In order to work as a blacksmith, you had to qualify as a member of the Blacksmith Guild (Hammarsmedämbetet). The guild was a combination of union and quality assurance and had its own courts, with jurisdiction over matters concerning the ironmaking industry (Bergstingsrätten).
As an aspiring blacksmith, you started out as apprentice (smeddräng), working f for different master blacksmiths, to learn different aspects of the trade. Apprentices usually stayed for a year or two, and then moved on to another master (Note 1).
After serving your apprenticeship and passing the Guild´s examination, you could become an assistant blacksmith (mästersven). You were now qualified to practice the trade, and worked in the employ of a master blacksmith.
The final step on the career ladder was to become a master blacksmith (“mästare” or “mästersmed”). This required passing another examination and having the necessary capital (Note 2). As a master blacksmith, you were an independent contractor, hiring your own assistants and apprentices – who also lived in your household. Running such a large household also needed a lot of helpers, and a number of young women would be employed as maids, learning to run a household before they married (Note 3).
“Bergstingsrätten” would appoint a senior and respected master blacksmith to become alderman (ålderman) for a district. The alderman served as an assistant judge on the court, but also inspected all the mills of his district, to make sure they were up to standard.
_____
Note 1: As an apprentice you were a member of the master´s household, and listed here in parish records. From these, I have found many family connections, where a young man worked as an apprentice for an older brother, uncle etc.
Note 2: If a master blacksmith died, one of his assistants would often acquire these resources by marrying the widow, at the same time providing for the family.
Note 3: With so many young men and women under one roof, accident did happen, and births out of wedlock or shotgun marriages were not unusual. Giving birth out of wedlock was technically a crime until the 1850´s. However, enforcing the law resulted in infants “disappearing”, and in the late 18th century mothers were given immunity.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Learning from Swedish parish records: The lives of Gustaf Elg and Maria Sophia Bork
In 1892, like many Swedes at the time, my great-grandfather’s uncle Gustaf Elg brought his family to Minnesota. The family’s history in Minnesota has been well documented by great-grandson Todd Lindahl but I wanted to see how much light Swedish parish records could shed on their early life in Sweden.
Gustaf Elg spent his whole life in Sweden in the ironmaking industry. He was a third generation master blacksmith, and his sons also learned the trade before emigrating to America. For more about the blacksmith trade, see my previous blogpost.
Online sources for Swedish parish records
The main source of information for genealogists in Sweden are the parish records of the Swedish Church. The Swedish Church (Lutheran) was a state church and retained the responsibility for keeping the official population records until 1 July 1991. Most records, from the late 17th century until the early 20th century are now available online. There are three competing fee-based services offering slightly different coverage and quality:
Genline ( http://www.genline.se ) (just acquired by Ancestry.com)
SVAR (http://www.svar.ra.se/ )
Arkiv Digital ( http://www.arkivdigital.se/ )
Genline and SVAR are based on scanning the old black and white microfilms once produced by LDS church volunteers. However, Arkiv Digital has undertaken to rescan the original records in full color and higher quality (SVAR has recently started to do this also). All examples in this post are taken from Arkiv Digital (with their permission).
Background: History of the parish records
As part of the church law of 1686, the parish minister was to “keep certain rolls of all their listeners, house to house, farm to farm, and know their progress and knowledge of the assigned sections of the catechism, and diligently admonish children, farm helpers and servant maids to read in book and with their own eyes see what God bids and commands in his Holy Word.”
The actual process was carried out by organizing the parish into “examination groups” that would meet at a designated time and place annually. Once everyone was gathered the minister would go through a planned protocol. The examination results were recorded in a book, along with other information which can vary according to the minister. Although the Household Examination was an annual event, the minister would use the same book for about 5 to 10 years before starting a new one.
In addition to the Household examination book, separate chronological records were kept of births, deaths and marriages, as well as of individuals moving in or out of a parish. Usually these records reference the relevant page of the household examination book, which was organized by household, not by date.
Gustaf Elg spent his whole life in Sweden in the ironmaking industry. He was a third generation master blacksmith, and his sons also learned the trade before emigrating to America. To learn more about their trade, see my previous blogpost "The role of blacksmiths in ironmaking".
Learning from the parish records
The birth and baptismal records list not only the parents but also witnesses at the baptismal, i.e. godparents ("faddrar"). These will give you a glimpse of social life as they will show you social ties outside the immediate family: Sometimes relatives, sometimes neighbors or colleagues.
The household examination rolls list not only the immediate family but everyone in the household, including hired hands. In a small rural community there were often social ties connecting these to their employer. In my case, many of my male ancestors were craftsmen, master blacksmiths in the iron making industry. Here I can see how the young men start out as apprentices, learning the trade with an older brother or in another blacksmith family, and also moving between employers to learn new aspects of the trade. In the same way, young women learned to run a large household, necessary as in addition to a growing brood of children, a master blacksmith would hire his own helpers, and also provide room and board.
Since the household examination rolls cover a period of time you also get a sense of the mobility, as maids or hired hands move in and out of the household.
An example: Tracing the lives of Gustaf Elg and Maria Sophia Bork
Birth record of Gustaf Elg1834
(source Arkiv Digital )
Gustaf Elg was born on April 1, 1834, the youngest son of Lars Elg (b 1789) and Lisa Gråberg (b 1792). I am descended from their oldest son, Petter Elg, so this is where we are related.
Gustaf Hellsing, who is listed with his wife as godparents, was a nephew of Lars Elg’s stepmother Kristina Berg, and also a fellow blacksmith. I have not been able to identify the third person, but Engelborg Elg is Lars Elg’s half sister.
Lars Elg family 1825-1834
(source Arkiv Digital )
This record shows the family Gustaf Elg was born into. At this time, my ancestor Peter Elg, who is 20 years older, has already left home (his name is crossed over). Another record shows that Peter is now an apprentice with blacksmith Peter Hellsing – father of the Gustaf Hellsing mentioned above.
Birth record of Maria Sophia Bork, 1838
(source Arkiv Digital )
Godparents, master blacksmith Johan Geschwind and his wife Eva Liljman are next door neighbours of the Peter Bork family. Nils Bork is a cousin of Peter. Anna Maria Bork is most likely another cousin.
Peter Bork family 1838-1844
(source Arkiv Digital )
Peter is listed as “hammarsmedsmästare” which means he was in charge of a team operating a hammer mill. (Large waterpowered hammers were used not only to shape the metal but also to alter its metallurgical structure). As a master, Peter employed his own assistants, as well as providing room and board for them. This explains the number of helpers (“drängar”) listed in the record. And with such a large household to run, Lisa also need a number of helpers (“pigor”) to run the household. Note that one of these is Johanna Liljman, no doubt an unmarried sister – or cousin – of godmother Eva Liljman.
Lars Elg family 1845-1854
(source Arkiv Digital )
During this period, the last children are moving out. At age 15, Gustaf moves to Liljendal. His older brother Lars Elg (jr) has moved back with his family, apparently preparing to take over the family business ( Lars sr dies in 1851). There is a long list of helpers, but the mobility is high (column “Ankom” lists year of arrival and place of origin, column “Bortflyttad” lists year of moving out, as well as destination).
Johan Elg family 1845-51
(source Arkiv Digital )
Here we can see that when Gustaf moved to Liljendal at age 15, it was to live with his older brother Johan Elg (b 1817) who is already established as a blacksmith, with a large family. This was Gustaf’s first step in learning the trade and following in the footsteps of a number of ancestors.
He is living close to his future wife: The Bork family are on page 130, and the Johan Elg family on page 134 of the same volume.
Note that another Gustaf Elg (b. 1825) has preceded him in the household as a helper, between 1842 and 1845. This Gustaf was a cousin of Johan and “our” Gustaf Elg.
Peter (or Petter) Bork family 1847-1851
(source Arkiv Digital )
In a serious blow to the family, master blacksmith Peter Bork dies in 1851, aged only 39 years. Maria Sophia is only 13 at the time. We can also see that two younger brother have died in childhood, Carl Johan (age 7) and Anders Fredrik (age 1).
Johan Elg family 1852-57
(source Arkiv Digital )
After three years with his older brother, in 1852 Gustaf Elg moves to Gåsborn parish.
We can also see that the following year, Johan Elg’s wife Cajsa Håkandotter passes away, in December 1853. Johan eventually married again, to Anna Stina Olsdotter, in Jan. 1857. An interesting point here is that there is no mention of this marriage in this volume, but the first child, Reinhold, is listed, born in June 1857. In total there were seven children from Johan’s second marriage. Only the youngest daughter stayed in Sweden. One daughter died in infancy, four emigrated to Butte, Montana, where they were involved in gold mining. The oldest, Reinhold, moved to Oslo, Norway. This was a popular departure point for emigrants from their part of Sweden, and it is possible that Reinhold was planning to join his siblings in Montana. However, his first wife died in Norway. Eventually he marries a Norwegian girl, and the last record I have found shows in as a day labourer, doing construction work in Oslo.
Peter Elg family 1846-55
(source Arkiv Digital )
When Gustaf Elg left Liljendal for Gåsborn parish, he becomes an apprentice with his older brother Peter/Petter Elg (b. 1814), who is then a master blacksmith at Gustavsström, Gåsborn parish. Petter is my paternal great-great-grandfather, and when Gustaf arrives, my great-grandfather Karl Gustaf Elg is a nine year old boy. This is the closest direct connection I have found between the two family lines. Gustaf stays two years with his brother, and then returns to Liljendal.
Marriage record Gustaf Elg & Maria Sophia Bork 1856
(source Arkiv Digital )
Two years after his return to Liljendal, Gustaf is ready to marry Maria Sophia Bork. Gustaf is only 22 at the time and Maria Sophia is 18. In order to marry, Gustaf needed to be able to provide for a family, and their young ages indicate that he was well on his way to establish himself as a blacksmith. At the time, most men were not able to marry until in their thirties.
Gustaf Elg family 1857
(source Arkiv Digital )
In the next household examination record, Gustaf is listed as “mästersven” or assistant master blacksmith, already at 23. The first child, Emma Elisabet is born in 1857.
Apparently, Gustaf has taken over this post from Maria Sophia’s stepfather. The listing at the top of the page shows Maria Sophia’s mother Lisa Stålberg, and her siblings. Lisa is now remarried to assistant master blacksmith Olof Jonsson Rot, but they moved out in 1856, the year of Gustaf’s and Maria Sophia’s marriage.
The family of Gustaf Elg and Maria Sophia Bork is now established, and Gustaf is well on his way to become a master blacksmith. In a following article, I will continue this story, until their emigration to Minnesota in 1892.
Gustaf Elg spent his whole life in Sweden in the ironmaking industry. He was a third generation master blacksmith, and his sons also learned the trade before emigrating to America. For more about the blacksmith trade, see my previous blogpost.
Online sources for Swedish parish records
The main source of information for genealogists in Sweden are the parish records of the Swedish Church. The Swedish Church (Lutheran) was a state church and retained the responsibility for keeping the official population records until 1 July 1991. Most records, from the late 17th century until the early 20th century are now available online. There are three competing fee-based services offering slightly different coverage and quality:
Genline ( http://www.genline.se ) (just acquired by Ancestry.com)
SVAR (http://www.svar.ra.se/ )
Arkiv Digital ( http://www.arkivdigital.se/ )
Genline and SVAR are based on scanning the old black and white microfilms once produced by LDS church volunteers. However, Arkiv Digital has undertaken to rescan the original records in full color and higher quality (SVAR has recently started to do this also). All examples in this post are taken from Arkiv Digital (with their permission).
Background: History of the parish records
As part of the church law of 1686, the parish minister was to “keep certain rolls of all their listeners, house to house, farm to farm, and know their progress and knowledge of the assigned sections of the catechism, and diligently admonish children, farm helpers and servant maids to read in book and with their own eyes see what God bids and commands in his Holy Word.”
The actual process was carried out by organizing the parish into “examination groups” that would meet at a designated time and place annually. Once everyone was gathered the minister would go through a planned protocol. The examination results were recorded in a book, along with other information which can vary according to the minister. Although the Household Examination was an annual event, the minister would use the same book for about 5 to 10 years before starting a new one.
In addition to the Household examination book, separate chronological records were kept of births, deaths and marriages, as well as of individuals moving in or out of a parish. Usually these records reference the relevant page of the household examination book, which was organized by household, not by date.
Gustaf Elg spent his whole life in Sweden in the ironmaking industry. He was a third generation master blacksmith, and his sons also learned the trade before emigrating to America. To learn more about their trade, see my previous blogpost "The role of blacksmiths in ironmaking".
Learning from the parish records
The birth and baptismal records list not only the parents but also witnesses at the baptismal, i.e. godparents ("faddrar"). These will give you a glimpse of social life as they will show you social ties outside the immediate family: Sometimes relatives, sometimes neighbors or colleagues.
The household examination rolls list not only the immediate family but everyone in the household, including hired hands. In a small rural community there were often social ties connecting these to their employer. In my case, many of my male ancestors were craftsmen, master blacksmiths in the iron making industry. Here I can see how the young men start out as apprentices, learning the trade with an older brother or in another blacksmith family, and also moving between employers to learn new aspects of the trade. In the same way, young women learned to run a large household, necessary as in addition to a growing brood of children, a master blacksmith would hire his own helpers, and also provide room and board.
Since the household examination rolls cover a period of time you also get a sense of the mobility, as maids or hired hands move in and out of the household.
An example: Tracing the lives of Gustaf Elg and Maria Sophia Bork
Birth record of Gustaf Elg1834
(source Arkiv Digital )
Gustaf Elg was born on April 1, 1834, the youngest son of Lars Elg (b 1789) and Lisa Gråberg (b 1792). I am descended from their oldest son, Petter Elg, so this is where we are related.
Gustaf Hellsing, who is listed with his wife as godparents, was a nephew of Lars Elg’s stepmother Kristina Berg, and also a fellow blacksmith. I have not been able to identify the third person, but Engelborg Elg is Lars Elg’s half sister.
Lars Elg family 1825-1834
(source Arkiv Digital )
This record shows the family Gustaf Elg was born into. At this time, my ancestor Peter Elg, who is 20 years older, has already left home (his name is crossed over). Another record shows that Peter is now an apprentice with blacksmith Peter Hellsing – father of the Gustaf Hellsing mentioned above.
Birth record of Maria Sophia Bork, 1838
(source Arkiv Digital )
Godparents, master blacksmith Johan Geschwind and his wife Eva Liljman are next door neighbours of the Peter Bork family. Nils Bork is a cousin of Peter. Anna Maria Bork is most likely another cousin.
Peter Bork family 1838-1844
(source Arkiv Digital )
Peter is listed as “hammarsmedsmästare” which means he was in charge of a team operating a hammer mill. (Large waterpowered hammers were used not only to shape the metal but also to alter its metallurgical structure). As a master, Peter employed his own assistants, as well as providing room and board for them. This explains the number of helpers (“drängar”) listed in the record. And with such a large household to run, Lisa also need a number of helpers (“pigor”) to run the household. Note that one of these is Johanna Liljman, no doubt an unmarried sister – or cousin – of godmother Eva Liljman.
Lars Elg family 1845-1854
(source Arkiv Digital )
During this period, the last children are moving out. At age 15, Gustaf moves to Liljendal. His older brother Lars Elg (jr) has moved back with his family, apparently preparing to take over the family business ( Lars sr dies in 1851). There is a long list of helpers, but the mobility is high (column “Ankom” lists year of arrival and place of origin, column “Bortflyttad” lists year of moving out, as well as destination).
Johan Elg family 1845-51
(source Arkiv Digital )
Here we can see that when Gustaf moved to Liljendal at age 15, it was to live with his older brother Johan Elg (b 1817) who is already established as a blacksmith, with a large family. This was Gustaf’s first step in learning the trade and following in the footsteps of a number of ancestors.
He is living close to his future wife: The Bork family are on page 130, and the Johan Elg family on page 134 of the same volume.
Note that another Gustaf Elg (b. 1825) has preceded him in the household as a helper, between 1842 and 1845. This Gustaf was a cousin of Johan and “our” Gustaf Elg.
Peter (or Petter) Bork family 1847-1851
(source Arkiv Digital )
In a serious blow to the family, master blacksmith Peter Bork dies in 1851, aged only 39 years. Maria Sophia is only 13 at the time. We can also see that two younger brother have died in childhood, Carl Johan (age 7) and Anders Fredrik (age 1).
Johan Elg family 1852-57
(source Arkiv Digital )
After three years with his older brother, in 1852 Gustaf Elg moves to Gåsborn parish.
We can also see that the following year, Johan Elg’s wife Cajsa Håkandotter passes away, in December 1853. Johan eventually married again, to Anna Stina Olsdotter, in Jan. 1857. An interesting point here is that there is no mention of this marriage in this volume, but the first child, Reinhold, is listed, born in June 1857. In total there were seven children from Johan’s second marriage. Only the youngest daughter stayed in Sweden. One daughter died in infancy, four emigrated to Butte, Montana, where they were involved in gold mining. The oldest, Reinhold, moved to Oslo, Norway. This was a popular departure point for emigrants from their part of Sweden, and it is possible that Reinhold was planning to join his siblings in Montana. However, his first wife died in Norway. Eventually he marries a Norwegian girl, and the last record I have found shows in as a day labourer, doing construction work in Oslo.
Peter Elg family 1846-55
(source Arkiv Digital )
When Gustaf Elg left Liljendal for Gåsborn parish, he becomes an apprentice with his older brother Peter/Petter Elg (b. 1814), who is then a master blacksmith at Gustavsström, Gåsborn parish. Petter is my paternal great-great-grandfather, and when Gustaf arrives, my great-grandfather Karl Gustaf Elg is a nine year old boy. This is the closest direct connection I have found between the two family lines. Gustaf stays two years with his brother, and then returns to Liljendal.
Marriage record Gustaf Elg & Maria Sophia Bork 1856
(source Arkiv Digital )
Two years after his return to Liljendal, Gustaf is ready to marry Maria Sophia Bork. Gustaf is only 22 at the time and Maria Sophia is 18. In order to marry, Gustaf needed to be able to provide for a family, and their young ages indicate that he was well on his way to establish himself as a blacksmith. At the time, most men were not able to marry until in their thirties.
Gustaf Elg family 1857
(source Arkiv Digital )
In the next household examination record, Gustaf is listed as “mästersven” or assistant master blacksmith, already at 23. The first child, Emma Elisabet is born in 1857.
Apparently, Gustaf has taken over this post from Maria Sophia’s stepfather. The listing at the top of the page shows Maria Sophia’s mother Lisa Stålberg, and her siblings. Lisa is now remarried to assistant master blacksmith Olof Jonsson Rot, but they moved out in 1856, the year of Gustaf’s and Maria Sophia’s marriage.
-oOo-
The family of Gustaf Elg and Maria Sophia Bork is now established, and Gustaf is well on his way to become a master blacksmith. In a following article, I will continue this story, until their emigration to Minnesota in 1892.
The role of blacksmiths in ironmaking
Making iron was a two-stage process: Iron ore would first be melted with charcoal in a blast furnace, to separate the iron oxide from waste rock, and to remove the oxygen from the iron oxide. Blast furnaces have been used since the 11th century, although of course sophistication and size increased over the centuries.
The cast iron produced in a blast furnace still had a carbon content of around 4%, which made the cast “pig” iron too brittle to work further. The job of a blacksmith in the iron work’s hammer mill was not to produce finished items, but to reduce the carbon content in a combination of re-melting and mechanical working of the iron.
The pig iron was remelted on an open charcoal hearth. To increase the heat, air was blown into the hearth by a pair of leather bellows powered by a waterwheel (to provide an even flow of air, one bellows was blowing while the other bellows was being filled with air). The oxygen in the air reacted with the carbon in the molten iron and formed carbon monoxide, which then burned with more oxygen to form CO2.
Low-carbon iron has a higher melting point than the original pig iron, so as the carbon content was reduced, it started to solidify into doughy clumps of hot iron. These clumps were lifted to the top of the hearth and remelted to reduce the carbon content further. Clumps of solidifying iron were taken to a large hammer, also waterpowered, where they were hammered into sheets of iron, which were cut apart into suitable sizes, reheated on the hearth and hammered into iron bars which were the final product of the hammer mill. The hammering not only shaped the iron but also solidified it and altered the metallurgic structure of it.
In a manufacturing mill, these bars would later be reheated and reshaped into tools, nails etc.
The hammer mill was usually operated by a team of three: The master blacksmith (“mästersmed”), an assistant blacksmith (“mästersven”), and a helper (“smeddräng”) who was often learning the trade. The master blacksmith was fully trained in all aspects of operating the hearth and the hammer, and could oversee one or more hammers in a larger mill. The assistant blacksmith was capable of operating the hearth and hammer when the master was not around, and the helper would do whatever he was ordered: feeding the hearth with charcoal etc. The master blacksmith was an independent contractor who hired his own assistants and helpers, and also provided room and board for them.
What I have described above is the so-called “German” method, prevalent in Swedish mills from the 15th century until the late 19th century. The “waloon” method, imported from Belgium, differed mainly in that two separate hearths were used for the initial melting of the pig iron and the subsequent reheating.
The cast iron produced in a blast furnace still had a carbon content of around 4%, which made the cast “pig” iron too brittle to work further. The job of a blacksmith in the iron work’s hammer mill was not to produce finished items, but to reduce the carbon content in a combination of re-melting and mechanical working of the iron.
The pig iron was remelted on an open charcoal hearth. To increase the heat, air was blown into the hearth by a pair of leather bellows powered by a waterwheel (to provide an even flow of air, one bellows was blowing while the other bellows was being filled with air). The oxygen in the air reacted with the carbon in the molten iron and formed carbon monoxide, which then burned with more oxygen to form CO2.
Low-carbon iron has a higher melting point than the original pig iron, so as the carbon content was reduced, it started to solidify into doughy clumps of hot iron. These clumps were lifted to the top of the hearth and remelted to reduce the carbon content further. Clumps of solidifying iron were taken to a large hammer, also waterpowered, where they were hammered into sheets of iron, which were cut apart into suitable sizes, reheated on the hearth and hammered into iron bars which were the final product of the hammer mill. The hammering not only shaped the iron but also solidified it and altered the metallurgic structure of it.
In a manufacturing mill, these bars would later be reheated and reshaped into tools, nails etc.
The hammer mill was usually operated by a team of three: The master blacksmith (“mästersmed”), an assistant blacksmith (“mästersven”), and a helper (“smeddräng”) who was often learning the trade. The master blacksmith was fully trained in all aspects of operating the hearth and the hammer, and could oversee one or more hammers in a larger mill. The assistant blacksmith was capable of operating the hearth and hammer when the master was not around, and the helper would do whatever he was ordered: feeding the hearth with charcoal etc. The master blacksmith was an independent contractor who hired his own assistants and helpers, and also provided room and board for them.
What I have described above is the so-called “German” method, prevalent in Swedish mills from the 15th century until the late 19th century. The “waloon” method, imported from Belgium, differed mainly in that two separate hearths were used for the initial melting of the pig iron and the subsequent reheating.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
An update on Erik Johan Elg, b. 1844
In my previous post I noted:
One Johan Elg, b abt 1844, emigrates to Chicago in Nov 1869, with wife Christina. I have no evidence that this is Erik Johan, except matching year of birth, and Johan comes from the same region of Sweden.
I have now found this family in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, where Johan is employed as a blacksmith. Johan and wife Christina are listed in the 1880 US Federal Census, along with a son, Carl Johan, born 1875.
In the 1895 Wisconsin census, the household consists of three males and one female. Only the head of the household is named in this census, but most likely another son has been added.
I still have no direct evidence that this is "my" Erik Johan Elg. The fact that John is a blacksmith, and the name of his son are circumstances in favor of this hypothesis. Erik Johan came from a long line of blacksmiths,and the name Carl Johan is used a lot in the family. Still, this is not unique, as this was the name of the Swedish king between 1818 - 1844..
One Johan Elg, b abt 1844, emigrates to Chicago in Nov 1869, with wife Christina. I have no evidence that this is Erik Johan, except matching year of birth, and Johan comes from the same region of Sweden.
I have now found this family in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, where Johan is employed as a blacksmith. Johan and wife Christina are listed in the 1880 US Federal Census, along with a son, Carl Johan, born 1875.
In the 1895 Wisconsin census, the household consists of three males and one female. Only the head of the household is named in this census, but most likely another son has been added.
I still have no direct evidence that this is "my" Erik Johan Elg. The fact that John is a blacksmith, and the name of his son are circumstances in favor of this hypothesis. Erik Johan came from a long line of blacksmiths,and the name Carl Johan is used a lot in the family. Still, this is not unique, as this was the name of the Swedish king between 1818 - 1844..
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The children of Johan Elg - and the mysterious Alexander Elge/Johnson
I have started to look closer at the family of Johan Elg, as so many of his children emigrated to the US. At least seven, possibly eight, of them emigrated to the US, two died young and only four settled in Sweden. At least seven grandchildren also emigrated. Seven of the emigrants settled around Helena, Montana.
Johan Elg was born in Gravendal, Säfsnäs, Sweden, but moved across the county line and spent most of his life as a blacksmith in and around Liljendal, Värmland. He was married twice:
First marriage: Johan ELG 1817 – 1896 +Kajsa HÅKANSDOTTER 1812 - 1853
........Karl Johan ELG 1839 – bef. 1900
............ +Edla BREDENBERG 1841 –
Note: All of their children were born in Sweden and stayed in Sweden, so most likely Karl Johan also stayed in Sweden.
........Anna Lisa ELG 1840 – 1854. Died young.
........Karl Gustaf ELG 1842 - 1918
............ +Anna Karolina BERGSTRÖM 1845 – 1915
Note: Daughter Hilda Maria Elg, b abt 1875, emigrates to the US on May 27, 1892. Daughter Olga Juliana Elg, born 21 jun 1878 emigrated to the US in 1894. Domestic servant in Chicago (1900 census), possibly married 1907 in Wisconsin.
Son Sigfrid Elg emigrated in 1912, 1930 census shows him in Fairfield, Connecticut.
........Erik Johan ELG 1844 –
Note: One Johan Elg, b abt 1844, emigrates to Chicago in Nov 1869, with wife Christina. I have no evidence that this is Erik Johan, except matching year of birth, and Johan comes from the same region of Sweden.
........Lars Fredrik ELG 1846 -
............ +Anna Karolina PERSDOTTER 1841 –
Note: Son August Elg (b 1870) emigrates to Helena, Montana in 1888, changed name to Elge
Daughter Beda Fredrika Elg emigrates to Montana in Sept 1893
Son Victor Elg,b abt 1878, emigrates 17 Apr.1903 from St. Tuna to McKeesport. Victor Elge,b abt 1879, is listed in the 1930 US Census as a guest of the Skagit County jail, Mount Vernon, Skagit, Washington.
Daughter Emma Christina Elg emigrated to Helena, Montana, in 1925, probably after her husband passed away.
........Per August ELG 1850 –
Note:Emigrated to the US 22 Oct 1868
The 1880 US Census shows an A Elge living as a laborer in the household on Chas. Hirsch, Ten Mile, Montana. No evidence that this was Per August, but Ten Mile is only ten miles from Helena..
........Jakob ELG (JOHNSON) 1852 – 1922
............ +Sofia KÄMPE 1854 – 1943
Note: Emigrated in 1879 (no emigration record found) Their story is told in Margaret Johnson's history of the Johnson Ranch
Second marriage: Johan ELG + Anna Stina OLSDOTTER 1834 - 1890
........Reinhold ELG 1857 –
Note: Emigrated to Oslo 25 nov 1890. Emigrated again to Norway 1 Aug 1893, now listed as widower. 1900 census shows him as day labourer, working on railroad construction. Oslo was normally a stepping stone for emigrating to the US but his children died in Sweden, so likely they never made the journey to the US.
............ +Josefina Andersdotter 1855 -.abt 1892
............ + Marie, b 1870
........Frans (Francis) Otto ELG 1860 – 1944
Note: emigrated in 1887, Involved in mining near Marysville and Bald Butte, Montana
............ +Christina Beata FRYKLIND 1861 - 1946
Note: Christina Beata visited Sweden in 1911, arrived Ellis Island on the s/s Lusitania from Liverpool 15 Dec 1911
........Alfred Emil ELG 1863 – 1937
Note: Arrived in the US 1897. Lived in Marysville, L&C cty, Montana. Joined his brothers Otto and Edward in mining operation at Bald Butte
........Edvard ELG 1866 – 1946
Note: Emigrated to Marysville, MT, 1887. In the 1920 census of Fairhaven County, Alaska, Edward is listed as superintendent of the Independence gold mine, Fairhaven, Seward, Alaska
............ +Christina Olsson 1868 -
........Amanda ELG 1866 – 1869 Note: Died in infancy
........Maria Sofia ELG 1869 – 1922
Note: Emigrated in 1887, to Montana
............ +Nels NELSON 1854 - 1907
........Emma Kristina ELG 1872 – 1958.
............ +Axel Wedelin 1865 - 1913
Note: In 1949, one Elsa Wedelin from Degerfors travels on a Swedish American Line ship to the US. This is possibly a granddaughter of Emma and Axel, since they appear to be the only Wedelin family in Degerfors.
The mystery of Alexander Johnson/Elge
According to Margaret Johnson’s history of the Johnson ranch , the ranch was first settled in 1879 by Jacob's brother Alexander Johnson and his wife Sophia:
----
----
However, among the 14 children of Johan Elg there is no record of any Alexander, and little room left in the birth order.
My guess is that another brother changed his name to Alexander, possibly because it was easier to pronounce in English - this was not that unusual among Swedish emigrants.
I have two "suspects":
Erik Johan Elg, born 1844. One Johan Elg emigrated to Chicago in 1869, with wife Stina/Christina, from a place near Rämmen. I have no proof that this is Erik Johan, but the emigrant's birth year is also 1844.
Per August Elg, born 1850. He did emigrate to the US in 1868, but I have no note of his destination.
All other children of Johan Elg are "accounted for" in the records.
There is no Alexander or Alex Johnson listed for Wyoming in the 1880 or 1890 US censuses. The 1910 federal census lists an Alex Johnson from Sweden in Egbert, Laramie Co. Wyoming, but according to Margaret’s history Alex had passed away at that time.
Then I started looking closer at records for Johan Elg’s children by his second marriage, and came up with a surprise:
The arrival record of the"Britannic"., March 19, 1887 in New York, lists
Note that there is an Alexander Elge listed here, and that he is grouped with Maria and Edward, which seems to indicate that they were traveling together. (Francis) Otto on the other hand is grouped with his wife Beata and son Ernfrid (Alfred Eugene).
In the arrival record their nationality is listed as "Norwegian", but this is clearly a mistaken assumption, based on the fact they started their journey in Norway. Liljendal is close to the Norwegian border, and Oslo (or Kristiania at it was known at the time) was the closest departure port for anyone leaving for America from Liljendal.
Another interesting observation is that the Montana Elge's are using the "Elge" spelling already on the passenger manifest. This is not a spelling used in Sweden, and when they boarded the ship they probably did not know enough English to understand that the "Elge" spelling would make the name easier to pronounce. Unless, of course, "Alexander" had emigrated earlier, and traveled back to Sweden to accompany his younger siblings.
Alisa Nelson has also found a record of an Alexander August Elge, of Sweden, marrying Eva June Smith, of Minnesota, on 6 Feb 1895 in San Bernadino, California. According to Margaret’s history, Alex Johnson was presumably dead by that time, so are there two mystery Alexanders in the same family?.
Was “Alexander Elge” really Jacob’s brother Per August Elg? There is a problem with this theory: The 1887 passenger manifest lists Alexander's age as 26, which would make him born around 1860 – ten years younger than Per August Elg, and a little young to be married and have settled the Johnson ranch in 1877. On the other hand, the San Bernadino marriage record lists Alexander August Elge’s age as 45 years, which matches Per August’s age, and Alexander August Elge is a resident of Montana.
And, of course, if Alexander Elge and Alexander Johnson are the same, Alexander did not die in Laramie in 1888?
Timeline
1850 Per August Elg born
1852 Jacob Elg/Johnson born
1864 Gold boom establishes Helena, Montana (many miners came from Minnesota, city named after St Helena, MN)
1868 Per August Elg emigrates to the US (source: Swedish emigration records)
1868 Union Pacific RR reaches Laramie
1875 Mining boom in Black Hills, S.D. Many miners leave Helena.
1879 Johnson ranch settled by Alexander and Sophia (Elg) Johnson
1880 Jacob Elge Johnson and his wife Sophia emigrates to Chicago
1880 A Elge day laborer in Ten Mile, Montana (ten miles west of Helena)
1881 First record of Johnson occupancy, loan secured by land
1883 Northern Pacific RR reaches Helena, Montana
1884 Jacob and family arrive in Laramie
1887 Alexander Elge,26, arrives, with Marie, 18, Edward, 20, Frans Otto,24 and Otto's family. Source US arrival, passenger list Edward and Frans Otto, settle in Marysville,MT, a mining town 20 miles NW of Helena,MT. No sign of Alexander..
1888 Ranch taken over by Alexander's brother Jacob, and his wife Sophia
1888 According to Margaret Johnson, Alex dies on ranch, no record of his wife Sophia or any children
1888 August Elg (b 1870) emigrates to Helena, Montana in 1888, changed name to Elge
1889 Marie marries Nels Nelson, in Helena, Montana
1892 Hilda Marie Elg emigrates to the US (no final destination noted)
1893 Beda Fredrika Elg emigrates to Montana
1895 Alexander August Elge, age 44, resident of Montana, marries Eva June Smith in San Bernadino, CA, on Feb 6
1903 Victor Elg,b abt 1878, emigrates 17 Apr.1903 from St. Tuna to McKeesport. Victor Elge,b abt 1879, is listed in the 1930 US Census as a guest of the Skagit County jail, Mount Vernon, Skagit, Washington.
1925 Emma Christina Elg emigrated to Helena, Montana.
Johan Elg was born in Gravendal, Säfsnäs, Sweden, but moved across the county line and spent most of his life as a blacksmith in and around Liljendal, Värmland. He was married twice:
First marriage: Johan ELG 1817 – 1896 +Kajsa HÅKANSDOTTER 1812 - 1853
........Karl Johan ELG 1839 – bef. 1900
............ +Edla BREDENBERG 1841 –
Note: All of their children were born in Sweden and stayed in Sweden, so most likely Karl Johan also stayed in Sweden.
........Anna Lisa ELG 1840 – 1854. Died young.
........Karl Gustaf ELG 1842 - 1918
............ +Anna Karolina BERGSTRÖM 1845 – 1915
Note: Daughter Hilda Maria Elg, b abt 1875, emigrates to the US on May 27, 1892. Daughter Olga Juliana Elg, born 21 jun 1878 emigrated to the US in 1894. Domestic servant in Chicago (1900 census), possibly married 1907 in Wisconsin.
Son Sigfrid Elg emigrated in 1912, 1930 census shows him in Fairfield, Connecticut.
........Erik Johan ELG 1844 –
Note: One Johan Elg, b abt 1844, emigrates to Chicago in Nov 1869, with wife Christina. I have no evidence that this is Erik Johan, except matching year of birth, and Johan comes from the same region of Sweden.
........Lars Fredrik ELG 1846 -
............ +Anna Karolina PERSDOTTER 1841 –
Note: Son August Elg (b 1870) emigrates to Helena, Montana in 1888, changed name to Elge
Daughter Beda Fredrika Elg emigrates to Montana in Sept 1893
Son Victor Elg,b abt 1878, emigrates 17 Apr.1903 from St. Tuna to McKeesport. Victor Elge,b abt 1879, is listed in the 1930 US Census as a guest of the Skagit County jail, Mount Vernon, Skagit, Washington.
Daughter Emma Christina Elg emigrated to Helena, Montana, in 1925, probably after her husband passed away.
........Per August ELG 1850 –
Note:Emigrated to the US 22 Oct 1868
The 1880 US Census shows an A Elge living as a laborer in the household on Chas. Hirsch, Ten Mile, Montana. No evidence that this was Per August, but Ten Mile is only ten miles from Helena..
........Jakob ELG (JOHNSON) 1852 – 1922
............ +Sofia KÄMPE 1854 – 1943
Note: Emigrated in 1879 (no emigration record found) Their story is told in Margaret Johnson's history of the Johnson Ranch
Second marriage: Johan ELG + Anna Stina OLSDOTTER 1834 - 1890
........Reinhold ELG 1857 –
Note: Emigrated to Oslo 25 nov 1890. Emigrated again to Norway 1 Aug 1893, now listed as widower. 1900 census shows him as day labourer, working on railroad construction. Oslo was normally a stepping stone for emigrating to the US but his children died in Sweden, so likely they never made the journey to the US.
............ +Josefina Andersdotter 1855 -.abt 1892
............ + Marie, b 1870
........Frans (Francis) Otto ELG 1860 – 1944
Note: emigrated in 1887, Involved in mining near Marysville and Bald Butte, Montana
............ +Christina Beata FRYKLIND 1861 - 1946
Note: Christina Beata visited Sweden in 1911, arrived Ellis Island on the s/s Lusitania from Liverpool 15 Dec 1911
........Alfred Emil ELG 1863 – 1937
Note: Arrived in the US 1897. Lived in Marysville, L&C cty, Montana. Joined his brothers Otto and Edward in mining operation at Bald Butte
........Edvard ELG 1866 – 1946
Note: Emigrated to Marysville, MT, 1887. In the 1920 census of Fairhaven County, Alaska, Edward is listed as superintendent of the Independence gold mine, Fairhaven, Seward, Alaska
............ +Christina Olsson 1868 -
........Amanda ELG 1866 – 1869 Note: Died in infancy
........Maria Sofia ELG 1869 – 1922
Note: Emigrated in 1887, to Montana
............ +Nels NELSON 1854 - 1907
........Emma Kristina ELG 1872 – 1958.
............ +Axel Wedelin 1865 - 1913
Note: In 1949, one Elsa Wedelin from Degerfors travels on a Swedish American Line ship to the US. This is possibly a granddaughter of Emma and Axel, since they appear to be the only Wedelin family in Degerfors.
The mystery of Alexander Johnson/Elge
According to Margaret Johnson’s history of the Johnson ranch , the ranch was first settled in 1879 by Jacob's brother Alexander Johnson and his wife Sophia:
“The ranch was first settled by Everett Johnson's great uncle Alexander Johnson and his wife, Sophia, in 1879. It was taken over by Alexander´s brother (Everett's grandfather) Jacob and his wife, Sophia, in 1888. Jacob's son (Everett's father) “
----
“Alex Johnson and his wife came from Sweden to the United States, arriving in Laramie on the Union Pacific Railroad. We assume that the area near the mountains reminded them of their homeland as many Scandinavians settled in the area.”
----
“Alex lived on the ranch until his death in 1888. No record could be found as to what happened to his wife and there is no record of children. Jacob then assumed control of the ranch.”
However, among the 14 children of Johan Elg there is no record of any Alexander, and little room left in the birth order.
My guess is that another brother changed his name to Alexander, possibly because it was easier to pronounce in English - this was not that unusual among Swedish emigrants.
I have two "suspects":
Erik Johan Elg, born 1844. One Johan Elg emigrated to Chicago in 1869, with wife Stina/Christina, from a place near Rämmen. I have no proof that this is Erik Johan, but the emigrant's birth year is also 1844.
Per August Elg, born 1850. He did emigrate to the US in 1868, but I have no note of his destination.
All other children of Johan Elg are "accounted for" in the records.
There is no Alexander or Alex Johnson listed for Wyoming in the 1880 or 1890 US censuses. The 1910 federal census lists an Alex Johnson from Sweden in Egbert, Laramie Co. Wyoming, but according to Margaret’s history Alex had passed away at that time.
Then I started looking closer at records for Johan Elg’s children by his second marriage, and came up with a surprise:
The arrival record of the"Britannic"., March 19, 1887 in New York, lists
Alexander Elge, 26, laborer
Marie “ ,18, spinster
Edward “ , 20, laborer
Otto Elge, 24, farmer
Beata “ , 24, wife
Ernfrid “ , 3, child
Note that there is an Alexander Elge listed here, and that he is grouped with Maria and Edward, which seems to indicate that they were traveling together. (Francis) Otto on the other hand is grouped with his wife Beata and son Ernfrid (Alfred Eugene).
In the arrival record their nationality is listed as "Norwegian", but this is clearly a mistaken assumption, based on the fact they started their journey in Norway. Liljendal is close to the Norwegian border, and Oslo (or Kristiania at it was known at the time) was the closest departure port for anyone leaving for America from Liljendal.
Another interesting observation is that the Montana Elge's are using the "Elge" spelling already on the passenger manifest. This is not a spelling used in Sweden, and when they boarded the ship they probably did not know enough English to understand that the "Elge" spelling would make the name easier to pronounce. Unless, of course, "Alexander" had emigrated earlier, and traveled back to Sweden to accompany his younger siblings.
Alisa Nelson has also found a record of an Alexander August Elge, of Sweden, marrying Eva June Smith, of Minnesota, on 6 Feb 1895 in San Bernadino, California. According to Margaret’s history, Alex Johnson was presumably dead by that time, so are there two mystery Alexanders in the same family?.
Was “Alexander Elge” really Jacob’s brother Per August Elg? There is a problem with this theory: The 1887 passenger manifest lists Alexander's age as 26, which would make him born around 1860 – ten years younger than Per August Elg, and a little young to be married and have settled the Johnson ranch in 1877. On the other hand, the San Bernadino marriage record lists Alexander August Elge’s age as 45 years, which matches Per August’s age, and Alexander August Elge is a resident of Montana.
And, of course, if Alexander Elge and Alexander Johnson are the same, Alexander did not die in Laramie in 1888?
Timeline
1850 Per August Elg born
1852 Jacob Elg/Johnson born
1864 Gold boom establishes Helena, Montana (many miners came from Minnesota, city named after St Helena, MN)
1868 Per August Elg emigrates to the US (source: Swedish emigration records)
1868 Union Pacific RR reaches Laramie
1875 Mining boom in Black Hills, S.D. Many miners leave Helena.
1879 Johnson ranch settled by Alexander and Sophia (Elg) Johnson
1880 Jacob Elge Johnson and his wife Sophia emigrates to Chicago
1880 A Elge day laborer in Ten Mile, Montana (ten miles west of Helena)
1881 First record of Johnson occupancy, loan secured by land
1883 Northern Pacific RR reaches Helena, Montana
1884 Jacob and family arrive in Laramie
1887 Alexander Elge,26, arrives, with Marie, 18, Edward, 20, Frans Otto,24 and Otto's family. Source US arrival, passenger list Edward and Frans Otto, settle in Marysville,MT, a mining town 20 miles NW of Helena,MT. No sign of Alexander..
1888 Ranch taken over by Alexander's brother Jacob, and his wife Sophia
1888 According to Margaret Johnson, Alex dies on ranch, no record of his wife Sophia or any children
1888 August Elg (b 1870) emigrates to Helena, Montana in 1888, changed name to Elge
1889 Marie marries Nels Nelson, in Helena, Montana
1892 Hilda Marie Elg emigrates to the US (no final destination noted)
1893 Beda Fredrika Elg emigrates to Montana
1895 Alexander August Elge, age 44, resident of Montana, marries Eva June Smith in San Bernadino, CA, on Feb 6
1903 Victor Elg,b abt 1878, emigrates 17 Apr.1903 from St. Tuna to McKeesport. Victor Elge,b abt 1879, is listed in the 1930 US Census as a guest of the Skagit County jail, Mount Vernon, Skagit, Washington.
1925 Emma Christina Elg emigrated to Helena, Montana.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Life on the ranch..
We are just back from two weeks visiting family in Minnesota and Wyoming. As time allows I will publish bits of history discovered on my journey. To start off, here is a wonderful glimpse of life on the ranch back in 1961. This should be read as a companion to Margaret Johnson's "History of the Johnson Ranch ( http://web.telia.com/~u85435856/emigration/johnson1.html ).
/ Lennart
/ Lennart
Good Life is Even Better on ”Park” Ranch
Robert Beasley, The Cooperative Consumer, Oct 31, 1961
Johnsons stand over the spillway from the Big Laramie River into the Pioneer Canal, which carries water to the Johnson Ranch.
If farming is a good life, Wesley Johnson’s style of farming, or ranching, must be the best life. Johnson doesn´t plant or cultivate or strain to harvest any crops. He doesn´t even own a plow.He can see some of America’s most beautiful scenery every time he glances from his home’s windows. The trout-filled Big Laramie River flows through his “back yard”.
Johnson’s “Park Ranch” is 20-some miles southwest of Laramie, Wyo. It gets its name from its many little tree-circled meadows or “parks” carpeted with native grasses. The parks are perfect winter quarters for cattle.The ranch straddles the Big Laramie where the river flows out from between mountains onto the Laramie plain. The Johnsons’ buildings and most of their land is on the river’s north bank. Some of the land is on the south bank, spread out across the first gentle rise towards the peak of Jelm mountain.
Johnson’s uncle bought the ranch back in 1878. When he died, it passed on to Johnson’s dad. And Wes Johnson bought the place in 1924; he moved on to it in 1927. He and his wife, Carol, and their son and his family operate the ranch now.Besides those grassy-floored “parks”, the ranch’s most important assets include a couple of “rights” – the right to take irrigation water from the Big Laramie River and a permit to graze cattle from June 16 to Oct. 1 in the mountainous Medicine Bow National Forest six miles from the ranch. The Irrigation rights were granted to the Johnsons back in 1879 and ’80. That makes them old enough to be valuable in the West, where the man with the oldest rights gets first claim on the often limited supply of water.
The Johnson herd – basically 100 Hereford cows and their calves – leave their winter quarters in the ranch’s parks in the spring and walk five miles north to a spring range. In June, they clump up the trail to the cool, relatively insect-free national forest.In the summer, the Johnsons do their only “crop work”. They put the hay from the native grass in the parks around the ranch up in neat, “buck-fenced” stacks. And in September, they trail their Herefords down from the national forest.The cows spend their winters munching the native hay; their calves – except animals kept for the breeding herd – are sold to feeders. Johnson calves usually go to feeders in the Red Oak, In. area. In mid-february, the cows begin dropping their calves. As soon as all the calves have arrived and have been branded and vaccinated, the year’s cycle begins again.
Rustic corral on Johnson ranch is busy place in late winter and early spring. Calving is done in buildings at right. Later, calves are branded and vaccinated in the corral.
Mountain Meadow Drama
During our day on the Johnson ranch, we watched the first act in one of those little dramas that make livestock raising such rewarding, interesting work.A neighbour had spotted a Johnson cow, apparently in trouble on the summer range in Medicine Bow National Forest. Everett checked. He came back with unhappy news: The cow was suffering from foot rot, a mean, debilitating condition happily rare amomng range cattle.
We went with the Johnsons – Wes, Everett and Everett’s wife, Margaret – into the forest to look for the cow. We found her, thin and limping on a swollen left hind foot, in the edge of some timber just off a mountain meadow. Her calf, blocky and bright, quick and spooky, darted through the woods ahead of the cow as the Johnson men, armed with ropes, went after her. They caught her in a few minutes.
With the calf watching apprehensively but from a distance, Everett needled antibiotics into the cow’s flank, splashed a healthy dose of iodine on the bad foot, and jammed some elephant-sized pills down her throat. He and his dad wanted to truck the animal back to the ranch, but they hesitated running her calf down into the dangerous timber. So they left the cow, tethered to a tree, with good hay and a tub of water in easy reach.
The Johnsons wrote later that they decided to bring the cow down from the mountain by truck. They built a stockade around her in the woods, left the stockade gate open and waited “for nature to take its course”. When the calf stepped up for dinner, Everett closed the stockade gate on him. And he and his mother rode home, where good care and feed healed her quickly.
The rancher’s work is by no means finished when the cattle are trailed to the summer ranges. The herd is checked constantly for injury or disease, and medication is administered on the spot. This cow, afflicted with a bad case of foot rot, is given a penicillin shot by rancher Everett Johnson in the Medicine Bow National Forest range near Foxpark.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Charles John Elg
After my success in finding information about Louis Elg, I wanted to find out more about his brother, Carl Johan Elg, who also lived in Idaho Falls. I soon received this reply, and I would like to thank Ms. Judy House for her assistance:
Mrs William Williams was no doubt his daughter Ella, born 28 nov. 1882 in Osage City, KS. According to my notes, Charles and Sophia had a totasl of five children, Ida Cecilia, Oskar, Ella, Elmer and Iver, see http://web.telia.com/~u85435856/FAMILY/WC01/WC01_050.HTM .Dear Mr. Elg,
Your latest request sent me on a long search for information about Louis Elg’s brother Carl. He did indeed change his name to Charles John. This is the information I discovered:
He came to Idaho Falls (then Eagle Rock) in 1889 from Osage, Kansas. His wife’s name was Sophia. His occupation was stonemason. He lived in Idaho Falls for 52 years and died at the age of 90 on August 2, 1941. His funeral was held at the Lutheran Church and he is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Idaho Falls. He and Sophia had two children, Ida and Elmer. Their residence was at 205 Cliff Street. They also had a boarder living there named William McBride.
At the time of his death, he was a widower. His closest relative at that time was Mrs. William Williams. According to the 1941 Idaho Falls City Directory, her first name was Ella, so I don’t know how she was related.
I hope this information is helpful. Thank you for contacting the Museum of Idaho. If we can be of further assistance,
please feel free to contact us again.
Sincerely,
Judy House,
librarian, Museum of Idaho Reading and Reference Room
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)