. I never got to meet them,  so I do not know why they came to the USA. I know I would not want to move from the USA to any other country.

Pat Short pashort@rectec.net

>>>12/06/01>>>
 Both of my parents came from Sweden in the late 1920s.  I have cousins in Sweden that I have visited and correspond with regularly. Several have web-sites and I can e-mail about half of them.  There are several relatives from earlier generations that emigrated here, but I haven't tried to find more about them.

My folks left Sweden because there was no work. A handful of those that I know about went back to Sweden before WWII.

Walt wianderson@erols.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Pat, I found a person named Simon F. Flink (not Erik) emigrating in 1902. He came from V. Tollstad in the province of Östergötland (the record says Follstad, but there is no such place). Could this be your great grandfather or did he come to the US earlier than that? This information comes from the CD called Emigranten, which has most Swedish emigrants, starting with year 1869. If anybody else would like me to look up emigrants in this CD, let me know.

There were many reasons, of course, why Swedes emigrated. Many, especially early on, were poor and really did not have enough food to eat. In the 1860's there were droughts and therefore people were starving. Somewhat later the shipping companies distributed brochures telling the Swedes about the US and Canada, often lies, e.g. "there are no rocks in Minnesota" or "the weather in Minnesota is always pleasant, never too cold or too hot". Not quite :) In Sweden they talked about the "Amerikafeber", America fever, where people really believed that everything in the US would be wonderful. Some things were, others were not...

My own great grandparents emigrated from Sweden to Colorado in 1883. Apparently they had a difficult time there. One child died and after 7 years they decided to go back to Sweden. Not that things were easy for them in Sweden either!

Marie Louise Bratt mlbratt@bridgetosweden.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
I have been a member of this list a long time, sometimes sitting quiet in the background enjoying the conversation and sometimes an active participant. I have found some great information on this list, for instance when the Swedish government finally decide to allow dual citizenship.

Christina Adams. (Born and raised in Sweden for 30 years and been living in the US for 17 years now.)

Christina Adams   cadams@lib.ci.phoenix.az.us 
Phoenix Az

>>>12/06/01>>>
My Swedish ancestors emigrated in 1853, settling in Kandiyohi County MN.

Sue rmbenbow@havilandtelco.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Personally I'm the emigrant. I was born and raised in Stockholm Sweden and moved to Los Angeles as a young adult for College studies after a few years at the University of Stockholm. I've lived here since and have been married for over 16 years to an American man with no strings to Sweden prior to meeting me. We're raising a daughter, going on 15, with both Swedish and American traditions.

Lil knytt@earthlink.net

>>>12/06/01>>>
I have Swedish Great Grandparents that settled in US in the 1850-60's and YES I would be interested in that type of discussion as I have not done any research on them outside of the US.

I know of John Peterson b. 4 Dec 1826 in Sweden (Vastergotland we believe) Also the story was that he changed his name from NYE or KNYE? as that was considered to popular a name and he thought Peterson wouldn't be???  So the
tale goes.  I am not even sure this is not more than fiction as the people in the family I got it from were well up in their years and memories were not all that great.

His wife was Fredricka Swanson (father was Peter and mother was Aunt Knopf) b. 8 Sept 1829 in Sweden.  She was married first to Elmer Carlson in 1858. Two children by Elmer. Married John in 1864.  6 more children by John.  All
these children were born in the USA and in Winnebago County, IL.

My Grandfather, Henry W. Peterson, was John and Fredricka's (known as Charlotte) son and he died when I was 7 so didn't get any detail from him. My Mother, Bernita, did write down the names and dates that I have and the rest I got digging around the courthouse.

I am not sure even where to start looking in Sweden.

Jim Thomas jhthomas47@home.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
I would think that the majority of persons on this list are one of three types, native born Swedes living in the US, native born Swedes living in Sweden or abroad, or descendants of Swedes who emigrated to the US in the great emigration of the late 1800's and early 1900's.

What do you think?

Gregg Nelson (descendant category) GDNELSON99@aol.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Phyliss: I would suggest that you read the Vilhelm Moberg books, The Immigrant, Unto a Good Land, The Settlers and the Last Letter Home.  These books follow a swedish family from Sverige to Minnesota.  It shows the conditions that caused many swedes to leave for America in the late 1800's and early 1900's.   AND it is very interesting reading, particularly for someone named Nelson, because the fictitious family name is Nilsson, a swedish name that was usually americanized to Nelson.

Gregg Nelson - formally Nilsson GDNELSON99@aol.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Sue: My maternal grandfather's family immigrated in 1882 and lived in Cumberland in Kandiohi County! His name: Verner Fahlstrom (1894-1973); parents: Johan Nicholas Olsson Fahlstrom (1857-1943), Anna Fredrika Nystrom (1863-1929). There were seven or eight children in the household. They later moved west to Washington State where these three died. 

Jill jstepp@toledotel.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Jill: My ancestors homesteaded in Kandiyohi County, but at the beginning of the Sioux uprising in 1862 they had to flee to the Forest City stockade.  Sven Backlund, the father/grandfather of the family was killed in sight of his family and neighbors while herding the stock behind the wagons.  He was 75 at the time.  They gave up their claim in Kandiyohi County and eventually settled in Millersberg, Rice County MN.  This past April I traveled to Millersberg and saw the homes and business his descendents had.  A cousin is still living in the small town, my Aunt lives only a few miles away.  I walked around the churchyard and found the graves of many of Sven's descendants, including his wife, Stina Brita Bengtsdotter Backlund, 1790-1884.  Sven is my G-G-G-G Grandfather on my Mother's side.

Sue rmbenbow@havilandtelco.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Thank you Gregg for your suggestion to read the Moberg books.  I have read them already - twice.  I am curious about what life was like in Sweden between 1905 and now.  My father and his three sisters sold the farm in Halltorp after my grandparents died and they all immigrated to Chicago and Binghamton, New York.  They were probably a part of the movement from rural areas to cities that was taking place in many countries.  My father came in 1929, just before the depression hit.  I do not know much about economic conditions in Sweden previous to 1929 - excuse my ignorance of world history.  My aunts came in 1912.  My grandparents were still alive at this time.  I do not know what motivated my aunts to leave at that time and I am curious about that.  From the photos that I have, there were many good times among family and friends in Sweden.  There was also travel back home to Sweden so there was enough money available for travel.  The motivation was not for religious reasons because everyone belonged to the Augustana Lutheran synod church in the US.

I am more interested in modern Sweden and what motivated people to leave  during the 1920s.  What were the economic conditions in Sweden at that time?  Was there an economic downturn there at that time?

Phyllis Nelson nee Johnson  nelson@george.bakeru.edu

>>>12/06/01>>>
My grandparents immigrated to the US from Sweden... my grandmother from Kalmar and my grandfather from Rolanda.

Anyone else from these areas?

Jon Walgren jakerag@earthlink.net

>>>12/06/01>>>
I see that Anna Fredrika Nyström emigrated, at age 19, from Västerbotten county, on June 23, 1882. She was described as a maid and was going to Chicago. She was traveling with a family of 8, all from the same county. No Johan though!

Lots of women, including some from my family, went to the USA and Canada to work as maids. The working conditions were better than in Sweden, and American families generally were very happy to employ Swedish women. They had a good reputation to be hard workers and honest. Some of these girls were very young - my own grandfather's sister was only 15 when she emigrated, shortly after her father's death, in order to earn money for her mother and 3 siblings. No social safety net at that time (about 1900).

Marie Louise Bratt Bratt mlbratt@bridgetosweden.com

>>>12/06/01>>>
Jon: my mother's aunt and uncle lived most of their lives in Kalmar. I used to go visiting as a small child. Nice small town.

Lil knytt@earthlink.net

>>>12/06/01>>>

RE: Why I joined the list

I found the site through a Swedish genealogy site, where I have been attempting to trace my Swedish roots for some time. My great grandfather arrived as a young child in 1868. I have learned a lot about my Swedish heritage, but there is so much more to learn.

My father was born in Jamestown, NY, a large Swedish community, but lost his "Swedishness" when he left. His twin brother stayed and was very Swedish. All who might have been able answer questions are now gone, and I am attempting to fill in many blanks and make the bridge back to Sweden. 

Craig Peterson craigmp@rica.net
Staunton, VA

>>>12/06/01>>>
I have no ancestors that hailed from Sweden that I know of.  My ancestry can be traced to the British Isles mostly and some to Germany and the Netherlands.  My interest in Sweden comes more from having heard for many years of how Sweden, as well as the other Scandinavian countries, have honored the ideals of equality and tolerance in their social structure.  Perhaps my perception is a naive one so please do forgive me if I sound a bit daft, but I think America, where such ideas are talked about quite a bit but not realized fully, could perhaps learn a lot from our Swedish cousins.

In addition, an opportunity has come my way to live and work in northern Sweden for about a half of a year starting next fall.  I've been studying the language for not quite a year, so a chance to go live there of course excites me.  I had hoped that membership on this list would offer me a way to learn more about Swedish culture before I go.  I love learning about glögg recipes and the St. Lucia ceremonies and how and why the Swedes switched from driving on the left to the right.  A
Swedish colleague of mine is going to give me a recipe for Princess Cake, and I can't wait to try it.  These things are very important to better understand the Swedish way of life.

I had also hoped, however, for some discussion on politics and the Swedish state because those things are also important for understanding Swedish culture.  I don't want to debate whose form of democracy is better or anything inflammatory.  It seems to me that we should be able, through calm discussion and description, be able to illumine for those like me, interested in Sweden but by no means well-informed, how the Swedish state works.  I can certainly understand why not everyone would want to enter the fray on this topic, but it seems that those of us who want to should be able to discuss such things without censure, as long as we follow the guidelines of the list.

Sorry for the long post.  I just wanted to add my "två kronor" worth after reading the posts of the last few days.  If the list membership is adamant that nothing political is to be discussed, then you'll never hear the P-word from me, and I'll keep enjoying the discussions of all the other delightful facets of the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Rick Johns richard.johns@wright.edu
Dayton, Ohio

>>>12/07/01>>>
I was born in Sweden too (maiden name Vrethammar), grew up in Stockholm and Karlshamn.  Moved to the US in 1994 and now reside in Wisconsin with two bilingual daughters - 13 and 6 years old.

Charlotte Laning oldsmuggler@voyager.net

>>>12/07/01>>>
My connection to Sweden is that I went to the University of Uppsala in 1987-1988 as an exchange student.  I have no family connection, however.

Daniel Malvin danesqca@earthlink.net

>>>12/07/01>>>
Mary Louise,
Many thanks for this info. I didn't know much about my g gma and never would have guessed an entry to Chicago! 

The 'no Johan' explains how a guy from SW Sweden got together with a Lapp gal from NE Sweden!!! I thought it unlikely that he traveled up there, guessing that perhaps her family went south to emigrate.

THANK YOU!!!
Jill jstepp@toledotel.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
My paternal grandparents immigrated from Sweden in 1889. 

Linda in NM ljcox@worldnet.att.net

>>>12/07/01>>>
Oh, to answer this particular question: I'm 25% Norwegian and several generations ago, some silly Swede moved to Norway to eventually become one of my ancestors so technically, I'm part Swedish ;-) Both my grandparents on my mom's side immigrated to the US, her mom from Norway and her father from Germany.

Cheers!
...darci...  paradise.cowgirl@verizon.net

>>>12/07/01>>>
Myself 100% Swede, I live in Sweden. Have a lot of family members who emigrated to the States. Some to Minnesota, some Chicago and other places. Try to locate them, specially my dad's grandmother's siblings who settle down in Minneapolis/St Paul and have the name Johnson, who else hasn't that name ;-).

Run the website of Falbygden Gen Soc which is situated in Falköping, Skaraborg, Västergötland, Sweden. 

Annelie Jonsson anne.falk@swipnet.se
Falköping 

>>>12/07/01>>>
I am also interested in 1600-1700 immigration--Scandinavian to America, I grew up in New York.  All we kids learned was about the Pilgrims, etc...and the Dutch...

On my father's side..his grandfather was born in Tuna Parish,..MAtfors, Vasternorrland..his mom was born near Langby Forsa.  Her dad was from Borga, His grandfather had 2 families...1st wife (who died) was from Selanger, Njunda parish, Medelepad....VAsternoorland.  I would like to learn more about Borga (Porvoo) and migration back and forth between Finland and Sweden and of course I want to learn more about Tuna parish.  I would love a detailed history of the region..in the 1700-1800.. Karl Magnus Lax was her father's name...

D. Hanna rdbhanna@rcn.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
One suggestion for the 1600-1700s is to contact the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia, the place where New Sweden lay http://www.americanswedish.org/

Sven heskon@algonet.se

>>>12/07/01>>>
Darci (and Rick Johns and perhaps others),

If you have not already come across it, check out www.amerikanska.com, a website for Americans living in, or planning to move to, Sweden.  (And for that matter, Swedes living in the United States.)  It has a lot of valuable information, plus a very active discussion forum.

Personally I have no expectations of ever moving to Sweden but I visit this site often to read the discussion forum for the insights it offers.

Good luck.
Ron Carlson rcarl616@msn.com
Alexandria, VA

>>>12/07/01>>>
Well, I grew up in Sweden, but my great grandfather came from Finland and, on my father's side and a very long time ago, the family came from Norway (Vikings!). Not to talk about the apparent "Valloner" who came from Belgium. It is not only America where people came from everywhere. But, of course, Sweden has been very homogenous until the last few decades when MANY have immigrated.

Here is an interesting website about the early immigration of Swedes, www.colonialswedes.org/history/history.html, i.e. 1600's. 

Marie Louise Bratt mlbratt@bridgetosweden.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
Good Morning ~ I too can only claim 25% of me being Swede.  Very proudly and even loudly, I might add.  My Dads' father was the Swede, his parents having immigrated in the early 1880's.  His Mom was a german whose father immigrated.  I do love all things Swedish and go regularly to Lindsborg, Ks and other places where I can at least touch my heritage. 

Barb in Texas Windico@aol.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
Hi Barb, 
We go regularly to Lindsborg, Ks also.  My daughter lives there.  Were you at Hyllingsfest in October?  We plan on moving there sometime in the future.  We had an exchange student from Sweden about 16 years ago, she said Lindsborg was more Swedish that Sweden!  Do you have family in Lindsborg?

Sue in southern Kansas rmbenbow@havilandtelco.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
I'm 3/8 Swedish - in other words 3 of my 8 great-grandparents are from Sweden, and all 3 of them from Småland, and all of them settled in Minnesota, where I live now. I am as typical a Swedish-American as you'll ever find.  Details at www.curle.com/genealogy. 

Another great grandparent had a father from Norway but we prefer not to talk about that in the family.

Richard, you should definitely get a copy of list member Lisa Carr's new book Modern-Day Vikings.  It covers the politics, the culture, the Swedish Psyche, the Rule of Shoes (you'll have to read the book to find out what that is), etc.  It's written for people just like you.  Here's the link to where you can order it, or it might be up on Amazon.com by now. 
http://www.interculturalpress.com/shop/swedestext.html

I'm about 2/3 of the through the book, and it's really excellent.  Wish it had been available before I lived in Sweden, it would have spared me a lot of misunderstandings. 

David david@curle.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
David, 
I checked out your web page and SURPRISE I saw a name: NORDLUND. I had two very close and good friends Leland J. Nordlund and his sister Lois M. Nordlund.  Lee was my "big brother" starting in 1960 until his death in the late 1990's.  I know he had close relatives in Sweden as I met one of their cousins on a visit by that cousin in the 1960's.

Jim Thomas jhthomas47@home.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
Hi everybody,

In having had an interesting morning, I'm suddenly reminded of my daughter's attitude on this Swedish/American thing called her heritage etc. Considering that she's a daughter of an emigrant, being little me.

Living in Los Angeles, we've over the years done a lot of different things Swedish in her different schools. Most schools here are very ethnically diverse, often request are made for parents to get involved in sharing their heritage with the rest of the students. This may happen all over the US as far as I'm concerned, but I've only dealt with schools in L.A. Over the years I've taught a whole class of Andrea's to sing a children's song in Swedish. She's shared Lucia on I don't know how many occasions (bringing pepparkakor/ginger cookies and Swedish saft/ a Swedish drink most Swedish kids are brought up on). I've always enjoyed being able to share these things with the kids and have been amazed when Andrea would have a birthday party the girls, but especially the boys would come running to me and ask if I had any saft at home.

But that's not what I wanted to mention really. I've read a lot of posts over the last few days and one of the comments was about how Swedes can be rather almost too honest and blunt. I'm definitely one such case. I used it the other day in a personal post to someone on the list, in a private response/e-mail. I was very "matter of fact" and straightforward. From my standpoint very logical and honest, but for someone who doesn't understand the Swedish psyche - probably rather rude. For this all I can say is that I'm sorry if my words hurt. It's just how I feel and I don't sugarcoat things.

This brings me to something my daughter often does. She says she 50% Swedish and 50% American, true. She points out that her father is the American 50% and that depending upon the situation - she's either 50% logical or 50% illogical. And when logical is concerned, for the other person to guess which side that comes from......

hint - - - -  hint: the Swedish side.

She states that anything illogical she does, comes from her American side. I'm personally starting to wonder if I've made her think her Swedish side is better somehow. It wasn't my intention...

Anyone had similar situations with the Swedish psyche? How about you second and third generations who've visited Sweden and maybe gotten a culture chock in how Swedes are?

Just curious,

Lil knytt@earthlink.net

>>>12/07/01>>>
Here is my "Swedish connection":

Farmor from Dalarna (Leksand) to USA in 1889.
Farfar from Skaraborgs län (Sandhem) to USA in 1890.
Farfars mor from Götene to USA in 1893.

Family names: Langberg/Lengberg, Nyman, Backström, numerous patronymics.

Known living relatives in Avesta. We visited them there 4 years ago, and they came to see us in the US earlier this year.

George Langberg langberg@attglobal.net
Tuxedo, NY, USA

>>>12/07/01>>>
My connection to Sweden is from both my mother and father's sides.  All of my great-great grandparents came from Sweden (which means all of my great-grandparents, my grandparents and my parents married Swedes!).

My dad's side of the family emigrated to all parts of the northern U.S. and Canada.  My mom's side came to Kandiyohi county, Minnesota (which seems to be a recurring theme...:)

As an aside, my father's side of the family came to this country with the name "Persson," but they were supposedly told at the entrance point to the U.S. that there were too many people with the name Persson entering that day, so they would have to change it.  My G-G grandfather chose "Almén," which was his commander's last name when he was in the military, but it supposedly has connections to when the Swedish royal court adopted French names to impress each other.

Sue Almén-Whittaker almen-whittaker@uiowa.edu
Iowa City, IA 52242

>>>12/07/01>>>
I am 50 percent plus of Swedish ancestry...Reasoning, both my Mor's parents were born in Sweden and the plus being that my Dad told me sometime before he died in 1989, that he had a Swedish grandmother back there somewhere...So far I have not discovered anything about her...I am a family genealogist...Since my Mor is still living I'm concentrating on my Mormor's and Morfar's roots...Mormor was born Lydia Emerentia Andersson in GOB or Kronoberg...Morfar was born Johan Severin Ost in GOB or Alvsborg...Supposedly they met and married in Newark or East Orange, NJ...I seem to have 2 sets of family stories to track down...I just started seriously to research our Swedish roots...even though I have been collecting what anyone gave me for years... 

Tomorrow our family will attend the 'Lucia Fest' at our VASA Lodge...Our youngest granddaughter is in the procession... We will have a Smorgasbord, the procession and singing from the Lucia, attendants and star boys...then songs by VASA Voices, then singing by all and dancing around a Christmas tree... 

We all enjoy our Swedishness, even my husband who I'm trying to prove has some Norwegian ancestry... 

Linda Elin Earl Cuthbert... MORMOR23@aol.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
> There were many reasons, of course, why Swedes emigrated.

That sums it up pretty well.  Another question, though, is why they considered going to the US in the first place.  I think a lot of the time it was a matter of "word of mouth" -- enthusiastic reports from others who had already emigrated.  That was apparently the case in my family.  As far as I can tell, the first to go was my great great aunt, who emigrated in 1881 and soon married another expatriate Swede.  Her brother (my great grandfather) and his wife and three children followed
in 1885 and settled in the same area of eastern Connecticut, where there was a growing Swedish immigrant community that supported, among other things, a Swedish Lutheran church.  (My grandmother was baptized there when she was born.)  Next, a great great uncle came over, a younger brother of my ggm, only 17 years old, in 1887.  He ended up in nearby Rhode Island.  Then, in 1896, my ggm's niece, aged 16, came over and settled in California.  Obviously, she was an adventurous spirit, but she must have kept in close touch with the family back in Sweden, since she went back in 1907 for a visit and returned to California bringing her younger sister, then 18.

By the way, the two sisters seem to illustrate the change in surname patterns in Sweden.  Their father was named Johan Gustaf Gudmundsson (or Gummesson), and the older sister went by the name Gustafson at the time of the 1900 census, but the younger one apparently went by Gudmundson when she came over.

John Chandler JCHBN@CUVMB.CC.COLUMBIA.EDU

>>>12/07/01>>>
Very interesting.  I find the contrast of European to New World culture fascinating. My Swedish ancestor came in 1880.family name Söderlund, took the name Glans, which became Glanx, Glance, then Glantz.  The spelling and name split again for the 2 sons (one born in Sweden, one in America), one took Soderlund but spelled his father's name Glanz, the other kept Glantz.  They were all in Meriden, Ct. The older son who kept the name Soderlund came over after the father.  I often wonder if an uncle John A. Soderlund came over earlier..there is a John P. Soderlund in the Kansas census. I keep thinking of Henry James and the clash of European and new world cultures..but this time, the Europeans are coming here of course.. 

Deb Glantz Hanna rdbhanna@rcn.com

>>>12/07/01>>>
My farfar came to Duluth, MN from Holmsjö in Blekinge in the 1890s - farmor's parents came, as children, with their respective parents to the Cokato, MN area (Stockholm) from Västergötland - she from Herljunga - around 1860.  However, my original (and continuing) interest in  "things Swedish" came from my working and living in Stockholm in the late '80s/early '90s. 
My family never (knowingly) honored Swedish traditions or knew anything about Swedish culture, but from my first visit to Stockholm the place and people seemed familiar and comfortable.  I've been studying the language and
absorbing the culture ever since.

Curt Carlsonccarlson@mn.rr.com
Edina, MN
curt.carlson@bigfoot.com
************************************************
Personer som saknar humor förstår sällan allvar. - Carl Zetterström

>>>12/08/01>>>
My grandparents emigrated from Hagfors, in Värmland in 1923. While the Swedish past was celebrated (Christmas. etc and no, I don't eat lutefisk) the language was only barely used. It was that old "We are in  America now, we speak English". 

Erik Möllberg Emollberg@acpl.lib.in.us

>>>12/08/01>>>
I have no swedish heritage whatsoever. I joined the list back in 1996 after meeting a group of swedes online on IRC. I wanted to know more about their culture. Little did I know then that in 1997 I would meet one of those people in person in Canada and fall in love with him. After living together in Canada for a couple years and being blessed with a son together, he returned to Sweden for a job opportunity here and we joined him the following year. So from having no swedish family connection when I joined, I now have a swedish sambo and a half swedish son and live in Sweden. Life is funny.

Kitty kitty@val-axs.net

PS: I still have my original welcome message, listserv instructions and the ones from the various address changes I have made through the years. Yes, I am a packrat even on my computer. *laugh*

>>>12/09/01>>>
I am brand new to the list so perhaps proper etiquette would be to introduce myself.  My name is  Erik Neilson and I grew up speaking Swedish in my home.  My mother (deceased) was from Visby on the island of Gotland and my father is a Swedish-American.  His family came from Öland.  I also have a lot of family from around Eskilstuna.  As the oldest child in my family I grew up speaking Swedish and learned English along with my newly emigrated mother.  I now use that as an excuse when I speak less than grammatically.  I lived in Sweden for a couple of years after high school and would love to go back, this time with my wife - her grandparents came for Dalarna and she e-mails her cousins there frequently.  My children are very interested in their Swedish heritage and are trying their best to learn the language.  Fortunately for us here in the Pacific Northwest there are some classes available. 

Erik Neilson  ENeil524@aol.com
Woodinville, WA

>>>12/09/01>>>
Erik: You got my attention when you mentioned your children are interested in learning Swedish.  Unfortunately, I did not know enough to pass on much Swedish by example, but I did find a wonderful resource for my older daughter when she was about 14 and 15.  She went two summers to an immersion language camp in Minnesota called Sjolunden, sponsored by  Concordia College.  Actually it is one of the camps they run in a number of languages, all excellent, and great fun for the kids.  There are one week, two week, and four week programs, and the latter was intensive enough to earn Kirsten a high school language credit.   I have no official connection with the programs at all, but as a parent (and a Spanish teacher) recommend them highly. 

I too grew up in the Northwest, in Seattle, where my parents (from Skorped  and Broddarp -- anyone ever heard of those small places?) met and married in the l930's.  My aunt owned Scandia Bakery and  Coffee Parlor there for many years--it was the source for the lutefisk for many Seattle Swedes for a long time and provided a first job for a number of young women from Sweden who were waitresses there.

Sonia SSLLJJWW@aol.com

>>>12/10/01>>>
Sonia - That sounds like a wonderful program.  My kids are all in college now, however, but there are a few adult continuing education classes available through local community colleges, and the University of Washington has a fine program, too.  One of my good friends (non-Swede but I still like him), studied Swedish there because as a freshman he figured it might be a great place to meet girls.  I never quite understood his logic but he invariably greets me now with a "hej på dig"! 
Erik ENeil524@aol.com

>>>12/10/01>>>
Hey Paul -- another Rockford Swede here -- but found my upbringing 'very' Swedish (at least compared to when I left Rockford, and had cculture shock that you couldn't buy korv at every supermarket . . .  I also learned some of the "Old Swede."  New Swedes in town, or visitors, called it "7th Street Swedish" or "Kishwaukee Swedish" for a couple of the main roads through the main  Swedish part of town. . .Went to a Swedish class for beginners outside of DC, in Vienna Virginia -- and the first day the (very nice) teacher asked for everyone who knew a few words in Swedish to say them -- Got to me,, and she started laughing, saying I sounded like a 90 year-old farmer. :0

My grandfather's family came from Vastergo:tland, Grandmother too, from Skaraborgs la:n . . .unusual for Rockford, where most came from Dalarna . . .  The old school year for East High was Swedish . . . a bunch of it did it at some pep rally when I was there (graduated in '79) for fun . . . it was a riot -- a totally diverse student body listening to 2nd and 3rd generation Swedes do that cheer . . .

Still eat at Stockholm 2-3 times every trip back home . . . .

Jeffrey Nelson, swededc@hotmail.com
Washington DC/Morristown NJ

>>>12/10/01>>>
Paul and Jeffrey: Yes, here is another Rockford Swede.  Seems like everyone here had a last name ending in "son".  I am half swede, my mother was a Peterson. Did you know that around the turn of the century a letter was sent from Sweden to a relative addressed only as:
The persons name
Kishwaukee Street
USA
and the US postal service knew exactly where to send it?

Jim Thomas jhthomas47@home.com

>>>12/10/01>>>
Gregg: The camp serves kids 7 - 18.  Just looked up their web page at: http://clvweb.cord.edu/prweb/  or search  Language Villages Concordia College if I spelled it wrong.

We really did have a good experience there.  It was well worth the trip to Minnesota from Virginia (she flew alone and was met by staff.)   And the cultural things they do with the kids are great--made our later trip to Sweden more meaningful.

Sonia SSLLJJWW@aol.com

>>>12/11/01>>>

>> There were many reasons, of course, why Swedes emigrated.
>That sums it up pretty well.  Another question, though, is why they considered going to the US in the first place.  I think a lot of the time it was a matter of "word of mouth" -- enthusiastic reports from

John E. eastlund@odpemail.tamu.edu

>>>12/11/01>>>
Not everyone who immigrated to Rockford, IL came from Dalarna, a lot of them came also from my area in Sweden. I mean Falbygden which is the name of the area around the town Falköping, which is also the name of the town. 
Falköping is in Skaraborg, Västergötland. You can read more about it at http://fsf.falbygden.com/

In my search for people who emigrated from here, I have found a lot of person who dead in Rockford, IL. Looking for more people who settle down in the States and came from Falbygden. Any one who knows?

Annelie Jonsson anne.falk@swipnet.se
Falkoping

>>>12/11/01>>>
At 05:09 PM 12/10/01, Patric wrote:

>What David failed to tell you all is that elusive connection to fame his ancestors provide: [Three of them] came from Agunnaryd, the village where IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad grew up.

Patric is not quite right there, only one of the three was from Agunnaryd.  And there is no sign of any connection to Kamprad (and thus no inheritance to count on).

But there are other claims to fame in my family tree.

• Gustav Vasa was my father's mother's mother's mother's mother's father's mother's father's father's father's father's mother's mother's father's father.
• One of the 3 Swedish great grandparents was Augusta Amalia  Haraldsson. She had two cousins who also immigrated to Minnesota but they went by the name Haralson. They were horticulturalists and eventually developed the popular Haralson apple that many of us here in the Upper Midwest enjoy.
• My father's mother's mother's mother's mother's brother was Per Henrik Ling, the "father of Swedish Gymnastics".

[P.S.] There is a series of articles this week in the Minneapolis Star Tribune about a Swedish-American who tracks down his roots in Sweden and travels there to meet his relatives.  It's a story that will sound familiar to many of us who have been down the same path with our own family histories.  Here is the link:http://www.startribune.com/stories/1642/

>>>12/11/01>>>
Yes, I tend to believe my ancestors came from the area of Falkoping but I don't know exactly why.  Perhaps something my grandfather said something to me as a boy.  He and I were great friends, he lived with my parents the final years of his life.  Dying in 1954 in his eighties.  I would have been 7 years old.

Would it be appropriate for me to but a querie in the Falkoping genealogy site?  They seemed to want queries only if you knew your ancestors came from there.  Thanks for the information.

Jim Thomas  jhthomas47@home.com