Ekdahl, Clara Charlotta born Ekeby Boxholm

[Candace]

I am looking for info on my gr-gr-grandmother Clara Charlotta Ekdahl and her family. I believe she was born in Ekeby parish. Her father was Carl Ekdahl from Asbo parish (I think).Any info on her family in Sweden would be appreciated. I'm not sure when or how she came to USA--she married Frederick Hedberg in Rockford Il  May 1, 1873. I haven't been able to locate much info about her family in Sweden...if any other Siblings came to USA..
Would appreciate info that anyone may have or where I could look?
Thanks,
Candace

[Ulla Wimnéus]

Candace,
Do you have a year of birth for Clara?  
 
Ulla

[Hanne Berndtsson]

Hey Candice,
 
I found this in the Emibas-CD.
 
Post 84382
Ekdahl Carlsdotter, Clara Charlotta
Smeddotter (ogift kvinna)
 
f. 10/2 1850 i Ekeby, Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
 
Utvandrad 5/5 1869 från Boxholms Bruk, Ekeby, Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
till Nordamerika
 
Källa: Husförhörslängd, s. 329
Emibas emigrationsakt: Ekeby E 1869 014
 
 
Regards Hanne

[Hanne Berndtsson]

Candice,
 
maybe this is a brother to Clara Charlotta. They both emigrated from Boxholms Bruk, Ekeby.
 
Post 84302
Ekdahl, August
Spikfabriksarbetare (ogift man)
 
f. 29/9 1841 i Ekeby, Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
 
Utvandrad 8/5 1867 från Boxholms Bruk, Ekeby, Östergötlands län (Östergötland) till Nordamerika
 
Källa: Husförhörslängd, s. 329
Emibas emigrationsakt: Ekeby E 1867 005
 
 
/Hanne

[Chris Bingefors]

Household census Ekeby GID 281.34.28100 gives the details of her family. Another brother August also emigrated in 1867

[Candace]

Thanks for the info..sorry about forgetting to include the birth date for Clara-I had birth as Feb 18, 1850. The emigration info certainly looks correct and yes I believe she had at least 1 brother...I found a marriage record for an August Ekdahl in 1870 in Rockford Illinois which was where Clara married my gr-gr-grndfthr...thought it might be connected somehow.  
I do not have access to the Swedish census records, hope to at some point ion the future. I sure appreciate all the help.
Thanks much,
Candace

[Candace]

Translation help please:
 
Smeddotter??  Is that blacksmith's daughter?
 
Candace

[Bo Johansson]

Smeddotter (smed-dotter) = smith's daughter.
 
// Bo Johansson

[Tord Påhlman]

It is blacksmith's daughter!

[Candace]

Would there be any death information on Clara's parents--Carl Fredrick born 8/21/1808 in Asbo Parish Vadstena and Anna Katrina Andersdotter born 9/27/1815 in Rinna Parish Vadstena..appears they must have moved to Ekeby parish as all of the children seem to be born there. Also a marriage date for Carl and Anna would be wonderful!
Thanks so much,
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

Helllo again Candace
 
Marriage date is 29 May 1836 according to the household census. Carl Fredrik dies 1872, 12 July:
Ekedahl Carl Fredrik, manufacturing smith at Boxholms bruk, born there at the Åsbo division  31/8 1808 son of hammer smith Per Ekedahl and wife Brita Maria Utterberg. Early fatherless he came to (Sky..?) in Öringe (??), there he became a smith and  moved in 1840 to Boxholms bruk. Married 1836 to farmer?s daughter Anna Carin Andersdotter who survives him with his 5 sons and 5 daughters, of which 3 are in America. The last 10 years he suffered from epilepsy. Cause of death: Stroke. Buried July 17.
 
His wife dies before 1890
 
Since he was a smith I have his ancestry back to his grandparents if you do not already have it.

[Candace]

Chris,
Was a smith of significance in Sweden? as you mention you have ancestry available on him because he was a smith. I also note a manufacturing smith and a hammer smithe--what would be the difference?  
 
I believe I have the names of all 10 children & the 3 that emigrated--Clara, August, and Otto--emigration info on them). I have the name of one set of Carl's grandparents--Hans Utterberg/Lena Danielsdotter but that is all the info I have on them.
I also see cause of death for Carl was stroke--very interesting as unfortunately this has been cause of death with many many family members.  
Was the info on Carl his obituary in the paper or something?
This is all great stuff-many thanks.
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

A smith at one of the many bruk (iron forges) was an important person until the early 1800s. The iron/steel industry was the mainstay of the Swedish economy. Smiths were highly skilled craftsmen and lived within their own society to some extent. They tended to marry between smith?s families, maybe because the industry was located in separate villages. Many came originally from Belgium in the early 1600s, to build the industry.
See: http://www.ekomuseum.se/english/knowmore_ironworks.html
 Click the different items on the left and they explain how the industry worked, with pictures.
 
There is a special smith?s  family research association which has published a cd with smiths families, that is why I have the ancestry. I do some research into smiths. A manufacturing smith worked at a factory making things, a hammer smith worked the big iron bars with a water driven big hammer, for iron export.
 
The info on Carl was in the church death book, in this area priests often wrote small biographies of the dead, also used in the burial sermon. At least one more child (possibly more) emigrated later.
 
Carl Fredriks father was Per (Peter) Ekdahl born May (no date) 1777 died 24 Feb 1812 in Boxholms bruk, Åsbo. His father was Sven Ekdahl (hammer smith) b 1748 died 26 April 1784 in Ålberga bruk, Kila. Sven was married to Katarina Perdotter Nyberg b 1748.
 
His mother was Brita Maria
Utterberg b.17 Aug 1783 at Boxholms bruk, Ekeby, d.26 Feb 1851 Götevi, Ekeby
 
daughter of Hans Utterberg b.1746 d. May 17, 1800
 Boxholm bruk, Ekeby Klensmed (Smith making smaller things and sometimes clocks), inn-keeper
and
Lena Danielsdotter b.1757 Hällestad, d.15 Feb 1836 Öringe smedja, Ekeby

[Candace]

Chris,
This is wonderful...the website is very interesting. I intend on reading up on this subject some more.
I had found an indication that the youngest child, Emma Sofia may have emigrated around 1880 as well..born 5/8/1858. Have not been able to find anything to back this up yet.If you happen across anything on Clara's siblings please let me know.
Your help has been incredible...my thanks to
you.  
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

According to the Emibas register the following emigrated (the spelling of Ekdahl/Ekedahl varies as you can see):
 
Otto Amandus Ekedahl Carlsson b 26 Oct 1853 emigrated 30 July 1871
 
Hedda Carolina Ekedahl b 20 May 1855 emigrated with her husband Johan Alfred Widing and 4 children on 2 Feb 1887
 
Emma Sophia died 1877
 
Fredrik Wilhelm Ekedahl b 10 July 1844 was another son who was married with 6 children when he was crushed and instantly killed by the rollers making steel sheets on March 13, 1882.
His widow, Anna Stina Andersdotter Ekedahl (b 28 March 1839) left 26 Aug 1891 and the children between 1886 and 1891.

[Chris Bingefors]

Death of Emma Sofia:
 
Ekedahl Emma Sofia, from Boxholms bruk unmarried, born in Ekeby , daughter of Blacksmith CF Ekedahl and his wife AC Andersdotter, was staying with her sister who is married to coppersmith Enström in Linköping. Was bedridden for almost three months.
Sept 20, buried Sept 30
Died in Linköping, buried in Ekeby. Sister ?? gave information, Cause of death: heart disease.

[Candace]

Emma must have been staying with either Mathilda Lovisa (b:3/28/1838) or Vilhelmina (b: 11/14/1839)I guess whichever married Enstrom. To get info on their life, more than just names and dates, is such a treat! I can see how the smith families stayed in the same related trades and married others in the same lines of work. Do you know if Boxholm bruks is still there today?  
Tack Chris!
 
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

Wilhelmina had an illegitimate son in 1864, he is later staying with his grandparents in Ekeby. She was subsequently housekeeper to master coppersmith Erik Gustaf Edström (!) born 1827, they married in April 16, 1876 and he died 12 sept 1877, just a few days before Emma Sofia. Wilhelmina remarried sergeant Anders Johan Johansson Raabe (born 14 Feb 1856) on 14 April 1884, he went on to study to be a school teacher after his army service. Wilhelmina must have died after 1894 and before 1900 (or rare, they divorced) since he is then remarried and lives in Norrköping.
 
Boxholm is still there, it now has modern steel works. There is a museum showing life in the 1700-1800s at the iron foundry, with all the different trades and living conditions.

[Candace]

Chris,
Another good story, thanks.
Since there are good records on smith families, is there any mention of Clara's other 2 brothers? I wonder if  Carl Johan (b: 1836) and Axel Pontus (b:7/23/1847)also became some type of smith.
 
Now wouldn't that be a wonderful trip? To be able to go thru the museum in Boxholm where my family lived....something to think about.
 
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

Axel Pontus is in the 1890 census with wife (Augusta Sofia Persdotter) and 4 children, Axel Fredrik Jakob, Adolf Birger, Karl Filip, Hugo. He is inhyseshjon, someone who is renting a place and is poor. He is blind.  In 1900 his wife is a widow. One son (Adolf) is a nail smith, one is training to be a shop keeper (Axel), two are with their mother.
 
Karl Johan is a nail smith, married with one daughter, Anna Märta, who goes to America 1904. In 1900 his wife is a widow.
 
Mathilda Lovisa has a son, Johan August Beckman born 26 Nov 1870. She is not married but unusually the father?s name is in the book, it is factory worker J Beckman.

[Chris Bingefors]

Anna Carin Andersdotter Ekedahl dies Sept 14, 1884 in Ekeby/Boxholm. Buried Sept 21.
Smith?s widow from Boxholm, Married 1836 to manufacturing smith CF Ekedahl widow 1872. 3 sons Karl and Axel in Boxholm and Otto in America and 4 daughters survive her.

[Chris Bingefors]

Mathilda Lovisa Ekedahl, smith?s daughter from Boxholm, unmarried, dies 18 June 1892. Cause of death: Ventricular (Stomach) cancer. Buried in Boxholm cemetery.
 
Axel Pontus Ekedahl, sawmill worker, dies 11 March 1894. Buried in Boxholm cemetery 14 March. Cause of death: Pneumonia

[Marie Nilsson]

Hej jag har en Nils Ekdahl född 1863 i Sjörup Malmö hus.Hans far Janne Mattsson?  Ekdahl född18400620 Sedan hittar jag inte mer emigrerade de? Marie

[Candace]

Chris,
I am a bit confused(not too uncommon for me!) but Axel Pontus was a sawmill worker--but info in 1890 census above he was blind?!?! Or was it one of his children that was blind? Just seemed unusual employment for a blind person or am I not understanding something.
 
Also, Wilhelmina had an illegitimate child born 1864 that stayed in Ekeby with grandparents--would there be a census record of Carl Ekdayl and Anna that might list the childs name and info?
 
All this info is wonderful and so appreciated. Thanks,Chris.
 
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

He is in the 1870-1878 book as Karl Erik Ekdahl, then added the surname Alvin. Born 7 May 1864 in Linköping. He moves to Ekeby 20 sept 1877. I have not located them in the later books yet. He is not in the national census of 1890. I have not found him in the Emibas CD of emigrated persons nor in the ship lists from Gothenburg.
 
Axel Pontus had probably been a saw mill worker before he went blind, the title is still there, everyone had a sort of title in the books to identify them (class society being important in those days). ?nhyseshjon is rather derogatory, so he got to keep his old title when he died as a mark of respect. He was a  factory worker in 1869 and had done military service so he was certainly not blind then.

[Candace]

Chris,
 
Looks like WIlhelmina's son Karl Erik must have gone to live with her parents right after the first husband died. By 1890 he would have been 26 and could have been anywhere...as his grandparents would have been dead. Maybe he joined the military as Wilhelmina's 2nd husband was a Sgt. Raabe. Interesting stuff....this is great.
 
With my appreciation,
Candace

[Chris Bingefors]

At Karl Erik?s christening in 1864 the witnesses are from her family and, very interesting: Her future husband Edström and his wife who was then alive. Wilhelmina marries the man 12 years later when he has become a widower. Was he the father? She was not then living in their household.
She takes care of his daughter Elizabet after his death.
 
By the way, most members of the Ekdahl/Ekedahl family have excellent grades in reading/writing ability, somewhat less in religious knowledge (knowing the Lutheran cathechesis and explanations by heart). This was examined every year by the priest, hence the household examination (census) rolls.

[Candace]

I found an index which showed Wilhelmina Louisa Ekedahl(B: 1864) living in Ostergotland in the 1890 census. Would she have been listed under this name even though she was married at the time to her 2nd husband, Sgt. Raabe?  
 
Candace

[Bo Johansson]

My impression is that most married women in Befolkning 1890 (Sw. cencus) are registered with their own surnames, not their husbands'.
 
For example she and her husband look like this:
 
Joh:son Raabe, Anders Johan
Fanjunkare
f. 1856 i Blackstad (Kalmar län, Småland)
Gift man, far i familjen
S:t Kors Qvarter, Linköping (Östergötlands län, Östergötland)
 
Ekdahl, Wilhelmina
f. 1839 i Ekeby (Östergötlands län, Östergötland)
h.
Gift kvinna, mor i familjen
S:t Kors Qvarter, Linköping (Östergötlands län, Östergötland)
 
// Bo Johansson

[Candace]

Tack for all the good information.
 
Candace