Olof Ericksson is my 7th great grandfather on Maude Edith Olofson's side. Several years ago in Salt Lake City, I decided to do more research on Olof as I wanted to understand why he died at such an early age: 29. Of course, many diseases and accidents in the early 1700's could kill the young as well as the old, but still, it was something to tie up on my tree. With help from the professional researchers for Sweden in the library, we found Olof Ericksson's death record, and that started some real searching! It turns out that my 7th great grandfather Olof Ericksson was MURDERED!
Olof Ericksson was born on an Ygsbo farm in Farila Parish, Gavleborg County on August 6, 1688.On November 15, 1713, Olof married Kerstin Persdotter, born on September 21, 1688. Kerstin was the daughter of the local innkeeper. This couple lived in Fone, Farila Parish and had a son, my 6th great grandfather, Eric Olsson.
When my husband and I went to Sweden several years ago, we made arrangements to meet with a woman who was very familiar with the Farila Parish area. This part of Sweden is very rural, very forested, with few major roads or signs. We were thankful for her help. I had given her names and locations of the individuals I was interested in knowing more about so we might visit a home or a church they would have attended. But she went so much further. She found the transcript for the trial of the man who murdered Olof Eriksson. She roughly translated it to me as we enjoyed a cup of coffee and I tried my best to remember my shorthand. Below is the story taken from that trial:
THE MURDER OF THE FARMER OLOF ERIKSSON OF YGSBO
IN 1717
In
the year 1717 the 23rd of February, they had a trial in Farila,
Hogdahl and Ljusdal. Those sitting in judgment were Michell Olsson of Storbyn;
Olof Jonsson of Ygsbo; Olof Gudmundsson of Hafra (plus 6 men from Ljusdal and 2
from Hogdahl = 11 men).
On the 25th of February 1717, the Judge Hans Aberg gave a description of what happened. He said a killing had been made at the inn in Storbyn Farila on the 13th of January the same year. The soldier Olof Hook punched the farmer Olof Eriksson who was about to drive him to Jarsvo. He punched him so much that he died from the damage. By cause of that, the court would like to hear what happened because Olof Eriksson’s family and witnesses wanted to know what happened. There came the father-in-law Per Mansson with his wife as well as the widow Cherstin Persdotter how the battle had begun when her deceased husband on the same evening was waiting with his horse for the soldier.
The soldier had first punched Olof Eriksson two times on his head with a sword out on the lawn just because Olof Eriksson did not take off his hat when the soldier came out of his house. After that, he had yelled at Olof Eriksson so much that no words can describe it. After a while, he did get friendly and offered Olof Eriksson to go into the house for a drink.
The punches that Olof Eriksson got had changed him so much, but a little later he would walk to Jarvso to get the horse that the soldier had borrowed. But Olof Eriksson fell down 4-5 steps from the gravel road northeast of the church into a puddle. The puddle was from the snow that had melted from the suddenly hot weather. Olof Eriksson lay there all night until another farmer named Anders Olsson came and dragged him away. He gave notice to Per Mansson to take him home but at 7 p.m. Olof Eriksson’s life ended.
Another witness Lars Mansson is a church bell ringer. He did not swear on the bible but said that Hook hit Olof Eriksson on the arm, not his head because he did not take off his hat and asked after the innkeeper. Olof Eriksson got two punches on the head and one on the shoulder (the left side). Olof Eriksson and Lars Mansson followed a servant into the house. What passed after that he couldn’t say because Olof Eriksson soon left.
On the same date also a village trustee named Michell Olsson of Storbyn and Jon Michelsson of Ygsbo followed Olof Eriksson and Lars Mansson into the house and they had walked away after the fighting was over.
Then another person (who was a fighter) stated that he, in the beginning of the fight on the yard, was sitting in his house. When he heard Olof Eriksson yell “don’t beat me, Sergeant,” he told the driver of the horse to calm down because no one can hurt you when I’m here. But Olof Eriksson ran away to hide. The driver yelled after Olof Eriksson and when he came back, the fighter reminded Hook that Olof Eriksson was the son-in-law of the innkeeper. They shook hands and Hook and Olof Eriksson went into the house to have a drink of newly made liquor. He didn’t know what quantity was consumed by Olof Eriksson.
A question was asked to the driver: “did you see that the sergeant had his sword?” The driver said the sword was hanging from Hook’s belt. He never saw the sergeant touch the farmer because they were three feet away from each other when the driver came out. In the cabin they became friends once again. No fighting happened inside and the driver didn’t ever hear the dead person complain.
Another soldier Jon Jonsson Friskop did see that Hook on January 13 hit Olof Eriksson and pulled his hair and punched with something. The farmer fell but not so hard it would be a deadly impact.
A maid, Jolin Swensdotter, said that she came out just as Olof Eriksson got up from having been hit but he stepped up and she couldn’t tell if he had been harmed.
Par Mansson’s daughter, Carin Parsdotter, could only say that the newly made liquor was less than 6 spoonsful.
Sergeant Lieberhof had been in the cabin and had been taking orders from Hook and he didn’t know anything about the fight.
Driver Petter Norman said the same that he never heard Olof Eriksson complain when he was with him in the cabin. Nor could he tell Hook and Olof Eriksson were enemies.
Hereby Sheriff Pehr Lundman said the same as three persons in the cabin; they had not gone out.
Military Officer Olof Falen told that on January 14 he had been with Liebenhof and Norman and had seen Olof Eriksson. They had checked on his condition because there had been some rumor about Olof Eriksson. But they don’t see any damage (bruises on the body). Only the back of his head had a bump. They didn’t think this was a great damage to Olof Eriksson.
Military doctor trainee David Vogt wrote a paper after examining Olof Eriksson’s body dated 17 January with the following: Olof Eriksson’s dead body was blue and brown over his whole back and his right buttocks had a big scar and his head was swollen. Head was shaved and had been cleaned. You could see a small opening and a split lip. But Vogt was not present in the courtroom.
Farmer Anders Olsson said on 14 January a little after breakfast half past eight he had taken Olof Eriksson from the puddle no more than ¼ meter deep and took him inside and then sent for his father-in-law, Per Mansson, who saw him in this shape and asked two questions of him but Olof Eriksson could only say “God was.” Anders Olsson witnessed also that Olof Eriksson’s head wasn’t in the water because it was lying on gathered ice and placed his head on the ice.
On a question no one could get a real explanation on how Olof Eriksson fell into the puddle and for that sake they were eager to learn if anyone had met him on the road during that time.
Then Per Mansson gave information that the wife of Anders Halfars, Carin Persdotter, heard or had seen Olof Eriksson say he was getting his horse on January 13 at Jarvso. Carin said that Sheriff Lundman drove Hook out of town to Jarvso when Olof Eriksson went to get his horse. Carin Persdotter was sent for and she stated that Olof Eriksson said he had been beaten by Hook and would have lasting damage but she couldn’t explore what that was because Olof Eriksson left to Jarvso to get his horse. She also said that Olof Eriksson was not drunk.
Sheriff Lundman questioned that he and Hook rode away from the inn first. From these men, it was difficult to have them swear on the bible because they didn’t know if they had to swear and be honest about another military man. Hook ran away with the Sargent after the murder. The purpose for his escape was said to be a mission for the Sargent. It also seems odd that there has been no information about his escape until January 18 when the news traveled to Jarvso.
Therefore, the court by the cause of Hook’s being gone, rested the case. Notes: Olaus Hook escaped and then came back and was condemned to death but is in prison in Gefleborg. During the War against Norway, Hook was there and was one of a few survivors (most froze to death returning from Norway). 1717-1718 when 3000 men froze. He came to Jarvso and died in 1724.
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Olof Eriksson was buried in the front of the church. He left a widow and son. The home that they had lived in was moved many years later from Ygsbo to Fone and is a Swedish Heritage Site, showing the architecture of the time.
We were given a tour of the home, a home that was in our family several centuries ago and today is a Heritage Site. Below are a few photos we took while there.
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