More About Sophia Margrite Kjellander

My great-great grandmother, Sophia, had started her life in Stockholm with two loving parents and three sisters, a normal, happy life. But by the time she was 8 years old, both parents and one sister had died. She was separated from her other two sisters and sent to northern Sweden to live with strangers. As she started her adult life, she moved often and at one point was "a person without a permanent residence."

Sophia's first daughter, Anna Margretha Jacobsdotteer, born on December 23, 1845 in Stugu By, Stugun Parish in Jamtland County, was listed as oakta (illegitimate) in the birth record. Another illegitimate daughter, Carolina Josephina Carlsdotter, was born on July 1, 1848; and a third illegitimate daughter, Stina Sophia (no last name listed) was born on February 20, 1852, in Stromsnas, Stugun Parish.

On April 27, 1852, Sophia's first-born child, Anna Margretha Jacobsdotter, died and was buried on May 24. Sophia had moved several times in 6 years, had given birth to 3 daughters by 3 different men, was listed as a person without a permanent residence, and now had lost her six-year old daughter. Her life just seems so sad, filled with instability.

At some point after the death of her daughter, Sophia met Olof Rask in Stugun Parish, and he became part of the picture with Sophia and her daughters. In the 1853-1861 clerical survey for Stugun Parish, Sophia is listed with five illegitimate children: Carolina Josephina Carlsdotter, Stina Sophia, Anna Christina Rask (born October 24, 1855), Berta Margreta Rask (born December 24, 1857), and Olivia Rask (born November 18, 1859). Sophia and her five "illegitimate" children are listed with the heading "people without a permanent residence".  The three younger children all have the last name "Rask" indicating that Olof Rask fathered these three girls. On that same page, Sophia and her daughters are listed again with Olof Rask after the marriage of Olof and Sophia on February 23, 1861. A note next to Sophia's information in which she was introduced back into the church says in part "The laborer Olof Rask acknowledges her as his wife to be."

Being introduced back to the church could mean that the parishioner would stand up in front of the priest and congregation, confess to her sins and then be forgiven. Another explanation for being reintroduced into the church was that women in Sweden at that time who had given birth were thought to be "unclean" until six weeks after the birth of their child. Being introduced indicated that this six-week period had ended. Because Sophia had given birth in late October 1855 to Anna Christina, her reintroduction on December 2 coincides with this six-week period.

Olof Rask didn't seem to be a great catch. He was born on March 16, 1824, in Heden in Bollans Gavleborg, the 4th of 8 children of Olof Rask and Stina Lindberg. Olof came from a long line of military men, but Olof himself had lived a nomadic life, moving around several times and, at one point, was listed as defenseless but honest and of good character. Olof was missing papers proving his movements from March 10, 1845 to January 1851, a serious offense at that time.

Why did this couple move so often? Was Olof trying to find work? Was he running from something in his past since he didn't have the proper papers to move? Was there a stigma to the number of children Sophia had out of wedlock? I have had to meticulously track Olof and Sophia individually and together as they moved so often it would have been easy to have lost them in the clerical surveys.

Sophia seems to have finally found the relationship and family that she wanted. To recap the children Sophia had, both illegitimate and while married to Olof:

• Anna Margretha Jacobssdotter, born December 23, 1845; died April 27, 1852;
• Carolina Josephina Carlsdotter, born July 1, 1848;
• Stina Sophia (no last name listed), born February 20, 1852

The last five children were fathered by Olof Rask:

• Anna Christina Rask, born October 24, 1855; died July 8, 1878;
• Berta (Brita) Margreta Rask, born December 24, 1857; died April 6, 1930 in Iowa;
• Olivia Rask, born November 18, 1859; died March 18, 1943 in Iowa;
• Johanna Maria Rask, born October 12, 1861; I believe she also came to the US;
• Karl Olof Rask, born April 25, 1864; died on July 30, 1930 in Chaseley, North Dakota.

Olof Rask and Sophia Margrite Kjellander, around 1880

Sophia died of cancer on July 5, 1888, in Bollnas, Gavleborg, at age 66 years, 2 months, 26 days. Olof died six months prior to Sophia's death in Bollnas on January 7, 1888. The cause of death was undetermined. He was 63 years, 9 months, 21 days old.

Sophia's life began quite normally with an intact family consisting of her parents, Carl and Margaretha, and her three sisters. But a series of tragedies and sad events sent Sophia's life in a different direction. Because of these events, it could have been easy to dismiss her life and to dwell on her misfortunes. But, Sophia was a survivor. And, in the end, Sophia found love, had a family, and was able to overcome the twists and turns life threw her way.

*Sophia was Grandma Linn's (Maude Edith Olofson) maternal grandmother. This photo of her grandparents was hers. I imagine that Olivia and Brita brought the photo with them when they came to the US. And I wonder now what Grandma knew of her own grandmother's story.