Olof Lange (abt. 1869 - 1914)

Born about 15 Nov 1869 in Hörja, Göinge västra, Kristianstad, Sweden [uncertain]

Husband of Sigrid Hvitfeldt — married 29 Jun 1903 in Chicago, Illinois

Died 7 Aug 1914 at about age 44 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robert Hvitfeldt [send private message]

Biography

Northwestern Dental Journal, Volumes 9-11: taken from Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug “To the Class of 98 the following gruesome article taken from the Chicago Tribune of August 7th may be of interest since Dr Lange was a member of their class Three weeks ago Dr Olof Lange a dentist of 4640 North Racine avenue called up The Tribune and said he was being persecuted A reporter was sent out to see him He told the reporter that he had no story to tell but that he believed he was losing his mind On Thursday night Dr Lange murdered his wife and three yearold son with a hammer and a butcher knife Then he ended his life by slashing his throat The double murder and suicide were not discovered until yesterday when Henry Johnson who occupies the flat on the first floor below the Lange apartment noticed water dripping from the ceiling Several persons heard screaming in the Lange flat on Thursday evening and notified the police but things had quieted down when they arrived and they refused to force an entrance to the apartment unless some one signed a complaint Johnson notified them again yesterday and they forced a rear door They found Mrs Sigfrid Lange and her son John lying on the living room floor Dr Lange's body was lying face downward in a bath tub which was overflowing Dr Carl Swenson of 440 Fullerton avenue who attended Dr Lange said he believed he was demented He said the dentist had accumulated considerable money on the stock market and probably suffered heavy losses when the bottom dropped out of things at the declaration of war.” ^{[1] [2]}

Case Description ^[3]

Lange, Sigrid, 31 yrs. Killed with butcher knife and hammer, at 4640 Racine Ave., by her husband Olaf who committed suicide after also killing his son Olaf Jr. 42nd Pct.

Case Number 4241

Circumstances

Date of offense August 7, 1914 Date of death August 7, 1914 Address 4640 Racine ave. Type of location Residence Type of residence Residence of both victim and defendant Location description killed by husband at 4640 Racine ave. Type of death Homicide Type of homicide Intentional murder Characteristics killled w/ butcher knife & hammer Method of killing Knife (butcher knife) Weapon killed with butcher knife & hammer Victim initiated events leading to homicide No Excessive violence Excessive weapons or multiple means of killing Murder/suicide? Yes Total number of victims 2 Related to Prohibition? Yes

Research Notes

• 1910 Census states he was born in Sweden and immigrated to America in 1892.
• Census and marriage records indicate he was born about 1870 instead of 1880.
• Passenger List for return to United States in 1910 states father is Dr. Olaf Jonnsen Lang residing in Horge or Horga or Horja, Sweden.
• Name according to Naturalization petition is Olaf Jonssen Lange

Sources

1. ↑ Northwestern Dental Journal, Volumes 9-11: taken from Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug
2. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1994," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M7-M2LS : 17 May 2016), Olof Lange, 06 Aug 1914; citing Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States, source reference 22149, record number , Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 1,287,505.
3. ↑ Homicide In Chicago 1870-1930: http://homicide.northwestern.edu/database/4161/?page=Object%20id%20#28

• 1900 Census: "1900 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 23, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 273; Page: 4; Enumeration District: 0693
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #10994425 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Olof D Lange (30), single boarder, Dentist, in household of John H Anderson (50) in Chicago Ward 23, Cook, Illinois. Born in Sweden.
• 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 25, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_267; Page: 10b; Enumeration District: 1052; FHL microfilm: 1374280
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #4974737 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Olof Lange (38), married, Dentist, head of household in Chicago Ward 25, Cook, Illinois, USA. Born in Sweden.

• Marriage: "Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Marriages Index, 1871-1920"
  FHL Film Number: 1030354
  Ancestry Record 2556 #302619 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Olof Lange (31) marriage to Sigrid Hortfeldt on 29 Jun 1903 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
• Naturalization: "U.S., Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project)"
  The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC; Soundex Index to Naturalization Petitions For the United States District and Circuit Courts, Northern District of Illinois and Immigration and Naturalization Service District 9, 1840-1950 (M1285); Microfilm Serial: M1285; Microfilm Roll: 112
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1629 #4264114 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Name: Olof Jonsson Lange; Naturalization Age: 40; Record Type: Naturalization; Birth Date: 15 Nov 1869; Birth Place: Sweden; Arrival: about 7 Jun 1892; Naturalization Date: 5 Feb 1910.

• Passenger List: "New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957"
  The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at and Departing from Ogdensburg, New York, 5/27/1948 - 11/28/1972; Microfilm Serial or NAID: T715, 1897-1957
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7488 #4032240785 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Name: Olaf Lange; Gender: Male; Ethnicity/ Nationality: Swedish; Marital Status: Married; Age: 37; Birth Date: abt 1870; Birth Place: Sweden; Other Birth Place: Horja; Last Known Residence: Chicago, USA; Departure Port: Cuxhaven; Arrival Date: 27 Oct 1907; Arrival Port: New York, New York, USA; Residence Place: United States of America; Final Destination: Chicago, Illinois; Height: 5 Feet, 4 Inches; Hair Color: Light; Eye Color: Blue; Complexion: Fair; Person in Old Country: Jeons Lange; Person in Old Country Relationship: Father; Person in Old Country Residence: Mone Horjas; Person in US: MS Codging; Father: Jeons Lange; Ship Name: Kaiserin Augusta Victoria.
• Passenger List: "New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957"
  The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at and Departing from Ogdensburg, New York, 5/27/1948 - 11/28/1972; Microfilm Serial or NAID: T715, 1897-1957
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7488 #4037054226 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Name: Olof Lang; Gender: Male; Ethnicity/ Nationality: Scandinavian; Marital Status: Married; Age: 40; Birth Date: abt 1870; Birth Place: Sweden; Other Birth Place: Harja; Last Known Residence: Chicago, U.s.; Departure Port: Bremen; Arrival Date: 16 Jan 1910; Arrival Port: New York, New York, USA; Residence Place: US; Final Destination: Chicago, Illinois; Height: 5 Feet, 11 Inches; Hair Color: Blonde; Eye Color: Blue; Complexion: Fair; Person in Old Country: Dr Olaf Jonssen Lange; Person in Old Country Relationship: Father; Person in Old Country Residence: Horge, Sweden; Father: Olaf Jonssen Lange; Ship Name: Prince Friedrich Wilhelm.
• Immigration: "Sweden, Emigration Registers, 1869-1948"
  utvandrarlistor; Volume Number: 449956
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61637 #1318478 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Name: Olof J. Lange; Age: 30; Birth Date: abt 1870; Arrival Port: Köpenhamn, Danmark; Departure Date: 25 sep. 1900 (25 Sep 1900); Departure Place: Malmö; Port: Malmö; Ship: Oresundsångarne.
• "Swedish Emigration Records, 1783-1951"
  Original data: EMIGRANTEN POPULÄR 2006 is a coproduction between Emigrantregistret in Karlstad and Göteborgs-Emigranten in Göteborg
  Ancestry Record 1189 #983895 (accessed 19 December 2023)
  Name: O G Lange; Birth Year: abt 1871; Gender: Man (Male); Place of Origin: Borås, Västra Götalands Län, Sverige; Destination: Springfield; Record Date: 23 okt. 1891 (23 Oct 1891); Port of Departure: Göteborg; Database Name: EmiHamn; Archive Call Number: 46:477:43634; Principal Person: Lange O G.