Sidan heter: http://aitkin.mngenweb.net/index.html
The John Martinson Family
With the fantastic support of some nice people in Minnesota I have started to put all the pieces of my unknown family together, and it must be a kind of record. After only a month I have found and recorded a great part of the Martinson family of Aitkin.
We are going to surprise all of the living descendants of our grandfather Jöns August, the Swedish son of John Martinson, so this will be our best Christmas gift this year! Amazing!
As you can see of my short story, there is a Swedish part today in the new Martinson file at the museum in Aitkin. Shirley Davies, a great friend, has started it and hopefully the file will be a help for others of the Martinson family over there. And maybe some will make contact with me and let me know more about the family story in Minnesota.
This is my story so far, for you to use on the Aitkin site ~ Ingrid Wikberg November 2003
The Family Church in Hoverberg
This is the church in Berg parish, the church that the Martinsons attended and where the Swedish members of the family are buried in the old cemetery. The church was built 1792. I took the picture on 13 Feb 1988, the same day of the burial of my mother Ingeborg, daugher of J A Ekberg. It was a cold, very cold day but with sunshine and a sky so blue that it looked like a summer sky. The steamer bridge lies close to the church and is still used in the summertime for trips acros the lake Storsjön, but with new rebuilt and repaired boats. It is popular for tourist trips.
Jon Mårtenson (John Martinson)
b.3 Nov 1850 in Berg parish, Jämtland, Sweden
d.23 May 1938 Aitkin, MN USA
He had a great love affair with Anna Jönsson
b.5 May 1845 in Kövra, Myssjö parish, Jämtland, Sweden d. 18 April 1924 in Berg parish.
Their son was Jöns August Ekberg >>>>>>
b.29 Sept 1872 - d.3 June 1936
John Martinson's swedish son and his descentents:
Jöns August, he called himself "J.A.", got himself a new surname: Ekberg. He married, got a small farm and also got himself a profession as a shoemaker, but most of all he sang and played. Together with friends he started a men's choir called "Berg Uvarne" (Mountain Owls) in Berg parish and they toured around in the province and became well known and appreciated. (The word 'Berg' can be translated Mountain!) He was known as a talented and artistic person and spent most of his income on notes and books. The children didn't get shoes to use for summertime as a result of this. But all the children remembered their childhood and their father with joy: "When father was home and played and sang and told stories for us -it was just like an adventure and there was mostly laughter through the days."
All the children of J.A. were very talented. They all played instruments, sang both in choirs and as solists, they painted, wrote and brought this over to their children and the atmosphere at home became more or less creative and intellectual.
While researching the church records of births of Berg parish for 1872 we found that it was confirmed by Jon Mårtenson himself that he was the father of Jöns August. Then via the church books and by passenger lists from Trondheim, Norway, the unknown side of Jöns August's family started to be known.
John Martinson, as Jon Mårtenson later called himself after arriving to USA, married 13 Oct. 1878 with another woman: Gertrud Johnsdotter b.21 Feb. 1857 in Skålan, Klövsjö parish, Jämtland, Sweden and they started a new family.
With three children: Elin b.26 Jan.1879, Brita b.20 June 1881 and Martin b.14 Nov 1883. They immigrated to USA in 1888.
John and Gertrud Martinson in Aitkin, Minnesota
Ingrid writes: "It is the first time we have seen our grandfather's father, just amazing! I didn't believe that I would ever have a photo of the 'unknown' and now I have. I have made copies for all 'Martinsons'-relatives in my family.
Since I first wrote to you, I have also get in contact with more of the Martinson-relatives in Minnesota, California and Wisconsin. It is just great!" And today I got a photo of the farm from a neighbor of the Martinson farm in Spirit Lake, Aitkin. A Martinson relative is coming to Stockholm in June so we will meet. Isn't it fantastic! I hardly believe it"
This photograph of the Martinson farm were taken by Roger & Kathy Pearson, neighbors The Pearsons once bought a plot from Ole Martinson, the son of JohnM. Ole's sister Jenny inherited the farm after Ole's death and sold it at once. Kathy writes: "The view is from the shores of Spirit lake. The original house did not include the addition on the left side. The new owner built an attached garage with a room above it when he bought the home from Jenny Martinson." In the trees to the left you can see the original barn.
Of course there are a lot of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and I'm hoping to make some contact just to learn a little more about the Martinson family's life in Minnesota. It is so great to have found my grandfather's father and to learn a little about his family - they are all a part of my family story.
I have read in some death obituary that Gertrude got the surname of Hanson (?) but that must be a mistake as she is written with the surname 'Jonsdotter' or 'Jonsson ' in the church records. Gertrude' s parents were Jon Larsson and Brita Olofsdotter. I have had fantastic help from some researchers in Minnesota and I thank them all so much! Most of all Shirley Davies of Aitkin who gave me the start and led me to the right sources. And then Anna Claxton of Northfield, Eva Olsen of Clear Lake, Sheila Trosak, Randy Wall and Barbara Timm: All of you have responded so positively to my asking for help and guided me in my search for the unknown side of my family.
John Martinson's american family in Aitkin, Minnesota:
The John Martinson family settled down in Farm Island Township, Aitkin Co in 1890. They had a son born in Sweden: Johannes b.16 March 1886- d.15 May 1886 - only two month old. In America, they had five more children: Martha b.10 July 1889, John Olof (Ole) b. 2 Apr 1890, Lars Martin b.18 Oct 1893, Robert b. 8 Jan 1896, Jennie (Jenny) b. 17 March 1900.
But their first son, Martin, died on the voyage over the Atlantic, of dysentary. That's why they named the son b.1893 for Martin; this was common in Sweden as the names they used were old "family-names" and Gertrude's paternal grandfather was named Martin (or Mårten in Swedish).
All these where half siblings to my grandfather J.A., but he didn't know anything about them and the family in USA:
Elin (Ellen) b.1879 - d.1928 married John Woodrow; Aitkin, MN
Brita (Bertha) b.1881 - d.1965 married Eric Engquist; Gemmel, MN
Martin b.1883 - ?
Martha b.1889 - d.1949 married Carl E Skog; Crosby, MN
Ole b.1890 - d. 1970 unmarried, home farm, Aitkin, MN
Martin b.1893 - d.1973 Wife: Marie ? Minneapolis, MN
Robert b.1896- d.1975 married ?? Salem, Oregon
Jenny b.1900 - d.1988 unmarried, Bloomington; MN
Well, the son of John Martinson in Sweden, "J.A" Jöns August also started a family and we have grown and become a clan of J.A.-descendants today. Jöns August Ekberg b.29 Sept.1872 -d. 3 June 1936 Berg parish Marriage 12 June, 1898 to <<< Ingrid Martha Andersdotter b.28 Sept.1870 - d. 31 May, 1954 Berg paris
Their children:
Anders Gustav b.25 Feb.1899- d.1 May 1900
Anders Natanael b.22 Dec.1902 - d.12 Jan. 1903
Anna Margaretha b.27 Dec. 900- d.26 June 1953
Erik Ingemar b.3 Nov 1904-d.8 Feb. 1976
Ingeborg Elise b.5 Feb 1913-d.27 Jan 1988 (My Mum)
PS: En av J.A:s amerikanska bröder fick jag på foto en gång. Han var soldat i första världskriget. Tyvärr har jag inget namn. Jag tycker att han är mycket lik min onkel Erik >>>>>>>
