Where are the facts to support the sparse information about Anders Molin and Sara Brita Krok? As I mentioned yesterday, there were a few clipped images, some sourced and some not.

To return to my research plan steps, #1 on the list was to leave no stone unturned. For the limited choices I had for Swedish records in that time frame, I used ArkivDigital, Genline, which is now on the world Ancestry.com site and the FamilySearch library catalog. The sole item in the library catalog that wasn’t found on either ArkivDigital or Genline was a longshot – mason guild records for Malmö. Sweden (FHL Film #146,465). I did not uncover any mention of the Molin surname.

While my search plan was organized in my head, trying to describe all my steps in order would be quite tedious and boring to read. Instead, I am going to list each document I was able to find AND what it says. A fairly complete picture will appear at least regarding the family life of Anders and Sara Brita, although even with that, there are still many unanswered questions. The data will be listed in order from earliest in time to most recent in time, although dates span a century from the late 1600s to the late 1700s.

First, to give an overall perspective of where the family was living, here is yet another updated map of villages and towns that I uncovered along the way.

Helsingborg, seen along the route between Bonderup and Marstrand, and Veberöd, between Bonderup and Öved, are also in the mix, as is Gullarp, near Bonderup.

If you are not familiar with Swedish records, they are NOT indexed and must be searched page by page. Another handicap for my particular research problem is that for most of what used to be Malmöhus and Kristianstad Counties, household examination records and moving in/moving out records don’t begin until at least the very late 1790’s. I’ve also been told that people in this area of Sweden moved around a lot compared to other regions of Sweden in the 1700’s. Looking at this map, I certainly believe that!

One source that proved to be invaluable was what is described by ArkivDigital as the population registers, which are actually tax lists. Only the men are listed in it, but for the Kristianstad County area and Marstrand, up north, registers (labeled as Gotebörgs och Bohus läns landskontor) exist for the 1700’s. The downside is that for the very southern portion of Malmöhus County, the only register available is for 1941.

Here we go and the list is quite extensive:

1. Sara Brita’s grandmother, Anna Brita von Wowern, was born in Helsingborg on 9 December 1697, daughter of Johan von Wowern and Anna Margreta.

The von Wowern family apparently had some social standing in their community, but I have done no other research other than looking to see if this record actually existed.

2. I found an image on line for Inspector Krok, who was Sara Brita’s grandfather, Jacob, indicating that he was a godparent for Nils Peter Molin, a child of one Hans Molin in the village of Bosarp in 1744. Nils Peter was born 31 December 1743:

There were so few mentions of any Molins in these records that I took note of this birth. The father, Hans Molin, was the church sexton. He had a number of other children born in Bosarp, but the last mention of this family is in 1748. Because Sara Brita married a Molin and her grandfather was godparent to a Molin baby, I think it is possible that this Hans is an uncle of my Anders Molin.

Remember the name: Nils Peter!

3. “Master Mohlin’s” son, Peter Johan, was buried in Öved on 26 February 1749, having died on the 18th or 19th, in his 12th year. No birth/baptismal record was found in Öved for him.

I realize that the priest knew exactly who Master Molin was, but I do wish that he had named him. I believe that this is Anders’ father and that Peter Johan was Anders’ brother. It is also likely that because Anders was a master mason that this master, if his father, was also a master mason by trade.

Remember the name Peter Johan!

4. Sara Brita Krok/Krook was born 7 March 1752 in Bonderup, the daughter of Hans Krook, but her mother isn’t named in this record.

5. Andreas (Anders) Molin married Sara Brita Krok on 2 February 1776 in Veberöd. He is identified as a journeyman mason.

6. Hans Peter, son of Anders Molin, was born and baptized on 3 June 1776 in Öved. This baby died soon, but I haven’t yet found his burial record.

Remember the name Hans Peter!

7. Anders Molin and Sara Brita Krok are found in the moving in records of Öved in 1777. This is interesting because their son was baptized there in spring 1776. Perhaps the priest forgot to write them on the 1776 list so entered them in 1777. They had moved to Finja by 1778 so it is also possible that they were leaving Öved at the time they were entered in 1777. They are #10 on the list and Anders is now listed as a master mason:

AD: Öved Moving In Records, 1777, Image #6

To summarize the family history posted so far, with a couple of extra vital records included that I haven’t posted above with images (but I have.):

Anna Brita von Wowern was born 9 December 1697 in Helsingborg, the daughter of Johan and Anna Margreta (no maiden name given) von Wowern. The von Wowerns had some social standing in the community. She married Inspector Jacob Krook in 1714 in Helsingborg. Their son, Hans, born in 1722 in Gullarp, died in Veberöd in 1754.

Sara Brita Krok married Anders Molin in Veberöd on 2 February 1776. She was apparently already pregnant at that time as their son, Hans Peter, was born and baptized in Öved on 3 June 1776. Anders and Sara Brita are found on the 1777 moving in list for Öved, but didn’t remain there very long. Also, unless the priest erred in Anders’ occupation, he was still a journeyman mason when he married, but had become a master mason by 1777.

Bosarp records show that church sexton Hans Molin lived there at least through the 1740’s. His son, Nils Peter, was born there on 31 December 1743. Hans could possibly be Ander Molin’s uncle since there is a Krok family connection.

In Öved, “Master Mohlin” buried his son, Peter Johan, on 26 February 1749. Peter was in his 12th year, so born about 1738-1739. This may be the father and brother of Anders Molin.

I have not found a birth/baptismal record for Anders Molin and I suspect I have a lot of searching to do for that. He was not born in Öved, as I searched those early records and no other Molin entries were found.

Are you following this saga so far? I will tell the rest of the story in my next post.