Our Family Tree

[When my grandmother compiled this family tree in the mid 1950s, some of her grandchildren, such as myself, had not yet been born. I have added these individuals, as well enumerating some of their children, to this compilation in an effort to make it complete. —LRS]

It was no easy task to assemble a sort of family tree, and much data is missing, but since I do think it will be of interest not only to us now living, but for coming generations, I have endeavoured to get a fairly accurate account of both Father’s and Mother’s families.

Our Great Grandfather’s name was Sjostrand, a surname that was retained from generation to generation in contrast to the custom in Sweden of the children’s surname being derived from the father’s given name. Thus, our paternal grandfather was Per Jonsson, and Father’s name therefore was Jonas Peterson. Had he remained in Sweden instead of emigrating to America, our surname would in turn have been Jonasson or Jonsson.

The Sjostrand family was rather above average in initiative and ability. Many professional men has come from this lineage. The name was translated to Seashore by those who came to America to make their homes.

Great Grandfather Sjostrand’s Family

I. KLAS – Sweden

II. ANNA LOVISA – Sweden

III. JOHAN AUGUST – Sweden (1832-1904)

JOHANNA SOFIA his first wife, died in 1868, had three children

1. Emma Sofia, our mother, (1862-1954), eleven children listed under Father’s name

2. Carl Alfred (died 1933) two sons

a. Karl, farmer in Tigerstad, Sweden

b. Hilding, pastor in Ulrika, Sweden

3. Johan August (died 1934) unmarried

MARIA KRISTINA PETTERSDOTTER, his second wife, who died in 1920. She was a sister of our Father, and also Mother’s step-mother. This created a rather peculiar relationship between their children and our family. On Father’s side we are cousins, while on Mother’s side they are our step-uncles and aunts. Of their eight children, all remained in Sweden except the oldest son.

1. Oscar Gottfried, came to America at the age of 18. Moved to North Dakota from Iowa. His wife died when their fifth child was born. After 33 years in North Dakota, he moved with his family, and located in Kent, Washington, where he now lives at the age of 85 with two unmarried daughters. Five children.

a. Esther Leona (unmarried)

b. Verna Eleanor (unmarried) works in Seattle as office worker

c. Clifford (married) work for Boeing Aircraft, Renton, Wash., one child

d. Carl Leonard (died in 1948)

e. Ruth Nellie (Mrs. Charles F. Lichtenberg) has three children: Robert Keith, Carol Jean, and Paul Duane

2. Anna (unmarried) lives in Rosenfors, Sweden

3. Otto (died in 1952)

4. Tekla (died in 1949)

5. Albert, retired professor in Eksjo, Sweden. His wife is a member of parliament in Sweden, three children.

a. Ingegard, lives in Huskvarne

b. Kerstin, married name “Larsby” and lives in Malmo

c. Nils Goran, civil engineer and atomic scientist, Stockholm

6. Martin, author and editor, three children

a. Gunnel, teacher

b. Karl Martin, still in school

c. Karin, still in school

7. Henry, engineer in Karlstad, three children

a. Erik, meteorologist, Stockholm

b. Anna-Greta, office worker, Stockholm

c. Sven Goran, engineer, Stockholm

8. Edla, died in 1927

IV. CARL GUSTAF — Came with his wife to America and lived on a farm south of Dayton, Iowa. Besides being a farmer, he also did carpenter work. His outstanding work was that of serving as a lay preacher, or “kateket” in the Grant Center Lutheran congregation which he helped to organize.

CHARLOTTA, his wife, had five children, all now dead

1. Carl E., PhD, was an eminent psychologist and Dean of Graduate College at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

2. Emma, was married to B.F. Anderson, Madrid, Iowa. Her husband still lives at the age of 96.

3. Selma, unmarried, died when a young girl

4. August, pastor, for some time President of Luther College, Wahoo, Nebraska

5. Theodore, pastor, a foster son, the son of Otto Seashore, who died shortly after coming to America to live.

V. OTTO — father of Theodore Seashore

VI. FERDINAND — also died a few years after coming to America

VII. MARIA MATILDA — married to August Callerstrom, a carpenter. It was to her home that Mother came when she came to America. She was like a grandmother to us. Although all their children were well educated and the daughters taught school for longer or shorter lengths of time, Auntie Callerstrom never adopted the American language as her own. She lived to be 90 years old, though very frail for many years. Had eight children.

1. Selma, unmarried, dead

2. Carl, pastor, dead, three children: Theodore, Carolyn, Evangeline

3. Anna Augusta, widow of the Rev. J.P. Berg, two sons are dead. Lives with her daughter Linnea Evalyn, in Minneapolis, Minn.

4. Marie, Mrs. Albert Renquist, dead, one son, Harold, Personnel Office, Internal Revenue Service, Minnesota District, St. Paul.

5. Edla, Mrs. Victor Benson, Buffalo, Minnesota. Two sons, Caryl, a pastor, and Laurel in business in Buffalo

6. Gottfried, M.D., dead, three daughters: Solveig, Goldwin, Betty

7. Lily, wife of the Rev. David W. Vikner, before her death served with her husband as missionaries in China. Three children: Ruth, Philip, and David, a missionary pastor in Japan

8. Daisy, unmarried, lives in Buffalo with Edla. Lily and Daisy were twins

VIII. ALFRED — settled on a farm near Dayton, Iowa

SOFIA, his wife. Had seven children, four still living

1. Edwin, dead

2. Gilbert, M.D., dead, had two daughters: Marion and Ruth

3. Annie, Mrs. Pete Johnson, now lives at the Home for the Aged at Madrid, Iowa. One son, Harold.

4. Minnie, Mrs. Charles Newstead (dead). One daughter, Myrtle

5. Emma, Mrs. George Nelson, Siren, Wisconsin, one son dead, daughter Doris still living

6. Esther, Mrs. Emil Blomquist, Dayton, Iowa. Two sons: Clemens and Paul

7. Selma, Mrs. Carl Bloom, Siren, Wisconsin. Four children: Gladys, Melvin, Elaine, and Kenneth

Father’s parents, Per Jonsson and Kristina Sofia Magnidotter, lived in Tigerstad, Smaland, Sweden. They had a family of seven children of whom three remained in Sweden, while four came to America.

I. MARIA KRISTINA — died in 1920. Grandfather Sjostrand’s second wife and thus Mother’s step-mother. Her eight children are listed under the Sjostrand lineage.

II. KARL JOHAN

1. Henry, has several children

2. Eivor, married to Mother’s nephew Hilding, Pastor, at Ulrika.

3. Oscar, changed surname to Melander when he came to America. Now lives in Rockford, Illinois.

4. One other son came to America, but returned to Sweden. I can’t recall his name.

III. LOVISA — two living children, David and Elsa

IV. HENRY — died in 1921 at age of 74. Emigrated to America as Father did, but he went south and located in Texas. Married a Southern girl. In 1902 he and his wife and Maggie came north to visit. It was most interesting to meet these relatives of Father’s. Henry who had lived in Texas for so many years completely cut off from Swedish speaking people had almost forgotten his native tongue. After some weeks he was able to visit with Father in the Swedish language and they would sit for hours talking about the life back in their home land. Then Mother, Father and Ruth accompanied Uncle Henry’s to Illinois to visit their relatives there, especially their youngest sister, Sofia Munson. Uncle Fred’s joined them. It was a real reunion of the four Petersons who had emigrated to America.

LIZZIE — his wife, died in 1927 at the age of 70. Had twelve children.

1. Nils Franklin, Lamesa, Texas. 80 years old. 2 girls and 2 boys

2. John Wylie, Brawley, California. 2 boys and 1 girl

3. James Madison, Lamesa, Texas. First wife is dead; 11 children by first marriage, 6 girls and 5 boys; one daughter died at 7 mo., one son at 27 years. Re-married in 1951. Manages a large farm at age of 75 years.

4. Otto Frederich, Fort Worth, Texas, 3 girls, only two living. He and James are twins.

5. Peter Edward, died at age of 7 years

6. Oscar Willard, Fort Worth, Texas, two girls and two boys

7. Carl Clifton, died at the age of 13 years

8. George Earnest, died at the age of 44 years, 3 girls all living

9. William Henry, died in infancy

10. Anna Elizabeth, Mrs. H.M. Cott, Lamesa, Texas, 6 boys and 2 girls

11. Joseph Marvin, Lovington, New Mexico, 2 boys and 2 girls

12. Mary Magdalene, Mrs. Mary Hamilton, Lubbock, Texas, one girl

V. FRED — died in 1922. Came to America in 1877, one of the relatives who came with Father when he returned from his visit to Sweden. He lived in Illinois for a time and was married there. Later the family moved to Nebraska, living first in Saronville, and then moving farther west to Dix.

AUGUSTA — his wife, died in 1919

1. Reuben, died three years ago. Married twice; both wives are dead. Two children from first marriage and four from second marriage are living.

2. Clarence, married, two daughters

3. Esther, Mrs. Claude Sizemore, 1345 South 11th St., Lincoln, Nebraska

a. Dale, electrical engineer, Kansas City

b. Harold, in Civil Service, Omaha, Nebraska

c. Mary Lou, married, lives in Los Angeles, California

4. George, married, lives in Vallejo, California, no children

5. Maud, married, also lives in California

VI. SOFIA — Came to America at the age of 14 in 1877 with brother Jonas. Lived with relatives in Illinois until her marriage to Charles A. Munson. After living a number of years in Galesburg, Illinois, they moved to a farm in Indiana and lived there until by reason of failing health, they entered a nursing home. Both died in 1954, aged 91 years. Their children are all engaged in farming.

1. Fred, Paulding, Ohio, wife Maybelle and he have no children

2. Harry, Bluffton, Indiana, married, had three children. One son was killed in army training, one daughter died of cancer at 3 years of age, one son living has 5 children and 1 grand-child.

3. Myrtle, Mrs. Everett Cadwallader, Payne, Ohio

a. Harold, married a Texas girl while in the army, have one and and live in Austin, Texas

b. Dorothy, two girls

c. Raymond, two girls and one boy

d. Donald, four children

e. Warren, unmarried and lives at home

VII. JONAS PETER — our Father, and I believe the oldest of Grandfather’s family. Emigrated to America at the age of 19 and worked in the gold mines out in Montana for about ten years; then came back to Sweden for a visit. When he returned to America, he brought with him his youngest brother, Fred, and sister, Sofia, and also his niece (by marriage) Emma Sofia Sjostrand, whom he later married.

1. Carl Algot, now 77, unmarried, lives in Gowrie and still engaged in farming on the home farm.

2. Esther Adelia, 75, unmarried, living with Carl in the old home

3. George Walfrid, a semi-invalid most of his life, died in 1939

4. Emma Elvera, died at the age of 9 months in 1887

5. Lawrence, the Rev. August P. Lawrence, having taken his Christian name as surname. He and wife, Dagmar, have no children. He is now pastor in Albert City, Iowa.

6. Naomi, Mrs. Clarence Strand, husband is a retired book-keeper.

a. Clarice, Mrs. Albert E. Schmeiser, wife of a Presbyterian pastor in Joplin, Missouri. Have three children: Ann (2 daughters and 2 sons), Robert, William

b. Carl, Chemical Research Engineer with Shell Development Co., El Cerrito, California. He and his wife, Jean have three daughters, Muriel Elise, Palma Joy (2 daughters and 1 son), and Laurel Ruth (1 daughter).

c. Ruth Vivian, Mrs. Eugene V. Olson, her husband is a refrigeration mechanic in Des Moines. Have two daughters, Ruth Laurine (1 son) and Nancy (adopted, 2 sons and 1 daughter).

d. Vincent, an agricultural engineer graduate, but now engaged in farming and lives on the old Strand farm. He and his wife, Jean, have two children, Julie (adopted) and Joel (adopted, 3 stepchildren and 1 daughter).

e. Verner, the Rev. V.E. Strand, ordained in 1954, and now the pastor of a Home Mission congregation, St. James, in Rock Island, Illinois. He and his wife, Marlys, have four children, Peter (2 sons), Miriam (1 daughter and 1 son), Vivian (1 daughter and 1 son), and Naomi (Noni) (1 son).

f. Marold, married to Jeanne Youngquist, the grand-daughter of Mother’s old friend and neighbor from pioneer days. He is now studying accounting at the University of Minnesota, after serving in the U.S. Navy until September 1955. They have two children, Gregg (married, 1 daughter and 1 son) and Marcia (married, two or three children).

7. Serenus, the Rev. S.E. Peterson, pastor at Mason City, Iowa. He and his wife Edythe have one son.

a. Eugene, unmarried and in the advertising business in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

8. Ruth, died in 1941 at the age of 46. For many years she was the organist of our local Zion Lutheran Church.

9. Milton, Dr. John P. Milton, having changed his surname. Now teacher of Old Testament at the Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He and his wife, Euphemia, have five children.

a. John, married, no children. Part time teacher at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota, also pursuing studies for his Doctor’s degree at the University of Minnesota.

b. David, married, two children, Terry and Scott. A lawyer with Shell Oil Co., in Los Angeles, California.

c. Alice, Mrs. Duane Carlson, Arlington, Virginia, pastor’s wife, and mother of two children, Stephen and Barbara.

d. Roy, married, no children, at present an Ensign in the U.S. Navy.

e. Donald, student at Gustavus Adolphis College, St. Peter, Minn.

10. Lillian, wife or the Rev. Verner A. Granquist, died in 1951 at the age of 51 years.

a. Phoebe Ann, teacher, married to Arne Peterson, student at Augustana Theological Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois

b. Theodore, senior at Gustavus Adolphus, St. Peter, Minnesota

c. Luther, freshman at Gustavus Adolphus, St. Peter, Minnesota

11. Laurine, unmarried, for many years primary school teacher. Now is Director of Teacher Education and Placement at Luther College, Wahoo, Nebraska.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to express sincere gratitude to all those who have helped me with this undertaking by supplying information for the story or for the family tree. Especially do I wish to thank my children who made it possible for me to have my story in this format. Jean in Gowrie, Iowa, typed the first copy from the written manuscript. Vivian in Des Moines, Iowa, drew the original pen sketches for the beginning of each chapter. Carl in El Cerrito, California, reproduced the picture from old prints. Al and Clarice in Joplin, Missouri, typed, mimeographed, and assembled the pages. My family helped me with my story of the Peterson family.

- Naomi -