I planned my trip to Sweden and Copenhagen with genealogy as my focus. To visit the home of my Swedish ancestors. All of my ancestors emigrated in the late 1800's. All of them emigrated to Chicago, Illinois.
Sweden had a total population of 10.49 million people in the 2022 census. Less then the population of New York or Los Angeles. And only slightly more than the city of Chicago.
Sweden was fundamentally agricultural in the 1800's. Leaving Sweden for the U.S. gave Swedish emigrants economic opportunities not available in Sweden. My gg grandfather Peter August Carlson listed his occupation as a carpenter on a U.S. Census. His son, Johan August Carlson gave his occupation as a tailor.
I visited the area where Peter, his son Johan and wife Kristina lived before they left for the U.S. It was very rural where people carved out subsistence living through farming. There had been a recent famine in Sweden in 1867 - 1869. As I write this I can almost feel the despair they saw their future.
My g grandfather Claes Erik Leonard Sjöwall set up a medical practice in Chicago. He was born in Stockholm to a young unwed mother, Hedvig Johanna Fock. Hedvig is the granddaughter of a Swedish folkhero, Metta Charlotta Fock.
Hulda Cecilia Christina Perrson, my great grandmother, was orphaned by the age of 8. She and her sister were raised by her uncle and his family until she left home at 16. She worked as a maid in Copenhagen for 8 years before boarding an emigrant vessel bound for New York. From there she made her way to Chicago and met Claes. They had two children. Hildur, my grandmother and Arthur her younger brother, both born in Chicago.
Each of my ancestors that emigrated to Chicago had reason to leave Sweden. Each of them were motivated to find a better life. Each of them made an adventurous journey. I understand their plight. I am grateful for their determined spirits.
I found Sweden to be an amazing country. There are no public displays of drug use. There is low crime. There is very little homeless. People seem prosperous and happy. By all accounts Sweden is modern, progressive and a welcoming country.
My visit to Sweden was filled with adventures. I rode my favorite transportation, high speed rail, several times. I dined on well prepared meals while leisurely taking in the passing countryside and lakes. Sweden is a beautiful country. Their trains are well maintained, well staffed and run on schedule.
I stayed in Stockholm for 11 days. One of the things that was obvious to me was the cooperation between drivers and pedestrians. People just approaching the crosswalks were given the courtesy of well distanced stopped vehicles. Their courtesy encouraged me to ride the readily available stand-up electric scooters. It felt safe and freeing riding them. I could travel longer distances to Stockholm's attractions.
I gathered not only genealogy information on my ancestors but also a sense of the country itself. I felt comfortable being among the Swedes. Go figure.
I've more genealogy work to do. I have one other Swedish ancestor that emigrated that I know very little about. Johan Carlson was a young boy when his parents and he left Sweden. He met and married Augusta Svensdotter in Chicago who was also born in Sweden and emigrated to Chicago. Sonia and I have work left to do.
