Friends of the Karl Oskar House

Carl-Werner Pettersson

All are invited to attend the Friends of the Karl Oskar House annual meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11, in the Wild Cat Center at Chisago Lakes High School, 29400 Olinda Trail, Lindström. The featured program will be a recently discovered 30-minute video interview with a Swedish pilot who came to Chisago Lakes in search of a cousin and found much more.

The gathering will begin with fika (coffee and treats), entertainment by the Nya Duvemåla Folkmusiklag, and a short meeting, all leading up to the video interview with the Swedish pilot and unofficial Chisago Lakes Area emissary, Carl Werner Pettersson (1933–2012). Sharing of stories, connections, and more FIKA will follow the video.

The name Carl Werner Pettersson is familiar to many long-time local residents. Pettersson was instrumental in promoting the Wilhelm Moberg’s emigrant stories and brought busloads of Swedish tourists to this area in search of links to family members who had emigrated here 100 years earlier. The story of Pettersson’s first visit to Chisago Lakes in 1972 when he arrived armed only with a picture of his dad’s “cousin in America” in Sunrise, Minn. was published in the January 1974 issue of The Swedish Pioneer Historical Quarterly, Chicago, Ill.

That story tells of his yearning to learn more about relatives who had departed from Sweden and settled in Chisago County. Pettersson recalls arriving at the Mpls/St Paul airport planning to rent a Volvo or Saab and ending up uncomfortably driving a full-size Chevrolet up Interstate-35 and Highway 8. He describes driving straight through Lindström before realizing that the town was just a few blocks long. After that first visit, he would return many times and bring many more Swedes with him.

Sally Barrot

Recently a video of local historian Sally Barott talking with Carl Werner at his homestead in Brinkelid, Sweden, has surfaced, and the Friends of The Karl Oskar House are eager to share it with the community. Pettersson recounts his experience finding many more relatives (Nordin, Norden, Magnuson, Nordlund, Tell, Videen, Mold, Nordgren, Shogren, Nordeen, Barott, Johnson and Andersson) than he ever imagined and having dinner with the Jim Turner family in Lindström. Everyone with an interest in the area’s Swedish heritage is invited to attend the April 11 event.

Everyone with an interest in the area’s Swedish heritage is invited to attend the April 11 event.

A selection of videos from the Karl Oskar House

Here is a collection of videos documenting events, music, and general information about Nya Duvemåla.

Magnus Jonasson’s Extended Family in Småland

Maria Petersdotter, born 27 September 1804 (8) was one notable resident of Amundsgård. Her parents Peter Månsson and Maria Månsdotter were witnesses at Johan Jonasson’s christening, and it was clear that they were well acquainted with the brothers Johan and Magnus Jonasson. Maria had two older sisters, Lisa and Eva, and one younger brother, Johannes. Ancestors of Maria’s family date back to the early 1700s in Furuby parish and Maria was well connected to many families living in and around Västorp. Because of these connections, Gladwell would label Maria Petersdotter as a “Connector,” because it appears that she did just that—she connected people together.

Maria Petersdotter grew up and married Jonas Andersson, born in 1794 in Näsby Village, Dädesjö (9). His parents were Anders Jonasson (or Jonsson) and Catherina Jonsdotter. Jonas had two brothers, Nils and Petter Andersson, and one sister, Ingrid Andersdotter. Jonas had been married previously and had moved from Dädesjö to Tollstorp in Hovmentorp parish to live close to his wife’s family. After his first wife died prematurely, he quickly remarried Maria Petersdotter and they then moved to Linnehult in Hovemantorp parish where they farmed and raised nine children. Jonas Svensson, Magnus Jonasson’s father probably knew Jonas Andersson’s parents and maybe knew Jonas himself. Jonas Svensson came from the same small village in Dädesjö where Jonas Andersson was born. It appears that the marriage between Maria Petersdotter and Jonas Andersson was “arranged” by Jonas Svensson. This cast of characters from Västorp, Johan Jonnasson Salesman” and Maria Petersdotter “the Maven,” Magnus Jonasson “the “the Connector” changed their world. Through their combined activities they created a tipping point, one that encouraging thousands of Småland Swedes to leave Sweden for a better home in Minnesota in Chisago County.

References

1. 8. Kyrkoböcker, Född “228.1004.46200 [Kronoberg] Furuby, C:4, Births, Baptisms, 1780 - 1815, 0/79, Image 44 of 66”
2. 9. Kyrkoböcker, Född “820.22.1600 [Kronoberg] Dädesjö, C:3, Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1776 - 1810, 0/157, Image 16 of 150”

Why join our organization? You get fellowship, information, education, entertainment. Knowing that you help promote a good cause and saving cultural immigration history.

Why are dues necessary? We are a not-for-profit organization and exist because of dues and gifts. All board members and workers are non-paid volunteers. Money is needed for maintaining facilities and hosting programs.

Time to pay your dues for 2026. To pay, direct checks to the treasurer at in-person events or by mail.