Winding Down 2021

 Dear Family and Friends,

We are ending another year with the usual ups and downs. In spite of COVID that seemed to influence every aspect of our lives, we have many things to look back on this year and to look forward to next year. 

We lost family members--LaVonne Pliner Linn Halligan, Beverly Linn Sturtz, and Sidney Peterson. 

We have welcomed a new family member--Penny Belle Young.

There have been surgeries and visits to specialists, some of us have started to watch our diets and start exercising regularly. Some of us need to work on that!

Some of us have moved and changed addresses and are adjusting to life in a new location, making new friends.

I hope that wherever you are, you celebrate this Christmas and upcoming New Year with wonder and expectation and thankfulness for our ancestors who braved the many, many changes in their lives as they left their homeland to settle in a foreign area with no knowledge of the language or culture. 

In this final post of 2021, I want to share just a few photos and short stories about some of our distant, and not-so-distant, family.

Ivan D. Linn

The Linns are quite the musical group. I have photos of Peter Linn playing the "fiddle" and the mandolin, still remember Maude Linn playing her honky-tonk music on the piano, Ellis who is still wowing people with his piano talents, and so many other musicians. Ivan is certainly no exception. While Ivan and his brothers performed locally around the Dayton area, Ivan was meant for stardom.

When Ivan was in the Navy, he beat out 242 others to compete on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. If you have never seen the video that Ivan has, you should talk with him. What a talent!

The following news article taken from "The Tester", a local newsletter from the US Naval Air Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, dated 11 September 1953:

LOCAL SAILOR ON TV SHOW TOMORROW

"A 21-year old bluejacket with rhythm in his toes, Ivan D. Linn, is all set to appear on a nationwide TV talent show tomorrow night in New York City. The show may be seen locally on WNBW, channel 4 at 8:30 p.m.

I. D., better known as "Fuzz" to his shipmates, left Wednesday for Manhattan and rehearsals after a phone call from officials of the Ted Mack Amateur Hour earlier in the week.

The popular young sailor has appeared in numerous revues with the Stan Miller troupe and was also featured in the Pax Follies of 1953 early this year.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, "Fuzz" first attracted the attention of Ted Mack scouts while attending a Navy school at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Entering a contest in Oklahoma City, "Fuzz" was chosen as the winner out of a group of 235 contestants.

His appearance on the nationwide televised Mack Show will not be his first TV appearance. Previously he has appeared on WDTV in Pittsburgh, Pa., and during the summer accompanied a group of local personnel who appeared on WMAL-TV in Washington, DC.

A naval reservist who expects to return to civilian life in early December, "Fuzz" appeared with his brother's musical aggregation in the midwest before being called to duty with the Navy in January 1952. His brother, Ellis, is at present serving Uncle Sam also, wearing the khaki of the Army and is stationed at Camp Kilmer, NJ." 

Marget Persdotter Barquist and Anna Margeta Barquist

Marget Persdotter is my 3rd great-grandmother, married to John Barquist, Sr. Marget and John are the parents of my second great-grandmother, Maria Barquist Olofson.

The photo below is interesting, mostly because it was taken before 1890 when Marget died. It's one of the earliest photos I have of any of our family. 

Anna Margeta Barquist was the youngest in the family of 6 children, born in 1857 in Sweden. Just a couple of months after Anna was born, the family left for America.

While I cannot tell exactly when the photo was taken, with Anna born in 1857, she can't be much older than 10 or 12, can she? That would mean that the photo was taken around 1867-1869. A very early photo.

Marget's daughter Maria, my second great-grandmother, is pictured below:

A beautiful woman, don't you think? My guess is that this picture was taken for her wedding to Olof Olofson in 1865. Perhaps the two photos above were taken at the same time. If so, 1865, just after the Civil War ended, would make these photos very early. 

I plan to continue posting to this blog next year as I discover more photos and stories of interest. Please let me know what you are most interested in so I can try to address more topics. I learn every time I explore more of our ancestry and appreciate your comments and questions and support.

God Jul (Merry Christmas)

Diane

PASSING OF SIDNEY WILLIAM PETERSON

 A few weeks ago, I received an ancestry message from Sid's account. Instead of Sid writing to me with a new genealogy find or a question, it was a message from his widow, telling me of his death on 20 October 2021. 

I never met Sid, but just as we mourn Beverly Linn Sturtz, we also mourn the loss of another family member in Sid Peterson.

Below is his obituary. Sid was the son of Lewis William Peterson and Anna (Bergman) Peterson, grandson of Florence Victoria (Fallein) and George William Peterson, great-grandson of Caroline (Linn) Fallein and Louis Fallein, and great-great grandson of John Linn and his wife Sara (Svensdotter) Linn.

We mourn the loss of another person from our tree. Sid was an excellent researcher and always happy to share information which he and I did for over 30 years. Thanks to Jim Carlson for providing the obituary for this post.

Sidney William Peterson, or Sid, to his loved ones, of Overland Park, Kansas, born in Boone, Iowa, on November 7, 1946, and raised in Stratford, Iowa, was the son of Lewis William Peterson and Ann Peterson.

Sid peacefully passed away on October 20, 2021, in the presence of his family and friends, at Advent Health, in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.

In 1965, Sid graduated from Stratford Senior High School, then joined the Air Force, where he worked as a Communications Specialist until his release in 1969.

Also in 1969, he wed Betty Stambaugh and remained married until her passing in 2001.

In 1971, he left the Air Force and went to work for United Telephone Company. He later started work at Sprint and retired with 31 years of service as an instructor and course developer. But realizing he wasn't one to rest on his laurels, he decided to go back to work and found himself at Lowe's, for the next 16 yeas. This position was right up his alley, because Sid loed woodworking and carpentry as a whole. He also loved Lionel model trains, genealogy, bird watching, fishing, traveling, and spending time with his family and extended family and friends.

In 2003, he met and eventually married Kimalee Chambers. In this marriage, he gained a new family and became a stepfather to her children, Patricia Everett-Lee and Reginald Chambers II. He later became a step-grandfather to their children Devan Lee, Deja Lee, Daliyah Lee, and Royalty Chambers.

In addition to his parents and first wife, Sid was preceded in death by his sister Barbara Whitson.

He is survived by his second wife, Kimalee Peterson, her children and grandchildren, and leaves behind his remaining sibling, Nolan Peterson and his wife, Kelli Peterson, of Stratford, Iowa; brother-in-law Bruce Whitson and family, of Des Moines, Iowa; his extended family, Kimalee's mother and stepfather, Cloretta Rosebrough and Normal Rosebrough, of Fairview, Oregon; Kimalee's father Vernon Robinson of Kansas City, Kansas; her brother Michael Grayson of Kansas City, Missouri, and his children; her sisters, Laura Shelby of Gresham, Oregon, and her children; Kenya Robinson of Phoenix, Arizona and her children, and Dana Robinson of Independence, Missouri, and her children.

During this phase of Sid's journey, his family and friends will celebrate his life at Porter Funeral Home. And per Sid's wishes, he will be laid to rest in his home town of Stratford, Iowa.

Lastly, Sid's family would like to thank everyone for their prayers, love, and support during this final chapter of his life. And, in lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5-7 pm Friday, October 29, at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, KS.

A local Celebration of Life service will be held at 10:30 am, Friday, November 5, 2021, at Calvary United Methodist Church in Stratford, Iowa. Pastor Gina Spohnheimer will officiate. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, rural Stratford. Military Graveside Rites will be conducted by the Peterson American Legion Post #323 of Dayton, IA. For online obituaries and condolences, visit www. carsonstappfuneralhome.com

 

Passing of Beverly (Linn) Sturtz

Each family member we lose leaves a hole in our family, in our history, in our memories, in their love. Today I learned about another Linn family member we just lost, Beverly Linn Sturtz. I never was fortunate enough to have met Beverly, but through my communications with her nephew, Scott Linn, I've learned what a lovely, generous person she was. With Scott's permission, I am posting this obituary for another one of our family from that generation who has passed.

Beverly (Linn) Sturtz, age 92, of Boone, passed away on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at the Eastern Star Masonic Home in Boone.

Beverly was the daughter of Rupert and Dollie (Stumbo) Linn, born on January 29, 1929, at her parents' home in rural Pilot Mound. She graduated from Pilot Mound Consolidated School in 1946, and attended Drake University from 1946 until 1948, graduating with her Standard Elementary Teaching Certificate. She taught for 3 years and furthered her education at Drake with Saturday classes, night and summer classes.

On December 23, 1950, Bev wed Arthur L. Sturtz. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters: Cindy, Deniece "Dee", Elise, and Florilea "Lea". In addition to being a loving wife and mother, Bev enjoyed music, making special birthday cakes for her grandchildren, playing piano and singing duets with Art at programs and funerals, as well as spending time with family and friends. Bev was active in the community, a member of First Baptist Church in Boone, and donated to many organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Art; daughter Elise Huffman; granddaughter Margo Huffman; and brother Marlin (Janet) Linn.

She will be deeply missed by her large family, including daughters Cindy (Daryl) Christensen of Ogden; Dee (Doug) Eckley of Panora; and Lea (Rick) Dennert of Naperville, IL; son-in-law Dave Huffman of Boone; 13 grandchildren (Cory, Carey, Casey, Caley, Chris, Carl, Aaron, Bryce, Brooke, Ashley, Ryan, Roby, Brian); 27 great-grandchildren with another to arrive in January; a sister-in-law and husband, as well as many close nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 21, 2021, from 3:00 until 6:00 pm at the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel, Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Funeral Service will be held on Monday, November 22, 2021, at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Boone. Burial will be in the Mineral Ridge Cemetery in Ridgeport.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the family for charities and organizations that were close to Bev's heart.

Online condolences may be left at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com.

Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets is in charge of arrangements.

Beverly's line follows through her father Rupert Linn, grandfather Oscar Linn, great-grandfather John August Linn, and great-great grandfather Gustus Linn. John August Linn was the oldest of Gus and Catherine's children and the only one born in Sweden before they made their journey to the United States. Beverly was my third cousin. May she rest in peace and her memory be a source of strength and comfort to those who loved her.

Settling in Iowa

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the early days of our ancestors in Iowa. I'm thankful for your comments and questions that keep me learning more and exploring more about our family history and those brave men, women, and children who had the courage to make the difficult voyage into an uncertain future.

Jim Carlson, descended from Elsie Linn and Francis Carlson, is a fellow researcher who has shared many photos and stories with me. Below is his email response to the question about why John Linn didn't settle with Andrew Peterson. 

With the aid of diaries and stories passed down, we can make educated guesses like the one below, but it is probably impossible to know with 100% certainty. Still, it seems plausible that John Linn couldn't afford to stop where the Petersons did and made his way farther north where he was able to find land on which to settle for the winter.

Thanks, Jim, for being a great resource for all of us.

In answer to a question about why John Linn was 25 miles upriver from Andrew Peterson (who had paid for the trip for John Linn and his wife), I believe it is because John Linn did not have funds to be able to purchase land at Swede Point, and Peterson did. Linn was forced to continue up the river looking for some free land that he could lay claim to. Here are some excerpts from Swede Bend, Iowa The Early Years 1848-1855  by Birgitta Blomqvist and Jerry Lundgren. It draws from information in the Daniel Peterson diary, the John Linn diary, and the Carl Anderson diary.]

On the 10^th of October 1849, after a journey from New York of 4 months and 14 days, what was left of the group from Ulrika arrive at Swede Point [now known as Madrid, Iowa]. The Andrew Peterson’s family had lost a daughter and the parents of his wife. Andrew had also lost a brother, who left a widow, Mary Blad, with three children. The Lawrence family, John Linn with his wife, Anna Welander and Carl (Charles Anderson) could be happy that they all survived. Eric Carlson had left the group.

They were emaciated from hunger, illness and all other difficulties. It is hard to say if Swede Point was as they originally envisioned. It must have been a great disappointment when they heard that all the desirable land had been claimed but some could be purchased.

Daniel Peterson wrote that his father bought a place they moved into, adding, you can be sure it was not modern. This account indicates that the property that Andrew Peterson purchased contained a dwelling of some sort.

Lawrence and Linn found they could not earn their living in Swede Point, nor did they have the money to purchase a claim, so they had to move on. They needed to find a place of their own as soon as possible as winter was approaching. They were going to seek land that had not yet been claimed further north, near the Des Moines River. Not a good time to journey into the unknown. 

The Linn Diary states that he and the Lawrence’s were the first to stake out claims in what became known as Swede Bend. There could be no worse time to settle in that area as ill equipped as they were in knowledge of English, the local flora and fauna, and lack of equipment and supplies. They had two immediate needs – shelter and warmth. As for tools, Lawrence had a hand axe brought from Sweden and a wood chopper’s axe he picked up in Swede Point. Apparently, they had no firearms, a meager supply of food, no animals except for two hens and a rooster brought by Lawrence. There is no record of what the Linn’s carried. 

Iowa Early Days - Part 2

 I've enjoyed Daniel Peterson's writing. It certainly is the closest account that we will have about those early days in Iowa and how our ancestors survived and thrived. This account will describe how corn was ground, deer and elk were hunted, what the early settlers did for amusement, and the difficulties of building just a simple house on the prairie.

This final installment by Daniel Peterson is a real gift to those of us who descend from the early Iowa pioneers. Whether you see a name of your ancestor or not, all of these men, women, and children would have faced the same struggles during this time.

I'm so very thankful that Daniel decided to write his recollections 30+ years after he and his family arrived in Iowa and that copies have been saved for all of us to enjoy and learn from.

Question About the Early Iowa Days

 A few days ago I posted the first of two parts that give us a look at how our ancestors lived in the early 1850's in Iowa. Daniel Peterson certainly had a way with words, adding details and the flowery language of the day.

I'm so glad to know that several of you are enjoying his writings and remembrances and have contacted me. I received an important question this week that I'd like to answer for everyone.

Since John Linn and his wife Brita came with a group that included Andrew Peterson and his family, why in the first part of this post did Andrew need to travel north 25 miles to see his old friend John Linn?

It's true that Andrew Peterson and John Linn traveled together from Sweden to Iowa. I have ship records and moving out records and, of course, Daniel Peterson's story to verify this. Normally, immigrants settled close to one another. They needed each other to help build their homes, to translate for others and conduct business, for safety, to worship, and more. 

It's clear from Daniel's writing that John Linn traveled farther north to settle and that Andrew Peterson brought his family up two years later. I have no answer for why. Did John strike out on his own? Did the group split into two or more smaller groups to settle? Did Andrew need to stay behind because of any health issues or to greet other new immigrants?  

Twenty-five miles today seems like nothing and, indeed, these two families did live in the same county. But this two-day trek for the Petersons might have meant that the Petersons longed for more Swedish community around them or more help on a regular basis.

When I received this question, I re-read the first portion of Daniel's writing to see if a reason was given, but I found nothing. Next, I went to the 1850 US Federal State Censuses. And there I do find John and Mary Lynn (sic) living in Boone County in dwelling 830, and family 858. I'm sure that the reason the dwelling numbers and family numbers don't match is that a dwelling might hold several families in this new state.

I also found Andrew Peterson's family living in Boone County, but in dwelling 760, family 786. 

How far apart these two families were is unknown as I cannot locate any document that tells HOW, or IN WHAT ORDER, the census was taken. The two pages of the census were taken 5 days apart. Both were taken by Assistant Marshal, Peter Myers. None of this helps determine the WHY for the initial settling of John Linn and Andrew Peterson, but I hope it helps a bit.

One thing I've learned about genealogy is that every answer leads to more questions!!

You also would have read that Andrew Peterson purchased the claim of Pleasant Chitwood and may have wondered about this name. Mr. Chitwood was born in Tennessee and came to Iowa sometime in the 1840's. In 1848, he took a claim in Pilot Mound Township in Boone County and hired a man named Thomas Sparks to clear the prairie land. In taking his family across the river to this land, both he and his wife nearly drowned. It's this land that I believe Andrew Peterson purchased. Chitwood later was the sheriff of Boone County. (History of Boone County, Iowa, Vol. 1, Nathan Edward Goldthwait, p. 276-277)

In a few days, I'll post the rest of Daniel's remembrances of early life in Iowa.

LIFE IN THE EARLY DAYS IN IOWA

Several of you have asked me to write about what our ancestors encountered in their early days in Iowa. What was their daily life like? How did they survive the extreme weather? Did they build churches and schools? What hardships did they face?

I've searched for information that I thought would be relevant to our Linn, Olofson, Barquist, Carlson ancestors; but it appears that none of our ancestors wrote much of anything to pass down. We were fortunate to have the story written by Daniel Peterson about the journey from Sweden to Iowa in 1849-50. And as I continued through my mother's notebooks, I came across more of Daniel's writing. This time, at the age of 39, he wrote his recollections of those early days in Boone County. His story is full of details that helps us understand the courage and strength of our early ancestors. Our Linn ancestors are mentioned throughout this piece. And, because of his writing, we can also learn what our other ancestors would have faced as they settled in Iowa nearly two centuries ago.

Like Daniel Peterson's other writing, this one is also long--10 page long. But I want to share it with you as he wrote it. I hope that you enjoy this look at life in early Iowa. We start with the Peterson family deciding to travel a bit north of Raccoon Forks to Boone County where they receive help from John Linn.

NOTE: In this first post, a mention is made of the Dragoon Trail. For those of you who don't know about this well-marked section of Iowa, I've copied from wikipedia a brief description:

In 1933, the State of Iowa opened the Dragoon Trail, a scenic and historic drive along the Des Moines River.

The trail follows the path of the 1st U. S. Dragoons, the country's first mounted infantry unit, on their historic march in the summer of 1835, to scout Iowa after the Black Hawk Purchase of 1832 put the area under U.S. control. The march lead to the establishment of outposts from present-day Fort Dodge and Webster City through Des Moines to Pella and Knoxville.

The Trail is about 200 miles long and passes cultural, historical, natural and scenic attractions including Lake Red Rock, Ledges State Park, the Kate Shelley High Bridge and Dolliver Memorial Park.

It starts with two branches originating from Fort Dodge and Webster City that join near Stratford; from there it runs through Boone and Des Moines to the Red Rock Dam between Pella and Knoxville.

Peter Linn has arrived in Iowa, living near his brother John. Love is in the air with George and Anna.

Don't you enjoy hearing about the excitement for the mail, especially the Harper's Magazine? And the dislike of a daily staple, corn bread, after having it at every meal? We also see that Gus Linn's family had arrived and established himself in the community as well.

We've learned in this first section about the early settlers, attending church services in their homes, John Linn's position as elder/bishop over Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, and a bit about how difficult courting could be with a language and cultural barrier.

I'll add the other part of Daniel Peterson's writing in a few days.

Gus and John's Excellent Adventure Photo

On 26 August, 2018, I posted a story about John and Gus's trip back to Sweden in 1894. This was their final opportunity to see their homeland and family and friends, for Gus passed away in 1897 and John in 1907.

I recently came across a photo taken in Sweden of the brothers and some of their relatives.

In one of the letters posted in the Dayton Review and copied in the 26 August 2018 post, a reference is made to their taking a train to Flisby, Jonkoping County, Sweden to visit. An older sister to John and Gus who lived in Flisby was Brita Catharina Olsdotter. My best guess is that she is the woman seated on the left of the picture above. Standing next to her is Gus Linn with his cane. And on the far right is John Linn. Both men look handsome with snowy white beards and are well dressed from their hats to their shoes. 

Brita's husband Adolf Isaksson could be the man standing next to Brita and perhaps the other men (in white hats) are their two sons, Carl and Gustaf Lindstrom. Carl never married, leading me to believe that the other woman and the child are part of Gustaf Lindstrom's family.

FROM GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN TO BOONE COUNTY, IOWA

We've read about the difficulties that John Linn and his wife Brita Eriksdotter had in 1849 gaining permission to leave, making the trip to the port, and waiting for their turn to finally board the ship to North America. Today is Daniel Peterson's final pages that, I think, are the most compelling. We learn about the actual trip across the ocean and then all of the twists and turns, diseases and deaths, to finally make it to their destination.

This is a very detailed description of what Daniel saw and experienced and for that I'm so thankful. But as we continue to follow this group from the shore to their destination, it can be difficult to follow. At the end of this narrative, I've placed a map showing the route they took to make it a bit easier to see.

FOUR MONTHS AND 14 DAYS!

Library of Congress maps: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3700.fi000230/ for the 1850 map which I used to create the following:

Each of the orange triangles represents a stop in Daniel's story. 

• Sandy Hook, a barrier spit in Monmouth County, NJ; Health officer came on board. Towed up to Castle Gardens which was simply a port until 1855 when it was established to help with translations, letter writing, quarantines and more;
• Steamer up the Hudson River to Albany, NY
• Canal boat through the Erie Canal to Buffalo, NY
• Lake Steamer bound for Chicago which took 5 days; Notice the long way around through the lakes because no railroads were there at the time for a more direct route
• Boat on the Michigan and Illinois River canal to Peru, IL.
• Steamship to St. Louis where they experienced severe cholera.
• Boat captain took them up the Mississippi River to Keokuk, Iowa
• Teams and teamsters took them to Des Moines (Raccoon Forks) by canoe.
• Teamsters took them by land to Boone County.

I'm exhausted! And I'm in awe of our immigrant ancestors for their decisions, their courage, their will to make this journey. And I'm so very, very thankful. 

I hope you've enjoyed this narrative, too. And any of our ancestors who came during that same time period would have experienced similar routes and challenges.

ANSWERING A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS

Thanks for the comments and questions about the first two parts of John Linn's journey. I was so excited to read this story, and so very happy to know you're enjoying it as well.

One person asked if seeing a photo of Dodringshult, the farm in Jonkoping where John, Peter, and Gus lived for a time until their father died, would help those who are new to this genealogy journey. On 28 January 2018, I did post about their father Olaus Fredericsson and included a couple of photos of the beautiful farm on which they lived. We visited there a few years ago. It's expansive. Green. Beautifully maintained. You can see the photos by going back to that earlier post. And I would encourage you to go back to read any of the posts that might give you more of the story about the individuals currently at the center of these posts.

We know, of course, that none of the three brothers left from Dodringshult for North America. They each went to work on farms as soon as they were able, moving from time to time to find work as a laborer or drang. John was on a farm called Packarp in Ulrika Parish, Ostergotland County when he joined up with Andrew Peterson and the others traveling in 1849.

Peter was working on Svarvarestugan in Ulrika Parish when he left in 1851. And Gus also left from the same farm and parish. 

These 3 brothers had moved around a great deal, but I imagine they may have felt that Dodringshult was their home, a place where their family was in tact and happy until 1830.

A second question came up about the author, Daniel Peterson, who was just 10 years old when the journey was made. The Petersons are not related to us as far as I can determine. But they did settle near our Linns and undoubtedly remained friends, retelling the story they all shared in migrating from Sweden to Iowa. Daniel was 39-40 years old when he recounted the story we are reading, but it appears from the records I've found that Daniels parents, Andrew and Maria were also alive in 1879 and 1880, perhaps helping him fill in any details he may have forgotten.

Daniel died in 1927 and is buried in the Linn Cemetery in Pilot Mound.

PART TWO IN JOHN LINN’S MIGRATION

I hope you enjoyed reading the first part of the migration to the United States of 37 Swedes, including the Peterson family, along with John Linn and Brita Eriksdotter. The difficulties they had in obtaining the necessary approvals, the warnings and threats they received from family and friends, and the sad goodbyes to those they loved and to their home country, had to be difficult for every one of our ancestors.

In this installment written by Daniel Peterson several years after the migration, we learn about how these Swedes made their way to Motala, a destination where they would wait for transportation over the series of canals and rivers that would take them to the port of Gothenburg where they hoped to find a boat that would take them across the ocean.

This installment will take our group to the port of Gothenburg where the writer describes the various reasons why the Swedes were eager to leave for a new country.

John and Brita were the first two on the Linn ancestral line to migrate. But those of us who also are related to the Olofson line know that the Olofsons came in 1850 from northern Sweden to Wisconsin, probably following some of the same routes.

Enjoy reading Part 2. And please send any questions or comments to me through the blog: ancestorfootprints.blogspot.com

Already, it has taken this group of travelers 3-4 days just to move from Ulrika Parish to Motala to wait for a steamer to take them to Gothenberg. While waiting even longer in Gothenburg for passage across the ocean, the writer tells us of the reasons his family and others decided to make the difficult decision to leave Sweden. He gives us four reasons, each having merit; but it's #3 and #4 that have always held the most truth for me.

Our travelers are ready to set sail on the Virginia for the new world. What would they find there? How would they make their way to Iowa? The final post for this incredible adventure will be up in a few days. I hope you're enjoying this very detailed description of their travels, but I've definitely saved the best part for last. 

AROUND HALF THE WORLD IN SIX MONTHS

Several family members have asked how our ancestors traveled to the United States. Ship the entire way? Train? Walking? Covered Wagon? And what route would they have taken? I have to say that I’ve been equally curious about this and, until now, simply had a reasonable guess based on migration patterns of the time.

But now I know for certain how at least one of our ancestors came from Sweden to Iowa. An exciting find that I’m thrilled to share with you.

John Linn and his wife Brita Eriksdotter left Ulrika Parish in Ostergotland County on 25 April 1849. John and his wife appear on the ship manifest for the Virginia and arrived in New York on 24 August 1849, a trip across the ocean that took FOUR months. But that was not the end of their migration. And certainly there was a story to tell about the entire trip. But until now, I couldn’t fill in the blanks.

While going through one of my mom’s 3-ring notebooks, I came across a 35-page typewritten narrative written in 1879 and 1880 by another passenger who made the same trip with John and Brita. It’s wonderfully written with details to bring the trip alive for the reader. There is no way that I could summarize this narrative and do it any kind of justice; and so, I’m going to post it in parts that won’t be too long to read at one setting and will keep you intrigued to learn what happened next in their trip.

The narrative was written by Daniel Peterson who was 10 years old at the time of the emigration. He was the son of Anders Peterson and Maria Hansdotter, also of Ulrika Parish in Ostergotland County. While I cannot determine how John’s and Anders’ paths crossed, the farms they were on were in close proximity and they undoubtedly would have attended the same church. Family story tells us that Anders paid for John and his wife to come to America and we learn in the narrative that John worked for Anders, building his home, which lends support to John’s paying off a debt.

Because the narrative was published in a newspaper, I am assuming that my posting it for our family and friends to read would be of no concern.

Enjoy the first installment:

What an incredibly detailed process it was to receive the proper papers to leave Sweden. Being harassed by neighbors and friends, hearing tales of how doomed their lives would be if they crossed the ocean, and the expense of all of this...It's difficult to imagine our ancestors going through all of this to make their way to the new world. And there's more for them to face:

The work that had to be done, the harassment and warnings they received, clearly show in Daniel Peterson's writing. And remember that John Olausson Linn and his wife Brita Eriksdotter were going through the very same formalities and warnings. Next week we will learn about how they traveled to the port where they would sail for America. Just the beginning of an amazing trip to Iowa. And whether you are related directly to John Linn or not, this same process was waiting for the Olofsons and Rasks and Lundgrens and more of our ancestors. And given that Peter Linn came a year later and Gus two years later, I think it's reasonable to assume that their adventure was much the same as well.

If you are unable to enlarge the pages for your reading, please let me know. I can send a couple at a time through email. It's worth taking the time to read. A great find hidden in mom's notebooks.

OLOFSON PHOTOS

 I have so many photos of the Olofson family. From my great-great grandfather Olof and his second wife and family to William Olofson, his wife Olivia, and their children, and more. Today, I'll pick a few that I'm not sure I've shared before. I hope there are some new ones in here for you to enjoy.

Olof Olofson married Brita Rask in 1880 and together they raised William who was the son of Olof, Anna Sophia Charlotta who was the daughter of Brita, and the 7 children they had together. Below is a picture of this handsome group:

Taken around 1904, they are (back row) Charlie, Lottie (Anna Sophia Charlotta), William Edward, Hannah, Gilbert; (front row) Bada, Olof, Delbert, Brita, Leon, Alice.

Great-great grandfather Olof Olofson was one of 6 children, 5 of whom survived to adulthood. The following picture shows Anna, Greta, and Kerstin in the back with Olof, who was blind by this time, and Lars.

William Edward Olofson and Olivia Rask, my great-grandparents, were married on October 17, 1889, and below is their wedding photo:

Next are two of my favorite photos of William and Olivia. Both show them in a buggy pulled by horses. One in the summertime dressed to impress. The other was in the winter, dressed for the very cold Iowa winters.

Olof Olofson with his dog and his cane:

Next is a photo of Olivia Rask Olofson and her son Vernie, my great uncle.

And finally, pictures of my grandmother Maude Edith Olofson Linn and her sister Lilly Sophy Olofson Lundgren.

I hope you've enjoyed these few picture of our Olofson ancestors. I love seeing their clothes and the glimpses into their lives before any of us where here.

Next week I'll post photos of other relatives: Lundgrens, Barquists, Rasks, and others.