Maja was 26 years old when she married. Her husband, Anders Andersson, was 27 years old and also living in Blidsberg, Sweden at the time. I am not sure if Anders was the father of her illegitimate child, Johan; as there is no father listed on Johan's birth record. Sometimes the church records have a book of church accountings which may discuss these matters, but Blidsberg does not have this for 1850. Anders was living on a farm less than a mile away from the farm Maja was living on at the time of Johan's birth in 1850. Anders was on the farm Åslyckan, while Maja was living at Alarp Odegarden. It seems likely that they knew each other before the birth of Johan.
residence of Anders Andersson 1825-1852 on farm Åslyckan (A)
and Maja Lena Petersdotter 1842-1851 on farm Alarp Odegarden (B)
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After Maja and Anders married, they moved out of Blidsberg to a neighboring parish of Humla. In their Household Examination, Anders' name has the notation "torp." before it. According to the book, "Your Swedish Roots", this is a "crofter, cottager or peasant". Maja and Anders stayed on the same farm of Mellomskogen, in Humla, until 1872 - for 20 years. They had four more children after Johan, all born while living at this farm.
Mellomskogen, Humla, Sweden : Residence of Maja, Anders, and children 1852-1872
(Maja's age 26-46)
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During this period, while Maja and Anders were living in Humla; Maja's parents, her brother Johan, and her sister Johannes were all living on separate farms in the parish of Böne. Böne and Humla parishes are a bit over 6 miles apart; therefore, I am not sure Maja would have seen her parents and siblings very often. Her mother, Lena, died in Böne in 1870, her father in 1882. Her brother Johan only stayed in Böne until 1854, when the moving out records show him moving to North America. I believe he was the first in her family to emigrate (note 1). Her sister Johannes stayed in Böne until she died in 1898. Maja's oldest sister, Anna Cassa, was still living in Brismene; which was even further from Humla. Anna stayed in Brismene until her death in 1890.
In 1872, Maja and her husband and all five of their children, moved to the farm of Gunnarp, still within Humla. They only stayed at this farm for 3 years. In 1875 they moved within Humla again. They are listed below their second oldest son Alfrid Sand, who is now a soldier in the Elfsborg (Alvsborg) Regiment and resides in a soldatorp (soldier residence) on the farm of Nickabo. It is not clear to me on the Household Examination if Maja and Anders are also living in Nickabo with their son, but I do not see another farm name listed. Soldiers in Sweden lived in certain houses in the parish, so Maja and family may have moved here when Alfrid became a soldier. (note 2)
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| Household Examination Humla gid 1908.8.3300 Maja Lena Petersdotter 1875-1879 |
This farm of Nickabo would be the last place Maja and her family were all together in the same house. The dates in the last column of the Household Examination above, show all their children moving out of the household. Their oldest son, Johan, moves that same year to another farm in Humla. Their daughter, Gustafa Charlotta, moves to another farm in 1878. Another daughter, Jeff's great, great grandmother Emma Sofia, moves to another farm in 1879. The only child that remains with Maja and Anders is Frans Wilhelm. The three of them move in 1879 also, but they leave Humla for the parish of Brunns, to a farm called Björkelund. This was the furthest move Maja and Anders have made. The other moves were all into surrounding parishes; but this move was about 15 miles south (using current roads), close to the city of Ulricehamn (noted in map below). They only stay at this farm for three years, returning to the parish of Blidsberg in 1883. Anders is noted as an arrendator, which is tenant farmer.
current locations of Maja Lena's residences throughout her life in Sweden
(the yellow pin is where her husband Anders lived as a child)
View Maja Lena Petersdotter timeline in a larger map
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After Maja and Anders returned to Blidsberg, their son Frans lives with them for one more year. In 1884, Frans is listed as a soldier in Humla, while Maja and Anders remain in Blidsberg until 1890. This would make two of Maja and Ander's sons soldiers and one daughter, Gustapha Charlotta, marrying a soldier. While Maja and Anders are living in Blidsberg, all of their children are in the neighboring parish of Humla.
notes:
1. The Moving Out records for Böne in 1854 show Johannes and his wife and son moving to North America. I was unable to locate any passenger records for this family. I was also unable to locate them in any censuses in the US for dates beginning in 1860. Johannes seems to be the first to emigrate, but at least two of Maja's neices/nephews- Johanna's children - also emigrate to America - Thur in 1893 - and Selma in 1888 (some ancestry.com hints imply more of Johanna's children emigrate). Also to be mentioned in the next post, their daughter, Emma Sofia emigrates in 1892.
2. There is a picture of Alfrid playing a fiddle and a picture with his wife on someone's tree on ancestry.com. I love finding pictures of ancestors that people have generously posted.
to do:
1. keep searching for passenger records for Johannes to see where in US he settled. Information in book - tracing your swedish ancestors - about finding passenger records for the early years of emigration - such as 1854.
2. search swedish death index to see how many of Maja's sisters' children emigrate to US - do they haev death records in the Swedish Death Index. Search other neices and nephews also.
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