Peterson family

Our Peterson ancestors immigrated to the US from Östergötaland County, Sweden, in the 1860s.  Godfrey Peterson, Grandpa Glenn’s maternal grandfather, immigrated in 1866. He was 12 years old.  He was accompanied by his parents and siblings Charlotte Frances (age 23), Peter Adolph (20), Victor Nels (15), and Louisa Christina (9). Godfrey’s older brothers, John (26) and Andrew (28), had previously immigrated to the St. Charles area in 1860 and 1861, respectively. Parents Pehr Johan (57) and Lina Stina Johansdotter Peterson (52) established a farm in St. Charles Township, 1.5 miles northeast of downtown, on the east side of the Fox River in the vicinity of (now) Country Club Road. Their farm was near that of Pehr Johan's brother, Nels (Uncle Fridolph’s father).

Unfortunately, on 22 May 1867, about a year after emigrating, Pehr Johan was kicked by a horse and died. He was buried in Little Woods Cemetery, 5 miles northeast of downtown St. Charles, on the east side of the north end of Dunham Road. Lina Stina did not have enough money to purchase a headstone, so she planted a tree next to Pehr’s grave. The family added a small headstone for Pehr’s grave. The grave is next to the family plot of Pehr’s oldest son, Andrew (Mary and Jane Peterson’s grandfather).

Three of Pehr and Lina’s children—Andrew, John, and Godfrey—married, started a family, and farmed in St. Charles Township. Their other three children—Charlotte, Victor, and Louisa—moved to Phelps County, Nebraska.

Anderson family

Grandpa Glenn’s father, Fritz, was born 9 Jan 1874 on a farm in southwest Sweden. The farm, Höltan (now Hyltan), was about 4.5 miles WSW of Sandhem (1865 population 1,930; 2010 population 702), the nearest town. Their small farm (a croft) was a mixture of woodland, cropland, and pasture. Apparently, it was not a family heritage farm, because his parents, Claes (Claus, Klas) and Mathilda (Tilda), were born at other multigeneration farms. At that time, the term farm (gård) was used for larger agricultural operations, particularly those containing primarily cropland. Farms were outnumbered by crofts (torps). Crofts were smaller than farms, with fewer, smaller buildings, and a more balanced mix of cropland, woodland, and pasture. Moreover, crofts were typically often occupied by tenant farmers, rather than owners. Crofts were typically “subsistence farms” with products for local (on-farm) consumption, rather than “export farms” producing cash crops. So Hyltan was probably considered a croft, rather than a farm.

Claes and Mathilda’s farm (croft) was just over a half mile (as the crow flies) north of their parish church, Fivlered (Fiflereds, Fefflered, Fiflaryd). The church and surrounding cemetery overlooks the north end of Lönern Lake (sjö). The parish was entirely rural land with many crofts and a few farms. About that time (1865), the parish population was approximately 680. In rural Sweden, the farm/croft (gård /torp) name was the most specific place name. The parish (socken) name was the next most specific place name. Therefore, Fritz was born at Hyltan, Fivlered Parish, Elsberg Län (now part of Västra Götaland County).