I challenged myself today to some (more) research on the internet.
According to legend, my great great grandma was in love with someone of the swedish royal family. They couldn't marry becauae she was a peasant girl.
She emigrated to the US around 1887/1888. In most census', shes listed as Kajsa, mother of Charles. He was her youngest son. She lived with them through every census. She is buried in the family plot in Thief River Falls.
So here's my difficulty. She came to the US with 3 sons and a daughter. Family parish records in Sweden are quite complete, and quite searchable. None of them have been found. And I'm a good researcher!
I figure they changed their names and quite probably their birth dates in order to hide. But what were they hiding from? Or who??
The legend about a tryst with a royal someone seems far-fetched as according to Google, the Royals lived on the other side of Sweden, and our family says they were from Varmland. They are approximately a 5 hour car ride apart. Back in the 1800s, it would be all day on a horse.
But for clarity, saying you're from Varmland is like saying you're from Calif, lots of space, many small towns.
On the other side of the family, I was able to pin down details: they were from Kringsberget, a small, historic, and rural area located in the deep forests of Södra Finnskoga within Torsby Municipality, Värmland County. I even located the church they probably attended.
So why is it SO difficult to find my other great great grand and her children??? Frustrations!!
The timber structure was built primarily between 1831 and 1835 based on blueprints by architect Axel Nyström.
I have a passion for old churches and barns. This one is fabulous! And yes, this one makes me smile!! But I seem to be living in the wrong place and time, there aren't many old churches and barns in the Valley of the Sun!
