When I would think of my 4 grandparents, Berneice, Leo, Gladys and GJ, I always had a specific ethnicity attached to each one. Berneice was Swedish, Leo, German. Gladys was Native American and GJ, Irish. Like many other Americans, the reality of my ancestry is a collection of different ethnicities and nationalities, and if you go backward far enough, the truth of what I had always thought then becomes true and verified. Each family line presents its own unique research complications.
When I began this tribute to my 2nd great grandmothers, I did not intentionally postpone Charlotte "Lottie" Blomberg. As it happens, if I had began this project with Lottie, I probably would've given up and not attempted the others. What I have found through this project, however, is a strength of character and fierce determination in each of these women that I see in myself and in the eyes of each of my daughters. I truly do not think it can be said enough that genealogical research favors the male perspective. It is my sincere hope to provide a glimpse into the lives of the women of my family and to ignite a spark of curiousity in others who will follow my lead in getting to know the lesser studied parts of our history.
The story I have heard repeatedly regarding my Swedish ancestors always created in me a sense of mystery and degradation. I longed to determine if any part of it was true. Rumor was that my great grandmother Isca Holt was a prostitute working the docks in Galveston when she met my great grandfather Rollo Eric Sundeen. The two had a child together and when Rollo died a couple years later, Isca abandonded the child who was taken by her paternal grandmother to raise. The grandmother returned to Kansas, and my grandmother, Olga Berneice, never knew anything more of her biological mother.
When I began my www.ancestry.com journey, I discovered many new things about Isca, Rollo and Olga; and finally, I had information on the woman who was the mother to my grandmother, Charlotte Blomberg Sundeen (1867 - 1948). My mother knew very little about Charlotte, or Lottie as she was called. Family rumor also says that possibly the Blomberg family was Jewish.
Lottie Blomberg was born April 15, 1867 in Galva, Illinois. She was one of 7 children born to Nils Johansson Blomberg (1814 - 1874) and Christina Ersdotter (1828 - 1912). Lottie also had 5 half siblings from her father's first marriage. Lottie was born in America, and her parents and many of her older siblings were born in Sweden. As a 1st generation American, Lottie's home probably resembed one from Sweden more than a traditional American home. Galva, Illinois was a small and growing town at the time Lottie lived there. It was settled by many other recent Swedish immigrants, some of these having started in Bishop Hill prior to emigrating to Galva. The Blomberg family migrated westward on the Santa Fe Trail and lived in many places in Kansas, mostly McPherson and Morris counties. Lottie married Erick Sundeen sometime before 1892 in Kansas. The couple had only 1 child, Rollo Eric (1892 - 1923). Between 1910 and 1920, Lottie and her family (Eric and Rollo) migrated to Texas. Lottie's sister Lovisa also migrated with her family, settling in Bastrop County.
The stay in Texas would be short for Lottie. The 1920 census shows Rollo's new young family living with Lottie and Erick in Chambers County. In February 1923, Erick drowned; he was working for a tugboat company in Galveston. I cannot verify if Rollo and Isca were still living with Lottie in 1923, but later in November, Rollo died of peritonitis in Pulaski, Arkansas. He was only 28 years old. Lottie and Olga returned to McPherson County, Kansas. Neither Lottie or Rollo's wife Isca ever remarried.
Lottie had 11 siblings and numerous nieces and nephews, but she had only 1 child and 1 grandchild. I cannot imagine the hardship of losing a child, especially your only child. To me, the story is even more tragic because Rollo survived WW1. Whether the story of the prostitution is true or not, Isca Holt Sundeen never interacted with her only child again. My grandmother, Olga Berneice Sundeen Hayes (1917 - 1988) would be raised by her grandmother, Lottie.
When Lottie died in 1948, she had 3 great grandchildren: Pat, Steve and Charlotte. Charlotte is my mom. The life of Lottie was rarely shared by Olga with her children, so very little is known about her. Part of my genealogical obsessiveness is to chronicle those ancestors like Lottie who are almost forgotten. Family dynamics are complicated, and some families do not pass forward information. I try to imagine what a day in the life of Lottie might be like: what foods did she like, did she drink coffee?
Out of the 8 great great grandchildren, there are only 3 of us females, and we have only 4 girls. By the way, 3 of these are mine, and I take every opportunity to share family history with them.
My day off is slipping away too quickly, so I am closing this for now. As these words are blast into the deep reaches of the internet, I say a prayer for Lottie Blomberg. I know I'll meet her one day.
When I began this tribute to my 2nd great grandmothers, I did not intentionally postpone Charlotte "Lottie" Blomberg. As it happens, if I had began this project with Lottie, I probably would've given up and not attempted the others. What I have found through this project, however, is a strength of character and fierce determination in each of these women that I see in myself and in the eyes of each of my daughters. I truly do not think it can be said enough that genealogical research favors the male perspective. It is my sincere hope to provide a glimpse into the lives of the women of my family and to ignite a spark of curiousity in others who will follow my lead in getting to know the lesser studied parts of our history.
When I began my www.ancestry.com journey, I discovered many new things about Isca, Rollo and Olga; and finally, I had information on the woman who was the mother to my grandmother, Charlotte Blomberg Sundeen (1867 - 1948). My mother knew very little about Charlotte, or Lottie as she was called. Family rumor also says that possibly the Blomberg family was Jewish.
Lottie Blomberg was born April 15, 1867 in Galva, Illinois. She was one of 7 children born to Nils Johansson Blomberg (1814 - 1874) and Christina Ersdotter (1828 - 1912). Lottie also had 5 half siblings from her father's first marriage. Lottie was born in America, and her parents and many of her older siblings were born in Sweden. As a 1st generation American, Lottie's home probably resembed one from Sweden more than a traditional American home. Galva, Illinois was a small and growing town at the time Lottie lived there. It was settled by many other recent Swedish immigrants, some of these having started in Bishop Hill prior to emigrating to Galva. The Blomberg family migrated westward on the Santa Fe Trail and lived in many places in Kansas, mostly McPherson and Morris counties. Lottie married Erick Sundeen sometime before 1892 in Kansas. The couple had only 1 child, Rollo Eric (1892 - 1923). Between 1910 and 1920, Lottie and her family (Eric and Rollo) migrated to Texas. Lottie's sister Lovisa also migrated with her family, settling in Bastrop County.
The stay in Texas would be short for Lottie. The 1920 census shows Rollo's new young family living with Lottie and Erick in Chambers County. In February 1923, Erick drowned; he was working for a tugboat company in Galveston. I cannot verify if Rollo and Isca were still living with Lottie in 1923, but later in November, Rollo died of peritonitis in Pulaski, Arkansas. He was only 28 years old. Lottie and Olga returned to McPherson County, Kansas. Neither Lottie or Rollo's wife Isca ever remarried.
Lottie had 11 siblings and numerous nieces and nephews, but she had only 1 child and 1 grandchild. I cannot imagine the hardship of losing a child, especially your only child. To me, the story is even more tragic because Rollo survived WW1. Whether the story of the prostitution is true or not, Isca Holt Sundeen never interacted with her only child again. My grandmother, Olga Berneice Sundeen Hayes (1917 - 1988) would be raised by her grandmother, Lottie.
When Lottie died in 1948, she had 3 great grandchildren: Pat, Steve and Charlotte. Charlotte is my mom. The life of Lottie was rarely shared by Olga with her children, so very little is known about her. Part of my genealogical obsessiveness is to chronicle those ancestors like Lottie who are almost forgotten. Family dynamics are complicated, and some families do not pass forward information. I try to imagine what a day in the life of Lottie might be like: what foods did she like, did she drink coffee?
Out of the 8 great great grandchildren, there are only 3 of us females, and we have only 4 girls. By the way, 3 of these are mine, and I take every opportunity to share family history with them.
My day off is slipping away too quickly, so I am closing this for now. As these words are blast into the deep reaches of the internet, I say a prayer for Lottie Blomberg. I know I'll meet her one day.
Comments
Post a Comment