R.003.1, R.003.2 - New Year & Easter 1903, and Gerda's Whereabouts

From Gerda's postcard album:

Around New Year 1902/03, Gerda was living at:
6019 Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois

Godt Nytt År tillönskas af Elin o Oscar.
(Har du fått brefvet?)

Happy New Year from Elin & Oscar.
(Did you receive the letter?)

In April 1903, Gerda was living at: 

c/o Mrs Deutsche, 35 Elaine Street, Chicago

(or had perhaps already moved away from there?
but it seems the card reached her anyway!)

Nu har ni väl sommar i America? Tänker mig eljest vågade vi inte begifva oss iväg dit på velociped, som du ser. 

En glad Påsk! tillönskas dig hjärtligt från Elin! Hur snart får vi något fotografi från dig "såsom Americanare"? Jag väntar storligen! Tack för hälsningarna med Oscars bref. Helena bad mig åter hälsa dig så innerligt! Skrift snart igen.

I suppose you have summer in America now? Otherwise we would not dare go there by velocipede, like you see here. /  I wish you a Happy Easter! How soon will we get a photo of you as an "American"? I'm very much looking forward to that! Thanks for your greetings with Oscar's letter. Helena asked me again to send you her best wishes. Please write again soon. / Elin
[Elin is Gerda's sister-in-law, married to her brother Oscar]


When I read Elin's request for a photo of Gerda "as an American", the photo below comes to mind as one that may have been sent back to Sweden as reply. (I don't even remember just now where I have the original photo! but luckily it turns out I both scanned and edited it before.)

Found the original. That is printed as a postcard as well, and from Chicago. And I guess the odd position of the image on the card may be deliberate, to make room for Gerda's habit of scribbling her messages all around  it!

(Image edited by me back in 2013)

PS. I see now that I already posted about Elin's postcards as well as the car photo back in 2013, for two different Sepia Saturdays: March 22 (Painting A Bright Future) and April 14 (Destination Unknown). Never mind - that was a while ago now! :)

G.022.2 Styrsö Hafsbad < 1902

December 1902: Gustaf and Gerda (brother and sister) are now both in the United States. Gustaf is in Port Allegany, Pennsylvania (and has got a postbox of his own now); and Gerda in Chicago, Illinois.

This card from Gerda to Gustaf was sent from Chicago, but the image is from a seaside resort in Sweden: Styrsö Havsbad (near Strömstad on the west coast)

As you can see, Gerda is using every available space to write on! and her handwriting is not the easiest to decipher... (Still a couple of words I haven't managed to work out.)

It can be concluded from the card that the two of them had been in touch by letter within the US before this card was sent.

I don't know if they travelled to America together on the same ship; but they were both there and had found somewhere to stay in December 1902.

To: Mr Gustaf Ekman, Port Allegany, Box 148, Pennselvania
From: Gerda (Ekman)
Sent from Chicago, Dec 20, 1902
Arrived in Port Allegany, PA, Dec 22, 1902

Tack skall du ha för brefvet som jag fick i går middag, det var roligt att få. Är ej detta ett vackert vykort, sådana har de också. Sverige är allt vackert. Jag skall skrifva bref snart så du får till julen. 

Jag fick bref från Oscar i tisdags kväll, så jag kan hälsa från honom och äfven från Elin hade jag bref o ... (?) hade lagt i en lapp(?) så det var ... (?)

Du har väl flyttat kan jag tro eftersom adr. är ändrad. skicka mig ett vykort ifrån Port Allegany till julen, det skulle vara roligt att få. Jag är kvar på samma plats till nyår. Skrif snart Hälsningar Gerda. - Kan hälsa från Frida, talade vid [henne?] 
Chicago den 19 Dec. 02

Thank you for the letter that I got yesterday at noon, that was nice to get. Isn't this a beautiful viewcard, they have those too. Sweden is really beautiful. I will write a letter soon so that you get it for Christmas.  /  I got a letter from Oscar on Tuesday evening, so I have greetings from him and I had a letter from Elin too and ... (?) had put in a note(?) so (that was?) ... (?)   /  You have moved I suppose as the address has changed. Send me a postcard from Port Allegany for Christmas, that would be nice to get. I will be staying at the same place until New Year. Write soon. Best wishes, Gerda.  /  I have greetings from Frida as well, spoke to [her]  /
Chicago 19 Dec. 02. 

G.021.3, G.022.1, G.022.3 - Happy New Year 1903

The spelling of Pennsylvania is a challenge...

To:

Herr Gustaf Ekman / Ben K. Andersson

Port Allegany, Pennselvania, Box 101

Nordtamerica

Happy New Year from [your] sister Ester

To:
Herr Gust. Ekman / Ren K. Andersson
Port allegany, Pellnselvania, Box 101
North Amerika

Happy New Year from Oscar Wilander 

On this card, the name of the sender is printed rather than handwritten - which indicates to me that he must have sent a lot of cards.

Who was Oscar Wilander? Gustaf's sister Emma was married to Brynolf Wilander, a country store owner. Did Brynolf have a brother called Oscar? I've been told that Gustaf's brother Oscar became manager of a branch store to the Wilander store. But it seems a bit far-fetched that he would also change his own surname? Besides, brother Oscar and wife Elin also sent a New Year card (in different handwriting): 

To: Mr. Gust. Ekman

Box 148, Port-Allegany

Pennselvania U.S.A.

Nort-America

Sent Dec ? 1902

Arrived Port Allegany Jan 19, 1903

Happy New Year from Elin and Oscar

K.B.! [Käre Bror]
Tack för brefvet! Skall snart skrifva men roligt om du vill skrifva snart igen. / Broder Oscar

Dear Brother,
Thanks for the letter. I will write soon but it would be nice if you'll write again soon. [Your] Brother Oscar

G.021.2 - Ladies With Bicycle, 1902

December 1902: Gustaf has moved to Port Allegany, PA, USA

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman

Address: Ben (?) K. Andersson, Port Allegany

Pennselvania Box 101, Nordtamerica
Sent from: Sörby, 17.12.1902

Arrived at: Port Allegany, PA, 29.12.1902

Grolanda

Käre broder!

Hoppas du mår godt. Jag väntar på bref.  Känner du igen någon här? Önskar dig en god och fridfull jul. Till nyår reser jag hem till Fristad. Kära hälsningar från din syster Ester.

Av Esters fråga att döma, gissar jag att en av kvinnorna på bilden kan vara hon själv.

Grolanda

Dear brother,

I hope you are well. I'm waiting for a letter. Do you recognize anyone here? I wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas. At New Year I'm going home to Fristad. Best wishes from your sister Ester.

From Ester's question, I assume that one of the ladies may be her. 

 Cropped and edited photo

Grolanda: Det har framgått av tidigare vykort i albumet att Ester bodde där 1902. (G.017.3)

Port Allegany: From the address on this and following postcards, I conclude that Gustaf emigrated to America in the autumn of 1902, and the first place where he settled for a while was Port Allegany, Pennsylvania. The first three cards he received there are addressed to hime care of a Ben K. Andersson, Box 101.  He soon got his own postbox, though (148). 

Originally known as Canoe Place, the town's name was changed to Port Allegany in 1838. - The town developed as a port on the Allegheny River and provided a place where travelers coming overland from the Susquehanna River could continue by boat. - This part of the state is rural and heavily forested. Before the arrival of the first European settlers, the area was densely forested with Eastern Hemlock*. Many of these sometimes massive trees were cut for lumber or sometimes only for their bark, which was used in tanning industry. /Wikipedia/ 

G.021.1 - Odensberg 1902

Parti af Odensberg
Foto. Kaleb Torin Mösseberg. Imp.

To: Herr Gust. Ekman, Storegd, Fristad
From: "Georg"
Postmark/date: 1902 

Götered d. 5 Sept. 02

Hjärtligt tack för vyn!
Många hälsningar
"Georg"

Hoppas du upplifvar gamla minnen fr. Obg [Odensberg].
- Åtminstone "Lucia-natten" var ju trefligt.
Skrif snart!

Odensberg = ort i Västergötland (nära Falköping),
där Gustaf tidvis bott hos brodern Oscar
Götene = ort i Västergötland, mellan Mariestad och Skara

In English

Many thanks for the view!
Best wishes,
Georg

I hope you revive old memories of Odensberg.
At least "Lucia Night" was nice!
Write soon!

Odensberg is where Gustaf's brother Oscar lived. From other cards in the collection, it seems that Gustaf was staying with Oscar (and his wife) periodically during 1901-02. At other times, he stayed at the farm Storegården in Fristad with his father and stepmother.

I don't know who the sender "Georg" is.

Lucia, St Lucy's day, is celebrated in Sweden on 13th December.
(Not sure if "Lucia night" refers to the evening of the 12th or the 13th.)

This is the last card from 1902 in the postcard album that is addressed to Gustaf at Storegården, Fristad. The cards following next are Christmas and New Year cards addressed to him in Port Allegany, Pennsylvania, North America.

Conclusion:
Gustaf emigrated to Pennsylvania in North America some time in the autumn of 1902.

G.020.3 - Merry Christmas

To:  Gustav Ekman, Storegården, Fristad
From: Gustav Nilsson
Postmark/date: ?
More likely to be December 1901 than 1902, as other Christmas cards from 1902 are addressed to Gustav at Port Allegany, Pennsylvania, North America. (Unless this is from a friend who did not know his new address, and the family at Storegården sent it on.)

En glad och treflig jul och godt nytt år.
Tillönskas af
Gustav Nilsson

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
Gustav Nilsson

G.020.2 Varnhems klosterkyrka c. 1901

Varnhem Abbey (Swedish: Varnhems kloster) in Varnhem, Västergötland, Sweden, was founded around 1150 by monks of the Cistercian Order. The stone church dates back even earlier (1040s at hte latest). [Wikipedia]

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Storeg., Fristad
From: M.B. 
Postmark/Date: [?]


Hälsningar jämte stort tack för v.k. no 2.
Resten emotses med "otålighet"! M.B.

Greetings and big thanks for [postcard] No 2.
Impatiently awaiting the rest! M.B.

G.020.1 - Happy Easter (1902)

Påskkort med dold överraskning

Easter Card with a hidden surprise

Turn down the flap on the card, and there is another picture, and a poem inside:

Like the lovely Easter lilies*
bursting into bloom
May you as well be blessed
with a glimpse of heavenly light

(Free translation by me, without attempting any rhymes.)

(Påsklilja = 'Easter lily' = the Swedish name for daffodil.)

To: Mr Gustaf Samuelsson*, Storegården, Fristad

Easter Greetings from: Emma (older sister)

Postmark: Floby 30.3 (1902?)

Avsändaren är Gustafs äldre syster Emma i Floby. Hon var gift med lanthandlaren Brynolf Wilander. Se inlägget Behind the Counter (mars 2013) som har ett foto från lanthandeln. Fotot är dock från lite längre fram i tiden och det är nog inte Emma bakom disken).

Efternamn 

Noterar att Emma har adresserat kortet till Gustaf Samuelsson. Jag minns inte om jag skrivit om efternamnen förut här på bloggen. Fadern hette ju Samuel Emanuelsson. Alla de övriga barnen tror jag ursprungligen hade efternamnet Emanuelsson. (Så var i alla fall  fallet med de två yngsta, från Samuels andra äktenskap: min farmor Sally och hennes lillebror Nils.) Men enligt vad jag hört berättas så råkade just Gustaf vid dopet bli inskriven i kyrkböckerna under efternamnet Samuelsson istället för Emanuelsson; något som sedan följde med honom upp genom åren. 

Efter deras mors död så tog de äldre ogifta syskonen (Ester, Oscar,  Gerda och Gustaf) i stället efternamnet Ekman. Inte minst för Gerda och Gustaf som båda emigrerade till Amerika underlättade det säkert också att ha ett kortare efternamn än Emanuelsson och Samuelsson.

About Swedish surnames

* Gustaf's surname was originally Samuelsson. His father's name was Samuel Emanuelsson. As far as I know, all the other siblings were called Emanuelsson, though. Back in the 1800s, there was a change of traditions concerning surnames - from a tradition of a child being given a surname based on his/her father's first name, to a tradition of the whole family having the same surname. I've been told that Gustaf's different surname was a mistake made when his name was officially registred into the books at his christening - the two surnames sounding rather similar.

As grown-ups, Gustaf and his siblings Ester, Oscar and Gerda all took the family surname Ekman. Not least for the emigrants Gerda and Gustaf, a shorter name must have been more convenient. Their brother Carl (who took over the farm after his father) kept the name Emanuelsson, though. My grandmother Sally and her brother Nils, children of Samuel's second wife Selma, also had the surname Emanuelsson. 

Gustaf in Galeton, Pennsylvania ~ 1910

Ännu ett gammalt foto, som när jag först hittade det, inte sa mig någonting. Först senare, när jag på andra vägar funnit att farmors äldre halvbror Gustaf bott och arbetat några år i Galeton i Pennsylvania, USA, så lade jag vid en ny titt på det här fotot märke till fotografens märke på pappersramen: Martin, Galeton, PA

Tillsammans med uppgifterna från den amerikanska folkräkningen 1910 (länk till tidigare blogginlägg) drar jag slutsatsen att huset på bilden är det där Gustaf tillsammans med andra sågverksarbetare i Galeton hyrde logi av den lokala skatteindrivaren Thomas Near med familj. 

Tillsammans med tio andra män uppges Gustaf i folkräkningen 1910 som “boarder” (inneboende) hos familjen Thomas Near i Galeton, Ward 2, Pennsylvania. Near var kommunal skatteindrivare (Tax Collector/ Borough), hans hustru och fyra barn är också upptagna i folkräkningen – och tydligen hyrde de ut logi till sågverksarbetare också.

Gustaf känner jag nu igen som mannen längst till vänster. Kortet är odaterat, men måste vara taget mellan 1904-1911. (Från hans vykortssamling kan jag se att han 1903 bodde i Port Allegany, men 1904 flyttat till Galeton. Och 1911 återvände han till Sverige.)

Jag utgår från att personerna längst till höger är medlemmar av familjen Near. Den uppgivna åldern på döttrarna i folkräkningen 1910 är 22 resp 20. Detta kan stämma med de två unga damerna. De två småflickorna finns inte listade i folkräkningen - men kanske räknades inte barn under en viss ålder? (Har inte kollat upp detta.) Den unge mannen i mitten kan vara en av sönerna (antagligen den äldre?). Mannen som står bredvid Gustaf är väl antagligen en annan inneboende.

In English:

Another old photo that at first glance didn't tell me anything. Later, I discovered the photographer's imprint on the frame: Martin, Galeton, PA. By then I had learned that my great-uncle Gustaf lived in Galeton between 1904-1911 and worked at the sawmill there. In the census from 1910 (link to a previous blog post) he is listed as a boarder with Mr Thomas Near (tax collector) and family. So I suppose this must be that house, and the people on the right the Near family. On the photo, I recognize Gustaf as the man furthest to the left. In the census, the daughters of the family are said to be 22 and 20 years old, which might match the age of the two young ladies in the photo. The young man between them could be one of the sons (probably the elder?). I'm not sure where the two little girls fit in - but perhaps children below a certain age weren't listed? (I haven't checked that.) The man standing next to Gustaf I assume to be another boarder.

Familjen på Storegården ~ 1907

The Family at the Farm ~ 1907

Bland de gamla fotona jag hittade på Nysäter för flera år sedan fanns detta foto (16x22 cm, monterat på större pappskiva), som jag då inte kunde identifiera. 

Nu flera år senare, när jag egentligen letade efter något annat, så hittar jag detta igen, och då slår det mig plötsligt: Men det måste ju vara familjen på Storegården, efter min farmors far Samuels död 1907: Farmors mor Selma, då 46 år gammal. Hennes dotter från hennes första äktenskap: Hildur, 15 år. Hennes två barn med Samuel: min farmor Sally, 7 år, och Nils, 5 år. Och så Samuels äldste son Carl, 37 - lite vid sidan av, tillsammans med hästen. 

Två grundorsaker till att jag inte kopplade fotot till Storegården när jag först hittade det var antagligen: 1/ Att Storegården på fotona i farmors album är vitmålad, inte brun. (Men de fotona är från ca 1920-talet.)  2/ Att jag i början förväxlade farmors äldre halvbröder Carl och Gustaf med varandra, och trodde att det var Gustaf som var med på denna bild. (Men mellan 1902-11var Gustaf i Amerika.)

Fotot kan dock inte ha tagits i samband med Samuels begravning, eftersom han enligt datum på gravstenen dog 15/2; och det här kortet är uppenbarligen taget på sommaren.

Fotot ser dock ut att ha tagits i samband med något slags högtid, eftersom de är finklädda, har ett bord med spetsduk och blommor i trädgården, barnen bär blommor, och även Carl bär någon slags blomma eller annan dekoration. 

Varför hästen är med på familjefotot tål också att fundera över!

In English:

A big photo mounted on cardboard background, which I was not able to identify when I first found it; but when looking at it again the other day, it hit me that it must be the family at Storegården, not very long after the death of my great-grandfather Samuel in 1907.

I'm now pretty sure that the people in the photo are: My great-grandmother Selma (46), her daughter from her first marriage, Hildur (15), her two children with Samuel: Nils (5) and Sally (7) (my grandmother), and Carl (37), Samuel's oldest son from his first marriage. 

The photo can't be from Samuel's funeral though, because according to the gravestone, he died in February, and this photo was obviously taken in summer. Judging by their clothes and the flowers, it does look like some kind of special celebration, though. 

Another question is - why is the horse included in the photo??