Can you help me find the Gustav Andersson family in Chicago?

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
Do you think this is the marriage of your Gustav Anderson with Anna Swanson? The date is the same. The number is the marriage certificate number.
 
ANDERSON, GUSTAF                     SWANSON, HANNA C                     COOK        03/30/1889    /     00137882
 
If so, the marriage took place in Cook County, which is where Chicago is, and where Englewood would be. I think you can totally eliminate that other place near Dixon, Illinois.
 
I found that information on the Illinois State Marriage Index.
 
http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/marriage.html
 
I have a microfilm with some birth certificates for 1890 in Chicago. The Family History Library needs to send it back soon, but maybe you will be lucky and one of the children were born at that time and had a birth certificate. (Remember they weren't required back then.)
 
Did the family return to Sweden? You mentioned your grandmother, so it seems she did. Do you have estimated dates as to when they lived here?
 
Med vänlig hälsning,
 
Judy Olson Baouab

[Annika Jacobsson in Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy! Hi Elisabeth!
Imagine you still want to help me. In fact you already have. Because I have checked the marriage certificate of Gustav and Hanna (my great grandmother and great grandfather) and they married in the Bethlehem Ev. Lutheran Church of Englewood, just as you suggested Elisabeth. And it must be the married couple you found, Judy.
So, I have now sent an E-mail to the Elca Archives as one first action and then I will follow up other threads.
You are right. Gustav (or Gustaf) and his two daughters, Edith Caroline (my grandmother) and Frances Josefine returned to Sweden. I believe that Hanna died at childbirth, giving birth to a son. Gustav and his daughters stayed on for some years, but eventually moved back to Sweden. Gustav seems to have done really very well over there, because as his girls grew up he bought them each a farm in Sweden, in Östergötland. My father does not remember meeting him, but we have been visited by some relatives (I belive of Hanna since Gustav probably emigrated alone, whilst Hanna left as an 11-year-old child, with her hole family).
Even though we know quite a lot about them, we still feel we know very little. When did they move back (to Säby in Småland, where Gustav came from and where my grandma also met my grandpa)? Is there any way of finding their address in Chicago? I'll use your ideas to try to find some buildings that my great grandfather constructed. It could be such fun to find one. What was the life like in Englewood in those days? Any books available from the parish? I have some pictures. Will try to scan them and send them to you one of these days. They are soo American, with the flag and everything.
Is the information on a deadborn son correct?
Any information on the rest of Hannas' family? This is the kind of information I am trying to find.
Apart from the fact that it is fun to make new friends all the time as part of this hobby. I really do wish I could travel to Chicago one day. The thing is, my sister is married in California, so when I have the chance, that is where I go.
But - we'll see. Maybe, one day...
 
You wondered when my grandma was born? She was born in 1892 in January I think, but have to check my papers at home. She was however baptized in the Bethlehem Ev. Lutheran Church, on April 17, 1892, by pastor E Youngdahl.
Gustav (or is it Gustaf) Andersson, became American citizen on April 13, 1887, so I guess he must have emigrated quite a few years before that. Maybe around 1880?
 
Anyway, just did not want to leave your nice comments unanswered this. Now, I will try to follow all the different leads you have given me. How exciting!

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
Try to find the birthdate and birth parish of at least Gustaf. Thanks! There are so many Gustaf Andersons and when I check the records at the Swenson Center, it really helps to have that information.It is listed for church members.
 
I'm going back there for four days at the start of October. Since you gave me a church name, I will check records for Bethlehem. Hopefully they joined the church, which would give more information, but even the nonmembers had baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and funerals in the church.
 
Judy

[Annika Jacobsson in Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy,
I know that the birth parish of Gustaf or Gustav is Säby socken (F) in Småland, Sweden.
I also have his birth date noted as 1862-12-20, but it is not 100% confirmed. Still, who knows. It may lead us right onto him.
I envy you. I wish I could go to the Swenson center too. But, for genealogists, Internet really is a fantastic tool. Makes the world a lot smaller.

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hej Annika,
 
Tack så mycket! That may be very helpful. I read above that you didn't have Hanna's birthdate but you did have her emigration date from Sweden. I assume you learned that from CD Emigranten. Luckily that provides the age, which is helpful.
 
Which child was the oldest one? Edith was born in 1892, I think you said. I didn't see any Edith Anderson born in January 1892 in the birth index at my Family History Center, but they didn't have to report births back then. Would the other girl have been born earlier or later? There were a few Frances names listed but it is hard to know which, if any, could be the right one without some idea of a birthdate or year.
 
I saw a lot of Hanna Andersons listed in the 1871-1916 Cook County death index but neglected to notice that you had listed her age when she emigrated in 1880. I jotted down some names and ages of a few of them, if they died after the time the 1892 girl was born and if they seemed to be of child-bearing age.  
 
An 11 year old girl emigrating in 1880 would have been born about 1869, perhaps. One dead woman named Hanna E. Anderson was 24 years old at death when she died 22 September 1893. She seems to be possibly the right age. Maybe there is an obituary that could be found in a newspaper (English language, which could be checked at a large library such as the one in downtown Chicago, or Swedish language, which could be checked at the Swenson Center.) or maybe I can obtain a death certificate. I will check again on a day when I can spend more time and can find out what records are available. I was too busy today to spend much time searching. I might have overlooked other good possiblities since I didn't notice that clue to her age until I returned home.
 
I only had time to check two Chicago City Directories and there were many Gustaf Andersons listed. That was the microfilm for 1887-1888. None seemed to own a company that built buildings but there were several carpenters and laborers. Maybe a later year will be more helpful.
 
It is possible that the Naturalization Index at NARA will give an address for your Gustaf. It really helps to have that date because there will probably be a few hundred people with his name and not much in the way of information to distinguish them. If I can find an address, I can get an idea of the job he held then. I live about 1/2 hour from the NARA in Chicago.
 
Have you found this family in Sweden? The parish records should give some indication when they returned, so I can figure out a time frame in which to research. Do you think they still lived in Chicago in 1900? I can check the federal census at NARA.
 
You certainly have some great research facilities in Sweden which we don't have, but luckily the Family History Centers provide us access to a lot of what is available. I have learned a lot about my Swedish ancestors using the microfilms rented from a Family History Center. Yes, the Swenson Center has many great materials. I have learned a lot there, but the materials are very time-consuming to use, so I have to keep returning.  
 
Med vänlig hälsning,
 
Judy

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I just noticed that Hanna was Hanna C. when she married, but several of my ancestors had numerous given names and they used different initials from time to time. It is also possible to write a C and an E in such a way that the letters can look like different letters. This is the early stage of research, though, so all possibilities will be checked.
 
Mvh,
 
Judy

[Annika Jacobsson in Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy!
If I do not remember wrong, Hannas second name was Carolina, but I will check this up. Am at work right now.
As regards the time period, I am trying to narrow it down. I was a little wrong about my grandmother Edith. She was born in 1892, but on February 11. I am almost sure, she is the oldest of the two daughters, but am trying to have that confirmed.
They definitely lived in Chicago in 1900 and I am fairly sure even until at least 1905. I believe that Edith's confirmation (what is the good word?) was celebrated around then.
So, I guess that Hanna must have died somewhere between 1895 and 1912.
When fatjer and daughters returned to Sweden, they returned to Säby (F) Parish in Jönköpins Län, where Gustav Andersson was born and from where he emigrated.
My grandfather Erik then also lived in Säby. He and Edith met there most likely and then settled down in Östergötland. They married in Linköping, Östergötland and I am trying to find out the year. My oldest aunt was born in 1915 or 1916, probably a year or so after they married. So, as far as I can understand, they most likely returned to Sweden sometime between 1905 and 1914 (at the very maximum).
 
As regards Hanna I am looking at that web site http://cyberdriveillinois.com/cgi-bin/archives/marriage.s again. I am almost sure that Hanna had 4 or possibly 5 sisters and no brothers. I think I have traced all of them but will have to check back in my papers. She had one younger sister called Ida, that I know. So, it is very likely that I can trace all their marriages down (if they married of course) and learn a lot from there.
I myself will go to see my daughter Mia, who recently moved to Kalmar on the east coast, this week-end. I will then pass Växjö and will try to take the opportunity to visit the Swedish Emigrant Institute. Again, exciting. Let's see what comes out of that.

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
Thanks for the new information. I hope I will be able to find something for you the next time I go to NARA or my Family History Center.
 
Judy

[Annika Jacobsson in Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy!
In the meantime I am digging through all my different notes (trying to put them into really good order) and found quite a lot of information. By the way, do you know that on Gustav Anderssons fathers side I have been able to come as far back as to the 1600's. And as you know, we know that he came back and we have some information on what he did then. What we do not know is when he emigrated, what his daily life in Chicago was like, when his wife Hanna died and when he returned to Sweden again.
Also, I had wrong information about Hanna. It seems that her family lived their life in the US as Swanson, but she emigrated as Hanna Carolina Johannesdotter and she was born 1869-11-30 at Ramkvilla, Småland (F).
Her family included the following members, who all emigrated to USA in 1880:
August Johannesson, born 1844, Broddatorp, Ramkvilla (F) parish
and his wife
Johannisdotter, Stina Maria, born 1842-01-08 in Fröderyd parish.
The girls (too many girls, at that time)...
Johannesdotter, Anna Christina, f 1865-03-29 i Ramkvilla
Johannesdotter, Hilda Lovisa, f 1867-07-22 i Ramkvilla
Johannesdotter, Hanna Carolina, f 1869-11-30 i Ramkvilla
Johannesdotter, Mathilda Sofia, f 1874-05-09 i Ramkvilla
Johannesdotter, Ida Maria Margareta, f 1876-11-29 i Ramkvilla
 
Question is, if we return to the marriage register, we would probably have to exchange Johannesdotter for Swanson.  
 
I have found a note that Gustav Andersson emigrated sometime between 1880 and 1882, but unfortunately without telling the source.
 
My grandmothers sister, second daughter of Gustav and Hanna, Francis Engström born Andersson was born on December 14, 1893.
 
Judy, when are you heading for NARA? I feel you have received information in very unstructured bits and pieces. Do you want me to try to summarize them in a more structured way and send them to you before you go?

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I haven't forgotten you! I have just been very busy.
 
I usually go to NARA about once a week but I haven't had time and I'm not sure when I will get there. I will be going to the Swenson Center the first week in October but it takes a lot of time to go through even one microfilm and I have my own family and a bunch of others to help too. I will keep your person in mind, especially since you have a church name. Maybe we will be lucky. The parish names you gave me are very helpful. If they joined a church, those parishes are listed and sometimes when I'm in a hurry, a look at the parish column really speeds things up.
 
Maybe I will get to NARA after I return from the Swenson Center. I just can't be sure right now.
 
Any organizing you can do will be helpful It is easier to search when the facts are in order.
 
I will try to get to the Family History Center on Thursday but I might have to help a friend with something first.  
 
We use the word confirmation and it is almost the same spelling as your konfirmation.
 
This is just a quick note but I didn't want you to feel abandoned. :-)
 
Judy

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I needed to substitute for the librarian at our genealogical library today, so I spent the day searching old city directories for your Gustaf Anderson. As I expected, there are MANY people by that name, none of whom were actually called builders of buildings. :-) As I searched though, eventually I found a person who seemed to have a business which would be a possibility, AND he lived in Englewood. (I am sure about the Englewood part because one visitor to the library grew up in that neighborhood and she said the address was definitely in the Englewood neighborhood.) I hope when I find the family in the census, the location will be the same and all the family members will match your information. I actually found him first in later directories and then worked backwards to find him with other jobs at the same address.
 
Before I begin, this is what my Webster's Dictionary says about a foundry.
 
foundry: 1. a. an establishment for producing castings in molten metal. b. an establishment where metal type is cast or melted down. 2. the act or process of founding or casting metal. 3. the category of metal objects made by founding; casting.
 
Meaning 1a. would fit well. Buildings had a need for metal pipes and other objects made of metal, and the person I discovered had a foundry business. I can't be sure he is the right person until the census is checked, of course, but I wanted to share what I had found so far.
 
Another word which might need defining is contractor.
 
contractor: 1. a person who contracts to furnish supplies or perform work at a certain price, especially in construction. 2. something that contracts, especially a muscle.
 
Obviously definition #1 is the right one for a person who builds buildings.
 
These are the listings I found which matched the same person. Your Gustaf Andersson was most likely listed in earlier years too, but the address was not the same.  
 
The person who grew up in Englewood said the homes were nice wooden homes or nice brick apartment buildings or nice brick houses in the bungalow style. The neighborhood is unfortunately not very good or safe right now, but in the past, the neighborhood was excellent.
 
This is a code for the numbers I used.
 
1. the alphabetical listing in each directory
2. the business directory at the back
3. the name of the business, with added information, as found in the alphabetical listings
 
1895:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf carpenter 6425 S. Sangamon (S. = South)
2. none
3. none
 
1896:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf carpenter 6425 S. Sangamon and foundry 5837 S. Sangamon
2. I forgot to check.
3. The business didn't have a name so it isn't listed separately in the alphabetical listings.
 
1897:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf contractor 6425 S. Sangamon and foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
2. foundries: Andersen (sic) Gustaf 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. I forgot to check.
 
1898:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth and contractor 6425 S. Sangamon
2. foundries: Anderson Gustaf 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. I forgot to check.
 
1899:
 
1. The page was missing.
2. foundries: Anderson Gustaf5837 S. Elizabeth
3. I forgot to check.
 
1900:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth and contractor 6425 S. Sangamon
2. Foundry: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5833 to 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson manager 5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1901:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry Company 5837 S. Elizabeth home 6425 S. Elizabeth
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson president  5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1902:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth home 6425 S. Sangamon
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson president  5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1903:
 
1.  Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth home 6425 S. Sangamon
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson president  5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1904:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth home 6425 S. Sangamon
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson president Gustaf L. Johnson secretary  5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1905:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth home 6425 S. Sangamon
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson president Gustaf L. Johnson secretary  5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1906:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth home 6425 S. Sangamon
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Elizabeth
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry Gustaf Anderson president Gustaf L. Johnson secretary  C. Frankl treasurer 5837 S. Elizabeth
 
1907:
 
1. Anderson Gustaf president 6425 S. Sangamon*
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5837 S. Sangamon
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry  Gustaf L. Johnson president  C. Frankl secretary 5837 S. Elizabeth
 
* It seems to me that they took out the information about the business when there was a change in leadership, but forgot to take out the president part. When I saw this, I thought the next directory would not list Gustaf Anderson, and it didn't, at least not at the same address. This might be the time he returned to Sweden.
 
1908:
 
1. There was no Gustaf Anderson at the address on Sangamon.
2. Foundries: Elizabeth Street Foundry 5843 S. Sangamon
3. Elizabeth Street Foundry  Gustaf L. Johnson president  C. Frankl secretary 5843 S. Elizabeth
 
Maybe you will find him returning to Sweden around this time, IF this is the right Gustaf Anderson. As I said earlier, a check in the census will make it clear if he had the right family or not.
 
 
These links might be interesting to you since they tell more about Englewood, old and new.
 
http://www.chicagoreporter.com/1999/12-99/1299timeline.htm
 
http://www.chipublib.org/008subject/012special/eha.html
 
http://www.chicago-l.org/stations/loomis.html
 
http://www.adena.com/adena/usa/hs/hs10.htm
 
This page has lots of links.
 
http://www.suba.com/~scottn/explore/district/southtwn/southtwn.htm
 
Judy

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I don't really understand most of this information since I'm not a tax accessor, but the site says that the address 6425 S. Sangamon was built in 1894.It appears to be an apartment building with two units (apartments) on two floors, and it also appears to be made of wood. I think brick would be called masonry, not construction, but I'm not an expert.
 
http://www.newschicago.org/index.php?search_by=address&menu=chicago&search=single_chicago&stnum=6425&dir=S&stname=Sangamon&suffix=Opt&Find=Go%21
 
The foundry building was built in 1931 so it isn't the same building and it appears to have been torn down, since there now is vacant land. There appears to have been a tax delinquency, which means the owner didn't pay the taxes and the building must have been sold for unpaid taxes. Apparently there had been a foundry company there with a slightly different name (Elizabeth Foundry Company), and I notice a different address listed too in addition to the original one. Maybe you will discover more if you study the information but I don't have time.
 
http://www.newschicago.org/index.php?search_by=address&menu=chicago&search=single_chicago&stnum=5837&dir=S&stname=Elizabeth&suffix=Opt&Find=Go%21
 
I'm not sure why there isn't as much information for the Sangamon property as there is for the Elizabeth Street property, but I would guess that it isn't the year for the Sangamon property to be taxed. They don't tax every bit of real estate in the same year.
 
I thought maybe you would be interested in what happened to the property listed as addresses for the Gustaf Anderson I listed above.
 
Mvh,
 
Judy

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I noticed some errors. The home was always on Sangamon and the foundry was always on Elizabeth. Sometimes I put the wrong street in the entry. I wrote the same information so often I stopped being careful. I suppose that is very confusing. I'm sorry.
 
Judy

[Annika Jacobsson in Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy! Again you put in a lot of work for me. Tks a lot. Your information seems promising, especially since I suspect that year of return 1907 or 1908 seems very likely, since my grandmother Edith took her communion (what is the right way of saying this?) in 1905 and maybe sister Frances followed one year later. Maybe their father wanted them to do this before they returned. Who knows.
Anyway, curiously waiting for further news from you, I have also put a search in the Säby parish (F) under Småland under Anbytarforum, asking if anybody there knows how I can check if a Gustaf Andersson with two daughters, Edith and Frances immigrated from USA and registered back into the Säby parish around 1907-1908.
Maybe that can give something. This is fairly young information, so I am not sure where best to check this up. But I will know, within short. The Anbytarforum of Rötter is a fantastic tool.

[Annika Jacobsson Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy!
Sunday, and I have spent quite some time with my dad. Looking at photos! Phantastic photos, which I will mail to you. My grandmother really is the sweetest thing as a child and young girl.
Important! Reading the back of these photos it seems that they probably returned to Sweden and Säby already in 1906 (probably after the catalogue was printed).
I already have 14 photos scanned (.jpg-format).
One picture shows grandma Edith and some children at the Kershaw School, taking part in a spring entertainment. Teacher: Miss Lacy. Must have been taken around 1898, since she says she was six years old. Another photo shows their living room.
A picture we have shows all the youngsters that took communion. The pastor's name was Fors.
One photo shows a horse - their horse Dolly - and it is taken at the entrance of a Horseshoer, Axel E Brevitz. 23 years. Probably in the neighbourhood.
Anyway, maybe some of the photos are fun for you to have and to get some faces to the names. Easier to remember then.
Well Judy, things are moving, for sure. A lot tks to you.

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I was at the Swenson Center today and will be here for three more days.
 
I started looking for your family in the records for Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Chicago, and I have found them listed in the register of members.They lived at 6425 Sangamon, so that person found in the city directories is the right one.:-)
 
I haven't found all the details yet, but this is what I know so far.I was unable to get a good copy of the list of members but it is readable, barely.(The film was much too dark.)
 
--Gust Anderson, born 20/12/1862 in Traneryd församling, Sweden (not the same parish as in your information but everything else fits)
--married March 30, 1889
--received into the church November 1, 1891
--arrived in America from Småland in 1881
--removed to Bethel (church), Englewood, July 8, 1898
 
--Hanna Anderson, born 30/4/1869 in Ramkvilla församling, Sweden
--arrived in America in 1880
 
-- + d. Edith Eugenia Sofia, born 20/2/1890 in Englewood
--died June 3, 1890
 
-- d. Edith Carolina, born 11/2/1892  
 
-- d. Francis Josefina, born 14/12/1893  
 
-- + s. Clarence Gustaf, born 25/10/1895
-- died February 15, 1896
 
So far I've found the baptism and funeral records for Clarence Gustaf. I haven't seen any sign of the death of Hanna yet.
 
This is the information about the baptism of Clarence Gustaf.There is most likely a second page with more information about the baptism but I see that I forgot to copy it. I will do that tomorrow.
 
--when baptised: January 4, 1896
--name: Clarence Gustaf
--born: 5 Nov. 1895
--where: 6425 Sangamon
 
This is the funeral listing for Clarence Gustaf.
 
--when buried: February 16, 1896
--name: Clarence Gustaf Anderson
--date of death: February 15, 1896
--residence: 6425 Sangamon
--age: 3 months, 20 days
--member, child
 
I hope to find more tomorrow.
 
Judy

[Annika Jacobsson Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy!
Oh, we are thrilled here. Now we have an emigration year for Gustaf and much more information about the family - even if partly sad information. Two children died at 4 months of age.
So, Hanna and her son did not both die when he was born, but there is of course still a possibility that she did. In that case in 1895.
On the other hand, rumour says that Gustaf and his daughters returned not so long after she died, so this information is now getting very uncertain.
As for the Traneryd parish, it is a miswriting only. Gustaf lived at S:a Traneryd in Säby parish.
Then, I have been confused about the churches. For some reason I have thought of one church only and seen Bethel as a shortage of Bethlehem. But, with your note moved to Bethel in 1898, this no longer seems correct. So, I guess there may be two interesting church records to check.
Was that common - to change church without changing address? What could be the reason I wonder.
 
By the way, I read the article on Gustaf Anderssons company and yes, he must have been very successful. Did I mention that on a photo I have, it shows his employees then - 27 of them. I have also found a man of Dutch origin who was employed by him. By coincidence, on the net. Searching on Elizabeth Street Foundry. Last but not least, I have found a Lewis I William IV on a webpage for class reunions, with an E-mail address. So, I have written an E-mail to him, to find out if he is thee Lewis I William IV. But, so far no response. I have to be patient there.
 
Anyway, tks for all you are doing.And - good luck!

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
Here are some more answers, but some of this information leads to more questions. Genealogy always seems to do that. We solve one problem and find more things to worry about. :-) I think I have found as much as possible at the Swenson Center, at least this time, but maybe there will be more answers in other places, such as the census and obituaries in the future.
 
First, a correction: (I really should not type when I'm tired.)
 
You probably noticed two birthdates for Clarence Gustaf. The correct date is 25 October 1896. The date of 5 November belongs to the next little boy to be baptised. I had forgotten to copy the second page, but I have it now. Parents were Gustaf Anderson and Hanna C. Anderson, and the sponsors were Andrew Anderson and Anna Anderson. The parents were church members.
 
I found the marriage record for Gustaf Anderson and Hanna Swanson.According to that record, they married on March 31, 1889. (not the 30th, as in the register of members and the online marriage index for Illinois.)
 
I found the baptism for Edith Eugenia Sophia listed in Bethlehem's records.  
 
--when baptised: March 30, 1890
--name: Edith Eugenia Sophia
--born: 20 February 1890
--where: Englewood, 5740 Atlantic
--parents: Mr. Gust Anderson, Mrs. Hanna Anderson
--sponsors: Mr. Nils Swenson, Mrs. (Susie? or Anna?) Swenson (I can't read her name.)
--The parents were nonmembers. (Your ancestors didn't join the church until later.)
 
I was unable to find a funeral record for Edith Eugenia Sophia. It seems that they would have had the funeral at Bethlehem, since they were married there, she was baptised there, and they joined the church soon after, but maybe they had the funeral at another church.
 
This is what I found about the baptism of Edith Carolina. This baptism was done at Bethelehem Lutheran Church.
 
--when baptised: April 17, 1892
--name: Edith Carolina
--born: 11 February 1892
--where: 5910 Green
--parents: Gustaf Anderson, Hanna C. Anderson
--sponsors: the parents (It says föräldrar but this is another dark page and I don't really know how to spell it.)
--The parents were married.
 
This is the baptism for Frances Josephina, also done at Bethlehem.
 
--when: February 11, 1894
--name: Frances Josephina
--born: 14 December 1893
--where: 5910 Green
--parents: Gust Anderson, Hanna Anderson
--sponsors: föräldrar (I hope that is spelled right. This time the page is light enough but the word was scribbled.)
--The parents were members.
 
There was another son, who also didn't survive.
 
This is the baptism record for Clarence Gustaf Merritt.He was baptised at Bethel Lutheran Church.
 
--when baptised: February 6, 1898
--name: Clarence Gustaf Merritt
--born: 20 December 1897
--where: 6425 Sangamon
--parents: Gustaf Anderson, Hanna C. Anderson
--sponsors: parents (in English, this time)
--The parents were listed as nonmembers.
 
This is the funeral record from Bethel for Clarence Gustaf Merritt.
 
--when buried: May 7, 1901
--name: Cl. G. Merritt Anderson
--date of death: May 5, 1901
--residence: 6425 Sangamon
--age: 3 years, 4 months, 15 days
--member, child
 
This is the funeral records from Bethel for Hanna Anderson.
 
--when buried: August 3, 1902
--name: Mrs. Gust Anderson
--date of death: July 31, 1902
--residence: 6425 Sangamon
--age: 32 years, 8 months, 1 day
--member, adult
 
This is the record of the reception of members into Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
 
--when received: November 1, 1891
--name: Gust Anderson, Hanna Anderson
--residence: 537 56th Place
 
This is the record of the family's dismissal from Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
 
--when dismissed: July 8, 1898
--name: Gust Anderson & h. Hanna Anderson
--where to: Bethel
 
This is the record of reception of members at Bethel Lutheran Church.
 
--when received: (illegible; not copied properly --when microfilmed) __ 7, 1898
--name: Mr. Gustaf Anderson, Mrs. Gustaf Anderson
--residence: 6425 Sangamon
--where from: Bethlehem Ch., City
--received on: letter (The other choice is confirmation.)
--2 adults, 3 children
 
This is the record of dismissal of members from Bethel Lutheran Church.
 
--December 31, 1906
--Gust Anderson, Edith Anderson
--where to: no answer; just a line going across the space
 
This is the register of members at Bethel.
 
residence: 6425 Sangamon
 
Mr. Gustaf Anderson
--born Dec. 20, 1862 in Säby, Jönköping län
--communicant (Able to take communion.)
--married: 1889
--dropped: 1906
 
Mrs. Hanna Anderson
--communicant
--born April 30, 1869 in Rankvilla
--died: July 31, 1902
 
Edith Carolina
--born February 11, 1892 in Chicago, Illinois (Englewood was part of Chicago by then.)
--confirmed: 1906
--dropped: 1906
 
Frances Josefina
--born December 14, 1893 in Chicago, Illinois
--confirmed 1908 (but the family left before then and she is not listed in the confirmed children that year or years before or after that year.)
 
Clarence Gustaf Merritt
--born December 20, 1897 in Chicago, Illinois
--died May 5, 1901
 
This is Edith Carolina's confirmation at Bethel.The class was confirmed May 13, 1906.
 
--number 1 (in the alphabet)
--Edith Carol. Anderson
--born February 11, 1892 in Chicago, Illinois
--parents: Gustaf Anderson
 
I hope this helps.
 
Judy

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi again, Annika,
 
Have you seen this website? You can read about Bethehem and Bethel Churches and see pictures too.  
 
http://www.elca.org/os/archives/chicagochurches/bethlehemaug.html
 
http://www.elca.org/os/archives/chicagochurches/bethelaug.html
 
Judy

[Annika Jacobsson Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy!
You are simply marvellous. Do not know how we can thank you for all you've done. What a pity there is no photo anywhere of the little boy Gustaf.
Well, this was a lot. Time to digest and reflect. Hope you will enjoy the photos when you get back home. I guess my next step will be to try to find out when and on what boat Gustaf, Edith and - I assume Frances - returned to Sweden. There is of course always the possibility that Frances stayed behind and came back later, having been confirmed - but we do not think so.

[Judy Olson Baouab]

Hi Annika,
 
I'm glad this helps you. You are aware, I hope, that there were TWO little dead boys named Gustaf. It seems to me that Gustaf Anderson did well in his business but had a lot of heartbreak personally. I am not surprised he moved back to Sweden.
 
I too think that Frances must have moved with her father and sister. She would have been too young to live by herself and there was no mention of her confirmation.
 
I should be able to find Gustaf in those city directories now that we have some more addresses and maybe the exact birth and death dates will help me find these people in the birth and death indexes at my family history center.  
 
I tried looking for obituaries in one newspaper but I didn't find them. I can read those papers, slowly, and sometimes with the help of dictionaries, but I can't skim them. They take much too long to read since I am not an expert at the language. I believe those papers are available in Sweden. Maybe you can find them somewhere and perhaps some questions, such as the cause of death for the chlldren and Hanna, will be answered in those newspapers.
 
Your family story that Hanna died in childbirth, delivering a stillborn child could be true. Edith was old enough to get the story correct. A stillborn would not have been baptised and perhaps not given an official funeral.
 
Judy

[Annika at Halmstad Sweden]

Hi Judy,
You are right - it never struck me that still Hanna could have died in childbirth. But, yes, I am now aware that there were two Gustaf's. And - my oldest aunt Gun, born in 1915 and who has some memories of her grandfather has always believed he once told her about an uncle who died when he was a couple of years old. But, nobody else has really known about this until now. I will call her this week-end again and send her all the papers gathered so far (small pile).
 
I agree with you that wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness. It is amazing. He left all alone from Sweden 18 years old, with nothing. My aunt just told me that she has a moulded cup and plate in one piece, which was his master sample (do not know the good word), but a piece you have to do to be able to call yourself a certain profession title. Hope I will be able to see it some day - I will I am sure. Only heard about it yesterday.
So, evidently he trained himself to a profession in the USA and then set up what must have been a very successful company. I have now found out that on his return he bought not only two farms, but more than three (do not know how many). One, Ruda at Klockrike parish (E) where he settled down himself and which was taken over by his daughter Frances, one for my grandmother Edith (said to have been bought as his wedding gift) and then some more ones, together with another investor. More research to do here. But yes, he must have been very successful. So, why did he return to Sweden. I agree with you, no wonder. Three children out of five died. His wife died. I really wonder why. With his wife dead he himself had no family left at all in USA. All family was on Hannas side. I also heard from my aunt that returning to Sweden and living at the Ruda farm, he had a female housekeeper, but he never remarried. Last but not least, the words of my aunt Gun is that all memories she has from her grandfather (she spent some summers at Ruda) are very nice ones. She liked him a lot.