Joined Together

 This week's theme is "Joined Together." I thought I'd write about how the Fahna family joined together in America from Sweden.

Sven Andersson Fahna and his wife Kajsa Johansdotter had 6 children. There were 4 daughters and 2 sons. The oldest daughter died in 1857. They lived in Kronoberg, a county in the province of Smaland, Sweden. Smaland as a whole was not known for being very prosperous in the 1800's. It was largely wooded and the soil was poor for growing crops. There was a lot of poverty in the area and many people left. The first of Sven and Kajsa's children to leave was their youngest son Anders Lindblad.  Anders had decided to change his last name to "Lindblad." Changing last names was very common in Sweden. "Lind" means "tree" and "blad" means "leaf". So, perhaps he wanted a last name that described where he lived? Either way, Anders and his wife and 3 surviving children set off for America May 14, 1869. Anders was 33, his wife Britta was 32. Sons Sven, 9, George, 7, and Carl, 4 also came along. Upon arriving in America they made their way to La Porte, Indiana. Anders is listed on the 1880 and 1900 census records as a farmer. He and his wife had a daughter after arriving in America. The family did well. So well, it was time to start bringing other family members over.

The next member of the family to travel to America was Sven Fahnstrom. Sven was the oldest son of Jonas Fahnstrom. Like his brother Anders, Jonas had slightly changed his last name from Fahna to Fahnstrom. "Fahna" means "flag" in Swedish. Sven, the elder, had been in the Swedish army and added "Fahna" to his last name when he joined. The men in this family have a habit of changing their last names. Sven Fahnstrom came to America in April 30, 1880. He was 20 years old. He settled in Galva, Illinois. He worked as a blacksmith at a factory.

Next to come was Sven's brother Anders Fahnstrom. He traveled to America on May 25, 1883. He lived in America for a few years and then went back to Sweden where he was married in 1886. His son was born in 1887. Then, in 1888 he and his wife and son came back to America. He worked as a tailor and ran his own shop. 

The next brother to come was Karl Fahnstrom. He traveled to America July 28, 1883. He married a woman in Brooklyn, New York and stayed in New York for the rest of his life. Karl was 19 when he came to America.

After Karl, next younger brother Ben Fahnstrom came to America. He came when he was 18 years old and he traveled March 8, 1888. Ben married and worked as a blacksmith too. He lived in Galva, Illinois. 

Next family member to come to America was Sven Goran Henrik Johansson, also known as George Henrickson. Nephew of Anders Lindblad and cousin to the Fahnstrom brothers. He came to America Nov. 29, 1892. He was only 17 years old. His ticket was paid for so either his uncle or one of his cousins must've paid for his ticket. We know he stayed with relatives in Indiana first before briefly setting out to Nebraska, then to Illinois where he attended college and finally settled down in Michigan. 

With a brother, a nephew, and 4 of their oldest sons already living in America, on May 27, 1893 it was time for Jonas Fahnstrom and his wife Ingrid and their 3 remaining children to travel to America. Jonas was 60, Ingrid was 54, daughter Wilhelmina was 20, son Goran was 11 and youngest son Emil was 9. They settled in Galva, Illinois. 

Next to travel to America was George Henrickson's sister, Amanda Johansson. She came in either 1892 or 1900. In 1892 she was 15 years old so I think that record is false. In 1900 she was 23 years old and that seems more mature to be traveling to America by yourself. Especially as a female. She lived with her uncle Jonas Fahnstrom and married her first cousin Goran. She stayed in Galva, Illinois.

Finally, the last member of the family to come to America was George and Amanda's mother, Ingrid Fahna. Ingrid was sister to both Anders and Jonas. Ingrid had stayed in Sweden and looked after their sister Sarah Lena Fahna. Sarah passed away on August 1, 1912. On Nov. 12, 1912 Ingrid sailed for America to join the rest of her family. Her children and her brothers and their families. 

It took from May 1869 until November 1912 for the entire Fahna family to join together again, but they did it. I can't imagine how happy they must've been to finally all be together again.