Johan Magnus and Helena  

This story has its beginning when the following 2 people met, namely

the farmer and crofter Johan Magnus Johannesson, who was born September 6, 1835 in Grevamåla in Linneryd parish. His parents were Johannes Matthesson, born December 15 1801, who was a farmer and crofter in Bindareboda in Älmeboda parish, and Maria (Christina) Catharina Håkansdotter, born May 10, 1805 in Gatehult Södergården, Linneryd parish

and

the maid Helena Petersdotter who was born May 21, 1834 in Skälholmsryd, Hovmantorp parish. Her parents were Peter Magnusson born July 24, 1806 in Klintalycke, Hovmantorp parish and Maria Helena Carlsdotter born May 26, 1811 at Backagården in Skogsryd, Linneryd parish.

They got married August 26, 1860 in Hovmantorp.

In connection with the marriage, they took over a small farm in Jemnshög in Rolsmo Södergård, Linneryd parish, Kronoberg County, Småland, Sweden, from the parents of Johan Magnus. Housed at the small farm lived Johan Magnus´ mother, Maria Christina Håkansdotter.

In 1876 the family moved to Heddamåla No 22 of Linneryd parish. During the period 1876-80 Johan Magnus took over additional land. He is now the owner of 1/4 homestead. Johan Magnus´ mother came with them from Rolsmo to Heddamåla in 1878 and then stays on the sidelines and did not have to pay taxes, neither to the state or the municipality being miserably poor. After Johan Magnus´ death February 20, 1911, his wife Helena moves to Åkerby and lives with her daughter Maria and her husband Karl. Helena died April 1, 1915.

The residential property in Heddamåla was sold in 1921 to the, in Sweden, famous wood-engraver Karl Gustav Petersson. The remainder of the property was retained and sold in the 1970s by the heirs.

The farm in Heddamåla was very small and could not supply all the children. The girls found men to marry, but for those the conditions were the same. It was generally difficult in Sweden in the second half of the 1800s from poor harvests and large numbers of children to feed. To allocate the farms between the children was often not possible, as each part would be too small to feed the people.

Compare with the novels that the author Wilhelm Moberg wrote, describing how the people were doing in those days, just in Linneryd and Ljuder municipalities. E.g. “The Emigrants” and later “The Settlers” that describe how living conditions were in Sweden at that time and how the emigrants were doing in the new country America. Link: Wilhelm Moberg.

Link: Photograph album for Johan Magnus and Helena.

Johan Magnus and Helena got the children:

- August, born in Jemnshög 19th of february 1861. Died in Skokomish, US year 1931. He was the first child going to US

- Ida, born in Jemnshög 21st of March 1863. Died in Skruvby, Sweden 8th of April 1942. She stayed in Småland and got married.

- Lydia, born in Jemnshög 12th of November 1865. Died in Matlock, US 16th of May 1945. She was the next child leeving for US and she got married to a Swedish man there.

- Maria, born in Jemnshög 8th of July 1868. Died in Åkerby, Sweden 19th of November 1946. She got married  and stayed in Åkerby in Småland.

- Anna, born in Jemnshög 1st of May 1871. Died in Chicago, US 25th of August 1959. She was the last sibling leeving Sweden and got married to a Swedish man.

- Johannes, born in Jemnshög 29th of January 1874. Died 23rd of October 1958 in Åkerby, Sweden. He stayed in Småland and got married.

- Albin, born 26th of December, 1876 in Heddamåla, Linneryd parish. Died 24th of April 1877 in Heddamåla, Linneryd parish, only 3 months and 28 days old.

In the submenus Written letters and Scanned letters we have placed letters that we have translated from the original letters. That goes for both the parents and for each child.

The links to the photograph albums above are linked to the Swedish section of the website.

Johan Magnus and Helena - Pedigree

Here we have put pedigrees for Johan Magnus and Helena, which highlights their children and ancestors.

Link: Pedigree Johan Magnus

Link; Pedigree Helena

Link; Graphic pedigree

The Pedegree´s should be opened in the form of a PDF file. You can read more about this and how such a file can be opened, under "Password", via this link: Contents

Johan Magnus and Helena - Pedigree and Genealogical schedule 

Here, we have added a pedigree and a family table/genealogical schedule that contains both Johan Magnus and Helena's history as their offsprings.

To see all information in the link, just scroll.

Link: Pedigree Johan Magnus o. Helena

We have also complemented by an Excel file:

Link: Family Table / Genealogical schedule

The pedigree is opened as a PDF file and the related table as an Office file. You can read more about this and how such a file can be opened via this link: Contents

You, who are related to the family table, and know about changes are most welcome to communicate such information to us so we can ensure that completion takes place. You can do this through the Contact form or via e-mail.