Charles John Andersson SMITH of Halland, Sweden

[Dale LeBlanc]

Hello:
 
I have just started searching for information on my Swedish Great Grandfather. I have found some US info but can't seem to go any further. Some of my male Swedish relatives changed their last names before coming to the US, when they entered the military in Sweden.  
 
I am not sure when Charles ( Carl) changed his. The little info I have found here in the US. is under SMITH.
 
Charles John SMITH, nee ANDERSSON
dob: Feb. 03, 1858
Place: Halland, Sweden
Immigrated to US 1882 or 1884
Married: 1888 in Minneapolis, Mn, USA
dod: Jan. 02, 1927 Minn. Mn, USA
 
Spouse: Caroline Emily Andersen (Karoline Amalia ANDREASDOTTER) of Botne, Norway
dob: May 10, 1862
dod: Dec. 27, 1947 San Francisco, California, USA
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I do not speak Swedish and do not know where to go from here. Thank you.
Dale

[John Bentley]

Hi  
 
Good news and bad.  
 
It is very useful that you know the exact birth date but unfortunate that you do not know the parish he came from. Without that, it could mean searching every Halland parish in turn on Genline. A very long difficult task. Andersson is also one of Swedens most common names !  
 
One possibility now is the Emigrant database. I do not have access at the moment but you could post a request either under the English section or the Emigrant section asking for help with a search. Very likely he sailed from Gothenburg. He will likely be Carl Johan/Jons/Jöns Andersson.  
 
I had a brief look at the Ellis Island site and he did not appear. You could look again yourself.  
 
Another source unfortunatly as yet incomplete is the 1880 census. As of now I did not find anyone at all like him. It will be necessary to wait until more parishes are added. When complete he should certainly be there and easily found.  
 
Another possibility is that the Halland Genealogical Society will have a CD later in the year that promises to be searchable and with birth data from quite a large number of Halland parishes. That will be available the end of August.  
 
If you have not found him by the end of August post this enquiry again and the chances of finding him and more family could be much better.  
 
regards  
 
John

[Dale LeBlanc]

Thank you John for your help and suggestions. I truly appreciate it !