Gustaf A Larsson in Lucas, Iowa

[Sara Ellmin]

I have found some relatives of mine which emigrated to America on July 22, 1879:
Laborer Gustaf Alfred Larsson, born 1850 in Motala
Wife Axelina Sofia Andersson, born 1857 in Motala
Son Verner Antonius, born 1877 in Motala
 
I searched for the family at Familysearch.org and I think I found the right one living in Lucas and Jackson, Lucas, Iowa:
Gustave LARSON   31  
 Axeline L. LARSON   23
 Anthony LARSON   3
 Gustave E. LARSON 11 Months
 
Source Information:
  Census Place Lucas And Jackson, Lucas, Iowa  
  Family History Library Film   1254352  
  NA Film Number   T9-0352  
  Page Number   440B    
 
I would like to know what happened to this family and if they got anymore children. Their second son is listed as being born in Sweden, but I think he was born in America, since he was never listed in the Swedish church records.
 
Regards,
Sara

[Karen Kelsey]

I did a quick search and cannot find this family in the 1900 or 1910 Lucas County, Iowa census.  There are many Larsons in the Midwest area for those years, but I had trouble finding this particular family.  If the family was Swedish Lutheran, it might be wise to do a search of the Lutheran Church in America records which are kept in Sweden - I think that is at Vaxjö (Did I spell that correctly?).
    Next week I will use a faster connection at our local library and see if I can find this Larson family.

[Karen Kelsey]

I spent a long time trying to find this family in the 1900 - 1920 U.S. federal census.  No luck!  I went through numerous Larsons, Larsens, and then searched by various spellings of first names.  The only one I could find that seemed to be close was the following:
1910 census for Pennington County, South Dakota
(Lake Flat Township)
Gustaf Larson, age 32
Born:  Iowa
Single, white male
Both of his parents had been born in Sweden
He was a farmer of a general farm, and he owned his farm with a mortgage.
   There is no way that I can test whether this is the son of your emigrants.  This same person did not show up on the 1920 census in that state.  I think that the church records might tell where they moved to, or if they died after the 1880 census was taken, if you know how get that information.

[Karen Kelsey]

What month was Axelina Sofia born in?  There is a listing for a Sophia Larson, age 43, born Sept. 1857 in Sweden.  She is a widow and is living in Minneapolis in 1900 with two of her youngest children, both born after 1880.  It says that she had had 5 children, but only three were alive in 1900.  The only problem with this entry is that her year of immigration is listed as 1878, rather than 1879.
   Many Iowa immigrants moved on to Minnesota, but usually they did not end up in the large cities, but stayed in small, rural towns.  I doubt that this is your Axelina Sofia.

[Karen Kelsey]

I forgot to tell you - I tried to check the Iowa death index, but it brought me to the Ancestry site, which is not free.  I can't check for the deaths of any of these people.

[Sara Ellmin]

Karen,
 
I am so glad that you are trying to help me! Axelina Sofia was born on April 2, 1857 in Motala. Her parents were Anders Jansson and Mary Persdotter.
I understand that it can be difficult to find these people, knowing that they probably moved around a lot.  
I thank you anyway for trying!
 
/Sara

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Iowa had state censuses in years ending with 5, but those aren't online. They can be ordered on microfilm from any Family History Center worldwide.
 
Judy

[Karen Kelsey]

Sara, if you do not want to try the Swedish Lutheran church records, you might write to the Lucas County genealogical society.  There is an e-mail address listed, so perhaps they would do some investigation for you & you would not need to mail a letter.  If they can find records of this family, they will not tell where they moved to, only when they disappeared from county records.  If some of your ancestors died while in Lucas County, they might have those records.  Try this address:
LUCAS COUNTY GEN SOCIETY % PUBLIC LIBIBRARY
803 BRADEN AVE
CHARITON, IA  50049-1742
USA
e-mail:  LUCASGENE@HOTMAIL.COM
    I have found a wealth of information at the county level for my own family, but not where a family moved to.  The Lutheran church records have told me where they moved to or from, since some of those old pastors kept up their record-keeping just like they had in Sweden.  Good luck!

[Karen Kelsey]

I hope that Sara is still following this thread, because I have found some of her ancestors in the 1920 census, and I know where Axelina lived in 1918!  It does not allow me to find Sara's e-mail address to alert her, so I hope that she finds this message.
    First, I found Vaner Antonius Larson's 1918 draft registration, and he lived in St. Paul, MN on Cathedral Place.  He listed his name as Vaner Antonius Larson, born March 1877, and he was 41 years old when he registered.  He was a carpenter & his employer was Adolph Meyer.  I know that this is the correct person because his nearest relative was listed as Axeline Larson who lived in Los Angeles, California.  I could not find her in the 1920 CA census, so she might have lived with a daughter, whose name was not Larson after marriage.  The 1930 census for MN found Van A. Larson living in Ramsey County, the city of St. Paul, Minnesota.  He was 53 years old, a carpenter for a building contractor, and he had immigrated in 1879.  His wife was Christine M. Larson, and she was 54 in 1930, had immigrated in 1892. They had an adopted daughter, Ethyl Warwick, on the 1920 census, age 14 at that time.  She was not with them in 1930.  I have the census imprints from 1880, 1920, & 1930 in case you want to give me your e-mail address, and I will send scanned copies to you.
   Vaner Antonius Larson died in Ramsey County on 16-October 1962.  His death certificate can be ordered on-line, if you want, from the MN historcial Society.  I know that this is your ancestor because it incorrectly listed his mother's maiden name as Axelaline.  Obviously, Van's wife only knew her given name.
    There also is a draft registration from 1918 for a Gustave Larson, born May 23, 1879.  He lived in St. Paul, MN, so he might be your ancestor.  His wife was listed as Hilda Larson at 397 Wheeler Ave, St. Paul, MN.  If you can find out from Lucas County in Iowa if Gustave was born there, then you can get a match on the birthdate.  I could not find Gustave and Hilda in the 1910 or 1920 census, but they have very common names for that area of many Scandinavians.
    I HOPE YOUR ARE LOOKING AT THIS SO you know where your ancestors ended up!!!

[Sara Ellmin]

Karen,
 
Yes, I have been following the thread and I am most grateful. Thank you so much for helping me find my relatives over there. It was very interested to know what happened to the people. I understand they must have moved around a lot.
Please, send me the copies of the census imprints by e-mail. I will include my e-mail address.
/Sara

[Chuck Mäki]

http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/genealogy.html At Swenson Swedish Immigration Center, I found the following:
film #171, 1st Lutheran Church in Chariton Iowa (Lucas County)
 
The parents were not members but they had a child baptised:
 
born 15 March 1887 was Albert Herman Larson to parents Gust Larson and Axelina Larson.
 
I saw no other children baptized nor did I find anybody in the funerals lists.
 
 
Chuck

[Judy Olson Baouab]

I see this family on the Emibas cd.
 
Post 109167
 
Larsson, Gustaf Alfred
Snickare (married man)
 
b. 1/6/1850 in Motala, Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
 
Emigrated 4/21/1879
from Ödeby Dikaretorpet, Motala 'land', Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
to Nordamerika
 
Source: Household Examination Roll, p. 849
 
Emibas migration file ID: Motala 'land' E 1879 007
 
Post 109168
 
Andersdotter, Axelina Sofia
Hustru (married woman)
 
b. 4/2/1857 in Motala, Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
 
Emigrated 4/21/1879
from Ödeby Dikaretorpet, Motala 'land', Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
to Nordamerika
 
Source: Household Examination Roll, p. 849
 
Emibas migration file ID: Motala 'land' E 1879 008
 
Post 109169
 
Gustafsson, Werner Antonius
Son (unmarried man)
 
b. 3/8/1877 in Motala, Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
 
Emigrated 4/21/1879
from Ödeby Dikaretorpet, Motala 'land', Östergötlands län (Östergötland)
to Nordamerika
 
Source: Household Examination Roll, p. 849
 
Emibas migration file ID: Motala 'land' E 1879 009
 
Judy