UPDATING A STORY, CORRECTING AN ERROR

I’m a careful researcher. I’m slow, deliberate, curious, and I have a healthy bit of skepticism whenever I look at another person’s research or online tree. After all, mistakes can happen. And today, I’m going to update a Linn story and correct an error; and I hope, in the process, you feel as if you now have some bragging rights when others talk about their famous ancestors.

On September 2, 2018, I posted an article about us being “Almost Royalty”. I described how our 5^th great grandfather, Amund Persson, a well-to-do farmer, married a very well-connected woman named Catharina Margreta Strahle. They were married for over 6 years and, in 1756, Catharina died in childbirth. All of those facts are intact. What I discussed at the time is that we were not related to Swedish nobility because Catharina died before giving birth to any child with our 5^th great-grandfather.

Today, and with more research, I know that is not true. Amund Persson and Catharina Margreta Strahle did have one child, a son named Carl Peter Amundsson, born on July 30, 1749. And so, through this son who is half Amund Persson, we are related to the Swedish nobility. Carl is my half 5^th great uncle, certainly not a close relationship, but still, we are related. And that means that the Linns are related to Swedish nobility including the following:

 

•       Johan Carl Strale, a captain;
•          Barbaro Christina Gripenheim, daughter of Nils  Gripenhjelm who was also a captain and governor (appointed by the king) of Kopparberg;
•          Gustaf Carlson Bonde of Lajhela, a titled man, a chancellor:
•          Peter Natt-och-Dag Heer van Bro, a Swedish noble family and the oldest still existing family of pure Swedish extraction; officially known since the year 1280, according to documents at the Swedish National Archives

Priests, advisors, governors, captains are all part of Catharina Margreta Strahle’s lineage. And in turn, her son Carl is also related to us.

      I’ve traced Carl a bit. He was born in 1749 and died in 1799. He married and had one son born in 1778.

      I’m still most proud of my hard-working farmers from whom I descend. But I have to admit that I sat up in my chair a little straighter while writing this post.

      And for the record, I’ve traced the Olofson line back 7-9 generations and I can tell you with certainty that there is no nobility on that side. I’m thinking my grandma Maude Olofson Linn might have been a bit upset by that!

 

 Crest for the Natt-och-Dag noble family of Sweden

 

 

 

Crest for the Gustaf Carlson Bonde of Lajhela noble family of Sweden

 

 

Crest for the Strahle family

If you’re interested in learning more, you can google any of the names above to see photos and more information.

Almost Royalty

It's not that I am not proud of the many farmers and laborers who are my ancestors. But sometimes, when I am talking with other genealogists, friends and genealogy enthusiasts, they often tell about how they are related to George Washington, or Mary Queen of Scots, or George Patton. The list goes on and on and on...and I have to admit that finding a rich or famous or titled ancestor would be exciting.

We have none.

But we ALMOST did. So, here's the story....

Amund Persson is one of my 5th great-grandparents, a Linn ancestor. He was born in 1723 in Sodra Ekeby farm in Malexander Parish in Ostergotland County. He came from a long line of successful farmers. It's a line that I've traced back to my 9th great-grandparents.

Amund was well respected in his parish and was a jury man, meaning that he was elected by the parish to serve on court-related issues. An upstanding citizen said to be "well-behaved and intelligent". On February 11, 1749, Amund Persson married Catharina Margareta Strahle.

Catharina was from an extremely prominent and well-connected family. Her father was a captain. Her mother's father was also a captain and a governor of one of the Swedish provinces. And as we continue back in Catharina's ancestry, we see more governors, priests, and then we find an ancestor who served on the King of Sweden's inner circle. Catharina's family was Swedish royalty. You can google some of their names to see their pedigrees:

Maternal grandfather Nils Gripenhjelm (1653-1703)
Maternal great-grandfather Edmund Figrelius Gripenhjelm (1622-1675)
A second maternal great-grandfather Gustaf Carlsson Bonde (1620-1667)

Gustaf Carlsson Bonde

 Each of Catharina's ancestors had a family crest, at least one castle, and the money and servants to support a lavish lifestyle.

So, why aren't we descended from Amund Persson and his wife Catharina Margareta Strahle? Why aren't we Swedish royalty?

After being married for 5 years, Amund and Catharina were finally going to have a baby. In 1756, at the age of 26 years and 8 days, Catharina Margareta Strahle died in childbirth. Her child also did not survive.

And so, the line of Amund Persson and Catharina Margareta Strahle stopped. Amund did marry a second time. On June 24, 1757, Amund married the maiden Ingeborg Jonsdotter. They had 4 children, one of whom is my 4th great-grandfather, Anders Amundsson. Anders is the father of Maria Andersdotter who married Carl Lundblad. Maria and Carl had our Catharina Lundblad. And that's the line from which we Linns descend.

We were almost royalty. Almost rich. Almost famous. Almost written in Swedish royal history. Almost....