Returning to Sweden After 158 Years: Back to the Beginning

   Sometime in May 1866 Lars Johan and Johanna Sofia Samuelsson, together with their three young children, set out on a momentous journey. They left their home and their impoverished existence in Sweden’s rural Småland Province hoping for a better life in America. Lars and Johanna are Carol’s great-great grandparents. Their son, Johan Oscar Emil, who was with them, is Carol’s great grandfather. Their journey likely took three weeks or so – from their home to the port city of Gothenburg, then steamship to Hull, England, followed by a train journey to Liverpool, and another steamship to Castle Garden, New York City. From there, they headed west, by 1879 eventually ending up in Kansas.


Map by Brett Cedarholm


 

   In a few days, Carol and I will be reversing that journey: four hours by car to Newark Airport and then an eight hour flight to Stockholm. After a few days there, we will drive the three hours to the ancestral home in Rumskulla, Småland. There Carol will reunite with her family that never left Sweden, and whom she has never met. She will be joined by a host of Cedarholms coming from the U.S.


   We are very excited and hope to share with you over the next month some of that excitement and all we learn – about both Carol’s heritage and Sweden – through this blog. Please let me know if you prefer not to receive these emails. 


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