Virene, August, Born in Sweden 1863-1865; Died, Chicago,USA 1921

[William Virene]

I am trying to find ancestry information on my Grandfather, August Virene. I am not sure where in Sweden he was born or if he may have changed his name at some point in time. He emigated to the USA probably in the late 1880's or early 1890's. I would appreciate and help that can be provided or how I can find information. I do not speak Swedish so replies in English would be helpful.  
 
Thanks very much!  
William Virene  
e-mail: bvirene@creativeconsulting.com

[Olle Elm]

William Virene,
Have you got any idea of the birthdate of your grandfather August Virene? When did he die? The name could be Wirén in Swedish, but that is only a guess.
Regards,
Olle Elm

[Therese Ericsson]

I suggest that you try to get a copy of the death certificate for August Virene. It usually states birthday, and sometimes birthplace. Cert no is 6023698, Cook County, IL.
 
Therese

[yes]

Olle and Therese,
Thanks for the quick, helpful response!!  August Virene died Oct 8, 1921.  I don't have his date of birth, but will try to get a copy of his death certificate to find this.  Therese, How did you get the death certificate number 6023698?  I will also look up Wiren on the Ellis Island records.  I now have a good start........Thanks again!
Bill Virene
bvirene@creativeconsulting.com

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Bill,
 
Without a birthdate or birth year and without a year of emigration, it is hard to be sure. Maybe one of these destinations will be helpful in deciding if you have found your person.
 
Do you happen to know if he had some other names or was he just August?
 
This person was headed for Chicago and he did travel in the late 1880s.
 
First name: AUG L
Last name: WIRÉN
Age: 23     Gender: M
Parish: KUMLA     County: T (Örebro)
Port: GÖTEBORG
Date: 1888 04 06
Destination: CHICAGO
Fellows: NEJ (Nej = no. He was the only one on his ticket.)
Source: 34:417:18024
 
First name: AUG HERMAN
Last name: WIRÉN
Age: 20     Gender: M
Parish: VIBY     County: T (Örebro)
Port: GÖTEBORG
Date: 1883 10 27
Destination: WAUSAU
Fellows: NEJ (Nej = no. Look at comment above.)
Source: 23:481:3506
 
The above information was found on the Emigrant CD.
 
There were others who had initials of A and maybe the A stood for August.
 
Have you checked the U.S. Federal Censuses to see what information is available? Check the censuses for 1900-1910-1920 to see his immigration year. The 1900 census gives a month and year of immigration and the other censuses list an age.
 
You can ask for a census lookup at this board.
 
http://genforum.genealogy.com/recordlookups/
 
Good luck!
 
Judy

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi again, Bill,
 
I used the spelling you provided and found this person in the index at www.ancestry.com. This is for the 1920 U.S. Federal Census. The person lives in the area where you said your August died.
 
Virene, August   View Image Online  
  Age: 54 Year: 1920  
  Birthplace: Sweden Roll:  T625_351  
  Race: White Page:  1B  
 
  State: Illinois ED:  2038  
 
  County: Cook Image:  451  
 
  Township: Chicago  
 
I don't have the census subscription so I can't check for you, but maybe you will be lucky and someone on that lookup site will check for you.
 
This name might have been misspelled, since the 1920 census is the only one where this spelling was found. You might need to get some addresses for him from the old Chicago City Directories and then search line by line. Also consider going to a NARA archive where you can use the microfilmed Soundex films. That will help you get around the problem of misspellings. Those Soundex films can also be ordered from any Family History Center. If he lived in Illinois the whole time, you are fortunate. The censuses for 1910 are only Soundexed in a few states and Illinois is one of them. You could use the Soundex index for 1900-1910-1920.
 
Judy

[Olle Elm]

An August Wir?n born 1865 in Kumla, Örebro län is registred in the so called Disbyt. Perhaps someone, know if he is the person who imigrated 1888 04 06.  
Regards,
Olle Elm

[Peter Karlsson (Peterk)]

At least, this August Wirén from Kumla can't be find in the swedish 1890 census..

[Per-Åke Andersson]

August Herman Wir?n from Viby is in this emigrant index for Örebro:
http://194.103.205.88/stadsarkiv/emigrant_immigrant_eng.htm
 
Search Wir?n.

[Bertil Friberg]

Bill Virene Re: August Wir?n,
On Dispyt it is stated that Mr. Peter Ellert in Mjölby, Östergötland, Sweden has done some genealogical search on August. His e-mail is: ellert@bredband.net with phone number + 46 142-19283.
Good luck!

[Therese Ericsson]

The Illinois Statewide Death Index is searchable on the Internet from the website of Illinois State Archives. It can also be reached through Newberry Library's website (Genealogy section), www.newberry.org. I have one other suggestion: you might find more information in the obituary for August Virene. You know the date of death, so it can't be too difficult to search in the local Chicago papers just after that date. I don't know where you live, but the Chicago Tribune can be found on microfilm in many libraries in the US. The smaller local newspapers can be found at the Newberry in Chicago and the Public Library there.

[Ellert Peterson]

I am the person who was referred to by Mr Bertil Friberg, even if my name was somewhat distorted.
 
Unfortunately, I have not done the research on August myself. I was given the facts about him by a genealogist colleague, with whom I often exchange information about our mutual relatives. All I know about August is that he was born 1865-08-27 in Kumla, but it seems very likely that he  was the one who emigrated in 1888, according to Judy Olson Baouab above. I am going to try to get in contact with my colleague to see if he can confirm that we are on the right track. If so, I could pass you information about August?s parents and some of his ancestors.

[Ellert Peterson]

Hi William,
 
I checked the information I have about August Wir?n once more, and after that I can confirm that he really emigrated to the USA in 1888.
 
I think the best thing would be to send a mail directly to you about August?s ancestry, but that will have to wait till tomorrow.
 
Kindest regards
Ellert

[Bill Virene]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your very helpful responses!  I now have identified my Grandfather, August Wiren (Virene), born in Parish:KUMLA, Oct 27, 1865.  Ellert Peterson's e-mail provided August Wiren's ancestry back six generations, to the late 1600's.  I now have the information to do more homework and try to obtain his death certificate in Chicago, Cook Couty, Illinois, USA, and Illinois census information.  I will also check information on the web sites you all have provided to me.  Thanks again, Ole, Therese, Judy, Peter, Per-Ake, Bertil and Ellerd!!