In January, 1996, I decided it was time to start seaching for my Grandmother's
Swedish roots. In March, 1996, I bought a home computer and subscribed to
an Internet server. I posted several messages to bulletin boards asking for
help in finding any information on my Grandmother, her parents or siblings.The following is the information I had to begin this search: I knew my Grandmothers name as Carrie Elizabeth Borg. She was born November 3, 1894, in Hjorted Parish, Smaland, Sweden. She was baptized and confirmed
in June, 1909 in Sweden. She immigrated to America when she was 17 years
old, arriving in June, 1912. As far as we new she traveled alone. Her mother
died when she was 3-4 years old. She had a brother, Axel Beyer, who with his wife,Anna and son, Karl Gunnar, immigrated to American. She had a sister, Anna, living in America before she immigrated and later lived in Missouri and married to Marshall Smith, never having any children. In notes found in her hand writing we knew she had a sister, Marta who was dead. She had twin brothers in Sweden.
After posting messages on the Internet, I was plesantly surprised, when I
heard from a man named Sam Blixt, a genealogist and educator in Oskarsham,
Sweden, telling me he could help with my search. Sam found my Grandmother's birth records and learned she was born Karin Elisabet Beijer.
He was able to tell me her parents and grandparents names, birthdates and
death dates. He also found the names and birthdates of her brothers and sisters. Through Sam, I also learned the name of her step mother, who turned
out to be her mother's sister and the names of three step siblings.
About the time I was receiving information from Sam, I learned there had been
abiography written about "Gunnar" Beyer and obtained a copy of it from Greg
Carlson. I then learned one of Gunnar's daughers, Connie, children had done
a research of the family as a history project. I wrote to Connie and she was
willing to share it with me. After reading what a 17 year old boy had written,
I was very impressed. While there was alot of misinformation, there was also
some information I did not have. I learned that my Grandmother's sister, Anna
had returned to Sweden to accompany Karin to America. That made me feel
so happy that she didn't travel alone. I learned the names of the step-
siblings. I also learned that my Grandparents paid the passage for Axel, Anna
and Gunnar to immigrate to America and that Anna died a few months after
arriving in Oakland, Nebraska, and she is buried next to Axel and Carrie at the
Oakland Cemetary.
A Swedish man by the name of Lars Brathe was the next help to pop into my
computer. He is an engineer at Volvo Car Plant in Sweden and does genealogy
as a hobby. Lars was able to obtain a copy of the passenger list and tell me
how my Grandmother traveled to America. After receiving the passenger list,
I learned Anna did travel with Karin to America. Her name is on the list also.
The left Gothenburg, Sweden on May 23, 1912 on a "feeder" ship named the
AARO and sailed to Hull, England. They then took a train to Liverpool, England.
At Liverpool, they boarded the ship S.S. Stockholm and sailed for Boston, Mass. At this time it is unknown if they went through Ellis Island. The story goes that
Anna and Karin were misrouted and ended up in Texas but there is nothing to
substantiate this. We are quite sure they traveled by train to Oakland, Nebraska
where Karin worked for the August Lund family. Karin's hand written notes tell
us she arrived in America in June of 1912. We do not know the exact date at
this time nor do we know the exact date she arrived in Oakland.
In October, 1996, Sam gave me the names and address of three men who were
relatives, living in Sweden. Nils, Oskar and Erik Beijer, brothers; grandsons of
one of the twin brothers, Karl Edvard Beijer. I wrote each of them the same letter telling them I was happy to have found them.
Dennis and I talked about traveling to Sweden if we found living relatives there.
Three months past and I didn't have a response from the men I wrote to. I
thought they were not interested in their relatives living in America.
[Karen.ftw]
In January, 1996, I decided it was time to start seaching for my Grandmother's
Swedish roots. In March, 1996, I bought a home computer and subscribed to
an Internet server. I posted several messages to bulletin boards asking for
help in finding any information on my Grandmother, her parents or siblings.
The following is the information I had to begin this search: I knew my Grandmothers name as Carrie Elizabeth Borg. She was born November 3, 1894, in Hjorted Parish, Smaland, Sweden. She was baptized and confirmed
in June, 1909 in Sweden. She immigrated to America when she was 17 years
old, arriving in June, 1912. As far as we new she traveled alone. Her mother
died when she was 3-4 years old. She had a brother, Axel Beyer, who with his wife,Anna and son, Karl Gunnar, immigrated to American. She had a sister, Anna, living in America before she immigrated and later lived in Missouri and married to Marshall Smith, never having any children. In notes found in her hand writing we knew she had a sister, Marta who was dead. She had twin brothers in Sweden.
After posting messages on the Internet, I was plesantly surprised, when I
heard from a man named Sam Blixt, a genealogist and educator in Oskarsham,
Sweden, telling me he could help with my search. Sam found my Grandmother's birth records and learned she was born Karin Elisabet Beijer.
He was able to tell me her parents and grandparents names, birthdates and
death dates. He also found the names and birthdates of her brothers and sisters. Through Sam, I also learned the name of her step mother, who turned
out to be her mother's sister and the names of three step siblings.
About the time I was receiving information from Sam, I learned there had been
abiography written about "Gunnar" Beyer and obtained a copy of it from Greg
Carlson. I then learned one of Gunnar's daughers, Connie, children had done
a research of the family as a history project. I wrote to Connie and she was
willing to share it with me. After reading what a 17 year old boy had written,
I was very impressed. While there was alot of misinformation, there was also
some information I did not have. I learned that my Grandmother's sister, Anna
had returned to Sweden to accompany Karin to America. That made me feel
so happy that she didn't travel alone. I learned the names of the step-
siblings. I also learned that my Grandparents paid the passage for Axel, Anna
and Gunnar to immigrate to America and that Anna died a few months after
arriving in Oakland, Nebraska, and she is buried next to Axel and Carrie at the
Oakland Cemetary.
A Swedish man by the name of Lars Brathe was the next help to pop into my
computer. He is an engineer at Volvo Car Plant in Sweden and does genealogy
as a hobby. Lars was able to obtain a copy of the passenger list and tell me
how my Grandmother traveled to America. After receiving the passenger list,
I learned Anna did travel with Karin to America. Her name is on the list also.
The left Gothenburg, Sweden on May 23, 1912 on a "feeder" ship named the
AARO and sailed to Hull, England. They then took a train to Liverpool, England.
At Liverpool, they boarded the ship S.S. Stockholm and sailed for Boston, Mass. At this time it is unknown if they went through Ellis Island. The story goes that
Anna and Karin were misrouted and ended up in Texas but there is nothing to
substantiate this. We are quite sure they traveled by train to Oakland, Nebraska
where Karin worked for the August Lund family. Karin's hand written notes tell
us she arrived in America in June of 1912. We do not know the exact date at
this time nor do we know the exact date she arrived in Oakland.
In October, 1996, Sam gave me the names and address of three men who were
relatives, living in Sweden. Nils, Oskar and Erik Beijer, brothers; grandsons of
one of the twin brothers, Karl Edvard Beijer. I wrote each of them the same letter telling them I was happy to have found them.
Dennis and I talked about traveling to Sweden if we found living relatives there.
Three months past and I didn't have a response from the men I wrote to. I
thought they were not interested in their relatives living in America.
