The father of Andrew (Anders) Peter Anderson Stomberg was Lars (Lasse) Anderson who was born in Espejorden, Sweden.  He came to America with the early settlers in 1856 to make his home in Carver County, Minnesota Territory.  No mention is made of his wife, but we do know he married Katrina Stomberg, who was born in 1833, died in 1913 and is buried in the West Union Cemetery.

In an old Prayer Book, Miriam Nylander Medbery discovered ordinary writing paper pasted (and I mean “pasted”) over the original book lining and hiding an inscription written in beautiful script in Swedish, of course, by Lasse’s father.  (Note by Emma Nylander Crowe – we inferred father because this passage uses the words ‘sorrow’, ‘son Lasse Anderson’, ‘America’ and is signed “Anders Pet—“(er?) … and below that “Ingeborg Ephra…” (mother?) The second paragraph is a direct quote from the Book of Tobias, Chapter 4, verses 2, 6, 8, 10 and 12 (I found an old Swedish Bible with these additional Books and read the verses – thanks to Grandpa’s patience in teaching me to read the Old German Script and Swedish language!) Tobias, knowing that he is on his death bed, calls his son to hear his last words.  Vs. 2- (Paraphrased) “Dear son, hear my mouth’s words and let them speak in your heart.”, Vs 6 – “And have God for eyes and in your heart all of your days; and do not sin against God’s Word.”, Vs 8 – “Whenever you can, help the thirsty.” Vs. 10 – “Gather yourself a good reward in need” (?) and Vs 12 – “Overall is a good trust in your most high God.” The writing had faded, and paste had obliterated some of the words, but we believe we have the gist of the message.  It is dated May 18, 1856 – this must have been close to the departure date to America because Grandpa Stomberg told me he was born within a month of their arrival to Minnesota Territory.  His birthdate is November 25, 1856! (In this same book, Katrina Anderson wrote her name as Katt Rina Stomberg and the date as January 24, 1876.  A young Anders Peter was also trying out his penmanship by writing his name in pencil, and also, learning to write his numbers to 100! The mother’s handwriting was delicately beautiful!)

The Great, Great Grandfather (Anders Persson) had four sons and two daughters; the names of the sons are Lasse (our Great Grandfather), Benjamin, Samuel and Andrew Peter. (Was Grandpa Stomberg named after this Uncle, who had evidently been named after his father?) No record of the names of the two daughters was given.

Great Grandfather Lasse (Lars English Spelling) was mustered into the Union Army on January 27, 1864.  He died in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on November 7, 1864.  (Grandpa Stomberg related this to me several times, each time with great emotion.) He is buried in the Civil War Cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee. (Correction by Laura Hamelau: he is buried in Little Rock, Arkansas.)

He left three sons and one daughter – as well as his widow, Katrina.  The sons are: Grandpa Andrew Peter (A P) Anderson Stomberg, Svante Anderson, and August Anderson.  The sister’s name was Britta Anderson Mellgren who had seven sons and three daughters. (Are we related to the Mellgren’s through this Great Aunt?)

The following material was related to me by Grandpa (A P) Stomberg:

As he was the oldest child, his mother relied on him to help her after the father left for the South. He relates that at the age of eight, he was given the responsibility to ret the home-grown flax to obtain the linen fibers that were spun with wool to make a cloth called linsey-woolsey.

After a shallow, but long and narrow ditch had been dug, a small fire was built.  Over this fire the flax stems were laid and turned frequently to prevent being scorched.  When the stems had been softened enough with the heat, the outer husk was removed and the coarse linen threads were extracted and used in the weaving process.  He said you’ve never known the word “itch” until you’d worn underwear made of this linsey-woolsey.  After many washings, the fibers would finally break down and the clothing was less scratchy.

One day when he had been assigned to this task, he decided he’d sneak away and do a bit of fishing in the Minnesota River.  The fishing must have been good, because when he finally went back to tend to his duties, the flax was scorched and ruined.  His Mother punished him – what she did, he never said and I never asked!

During this time, the Sioux uprising was making life dangerous for the new settlers.  He recalled spending tree nights on an island in the Minnesota River during one of the scary times.  Now I wish I had asked more questions about his early life.

After his father’s death, Grandpa (A P) invoked the old Swedish privilege that granted the eldest son to change his surname to his Mother’s maiden name.  From then on, Grandpa was known as Andrew Peter Stomberg while his brothers surnames were Anderson. (August and Svante) (Note) Through this Great Grandmother, we are related to Professor Andrew Adin Stomberg of Gustavus Adolphus and the U. of M.

This Grandfather (A P Stomberg) was a very special person to all of us – we cousins were very fortunate to have lived close by and to have shared a little bit of his life.

1. Anders Peter – Married Carlotta Anderson December 23, 1878. (They celebrated their 60^th Wedding Anniversary in 1938. Grandma passed away the following May.)

Children:         a. Alvin L. Stomberg

1. Gerhard (George) Stomberg
2. Elli Stomberg (Mrs. J.V. Lundquist)
3. Esther Stomberg (Mrs. H.T. Nylander)
4. August Anderson – Married Albertina Anderson (Grandma Carlotta’s niece).
5. Harry Anderson, who after his parent’s divorce and his mother’s remarriage, took the stepfather’s surname of Nelson. August Anderson is buried in the West Union Cemetery in his mother’s plot.
6. Britta Anderson Mellgren – She had seven boys and three girls.

Grandmother Carlotta (Charlotte) Anderson Stomberg

Grandma Stomberg’s name was shortened to Lotta – she told me that her mother had named her after a European queen. (Of which country, I do not know!)  She related this story to me many times:

Her father was a carpenter who had built a new house for his large family of seven daughters and two sons. (I do not know the given name of this Great-grandfather but do know he is buried in the West Union cemetery.

Grandma (Charlotta) told me that he died of stomach cancer at the age of 66 years.)  Her mother’s name was Johanna Anderson, and she is buried in the Siloah cemetery-east end and first row.  The headstone says simply “Moder”. She came to Parnell in 1890 with Grandma and Grandpa Stomberg when they moved from West Union to make their home on the prairie.  She was a widow and lived with them.  Mother said she was sick, weak and bedridden most of the time.   Because the family, Mother Lotta, Father Andrew P.; sons, Alvin and George, and older sister, Elli had to work together as early pioneers did, Mother (Esther)  being the youngest was told to stay near this Grandmother Johanna’s bed to give her water or whatever she needed.  When she died, the church had not been completed (or built?) and she was buried under our “Swing” tree until the next Spring when a Lutheran pastor came to Parnell to minister to the settlers.  Great Grandmother’s remains were reburied in the cemetery.  (Born – 1813, died – 1891 or ’93) It brings our own U. S. history into focus when we realize that George Washington had been dead only 13 years when she was born!

To return to the story—Grandma (Charlotta) said the house burned to the ground shortly after being completed – with a last minute rescue of her. (She was the baby.) The parents decided to leave for America. Grandma remembered the harbor at Goteborg.  Her two brothers, Samuel and Peter:, died and were buried at sea. (Typhus?) Grandma had also been stricken and had lost all of her hair.  When they came to N.Y.C., the Mother Johanna, afraid the Immigration Officers would notice the bald head of Carlotta and believe she had an infectious disease which would not allow her to enter the U.S.A., hurriedly removed her own head scarf, put it on Grandma’s head, and no notice was made of the little girl.  All was well and the family left for West Union.  (Charlotte Stomberg Wiese was named after this grandmother!)

Grandmother Carlotta had six sisters and two more brothers were born in the United States.  They were named after the two brothers who had died at sea; Samuel and Peter.

1. Johanna (Arnell) She stayed in Sweden. She is the mother of
   1. Albertina Anderson Nelson
      1. Harry Anderson Nelson
      2. Arthur Nelson
   2. Amanda
   3. Lars

(Ask Vivian or Viola about this family of Johanna Arnell – there is another name mentioned – Lille Juns!  He may have been a son of Johanna’s or a grandson.)

2. Kristina Olson
   1. John Olson
      1. Lillie Mellgren
      2. Ellen Berger

(In 1984, Vivian Stomberg Gustner and I (Emma Nylander Crowe) were at West Union to check up on names – dates etc., and we stopped to see Lillie Mellgren.  We spent a few delightful hours with her, coffee and goodies, also. She filled in a few of the gaps of this history for us.  At the table, we remarked that we were granddaughters of three of these sisters: Lillie’s Grandmother was Kristina Olson, Vivian’s Grandmothers were Anna Jackson and Carlotta Stomberg and mine was Carlotta Stomberg!)

1. Oscar Olson
   1. Einar
   2. Lorinda Woods
2. Alfred – Unmarried
3. Tilda (Mrs. Walter Lundquist)
   1. Mabel Lind
      1. Elinor Lindorff
   2. Raymond Lundquist

3. Britta Swanberg
   1. John
      1. Julia Erickson
         1. Florence
         2. Eleanor
         3. Doris
      2. Violet

• Alice

1. Reuben
2. Roland
3. Eudora

• Gladys
• Kenneth

4. Engrid Edberg (Mrs. Jonas Edberg)
   1. John – unmarried

(This same summer, Viola Hedine, Vivian Gustner and I went to the Cokato cemetery and found this family’s gravesite.  If I remember correctly – no notes taken – there were seven graves with girls’ names on the little footstones. Were they victims of an epidemic or? Seemed none of them reached adulthood – could be wrong, but you know how memories are, if you’re old enough!)

5. Maja Anderson
   1. William – married Freda Brahee
      1. Mabel
         1. Gudrun
         2. Ailer (sp?) Eailor
      2. Fredolph

• Lillie

1. Viola
2. Hildur – Hildur Stomberg Dyer named after this cousin?
3. Laura

• Lorena
• Wilma

1. Elvin
2. Elford

1. John
   1. Esther Gallus
   2. Myrtle

• Clarence

1. Ardie

1. Victor
   1. Verdi
   2. Luella

• Arnold

1. Lloyd
2. Warren
3. Twin – Adeline

• Twin – Adelia

1. Alfred
   1. Joseph
   2. Herbert (recently deceased – Litchfield)

• Evelyn Lundborg

1. Hannah Olson (Mrs. Oscar Olson)
   1. Einer
   2. Lorinda

6. Anna Anderson Jackson – birthday June 4 – How could we not remember the birthday celebrations at Uncle George’s?
   1. Hannah
   2. Lydia
   3. Adin
   4. Lorinda – deceased, 10 years of age.
   5. Andrew
   6. Esther (Alice’s note: married Geo Stomberg)
   7. Algot
   8. Edith – Mrs. Arthur Soderberg

7. Carlotta Anderson Stomberg
   1. Alvin L. Stomberg
   2. George Stomberg
   3. Elli Lundquist (Mrs. J.V.)
   4. Esther Nylander (Mrs. H.T.)

Two brothers – Samuel and Peter – I do not have the names of their children; maybe other relatives can supply their names.

There may be errors in this compilation, but most of this information was gathered by Vivian Gustner, (she’s a “walking encyclopedia”!!), Viola Hedine, (another “walking encyclopedia”!!!) and Emma Crowe during the hot, summer days of 1984.  Vivian kindly fed me breakfast every morning while I was in Minneapolis – (breakfast lasted until 12:00 noon, and then we’d go to Baker’s Square and have lunch!) We decided to let Viola feed us when this routine got boring and moved in on her in Litchfield.  From there, we toured the countryside – even stopped in to check up on the newly-retired teach, Cousin Inez Lundquist Miller.  What a fun summer!  So, again, there may be “errors”, but blame it on the July heat!

                                                                                                Emma Nylander Crowe

                                                                                                June 1, 1989