Leaving Mora and trip home

TOMTELAND:

Thursday, August 5th. We visit Tomteland where Roger does the Midvinterblot show with the RogDolls. It is the equivalent of The North Pole Village and Santa Land in the USA. There were lots of Tomts hustling around the village and many many Swedish children putting in a good word with the Jul Tomt himself.

It was not hard to picture in your mind Roger and the RogDolls putting on a wild and crazy show in the big hall.

BACK TO UPPSALA AND HOME:

Hasse drove us back to Uppsala where we spent the night in Hotel Uppsala where we had lodged before. We awoke early Friday morning and took the train to Arlanda airport for our flight home. It was a long flight with a delay in Memphis, Tennessee resulting in 26 hours of being up from the time we left the hotel.

It was good to come home, filled with great memories of a wonderful trip, exceeding by far my grandest expectations. I have to give credit to help from above for making things work out as they did. Anderson ancestors were there in spirit. It makes me grateful to be part of this family.

Mora, Radio Siljan, Zorns, Nusnäs, Party

MORA:

Wednesday August 3rd. We bid good by to Gåsvarv and our comfortable lodgings on Bogg Farm and made our way south to Mora where exciting activities awaited us.

RADIO SILJAN:

Roger had set up an interview with Lars Göran -noppi- Lindberg, a popular radio host on Radio Siljan. Noppi loves western music and plays it on his show, which has a fairly broad coverage in Dalarna.

That 21 American relatives of Dalacarlians were visiting the region was somewhat newsworthy and we chatted about Swen Olof leaving two brothers (Anders and Per Axel) behind in Sweden when he emigrated to Utah. Now, over a hundred years later, we held a big family reunion in Gåsvarv with over 70 participants.

Bonnie also spoke of visiting ancestral sites important to her in southern Sweden. She joked that she had to learn Swedish twice, once in Stockholm and again in Skåne. I must admit after listening to a play back of the interview that Bonnie's Swedish is prettier than mine. I have a bigger vocabulary, but she has a prettier delivery. Maybe it is because she learned hers in Stockholm and Skåne and I learned mine in Östersund.

Noppi played a recording that Bonnie and I had made, "Waltzing In The Nude", which at first blush might seem a bit much for conservative Mormons, but then again, considering we were in Sweden, I thought it would make the Swedes sense kinship with us, feeling that we were just like them, well - sort of.

Noppi asked what made the Mormon church different from other churches and I told him that we believe   that our church is the restoration of the organization which existed in Christ's original church and especially that we have a living prophet and other scriptures such as the Book of Mormon in addition to believing in the Bible. I could kick myself for failing to mention that Thomas S. Monson is the current Prophet of the Mormon Church. That would have scored points in Sweden, big time, maybe even better than "Waltizing In The Nude"!

Larry, Noppi, Bonnie at Radio Siljan

In the broadcasting studio

LUNCH WITH ZAKRISSONS:

Roger's parents Gerd and Gunnar invited us for lunch in their beautiful home in Mora. Their home is brick with a basement and could pass for a house in an American subdivision. We were served waffles hot off the iron with whipped cream and home made Lingon (Red Whortleberry) and Hjortron (Cloudberry) preserves. Gunnar's profession was in forest management covring a very large portion of Dalarna. Gerd was a hemmafru (housewife), according to Roger and worked in various shops after the children were raised. We met one of Roger's brothers, Jörgen.

ZORNMUSEUM:

Anders Zorn was a contemporary of Carl Larsson and just as famous, some say even more so. His painting Sommarnoje (Summer Pleasure) recently sold for 27 million Swedish kronor, the most ever paid for a Swedish painting.

It just so happened that an exhibition of Zorn's works was being presented in Mora, running from 13 May to 14 September. The show was in celebration of the 150 years anniversary of Anders and Emma Zorns births and was titled Zorns Masterverks - it certainly was, ranging all the way from sculptures, etchings, metal works, and water colors to oil paintings. I personally liked Midsommarsdans (Mid Summer Dance) best of all the paintings I saw. It is a depiction of rural dancers in the evening light of midsummer.

In addition to the museum with art works, Roger arranged a special tour of the home where Zorn had lived and worked, it is also part of the museum. It was an interesting contrast to the home/studio where Carl Larsson had lived/worked. Carl Larsson's showed the influence of family and children whereas Anders Zorn was childless and his studio was more inclined to show the influence of his famous visitors.

I purchased a poster of the show for Bonnie's birthday. It is an exquisite water color of a beautiful young girl looking out over some flowers, perhaps through a garden. I don't know the title.

NUSNÄS:

After spending awhile shopping in Mora, we drove to Nusnäs where the famous Swedish Wooden Horses, among other things, are made. It was fun to watch the horses being carved, sanded and painted in their distinctive colorful patterns. In addition to horses, other colorful critters were made such as roosters, which I think were almost as popular, and pigs. I even found a couple of 'huggy-green-frogs' which I got for Bonnie's birthday. You probably think, WOW, a poster and frogs for her birthday! How can she be so lucky! But wait 'till you hear what came next.

THE BLITZERS AND ROGDOLLS:

Leave it to Roger! He had a big show-tent set up in his yard and a bandstand for his band the Blitzers. They have been playing together since teen years and they are really good, I mean reeeely gooood! The band is made up of four members, Roger vocals and lead guitar, Dan Lundqvist - bass guitar, Glädje Per-Olav Olsson - percussion (a relative of Mona's) and Per-Erik Ernlund - keyboard. They played a variety of songs specializing in soft rock as well as Roger's compositions, and also led us in singing Happy Birthday/Lång Må Hon Leva (Long May She Live) to Bonnie. Bonnie joined them on a couple of numbers with a tambourine.

The RogDolls are three women and Roger. They are well known in Sweden with the women having won a big music contest (Körslaget - Clash of the Choirs) with Joacim Cans 1n 2008. It was sponsored by National TV Channel 4. The dolls are Maria Nilsson, Katarina Sakrissson (Roger's cousin) and Camilla Collett. They sang several numbers featuring songs from America including Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. They are an energetic well disciplined group with great harmony. The RogDolls have a show, Midvinterblot (Midwinter Sacrifice) which is consistently sold out in Mora.

It was a rainy evening, and cold, but the tent kept us dry and Maria provided blankets to help keep people warm. Maria had also served a delicious dinner prior to the show. We met Roger's sister Tina and her daughter Klara who had driven up from Gävle.

Ztina, Izak, Kiaza, Louiza, Roger, Maria

The tent and food serving stand

Roger and the Blitzers

Waiting for the show to begin

RogDolls

RogDolls

Bogg/Spjut sites - Asen, Trängslet, Navardalen, Karin's

ANDERSON/BOGG FAMILY SITES:

ÅSEN:

Tuesday, August 3rd. We met 10am at Bogg Farm and the caravan made its way to Åsen where there is a unique historic wooden church from 1729. It is a beautiful building and a tribute to the faith of the people in this area and their desire to have a worthy place of worship. To quote from the brochure on the chapel: "In its unpretending shape the chapel is a reflection of the time when the people of Åsen were poorly off and only in hardship could harvest what the poor land might yield".

The old church

Lena and Sheldon in front of old rectory

TRANGSLET:

We drove up Trängslet gorge to the dam and lake where we stopped for a look. The dam is one of the world's largest earth filled structures. It is used to produce hydro power. The gorge is very rugged and beautiful.

Trängslet gorge

Tina - Ulla - Karin on top of the dam

NAVARDALEN:

Next stop was Navardalen, a fäbod which has been in the Bogg family since the 1800's. The cottage is comfortable and has been beautifully restored by Sigge.

It was quite a long drive for the Bogg family to move the cows from Gåsvarv to Navardalen, taking two days, with an overnight stop along the way. Mona describes this in her history of the Bogg family in bogghistory.blogspot.com.

This fäbod is located deep within the forest and is very quiet - a wonderful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the world. We were served a delicious lunch and just relaxed and visited. Navardalen is owned by Karen Bogg who rents it out when she is not there with her family.

Lunch at Navardalen.  Wyoma, Larry, Legrand, Dianne, Karin, Ulla, Sheldon, Bengt, Christine, Rosalie, Vern, Mary

Karin, Maria in front of old stable

Maria, Karin, Sigge

Larry inside the remodeled stuga

Fireplace and mantle

RAMMA:

We were invited to dinner at Karen Sten's summer cottage, another fäbod which was moved from somewhere else and restored. It is a lovely cottage by the side of a lake with a great gazebo in the garden. As we approached, we were greeted by beautiful cello music floating from the gazebo. The music was played by Ztina, who had come to Sweden from Hungary. She is a friend of Rebeka's. She played Bach and popular melodies from memory. Connor, Abigail and Izaak caught a few trout from the lake.

Karin's remodeled fäbod

Karin's beautiful door

Garden gazebo with Ztina and cello

Karin greeting guests

Great food!!!!

Gloria, Erik, Sheldon, Karin

Side garden

Planting boxes

Willow topiary

Willow basket and topiary

Another willow topiary

Ceramic creations

Ceramic birds, buds and flowers

Ceramic rose

Road trip around Alvdalen

ANDERSON FAMILY SITES:


GÅSVARV:

Monday 2nd August. We gathered at the Bogg Farm at 10:00 am and began our tour of ancestral sites. The caravan consisted of Mona with Erik, Ulla Bogg, our van, Sheldon's car and LeGrand's car. Maybe there were more.

First we went to the home of Gröt Kjell Andersson who told us a bit of the history of the 'Bibleman', his great grandfather Spjut Olof Swensson who rode a bike from Gåsvarv to Gävle to purchase a bible and carried it back home in his back pack. The Bible was large, I would estimate 11 X 12  X 8 inches and weighed about 15 pounds. He showed us the book and it is a beautiful work with wonderful illustrations. 'Bibleman' was a brother to Spjut Anders Swensson.

Kjell's son is living now on the old family farm. The farm is named Gröt Farm after Gröt Kerstin, Swen Olof's mother. Earlier on I think it was the Spjut Farm, at least that is how it is recorded in the Husförlängd (census) of 1867 to 1876. In that census there are 15 persons listed with 5 who died during that time period. Spjut Swen Anderson is listed as head of house with his wife Cherstin Persdotter, who died. His son Anders Swensson is recorded with his wife Cherstin Olsdotter who also died. Sons of Spjut Swen Anderson's sons Swen Olof, Anders, Per Axel and Lars are listed with two children who died . Spjut Swen Anderson's son Olof Swensson is also listed with his wife Kerstin Carin Larsdotter and two children Christina and Anna. One pigan is also listed. There is an old stable on the farm and it is called Spjutstallet (Spjut Stable), probably from the old Spjut Farm.

It was fun to look through the old buildings and see interesting artifacts from former days. One such was a snow shoe for horses which helped them travel through the deep snow. Another was an old wooden chest with several words carved on it. On our way towards Skinnarboda, Mona pointed out an old house which she called the Spjut half-house.

The Old Bible

Spjut Family Record

Mary by the Spjut Stable

Legrand - Larry - Sheldon by the Spjut Barn.  Notice who is resting!!!!!  Even in Sweden!!!!

SKINNARBODA:

We drove up the hill to Skinnarboda to see a fäbod which belonged to the Spjut family. A fäbod is a place where people stayed when they took their cattle to the mountains to graze. Before it became a fäbod, it was called Grötby.  It was probably built by Spjut Anders Swensson for his family to live in.

In the Husförlängd of 1887 to 1896, Spjut Anders is shown living there with his three sons. Maybe it was the house where Gröt Kerstin died of barnsängensfeber (birthbedfever) in 1876 10 days after giving birth to a son Lars. The life of a housewife was hard during Kerstin's time with women working long hours to care for the children, prepare meals, manage the house and work with farm animals such as cows, goats, pigs and chickens. Even though the record in the Dödbok (Death Book) says Kerstin died in Gåsvarv, Skinnarboda may have been considered part of Gåsvarv. It is possible that it is the house which the boys Swen Olof, Anders and Per Axel were driven out from to sleep in the forest when Anders was drinking. 

Mona and I had our photograph taken in front of the house when I visited there in 1958, so now, 52 years later, we had our photo taken there again. Mona looks even more beautiful than she did back then when she was 18, but I have changed a lot from how I looked at 21, kind of like the old fäbod has changed. Oh well, det är som det är eller hur!

SPJUTÄNG:

As we drove back down the mountain Mona pointed out a spot named Spjut Äng, (Spjut Meadow), which belonged to Sven Andersson, father of Anders Svensson. It didn't appear to be a very large piece of land and is now covered by trees. I don't know whether crops were grown on it or if it was a pasture or hayfield previously.

DAGENS RÄTT:

We stopped at a roadside cafe near Älvdalen and had a dagens rätt (daily special) lunch of korv och potatis mos (hot dog and mashed potato), it was good. I had been looking forward to korv och potatis mos since I got to Sweden. I had mine in a hot dog bun but Mona had hers in a thin bread wrap. I wish I would have done mine that way. By the way, dagens rätt that day was meat loaf and boiled potatoes, very delicious, according to Bonnie.

LOKA:

We continued our journey to Loka, the place where Kerstin Olsdotter, mother to Grandfather Anderson, was born. There was an old barn near a spot in a hayfield where the home had been. It is a beautiful broad area of farms and nearby mountains. In the Husförhör of 1837 to 1846, it is listed as the Gröt farm with Olof Pehrsson as head of house and his wife Kjerstin Pehrsdotter and 6 other people, Kerstin Olsdotter being one of them.

BRUNNSBERG:

Restoring the old Gröt Stuga

We journeyed on to Brunnsberg where Swen Olof was sent when his father could not care for him.
Brunnsberg is an impressive place with a large old house that is being restored by the State. Perhaps this is the house Swen Olof lived in. This farm was owned by Gröt Per Olsson, brother to Kerstin Olsdotter, grandfathers mother. Per Olsson was a businessman who had a store just up the hill from the house. He loaned money to Spjut Anders Svensson which Spjut Anders worked hard to pay back. He felt that by paying off his debt he had recovered his honor after being devastated when the Kommun (Community) took his sons from him and sent them to other places to live because it was felt that he was not giving them proper care.

Old Stuga and Storage building


MONAS:

The day ended gloriously with a feast at Mona's lovely house which she has converted from a 1600's horse stable, doing all the work herself. The dinner was a wonderful mixture of beef and Chantereller mushrooms which had been simmered for several hours. This exotic mixture was served over steamed rice. Älg (Moose) korv (sausage) was also served as well as roasted zucchini squash. Desert was delicious cake.We sang songs led by Rosalie and were also entertained by Erik's and Bonnie's piano music.

Mona's back yard and garden

Donna - Polla - Gloria - Abigail

Larry and Kaiza talking about trolls

Erik - Maria - Karin - Rebeka - Mona

Izaak and Connor caught fish in the old Bogg Dam.

Three fishies

Connor grilling moose sausages and zuchini

Släkt Träff

ÄLVDALEN CHURCH:

Sunday morning, August 1st. Several of us went to services in the old church in Älvdalen which Grandfather Anderson may have attended. He was not baptized in this church but was baptized in Annundsjö where he was born. Annundsjö is far north of Älvdalen in Västernorland. His parents were married in Älvdalen church.

I said that he may have attended church in Älvdalen, but then again he may not have done so if he was living in Skinnarboda. He received his permission from the government to emigrate from Skinnarboda, where he was living at that time.

He may have been taught by the Mormon missionaries in Skinnarboda. Several families from that area joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Jesu Kristi Kyrka av Sista Dagars Heliga). Maybe the Mormon missionaries had good success in Skinnarboda since it was so far away from the church in Älvdalen.

But getting back to the church service - the Priest gave a very nice sermon about not having our hearts fixed on the things of the world and the importance of the members safeguarding the church, not only the physical facilities but the spiritual and doctrinal teachings as well. He said that he could trace his authority through the priest who ordained him back to Peter, the Apostle.

The congregation that Sunday was made up of about 25 persons, half Mormons from Utah and half Swedes. We had a nice visit after the services.

Alvdalen church

Altar inside Alvdalen church

Baptismal font and organ loft in Alvdalen church

View inside Alvdalen church showing pulpit and altar

SLÄKTTRÄFF:

It was raining when we went to church at 10 am and many were anxiously considering what to do about the family reunion, but the rain stopped by noon and many tables and chairs were set up in the Bogg farm yard. They were obtained from the Community Center and hauled to the Bogg Farm by Roger, Erik, Anders and others. Karen Bogg and her daughters Maria and Lena were busy as bees getting things ready. Mona and her daughters Maria, Rebeka and Karen and son Erik and Roger were helping everywhere. Michael Slade and his family also got to lend a hand. Folks from other families helped as well. Tables were set up in the old barn for the food. The tables were loaded with delicious foods ranging from Rysk Sill (Russian Herring) to Janssons Frestelse (Janssons Temptation) . It was a wonderful feast.

Afterward we were entertained by the inimitable Roger Zakrisson. Roger sat up a sound system so that the program could be heard. After words of greeting, the 'traveling back pack' was opened to share gifts from America, just as it had been brought to the Anderson reunion in Pleasant Grove Utah with gifts from Sweden. Then Roger sang several numbers and Bonnie and I did Änglahund (Heavenly Hound).

Many Swedish 'cousins' came to meet the American visitors. Sigge was guest of honor. What a wonderful thing to have him present. Ulla has helped me with a list of those who came, in addition to the visitors from America representing Swen Olof.

Per Axel's progeny - Sigge Bogg, his daughter Karen Bogg and daughters Lena and Maria; Gunnel Hagman with daughters Marina and Tina and Marina's children; Jan-Erik Hagman , his wife Inga-Lill, their daughter Eva-Karin and her family; Mona Sten with her family Maria and her husband Roger Zakrisson and children Izaak (10), Kaiza (8) and Louiza (6), Rebeka, Erik, Karin; Ulla Bogg and her children, Åsa and her husband, and Björn and his wife. Åsa's children Claes (10) and Sara (8), Björn's children Simon (9), Emil (7) and Oskar (5); Bertil Bogg and his family.

Anders progeny - Anders and Astrid Åhs; Elisabeth Bogg; Christina Bogg and her husband Bengt Andersson.

In addition Roger Zakrisson's parents Gerd and Gunnar Zakrisson were in attendance along with Anders Olsson. It was quite a gathering - the progeny of Swen Olof, Anders and Per Axel were well represented. It was wonderful for Swedes and Americans to be able to get together - people from the same ancestors, Spjut Anders Swensson and Kerstin Olssdotter, living on different continents.

Ulla prepared a chart of the connections of families and attached it to the wall of the barn. If I have missed anyone or made errors in the names or activities let me know and I will make needed changes.

Bringing the tables

Bringing the chairs

Beautiful Food!!!!

More Wonderful Food!!!!!

Roger welcoming - Bogg home in background

Another view

Larry introducing the 'traveling backpack'

In front of Bogg barn

More crowd by barn

In front of Baker's Stuga

Another table

More by the barn

American cousins with Sigge

Swedish and American cousins

More cousins

Karin's Iron Works shop in the barn

Kids at the Bogg Dam