52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Welcome back to my blog! It's a new year, 2018, and my goal for this year is to write about 52 of my Swedish ancestors in 52 weeks. I hope you enjoy the posts. Please send your comments or questions as I hope to make this meaningful and interesting.

Why not start with a woman who lived to be nearly 101 years old!

Ella Ersdotter is my 7th great grandmother, an ancestor of Maude Edith Olofson. She was born on the 18th of May 1676 in Ljusdal which is in Gavleborg county. Ella married Olof Ersson in 1690 and together they had 8 children.

Olof and Ella moved to the neighboring parish of Farila where they raised their family. Olof died in 1747, leaving Ella to live her final 30 years of life alone.

From Ella's death record, we learn the following:

The farmer's widow Ella Ersdotter, was born in Ljusdahl during Ericsmasotiden (May 18) 1676. Her father was farmer Eric Persson and her mother was Sigrid Ersdotter. In 1681, when she was 5 years old, she moved with her parents here to Fone and Branna. Her father's brother was Olof Persson, and the family received the home from him who had left it in 1696.

Her parents both died the same day and were buried on the same day. The following year she entered into marriage with her husband Olof Ersson. He was born in Valla #1.
She lived with him in harmony and had love for 50 years until the 27th of April 1747. And during this time had with him 5 sons and 3 daughters. Two sons and two daughters are still alive.

She was a very honorable and capable woman. She had somewhat good health but at the end was very ill. She was blind 22 years. From the last michaelid, September 29, she has been bedridden. She died on 9 January.

The terms "Ericsmasotiden" and "Michaelid" are references to church dates and must be calculated using a book that is available in the Salt Lake City LDS Library.

Isn't it amazing that we have an ancestor who lived to be 100 years old in the 1700's? Imagine all of the minor illnesses or injuries that caused the deaths of people at that time. Even a broken bone, the flu, or cut often caused death. To have survived through all kinds of illnesses then is amazing.