Find the original source....

In the old days of genealogy, it was difficult to always see the original source. Because of distance and time constraints I relied on letter writing and the goodness of others to help me research family stories. Such was the case when trying to find records of the Anderson and Long families in Stockholm, Wisconsin.

I wrote a letter to the Pastor of the Sabylünd Lutheran church in Stockholm where Dennis’ family worshipped. This is the reply to my question regarding the Lång family.

In fact, twice in this letter Pastor Fehr named the wife of Peter Nilson Lång as Stina Kajsa Long. Not being familiar with Swedish names, for years I assumed her maiden name was Kajsa. While researching the family at one point I noticed that many other researchers had listed her name as Kristina Olson. Where did they get that from?

When I was finally able to look at the original document, I understood why Pastor Fehr gave me the information that he did.

Stina’s information is the second entry. It reads Stina Cajsa Olsdotter. If you notice the Olsdotter is tucked into the margins and there is a break in the name. It would have been easy for the Pastor have missed this entry. Online family members had Americanized the name to Olson.

Lesson learned: Always look at the original record!

Stina Cajsa Olsdotter Lång with her grandson, George Herbert Anderson

Reference

Swedish American Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths, and Burials; Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Elk Grove Village, IL; Parish: Sabylund Lutheran Church; Accessed at Ancestry.com; U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947.

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