More on Catherine Lundblad Linn

It took nearly 4 months for Gus, Catherine, and John August to make their long trip to Boston in 1853 and then to Iowa. From Boston, it's likely that the trio would have used several modes of transportation to Iowa: the train to Chicago, then perhaps by wagon train or foot to Keokuk, Iowa, where they would have traveled by boat up the Des Moines River.

I can't imagine how very difficult this weeks-long voyage in steerage was, followed by the long trek to Iowa, for Catherine and Gus with their young son. They would have traveled with others from Sweden, perhaps someone who could translate or help with difficulties that surely came up.

Catherine, Gus, and John, arrived in Iowa and within 3 years, Gus had taken out his naturalization papers (April 5, 1856) making him and his wife and son American citizens. By the 1860 US Federal Census, Gus and Catherine held real estate in Pilot Mound, Boone County, worth $750 and personal property worth $600. The family consisted of the parents, John August, William Peter, Emma Catherine, and Anna Sophia. In the US Federal Agriculture Census for the same year, they had 30 acres of improved land, 52 acres unimproved, cash value of the farm $780, $250 in farm implements and machinery. The family owned 2 horses, 2 milch cows, 2 oxen, 2 other cattle, 8 sheep, 16 swine, for a total value of livestock at $325. The family held 75 bushels of wheat, 30 bushels of rye, 350 bushels of Indian corn, 100 bushels of oats, 100 pounds of tobacco, and 14 pounds of wool. This family was working hard and living well, doing more than just surviving.

Gus and Catherine had two more children, Andrew born in 1861; and Mary, born in 1863.

And then, tragedy struck this family.

On August 24, 1862, daughter Emma died at the age of five. Then four-year old daughter Anna died on January 10, 1864. This devastating blow to the family, the deaths of two young daughters in less than two years, had to sap the strength out of both Catherine and Gustus. So why would Gustus choose to volunteer to fight in the Civil War, leaving his family, his grieving wife Catherine, mustering in 5 days before Anna's death?

It seems impossible to me that a husband and father, after losing two daughters, and in the middle of  an Iowa winter, would go, leaving Catherine and their four young children to tend the farm. I have read about Gus' true sense of patriotism for his adopted country, his appreciation for the life it had given him and his family, the opportunities he had been given to own land and make a good living to support his family. But there may be additional reasons for his going.

• Did Gus even know of Anna's death? If it were a sudden illness or accident, Gus may have been gone before Anna passed.
• There were bounties paid to those who entered the war effort in the waning days of the Civil War, even in a state such as Iowa where, because of volunteers, no one was drafted. In some cases, a man who needed money would take the place of another man. 
• It's also possible that this was how Gus dealt with his grief.

Whatever the reason, Gus was gone. Catherine was on the farm. And she didn't know if Gus was dead, alive, wounded, where he was, when or if he would return. Two daughters dead. Two sons who were still children (John, age 12 1/2; William, age 9 1/2) but of some help in operating the farm. Two other children (Andrew, age 3; Mary, age 1) who were too young to be of any help. When we look at what this family's holdings were from the 1860 Agriculture Schedule above, I am in awe of what Catherine and her children were able to do.

My hope is that Catherine had help from Gus' two brothers, John and Peter, during his absence. But there is some good news for Catherine during this time. In last week's posting, I questioned if either of Catherine's siblings might have also come to Iowa. And the answer is "yes". In 1857, brother Anders Lundblad, born in 1819, and his wife Anna, along with four children arrived in Boston, made the trip to Burlington, Iowa, where they were met by Gus who took them the rest of the way to Pilot Mound. Anders, later known as Andrew Lundblad, settled just a short distance from Gus and Catherine. His two oldest children, Alfred and Carl, were born in 1845 and 1848 and were certainly old enough to help Catherine with all she had to do in Gus' absence. And Catherine now had family there to support her.

Gus returned in July of 1865, but he was most certainly a changed man physically. His time as a POW took a toll on his body, and he was unable to be at 100% strength on the farm. Once again, we see Catherine having to shoulder a great deal, both physically and emotionally. Gus and Catherine had one more child, Charles, born in 1866, who was the subject of an earlier post.

To shorten this a bit, Catherine and Gus lived a quiet life, one of service to their family and neighbors, one of devotion to their church, one of patriotism. Once their days of farming were over, they moved to Dayton to live out their final years. Gus passed away in 1897, but Catherine lived 15 additional years, passing in 1912 at the age of 88.

Catherine Lundblad Linn

Whenever I used to look at Catherine's picture, I would think "that is one serious, stern looking woman" but looking now, after all she went through, I can see in her eyes a real softness, maybe kindness, certainly a life with challenges. In those eyes I see a woman who lost her parents at a young age, made a difficult and long journey to Iowa, a place that she didn't know. In those eyes I see the loss of her two young daughters, the stress of being alone on the farm while her husband served in the Civil War. In those blue eyes, I see how hard she worked, what a great partner she was to Gus.

Thanks for all you did, Great-great Grandma Linn, for giving those of us who follow you the life we are able to have today.

Obituary from the January 18, 1912, Dayton Review, Page 1
Errors in her birth year and location (1823; Malexander)

Caterina Lundblad

Augustus (Gus) Magnus Olausson Linn. Father, husband, brother, farmer, Civil War veteran. We know the details of his life through photos, stories, news articles. Even his obituary appeared on the front page of the Dayton Review.  The cane he whittled while he was a POW is still in the family.

But what about his wife? What do we know about the woman he married in Sweden? The mother of his children? The person who stayed on the farm during the Civil War raising the children and taking care of the farm responsibilities while Gus served our country?

For the next two weeks I will share what I have learned about Caterina (Catherine) Lundblad, my second great-grandmother.

When following our female ancestors, it's important to know that there is not as much information about women. Women were referred to by their husband's names in news articles i.e. Mrs. John Smith and not Mary Smith. In the United States, a woman's maiden name was gone after marriage until it sometimes appeared in an obituary. And until our more recent history, women didn't own land, vote, serve in the military, or work outside the home or farm. It can be a real challenge to find interesting or detailed information about our female ancestors.

Caterina Lundblad was born on October 3, 1823, on Stromskullen farm in Malexander Parish to the soldier Carl Johan Lundblad (1793-1841) and his wife Maria Andersdotter (1793-1838).

Catarina Carlsdotter from Stromskullen born October 3, christened October 5, 1823. Parents Life grenadier Lundblad and wife Maria Andersdotter

Carl was born to the unwed mother Ingeborg Ingedotter. His military record states that he represented the Skarlunda rote, serving as a "life grenadier" in Omberg Company. A grenadier was originally a soldier armed with hand grenades. The grenadier first fired his musket and then he would light the fuse of the grenade and throw it, a seemingly dangerous job. By the time Carl Lundblad was in the military, though, a life grenadier was simply a part of an infantry unit. Carl was 173 cm tall (just under 5'7" tall) and was in the military from 1813 until his death in 1841.

Carl's service included time in both Germany and in Norway from 1813-1814. And on a closer look at Swedish military history at that time, it appears that Sweden fought a major battle in Germany in 1813, and in 1814 was at war briefly with Norway, both of which were victories for Sweden. It is likely that Carl saw action in both of these countries.

Carl and Maria married on October 19, 1815, in Malexander Parish, and had three children:

• Maria, born on September 24, 1816; 
• Anders, born on September 21, 1819; 
• Catarina, born on October 3, 1823.

In Sweden during the early 1800's, it was normal for young boys and girls to make their own way, often leaving their family farm in their early teens to work as a servant or farm laborer. Sometimes family circumstances rushed children into their independence. In Catarina's case, her mother Maria died in 1838 and Carl remarried in 1839; shortly after, each of the 3 children left. Katerina/Catherina was just 16 years old, now working on various farms through Ostergotland county. In the clerical surveys, she is noted as "Catherina Carlsdotter" or "Katerina Lundblad" or "Carin Lundblad" or other variations of these. In order to make certain I am following the correct person, I always verify the birth date, birth location, and other information available, i.e. moving in or out records, name of parents or siblings.

It's interesting to note that, when Gus' father Olaus Fredericsson died, and his mother remarried, Gus and his siblings also started working on various farms. In Gus' case, he was just 9 the first time he is seen working as a farm laborer.

Catarina's father, the soldier Carl Johan Lundblad, died just two years after remarrying, passing on August 17, 1841, of a stroke, at the age of 47. In his probate, completed just one week after his death, it's clear that Carl had not amassed any wealth. And, as was the practice in Sweden at this time, the widow received half the estate, the children the other half, with boys receiving twice what girls received. None of the children became any better off financially from the proceeds.

Catarina and Gus met and married in Vastra Ryd Parish in Ostergotland County on February 18, 1851. Catherina was 5 1/2 years older than Gus. Their first child, Johan August, was born on August 30, 1851.  On April 11, 1853, Gus, Catarina and Johan set off for the United States, to join Gus' brothers John and Peter in Iowa, arriving in Boston August 10, 1853. On the passenger list for the Bark Christina from Gothenburg, Gustus is listed as Ustaf Olson, age 24, farmer; along with wife Catherine, age 29; and son John August, age 1.

Catarina was nearing 30 years of age when she left Sweden with her husband and son for the unknown. Her parents were both deceased; she was separated from her two siblings; she had worked for years as a servant girl until meeting and marrying Gus.  The clerical survey notations for both Gus and Catarina as they prepared to move to America in 1853 were that he was honest and there were no complaints and that she was honest and steady.

Gus and Catarina would have no opportunities to own property in Sweden, no parents on whom to rely. But what would they find when they arrived in Iowa? The hope of a better life drove them to make the arduous trip in Steerage, a most inhumane condition where people were crammed into tight quarters below deck with no food and little air. But would they find the better life that they dreamed of? Would the trip be worth the risk?

Gus had two brothers waiting for him and his family, but Catarina had no one. No one in a country where the customs and the language were different from her own. No one in a prairie state where her nearest neighbor might be miles away. Would either of her siblings join her in Iowa? Would Catarina be able to find happiness in this new place called Iowa?

Next week's post will look at Catarina in her new country.

A Family Story: Truth or Lie?

Family stories that are handed down for generations give us a richness of a person's life that almost always contain elements of heroism or fame. But they also can be completely false. When I talk with genealogy "newbies," my advice is that there is usually a grain of truth in the story but to be wary of accepting the story as complete.

One of my blog readers brought up a family story, one that many of us have heard. It goes something like this: John Linn, Gus Linn's brother, had an opportunity to buy property in what is now Des Moines, Iowa, and turned it down because he thought it was too expensive. I'll do my best using what we have and a bit of additional research to determine the veracity of this family story. But before we start, I want to say that my answer is somewhat incomplete but is the best I can do without reading several books about Polk County and Des Moines history, visiting the Iowa Genealogy Society or Historical Society, hiring a professional genealogist, or having a primary record in my files. Clearly there would be no official record of a land purchase that never happened.

I have a 17-page, single-spaced, typewritten "John Linn Diary" in my possession. Perhaps some of you do, too. As a diary, one would think it would have been written by John himself, but it is not. John is talked about in the third person, and the narrative reads more like a biography. The diary itself is not dated, but it was printed in its entirety in the Dayton Review over a 9-week period in April and May of 1891. The first installment appeared in the April 2, 1891, edition of the newspaper. The introduction to the series indicates that "With this introduction and no other apology than a confession of our inability to do the subject justice, we write the biography of Rev. John Linn." It was signed by the editor of the Dayton Review, J. G. Durrell.

On page 14, we see the reference to a potential land purchase. To set up the story, John's first wife, Brita, had died shortly after giving birth to their second child, Mary, on August 30, 1853.

John received an offer to "work in building the dam across the Des Moines river at Des Moines; and engaging Mrs. Jacobson [a neighbor] to take care of his home and children, he went down and secured work on this job at $13.00 per month. His employer, Mr. Z. Hall, was so well satisfied with him that he tried to induce him to stay with him, offering to sell him 80 acres of land on the hill west of the dam for $320 and giving him the privilege of paying for it in work, one half of his wages to be paid in cash and the other to go toward the paying for the land. Mr. Hall was a very sanguine man and assured Mr. Linn he was offering him an opportunity to secure an independent fortune; that the state capitol would someday be located in Des Moines and that railroads would be built there. Mr. Linn was incredulous. To him those barren hills from which Mr. Hall had taken timber for his dam and from which the garrison had built their huts and supplied themselves with fuel had no charms. He could not see the advantages at Raccoon Forks that would cause the removal of the state capitol there, or that would make her the commercial metropolis of a great state; and even if a big city should be built there whose rugged hills were not desirable for business or residence. To him the beautiful level bottom where he had chosen a home was a much better place than that recommended by Mr. Hall. He rejected the offer but Mr. Hall's prophecy has long since been fulfilled, and that eighty acres today is covered with magnificent residences and adjoins the heart of the city."

And so, perhaps there is some truth to this story. But where was the dam built in 1852-3? That would help pinpoint the hill to which the diary refers.

In 1851, torrential rains hit Iowa. To date, it is the highest recorded rainfall ever in the state: 74.5 inches in about a three-month period. You can imagine the devastation along the rivers in Iowa, trees downed, topsoil washed away, mud everywhere, and crops and entire towns destroyed. The Des Moines River, from the Mississippi to present-day Des Moines, as well as the Raccoon River tributary, were no exceptions to the flooding.

Drawing of the Des Moines River flood 1851

But by 1852 and 1853, people were once again looking at ways to improve the juncture of these rivers and to increase navigation to other parts of the state through a series of dams and to rebuild the town that would eventually be the capital of Iowa. John Linn was just one of many men hired to help with the necessary labor.

We think of Des Moines today and wonder where the dam that John worked on was and where the land that was near that dam would have been located. I cannot say with 100% certainty. But it appears to me that the dam was near where the present-day Wells Fargo Arena is, and the land John was offered was on a nearby hilly area which historically was called "Sherman Hill." (Today it is bounded roughly by 15th Street, Woodland Avenue, Martin Luther King Parkway and School Street.) The Hoyt Sherman Place, built in the 1870s, was built on that hill overlooking the city.

The exact locations might be a bit different than stated above, but I will leave that to others to review. The second important part of the question is "What was John thinking to turn down an opportunity to buy land in Des Moines?"

Here are my thoughts: We often assume that what we see today is what was evident in the past. And that's just not true. I thought that John had turned down an opportunity to buy prime land in the heart of Des Moines, but I no longer believe it is that simple. When he was offered the land, it was unattractive, floods had taken the trees, the topsoil, and left mounds of mud. How could John, or any other rational-thinking person, believe that the land along the river would EVER be valuable OR that Des Moines would become the capital? So John's decision at the time was a safe, reasoned decision. He was not willing to buy flooded land and take that risk with his two young daughters to raise. It would have been foolish at the time to buy it, knowing that Mr. Hall wanted half of John's wages paid in cash and the other to go toward paying for the land. John had gone to Des Moines, away from his two young daughters, to make money so he could return to them with money to feed, clothe, and house them, not to take a giant risk that might not have paid off in the end.

To whom then did Mr. Z Hall sell the land? Maybe to Hoyt Sherman. Maybe Mr. Hall had to hold the land, and perhaps he went bankrupt or developed the land itself. I've not found Mr. Hall in census or city directory records, and so I'm unable to tell exactly what happened with the land.

I'm not sure if my research and speculation will satisfy everyone. Below are links to several historical online papers and books that might help those who want to know more about the flood and early Des Moines or still question John Linn and his decision. I would welcome comments and thoughts that you have.

For me, I can respect that John did not take such a risk that could have put his family in jeopardy. As it turns out, after completing his employment on the dam, John then went back to Boone County to raise his two daughters, marry his second wife, Sarah (who, by the way, was the widow Mrs. Jacobson who was tending John's children while he was in Des Moines), raise her two sons, and have 5 more daughters with Sarah. He became an esteemed minister and bishop. I'd say he ended up having a pretty good life.

Weaver, James B., The Story of the “Des Moines River Lands,” The Annals of Iowa. State Historical Society of Iowa. Volume 18, No 6. 1932. 420-433. Des Moines River Lands

Hubler, Dave. "Des Moines River Navigation; Great Expectations Unfulfilled." The Annals of Iowa. State Historical Society of Iowa. Volume 39, Number 4. Spring 1968. 287-306. Des Moines River Navigation

Transportation in Iowa: A Historical Summary. Early Transportation in Iowa before Railroads. Early Transportation Before Railroads

Sherman Hill Historic District Sherman Hill

A Pastor in the Family

Because it is Easter Sunday, I thought I would write this week's post about one of our ancestors who was committed to a religious life.

Long before we acquired the LINN surname, we had the surname Smedbom. An interesting Swedish name, right?

Here is a short version of how Smedbom became Linn: Gustus (Linn) Olausson was the son of Olaus Fredricsson who was the son of Fredric Smedbom who was the son of Peter Smedbom. Peter Smedbom is my 5^th great grandfather. He and wife Sigrid Jonsdotter of Eksjo Parish in Jonkoping County had 7 children. This was an educated family, a middle-class family. Fredric, my 4^th great grandfather, was a teacher, a land owner, and a well-respected man. His two youngest siblings, Hedvig and Jons Peter, were twins. But it’s his older brother Johannes who has a more interesting story.

Johannes was born November 30, 1725, in Eksjo Parish of Jonkoping County. It was Johannes who received the highest cost for an education in this family. He studied at Uppsala University which is the oldest university in Sweden, founded in 1477. Johannes passed an examination to become a pastor in 1758. Then he went to Greifswald in Germany to earn his doctorate at one of the most prestigious universities in Europe. Germany, at that time, was a Swedish territory (since the peace treaty in Westphalia that ended the devastating 30-years war in Central Europe). Peace Treaty  

There he studied to become a doctor of philosophy, graduating in 1761. Johannes is listed in a book about students from Östergötland that is scanned and available online. List of Students

When we think of college graduates in our family, I doubt that we think back to the 1700s. From my 40 years of genealogy research, I believe that Johannes Smedbom was the first college graduate in our family AND the first family member to earn a doctorate! 

Johannes married Anna Casja Hassell in 1762 They had one child, David Smedbom, born in 1769. In 1771, Johannes was ordained as pastor in Vikingstad Parish outside of Linköping, This move was to bring Johannes, Anna, and their son David close to his parents and siblings again. The appointment as pastor was a very prestigious one, and it was Johannes' plan to use his education to minister to a congregation; but he never had the chance to fulfill his dream. Just five days after his ordination, on May 15, 1771, Johannes died of extreme dehydration brought on by diarrhea.  He was just 45 years old.

The Vikingstad Church was founded in 1765-68 but the building was opened in 1785.

It's a sad ending to a life that held such promise and one that could have influenced and taught people in Vikingstad and beyond. Johannes was committed to a life of service, a life that was cut too short.  

The Dodringshult Ladder

When we visited Sweden in 2012, a woman from the local genealogy society took us to some of the farms that I had identified as homes of our ancestors. Dodringshult, as you will see from the following photos, was a large, beautiful farm. It is located in the county of Jonkoping in southern Sweden; and it is here that our great-great grandfather Gustus Magnus Olausson (aka Gus Linn) was born.

The family, consisting of father Olaus Fredricsson, mother Catarina Johansdotter, and 8 children lived here from around 1825 until Olaus' death in 1830. Gustus was the youngest of the 8 children, born in 1829 at Dodringshult; and he was just 15 months old when his father died from a fever.

There is much to know about this family, all of which I would love to share if you post a comment or question that I can answer.

When we visited the farm, we were taken on a tour of the grounds, making our way to an old barn on the property. There, we saw the ladder pictured below. As we were told by the current owner, the ladder dates from the 1600's and was made of one piece of wood. Imagine carving the steps along with the center shaft for holding ALL from just one piece of wood. Because it dated to the 1600's, our Gustus and his siblings and parents would have used this ladder, climbed to the upper parts of the barn, perhaps using it for play.

If we could have taken the ladder home with us, we would gladly have taken this family treasure!



Ladder made from a single piece of wood - 1600's

Front view of Dodringshult



Side view of Dodringshult