BKASC: Bo Socken

Today's Better Know a Scandinavian City: Bo Socken

"Johan August Persson and Johanna Sofia Olsdotter were married about 1854. Johan was born on April 3, 1833 at a farm called Murtorpet located in Bo socken, a parish in the province of Närke.

Murtorpet

Following their marriage, Johan and Johanna lived at this same farm. The occupation of Johan was listed in the church records as crofter, a man who rented his cottage and paid for it by working for the owner of the land a fixed number of days. Johan and Johanna had seven children, but two died at very young ages. Their eldest son, Carl August, was six years old and his brother, Gustaf Adolf, was three when their sister Emeli was born in 1861. Two years later, Emeli died just four months after her sister Anna was born. Anna also died before reaching her second birthday. A son, Johan Axel, was born following the death of Anna. Their only surviving daughter, Frida Kristina, was born in 1868. In 1871, their youngest son, Malcolm Hugo, was born.

Modern Murtorpt

During the last half of the nineteenth century, many different factors were causing people in Sweden to emigrate to the United States. Among these were religious persecution, deteriorating economic conditions, drought and dwindling land availability. In 1880, Carl August, the oldest son, decided to emigrate to the United States. Although emigration was occurring all around them, Johan and Johanna must have had considerable heartache with the departure of a son to a foreign country, knowing that he probably would never return to Sweden and the farm called Murtorpet." (murtorpet.se)

Carl August was my Great-great grandfather. He was the first among his family to emigrate to America. In the spirit of my great-great grandfather's tenacity, I made my voyage back "home."

Me, back on the farm