Jonas Mattias Andersson

Andra Händelser och Attribut:

• Emigration: 25 Apr 1889, Minnesota, USA

Noteringar:

He arrived in the USA in 1889, and settled in Kittson County, which is the far northwest corner of Minnesota. There was (and is) a large Swedish community there. He bought several pieces of land to grow crops and timber. I have enclosed a picture of one of the deeds, signed by President Roosevelt. At first they lived in a town called Crookston, and they also had a home in a town called Deerwood (both in Kittson County).

In those days in the United States, in order to "hold down a claim" (this means the process of getting final legal rights to the land), one had to live on it for a period of several years. Jonas had bought a second claim in the name of his mother, to grow timber on, and he needed some more family from home to live on this claim. Also I think his mother's second husband had recently died, so she was alone with a four-year old child to support. This is the main reason I am interested in him, since he was the family for my grandmother. She was very close to Alice all her life and stayed in touch with all of them even after she moved to Canada much later.

Jonas and his family moved to San Diego, California, some time before 1920. He died there 17 February 1956. This is all the information I have about him as yet.

I have not yet found out when he married or his wife's full name, but her first name was Hilma. They had seven children, of whom I know only their names so far, since I am still researching:
Martha E. Anderson, born 1895Emelia M. Anderson, born 1898Alice C. Anderson, born 1900Ralph M. Anderson, born 1902, died 1971Ruth V. Anderson, born 1904Myrtle E Anderson, born 1907Valentine M. Anderson, born 1909.

In 1903 he paid the passage to the USA for his mother, younger half-sister and orphaned niece (this was my grandmother Anna Forsgren). I am sending you a picture of the document that records they crossed the Canadian border at Winnipeg, Manitoba, so perhaps they came in a ship that arrived at Montreal. I hope you can enlarge this - sorry it is small.

//Clare Graham



Note from the Karlstad Advocate, March 1, 1956:
Jonas M. Anderson married Helma Rundberg, May 1, 1894. He was a businessman in Stephen, Pelan, and Karlstad, Minnesota, and in San Diego, California. He died in Los Angeles. He was survived by five daughters: Mrs.Martha Purves, Mrs.Millie Collins, Mrs.Alice Powell, Mrs. Ruth Olson and Mrs.Mae Clark, and one son, Ralph. He was preceded in death by his wife and one daughter, Myrtle.



//Terry Thorkildson