52 Ancestors in 52 weeks - #13 "Lost & Found" - Majia Gustafsdotter

 Prompt #13 (Mar 26-Apr 1): "Lost & Found" - Majia Gustafsdotter

Gustaf Gustafsson and Majia Gustafsdotter were married 28 Nov 1806 in Lerback, Örebro, Sweden. Six months later Jan Gustaf was born.

Gustaf was a bergsman (miner). He mined iron ore. Today Sweden is Europe's leading mining nation as it produces 91% of Europe's iron ore. In my grandfathers family, for generations back, many of the men were miners or blacksmiths turning Sweden's iron ore into steel. For hundreds of years Swedish steel has had an excellent reputation because of its high quality and purity. Mining was a difficult, dirty and often dangerous occupation.

At the young age of 26 Gustaf died in the mines. Majia, with two boys, four and two years old, had LOST her husband and source of income. She would have had to go to the poor house but her father took her and her boys back to his farm. There she FOUND her second husband, Olaf Andersson who was working the same farm. Olaf took in the boys and together they had three more children.

my 3X Great Grandparents
Gustaf Gustafsson 1785-1812
Majia Gustafsdotter 1785-1842

my 2X Great Grandfather
Jan Gustaf Bergvall
1807-1882

From Amy Johnson Crow, a genealogist, far more experienced then I. "The data that we've accumulated in our genealogy software and in our binders and folders doesn't do a whole lot of good just sitting there. We need to do something with it." Each week she sends out a prompt to share a bit about an ancestor, collateral relative, or family friend.