Friday's Faces from the Past - Lovisa Charlotta Majholm

Lovisa Charlotta Majholm 1850-1931
photo from personal collection of Ingemar Majholm

My great great grandmother Charlotta Majholm had an older sister, Anna Stina Majholm. In this Household examination below from Arboga, Västmanland, Sweden 1846-1855, we see the sisters living together with a group of other women in similar circumstances. Charlotta and Anna Stina were both the mothers of illegitimate children, living in poverty. Charlotta bore a son labeled in his parish birth record as öakta or illegitimate. Carl Wilhelm was born in Arboga 25 May 1849. Anna Stina bore a daughter, also öakta, 11 Feb 1850. That child, Charlotta's niece, was Lovisa Charlotta Majholm.

ArkivDigital Hüsförhor Arboga, Sweden 1846-1855

Charlotta's son Carl Wilhelm died at one year of age. When Charlotta found herself in similar circumstances 10 years later and pregnant with my great grandfather Robert Albin she married my great great grandfather Edvard Julius Abrahamsson. Charlotta's lot in life improved immensely with her marriage but it would seem the story may have been quite different for Anna Stina and her daughter Lovisa Charlotta. 11 June 1886 Anna Stina died. We find that Edvard Julius wrote a letter to the Arboga Public Assistance  Committee in July of that same year offering and asking for assistance on Lovisa's behalf. I can only guess the reason.  It possibly could have been Lovisa's poor health or poverty?

Frölunda July 21, 1886

Mr. Chairman of The Arboga Public Assistance Committee,

As an answer to the honoured writ of the 14^th of this month, I want to inform you that I'm satisfied with the presented agreement of 25 kronor per year for mentioned Lovisa Charlotta Mayholm because I through my wife am related to her.

Concerning the cost of her journey here from the nearest railway station, situated 20 km from here, I will, as there are horses of my own, fetch her without the expense of the Committee.

A lifetime contract I don't want to sign. We know, of course, not about our time here. But if the Committee fear loss by letting her come here without this condition, then it's possible to wait with the payment of the first year until one year has passed from her arrival and I can even in part pay the cost for her journey to Svenljunga, if that be the wish. If things don't get worse for me henceforth than hitherto, her stay here will probably be for lifetime. Even my decease is no hinder.

However, if Lovisa by time through lengthy disease is to be in greater need for care, I declare my right to notify the Public Assistance Committee in Arboga in order to come in enjoyment of a slightly higher contribution through the confirmation of this Committee.

Any real use for Lovisa I can in our conditions of work not have. The cause for me to offer you to send her here for such a limited compensation I need not inform you about you since you know it so well.

Am now requesting answer by return in order to know whether I have to send her money for the journey if you don't want to pay the journey until a year has passed or perhaps you not at all want to concern yourselves with anything since I haven't signed the contract. If that's the case, I will anyway let her come here for some time in order for her to amuse herself and even see where we live.

Faithfully yours  Edvard Julius Abrahamsson**

**the original letter of Edvard Julius Abrahamsson to the Arboga Public Assistance Committee 

is in the possession of and translated into English by cousin Ingemar Majholm.

I do not know what assistance if any Lovisa received because three days after writing this letter Edvard Julius died of acute appendicitis. Lovisa did not come to Stommen and I have not yet found any documentation concerning her life except the Arboga death record that stated she was unmarried and died 10 October 1931 in Arboga stadförsamling, Västmanland, Sweden.

my first cousin three times removed

Lovisa Charlotta Majholm

b. 11 February 1850

d. 10 October 1931

(click on documents and photos to enlarge for easier viewing)