Fält family photos, letters and documentation from Sweden



 

I was contacted by a distant cousin in Sweden. We exchanged notes and email messages and two days ago a packet arrived in the mail box from her. It was full of photos, letters and translations, family group sheets and other documentation connecting Johanna Fält with her parents and siblings. Below is a sampling of items from the packet. There are no words to describe the excitment at this windfall of information and a new relative to add to my Christmas card list. I can hardly believe my luck. All items from the collection of Marita Fäldt.

 

Anders Fält, brother of Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen

Gunhild Fält, sister of Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen

Hanna Isberg, mother of Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen

Lave Fält, father of Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen

Letter  from Anna Fält, sister of  Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen



Translation of letter  from Anna Fält,

Letter from Johanna and Gust Borgreen to Johanna's parents in Sweden

Translation of letter from Johann and Gust Borgreen

Sven Fält and family, brother of Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen

Namesake

Johanna "Jennie" (Fält) Borgreen

March 3 - Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you've come across in your family tree.


My name is Jennie and I was named after my Great Grandma Borgreen.  


Jennie Fält was born on 22 May 1868 in Nävlinge, Kristianstad, Sweden  . On 16 Jul 1891 she arrived the U.S. traveling directly to Rock Springs WY. Research shows an individual named Andrew Felt was already living in Rock Springs and I suspect he was her brother. She married Grandpa Gust Borgreen on 5 Dec 1891 and the mysterious A. Felt served as witness.


 Gust and Jennie reportedly homesteaded in Rock Springs, but as yet, no land patent has been found. By 1898 they had moved to Belt MT with three of their 7 children. The rest would be born in MT.


While living in Belt, they appear next door to one Andrew Felt and family on the 1900 census. Four children were born in MT bringing the grand total to 7. They moved to Great Falls by 1905 and resided there until they passed. 


Jennie passed on 14 Apr 1936 and Gust on 6 Apr 1946. 


We'll visit Jennie Felt again, as she is my brickwall ancestor. I have not been able to locate the parish in Sweden where her baptism record is kept, so have not been able to identify her parents or any siblings. She is a stubborn woman, this great grandma. But with time and persistence, I will find her.


[ETA] almost immediately after posting this, I DID locate the parish register where I found a record of the date she left for the U.S. I haven't found a baptism entry, but she may have not been baptized in the same parish. Regardless, one baby step forward and I'm very excited about that.

Research the Collateral Lines

Collateral Ancestor

Definition: An ancestor not in the direct line of ascent, but of the same ancestral family.

I've been having a bit of trouble with my maternal great grandmother, Johanna "Jennie" (Felt) Borgreen.

I can't seem to find her parents' names. I ordered her death certificate and came up empty. As I was searching the 1900 census, I found Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Borgreen living in Belt MT with their small children. I scanned up and down the page and was very surprised to find a listing for Andrew Felt and family living right next door to them. I noticed that some of Andrew's children had been born in WY. I knew that Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Borgreen had lived in Rock Springs WY and the census showed that a few of their children had been born there. I also noticed that Andrew immigrated to the US, from Sweden, one year before Great Grandma. It became almost obvious to me that they may be related and their close age made me think that perhaps they were siblings. I thought that maybe Andrew would have some of the answers I was not able to get from Great Grandma. So I began to track Andrew and family through time. Below is a timeline for Andrew and his family and my sad version of source citations. I have all sources clearly sited in my records but I'll spare you the details here. 

I have yet to find evidence of Andrew's death. I do know that he was living in 1920, so can narrow my search a bit with that information. My goal is to find the place of death and order his death certificate. Hopefully there will be something of use there. I'll also do some city directory searches and newspaper research. I found a land patent for Andrew and maybe that will help me track him a bit farther. Heritage quest, which I use for census research, doesn't have the 1930 census up yet. I know that Ancestry.com does but am not ready to subscribe again, just yet. Maybe after the holiday bills are paid, I'll renew my subscription for a couple of months. I'd like to see if any of the Felts are listed on the 1930 census. But I can wait a little bit for that.

Timeline for Andrew Felt

1874 Andrew Felt born in Sweden¹

Married: ¹

1887 Son Axel born in Sweden¹

1889 Married in Sweden to Celia ¹   Selma (Paulson) ⁶ⁱ  Thelma (Paulson) ⁶ⁱⁱ

1890 Immigrated to US¹

1889¹ (1890) ⁶ⁱ  Son Victor born in Rock Springs⁶ⁱⁱ WY¹      

1893 Son Elmer born in WY¹

1895 Daughter Agnes born in WY¹

1899 Son Andrew born in MT¹

1900 Family is living next door to Gust and Jennie Borgreen in Belt MT¹

1902 Daughter Mary was born in Cascade County MT²

1907 Andrew received a land patent in Cascade County⁴

1910 Family is living in Cascade County MT²

1910 Andrew and Victor are working in a coal mine²

1910 Census lists Axel as a cripple²

1911: 26 Jan 1911 Victor married Maggie Defoe (sic) in Belt MT⁶ⁱ

1913 Victor and Maggie are living in Wisconsin³

1913: Son, Charles, born to Victor and Maggie.³

1915 Victor and Maggie are living in Wisconsin³

1915: Daughter, Selma, born to Victor and Maggie.³

1918: 23 Nov 1918 Axle died ^& buried at Pleasant View Cemetery Belt MT⁵

^{Between 1920 and 1925 Victor divorced Maggie3, 6ii}

1920 Andrew Felt family living in Cascade County MT³

1920 Living at home Andrew, Selma, Elmer, Mary³

1920 Andrew is a farmer³

1920 Elmer is a farm laborer³

1920 Victor is living in Anoka County, Minnesota with wife

         Maggie and her parents³

1925: 17 Dec 1925 Victor married Elizabeth Bann in Great Falls MT⁶ⁱⁱ

1957: 4 Feb 1957 Victor died and is buried at Manchester Cemetery⁵

¹1900 Census

²1910 Census

³1920 Census

⁴Land Patent

⁵ cemetery listing

⁶ⁱMontana marriage index ref# 4716

⁶ⁱⁱMontana marriage index ref# cn12609

Alternate surname spellings:

Felt¹

Felts²

Feldt³