First known ancestors are Botvid Sunesson, the bishop of Strängnäs(1500 - 1562) + Elin(c. 1510 - c. 1580)

They had 1 daughter, Margareta Botvidsdotter (c. 1540 - ?)

The first known ancestors from Torsgard were Haluar(1523 - 1600) + Rafvelsdotter(c.1545 - c.1600)

They had 3 sons amd 1 daughter: Torsten Halvardsson(c.1565 - ?), Malin Halvardsdotter(c.1565 - ?), Halvard Halvardsson(c.1570 - ?) and Jon Halvardsson(c.1575 - ?)

... skipping ahead:

One set of Bob & Marian's great great great grandparents: Nils Olofsson + Ingeborg Pettersdotter 1767-1835 aged 68

One set of Bob & Marian's great great grandparents: Peter Nilsson-Johanna Pettersdotter 1816-1907 aged 91

Bob & Marian's great grandparents:

Abraham Andersson + Anna Johanna Pettersdotter 1842-1928 aged 86

Abraham Andersson

Anna Johanna Pettersdotter

Johannes Danielson(b. in Mossviken in 1836) + Kajsa Andersdotter(b. June 11, 1830 at Gummeras, Torskog).

Johannes

Kejsa

Bob & Marian's grandparents: (Thorwald Johnson's parents: John Benjamin Johnson + Thorborg Alida Anderson 1870-1960 aged 90)

John & Alida

John & Alida

Judith's mother, Hermina Schouger-Peterson The roof of the log house in the background was blown off by a tornado about 1940 and replaced with a truss roof made of treated 1 x6 with inset bolt-thru shear connectors, The house was rebuilt on the old foundations by the new owner.	Alida, Thor's mother
Home in Ironwood of John Benjamin "Charlie" & Alida Johnson at 824 Cloverland Drive circa 1915. Also seen in 1950 at right, was burned down later.	Alida, Ruth(grand daughter-in-law), John Johnson circa 1950

John Benjamin (Charley) Johnson, born in Bön, near Slott (a hotel in Torrskog, on a the Göte River, 4 km. north of Göteborg), in the county of Bohuslan (now a part of Västra Gotalanda) along Swedish coast of the Kattegat. From the Lutheran (State) Church records we find that his father was Johannes Danielson, born in Mossviken in 1836 and his mother was Kajsa Andersdotter who was born on June 11, 1830 at Gummeras, Torskog. Charley, the only member of the Johnson family to migrate to America, married Thorborg Alida Anderson, born 1870 at Kvamen u Ekenda, Hilby, Morlanda. Alida arrived in USA in 1883, & the family lived in Ishpeming for 2 years, where I found them in the church records, and census, then moved to Minnesota, where Olof (brother) died, then to Ironwood. Bohuslan after they had migrated to Ironwood Michigan in the USA about 1887 Alida and her three younger sisters came to America with their father and mother. Alida’s father, Abraham Anderson, after a few years in America decided to return to Sweden, but Hanna, Alida’s mother wanted to stay, and Abe asked for a divorce, but was refused. Hanna stayed in Ironwood to be with the four girls as they raised their families. Alida told me Abraham moved back to Vårvik, Sweden alone, bought a farm, while his family stayed in Michigan. Alida’s mother, Anna Johanna "Hanna" Eriksdotter, also from Morlanda, born in 1842 bore Abrahamina Teresia, born 1872, Olaf, born 1874, Anna, born 1876, and Ingeborg (Jenny), born 1881. John and Alida’s children, all born in Ironwood Michigan were Michael Thorwald, born 1888, Arvid Johan, born 1890, Florence Ethel, born 1893, Roy Benjamin, born 1895, Luther, born 1899, Wallace Olaf, born 1900, Isabell Theresa, born 1905 and Helen Dorothy, born 1906. Charley worked as a hard rock miner in the Norrie Mine in Ironwood one of the deepest Hematite mines in America.

parents: Thorwald Michael Johnson + Judith Hedwig Peterson 1893- 1984 aged 91

Back row: Thor, Judith, Robert, right front row: Marian, circa 1937

Judy & Thor with Bob's children & Bob's 2nd wife, Leny 1965

Robert Arvid Johnson 1920 - + Ruth Van Leersum 1928-2007 (m. 1947)aged 79 (& Helena van Houben d.2009 (m 1964))
Marian 1921 - 1999 + Frances Rupp (d. circa 1990)

Bob, Judith, Marian circa 1924

Bob & Marian circa 1944

Bob with Julie, Jef & Elsa (circa 1962) Bob 1920 - + Ruth van Leersum (m 1947) Bob center standing, Ruth center kneeling, Leny upper left, Elsa lower left, Jef upper right, Julie middle right, Thor lower right circa 1991 daughter: Julie Ann Johnson 1952 - + Doug Scott(m 1999) son Jef 1953 - + Kathy Bullock(m 2006) daughter Elsa 1956 - + David Cole(m 2013) Kathy & Jef, 2006 Julie's sons (Bob's grandsons): Thorwald Johnson, Logan Scott

Judy in with Marian & Janet, JoAnne & Richard (circa 1955) Marian + Francis Rupp (m 1943) Thor holding JoAnne, pesky neighbor kid, Francis holding Richard, Marian & Janet circa 1952 daughter Janet 1943 - daughter JoAnne 1947 - + Richard Tower (194? - 2008) son Richard 1950 - 2013 Richard's daughter (Marian's granddaughter): Anny Rupp Zoe & Annie Rupp Annie's daughter (Marian's great granddaughter): Zoe Zoe

Midge recalls:

During my many years of research, and four tours of the old country, I spoke to many of the old folks and relatives, visited the family properties, found documents in the genealogy society archives in several scandinavian cities, censuses, and probate papers, and recorded 4 two-hour travelogs with my camcorder, all narrated on the spot. I would like to share them with all the family, but it is doubtful that we will travel to California again. We'd love to have you visit and raid my "clanbooks" (seven 3-ring notebooks, 3" thick), as well as my fotos, and other files. You could make copies of the documents that back up our research. We could perhaps burn copies of the travel dvd's.

When cousin Robert (and his grandson) drove to Upper Michigan, and stopped to see us, their time was running short, so we didn't have time to dig into the genealogy, but we still send each other bits and pieces, and I enjoy the anecdotes that the family remembers. Sometimes, memory is faulty, but even "lore" without documentation provides interesting hints of family history that sometimes turn out to be based on fact! Two of the wildest tales that were passed on to me orally turned out to be true!

I've also written 36 chapters of my memories of the families that I could e-mail to you, one at a time. Some have been shared with other cousins (Luther's Earl had interested offspring, and Florence's grand-kids have also asked for more information.) Your father and I have been in touch with Helen's daughter Joyce, too.