Anybody JUST LOVE translating Swedish? I have an old family letter that I am unable to read.

Question

Looking for some help in finding out if this letter has any family history information in it that I do not already know. I have the letter (4 short pages) scanned.

Answer 1

Hi Gail, I can help you with it if you can wait with the translation until next week. If you send me a private message I will reply so you get my email and can attach them.

Comments

I don't think you need to do that. Emma was the sister of Amanda Öst, not of Karl Johan Nilsson.

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Ahh... Wise of me to wait until more coffee got in the system :-)

Well, the translation of the letter could still be interesting if it refers to any regards from Carl Johans relatives.

If it's of any interest, Emma Kristina Östh, born 1866-10-27 in Hvena, Kalmar returns to Lönneberga parish, Kalmar county 1891-02-13.

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Regarding Karl Johan: yes it would be interesting to know if the families had any contact in Sweden.

Also, I haven't checked Amanda's emigration date against the emigration date for Karl Johan-from-Tuna. I looked at the map, and it's just the parish next door. It would be neat to discover some proof that they knew each other in Sweden; but even if we don't find that, I still think he's the most likely candidate.

As for Emma: this fits perfectly with what's in the household record.

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Well, it seems Amanda Sofia also returns home...

Amanda Sofia Östh, b. 1869-01-20 and her sister Hilda Louisa, b. 1871-10-04 returns to Lönnerberga parish (which is noted as birth parish for both of them in Emiweb) 1892-12-24. They both move to Haddarp 4 in Lönneberga according to Emiweb.

Her first emigration was 1892-09-08 and then she comes home 1892-12-24 and emigrates once more 1893-02-07. So the first time she was in US less than four months. She don't marry Carl Johan until about 17 months after her second emigration so they might as well met in US.

Her sister Hilda Lovisa also emigrates a second time together with Amanda in 1893.

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That is also interesting. Hadn't noticed her returning. Guess I stopped looking when she left the first time. Will do some work on her profile.

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Oh, I see. I was mixing things up. The first emigration isn't in the household record, so it was just a four-month visit to the States, without intention to emigrate. Although she probably made up her mind during the first visit and more or less just went back home to get her papers in order.

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Added some info from US census to his profile. It seems at least three of them states he is born 1872-1873 and emigration between 1889-1891.

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That's good.

Although the vague dates in the US Census are never very helpful.

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I don't think I explained why I didn't follow up Carl Johan Pettersson Nilsson, born 1872-12-25 in Kräcklinge, Örebro. I looked up his birth, and the name of his father was Petter Johan Nilsson, while on the death certificate for https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Nelson-7161 the father is Nels P Peterson, which fits with the father of Carl Johan from Tuna.

Still, I find that it's easier to disprove identity (as when they stayed in Sweden) than to find certain evidence for it being the same person. The same death cert seems to be what mixed up his mother with his wife.

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I have emailed the letter to Maggie. I have completed the proposed Osth-1 / Öst-8 merge and removed her husband Karl from her list of children. Hope that I did it all correctly.

I appreciate all your help following either side of the family.

Answer 2

Hi Gail

 

Try the following group there are several Swedish speakers listed here.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Language_volunteers

Language volunteers Swedish

Comments

Thank you! I will check out this resource. I did not know about it.

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I think some of us Swedes are more likely to pick up things to help with here in g2g, like Maggie did for this one, and I did for Amanda Öst.

It always helps to tag the g2g questions with SWEDEN - not least it makes it easier to find the same question a few days later, because they get into our feed that way.

But we also scan the question headlines for Swedish-looking names.

Answer 3

Have you tried to use the google translate on this letter? I have used it several times to work with my customers.     https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwipicKq6eHVAhUF4oMKHXgxBjcQFgg9MAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftranslate.google.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNEqpKYtYqv0A_Cy7tbnVR7-1fr_KA

Comments

I have not tried Google Translate for this as the only times I have tried Google Translate it was English into Korean and my Korean friend just laughed at what Google Translate came up with and said that it made no sense at all and asked me what I was trying to translate. Maybe it does better with some languages than others. Glad that you have had some success with it.

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I don't think Google translate is too bad with European languages, but it doesn't read handwriting. And reading old handwriting is definitely easier when you can speak the language.