On This Day In Family History (October 31):

1907: 2nd-great-grandparents August Robert Anderson & Hedvig Olivia Edén were married in Boston, Massachusetts.

Marriage Record for August Robert Anderson & Hedvig Olivia Edén.

1995: Great-grandaunt Edith Charlotte (Garfield) Clifford passed away in Brockton, Massachusetts, aged 86.

Edith C. (Garfield) Clifford

2000: 1st cousin 2x removed Rhoda Madeline (McRae) Haddad passed away at Good Samaritan Medical Center, Brockton, Massachusetts, aged 80.

Rhoda M. (McRae) Haddad

Copyright © 2015, David J. McRae

Wednesday's Child: Anton Ryberg

Anton Ryberg was born on February 11, 1838 in Göteborgs Domkyrkoförsamling, Göteborg och Bohus län, Sweden to Lars Ryberg and Ingrid Lena Olsdotter. He was their first child. Anton was baptized two days later; Andreas Carlsson, Edward Olsson, Elin Westergren, and Anna Catharina Christiensson were made godparents. 

During his short life, Anton lived with his parents in Göteborgs Domkyrkoförsamling. 

Lars and Ingrid Lena were devastated when Anton passed away a little more than a month after his birth, on March 17, 1838. Cause of death was given as slag.

His grief-stricken parents tearfully buried him on March 25.

Copyright © 2015, David J. McRae

Wednesday's Child: Aron Andersson

Aron Andersson was born on May 27, 1846 in Angered Storegården, Angered församling, Älvsborg län, Sweden. He was the fourth child and second son of Anders Jonsson & Catharina Olsdotter. Though he was their fourth child, he was their third living one. Anders and Catharina's first child, a daughter named Anna Maria, passed away as an infant in 1840. 

Aron was baptized on June 1. 

During his short life, Aron lived on his family's farm in Angered Storegården and grew up surrounded by family. In addition to his parents, also living on the farm were older siblings Johan and Albertina, paternal grandparents Jon Olofsson and Annicka Ambjörnsdotter, and paternal uncle Andreas Jonsson. Paternal aunt Johanna Jonsdotter, maternal aunt Ingrid Lena Olsdotter and their families lived on neighboring farms nearby.

Anders, Catharina and the rest of the family were devastated when Aron passed away on February 28, 1847 after contracting measles. He was only nine months old when he died. 

His parents tearfully laid him to rest on March 7.

Years later, Aron's sisters Albertina and Augusta would both go on to give birth to sons (Albertina on July 1, 1877 and Augusta on February 5, 1883) whom they would name Aron.

Copyright © 2015, David J. McRae

Wednesday's Child: Johan Andersson

Johan Andersson was born on December 4, 1841 in Angered Storegården, Angered församling, Älvsborg län, Sweden to Anders Jonsson and Catharina Olsdotter. He was their first son as well as second but only surviving child. Anders and Catharina had lost their first child the previous December.

Within days of his birth, Johan was baptized for at the time, it was the law of Sweden that newborns must be baptized within eight days of their birth.

Johan grew up on his family's farm in Angered Storegården surrounded by family. In addition to his parents, he had three younger siblings, Albertina (born 1843), Aron (born 1846), and Augusta (born 1848). He was doted on by his paternal grandparents, Jon Olofsson and Annicka Ambjörnsdotter, who lived with them on the farm, as did Anders' brother, Andreas Jonsson, Paternal aunt Johanna Jonsdotter and maternal aunt Ingrid Lena Olsdotter as well as their families lived on neighboring farms nearby.

During his short life, Johan suffered a series of losses, his maternal grandfather Olof Olsson passed away the year after his birth, on October 23, 1842, followed by his maternal aunt Ingeborg Olsdotter on March 18, 1843. In 1847, Johan suffered two losses when younger brother Aron passed away on February 28 followed by his uncle Olaus on December 22. Paternal grandmother Annicka Ambjörnsdotter passed away April 20, 1848 followed by uncle Anders Jansson (Johanna Jonsdotter's husband) the following year, on May 5, 1849.

In 1849, Johan, along with his parents, two sisters, and grandfather, left the family farm and moved to a new one in Angered Stommen. Shortly after moving there, the most devastating death for Johan came when on November 22, 1849, his father died at the age of thirty-three. Anders' death was the result of him freezing to death. His death came as an unexpected and tragic shock to young Johan and the rest of his family. Johan was only seven-years-old when his father passed; his death occurring less than two weeks before Johan's eighth birthday. His birthday was a solemn occasion for the family that year. Rather than celebrating another year of life, Johan, his mother, siblings and the rest of the family mourned the one they had lost. He was tearfully buried a few days later, on December 9.

Johan would go on to lose two more loved ones to death in the following years. His maternal grandmother Britta Larsdotter passed away on Oct. 13, 1852 and his paternal grandfather Jon Olofsson passed away on May 2, 1853.

On January 18, 1854, Johan Andersson succumbed to death himself. Cause of death for Johan was rödsot, which in English translates to dysentery, a disease common in Sweden during the 19th century. With dysentery, a person's intestines become inflamed and they have bloody diarrhea.

Catharina was devastated by Johan's death, having lost not only another child but also her first and only living son. With the support of her family, Catharina, along with her daughters, tearfully watched as her beloved son was buried on January 22, 1854.

Copyright © 2015, David J. McRae

Wednesday's Child: Anna Maria Andersdotter

Anna Maria Andersdotter was born on March 18, 1840 in Angered Storegården, Angered församling, Älvsborg län, Sweden. She was the first child of 4x-great-grandparents Anders Jonsson & Catharina Olsdotter. Soon after her birth, Anna Maria was baptized as it was the law in Sweden at the time that every child must be baptized within eight days of their birth. 

During her short life, Anna Maria was surrounded by family. She lived on her family's farm with her parents, doting paternal grandparents, Jon Olofsson & Annicka Ambjörnsdotter, and paternal uncle Andreas Jonsson. Her paternal aunt, Johanna Jonsdotter, and her family lived nearby on a neighboring farm. 

Anna Maria passed away on December 29, 1840. While many were celebrating the arrival of 1841 days later, Anders and Catharina mourned the loss of their beloved daughter as did the rest of the family.

Years later, Anders and Catharina had a daughter named Augusta in 1849, who would go on to have ten children of her own. She gave birth to her first daughter on November 12, 1871, whom she and her husband Martin named Anna Maria.

Angered parish 1838-1840 household record, the first of only two known records documenting Anna Maria's existence.

Angered parish 1840-1845 household record, the second of only two known records documenting Anna Maria's existence.

Copyright © 2015, David J. McRae