Elin Andersson Linn

The first thing I noticed about Elin when I first saw a picture of her was how very beautiful she was with her small frame and kind look. She was the middle of 5 children born to Carl Andersson and Anna Maja Abrahamsdotter. The photo below is from Elin and Andrew Linn’s wedding, taken in 1888 when Elin was just 21 and Andrew was 26.

 

Most of the Linn men were quite good looking also (bias intended) with dreamy blue eyes. Andrew was no different. Andrew must have noticed this beautiful Swedish girl who had been in Iowa for just 3 years; and Elin perhaps was swept away by Andrew’s blue eyes.

Their first child, Elsie, was born on 3 August 1889 near Lundgren in Clay Township, almost exactly 9 months after their wedding; Peter followed on 31 March 1892, born near Stratford; and Frank was born on 21 April 1895 near Burnside. The family settled on Cedar Brook Farm. While Andrew and Elin were renters throughout some of their marriage, they owned, with a mortgage, Cedar Brook Farm. After Elin’s death in 1925, Frank and Ruth rented the farm with Andrew living with them.

You may recall from an 18 February 2018 post about Andrew Linn that he had “graduated from the Keeley Institute”, the article posted in the Dayton Review on 30 March 1893. Through further research, I learned that the Keeley was a facility used to treat alcoholics and opioid users. And so, it’s difficult to ignore the idea that Elin had been married to an alcohol or drug abuser, and in 1893 already had given birth to and was raising 2 children.

While I don’t want to take away from Andrew’s ability to overcome his addiction with the help of the Keeley Institute, when I think of what Elin must have gone through, what difficulties their marriage must have had, how she may have had to shelter her two young children and carry more of the farm duties, I give her great credit for the strength she must have shown to have been instrumental in Andrew’s sobriety.

 

Cedar Brook Farm. Back: Elin, Elsie, Andrew; front: Frank and Peter.

Francis and Elsie Carlson; Maude Olofson on the left; front row: Elin, Andrew, Kenneth Carlson

Elin died at age 58 of a cerebral hemorrhage on 22 October 1925 and is buried next to her husband in the Linn Cemetery.

 

 

 Adult Anderson children with spouses. Labeling what I know:

Front row is Karl (Charlie) Anderson; Viktor Anderson; his wife Hilda standing behind him; Viktor and Hilda's adopted son Clifford Anderson; Frank Anderson who is married to Maria Lovisa, standing behind him; Andrew Linn married to Elin Anderson, standing behind Andrew; and Gust Anderson married to Anna Charlotta, who is standing behind Gust. I don't know the other women in the photograph.

The Andersons were a handsome group too, don't you think?