Thoresson - Carl Oscar Gustav

[gail]

My name is Gail Thoresson, from Johannesburg, South Africa.
I have for two years been doing research on my great grandfather.   I am just about to give up.  The only information I have is that he came to South Africa in 1877 when he was 22 years old.  This would make his date of birth 1855.  I do not know which parish he came from and I don't know whether the above date of 1855 is correct.
Am I wasting my time?   Without a date of birth and place of birth, will I be able to find information anywhere in Sweden?   I understand he may have come from Kalmar or Oland.
 
Where can I post a message for the United States.  Maybe some of my relatives went there.