It's Time to Let Maria Go

Those of us who have worked on our family history for any length of time have most certainly run into a few brick walls, a wall that we keep trying to find a way around, under, through, or over, to find the information we lack.

Perhaps it's an ancestor who just can't be found. It might be a birth, marriage, or death record. A military record. It might be an entire family that is uprooted and seems to have fallen off the ends of the earth. A good researcher is only as good as the information available. If a courthouse has burned with all of the records for a county, we try to find other records and newspaper articles and diaries and photographs that lead us to our answer. But in a very few cases, our work on an ancestor stops at the brick wall.

My great-great grandmother, Maria Helena Barquist Olofson, is one of those brick walls. Maria was born in Amot, Gavleborg, Sweden in 1842, and came to the United States with her parents and most of her siblings in 1857. After a short stay in Illinois, the family moved to Hardin Township in Webster County.

On July 21, 1865, Maria married Olof Olofson in Boone County. They settled in Hardin Township where Maria gave birth to my great-grandfather, William Edward (Eddie) Olofson in 1866. Church records show that they had a second child, Mathilda, born on July 31, 1869, who died in February 1870.

Because Maria appears in the 1870 census, we know that she didn't die in childbirth. We also can assume that she didn't die at the same time as Mathilda, February 1870, because the 1870 census was taken in July and Maria appears in that census.

But next comes the mystery. Maria isn't found in the 1880 census, we cannot find a death record or cemetery plot for her, she doesn't appear in any newspaper obituary at the time, she is not found in insane asylum records, and she is not living with her parents or siblings.

I have spent years, off and on, searching for Maria's death date and place of burial. Because Hardin Township is near the border of other counties, I've searched in Webster, Hamilton, and Boone county records. I've searched under name variations, searched under Maria Barquist as well as Maria Olofson.

With no additional directions to take, I turned to two expert DNA friends who belong to my genealogy group. I would put their skills up there with the likes of any of the DNA experts we see on television. They looked at the same records I had found, looked for additional records, and then used my DNA and the DNA of another Olofson relative that I have access to.

There are several possible clues to what happened to Maria:

• Maria does not appear in the 1880 census; that is the year when Olof marries Brita Rask. But before he marries Brita, Olof has a notation of "D" meaning divorced. That is a possibility, but there are no records or news articles to verify that.
• In William Edward Olofson's obituary in 1924, no mention is made of his birth mother, Maria. In 1870 when Mathilda dies, William would have been 4 years old, perhaps too young to understand he had a sister or what exactly happened. But we don't know exactly WHEN Maria disappeared--anytime between late 1870 and early 1880 is the range I have to work with. Her son Edward might have been 13 or 14 years when Maria dies or disappears.
• Olof Olofson also died in 1924; his obit also does not mention Maria Barquist, his first wife.
• In obituaries located for Maria's parents and siblings, there is no mention of Maria.
• Olof had been blind the last 40 years of his life, meaning that his blindness would have started in the early 1880's. Did this progressive disability cause friction or difficulties between Olof and Maria? Was it too difficult for Olof to farm and much of the burden fell to Maria?

These are just a few possibilities, but each has been researched with available records, and none have brought this brick wall to a positive close.

So, how could DNA work into solving this brick wall? One theory is that Maria either left on her own after losing her daughter and finding life with Olof to be too difficult; another is that the D" in the 1880 census was real and not a mistake, meaning a divorce and Maria's leaving. And finally, if Maria had been responsible for her daughter Mathilda's death OR if she believed she was responsible OR if others shunned her as being responsible, Maria might have left in disgrace. If any of these scenarios were true, then Maria may have had a second life, second marriage, second family. DNA would show descendants who are related to me but not at the same level as William Edward Olofson is. But sadly, after a thorough search, no DNA matches gave a breakthrough.

Brick walls are, for me, the most difficult and frustrating part of family research. Something happened to Maria, but what? When? Where? and where is she buried?

For now, no records are available with an answer, or even a lead. At this point, I have to move on to other ancestors who are willing to be found. But I'll be back. I'll take another look someday. 

And for now, YOU might have the clue to solving this mystery. Do you have any letters or a diary that mention Maria? a photograph with Maria in it? An old document or church record with Olof and Maria. Any relative who has kept every piece of paper they have ever received that just MIGHT have a clue? If so, I'm here, waiting, not so patiently anymore, hoping to know where my great-great grandmother is buried and what happened to her so long ago.

Maude Edith Olofson Linn Brush With Death

Do you ever wonder what our family would have looked like if Gus Linn hadn't made it back from the Civil War? If John Linn's first wife hadn't died in childbirth? If Olof Olofson and Maria Barquist had never met? If any of our ancestors hadn't left Sweden for the United States?

Today, I'm sharing an article recently found about my grandmother's brush with death.

While I don't have a date on this article, we can assume that it happened well before she and Peter Linn married in 1920. I'm thankful for her brother Vernie's quick action in finding her and bringing her home, badly bruised, injured collar bone, unconscious and in a weakened state, but alive. 

Married to Peter Linn in 1920, Maude gave birth to 5 sons, who in turn produced over 20 grandchildren, and many great- and great-great grandchildren today. 

Our ancestors survived many accidents, illnesses, wars, the 1918 flu, and more. I'm always mindful of the hardships they endured and the strength and courage they had. But today, I'm especially thankful that Grandma Linn survived a horrible accident and lived a full life with a large family who loved her and remember her.

Our Swedish Ancestors' Culture

Recently, I attended a Zoom presentation on Swedish culture entitled "Home Swede Home". I continue to learn more about our ancestors and their way of life through online meetings, reading, and researching. And every time I learn something new, I am filled with more pride in my heritage and also more questions about how our ancestors' daily lives were impacted. 

Today, I'm sharing a few parts from the presentation that might reinforce characteristics of the ancestors you knew and maybe lend support to what you know about yourself.

Like most cultures, Swedes embraced folk tales, stories that contained warnings or lessons that were passed down from one generation to the next.

Stories of trolls that were ugly, had tails, and lived in the forest; children who died and were not properly buried; and cousins of humans who tempted children were all part of Swedish folk tales.

Sweden was a matriarchal culture with strong women who protected and warned children of the bad things that could happen if they wandered off or didn't follow the rules. Unlike many other societies, there were no stories of manly heroism, men slaying dragons, or saving the damsel in distress.

Swedes were known for their hospitality, even with strangers, and believed that good deeds were rewarded and bad deeds were punished.

They believed in three shames:

• Sloth
• Begging
• Looting and stealing

They believed in three glories:

• Work ethic
• Cleanliness
• Self-reliance

They believed in three evils:

• Starvation
• Dependency
• Disease

The Swedish culture was a stoic society. Do your  job, come home, don't expect accolades for doing what you were supposed to do.

The best helping hand you can find is at the end of your arm.

Note: As I listened to the speaker, I started thinking of my own grandparents. A very strong, and strong-willed Maude Olofson Linn; a kind and quiet Peter Linn. I reflect on stories I've heard about Olivia Rask Olofson, Gus Linn, and others. I see many of the qualities and beliefs presented above in these ancestors. 

Maybe this is all too general and doesn't ring a bell with you when you look at your Swedish ancestors or even at your own work ethic and beliefs. Let me know your thoughts.

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Looking for some books to read about Swedish culture and way of life?

Vilhelm Moberg wrote several books about emigration and struggles in a new country. A series of four books give details of a Swedish couple as they make the decision to emigrate and continues their lives to Minnesota.

• Book 1--The Emigrants, 366 pages
• Book 2--Unto a Good Land, 402 pages
• Book 3--The Settlers, 431 pages
• Book 4--The Last Letter Home, 262 pages

More Nobility Found

Having farmers and laborers for ancestors gives me great pride. Hard-working people who sacrificed a great deal, braved elements, served their country, attended church, and were overall good and generous people.

It is only when I come in contact with other family historians and genealogists when the discussion turns to the famous, the infamous, the rich, the scoundrels that I have to admit that I have none. I’ve been told that “you just haven’t found them yet,” which is difficult to hear as I’ve been working diligently on family history for over 40 years. Slow. Deliberate. As accurate as I can be.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you learned about my “find” on the Linn side of our family when Amund Persson married Catharina Margaretha Strahle. She died in childbirth and I thought that was the end of that. But I learned recently and wrote on March 29, 2021, that Amund and Catharina had another son, born 2 years earlier, who survived, making us related to all of the well-connected, titled people who were ancestors of Catharina.

Could there be more? For those of you who enjoy joining the conversation about the famous or well-connected ancestors, and are descended from the Olofsons and Rasks, I can now report that you had some very important people in your line. But as usual, there’s a twist.

Let’s start with a look at the ancestors involved in this line:

Anton Christiani von Sternfeldt married Katarina Elisabeth von Ceurmen

     Johan Conrad von Sternfelt with Brita Nilsdotter, later married to Catharina von Scheffer

          Johan Johansson Starnfelt married to Marget Jonsdotter

               Lena Starenfelt never married

                    Stina Lindberg married to Olof Rask

                         Olof Rask (their son) married Sophia Margarite Kjellander

                              Olivia Rask married William Edward Olofson

William and Olivia Olofson had 3 children:  Lee Verne (Vernie) Olofson, Lilly Olofson, and Maude Olofson. It is Olivia Rask’s ancestors who give us the famous ancestors. Surprised? Given what we know about Olivia’s parents, Olof Rask and Sophia Margarite Kjellander, I’m stunned. This family was poor. Olof’s parents were poor. Olof’s grandmother, a single mother, died in the poor house. So how do we go from nobility to having an ancestor die in the poorhouse? It took just 3 generations to go from one end of the socio-economic spectrum to the other.

Anton Christiani von Sternfeldt and his wife were both born in Latvia in the mid 1600's. Latvia, at that time, was a part of the vast Swedish empire.

You can see above that Riga, in Latvia or Livania/Livland as it was known then, was a part of the Swedish empire. Our having ancestors born in that area doesn't seem to change any of our DNA, at least not in that of family members I have access to. 

Livland was a part of Latvia at the time of Johan's birth. It was taken by Sweden and later by Russia:

Sweden retained these territories for almost a century, defending them from both Poland (Polish-Swedish War, 1654-60) and Russia (Russo-Swedish War, 1654-61). In 1721, however, after the Great Northern War, Sweden ceded them to Russia (Treaty of Nystad)

This area also bordered German and, as you might guess, language, culture, and titles were similar then. The title "von" was often used to show a noble status originally designed to show land holdings. The family surname was the land you held. Thus von Ceurmen was "from Ceurmen". "Von" is a low-tier nobility title, but nevertheless, showed a level of wealth and land, and perhaps other rights and privileges in society.

Anton Christiani Sternfeldt and Katarina Elisabeth von Ceurmen's son Johan was born in Riga in 1684. As an adult, Johan Conrad von Sternfelt was a captain and an artillery man, commissioned in Sweden, primarily in the Stockholm and Jamtland counties.

From various Swedish books and articles that I've slowly done my best to translate, Johan Conrad met a married woman, Brita Nilsdotter, and conceived a child out of wedlock. Their son Johan Johansson Starnfelt was born in 1731 in Rodon, Jamtland Sweden. 

When Johan's father, Johan Conrad von Sternfelt was 48 years old, he then married a titled woman, Catharina von Scheffer. It appears that they had no children. There are also accounts showing that Johan Conrad von Sternfelt and his wife Catharina von Scheffer provided for Johan's son and for Brita Nilsdotter. 

But as you can see, the title was not passed on to the illegitimate son, Johan Johansson Starnfelt. This is where the breakdown in nobility status happened. Johan Conrad had to go before the church and confess his sin and take responsibility. Johan Conrad von Sternfelt also was involved in a criminal case and accused of murder in the spring of 1732. He was transported to Stockholm where he was acquitted.

Johan Conrad von Sternfelt sounds like quite an ancestor. Titled but wild. Involved in criminal cases including a murder. But his illegitimate son Johan seemed to be a different man. Johan was a ferryman (farjeman), a hard-working man with no land; he married Marget Jonsdotter, and together they had 5 children, the youngest being my 4th great-grandmother Lena Starenfelt. The family of 7 seems to move residences from one side of a river to another in the Rodon area as the ferry work might have demanded.

Lena, or Helena Starenfelt was born in 1767 in Jamtland, never married but had one daughter, Stina (Christina) Lindberg. It's not clear where the last name was from, perhaps the farm she lived on or even from her father. Lena was sent to the Poor Farm in Heden in 1843 and died there in 1847.

Stina, my 3rd great grandmother, was born in 1795 and married a "defenseless, but honest and of good chararcter" Olof Rask in 1814 in Heden.

So, are we nobility? I would say so. Land owners, captains, artillery men, ancestors with prestige in the community. But how quickly this all changed when the illegitimate son was not given the title or access to any of the land or prestige of his father. 

I've found two books thus far written exclusively about the Starenfeldt's. One in Swedish. The other in German. I'm hoping to have some of these translated to gain a deeper understanding of their achievements and lives.

It's another fascinating story in our family history. Instead of rags to riches, it's riches to rags. 

The 1950 US Federal Census is Out!

 On April 1, the 1950 Federal census was made available online, a long-awaited census for those of us who are actively involved in family history. While the census will not be indexed for a few months, one can find a family IF a specific address in a large town or city is known, OR if the ancestors lived in a small town or farming community. I feel very lucky today to have so many farming ancestors that make my initial look at this census easy. 

The census itself does not hold as many questions as previous ones did. For example, citizens were asked about religion, how many births and how many children still living, where the parents were born, if the family had a radio, if anyone had military service, and so much more. But starting in the 1950 census, just the basic information was asked. 

Still, I'm thrilled to see parts of my family. And today, I'd like to share a few with you:

First up, my own parents who married in 1946 along with their first born, my older brother Myron. Those of you who know me know that I was born in 1950, so why aren't I there? It's because the census was taken in April and I was born in June of 1950. I'm sort of there, aren't I? But I'll have to hang around until 1960 to see my name in the census.

In the Dayton, Webster County, Iowa census:

You can enlarge this on your computer, but it shows Rolland Linn, age 25, born in Iowa, a farmer who worked 40 hours a week; LaVonne, age 24, No work (Ha!!!); and Myron, age 1. 

Next is the census in Des Moines showing my grandparents, Peter and Maude Linn, living at 1615 Arlington Avenue, with their 3 youngest sons: Ellis, Ivan, and Merlyn. And while we all knew they had lodgers, I never knew they had NINE lodgers in 1950. Hard work to feed and clean up for everyone.

In the Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa 1950 census:

You can see Peter Linn, age 58, born in Iowa; his wife Maude, age 53, housework; Ellis, age 22, an internal revenue tax collector (I'm sure he was very popular with that job title!); Ivan, age 18, and Merlyn, age 13. I remember Lou Lightner, but I can't believe he was 73 in 1950 when he was still living at this address in 1956-7 when I remember meeting him. In my young mind, I thought he was old, but usually OLD at my age would be something like 40!!!

So, if you are interested in looking up your family in the 1950 census and they lived in a small community or farm, you can do it. 

https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1950

Click on the "Search the 1950 census" on the right. Fill in what you know. State, county or city, and last name. You might have to scroll through 20-50 pages if your last name is very common. One way to narrow it down is to know the ED (Enumeration District).

https://1950census.archives.gov/howto/ed-maps.html

I just clicked on the one in the paragraph that is for Ohio and substituted Iowa and Webster and scrolled down to Dayton to open it up.

It may take a few months to index these to make it easier for everyone to find. If you want me to look up your family now, just give me the state, county, town, and names. If I can, I'll find your family and send you a copy.

SWEDISH LIFE IN THE 1800’S

With harsh winters and short summers, our ancestors’ food in the 1800’s would have reflected what was available and what could be preserved in a “you take what you can get” attitude.

Typically, foods like Lutefisk (dried cod that was soaked in lye and water), pickled herring, lingonberries, and other foods that could be dried or preserved were the staple for our ancestors for a large part of the year.

Baked crispbread (knäckebröd), buns, and gingersnaps that could last, and fermenting dairy products such as a yogurt-like substance, were also part of our ancestors’ meals.

And, of course, glogg, a mulled, spiced wine, was enjoyed.

The short summer months, of course, offered many more choices from fresh produce to various meats, fish and cheeses.

In northern Sweden, where the Olofsons and Barquists were from, the climate and topography created work possibilities in forestry and the iron ore industry. We have several ancestors who worked in those industries. I imagine the Barquists and Olofsons having an abundance of wood for fires, for building homes and other structures. And the iron ore, once they learned how to refine and use it, would become a part of tool and furniture making.

In southern Sweden, where the Linns and Andersons were from, there were many lakes that meant fishing opportunities, and some agriculture that was important for food and clothing. Both created work opportunities. The land in Smaland, however, where many of our ancestors were from, is extremely rocky. Even if a large, heavy rock could be removed, below that were more and more rocks, making it nearly impossible to farm some of those areas.

Piga was the term used for a female farmhand or maid. Drang was the term used for a male farmhand. Farmhands and maids could be either young people who took positions as hired hands until they could earn enough money to move on or marry OR elderly people who hadn't been able to hold their own place as farmers or tenant farmers. Our ancestors were, for the most part, employees on a farm. Yes, we have the occasional hat maker, military man, or teacher, but as a rule, we were hard-working farm laborers. Lives for our ancestors were difficult, made enough worse if the head of the household was demanding or even cruel.

Our farming ancestors who did not own land were known as tenant farmers (torpare) and they didn't have any farmhands or maids of their own. They worked the land for others and couldn't afford to hire anyone else. These groups often had to send their young children away to take positions as a piga or drang on another farmer's land to earn a living. I've seen some of our ancestors listed as these servants as young as 8 years old!

Some of our poorer ancestors lived in small shacks on a farmer's land, perhaps one small room where an entire family lived.

The term crofter is a British term to describe a tenant farmer who paid his tenancy with daily labor on the landowner's estate. The Andersons were known as crofters in Sweden. The crofter's lot is similar to a sharecropper here in the United States. My family were sharecroppers on the farm outside Dayton, Iowa. I would guess that Pete and Maude (Olofson) Linn who also lived on that land were sharecroppers, too.

The fattighus (poorhouse) was a building where the poor and the infirm had shelter and lodging. These "inmates" were called fattighjon or paupers. I've written previously about a few of our ancestors who lived in the poorhouse and others who were homeless and walked from farm to farm for short stays before having to move on. These paupers are found in a special place, usually in the back, of the church yearly clerical survey.

When people ask me what life was like for our Swedish ancestors, all of what I’ve just written comes to mind. Limited food. Harsh winters. Few opportunities to own land. However, besides living this life from beginning to end, some did try other options:

·       We have many, many soldiers in our Swedish ancestors. A Swedish soldier would receive a home where his wife and children could live while he served.  Food and other basic needs were provided from those surrounding the soldier's farm as payment for the soldier’s sacrifice. But once his military term was over, the family had to find other shelter and the new soldier’s family moved in.

·        Many of our ancestors came to the United States for opportunities they believed from advertisements and letters from those who had already immigrated. For some, it served them and their families well. For others, poverty and misfortune followed them, with some even going back to their native country.

·        A few of our ancestors became educated and were able to secure employment that afforded them a better lifestyle. We have a minister, teacher, master hatmaker, soldiers, and several who were selected to help with the inventories and distribution of land and possessions of those who had died. They were considered to be gentlemen farmers. We have a couple of ancestors who were found in prison, the poorhouse, the orphanage. 

Life wasn’t easy no matter their circumstances. Women often lost several newborns to various diseases and pregnancy issues. I’ve found a married couple in my tree who both died of syphilis within a few months of each other. Soldiers who came back from service unable to work. Women who died in childbirth. Isolation. Insanity.

Church was one staple that gave our ancestors a community and hope. Church was extremely important, so important that they often traveled for miles to attend; and once they arrived by horse or horse and buggy to the parish church, they might spend a night or two in makeshift barns provided by the church or local parishioners.

A difficult life at that time in Sweden. For our ancestors to consider leaving Sweden, their families and friends, the life they knew, they had to believe that life would be better for them in the United States.

Religious freedom, opportunities to own land, and the ability to give their children a better life all had to weigh on our ancestors who made the decision to cross the ocean.

It wasn’t easy in this country either. But, the combination of removing or reducing many challenges of their lives in Sweden and also finding the opportunities and unique benefits that lay ahead in a new country brought them here. Through Wisconsin or Illinois to central Iowa. A new home.

 

A Few Old Photos

 Hi Everyone,

It seems as if most of my time sitting at the computer involves going through documents and photos that I've inherited from my mom. Sadly, many are not labeled, but those that are include some great looks at our ancestors in their early days in Iowa. Hope you enjoy the following:

This photo of retired first-generation Swedes living in Stratford was taken in 1909. While I don't know many of these names, I recognize the names Peterson, Westrum, Otto Quick, and Nils Teander. And, of course, my direct-line ancestor, A. G. Barquist in the middle of the front row. A. G. (Anders Gustaf) Barquist was my great-great grandmother's (Maria Barquist Olofson) brother. A.G. came to the United States with his family in 1857. I would imagine that most of the men pictured above came during that same time. 

The photo above is Anna Charlotta Lundblad and her husband August William Peterson, taken when they married in 1870 in Boone County. Anna is my 1st cousin, 3 x removed, the niece of Gus and Katerina (Lundblad) Linn. 

Anna came with her family in 1857, when she was just 7 years old. She and A. William Peterson had 8 children. I'm including the obit for William Peterson to demonstrate how very flowery and positive obituaries of the time were:

August W. Peterson

Boone County Democrat

July 2, 1909

At the giant oaks of ten centuries fall before the blow of the axman, so the old time honored citizen falls before the great enemy, death. Again Pilot Mound is shrouded in mourning, for one of its old time citizens and honored residents of Boone County answered the last roll call when on the 22nd of June William August Peterson passed to his reward. He was born in Sweden July 1, 1840. At the age of nine years his parents came to America. While traveling overland to Iowa his father was drowned in the Illinois River. The mother and children came on to Boone County and settled near Madrid, where they resided for four years and then removed to Webster County and built herself a home near the Des Moines River, where William Peterson grew to manhood. In 1864 he heard the bugle call and enlisted in Company H, 15th Iowa regiment. He served his country faithfully and received an honorable discharge on the 2nd of June, 1865, and returned home from the army. He formed the acquaintance of Miss Charlottte Lundblad and was united in marriage with her on Jan. 12, 1870. The following year they moved onto a farm north of Pilot Mound, where they lived and labored until about four years ago, when they moved to Pilot Mound and made their home here until he was called home to rest.

To this happy union eight children were born, of whom seven survive. One son, Daniel, died when three years old. He is survived by his widow, two sons, A. L. Peterson, of Madrid, and G. V. Peterson of Pilot Mound; and five daughters, Mrs. Minnie Smith, Mrs. A. L. Starks, Mrs. Dari Owen and Miss Bessie Peterson, all of Pilot Mound, and Mrs. O. E. Huglin, of Odebolt, one brother, two sisters and a host of relatives and admiring friends. He was a member of Oak Lodge No. 531, A. F. and A. M., Dayton, Iowa, and of Pilot Mound Lodge No. 536, I. O. O. F., both of which orders participated in the funeral services which were conducted Thursday afternoon by Rev. W. M. Leiser and the remains laid to rest in the Pilot Mound Cemetery to await the judgment day. Mr. Peterson was an honored citizen and esteemed neighbor, whose exeplary and unselfish life won the respect and love of all who formed his acuaintance.

Children: August Lee, Minnie Augusta, Victor Gilbert, Daniel, Callie Matilda, Lottie J., Hattie Lavina, and Bessie Florence.

Note: An amazing amount of information for the family genealogist to have, don't you think?

And finally, I wanted to share a photo of Pete Linn, my grandfather, walking behind a horse with a very rudimentary plow. I can't quite date this picture and wonder why he wasn't using a tractor as it appears to have been taken in the 1940's. But regardless, my eyes got wide and a bit teary when I realized that I have this plow. It had been in my mother's care, usually in the garage, for many, many years. And when my siblings and I were going through mom's storage unit a couple of years ago, I asked to take this, not really knowing which side of our family it belonged to. Now I know. I'm so happy to have this photo to go with it. The plow is very rusty and in need of some loving restoration, but I'll get there. It means alot to me to have this.

Please don't throw out those old family photos. Just look at the treasure trove of information and history there is in just these 3 photos.

ANOTHER PANDEMIC

We have been dealing with the world-wide COVID for two years now, most of us vaccinated, some of us contracting the disease, and to my knowledge, no family members having died from the disease. We have heard from time to time the comparisons of COVID to the 1918-1919 Influenza that was also worldwide and deadly.

I don’t wish to discuss our situation today because I know how emotional, and political, it has become. But I’d like to write today’s post about what I’ve learned about the Influenza and its effect on our Iowa family members.

The Influenza actually had nothing to do with Spain. The best guess is that it started in Haskell County, Kansas, where the first known case was recorded. A remote farm area, it might seem unlikely for it to have traveled so quickly and become a worldwide pandemic. But, when we take into account our involvement in World War I, one can see how this could happen.

From Haskell County and other parts of Kansas, men came into close contact with each other at Camp Funston (now known as Fort Riley). Over 500 soldiers became ill there in the first week of March 1918, and within 3 more weeks, more than 1,100 men were sick. And by the end of the spring, 48 soldiers had died.

Still, after training, soldiers were dispersed to other camps, other bases, and then onto ships to Europe. Once the virus reached Europe, it spread quickly, not just among Americans, but also among our Allies.

Ships now traveling back and forth to and from the United States carried the original strain as well as new, more dangerous ones. And now we see an unchecked spread in the United States, especially in large cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Strains continued to mutate. The flu reached more remote areas, and eventually it killed 16 million people worldwide. The war itself had killed about 50 million people. Thirty percent of our army was affected.

My great Uncle Frank Linn, a soldier in France, was detained and quarantined before he was allowed to board the ship back to the United States. Undoubtedly, it was the flu.

When we review death records for 1918 and 1919, it’s important to look at “hidden” or “alternate” causes of death. Some were listed as having died of spinal meningitis or pneumonia when it was really Influenza.

What influence did this have on daily life in the United States? Theaters, churches, bars, and other public places were closed because of the flu. Schools in Chicago were closed for a time. During this time, the life expectancy in the United States dropped by 12 years. In Iowa, schools were closed, masks were mandated, and many businesses had to close temporarily or even permanently. Farmers were able to feed themselves and their families, but I wonder how well they were able to move food or animals to their next destinations.

Below is just a sampling of articles taken from the Dayton and Stratford areas. Included are two links to more details about the origin of the flu and the protests about wearing masks.

Most of the information from these articles reminds me a great deal of what we are now going through. Pandemics 100 years apart. Affecting our ancestors then and us today.

Dayton Review, October 1918

The Origin of the 1918 Flu

Protests to Mask Wearing

Fort Dodge Messenger, October 2018

Webster City Journal, October 2018

Stratford Courier, October 1918

Daily Freeman, November 1919

Daily Freeman, December 2018

Webster City Journal, October 2018. Williams is in Hamilton County.

Stratford Courier, December 1918     

The Mystery of Maria Barquist Olofson

Maria Barquist Olofson is my 2nd great grandmother, born on 28 September 1842. She was the third of 6 children born in Sweden to John Barquist, Sr., and his wife Marget Pehrsdotter. But when did Maria die, and where is she buried? 

Let's take a look at what we know about Maria:

When Maria was just 15 years old, the entire family came to the United States, settling first near the Jansonite settlement of Swedes in Illinois. But soon they moved to Hardin Township in Webster County. There, Maria met and married Olof Olofson in 1865.

Maria and Olof had a son, William Edward Olofson, born in 1866. The family was not well off when compared to others in the area, including the Barquists. For example, in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedule (Agriculture), Olof Olofson is shown in Hardin Township, Webster County. He has 30 improved acres and 40 unimproved woodland or forest acres and 19 unimproved "old fields" not growing wood.

Olof's father-in-law, John Barquist, Sr., however, is listed as having 60 tillable acres, 100 total acres. it also lists the value of his property, crops, and animals. [Note: You may recall the post from last year about John Barquist being one of the settlers who had his property taken from him in a dispute that went all the way to the Supreme Court for a final decision.]

Whether the Olofsons had wealth or land, they had a real community of Swedes including Olof's mother and siblings and their families, as well as Maria's parents and siblings and their families. They were church-going people, belonging to the Stratford Lutheran Church.

On 31 July 1869, Olof and Maria had a second child, a daughter named Matilda. We see her in the Stratford Lutheran Church records with her parents and brother "Eddie". But Matilda's life was short. We see an entry in that same church record for February 1870, stating that Matilda had died.

The 1870 US Federal Census was taken in August and shows Olof, Maria, and their son Eddie. Daughter Matilda is gone, but I have no death record and no burial location for her. That isn't unusual for the time as Iowa was still a relatively new state without standardized rules for vital records.

But adding to the mystery is what then happened to Maria? In the 1880 US Federal Census, this is what we see:

Olof, age 43; W. E. (Eddie), age 14; and Olof's mother Christine Olofson, age 76. No Maria. And did you also notice the letter "D" in Olof's record? That is a column for marital status: Married (M), Single (S), or Divorced (D).

Now, was that accurate information? Census information is only as good as those GIVING the information and those WRITING it down. If Olof and Maria were indeed divorced, there is no record. But clearly something happened between the 1870 census where we DO see Maria and the 1880 census where she is gone. 

I've looked in many, many places. With her parents, her siblings, in the insane asylum, married to someone else, and in death and burial records. But I've not found her. I've had others look, asked for help from local genealogy societies, worked with others researching the Barquist family, and still not found her. Nor have I found daughter Matilda.

I put this brick wall away, but periodically I look again, hoping there are new records, new information, additional ideas for finding Maria, for finding Matilda's burial plot. My tree is so beautiful with branches going up and out into a fullness that makes me so proud. And yet, I have one branch that has a hole in it. 

Recently, I came across an article about the Methodist Church cemetery in Hardin Township. The following transcript is about John Linn, but I think you might see the relevance to our Maria Barquist Olofson brick wall:

"John Linn born in Sweden in 1826 and settled in Hardin Township in 1850. Mrs. Edna Anderson of Stratford is a granddaughter. She is 87 and very, very alert. She told this story: They had a daughter 2 years old [Julia Linn], a second daughter [Mary] was born and the mother died. Mr. Linn hewed out a large walnut log and buried her in this. Later when the cemetery was moved from the Methodist Church site, she was moved also to the South Marion Cemetery along with other graves."

She and others were moved to the South Marion Cemetery! Could Maria and Matilda also be among those moved from the Methodist Church cemetery to the South Marion Cemetery?

I've checked the records. First, there is no mention of John Linn's first wife Brita being buried there. And there is no record of Matilda or Maria being there either. I've emailed the local genealogy society and haven't heard back. Still, I'm hopeful that we will learn where Brita, John's wife is, and more important, where Maria Barquist Olofon and Matilda Olofson are buried.

40 years of searching. Do you have any thoughts? I'm willing to look anywhere. None of these female ancestors should be lost.

Maria Barquist Olofson