Wednesday's child - Johan Gustav Victor Bergvall

Such a fancy name for such a little boy. Johan Gustav Victor was born 1 Apr 1836 in Lerbäck, Örebro, Sweden* on the family farm Knutstorp. The first child of my great great grandparents, Jan Gustav Bergvall and Anna Lisa Pehrsdotter. Anna Lisa was just 19 at the time of his birth. I am sure his birth was a happy occasion as he was the first grandchild on both sides of the family.

*Ancestry.com-Sweden, Church Records, 1500-1941 County Örebro, Parish Lerbäck, 

Födde (births) 1826 - 1860, GID 196.76.46200, Volume C:4, Roll/Fiche # MN-1128

21 June 1836, 2 months and 21 days later**, he was gone. The cause of his death was "kopper" or smallpox. In 1816 smallpox inoculations had became mandatory in Sweden. Perhaps he was considered a bit young to be vaccinated? About 1 in 3 that contracted the virus died. It was especially virulent and deadly for the very young. He was buried the same day as he died, most likely as a preventitive measure against the spread of the virus.

**Ancestry.com-Sweden, Church Records, 1500-1941 County Örebro, Parish Lerbäck, 

Död (deaths) 1801-1861, GID 196.78.84400, Volume F:1, Roll/Fiche # MN-1128

The uncle my grandfather Richard would never know and my second great uncle:
     Johan Gustav Victor Bergvall
     born  1 Apr 1836 Knutstorp, Lerbäck, Örebro, Sweden
     died 21 Jun 1836 Knutstorp, Lerbäck, Örebro, Sweden

- Ranae

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As a toddler I was given the Smallpox vaccination by our family pediatrician Dr. Nils Tunestam (a friend of the family and also a Swedish immigrant). Usually given in the upper arm he gave me mine in my upper leg thinking a girl would most likely not want a visible scar. He never could have guessed how short those mini skirts and hot pants got in the late 60's!

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The last natural case of smallpox was in 1977 in Somalia eliminating the need for universal childhood inoculations.