Tracing the family history is like solving a mystery.
A clue or an inner prompting that defies explanation may lead to unexpected places.
As you see the story unfold, there is an energy that just leaps within;
you somehow know you have made a connection.
You know there is someone from long ago, smiling and saying,
"Thank you, I have not been forgotten."
(from my book, Treasures From the Past: Tracing My Swedish Heritage)
A clue or an inner prompting that defies explanation may lead to unexpected places.
As you see the story unfold, there is an energy that just leaps within;
you somehow know you have made a connection.
You know there is someone from long ago, smiling and saying,
"Thank you, I have not been forgotten."
(from my book, Treasures From the Past: Tracing My Swedish Heritage)
What's in a picture?
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A picture says a thousand words...
When I came across this picture, there was something about it that captured my attention. The back of this picture, like many that my mom held in her special "treasure box," had names on the back. It was her mother, Louisa Maria (Lundgren) Carlstrom, and Emma (Lundgren) LaBrie. I was fascinated with the sisterly bond that was evident in this image. The moment that was captured here was one that I wanted for my book. I scanned the picture and played with the settings on the computer. This became one of my favorite pictures because its sentiment really touched my heart. I knew about my grandmother, but very little about Emma. Now I felt a strong need to answer the question: Who was Emma? I remembered my mom telling me that she had an aunt Emma, who died at a young age and left two sons, Roy and Robert. I also had a vague recollection of hearing that Emma had been widowed when her husband died while at work at the American Steel and Wire Company. I had no way of knowing dates or details of their story. I just knew I had that desire to know more. |
One Sunday afternoon I had this feeling inside that I should go to the Old Swedish Cemetery and look for Emma's gravestone. I had no idea where to find it, but I did feel strangely drawn to the back section of the cemetery, towards the corner. I couldn't explain the feeling, but I knew I had to go. My husband, Pres and I walked around this area, looking among the many headstones for the name, LaBrie. We were unable to locate the stone, and I left not only without answers, but instead with more questions. I called the cemetery the next morning and they gave me the dates of death for Emma and Joseph LaBrie. They also told me they would leave an orange cone next the grave in the Old Swedish Cemetery so I could could find it on my next visit. Upon my return visit, I was surprised to see the grave was about 20 feet further back from where we had ended our search the previous day.
Now that I had some dates, I was able to scan microfilms of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette at the Worcester Public Library. I was now able to connect the pieces of the puzzle and answer my question...
The story may be found under the Lundgren family by clicking here Emma's Story.
Now that I had some dates, I was able to scan microfilms of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette at the Worcester Public Library. I was now able to connect the pieces of the puzzle and answer my question...
The story may be found under the Lundgren family by clicking here Emma's Story.
PostcardsYou never know where you might find a clue that will tie the story of someone's life together when tracing the family history. I had dates of birth and death on my grandfather's sister, Ingeborg. I knew she was married to Thor Eckert, and I knew she died at a young age. Among the treasures that my mom passed on to me was a locket with her picture and a lock of her hair. What I didn't know is that I had postcards that were written by Ingeborg to my grandfather that would reveal some of her story. Thanks to cousin Birgitta in Sweden, who knew enough information about Ingeborg, I was able to have the postcards translated. I had no way of knowing who wrote these cards, as they were signed, "Bolla," and that was a name I had never heard before. The reason I scanned and sent the first postcard for translation by Birgitta was because of my curiosity about the ship that was pictured on the
front. I hadn't even considered other postcards that were in the stack. |
After reading and translating the first postcard, Birgitta was able to determine that Bolla was Ingeborg's nickname. In the postcard, she spoke about her husband, Thor Eckert who was commander of the steamship, Victoria, which was pictured on the front of the card. This was the beginning of being able to bring her story together...click here for the story of Ingeborg Carlstrom Eckert.
The Carlstrom Book
The Carlstrom family history is documented in this book which was prepared for Dr. Claes Carlstrom at sometime in the earlier part of the 1900's. Portions of it were translated by my mother, Hildur Virginia (Carlstrom) Sandstrom and further translated by my father's cousin, Birgitta. The story dates back to 1692, with Jonas Carlstrom who lived in Kungälv, which is on the west coast of Sweden, near Göteborg.
For more information about the Carlstrom family, see the Carlstrom family page.
For more information about the Carlstrom family, see the Carlstrom family page.