In this new letter Anna Greta asks them to send her some cabbage seeds as she thinks Swedish cabbage is better than the American. Perhaps they grew better in Sweden because of the longer summer days in Sweden's further north location. There was never a letter in 1877 telling of the birth of their last child, a son named Theodore. Anna Greta was 41 years old and bore children for 20 years.
Roselyn
Jonas Victor Swenson
Randolph, KS December 11, 1883
Thanks, Dear Brother for all the troubles you have had for us and thanks for all the letters we have gotten. Thanks also for the bill of $150. You have not got a good price for your troubles. We got a letter from Oskar, if I do not remember wrong. It is very nice to get letters from you.
I can tell you that we have got a good harvest this year of all sorts. Our Dear God has been good to us with the harvest and also everything else. Also, today our Lord keeps his promise. His grace is new every morning. Even today we have wakened with health and new strength. Until now the Lord has helped and will help us in the future.
Anna Greta asks if you can send us cabbage seeds in a letter. It will be better cabbage from the Swedish seeds.
The next time you write, let us know about our old father, if he can be up sometimes and if he has pain.
I finish my letter with our dear regards to you and your family, our old parents, siblings and relatives, brother-in-law Johan Petter and his family and also to Karl Johan.
Victor Svenson
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
28. Rune and Irene Elofsson
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| Rune and Irene Elofsson |
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| Rune and Irene at Home |
Rune and Irene have spent years carefully translating the Letters to Spakarp. We saw some of the letters in their computer room where they picked up the old faded letters at random and used a dictionary to translate the archaic Swedish script into English.
Our daughter, Susan and I spent nearly two weeks with them in late summer of 2006. We had the whole upstairs, and it was lovely. We slept soundly every night, after a day of touring. They drove us all around, visiting places the Swensons had lived, churches they attended, and were baptized, and treating us like Royalty all the time with wonderful Swedish breakfasts in their cheerful kitchen. We ate with the dictionary nearby to use when there was a word we did not understand.
Of course, every morning Irene filled a thermos with hot coffee that we enjoyed with her rolls for coffee stops during our visits around the area. We also enjoyed visits to the homes of Irene's sister Gun-Britt Fritzon and her husband Sigvard and her brother Gunvar Grevstig and his wife Mona. As I said, it was the trip of a lifetime, and I was sad when it was time to leave.
The reason we can read these letters is because of the work of Rune and Irene. Rune is very active in the Genealogy Society of Sweden and has spent a lot of time tracing our families and recording the information for us to have.
Thank you again, Rune and Irene!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
26. September 12, 1881
Roselyn
Jonas Victor Swenson
Randolph, KS September 12 1881
I wish you everything good! Thanks, dear Brother for the letter I got with the bill for the time the money was with you. Have you not any outlay for interest? Thanks to you for your help. I sent an authorization 14 days ago to the Norwegian counsellor in Chicago and from there to you.
My health is not so well. I have been sick, but now I am better. I will try to write, but I have to rest now and then. I, the maid and Gustaf are at home; the others are on the other land and work with broom corn. Ten persons are there.
I will tell you something about the weather. The last winter was the coldest anybody can remember. Cold prolonged northerly wind until the spring. Then it was so hot that we got summer at once. May and half of June were so rainy, so nothing grew. After that we got hot and dry weather. During two months, we got only a little rain, so the harvest of grain will be small. The drought and the warm southerly wind blew until yesterday, when we got a little soaker. It was good for the pasturage. The harvest last year was the biggest I have ever had. This year the harvest is the worst since we came to America. No potatoes, no vegetables, but the oats has been good.
Ander and Kari, Hultet, are here. They live with Anders and Kari. They have better health now than before. I will now finish with our lovely greetings to you, brother and sister-in-law and children. Hearty regards to Mother and Father, too.
Yours Sincerely,
Brother Jonas Victor
I would enjoy knowing how the harvest has been there this year--if it grows good in the bog.
27. 1883
In this letter, Jonas Victor tells a lot about his crops, etc. I wish my Dad, John Victor Skonberg, could read some of these letters about his farming operation. He would have enjoyed them. Jonas Victor mentions that their oldest son, Alfred was married. We do not have a letter telling of my Grandmother Matilda's marriage in 1873--she was 16 and he was 33 and they eloped. I am sure it would have been mentioned. By 1883, she had three children. However, I know that Anna Greta did not approve of her only daughter's marriage to John Skonberg, a recent immigrant from Skona in Southern Sweden, who was the hired man. He was handsome, gallant and very poor. She really never forgave her daughter. In addition I have learned that Skona was for hundreds of years a part of Denmark--not Sweden--and the people there resented being taken over by Sweden in 1600. There are some who still do! If you look on a map, you will see that Southern Sweden is very close to Copenhagen--just across a narrow Sound. There is now a bridge between Malmo, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark, and the two cities cooperate on schools, etc. The land is different, the architecture is Danish and Skona resembles Denmark more than most of Sweden. Even after all these years, we sensed a certain feeling similar to the North and South after the Civil War--still today! Anna Greta always looked with disfavor on John Skonberg, though he and Matilda had a long and happy marriage.
Jonas Victor Swenson
Randolph, Riley Country KS 1883
Grace and Peace to all!
Because it is rainy weather here now, I have time to write some lines. Thanks for the letters we have got and the last with the registered content. I see that you have taken much trouble for us. We are grateful for your help. When you can, you will take payment for that. I know that you need time. There is much to do until everything is sold. Here they just have an auction.
We are satisfied with the sale in Hamra. We did not think that we should get something for the cottage. The 300 Swedish Kr we have written about I know it was never paid, so I do not want to receive anything from them. It is much better to give in than to fight, because it is just.
The deposited money that you perhaps know is 500 Swedish Kr, will be paid out 6 months after the last persons death with 6 percent interest from the day of death til the paying is done. I do not remember anything more in Hamra that I need to write about. (I don't understand what this is all about--perhaps Anna Greta's family has sold their home in Hamra).
I do not have your letters here. I am not at home. I am with some people in the place we bought last autumn for $2300. We lease a farm nearby which I pay $200 for. We have much to do. I think we have more arable land to cultivate than it is in Hamra and Spakarp together. We cultivate mostly grain. We also had 25 acres of broom corn. Last year I sold it for $880--the price was high. It is a lot of work to reap it. The broom corn has to be dried with no sunshine and rain after it has been reaped.
I will also let you know we have fattened 16 oxen (steers) last winter. We put them to fattening the first of October. They were 3 years old and fat. We fed them as much grain as they wanted twice a day. We have pigs to go among them to eat the rest of the grain. We had them in a corral where we had running water. I sold them in February for $1150. They were sold by weight. We kept them til the end of March and by that time the price had dropped. I lost $200. (My Dad would have said he should have contracted for the price!) It had never been such a high price before. Cattle and pigs are bringing high prices.
The harvest was so good that I can tell you that our oldest son, Alfred, married 14 days ago to the youngest daughter of Karl Johan Peterson from Gnost, Rumskulla. (Her name was Wilhemina Louisa Peterson)
The last autumn we had more than 5000 bushels of grain. We have 108 cattle, 18 horses, 125 swine, 680 acres of arable land. We are now a company. Alfred owns 1/7, Karl Victor (Charles W.) 3/4 of 1/7, but I own $1800 of the company. We have $1000 debt for the last farm we bought. Alfred lives on the last place we bought. We go between us to where the most work is needed.
It would be of interest to know how much bog and fen are cultivated by you and if it grows good, so it is worth it to work there.
Brother, I have told about things which we will leave sooner or later as a treasure which disappears. We all have an immortal soul, which is worth more than the whole world. Many Bible quotations follow. (I wonder if he is feeling slightly guilty about his great success? He certainly worked hard enough to attain it that he should not feel guilty.)
Now I finish for this time. We are all well and hope that you have good health too. We send our kindly regards to you and children, our parents and brothers.
Victor Svenson
Jonas Victor Swenson
Randolph, Riley Country KS 1883
Grace and Peace to all!
Because it is rainy weather here now, I have time to write some lines. Thanks for the letters we have got and the last with the registered content. I see that you have taken much trouble for us. We are grateful for your help. When you can, you will take payment for that. I know that you need time. There is much to do until everything is sold. Here they just have an auction.
We are satisfied with the sale in Hamra. We did not think that we should get something for the cottage. The 300 Swedish Kr we have written about I know it was never paid, so I do not want to receive anything from them. It is much better to give in than to fight, because it is just.
The deposited money that you perhaps know is 500 Swedish Kr, will be paid out 6 months after the last persons death with 6 percent interest from the day of death til the paying is done. I do not remember anything more in Hamra that I need to write about. (I don't understand what this is all about--perhaps Anna Greta's family has sold their home in Hamra).
I do not have your letters here. I am not at home. I am with some people in the place we bought last autumn for $2300. We lease a farm nearby which I pay $200 for. We have much to do. I think we have more arable land to cultivate than it is in Hamra and Spakarp together. We cultivate mostly grain. We also had 25 acres of broom corn. Last year I sold it for $880--the price was high. It is a lot of work to reap it. The broom corn has to be dried with no sunshine and rain after it has been reaped.
I will also let you know we have fattened 16 oxen (steers) last winter. We put them to fattening the first of October. They were 3 years old and fat. We fed them as much grain as they wanted twice a day. We have pigs to go among them to eat the rest of the grain. We had them in a corral where we had running water. I sold them in February for $1150. They were sold by weight. We kept them til the end of March and by that time the price had dropped. I lost $200. (My Dad would have said he should have contracted for the price!) It had never been such a high price before. Cattle and pigs are bringing high prices.
The harvest was so good that I can tell you that our oldest son, Alfred, married 14 days ago to the youngest daughter of Karl Johan Peterson from Gnost, Rumskulla. (Her name was Wilhemina Louisa Peterson)
The last autumn we had more than 5000 bushels of grain. We have 108 cattle, 18 horses, 125 swine, 680 acres of arable land. We are now a company. Alfred owns 1/7, Karl Victor (Charles W.) 3/4 of 1/7, but I own $1800 of the company. We have $1000 debt for the last farm we bought. Alfred lives on the last place we bought. We go between us to where the most work is needed.
It would be of interest to know how much bog and fen are cultivated by you and if it grows good, so it is worth it to work there.
Brother, I have told about things which we will leave sooner or later as a treasure which disappears. We all have an immortal soul, which is worth more than the whole world. Many Bible quotations follow. (I wonder if he is feeling slightly guilty about his great success? He certainly worked hard enough to attain it that he should not feel guilty.)
Now I finish for this time. We are all well and hope that you have good health too. We send our kindly regards to you and children, our parents and brothers.
Victor Svenson
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
25. March 21, 1876
Anna Greta has a little daughter but the baby does not live.
Roselyn
Jonas Victor Swenson
Randolph, KS March 21 1876
Grace and Peace from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for the letter we got from you yesterday. I will answer at once and I also have some questions. Thanks for the seeds you sent.
We thank God for his protection both with health and other good advantages. Please send regards and thanks to the people in Hamra for all the troubles they have had for us. We have not got the letter which was addressed to Anna Greta. When we heard about the letter, I asked at the post office and they said that it had been there several months, but now they had sent it to Washington. It is the law here that when a letter lies a certain time and nobody asks for it, it is sent back to Washington, where it will be opened. If it is worth something it is sent back to the sender or a notice is put in the newspaper.
On New Year's Day we got a girl, but God did not entrust us to take care of her. Our Heavenly Father loved her; therefore he took her home to Himself. She was born two months too soon. She lived about a half an hour. She was christened Hilma Charlotta. The Lord gave and the Lord took. Anna Greta thinks that it would have been a pleasure to keep her, but she will not fight with God about her. She will not deny the happiness for her to be with her Heavenly Father. God is right.
We have had summer the whole winter until March 1, when it was cold. We have not seen any snow during the whole winter until now. We have been out in the sleigh today for the first time this winter.
Already in the end of February, somebody has sowed wheat.
Our dear regards to all of you and the family in Hamra.
Jonas Victor Svenson Anna Greta Svenson
I hope you can still read a book. In that case, you should buy Resenius writings, if you have not read them before. They are good. You can also buy Luthers postilla. It is a pleasure to read what our master Luther says because we are Lutherans. The Germans here will build a new church in the summer. We will have as long way to go to this church as you have in Hamra. They built a house for the clergyman last summer so he is living there now.
Roselyn
Jonas Victor Swenson
Randolph, KS March 21 1876
Grace and Peace from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for the letter we got from you yesterday. I will answer at once and I also have some questions. Thanks for the seeds you sent.
We thank God for his protection both with health and other good advantages. Please send regards and thanks to the people in Hamra for all the troubles they have had for us. We have not got the letter which was addressed to Anna Greta. When we heard about the letter, I asked at the post office and they said that it had been there several months, but now they had sent it to Washington. It is the law here that when a letter lies a certain time and nobody asks for it, it is sent back to Washington, where it will be opened. If it is worth something it is sent back to the sender or a notice is put in the newspaper.
On New Year's Day we got a girl, but God did not entrust us to take care of her. Our Heavenly Father loved her; therefore he took her home to Himself. She was born two months too soon. She lived about a half an hour. She was christened Hilma Charlotta. The Lord gave and the Lord took. Anna Greta thinks that it would have been a pleasure to keep her, but she will not fight with God about her. She will not deny the happiness for her to be with her Heavenly Father. God is right.
We have had summer the whole winter until March 1, when it was cold. We have not seen any snow during the whole winter until now. We have been out in the sleigh today for the first time this winter.
Already in the end of February, somebody has sowed wheat.
Our dear regards to all of you and the family in Hamra.
Jonas Victor Svenson Anna Greta Svenson
I hope you can still read a book. In that case, you should buy Resenius writings, if you have not read them before. They are good. You can also buy Luthers postilla. It is a pleasure to read what our master Luther says because we are Lutherans. The Germans here will build a new church in the summer. We will have as long way to go to this church as you have in Hamra. They built a house for the clergyman last summer so he is living there now.
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