SWEDEN: Looking for more current info on family of Nils Peter Persson b. 18 Nov 1832

Question

Carl Johan (Charles John) Nelson, born 12 Jul 1872 in Tuna, Kalmar Län, Sweden to Nils Peter Persson (born 18 Nov 1832 in Sweden) and Christina Maria Persdotter (born about 9 Mar 1841 in Sweden) who were married 11 Sep 1860. Carl immigrated to the U.S. and is my ancestor. Siblings on record include Karolina Kristina Nilsson, Sven Petter Nilsson, Hulda Amalia Nilsson, Anna Maria Nilsson, Oskar Emil Nilsson, Ellen Alida Nilsson and Algot Konstantin Nilsson. Looking for info on Carl's grandparents; additional info on parents and siblings.

Thank you to those who have help me get this far!

Answer 1

Maggie sent me a list of fourteen emigrating Carl Johan / Karl Johan Nilsson this morning before she went to work. I'm going through them. Think I have found a candidate, but I'll go through all of them first.

Comments

First: the passenger list you found must be for the guy first suggested by Maggie: "Karl Johan Nilsson, born 1874-12-10 in Kroppa, Värmland. Leave home 1892-04-26, destination N. Amerika. He travels alone and would most probably left Sweden from Gothenburg." This is the wrong guy - not so strange, considering how common the name is. Census data about immigration years are notoriously vague - for your Carl Johan they suggest 1891, 1890 and 1889.

Now, among the fourteen emigrating Carl Johan Nilsson-s pulled out by Maggie, there was ONE with a father Nils Peter Persson, the other fathers were Nils Something-else. Persson and Pettersson at that time were still pretty much interchangeable in Sweden, and would certainly have appeared as Peterson in the US (this is one of those I-should-have-known things for me; I lokked only for Pettersson/Peterson).

The Karl Johan Nilsson with Nils Peter Persson as a father was born in Tuna parish, Kalmar county, 12 July 1872. He is actually the closest among the fourteen to the birth date you have for your Charles John Nelson. One always has to expect transcription errors in birth dates along the way when people move (even within Sweden). July turning into June is a minor error in comparison to what you may find. It's also kind of reassuring that he came from the same county as his wife - people do that a lot of the time, marry somebody who "sounds right" (have the same dialect) - although, of course you'll also find true melting-pot marriages.

All in all, I think this is your guy - now the challenge is to find his arrival in the US. He moved out from his home parish March 16 1891.

---

Here is his birth record:
Tuna kyrkoarkiv, Inflyttningslängder, SE/VALA/00389/B I/3 (1868-1884), bildid: C0028875_00056 #39, Carl Johan, father Nils Peter Persson, mother Christina Maria Persdotter.

First household record: Tuna kyrkoarkiv, Husförhörslängder, SE/VALA/00389/A I/20 (1871-1877), bildid: C0028864_00064 - they lived in Falla, Tuna parish.

Moving out:
Tuna kyrkoarkiv, Inflyttningslängder, SE/VALA/00389/B I/4 (1885-1894), bildid: C0028876_00199 #36, Karl Johan Nilsson moved out 16 Mar 1891

I have notes on the others but think it would just be confusing to add them here.

---

Thank you very much Eva (and Maggie) this one does add up very well with the little bit of information that I had. You both have been a wonderful help to me. I will remove the Passenger List record that is of the wrong Carl, and see about adding the sources that you have provided. I agree with your decision regarding not adding the notes on the other Carls -- it would be confusing.

---

Thanks for taking over the list Eva, I would probably have forgotten about it if I waited until I got home again.

---

Good sleuthing job, ladies! The Karl Johan Nilsson born in Tuna is definitely the guy in Erie, PA. Ancestry.com recently added the digitized church records for a number of Swedish Lutheran churches in the USA. (Before, one had to travel to the archives at Augustana College in Illinois to look at them on microfilm.)

The records for Bethany Lutheran Church in Erie, PA are included in the collection. Your guy is listed in the membership: Carl Johan Nelson, born 12 Jul 1872 in Tuna, Kalmar Län, Sweden.

I'd say that's a bingo!

(Edited: My typo. The church records confirm his birthday was in July, not June.)

---

Thanks Marta, nice to know!

Arkiv Digital has records from Swede-related, mainly Lutheran and Baptist churches in a few states of America, and seem to be adding more now and then. Currently: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

---

Love, love, love this additional information. Can't wait to see where it might take me! Many, many thanks to all you Generous Wikitree-ers that have helped me.

Answer 2

The most promising candidate in the records of emiweb would be this boy,

Karl Johan Nilsson, born 1874-12-10 in Kroppa, Värmland. Leave home 1892-04-26, destination N. Amerika. He travels alone and would most probably left Sweden from Gothenburg.

Unfortunately, I don't have time right now to check his birth in the church books right now, perhaps someone else can help with that.

The only Paul/Pål Nilsson listed as leaving in April are not from the the same parish or county.

Comments

Well, that Karl Johan Nilsson was born out of wedlock to Johanna Tranberg and an unknown father 1874-12-10.

Kroppa kyrkoarkiv, Födelse- och dopböcker, SE/VA/13291/C/9 (1868-1880), bildid: 00043352_00060 https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/00043352_00060

His mother married Nils Jansson (NOT Nils Pettersson) in 1878, so that seems to be where he got Nilsson from.

Kroppa kyrkoarkiv, Husförhörslängder, SE/VA/13291/A I/23 (1876-1880), bildid: C0038011_00376 https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/C0038011_00376

---

One would think that at least the year of birth on his death cert is correct, so that he should be beorn in 1872, not in 1874.

---

Thank you for your assistance Maggie. I hope to find another Karl/Carl with a matching birth date. My understanding is that his name was a pretty common one. I am grateful for any assistance that I receive.

---

Yes very common.

And Gothenburg is most likely just the port he left from.

I've been searching indexed household records at MyHeritage for Carl Johan with a father by name Nils Pettersson - and found quite a few, five or six; there's a jinx on it, I think - they all died in infancy.

Would be nice when Maggie has the time to look for a guy born in 1872.

---

Thank you Eva. I just uploaded a screen shot of the RMS Umbria's May 2, 1892 Passenger List where I found my information.

Answer 3

there is a Carl Johan (Nilsson) Nelson in my family. Born 27 July 1886. lived in  Goteborg, Gotborg Och Bohus Sverige Sweden (Swedish Housould examination books 1880-1930 fammilysearch.org)  immigrated  in 1889. came over with his Uncle Johan Teodor Nilsson born 18 April 1854. settled in Quincy Mass.. Listed on 1990 US census in household of his father Frans Vilhem Nilsson (his father) and Annette Sophia  (stepmother). his mother Johanna Jhoansdotter died in childbirth 27 July 1886.

the family stayed around Quincy/Braintree Mass.  Frans changed his name when he became Naturalized - Frank William Nelson.

check this one out.

Comments

I don't believe this is a close match, but I do thank you for making the suggestion.

Answer 4

i don't know if this helps...gr. grandpa Per Persson, 1840-1921...immigrated to Canada, 1906...his mother was Kristina Nilsdotter, his maternal grandparents Nils Nilsson and Kristina Nilsdotter 1808-1899....the Swedish surnames have gotten me confused...Per Persson's father was Pehr Larsson..looking forward to see if there is a connection...my grandpa was Gustaf Adolphus Pehrsson, in Canada he was called Charles..1860-1954..My Dad Lawrence was his eldest son..1926-2005....i look forward to hearing from you..thanks, Lynn Pehrsson

Comments

I don't believe this is a close match, but I do thank you for checking into it!