G.053.02 - G.055.03 Gustaf's Name Day 1912 (6 June) / Sepia Saturday 594

Namnsdagshälsningar från 6 juni 1912, adresserade till Gustaf på Storegården i Fristad (dit han återvänt 1911 efter 8-9 år i Amerika). Gustaf är nu snart 34 år gammal (hans födelsedag var i juli). Några av avsändarna är okända för mig (Hilda, Anna, E Obk, A.B.)

Name Day greeting cards from 6 June 1912, addressed to Gustaf at Storegården in Fristad (the family farm in Sweden, to which he had returned in 1911, after 8-9 years in America).
Gustaf is now nearly 34 years old (his birthday was in July). 
Some of the senders are unknown to me (Hilda, Anna, E. Obk, A.B.)

From Gerda (sent from Floby 3 June 1912).
Like Gustaf, Gerda also returned to Sweden from America in 1911.

Dear brother, I have now decided to go home on Wednesday instead of Tuesday. I'll be on the train at noon. I'm going to Falköping tomorrow, Erik is graduating then. Best wishes to all of you from all of us. / Sister Gerda / Floby, 3 June 1912.

Gerda is writing from Floby, which means she was with their older sister Emma and family. Erik was Emma's and Brynolf's  son. (I don't have his date of birth.) When Gerda says she'll be going 'home', she is obviously referring to the farm in Fristad, where Gustaf is now living with their older brother Carl, their father's widow Selma and her three children: Hildur (Selma's daughter from her first marriage, born 1892), Sally (my grandmother, born 1900) and Nils (the youngest, born 1902). (Samuel, the father, had died in 1907, while Gustaf and Gerda were living in America.) 

One reason for Gerda to go and visit the family at the farm that week may have been Gustaf's 'name day', which was/is 6th June. There have been several Swedish kings called Gustaf. Gustaf I of Sweden was elected king of Sweden on 6th June, 1523. It was celebrated as a sort of informal national day long before it got official status as national flag day in 1916. Not until 1983 did it get the official status of national day - and it took even longer before it was made a public holiday (2005). 

Anyway - it is obvious from Gustaf's postcard album, that name days were widely celebrated in Sweden in the early 20th century. In 1912 (when he had been back in Sweden about a year), he received quite a pile of name day cards from family and friends. (Following below.)

Från Gerda (Gustaf's syster, som också återvände till Sverige från Amerika 1911)
(Poststämplat i Floby, 3 juni 1912 - som var en måndag)

Käre bror! Nu har jag bestämt mig för att resa hem på onsdag istället för på tisdag. Kommer då på middagståget. Jag tänker resa till Falköping imorgon. Erik har examen då. Kära hälsningar till Er alla från oss alla. / Syster Gerda / Floby 3 juni .12.

Gerda skriver från Floby, vilket betyder att hon var hos äldsta systern Emma med familj. Erik var Emmas och Brynolfs son (jag saknar hans födelsedatum). När Gerda skriver att hon ska resa hem, så menar hon uppenbarligen till Storegården i Fristad, där Gustaf nu bodde tillsammans med deras bror Carl, deras fars änka Selma, och hennes tre barn: Hildur (Selmas dotter från hennes första äktenskap), Sally (min farmor, född 1900) och Nils (den yngste). (Fadern, Samuel, dog 1907, medan Gustaf och Gerda bodde i Amerika.)

En orsak för Gerda att resa hem och hälsa på familjen just den här veckan i juni kan ha varit Gustafs namnsdag den 6 juni. Detta datum firades också som något av en informell nationaldag även innan den utsågs till Svenska flaggans dag år 1916. Status som officiell nationaldag fick dagen inte innan 1983 - och först 2005 blev den även nationell helgdag. 

Hur som helst visar Gustafs vykortsalbum på att namnsdagar uppmärksammades minst lika mycket som födelsedagar i börjand av 1900-talet. År 1912, när han varit tillbaka i Sverige ungefär ett år, mottog han en hel liten hög med namnsdagshälsningar från familj och vänner.

From: Elin & Oscar  (Gustaf's brother and sister-in-law) / Norrköping, 5.6.1912

Hjärtlig lyckönskan på namnsdagen och många hälsningar till Eder samtl[iga]. / Elin
Instämmer i föreg.! / Oscar

Our warmest congratulations on your name day, and greetings to all of you. / Elin
Agreeing with the previous speaker! / Oscar

Hjärtlig gratulation från Hilda

Congratulations from Hilda

Sent from Norrköping, 5.6.1912

Hjärtlig gratulation och många hälsn. från Anna
Congratulations and many greetings from Anna
Sent from Norrköping, 5.6.1912

6.6.-12
Hälsning på namnsdagen! / E Obk.
Greetings on your name day! / E Obk.

På Namns-dagen den 6/6. 1912 av H.L. (Hildur Lundgren?)
On your Name Day 6/6 1912 from H.L.

(As there is no sign of this card having been sent by post, I think H.L. is probably his step-sister Hildur Lundgren,  also living at the farm.)

På Namns-dagen den 6/6 1912 from A.B.
On your Name Day 6/6 1912 - A.B.

Sent from Malung 5.6 1912

Hjärtligt gratuleras du på Namnsdagen den 6/6 1912 / Syster Ester - Hoppas Ni mår godt hemma. Hälsa Gerda om hon har kommit. Skall snart skrifva brev. Jag önskar jag vore hemma i Fristad nu och finge vara i skogen något, här kan vi ej alls vara ute. 

Kära hälsningar till Eder alla.

Congratulations on your Name Day 6/6 1912 / Sister Ester - I  hope you are all well at home. Give my love to Gerda if she has come. I will write a letter soon. I wish I were back home in Fristad now and were able to be out in the forest a bit, here we cannot be out at all. Best wishes to you all.

Malung is a small town in the province of Dalarna in Sweden. I wonder what Ester was doing up there? As far as I know, she lived in the province of Västergötland; at this time in her life probably in Mullsjö near Jönköping. So her stay in Malung must have been temporary. But if it was a holiday, it sounds a bit odd that she wasn't able to go out at all!

Linking to: Sepia Saturday 594

Studio Portraits: Gerda and a Friend

In a recent post, G.052.01, a postcard that Gerda sent to her brother Gustaf in August 1911 proves that by then, they were both back in Sweden. It also seems that at the time, Gerda was travelling in southern Sweden in the company of her friend Frida, visiting family and friends. Since the name Frida is mentioned on cards that Gerda wrote from Chicago to Gustaf in Galeton (and Frida herself wrote him one too), I'm thinking that she was a friend to both of them from Sweden. Maybe they even emigrated and returned together? That's only a guess, though.

I have a few studio portraits of Gerda which are not glued into her album. In the two below, from Chicago (where she lived from autumn/winter 1902 until spring/summer 1911) she is photographed together with the same girl, on two different occasions. (Gerda is the taller of the two.) Both these portraits were taken by Hansen, 1691 N. Clark St., Chicago. Neither photo has any note of the year.

Because of Frida being mentioned on postcards as a friend that Gerda obviously spent some of her spare time with, I'm thinking that the girl in these studio portraits may be her. Anyway - she will be to me, until I find something to contradict it! 

Linking to Sepia Saturday 593

Påsk / Easter 1912

 G.052.02, G.052.03, G.053.01 

Easter 1912 (5-8 April) 

By Easter 1912, Gustaf has been back in Sweden for at least 8 months - maybe more. Postcards from 1911 show that he was still in Galteton, PA, for Valentine's day that year; but was back in Sweden at the family farm in Fristad in August (with his older brother Carl, their step-mother Selma and her children - one of them my grandmother). (The father died back in 1907.) After that card from Gerda in August, there are no more postcards in the album until Easter 1912. No Christmas/New Year cards from 1911 might indicate that he got to meet with his other siblings and their families in person instead during the holidays. But that's just a guess. Anyway, at Easter 2012, he's receiving three cards from Swedish friends, addressed to him at farm. The senders are unknown to me.

Vid påsk 1912 had Gustaf varit åter i Sverige i minst ca 8 månader - kanske t.o.m. ett helt år. Vykort från 1911 visar att både han och Gerda fortfarande var kvar i Amerika kring Alla Hjärtans Dag i februari; men att de i augusti båda befann sig hemma i Sverige, och Gustaf då på Storegården i Fristad (hos brodern Carl, deras styvmor Selma och hennes barn - Hildur, Sally=min farmor, och Nils). (Fadern, Samuel, dog 1907.) Att det saknas julkort från 1911 kan ev tolkas som att han det året kanske träffade de övriga syskonen personligen vid jultid. Men det är förstås bara en gissning. Hur som helst, vid påsken 1912 fick han nedanstående hälsningar sända till Storegården, från tre olika vänner. Avsändarna (Anna G, G.N. och E Obk)  är okända för mig.

Utsikt öfver Bernshammar, Västmanland
View of Bernshammar, Västmanland

Pleasant Easter! / Anna G. (6 April, 1912)

Glad Påsk.
Happy Easter.

(Glad Påsk) Tillönskas Gustaf från Borås. Vänliga helsningar till Er alla. / G.N.
(Happy Easter) To Gustaf, from Borås. Best Wishes to all of you. / G.N.

Huskvarna Vattenfall

Rolig Påsk! - Happy Easter! / E Obk

This card seems to have turned very yellow with age,  so I made an attempt at auto-adjusting the colours digitally: 

G.052.01 - Back in Sweden! (August 1911)

21 August 1911: A postcard from Gerda (sent from Jönköping) to Gustaf (at Storegården, Fristad - the family farm) tells us that they are now both back in Sweden - and probably have been for a while, even if we don't know exactly when they got back.  It seems that in August, Gerda and her friend Frida are visiting Gerda's and Gustaf's sister Ester in Mullsjö (not far from Jönköping). Ester is not mentioned by name on the card, but I know she lived in Mullsjö. I'm not sure who Frida was (and it is a rather common name) but someone by that name is also mentioned (and sending greetings) on some postcards that Gerda wrote to Gustaf from Chicago. My guess is that Frida was a friend to both of them from Sweden, and that they may even have emigrated and returned together.

Emil Bergman Bokhandel. Imp.

To: Herr Gustaf Ekman, Storegården, Fristad
From: Gerda (Jönköping, 21 aug. 1911)

Jönköping, 21 aug. 11

Käre bror! Jag är nu i Jönköping. Har varit i Huskvarna idag och haft mycke trefligt. Imorgon ska vi till Sandseryd och sedan tillbaks till Mullsjö igen, och nästa vecka skall vi resa till Östergötland. Nu har det blifvit ombyte i väder. Jag har ej fått något bad ännu. Kära hälsningar / syster Gerda.

Om du har tid så skrif någon gång till Mullsjö innan jag reser derifrån. Tänker vi kommer att resa nästa vecka onsdag. Om du kommer ihåg, var snäll sänd mig Pettersons adr: for the fun of it. Kära häls. till er alla där hemma från Frida och Gerda.

Namnet Frida (i och för sig ganska vanligt) känns igen från några av Gerdas vykort till Gustaf skrivna 1902-04 i Chicago. Jag tänker att det är möjligt att Frida och Gerda var barndoms/ungdomsvänner som följdes åt både när de reste till Amerika och när de återvände hem. 

Jönköping, 21 Aug. 11

Dear brother, I am now in Jönköping. Have been to Huskvarna today and had a very good time. Tomorrow we are going to Sandseryd and then back to Mullsjö again, and next week we're going to Östergötland. The weather has changed now. I have not had a chance to bathe yet. Love, sister Gerda

If you find the time, write to Mullsjö before I leave there. We'll probably leave on Wednesday next week. If you remember, please send me Petterson's adress: "for the fun of it". Best wishes to all of you back home from Frida and Gerda.

G.051.01-03 The Last Big Log Drive, Galeton, PA

Before we follow Gustaf and Gerda back to Sweden (1911), here are three  unwritten postcards from Galeton, Pennsylvania, where Gustaf spent most of his years in America, working at a sawmill and/or lumberyard. (Cf post from 2012-08-31, 1910 US Population Census).

I don't know if Gustaf bought these cards while he was still living in Galeton, or if some friend sent them to him later. There is no printing year on the back of the postcards. In the sidebar, under the heading 'Helpful links', I have some links to web pages related to the history of Galeton and the Pennsylvania lumber industry. So far, I have not found any reference to "the last big log drive" though.

Originally (or when the postcard album got into my hands), these three cards were at the back of album (with some other unwritten/ undated ones). I managed to move them to page 51, as in my opinion they clearly belong in the context of the end of Gustaf's years in America. Even if he may have acquired the cards later, it seems plausible that a decline in the Pennsylvanian lumber industry was part of his decision to return to Sweden. 

The Last Big Log Drive, Galeton, PA.

The Albertype Co., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Domestic 1 Ct. - Foreign 2 Cts.

54040 - Hardwood Mill, Galeton, Pa.

The Rotograph Co., N.Y., City. (Germany.)
Domestic One cent. Foreign Two cents.

54306 - Edgcomb Hotel, Galeton, Pa.

The Rotograph Co., N.Y., City. (Germany.)
Domestic One cent. Foreign Two cents.

Linking to Sepia Saturday 562 

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Dessa tre vykort satt ursprungligen någonstans längst bak i vykortsalbumet (tillsammans med andra oskrivna och odaterade kort) men jag flyttade dem till sidan 51, eftersom de utgör en passande avslutning på Gustafs år i Amerika. Tryckår saknas på korten och jag vet inte om Gustaf köpte dem medan han själv var kvar i Galeton, eller om möjligen någon annan skickat dem till honom senare. Hur som helst verkar det sannolikt att nedgången i den amerikanska timmer/trä-industrin påverkade Gustafs beslut att återvända till Sverige 1911. 

Under rubriken 'Helpful links' i blogg-marginalen finnst några länkar till webbsidor om Galeton och träindustrin i  Pennsylvania, men jag har inte så här långt lyckats hitta någon direkt referens till "The last big log drive".

G.050.01-03 Happy New Year 1911

 

Godt och Solljust Nytt År
Happy and Sunny New Year

To: Mr. Gust. Ekman, Galeton Potter Co., Box 342, Pa. U.S.A., Nort-America

Många hälsningar från Elin. 
(Gustaf's svägerska, gift med hans bror Oscar)
Many Greetings from Elin. 
(Gustaf's sister-in-law, married to his brother Oscar)

To: Mr. Gustaf Ekman, Galeton, Potter Co., Box 342, PA.
From: Gerda  (Chicago, Dec 30, 2010)

Käre bror! 
Hjärtligt tack för julpresenten, den var utmärkt fin. Det var meningen jag skulle sända dig [en], men kunde ej få den i tid. Jag tänker snart sända den. / Syster Gerda

Dear brother,
My heartfelt thanks for the Christmas present, it was very nice. I intended to send you one, but I couldn't get it in time. I will send it soon. / Sister Gerda 

To My Sweet Valentine

To: Mr Gust Ekman, Galeton, Pennsylvania, Box 342

From:  Anonymous, but the handwriting looks very much like Gerda's ... (Sent from Chicago 14 February 1911

Detta är de tre sista vykorten i albumet som är addresserade till Gustaf i Galeton. I mitten av februari 1911 var båda syskonen alltså fortfarande kvar i Amerika. Jag vet inte exakt när de återvände till Sverige, men nästa "tidsbevis" är ett vykort från augusti 1911, som visar att de då båda var tillbaka i det gamla hemlandet. 

These are the last three postcards in the album addressed to Gustaf while living in Galeton. So in mid February 1911, both siblings were still in America. I don't know the exact date when they returned to Sweden, but the next dated piece of evidence is a card from August 1911, proving that by then, they were both back in Sweden. (Coming up in a post soon.)

G.049.01-03 - Merry Christmas 1910

These Christmas cards tell us that at Christmas 1910, Gustaf was still living in Galeton, and Gerda in Chicago.

Handembossed POSTCARD
H.L. Woehler, Buffalo, N.Y. (Made in Germany)

To: Mr Gust Ekman, Galeton, Box 342, PA
From: Gerda (Chicago, 23 Dec 1910)

God Jul och många klappar önskas dig hjärtligt från syster Gerda

I wish you a Merry Christmas with many parcels,
with love from sister Gerda

To: Mr Gustaf Ekman, Galeton, Potter Co, Box 342, PA, U.S.A.
From: Carl E (Gustaf's brother at the family farm in Sweden)

Storegd d 1/12 1910
Käre Broder Gustaf,
En glad och fridfull jul och dertill ett Godt Nytt År tillönskas dig Hjertligt af Carl E.

Dear Brother Gustaf, I wish you a merry and peaceful Christmas and also a Happy New Year, with love from Carl E 

A Merry X'mas
Copyright 1908, P Sander N.Y.

To: Mr Gust Ekman, Galeton, PA
From: ? (Galeton, Dec 26, 1910)

Et Godt Nyår till Dig 
Happy New Year

G.048.03 - Anticipating Farewells (?)

 

A. Waldemar
Nr. 461 - M.M. VIENNE - M. Munk

To: Gustaf Ekman, Galeton, Box 342, PA
From: Gerda (Lake Geneva, Sep 30, 1910)

Käre bror!
Mycken tack för brevet. Jag kommer att gå (=resa) in till Chicago nästa måndag. Om du vill vara snäll och skriva så jag har brev der då med min gamla adr. / Syster Gerda

(Framsidan:)
Om du vill låta mig veta om du fått brev från bror Oscar ännu.
Jag skulle ha skrivit brev men har ej tid.

Gerdas val av vykortsmotiv tillsammans med att jag vet att både hon och Gustaf skulle komma att återvända till Sverige något halvår senare, får mig att undra om det väntade brevet från Oscar kanske hade något att göra med deras planer angående detta.

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Dear brother,
Many thanks for the letter. I will be going in to Chicago next Monday. Will you please write so that a letter will be waiting for me there then, at my old address. / Sister Gerda

(On the front of the card:)
If you will let me know if you've received a letter from brother Oscar yet.
I should have written a letter but I don't have time.

Gerda's choice of postcard, together with the fact that I know that both she and Gustaf would be going back home to Sweden in 1911, makes me wonder if perhaps the letter they were awaiting from their brother Oscar had something to do with those plans.