Harry H. Anderson, age 93, died peacefully on May 21, 2024. Harry, who is of Swedish descent, is one of the founding fathers of Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin and served as the president from 1975 to 1980 and more recently from 2004 to 2008. He has written and presented many stories related to Swedish American immigration and traditions. He is the author of Milwaukee, at the Gathering of the Waters (American Portrait Series), a pictorial and entertaining commentary on the growth and development of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Harry Anderson Funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 5th at Bayshore Lutheran Church, 1200 East Hampton Rd., Whitefish Bay, WI. 53217. Reception and visitation with family follows the service.
Memorials suggested: Harry Anderson Library at Milwaukee County Historical Society Bayshore Lutheran Church
The Wisconsin State Historical Marker honoring Gustaf Unonius, New Upsala and the Scandinavian Parish is scheduled to be unveiled on June 1, 2024, at 1 PM at St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church, N48W31340 Hill Rd (Hwy 83) in Hartland, Wisconsin. This is a public event, and all interested are welcome.
The purpose of this historical marker is to recognize the pioneers and missionaries that in the early 1840’s laid the grounds for the immigration of Swedes to Wisconsin. In 2012 Census there were 150 thousand Wisconsin residents who claimed Swedish ancestry.
The project to establish the marker was initiated in October of 2020 at the SAHSWI annual meeting, and after much research and documentation the application was submitted in July of 2022. After several discussions with Wisconsin Historical Society and resolving suggested modifications in the text, the final approval was received in May 2023 and the marker was placed on order and was delivered it at the end of December 2023.
In October of 1841 Gustaf Unonius arrived at Pine Lake, travelling from Upsala, Sweden with his wife Charlotta, and friends. Within a year several other Swedes arrived in the area, and they established a second Swedish settlement in the United States, and the first in Wisconsin, they called it New Upsala. This was over 200 years after the establishment of the first Swedish settlement in USA “New Sweden”, founded in 1638 by the Delaware River.
Unonius, being a devoted man, held religious gatherings at his cabin for family and friends, including settlers from Norway and Denmark. A priest was needed and in 1842 Unonius met James Lloyd Breck, an Episcopal Missionary, who would assist with ministerial services such as communions, baptisms, and marriages. In 1844 Bishop Jackson Kemper visited New Upsala, the Holy Innocents cemetery was consecrated for the Scandinavian community, and the Pine LakeScandinavian Parish was established. Mr. Breck founded the Nashotah House Seminary in 1842.
Nashotah House played an important role supporting the Scandinavian Parish through the years of the settlement. Later the church was renamed Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. In 1968 a new church was built together with Grace Episcopal Church and the two congregations merged naming the church Grace Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. In 1975 the congregation had grown to gain the status of a parish in the union with the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. Grace Holy Innocents name was changed to St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church, named after St. Anskar (801-865) who was the Archbishop of Hamburg, Germany, and a missionary to Scandinavia near the beginning of the Viking Age.
Come to the next Fika meeting Saturday, May 18, 2024, starting at 1:30 PM to find out more about Swedish Genealogy. The meeting will be held at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee located just east of the Milwaukee Zoo.
The program will feature presentations by the Swedish Genealogy Research Group (SGRG) members about their Swedish and Scandinavian roots and their ancestor’s immigration to Wisconsin. The SGRG is a part of Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin (SAHSWI) and is led by Swedish Genealogy Committee Chair John Engel who has nearly 50 years of experience in Genealogy Research. John and members Melanie Herriges and Renee Swanson-Boos will talk about their ancestry and their research, and John will also explain how you can start your own research into your family’s background.
After the presentation enjoy traditional Fika the Swedish way. If you can, bring a dish to share. Do you have a favorite Swedish recipe you want to share, bring it and we can add it to the websiteFood Heritage page.
One area of focus for Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin is to document unique stories from people in Wisconsin of Swedish descent. These stories may be about the life in Sweden, the journey and immigration to America or life after settling in Wisconsin.
The following story is told by Karen Snowberg. Karen was born in Wisconsin but spent most of her adult life in Westchester County, New York. During 25 years of membership in the Vasa Order of America, she has served in many officer positions in the local, district and the Grand Lodge levels. She is the Grand Lodge Past Cultural Director for the USA & Canada and is currently serving her 10th year as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Vasa Order of America National Archives. Karen’s many trips to Sweden allowed her to learn quite a bit about her family history on Öland. With an advanced degree in the performance of Renaissance and Baroque music, Karen has been a dedicated church musician all her life, coaching choirs, recorder ensembles and brass groups to enhance the worship service. Moving back to Wisconsin Karen became a SAHSWI member in 2022. This is Karen’s story about her great uncle Herman Miller Snöberg.
The youngest brother became a world traveler
“When I first visited Degerhamn on Öland with my brother and his wife, we met many descendants of my mother’s grandmother. One of these relatives, Gösta Wahlgren, was the town historian who had organized a small museum for the records, photos, and other things he had collected to preserve the history of Degerhamn. He was able to fill in the background of our grandmother who left Sweden at 16 to emigrate to America.
In telling us about our grandmother’s family, Gösta mentioned that he had lost track of her younger brother, Herman, who had run away to sea as a teenager. Gösta asked us if we would try to trace him in the United States. Over the years since, I have found ship’s records of Herman’s various entries into the U.S. and his application for citizenship. This year I found a number of documents detailing his life as a seaman, as well as his death certificate. The following is a synopsis of his life. I feel that I’ve finally found Herman, the youngest and lost brother.
Herman Wilhelm Snöberg was born December 20th, 1891, the last of the six children of Anders Gustaf Snöberg and Sophia Mathilda Norberg. His oldest sibling Emma Sofie had already emigrated to Minneapolis, MN four years before he was born. His other sister Wilhelmina followed Emma when Herman was ten.”
On the SAHSWI website you can also find previously published immigration stories. Brent Erikson’s immigration story was first told by his grandmother Sarah, Carol Gustafson story is about her great great niece and famous opera singer Christina Nilsson, Bev Wenzel‘s story is about how the Spanish Flue affected her family in Sweden, and Martha Bergland’s story is about her ancestor Anders Berglund who arrived at Bishop Hill in 1847 to join the Swedish colony there. To read these stories go to the following page:
These are all unique stories all related to our membership. If you have a story to tell about your family’s Swedish heritage and/or immigration, please contact Martha Bergland and she will help preparing it for publication. Martha’s contact info: email marthasbergland@gmail.com or through postal mail: Martha Bergland, 7460 North Longview Avenue, Glendale WI 53209.
Goda Vänner performed Swedish Folk Tunes and presented the history of Swedish Folk Music at the Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin Fika meeting on March 16, 2024 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Milwaukee. Goda Vänner Spelmanslag members are Mary Stetson, Carol Gustafson, Patty Horn, and Eva Christiansen
Carol discussed the history of Swedish Folk Music. It began in the early 19th century. The Gothic Society was formed 1811and the first Swedish Folk Tune was published in 1813 in the Gothic Society Journal. In the early 1890’s the first “public” performance by folk musicians called “Spelmen” took place at Skansen in Stockholm. Skansen is the first Open Air Museum and Zoo founded in 1891. In the 1940’s, the first Spelmanslags, (musicians, fiddlers) were established, associated with the music of Dalarna, Sweden. The primary instrument was the fiddle, another common instrument was the nyckelharpa. In the 1960’s, other instruments were added.
Mary introduced the different types of Swedish Folk Tunes and Spelmanlaget Goda Vänner then played the tunes. Most common tune is the Polska, the other popular tunes include: Gånglåt, (Walking tune), Vals (Waltz), Schottis, and Mazurka. For further information see presentation link below.
Video from three of the songs performed are included below.
Christinas Waltz played by Mary and Carol.
Christina in Christina’s waltz refers to Christina Nilsson the famous Swedish opera singer, who sang at the opening night of the New York Met in 1883, and was very popular in USA, Russia, UK, France, and Sweden. It is a story about a poor girl from a small village in Sweden who became famous worldwide. Christina Nilsson is the Great, Great Aunt of Carol, who presented her relation to Christina in early 2020 Fika meeting. You can read her story in the website section“Stories of my Swedish Heritage” (Press the link then scroll down to find the story).
The World’s Best Schottis played by Goda Vänner
Masurka Druttichikelen played by Goda Vänner
The program was ended by showing a YouTube peformance of Gånglåt från Äppelbo, a 1997 performance from the Polar Music Price ceremony where the Swedish Royal Family participated in company with Bruce Springsteen, a favorite performer of the Swedish king.
Everybody at the meeting greatly enjoyed the program, music and performance by Goda Vänner. After the program traditional Fika with food and baked goods brought by meeting participants was enjoyed by all. This meeting also included a table with items for sale, items that previously had been donated to the society.
Thanks Goda Vänner for great entertainment, thanks to everyone donating the food, thanks to everyone supporting the meeting by set-up of the facility, preparation of the Fika, welcoming meeting participants, handling the sale table, and take-down and clean-up after the meeting, and thanks Martin Luther Church for having us in your church.
Congratulations Majorie Warme Jothen on your 105th Birthday and thank you for 40 years of service in Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin, you have done it all, you are a role model to all of us today serving in this Historical Society! When you were just 102, we wrote this article Marjory Jothen 102
Marge at 2023 Heritage Tour inspecting Gustaf Unonius Monument at Nashotah House.
March 16, 2024 at 1:30 PM at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee located just east of Milwaukee Zoo.
Don’t miss the March Fika meeting featuring Swedish Folk Music group Goda Vänner. Three years ago, in the March of 2021, during the pandemic, using ZOOM, Carol Gustafson and Mary Stetson discussed and demonstrated various types of Swedish folk tunes. Goda Vänner have now been expanded with new members Patty Horn and Eva Christiansen and have played at different venues including at last year’s Holiday Folk Fair International. At the March Fika meeting Carol and Mary will discuss the history of Swedish Folk Music from its formation in the early 19th century until today. Goda Vänner will perform examples of polskas, waltzes, marches and the schottis. After the program attendees will enjoy the traditional Swedish Fika – if you can, bring a dish to share.
SAHSWI membership. Not a member?
Consider joining the Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin, Inc. It is now easier to become a member with the new option to pay on-line. Membership is open for all with interest in Swedish immigration to Wisconsin and the impact Swedish immigrants have made on USA and the State of Wisconsin. As a member you will be invited to all society meetings and special celebrations, including Fika (Swedish appetizers cookies, pastry and coffee), have access to historical research, society newsletters and website and be invited to join the Swedish Genealogy Research Group – all for a membership fee of just $15 per year.
The State of Wisconsin Historical Marker honoring Gustaf Unonius, New Upsala, and the Scandinavian Parish is scheduled to be unveiled on June 1, 2024 at St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church in Hartland, Wisconsin. This project which started in the fall of 2020 is now coming to an end. The marker has been produced and delivered. Final preparations include landscaping and installation. Donations to cover the costs have been generous, but still some additional funds are needed. There is still an opportunity to contribute to the marker recognizing what started the Swedish American population of Wisconsin.
A donation dedication is a thoughtful gesture where someone makes a charitable contribution in honor of another person. It’s a way to recognize and celebrate someone’s impact or memory while supporting a cause. If you donate to this cause, would you like to dedicate your donation to someone, and if so, would it be “in honor of” or “in memory of”. Please advice, send your dedication statement to Jan Ehrengren, jesahsow@outlook.com.
More than 50 SAHSWI members and visitors participated in the Fika meeting on Saturday January 27 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, where SAHSWI Vice President John Elliott presented the program about the Vikings.
John discussed the definition of the Viking as a member of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the 9th to the 11th century and whose disruptive influence profoundly affected European history. The word Viking entered the modern English language in 1807, at a time of growing nationalism and empire building. In the decades that followed, enduring stereotypes about Vikings developed, such as wearing horned helmets and belonging to a society where only men wielded high status. Vikings were a specific group of traders defined by their mobility, and this did not include the bulk of the Scandinavian population that stayed at home.
Viking crews would frequently lose members and pick up new recruits as they traveled, combining dissident elements from different backgrounds and cultures. Vikings were not a race but an ethnic diverse group. Only 10% of the Scandinavian population today has Viking DNA.
John further explored the unauthorized use of Nordic (Viking) imagery by some less than honorable groups and the impact it has on the overall image of the Vikings. He discussed who the Vikings were and the misunderstandings that prevail today.
The presentation generated a lot of interest and discussion, followed by the traditional Fika with food and baked goods brought by meeting participants.
“Lucia, the symbol of light shall be, the eternal light from above, that dispels the darkness in every hart, that shines and revives.”
What a wonderful day it was!On December 17, 2023 Lucia Day Celebration was held in the beautiful Fox Point Lutheran Church. 25 children and teenagers participated in the Lucia program directed by Stina Lemery.Amanda Balistreri red the Lucia Story and introduced each song in the program and piano was played by Matt Byszynski. The Lucia Program was done together with the Swedish School of Milwaukee. 175 people attended the event.
Stina Lemery 2023 Lucia program participants
Josie German is the 2023 Lucia, and her procession included Attendants, Starboys, Pepparkaker, and Tomtar. This is the second time Josie was the Lucia, her impressive credentials can be found in 2022 Lucia Day post.
Attendants(Tärnor): Anna Einhorn, Aubrey Wright, Nadia Wright, Ella Lemery, Emilia Lemery, Leighton Ehrengren, Nova Balistreri, Claire Svedin, Mila Leon, Ella Cutler, Willa Sjöberg
Starboys: Thomas Cutler, Camden Ehrengren, Joseph Kaltenberg
Pepparkaker: Evelyn Coons, Eli Kaltenburg, Nora Thode-Edström, Isla Thode-Edström
Tomtar: James Einhorn, Joey Leon, Quinn Svedin, Annika Cutler, Oscar Erkander, Orion Balistreri
Sankta Lucia song and procession
The Lucia Crown
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CANDLE – Aubrey Wright
När första ljuset brinner, står julens dörr på glänt, och jubel psalmen klingar i helig tid advent. (When the first Christmas candle is burning, we know Christmas is close by.)
THE SECOND CHRISTMAS CANDLE – James Einhorn
När andra ljuset brinner, vi höra löftets ord, om Konungen som kommer med frälsning till vår jord. (When the 2nd Christmas candle is burning, we hear the promise of old that a Savior is coming.)
THE THIRD CHRISTMAS CANDLE – Nadia Wright
När tredje ljuset tändas i kulen vinter tid. Vi höra himlens klockor, som ringa fröjd och frid.(When the 3rd candle is lit, we hear the bells of heaven wishing all peace and goodwill)
THE FOURTH CHRISTMAS CANDLE – Ella Cutler
Vi se i fjärde ljuset en stjärna underbar, som ger åt livets gåtor ett evighetens svar. (As the 4th candle is lit, we see a beautiful star with promise to all of life eternal.)
THE FIFTH CHRISTMAS CANDLE– Anna Einhorn
Sist julens lilla tomte med gran och juleljus, nu önskar juleglädje och frid i hem och hus. (At last the little Christmas elf with Christmas tree and lights, is wishing all a joyful and blessed Christmas.)
Tomtarnas Julnatt
Nu Tändas Tusen Juleljus
Tre Pepparkaksgubbar
Stilla Natt (Silent Night)
Julbord, Dance around the Christmas tree, Raffle and Jultomten (Santa Claus)
The Julbord, with all dishes donated by members and people joining the celebration included everything you could ask for, fabulous open face sandwiches, succulent Swedish meatballs, gastronomical cardamon bread and limpa, and how about the delicious cookies and sweets. Noone was leaving this celebration hungry.
Then the children from the Lucia program danced and many other joined in the “long dance“, a traditional Swedish dance during Christmas and other celebrations, continuing with dances around the Christmas tree, including “små grodorna”(the little frogs), and“så går vi runt ett enerbärssnår” (this is how we walk around a juniper bush) and other popular Swedish songs.
Then Santa stopped in to greet the children making this the perfect end to the 2023 Lucia celebration.
Tack så mycket
Many thanks to everybody attending, all volunteers and all who donated food, making this a very successful event. There were so many positive comments like “The Lucia program was beautiful”, “The kitchen crew is impressive.” “What a bright and friendly church”, “Great food” etc.
Special thanks to Fox Point Lutheran Church for the warm welcome, help and support, Kelly Price for all the preparations, Pastor Bill for staying and helping us through the evening. Special thanks to Teri Vega Stromberg and her late husband Kurt for donating the Santa suit, previously worn by Santa Kurt and special thanks to Sherri Burbach and IKEA for inviting the Lucia program to perform at IKEA and for donating food and drinks.
SAHSWI participated for the first time in the Holiday Folk Fair International, together with Vasa Order Linde Lodge representing Sweden in the Nordic Council Cultural booth, along with our local sister organizations representing Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The fair took place at Wisconsion State Fair Park Expo Center, Friday, Nov 17 to 19, 2023.
Articles related Sweden in general, Midsummer, Santa Lucia, and Christmas were on display. Volunteers answered questions about Sweden and told their stories relating to the items.The facts.
The 3-day event brought in a lot of people with heritage from all over the world. The atmosphere was festive with music and dancing, different ethnic food and sale items. The Swedish booth along with the rest of the Nordic Council member countries booths were visited by many. SAHSWI members Mary Stetson and Carol Gustafson and their extended group Goda Vänner performed playing different folk music tunes.
Thank you very much to all volunteers (L=Linde Lodge, S=SAHSWI)
Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin 
