A MYSTERY SOLVED!

The five surviving children of Johan and Kaisa Munter
Alfred, Mathilda, David
Marie, Lars (Lewis)

 I don't usually do a Friday blog but when you have something to share, it's time to do it no matter what day it is!

History was never my favourite subject in school.  But when it comes to the history of my family, that's quite a different story!  For several years I have worked off and on tracing our family history and working on family trees.  Most of my ancestors can be traced back to their roots in Norway.  I have records of where and when they were born.  But I have never been able to trace a great grandmother who was born in Sweden.  That is, until this week!!  

I have been in touch with a third cousin, Susan (Munter) Moss who lives in Los Altos, CA.  We met years ago when we were young girls.  Our dads were second cousins and we visited her family in Kalispell, Montana in the early fifties.  Her grandpa David Munter, Uncle Dave as we all called him, was keenly interested in contacting relatives so that's how we met. He also introduced me to another third cousin, Myrna (Gilcrist) Damm, who has been my special friend since the age of ten.  We were born just five days apart so maybe that's why we bonded so well!   Over the years I lost touch with Susan but  we have found each other again, thanks to the internet.  This past week she emailed me with exciting news! 

 A researcher in Sweden has found the Munter family's roots!  She  sent me the names of Johan (Johannes in the Swedish records) and Kaisa's children, the dates and places of birth for each of them.   My great grandmother Mathilda was born on September 1, 1858 at Gestad. The Swedish records showed a different year than the one we had for her.  Otherwise, the names and dates were very consistent with family records.  Two children had died in infancy.  Two  others died after Kaisa and five children made the trip across the ocean to join her husband in America.  Johan was in the Civil War and had sent money with a friend to take to Kaisa in New York.  Neither the friend nor the money got to her and she was not able to provide for five young children in this strange city.  By the time Johan realized what had happened, the two youngest children, Alexander and Elisabeth, had died.  He was able to get more money to her eventually and she travelled by stage coach with the three remaining children, Marie, Lars (Lewis) and Mathilda, to Joplin, MN.  When the stagecoach arrived at a stopping place on the journey, they got news that President Lincoln had been shot!  That happened in April of 1865.  When Johan was discharged from the army he bought a farm at Terrace, MN and that's where they raised their family of five. Alfred and David were born in Minnesota.

A tin type picture of
Johan Munter

The researcher also gave the names of the parents of Johan.  His father was Lars Munter who was born on January 13, 1799 in Brålanda, Sweden.  His mother was Maria Jacobsdotter who was born in 1800 in Sundals-Ryr, Sweden.  I have found those places on a map so now I'll have to find out more about them.  I might even have to take a trip to Sweden some year!

 That's as much of the story as I am going to share tonight!  Aren't you glad to hear that?  If I've bored you, I'm sure you aren't alone.  Uncle Dave related a story of stopping at a house to look up a relative of his.  The fellow who answered the door wasn't quite as enthused about the connection as Uncle Dave was and commented dryly "Oh yeah, I've got so many relatives" and that was that, no reunion there, just a door closed in his face.  That't what's nice about blogs.  You can quit reading anytime and close the door without the writer knowing anything about your reaction!  Until Sunday, good-night and have a Happy Canada Day.  Hope to see some of you at the Jamboree in Oungre!