The genealogical benefits from taking the Advanced Swedish Research class through the Applied Genealogy Institute continue to appear.
Last month, I shared new details about the lives of Johan Caspersson Sandberg, his wife Anna Stina Berggren, and their children, who lived in Genarp, Malmöhus, Sweden in the 1700s.
One of my ongoing research goals is to learn more about my 5X great grandfather Anders Molin and his wife, Sara Brita Krok, who also lived in Malmöhus County, Sweden in the 1700s.
This ancestral couple was unusual for their times. Both were middle class, as Anders was a master mason and Sara’s father was the town mayor. They married in 1776, but separated before 30 July 1786, when Anders was noted as living in Marstrand, Sweden and Sara Brita gave birth to the first of her three illegitimate sons, Jöns Abraham, who was living at least until April 1812, when he appears in Sara Brita’s estate records. He remains a mystery, as I haven’t discovered him in any records after that time.
Sara Brita’s second son out of wedlock, Johan Jacob, born 11 March 1791, married and was the father of eight children.
Her third son out of wedlock, Hans Samuel, born 24 April 1798, also married, and had at least four daughters and one son.
However, Sara Brita and Anders were the parents of four sons. Hans Peter was born 3 June 1776 and died 20 October 1776.
The third son, Johan Peter, born 20 August 1780, also died in infancy on 15 September 1781.
Hans Niclas, the second born son and my ancestor, was born 31 August 1778, married and had eleven children. I have written about him several times in the past.
The remaining son of Anders and Sara Brita Molin, their fourth and youngest child, Johan Peter, and the subject of today’s 12 for ’22 post, born 26 July 1782 in Vankiva, Malmöhus, Sweden, had remained a mystery until recently.
He, too, was living in April 1812 and signed as an heir of his mother, Sara Brita (Krok), widow of the master mason Molin.
Thankfully, Swedes were quite good at keeping records – not just vital records, but also tax lists, moving in and out records, military records, etc. – and Johan Peter Molin was located in the BIS (Population of Sweden) 1800-1947, available on ArkivDigital.
First, just like with census and other indexed records, spelling variations and abbreviations must be considered. The BIS allows search parameters of just a first name, just a surname, birth year, exact date of birth and more.
Look what appeared when I entered “Molin” with Johan Peter’s exact date of birth:
Only one hit came up and it was for “Jöns Pet. Molin,” who was born on 26 July 1782 in the same village as Johan Peter – Vankiva, Sweden. He was living in Nevishög, Malmöhus, Sweden and appeared in the Household Examination for 1857-1861 and happened to be the entry with his date of death, 10 December 1860.
Notice that, although indexed as “Jöns,” this clearly identifies him as widower ‘Joh Pet Molin.’
From this record, I was able to work backwards to create a timeline of Johan Peter Molin’s wife, plus identify his wife and children.
In this timeline, it is assumed that Johan Peter was living with his mother, Sara Brita (Krok) Molin.
1770, 5 Aug – Malena Siversdotter born Uppåkra, Malmöhus, Sweden [Church records extant, but not found between 1770-1775]
1782, 26 July – Johan Peter born Vankiva
1783 – Anders Molin, father, taxed in Vankiva
1786, 30 July – half brother Jöns Abraham born in Everlöv, Malmöhus, Sweden
1791, 11 March – half brother Johan Jacob born in Önnestad, Malmöhus, Sweden
1798, 24 April – half brother Hans Samuel, born in Önnestad, Malmöhus, Sweden
1804 – Johan Peter Molin taxed in Övedsklostergard, Malmöhus, Sweden
1805 – Johan Peter Molin, unmarried, Household Exam of Övedsklostergard, Malmöhus, Sweden
1820, 26 March – Johan Peter Molin married Malena Sivesdotter in Brågarp, Malmöhus, Sweden
1820, 29 Dec, son Anders Molin baptized in Önsvala [Nevishög parish], Malmöhus, Sweden
1821 – Johan Peter Molin taxed in Önsvala
1822 – Johan Peter Molin crossed off tax list in Önsvala
1823 – Johan Peter Molin taxed in Djurslöv [Knästorp parish], Malmöhus, Sweden
1824 – Johan Peter Molin taxed in Djurslöv [Knästorp parish], Malmöhus, Sweden
1825, 11 March – son Lars born in Djurslöv [Knästorp parish], Malmöhus, Sweden
1843, 21 Oct – Malena Siversdotter died in Nevishög, Malmöhus, Sweden
1826 – 1860 Johan Peter Molin appears with his family in the Household Examination records of Nevishög, Malmöhus, Sweden.
1860, 10 Dec – Johan Peter Molin died in the workshouse, Nevishög, Malmöhus, Sweden.
Notice all the villages where Johan Peter Molin can be documented? If you have ancestors from southern Sweden, you may already be aware that southern Swedes have been highly mobile for hundreds of years. I have no one in the northern part of the country, but I’ve been told that northern Swedes were much more likely to stay put.
Johan Peter Molin is a perfect example of one family’s mobility:
From this data, a biographical sketch can be created for Johan Peter Molin, wife Malena Siversdotter, and their two sons, Anders and Lars, who make up an unusual family.
Did you notice anything that might be considered a bit unusual about the ages of Johan Peter and his wife, Malena? There is a gap of twelve years, but Malena is the one who is 12 years older than Johan Peter.
Their marriage record identifies Malena as a widow and no evidence has been found to suggest that Johan Peter had an earlier wife.
That alone wouldn’t raise eyebrows, as I’ve found many Scandinavian couples where the wife was older than the husband. Maybe not quite 12 years older, but older, nevertheless.
The eyebrow raising comes from reading the birth/baptismal records of their sons, Anders and Lars.
Johan Peter Molin was born 26 July 1782 in Vankiva, Malmöhus, Sweden, the son of Anders Molin and Sara Brita Krok. He married widow Malena Siversdotter on 26 March 1820.
Johan Peter died 10 December 1860 in the workhouse in Nevishög, Malmöhus, Sweden, having survived his wife, Malena, by more than 17 years. She also died in Nevishög on 5 August 1843.
Children:
1. Andreas, born 29 December 1820, Önsvala, Malmöhus, Sweden
2. Lars, born 11 March 1825, Djurslöv, [Knästorp parish], Malmöhus, Sweden
Stop for a moment and check Malena’s age when she gave birth – 50 years old in 1820 and 55 years in 1825! She is either a medical marvel or something is wrong. Either her birth year is way too early or else someone else gave birth to Johan Peter’s sons.
First, look at Anders’ 1820 baptismal record:
The mother’s age is actually noted – 50 years old!
What about Lars? Well, interestingly, although the Household Examination record notes that he was born in Djurslöv, which is in Knästorp parish, on 11 March 1825 AND Johan Peter Molin does appear on the 1825 tax list for Djurslöv, NO BAPTISMAL RECORD can be found in Djurslöv or anywhere in Knästorp parish for that matter, in 1825 or several years earlier or later.
As an adult, Lars stated that he was born in Stanstorp or Stenstorp. Stanstorp is part of Eslöv in Västra Sallerup parish, perhaps 25 miles from Djurslöv. Stenstorp is another town about 200 miles north. No baptism was found for Lars in either place.
Something is clearly off with Lars’s birth. Lars may be the son of Johan Peter Molin, but it would not surprise me if his mother was not Malena Siversdotter. On the other hand, there are a few documented women who gave birth in their mid-fifties. It’s just quite a rare happening.
Anders and Lars Molin both married and had children. More on their lives to come in future posts.
Both sons of Anders Molin and Sara Brita Krok have now been located and traced. In addition, two of Sara Brita’s out of wedlock sons have also been traced.
Did Jöns Abraham, born 30 July 1786 in Everlöv, Malmöhus, Sweden marry and have children? For now, I know only that he was alive in April 1812, when he signed in his mother’s estate papers. The answer to that question will require much more digging!