Judy Alcott
Bergstrom siblings: L to R: Arvid, Hanna, Lavina, Rengner; about 1948
Christina (Stena) Bergstrom obituary in Osakis Review newspaper.
Hanna Regina Bergstrom was born October 17, 1882, to John and Christina Bergstrom in Belle River Township, Douglas County, MN. John Bergstrom was born September 30, 1844 in Tösseberg, Sunne, Värmland, Sweden. John’s parents were Jan Eriksson (2/05/1817 - 10/15/1868) and Brita Ersdotter (also written as Britta Elofsdatter) (8/29/1815 - ?). John was also known as Jan Jansson in Sweden. On March 19, 1869 John married Christina Hansdotter, who was born September 21, 1837 in Gärde, Nås, Kopparberg, Sweden as KerstinHansdotter. Christina was the daughter of Hans Persson, born May 15, 1806 in Kopparberg, Sweden, and Brita Ersdotter, born February 29, 1804.
Hans (b May 15, 1806) and Brita Stina Ersdotter (b Feb 29, 1804) Persson were married 1834 in Sweden. Brita was baptized March 1, 1804 at Avesta, Kopparberg, Sweden. Her mother was Stina Ersdotter. Hans and Brita immigrated to Belle River Township, Nelson, MN April 2, 1879, from the parish of Nås in Dalarna, Sweden. They homesteaded land adjacent to John and Christina, and their homestead grant was issued August 24, 1891 under the name of Hans Person. (See Homestead Grant section) On the 1886 Belle River Township plat map, the name is listed as Hans Pearson. Their children were Brita (born 8/21/1835 and married Lars Bergsten), Christina (see above), Anna (born 12/11/1840), Carin (aka Catherina and Karin) (born 3/23/1844), and Pehr (Per) (born 4/11/1846). Pehr was blind, deaf, and mute according to Swedish records, but may have been just blind and possibly deaf. He was christened 13 April 1846 in Nås, Kopparberg, Sweden. Pehr is listed as living at the home of John and Christina on the 1920 census. He died July 11, 1942 of heart failure. Hans died 21 Aril 1894. Fahlun Church records show Hans is buried in the cemetery there, but we have not been able to find his gravesite.
John and Christina immigrated to the U.S. May 10, 1870, and homesteaded a farm in Belle River Township, Nelson, MN. Their homestead grant was dated August 8, 1880. (See Homestead Grant and Plat Map sections) They bequeathed their farm to their sons, Arvid and Rengner. Arvid later sold his portion of the farm to Herbert and Lina Olson, Hanna’s son and daughter-in-law, and Rengner bequeathed his portion to Herbert. John died August 23, 1921, and Christina died December 8, 1916, both in Douglas County, MN. They are buried in the Fahlun Church Cemetery, rural Nelson, MN. John’s gravestone reads that he was born in 1842, but that is incorrect. His death certificate lists his last name as Bergstrum.
John and Christina’s children (all born in Belle River Township, Douglas County Minnesota) were:
John Arvid, always known as Arvid, born March 15, 1872. On February 19, 1919, Arvid married Anna Larson (born September 3, 1874) . Anna's father's name is listed as Curt Shoman on her birth certificate). Anna had a daughter, Ruth (born about 1914) when Arvid married her. Anna died July 10, 1926 of cirrhosis of the liver and is buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis next to Carl Larson (January 19, 1862 - December 27, 1912). Ruth married Roy Attridge of St. Paul, MN. Arvid lived all his life on the farm homesteaded by his parents. He inherited half of their farm, and continued to live on the farm with Herbert and Lina Olson (his nephew and wife) after he sold his half to them. April 27, 1952, Arvid was killed by a hit and run driver while walking home to the farm from Osakis, MN. Arvid is buried in Fahlun Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Lavina (also written as Anne Levina and Anna Levina), was born July 31, 1874. Lavina married John Arvid Sundeen (born August 31,1859 in Sweden) on December 12, 1903. Their witnesses were Arvid Bergstrom and Caroline Olson. John died, and Lavina later married John’s brother, Axel Ludvig Sundeen (born April 7, 1872, Värmland, Sweden). Lavina and Axel lived in Milwaukee, WI. Lavina died December 1949 and Axel died February 12, 1964. Both are buried in Milwaukee.
Rengner Emanuel (also written as Regner Immanuel) was born March 1, 1880. Rengner never married and lived his adult life in California, where he died December 26, 1950. He is buried in Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park and Mortuary in North Hollywood, CA.
Hanna Regina, born October 17, 1882. Married Otto Theodore Olson December 13, 1899. Hanna died February 24, 1952 while returning home from visiting daughter Esthrie Schelin and family in California. She is buried in Fahlun Cemetery, and the spelling on her gravestone is Hanna.
Hanna was baptized in the Fahlun Lutheran Church and was confirmed there in 1898. She was an active member of Fahlun all of her life. Hanna attended District 40 School in Belle River Township. She married Otto Theodore Olson on December 13, 1899. They lived on a farm just south of Hanna’s parent’s farm in Belle River Township for a few years, then moved to an 80 acre farm about five miles NE of Nelson, MN that originally belonged to Otto’s aunt and uncle, Sarah (Erickson) and Olaf Hendrickson.
Hanna and Otto had five children:
Herbert Melvin (my father) born August 17, 1900, and died October 12, 1982 of a heart attack. Herbert married my mother, Lina Margaret Swore, on September 5, 1929, and they had nine children. Herbert and Lina lived on the farm with Hanna and Otto for two years, then moved to the farm originally homesteaded by John and Christina Bergstrom. Herbert and Lina purchased Arvid’s portion of the farm from him, and inherited the portion of the farm owned by Rengner Bergstrom. Herbert and Lina lived on the farm until Herbert’s death. He is buried in the Fahlun Lutheran Church Cemetery. See also history of Lina Swore Olson and story in main body of book.
Agnes Irene was born January 21, 1902 and died June 6, 1977 from a heart attack. January 1928 Agnes married Carl Green and they had three children: LaVern, Maxine, and Dennis. Carl died March 19, 1944, and Agnes married Albert Forsgren June 20, 1946. Albert died of a heart attack on March 22, 1968. Agnes, Carl, and Albert are all buried in Fahlun Cemetery.
Lydia Virginia was born October 19, 1903 and married Ernest Lindquist. They lived most of their married life in Minneapolis, MN. Their children were Jordon, Lenore, and Wendell. Ernest died November 1, 1984 and Lydia died October 18, 2001. Both are buried in Geneva Cemetery, rural Alexandria, MN.
Elsie Evelyn was born April 2, 1907, and she married Roy Floding (born 10/22/1904). Elsie and Roy had five children: Donna Mae, Eugene, Duane, Roland, and Arlou. Roy died July 5,1963 in Osakis, MN and Elsie died September 15, 1979 in Iowa. Elsie, Roy, and Donna Mae are all buried in Fahlun Lutheran Cemetery.
Esthrie (also spelled Estrie) Ethelyn was born September 15, 1914, and married Laurence Schelin (born May 4, 1913 in Nelson, MN). They lived on the farm with Otto and Hanna from 1942 to March 1951, then moved to California. They lost one infant child (born and died Feb 01, 1935) and also a three-year old daughter, Lynell (Sept 29, 1947 - Oct 2, 1950), both of whom are buried in Fahlun Cemetery. Their other children were Lee, Gary, Brian, Lon, and Darla. Lawrence died April 16,1981 and Esthrie died 13 Aug 1986. Their ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean off the Newport Beach cost in California. Darla died 19 Sept 1981, and her ashes were sprinkled over the Pacific Ocean near British Columbia.
Hanna and Otto first lived on a farm just south of Hanna’s father’s farm, and Herbert attended District 40 School. Later Hanna and Otto moved to the farm originally owned by Otto’s uncle and aunt, Olaf and Sarah Hendrickson. Olof received a homestead grant for the property August 25, 1873. (See Homestead Grant section) It was located in Osakis Township about one mile south of Fahlun Church and about three miles north of Nelson, MN, and their children then attended District 10 school. The children were all baptized and confirmed at Fahlun Church and all walked to Swede School, which was held at Fahlun during the summer months.
Lina Olson described Hanna as a very lovable and pleasant person, who was noted for often having company for coffee. Hanna served as a midwife and helped deliver many babies in the community. In 1929 Hanna and Otto rented their farm to Herbert and Lina for a short time before they moved to the farm first homestead by John and Christina Bergstrom. Otto and Hanna later rented their farm to daughter Esthrie and husband Lawrence Schelin for a while before they moved to California. During that time Hanna and Otto lived in Minneapolis with daughters Elsie and Lydia, then moved back to the farm when Esthrie and Lawrence moved to California. While in Minneapolis Hanna worked for a time at National Photo Company.
In December 1949 there was a surprise party at their farm for Hanna and Otto’s 50th wedding anniversary with many people attending. In November 1951 Hanna went to California to spend time with Esthrie and family. On February 24, 1952, Hanna had a heart attack in Williams, Arizona while on her way home to Nelson. Both she and Otto are buried in Fahlun Cemetery.
See also the histories of Otto Olson, Herbert Olson, and Lina Swore Olson. .
Christina Bergstrom - possibly taken at same time as the photo of John Bergstrom
Hanna Regina Bergstrom Olson
Mother of Herbert Olson and grandmother of Judy Olson Alcott
Pehr (Per) Persson)
Standing: Arvid, Reneger, Lavina, Hanna; Seated: John and Christina
John Bergstrom - est. photo 1869-70