My great grandfather, Anders Johan Magnusson died way too young…one month before his youngest child was born and when my grandfather was only two years old.  He and his wife, Anna had three children – two daughters and my grandfather who was the middle child.  Anders Johan died  of what was thought at the time to be  heart problems.  Seven years later,  Anna remarried and  four sons were added to the family.  This family, and their families before them, came from parishes in Kronoberg County :  Väckelsång,  Kalvsvik, Jät, Tingsryd, Söllerön and several others.  

Religion has played a large part in Sweden’s history…for good in many ways as it formed a strong base for their families, traditions, culture, and beliefs.  At times the church cast a shadow of repression as it’s authority in alliance with the government  depended on the people who were given and held positions within the church.

It’s difficult to explain the feelings I had as we traveled last week to Växjö which is the county seat for Kronoberg County.  All the years doing my grandfather’s genealogy listing births, deaths, marriages, places, events, tracing leads as families crisscrossed traveling and moving to different farms and places to make a living, and then, to be walking in their footsteps, seeing with my eyes what their world was like long ago.  Makes me wonder what they might have thought in Heaven watching us marvel at the beauty the parishes still held and our wondering about them and the lives they led.  In Sweden today the graves and markers are kept in place for 50 years and then the graves are available for someone else to rest.  Along the old rock wall around in the back where the oldest part of the church yard is you could see very old gravestones lined up and piled up together and on top of each other.  The weather, seasons, wind, moss, snow and rain have taken its toll on keeping alive their memories.  Maybe that’s why doing genealogical research is so instinctive to me – I won’t let go of their memory.  Linking families together on both sides of the veil makes sure no one is left behind or forgotten…after all, they’re family.  They may not be here still…but they are as alive as I am and one day when we are together again it really will be a great family reunion!

If you’re curious, try finding out how you can link your family generations – or find out who is already doing it!                                                                      Click here:   https://www.familysearch.org/