Divorce records

[Karen Norwillo]

If a woman seeks to divorce her husband in the late 1880's, would she go to her birth parish or to the parish she resides in at that time? Where would these records be kept. Born Ludgo parish Södermanland, last known residence Maria Magdalena, Stockholm where she is listed as absent from her husband. There is an emigration to the US in 1887. She is enumerated with her husband in 1892 in Kungsholm, but there is no record she ever returned to Sweden. Genline household rolls for these parishes don't go that far and I can't find moving-in and out records for Gustaf Källgren and Johanna Sofia Amnell for the years they were supposed to be in these parishes. I am awaiting a copy of a marriage certificate for my great-granduncle and a Sofia Amnell in 1887 in Michigan. I have found them in our 1900 and 1910 censuses and her grandchildren are living with them. I'm certain this is the same woman. The names of the children match all the records I've found in Sweden. Her first husband supposedly didn't die until 1893.

[Judy Olson Baouab]

From Cradled in Sweden, 2002 edition, page 111
 
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Divorce (Skilsmässa)
 
Divorces were very rare especially among the people living in the country until a century ago. Special care should be taken to prove a suspected divorce from the records. A divorce was an ecclesiastical matter until 1915 and was obtained through the diocese (stift), where the cathedral chapter or consistory (dom kapitlet)had the final say in divorce matters....
 
In the FHLC (Family History Library Catalog)the cathedral chapter (consistory)records are listed under SWEDEN, name of DIOCESE, CHURCH RECORDS, DOMKAPITLET.
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[Karen Norwillo]

Thanks, Judy. Would I be looking in Stockholm or Södermanland? Karen

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

There is a Kungsholmen CD Database and that shows that Gustaf Johansson Källgren came in 1893 Jan.10 from Skanstullsroten (Maria Magdalena) to Kungsholmen, where he lived at Hornsbergs Sockerbruk, where he died 1893 July 15. There is no note of a divorce.
 
His wife Johanna Sofia Amnell is also recorded to  have moved with him at the same date, 1894 she is listed as being at unknown place. But she does not show up in Emibas or Emihamn, the Swedish emigration databases.

[Karen Norwillo]

Elizabeth,
  Thank you. I had the info about that move to Kungsholm, but I've not been able to find him in the moving-out records for Maria or the moving-in for Kungsholm. I found an emigration for Johanna Sofia Källgren in 1887, but nothing after that. I had been told previously that the move to Kungsholm was 1892.

[Connie Strandberg]

Divorce in Ostergotland between Johan Peter Grell, b 27 June 1827 in Ekeby Parish, and Louisa Ekdahl, b. 21 Jan 1836 in Asbo parish.  This would have occured, most likely in 1868-69. I did not find anything mentioning the divorce in household examination records during a recent trip to Salt Lake City, Utah.  
The couple were married 29 Oct 1859.  They and two children emmigrated to USA in 1867.  They returned to Sweden, family legend is, in 1868 to divorce.  Johan Peter returned to the US in 1868.  Louisa and the children (by this time there are 3 children) returned to the US in 1869.  The emmigration dates were sent to my by the Statistiska Centralbyran.

[Chris Bingefors]

Divorce was very difficult to obtain in those days and would have taken a long time and cost a lot of money. According to the household census in Ekeby, Johan Grell and family emigrated 8 May 1867, but they are back again 3 June 1868. The third child is born in Ekeby on 20 Nov 1868. 1 Dec 1868 they separate, Johan moves to no fixed abode and so does Lovisa, but on different pages. Johan and several others have a note that they moved to America without papers in 1868. Ths is reported to Staistiska Centralbyrån (Statistics Sweden). He did desert his family.
 
Lovisa moves to America with her children 14 April 1869.
So, they separated, but I can find no record of a divorce proper, that would usually have been entered in the household record. Divorces were handled by the church legal system and will be in the Bishopry records. I think it is reasonably safe to assume that they did like many others, just separated and left for America.
Assuming that they got to America the first round, it must have been a very strenuous journey in those days. Most of these two years would have been spent travelling. 1868-69 were starvation years in Sweden, but I still think Lovisa was a brave and strong woman to take her 3 small children to America again.

[Connie Strandberg]

Thank you, Chris, for your info on the Grell/Ekdahl family's story.  It seemed to me that Johan Peter was a little old to be a deserter from the military. I believe I have found him in Kansas in the 1880 census, living alone.
 I have read the exchange between you and Candace in 2006.  She and I are sharing family information thanks to this website.  We are both descended from Per Ekdahl born 1777.
Can you tell me if Grell family members have any history on the CD about people who were smiths?

[Chris Bingefors]

I have tried to mail you information on his ancestry
His father was born in Godegård iron mills, owned by my partner´s ancestor. The Grell family is very big there. His mother was born in Kärsby, Motala, an old farm which is very close to where I live now.
 
(Meddelandet ändrat av izla 2009-06-18 18:05)

[Chris Bingefors]

We have been discussing via mail. It turns out that Johan Peter Grell´s brothers also emigrated. Adolf Fredrik b 1838 in Västra Ny emigrates with family from Boxholm, Åsbo in 1887 and Carl Erik Grell born 1819 in Ekeby emigrates from Boxholms bruk, Ekeby in 1857 with family.
 
Johan Peter´s brother Carl Erik, emigrating in 1857, lives in Jackson, Riley, Kansas in 1885 (Riley County Census 1885) with his family, wife Louise, son Charles and daughter Caroline. In Swede Creek, Riley County we find a John Grell born in Sweden, 60 years old, single (Kansas State Census, March 1, 1885). Could that posssibly be Johan Peter Grell?  
 
John P Grall can be found in Riley County in the 1880 census. Connie has family information that he may be in Kansas so that fits well.
 
Adolf is in Chicago with his family