In the 21st Century in America, we find fast paced living standards where it's easy to forget that although we are Americans, we all share a heritage enriched by cultures of other countries. I have received information from many different sources where people have been kind enough (even thousands of miles away in Sweden, with the help of the Chairman of the Bollnas Genealogical Society) to help a stranger. I hope this web site aids other families whose ancestors came from Sweden to make the "connection".

Living in a land of lakes and mountains may have helped the Swedish people brave the cold, extreme weather found in parts of Kansas. But, I sincerely doubt that it could have helped prepare them for the heat, the droughts, the grasshoppers and locusts, the tornadoes and other weather producing threats that they faced here. If you travel through north-central Kansas today, you see more trees than you saw when I was a child in the 1950s. Most of the trees were planted there as few were around when our ancestors arrived. In parts of Kansas, you can still the rock fence posts standing, thus the reason for Kansas being named the post-rock country; wood being a coveted item. They built homes, barns, and fence posts of rock. My great grandfather (Olof Englund) built the first stone barn in Grant Township, just south of Wayne and it still stands today, over 100 years later. Our Swedish emigrants were farmers, stockmen, shoemakers, homemakers, ministers, politicians, and community builders with a sense of pride and integrity in building a land for the future.

Prayer:  "Our Father" in Swedish

Bios/Portraits of Swedes in KS

The following is information from publications:
Our Swedish Ancestors - Volume II - Anders Magnus Jonsson "Ört", Clara Jonsddotter
Our Swedish Ancestors - Volume II - CARL FRITHIOF ORTH (Ört), and ANNA MAGNUSDOTTER (MAGNUSSON)

Scandinavian Naming Practices

SWEDISH SITES for Searching

Why They Left Sweden

Cemeteries in Republic County Kansas

Comprehensive List of Cemeteries in Kansas

Finding Kansas Genealogy
Links shared during the presentation at Tri-Conference in Whchita - 13 Apr 2000

Sweden Research Strategies

NATURALIZATION & PASSENGER SHIP INFO

Google

Medical Side Affect of Genealogy
Does it sound like this is going to be a joke? It's not. It is a real problem that may occur for people.

Symptoms: sore throat, lasting for several days; deep, dry, non-producing chest cough; nasal/head congestion; fluid in ears (ear ache); achiness, then possible fever. The symptoms may not appear all at once, but may escalate.

Diagnosis: Throat infection and complications from mold spores entering the body's system. When viewing old books and old pictures (as well as visiting old homes, with cellars - courhouses and other old buildings), mold and mildew is very likely to be present. Mold produces air bound spores which can be breathed into the body's system. Some people react to this more than others, and you do not have to suffer from allergies to have this occur (although persons with allergies are more likely candidates).

Possible Prevention: (Giving up genealogy is not an option for me. I enjoy it too much!) Some people have achieved success in controlling this by placing plastic over the object they are viewing. Since the complications to my allergies turn into more serious problems, I have begun wearing a mask over the nose and mouth area whenever I enter old homes and view genealogy materials (at the libraries, family history centers, courthouses, etc).

Please - if you experience the sore throat or any other symptoms after working with your genealogy materials, consult your doctor. Don't try to wait it out and risk the more complicated affects that can be associated with ear-nose-throat problems. Antihistamines may or may not be needed, your doctor will know best. Be careful, safe, and enjoy your genealogy!

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