Karin Elizabeth Beijer was born in Småland Hjorted Sweden, November 3, 1894 to Nils Magnus and Anna Christina Beijer. She was the seventh child born, having two sisters and four brothers. Her mother, Anna, died January 26, 1898, only 9 days after giving birth to a stillborn baby girl. Anna died on her birthday at age 36. Karin was only 4 years old.The family lived in the woods in a two room house that Nils built and named Strömtorpet. Anna's mother and her sister also lived with them. The house was made of wood, painted red and trimmed in white. It had a roof made of sod and birch bark. There were also two other buildings there, one used to make shoes. The landscape is much like Minnesota with many pine and birch trees and also very rocky with rocks coming out of the ground. |