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.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.048.02 - Norrköping, Hamnen (c.1910)

 Happy New Year 1911 - and welcome back to Sweden!

To: Mr Gust Ekman, Galeton, Potter C, Box 342, PA, U.S. America
From: Oscar (one of Gustaf's brothers back in Sweden)

Poststämpel ej läsbar, men kortet troligen sänt i december 2010 eller januari 2011. Oscar var född 5.1 1872 - presenten som omnämns kan ha varit en födelsedagspresent. Och efter cirka 8 år i Amerika är  Gustaf på väg att snart flytta hem till Sverige igen (våren eller sommaren 1911).

Käre Bror!
Hjärtligt tack för presenten och bref idag. Skall snart skrifva bref. Roligt se du är kry, och dess bättre äro vi äfven alla krya nu. Kärt se att du tänker komma åter snart. Får nu tillönska ett lyckosamt godt nytt år. Hjärtliga hälsningar från oss alla! / Oscar

Dear Brother,

Heartfelt thanks for the present and your letter today. I will write a letter soon. Glad to see you are well, and thankfully so are all of us now. Good news that you are planning to return soon. Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year. Best wishes from all of us! / Oscar

The card is not dated but was probably sent in December 2010 or January 2011. Gustaf's brother Oscar was born 5 January, 1872. The present mentioned may have been a birthday present. And after about eight years in America, Gustaf is now planning to return to Sweden, in the spring or summer of 2011.

Linking to: Sepia Saturday 591

"... an unknown lady, striding purposely into the future. Little does she realise that there is a lawn roller coming up behind her ready to flatten all her dreams! Such is life."
(A. Burnett) 

A short re-introduction of this blog for Sepia Saturday: 

In the autumn of 1902, Gustaf (elder half-brother of my grandmother Sally) emigrated from Sweden to America. He spent most of his eight years there working at a lumber yard in Galeton, Pennsylvania. His sister Gerda emigrated at or around the same time, and worked as a maid at various addresses in Chicago. She too returned to Sweden in 1911. (Whether brother and sister actually also travelled together across the Atlantic, I've not yet managed to establish.)

In Gustaf's old postcard album, I'm now reaching the end of their America years. I'm still only half way through the postcard album, though. New adventures are awaiting - especially for Gerda. For example, when returning to Sweden in 1911, she would hardly have foreseen that in 1914, she would find herself stuck in France as WWI broke out...

G.012.1 En glad jul / A Merry Christmas

En glad jul (A Merry Christmas) -  C. Hedelin
Granbergs Konstindustri – Aktiebolags Förlag,Stockholm.
Larsson Broaryd.

Year: 1901? 1911?
To: Herr Gust. Ekman, Storegården, Fristad
From: E. Wilander (Edith? Ella? Erik?)

Vi vänta dig alla till julafton. Välkommen hit. Kom, kom, kom hit. God Jul önskas morbror av E. Wilander. Kom hit.

Antingen måste detta kort vara från 1901 eller från 1911 eller senare; efter att Gustav återvänt från Amerika. Jag lutar åt det senare eftersom jag tycker att den tredje siffran i årtalet ser ut att vara 1 snarare än 0.

In English

This Christmas card was sent to “uncle” Gustav from one of his nieces. Either it was sent in 1901 (because at Christmas 1902 Gustav had already left for America) or it is from 1911 or later. (Looks to me like the third digit in the postmark is a 1 rather than a 0.) E. could be either Edith or Ella. I don’t know their birthdates. The text reads something like this:

We all look forward to seeing you on Christmas Eve. You are most welcome. Please, please, please come. Merry Christmas to you, Uncle, from E. Wilander. Please come!