Vasa Descendants in America

[kate]

My grandfather, Carl Edward Hare, Sr., wrote in a letter that his grandmother Chapman was a direct descendant of the deposed VASA family of Sweden. He never mentioned any other details except that she was related to the Delaware Springers and that other descendants of VASA had immigrated to France, and that her father was a Dr. Perry from Michigan, giving the impression that the descendancy was matrilinear.
 
Does anyone know how I can research the existence of VASA descendants immigrating to America?

[Elisabeth Thorsell]

Dear Kate, please don't start out with the intention of finding illustrious ancestors at once! There are any number of myths going around about being descended from that and that king or other notable person, none of them very true.
 
The way to do it is to start where you have a strong foundation in facts, like where and where your grandfather was born, check the records that this is correct, then trace his parents until you have their correct dates and parents and then go slowly backwards, all the time getting correct and good documental proofs.
 
In due time you might find a connection to the Delaware Springers, who were not related to the Vasa royal family. That family was not deposed by the way, their royal line ended with queen Christina, who had no children. She was succeeded by her cousin Carl Gustaf, who belonged to the family of Pfalz-Zweibr?cken.

[Arlene Carlson]

Kate, How come so many swede-american thinks and believes that they are of royal blood? Are you ashamed or something by being descendants to ordinary farmers, workers and poor people? I have seen so many american sites, filled with this stuff, that it seems like all swedes that arrived over there was from the royal court. You can even read sites with lines from 800 .... this is not very credible. When doing this false family-trees you are putting the root-search in a wrong room.
I have a theory that many swedes coming to America tried to put up some extra glitter around them and their familys when they pretended and maybe even wrote down that their ancestors came of the royal family.  
But were did the proofs go?

[Christina Backman]

On the other hand, Kate never said that her  
ancestors were LEGITIMATE descendents of  
the Vasa  
family. There are a good number of  
presentday  
Swedes descended from illegitimate sons  
and  
daughters of the Vasa family.
 
Elisabeth?s advice is, of course, very sound.
 
Christina

[Mats Högberg]

I agree with the advice of Elisabeth reagarding how to start and proceed with the research of Kate. One possibility is obviously is to use this same forum once you have identified the name, birthdate and parish of the person that emigrated.
 
I also share the perception of Christina regarding the intention of Kate, in other words, I believe that Arlene's reaction is unfortunate.
 
Kind regards
 
Mats Högberg

[Sven-Ove Brattström]

Dear Kate,
I agree with Elisabeth, never start out a research with the intension to proof such a thing. Start the research from your parents and work yourself back, generation by generation. Hopefully you will find the truth. Also, by investigating the familyname HARE, you will find interesting knowledge about your ancestors, they do have an interesting history.
 
Good luck with your research,
 
Sven-Ove

[Christina Backman]

Kate! I should have noticed that you wrote the  
deposed  Vasa family. Now the Vasa dynasty  
of Sweden belongs to the 16th and 17th  
centuries. However,a later king, Gustav IV was  
indeed deposed and his son Gustav (1799-
1877) was known as the prince of Vasa. He  
lived an unhappy life as an exile, mostly in  
what is today Germany. Whether he had any  
illegitimate children or not I do not know but it  
is possible I suppose.
Regards Christina

[Henrik ullstad]

don?t get any ideas now, vasa is also a city in finland named after gustaf(I)vasa
here comes the vasa list of monarchs:
Gustav vasa I
Erik XIV
Johan III
Sigismund(king of poland)
Karl IX
Gustav II Adolf
Kristina

[Lars Göran Larsson]

There is another deposed Vasa king with plenty of descendants both legitimal and otherwise and that is Erik XIV
Kate - you have gotten some sound advice above but please disregard people who gets on high horses and write petty and rude remarks.
Regards Lars

[Johan R:son Sjöberg]

Erik XIV have no known legitimate descendants left, though he has thousands of illegitimate descendants through his two illegitimate daughters Virginia and Konstantia Eriksdotter, and also through his probable illegitimate daughter Margareta Eriksdotter (married to the vicar Olaus Simonis Luth, about them, see 24 Famous Swedish Americans and their Ancestors, p. 230), from whom writer Carl Sandburg was descended.

[Michael o Sullivan]

There are descendants of King Gustav II in America. The vasaborg family has descendants in the States.

[Maxine Morrison]

I am descendant of Princess Sofia and duke Magnus av  
Saxon lauenburg. Princess Sofia was daughter to king  
Gustav Vasa I.
Yes, I am an illegetitmate decendent througth the  
Hellensteina  name and on down to Princess Sofia then on  
to King Gustav Vasa I.
I have the proof and I am in USA.

[Christina Backman]

Good for you.

[Marie Johnson]

Dear Kate,
 
Helpful Sweden geneology research information sites, listed below: (Do you know about these?)
 
1) http://rwguide.rootsweb.com/
    Index to Guides
     
2) The Svenson Archive at Augustana has this page:
   http://www.augustana.edu/swenson/genfaq/
 Swedish Genealogy Faq page
 
3) http://www.rootsweb.com/~swewgw/
    Follow this pathway.
    Themes -> Church Records
    or Themes -> Emmigration
 
Tack så mycket / Thank you so much to all who have given us kind help on Anbytarforum.  
 
We appreciate learning about our Swedish ancestors that were farmers, workers, miners or poor.
As their decendants helped to build the communities and farms where I grew up.
 
Their example of hardwork and pulling together and not giving up when live is difficult is an inspiration to us. We are grateful that they made our lives possible.  
 
Vänliga hälsningar /Friendly greetings
Marie

[Emily Swensson]

Dear Maxine,
 
That is very interesting. Your information may help others. Could you please list your lineage with the sources?
 
Kind regards,
Emily Swensson
McMinnville, Oregon