Friday, January 17, 2020

Long Line - 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 3

The writing gods are not with me this week. I have already abandoned two drafts on other topics for this prompt that just wouldn't come together, so last night I decided to use this prompt to transcribe the names of some of my ancestors in hopes that a distant cousin will find them and me, otherwise known as cousin bait.

We all have long lines, it's just a matter of how far back we can document those lines. Two weeks ago I wrote about my great-grandfather, Carl Johan Anderson. I have only documented his line to his parents, Anders Svenson and Anna Katrina Mannsdotter but my great-grandmother's line is a different story.

Oscar Nimrid Johansson-Maria Sofia Johansson-Johan Albin Johansson
Anna Olivia Johansson-Mathilda Alfina Johansson

Someone, I don't know who, commissioned a genealogy of the ancestors of my great-grandmother, Mathilda Alfina Johnson/Johansson, and I was lucky enough to inherit a copy of this mind-boggling, three-volume work written entirely in Swedish.







I also inherited two copies of an English translation of my direct line going back to my 6th great-grandparents, Lars Heljeson and his wife, Ingeborg.

Lars Heljeson - Ingeborg ______
Helje Larsson - Maria Ericsdotter
Zachris Heljeson - Stina Magnusdotter
Magnus Zachrisson - Caisa Nilsdotter
Marten Johansson - Josepha Magnusdotter
Carl Johan Anderson - Mathilda Alfina Johansson
Howard Bierly Matthews - Dagmar Alice Viola Anderson
Stephen David Matthews


Although I caution any potential cousins that I have not researched these lines myself and cannot speak specifically to the accuracy of this genealogy, the detail and extent of church records in Sweden gives me confidence in it.  In addition to records of baptisms, marriages, and burials that one would expect churches to keep, the Lutheran church in Sweden, which was once the state church, kept records of annual household surveys and records of all those who joined and left individual congregations.  Those records also included the congregations that people moved to and from, making them easy to find before and after a move.

If you see any names that look familiar to you in my direct line above or the list of siblings below, be sure to let me know. You can contact me by leaving a comment on this post or through the contact form on the right of this page.

Children of Marten Johansson and Josepha Magnusdotter:
Maria Sofia Johansson, Selma Alida Johansson, Mathilda Alfina Johansson, Anna Olivia Johansson, Johan Albin Johansson, Alma Cecilia Johansson, Oscar Johansson, Alma Tionda Johansson

Children of Magus Zachrisson and Caisa Nilsdotter: Josepha Magnusdotter, Elsa Magnusdotter, Salomon Magnusson, August Magnusson

Children of Zachris Heljesson and Stina Magnusdotter: 
Kerstin Zachrisdotter, Maria Zachrisdotter, Catharina Zachrisdotter, Hans Zachrisson, Magnus Zachrisson, Johanna Zachrisdotter

Children of Helje Larsson and Maria Ericsdotter: Eric Heljesson, Zachris Heljesson, Elsa Heljesdotter, Hans Heljesson, Maria Heljesdotter, Brita Heljesdotter

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