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  • How to start search in the US

    Hi,

    I have just joined Familytreeforum. I am ignorant to family history search but now in front of a challence concerning my great grandfather. This person was borne in Sweden on the 19th century, moved to Finland, got married in Finland (and my grandmother was born) and by everybody's surprise took a ship to the US and left Finland for good. Since leaving Finland there are just 2 pieces of information: name of the ship he took and the date he arrived in the US. The next information is a note in Sweden archives where is a note that this person has died in the US. And the date of the death. Nobody knows nothing about this persons life in the US.

    How to start searcing my great grandfather's US history? Did he get married again? Children? What did he do? Was he successfull? Did he acquire US citizenship?

    All hints about starting the seach are truly appreciated.

    Br,
    Siplax from Finland

  • #2
    Hi, welcome to the forum.

    If you can give us a name of the deceased relative we can have a look for you. Or if you want to do it yourself you need to search his name and date of birth on a site like ancestry where they have lots of US records including census up to 1940.

    You could also search here www.familysearch.org where they have a lot of records from all over the world.

    There is also a list of other site you could try here https://www.familytreeforum.com/cont...tes-of-America which is the reference libabry on this site.

    Margaret
    Last edited by margaretmarch; 05-02-17, 19:31.

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Margaret,

      It is so nice to see that you noticed my posting. Thanks a lot for the pointers to start the journey. There are at the moment 4 persons working on our family tree on my father's brance. The work started on 1930s (!). The family tree is quite complete all the way to 1640s when the church started to keep records in Finland. It is fantastic to see some of the old church records with interesting notes of my ancestors. In many cases there was a note "död galen" meaning "was crazy when died". I was not too worried about that as those guys all died at the age near to 90 years! Extremely high age on those days. But, there is one crucial piece still missing. What happened to my father's mother's father. The Guy that vanished to the US. Our "team" has assigned this search to me.

      I will ask our team (my brother and 2 cousins) if I can disclose the name and other details of our great grandfather. Your offer to help is really kind.

      Best regards,
      Seppo

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Margaret and any other viewer of this.

        I will now diclose all the details I got about my great grandfather. The guy that vanished from any "radars" after arrival to Ellis Island in New York:

        Name: Jan Petter Andersson
        Date of birth: 30.4.1843, Sweden
        Died: 1903 in the US. This information we got from Sweden where he was born. No official documents about death exist. No date no place. Just the year. His parish must have got the information from eg. someone's letter from the US. So, the death year is not official. Not to me at least.
        Moved to Finland: 27.10.1882
        Married: 7.6.1885 (Marja Greta Mattfolk from Lappfjärd Finland. My grandgrandmother.)
        Children: 4 daughters (1885-1891). My grand mother was one of them: Dagmar Teresia Andersson 28.1.1890.
        Immigration to the US:
        Ship: RMS Celtic
        Departure: Liverpool, 13.12.1901
        Arrival to N.Y. : 31.12.1901

        Below a link to Liberty Ellis Foundation record "List or Manifest of Alien Immigrants" by White Star Lane. That is the last written sign of my greatgrandfather.



        I do not yet know how to proceed from here. But I will learn. Any good tips & hints are very much appreciated. Would be extremely interesting to know more about Jan Petter Andersson's life in the US of A.

        Best regards,
        Seppo

        Comment


        • #5
          If you click to the link to libertyellisfoundation -link, please scroll down to see the manifest document. It is readable free of charge.
          /Seppo

          Comment


          • #6
            With his arrival in Dec 1901 and [if correct] death in Apr 1903 there will be no census records unfortunately which would help.

            How do you know the man on the Celtic is your Jan Petter ANDERSSON - there are several born in Sweden around 1844: have you ruled all the others out?

            Comment


            • #7
              From the image on Ellis Island he was going to Clinton Mass. [Clinton is in Worcester County] which is a good clue. It would seem he was staying with Mrs Lina Andersson with written after Simlibing [?] 2 sons and a daughter. does that name mean anything to you?

              Comment


              • #8
                Great progress! This Jan Petter's "Last residence" was Björneborg (Pori) in Finland according to the Ellis Island document. I have an official church document (official cerficate) from Björneborg parish about Jan Petter. He is our man. I will now search what we know about Mrs Lina Andersson.
                /Seppo

                Comment


                • #9
                  Forgot to add his last residence was Bjornsborg [?] which I take to be in Finland? And he was an Arbetare [worker], nationality Svensk undersite [?]

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Here's the 1920 census for Lina Andersson http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/60...&usePUBJs=true

                    Margaret

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Here's a death record for a J P Andersson b1843 Sweden http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...iv=1&ml_rpos=2

                      Might be worth buying that to see if it has any information that links it to your family.

                      The cemetery record is here https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...3&ref=acom and you could try contacting the cemetery to see if they can tell you more to either confirm or eliminate this man.

                      Margaret
                      Last edited by margaretmarch; 09-02-17, 11:09.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I know now this much about Mrs. Lina Anderson:

                        Maiden Name: Elina (Lina) Sofia Ã…djers
                        Birth/died date: 11.9.1877 - 6.4.1936
                        Moved to USA: 1896.
                        Married: 5.9.1898 to Johan Edward Fred. Fred chnged surname to Anderson in USA. 7.2.1876 (Korsholm) - 1.1.1969 (in USA?). Name is with one "S"-letter.
                        Children: 1) Edith Sofia Ingeborg Anderson 22.11.1899 - 1.3.1980 USA. 2) Jennie Viola Ådjers 5.6.1902 (USA) - 25.3.1988 (Närpes Finland). Jennie was married to Karl Emil Södergrann 12.8.1892 (Närpes) - 19.1.1970 (Närpes)

                        I do not yet know what is the relation of Jan Petter Andersson to Mrs. Anderson and her husband (ex. Fred). It will take now some time to dig into that.

                        With the information at hand are there any hints how to dig in to Mrs. Anderson (perhaps) from Clinton?

                        /Seppo

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Sorry, I did not see all the replys that have come befote posting my Lina-package. Will come back soon!

                          PS. To all: I am new with this forum. What we are now doing , is the great help you provide me with free of charge...? Just hobby for you?

                          /Seppo

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            To clarify a bit. I am so astonished about the support I get that I needed to place the question ��.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Yes. Björneborg is in Finland. He was born in Sweden an a subject to Swedish kingdom. This was important as Finland was part of Russian Empire at that time. But yes, Jan Petter was technicallly a foreigner in Finland.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                What you gave me is very interesting. I will check these clues as you proposed.
                                /Seppo


                                Originally posted by margaretmarch View Post
                                Here's a death record for a J P Andersson b1843 Sweden http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...iv=1&ml_rpos=2

                                Might be worth buying that to see if it has any information that links it to your family.

                                The cemetery record is here https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...3&ref=acom and you could try contacting the cemetery to see if they can tell you more to either confirm or eliminate this man.

                                Margaret

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Am trying to find more about Elina ADJERS - this is one entry to USA with her children Edith & Jenny in 1904. NB: address is 72 Green Street Clinton Mass



                                  Her husband is Edward ANDERSON

                                  Question: would she be ADJERS with children named ADJERS is she was married to ANDERSON?

                                  NB: other ADJERS are on this page - relatives?
                                  Last edited by Bertie; 09-02-17, 12:21.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Not sure if this is correct but name is good even if age and status not....

                                    Given Name Lina Sofia
                                    Surname Andersson
                                    Last Place of Residence Oland
                                    Event Date 29 Apr 1900
                                    Age 18y
                                    Nationality Finland
                                    Departure Port Southampton
                                    Arrival Port New York
                                    Gender Female
                                    Marital Status S
                                    Ship Name Saint Louis
                                    Citing this Record

                                    "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924
                                    Last edited by Bertie; 09-02-17, 12:32.

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Per my post #17 Elina's children were born in the USA and she was in Clinton from 1896-1903 so she should be there in 1900 Census.

                                      Is Johan Edward's surname really FRED?

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        This is likely birth of daughter Edith:

                                        Name Edith S. I. Anderson
                                        Event Type Birth
                                        Event Date 22 Nov 1898
                                        Event Place Clinton, Massachusetts
                                        Gender F
                                        Father's Name Edward Anderson
                                        Mother's Name Lena Hendricksen
                                        Citing this Record

                                        "Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915



                                        Am getting confused with Lina's surname now!

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