Norene, Christine and Me

The first photo I want to share is of the Saffron Rolls that Norene baked for us for Christmas. These are wonderful, and wish I had some now. Norene just found the photo and shared it with me today.

Norene's light-as-a-feather saffron rolls made for Swedish Christmas Eve Feast.

This along with lutfisk, Swedish meatballs, potato sausage, potatoes, mashed rutebages, cream gravy, pickled herring and, of course, lots of wonderful Christmas cookies along with Rice Pudding and Lingonberries make for a perfect Christmas Eve!

Then today, my daughter Christine went to Norene's to make her first Swedish Strawberry Torte (her son's wish for a birthday cake), and I went to watch! And, of course, to taste. This is our family's favorite dessert. Lots of work, but the results are fantastic!

Christine Eliasson and her first beautiful Swedish Strawberry Torte!

Too bad we can't share! Thanks for letting me watch and taste as well. Wonderful. Makes a beautiful melt-in-your-mouth dessert.

Update Doris Eleanore Lundwall DeVowe

Born February 17, 1915 in Commonwealth, Wisconsin

Family Members

Parents

Fritz Oscar Lundwall 1884 – 1944



Teckla Matilda Ekquist 1889 – 1967


Spouse & Children

Husband:

David W. DeVowe (1912-2011)

Children:

            Jon David DeVowe 1938

            Gerald DeVowe 1942

            Eugene DeVowe 1946

Timeline:

Birth – 17 February 1915, Commonwealth, Florence County, Wisconsin

Residence 1920 – Age: 5, Caspian, Iron County, Michigan

Residence 1930 – Age 15 Spurr, Baraga County, Michigan (Michigamme)

Residence 1935 – Trout Creek, Michigan working for the Weidman Family

Married to David W. DeVowe on September 19, 1936

Residence 1940 – Interior, Ontonagon County , Michigan (Trout Creek)

Death 24 June 1983, Age 68, Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota; Residence Trout Creek, Michigan

Sources:

1920 US Federal Census

1930 US Federal Census

1940 US Federal Census

Minnesota Death Index 1908-2002

From Davey:

My Mother - Doris Eleanor Lundwall and my Father - David William DeVowe were married on September 19, 1936 by William Yauch, a Presbyterian minister in Ontonagon, Michigan. (Nancy’s note: Doris and Dave attended the Presbyterian Church in Trout Creek.) Attendants were Bert Saari & Cecelia Bessen.  Dad told us that they spent the evening dancing at the Maple Grove hall, although the hall in the early days was in a different location and closer to Bruce Crossing, MI. 

Dad worked for the Weidman Lumber Company and Mother was the housekeeper/maid at the Weidman house.  

The Weidman lumberyard workers
David DeVowe, Row 1, 3nd from left - Clem Weber the first on the left is difficult to see.
Marlin Lundwall, Row 8, 3rd from left

Mother and Dad lived in the front part of a house across from Sliger's gas station and Reino (Bert's brother) & Elsie Saari lived in the back and they shared the same outhouse.  The house had no water so Dad had to haul all of it (drinking, bathing & washing) from the well at the school which was located about 1/4 mile away  Then they rented a house on Weidman Street which was closer to the lumber mill where Dad worked for about 40 years. They eventually purchased a home in 1944 about 100 yards from the house they shared with the Saari's and it became their permanent residence for the rest of their lives except for about 5 years that Dad was in nursing homes in Ontonagon and Iron River.  

This house had running water, toilet, plus an outhouse, kitchen sink with no drain, but a slop pail as they called it, kitchen wood stove and a wood heater in the dining room.  I vividly recall Gerald and myself would get up in the morning and go downstairs to stand between the wall and the wood heater to gather as much heat as we could as soon as Dad had lit the fire.  There was no vent to allow heat to the upstairs and it could get very cold.  We could almost guess the temperature outside by checking how thick the ice was on the inside of the window.  

Over the years, many hunting, fishing and trapping expeditions originated from Mom & Dad's house as well as inviting family to stay with them over the years.  Ones that come to mind are Mother's brothers, Uncle Marlin & Uncle Ray (who both worked at the lumber mill), Roger Schubert, and Ted & Ronnie Chiolak.  Some were only for the summer and others stayed for a longer period of time.

Grandma Lundwall lived with them for an unknown period of time and Eugene told the story of how Grandma Lundwall was standing by the kitchen sink and looking out of the window.  Dad came home from work and he asked Grandma "who are you looking for?" and she said, "David."  Dad asked, "What do you think of that guy?"  Grandma replied, "not much."  

When Grandma Lundwall was living with Marlin & Madilene and apparently Madilene had to go someplace, Grandma Lundwall stayed with us for the day when we lived in Merriweather and Leona was making apple pie, and Grandma was sitting at the table  watching her.  She told Leona, "You don't put nutmeg in apple pie."

There were many other family relatives that would come to spend the weekend for hunting, fishing or just visiting.  It made me very happy to see Aunts & Uncles drive up since that meant "I didn't have to do the dishes."  Dad mentioned many times that Grandpa Lundwall would come to hunt and fish and all of the game that they would get.  

Grandpa died in 1944, the same year that Mom & Dad purchased the house.  Since that time, it is hard to imagine how many fish were cleaned in the sinks of that house in Trout Creek over the years.  Sometimes it was quite full. (Nancy’s note – Not only the sink was full, the house was often full of relatives as well. The men slept upstairs, and the women and girls slept downstairs! We were part of the visiting relatives and we visited at least every six weeks or so. David DeVowe was Ward's best friend, and he was especially close to his sister Doris. It was a real treat to be there when the men and boys returned from fishing. I well remember those breakfasts of fresh trout, fried potatoes and eggs accompanied by fish (and other) stories, fun talk and lots of laughter.  Being a girl, I was never allowed to go fishing with the men, so I spent my time reading. One of the books in the bookshelf upstairs was “Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates.” Aunt Doris also had a subscription to a paper that had all kinds of good news, jokes, and comic strips including “Marmaduke the Magician.” Unfortunately, I am unable to remember the name of that paper/magazine any more and I only had access to it in Trout Creek! I wasn't unhappy reading at the house while my mother baked. In the afternoon, we all piled into the cars and went to Iron River to visit the rest of the relatives.)  

Over the years, Mother & Dad would motor to Palmer every 2 weeks in all kinds of weather to Grandma & Grandpa's house. (Nancy’s note: This must be the reason there were always photos of “Davey and Nancy Adele." Since we lived in Negaunee, we spent lots of time in Palmer on the weekends. My mother’s family was in Hibbing, Minnesota, and both of her parents died before she was 18. The Lundwall family was a very close family and my mother was always so happy that she finally had sisters! For the rest of her life, she talked about and was close to “The Girls.”)  They told me that I had stayed with Grandma & Grandpa on one occasion and to return home, they put me on a train (by myself, at  age 5) and Mother & Dad were at the train depot in Trout Creek to pick me up.  Apparently the conductor was also a baby-sitter.  I have no memories of that.  (Nancy's note -- it may very well be a photo of Uncle Dave and Davey below.)

Could very well be Uncle Dave and one of their sons at the Trout Creek Depot

I do remember staying about a week each time with Uncle Lloyd & Aunt Joyce in Stambaugh and Uncle Ward & Aunt Margaret in Hibbing, Minnesota.  On both occasions, I had my bike and the highlights of riding it was going down the Stambaugh hill and hoping that the brakes would work and pedaling up to the open pit iron ore mine in North Hibbing and trying to visualize how big the equipment was that looked so small at the bottom of the pit.

Hull Rust Mahoning Mine, Hibbing, MN (those big vehicles were huge!)

This is the size of Open Pit mining equipment. Note the man standing next to the shovel, as well as the size of the truck in the lower right.

More information on Trout Creek can be found here:

Trout Creek Centennial Online Book 

Happy New Year!!!

Hope your Christmas was Merry!

The leftovers are done with. The extra cookies and rolls are frozen, and tomorrow the menu goes back to normal. The Christmas tree will stay up for another week or two. Then winter begins in earnest.

I don't take pictures at Christmas any more, but others do and so far, these are the memories that have been posted on Facebook so far. Somebody counted 19 in the house -- I have no idea. One grandson was not feeling well, and a granddaughter and her family including the Christmas baby from last year were visiting in South Dakota. Two other granddaughters and their families who live in different states were also not with us this year.

Norene is sitting in front of the window, my daughter Chris is in front of her,  and the little boy is her son  Dylan, the lady in the green sweater is my daughter Cheryl, and Riana is sitting at the table. Someone has been busy opening a present. We begin this part of the evening by each person opening a present and they have to decide who the present goes to -- then that person opens a present and gives it to the person they think should have it. Sometimes it gets pretty funny. Christine received a set of bed risers, and every time somebody received something they weren't quite sure what they would do with, Chris would wave the bed risers and say "Could be worse!" and more laughter would erupt. 

My daughter-in-law, Tricia, received a photo of Dorothy and Toto from the Wizard of Oz. This will have a cherished spot in her office.
Norene's saffron rolls on the left are almost gone! They are the highlight of our Christmas Eve dinner.

This is Oscar who hid under the tablecloth on the dining room table, hoping the littlest girls wouldn't find him and his toy.

Over the years I have been given Swedish tomtes who sit on my chandelier all year long. They look particularly festive and happy this Christmas!

And when the night is over, the little ones are done!

Elle Mae couldn't make it to the car

This one is Alanna

This one is Kalea

And even 8 year old Dylan was fast asleep on the way home. 

For Those of Us Who Are Older

Mary Ann sent me an email this morning with a link to

Bob Hope Christmas

Part of every Christmas growing up was listening to the radio for the Bob Hope Christmas Show for the troops, and later watching them on television.

As I watched, it brought back so many memories and sometimes brought tears.

Merry Christmas from our past!

God Jul! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Norene, Doug and I would all like to wish our wonderful relatives and friends around the globe a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! It's been a hectic couple of weeks for all of us. Norene has had an infection that has been bothersome and she has had to have extra doctor appointments for, the weather in Beloit has been bothersome for Doug not only with extra snow but icy streets as well, I have been busy finishing projects for Christmas, and Riana and I have been enjoying the Christmas parties for mentally, physically and emotionally disabled adults and children at Courage Center where we volunteer each week.

We missed celebrating Lucia Day (December 13th) this year for the first time in 10 years.

Lucia Service at the oldest Lutheran Church in Minnesota in 2012

The Altar

The church has no electricity, is lit by candles, and warmed by body heat

Riana as Lucia at Gammelgarden in 2012

'Lussekatts'

Riana about 6, serving in the morning before going to school

Wonder if she is praying that her hair doesn't catch fire!

Lucia Day is the first day of Christmas, saffron rolls, ginger cookies, and love

For more information about how Christmas is celebrated in Sweden, you can find it here.

            http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/sweden.shtml

Along the left side, you can find links to information on how Christmas is celebrated around the world. 

Many of my family will gather here on Christmas Eve, and we will have a traditional Christmas Eve dinner consisting of Lutfisk, Swedish Potato Sausage, Swedish Meatballs, potatoes, rutmos (mashed rutebages), pickled herring, beets, and my favorite -- saffron rolls. We will end our evening with rice pudding and lingonberries, and platters of Christmas cookies and fruitcake. One lucky person will get an almond in their rice pudding and an extra Christmas present along with good luck in the coming year.

I'm ending this post with a Swedish photo from a relative of my mother's. She stated that she often doesn't notice the beauty of the view from her bedroom window since she sees it every day. Winter in Sweden looks a lot like the winter views in Upper Michigan and in Minnesota where I live. 

And another one of our younger relatives and her cat on the Lundwall side

Anna, and Linus the cat, daughter of Lisbeth Martinsson from Falun, Dalarna, Swedem

Have a wonderful and joyous Christmas! God Jul!

Updated Information on Ekeqvists in Sverige (Sweden)

The following is from my second cousin on my mother's side in Sweden (Mycket tack, Dagne!) I am sending it to you the way she sent it. First, her note on what she is sending:

About the documents I am sending.

Jan and Johan is used as the same name during at least this time period.

After the two Johan Ekeqvist I have written their birth year to try not mixing them up.

If there are more than one child with the same name in a family the first one has probably died. I have not had time to follow the whole families so there are at least two girls with the same name and no date of death for the first one.

The last period I have found Johan Ekeqvist (1811) is in Längbro 1851-1855. For the year 1852 is a note that Johan Ekeqvist has been punished for theft for the second time. Johan’s wife dies 1855. After that I know nothing about Johan Ekeqvist or Anders Gustaf. If I have time later on perhaps I can try to follow Anders’ sisters and brothers in the records. Earlier I have sometimes found parents (and sisters and brothers) by their married children. Perhaps Johan was in prison, I don’t know. As he was very poor I am sure he had no money for paying fines and I would guess the poverty was probably the reasong for stealing. As I understand many people were very poor during this time.

Johan Ekeqvist (1811) left for Nora 1827 but I have not been trying to find him because I don’t know where in the parish to search.

After the period 1851-1855 next time I have found Anders Gustaf is 1866 when I have found him in Fellingsbro, Munktorp (as Sue also has found him) and after that in Gävle (Gefle= the old spelling).  So between 1855 (or perhaps earlier) and 1866 Anders has disappeared. Of course he is some place, probably in Örebro län, but I have no idea where.

--------------

Next, in chronological order:

Ekeqvist

Örebro Gällersta C:1 Födde 1732-1815

Jan born Sept 4 christened Sept 9 1781

Father: Jan Andersson

Mother: Stina Petersdotter in Södra Bro

Family Jan Andersson (1740)

Jan Andersson born Ekeby 1740 Nov 15

Wife Stina Persdotter born 1741 Gällersta

Son Anders born 1773 Oct 2 Gällersta

Daughter Stina born 1776 Febr 22 Gällersta

Son Per born 1778 Oct 5 Gällersta - 1794 moving to E Bankekind¹⁾

Son Jan born 1781 Sept 4 Gällersta

Daughter Cathrina born 1784 March 14(?) Gällersta – dead 1796 July 28

^{1) -} E Bankekind (difficult to read so I am not sure. E could be the letter for Östergötlands län and there the parish Bankekind)

1791 –

Jan Andersson (1740) to Fattighuset ²⁾

Son Jan f 1781 to Klockarbord (Klockarbord - a village or a place in the parish)

²⁾ Fattighus=poor house, shelter for the poor

1800

Son Jan (1781) to work at Erik Larsson in Gällersta

Family Johan Ekeqvist (1781) – called Jan (or Johan) Jansson earlier

Soldier Johan Ekeqvist born 1781 Sept 4 Gällersta

Wife Lena Gustafsdotter born 1780 Almby

Daughter Stina Maria born 1805 Sept 4 Ekeby

Daughter Stina Maria born 1810 Jan 17 Ekeby

Son Johan born 1811 Dec 15 Ekeby

Daughter Anna Sophia born 1816 July 11 Ekeby – dead 1818

Son Anders born 1819 Nov 28 Ekeby

Johan Ekeqvist (1781) dead 1822 June 29

Lena (Helena Gustafsdotter dead 1855 Oct 17 in cholera.

Family Johan Ekeqvist (1811)

Soldier Johan Ekeqvist born 1811 Dec 15 Ekeby

Wife Ulrica Sophia Larsdotter born 1806 March 10 Ånsta – dead 1855 Oct 17 from cholera.

Daughter Anna Maria born 1830 Febr 25 Vintrosa - (A note that she is the wife’s own daughter. No name of the father).

Daughter Charlotta Carolina born 1832 July 29 Ånsta

Daughter Sophia Lovisa born 1835 Nov 8 Ånsta

Son Carl Johan born 1838 Febr 2 Ånsta

Son Anders Gustaf born 1840 May 25 Täby

Son Per August born 1843 Febr 14 Glanshammar

Daughter Mathilda born 1848 Oct 5 Längbro

1841

The whole family moving from Skeppsta by, Täby to Södra Palmbrohult, Mosjö.

1842

The whole family moving to Husby, Glanshammar.

1844

The whole family moving to Längbro. In Längbro they are noted as “Husvilla”, which means they had no place to live in.

In Längbro, after 1851, they are noted as “På socknen” which means the parish has to give them food and living.

1852

A note that Johan Ekeqvist (1811) is punished for theft for the 2^nd time.

1855

Oct 17.Ulrika Sophia (wife of Johan Ekeqvist (1811) dies from cholera

----------------

Ekeqvist

Örebro Gällersta C:1 Födde 1732-1815

Jan born Sept 4 christened Sept 9 1781

Father: Jan Andersson

Mother: Stina Petersdotter in Södra Bro

Family Jan Andersson (1740)

Jan Andersson born Ekeby 1740 Nov 15

Wife Stina Persdotter born 1741 Gällersta

Son Anders born 1773 Oct 2 Gällersta

Daughter Stina born 1776 Febr 22 Gällersta

Son Per born 1778 Oct 5 Gällersta - 1794 moving to E Bankekind¹⁾

Son Jan born 1781 Sept 4 Gällersta

Daughter Cathrina born 1784 March 14(?) Gällersta – dead 1796 July 28

^{1) -} E Bankekind (difficult to read so I am not sure. E could be the letter for Östergötlands län and there the parish Bankekind)

1791 –

Jan Andersson (1740) to Fattighuset ²⁾

Son Jan f 1781 to Klockarbord (Klockarbord - a village or a place in the parish)

²⁾ Fattighus=poor house, shelter for the poor

1800

Son Jan (1781) to work at Erik Larsson in Gällersta

Family Johan Ekeqvist (1781) – called Jan (or Johan) Jansson earlier

Soldier Johan Ekeqvist born 1781 Sept 4 Gällersta

Wife Lena Gustafsdotter born 1780 Almby

Daughter Stina Maria born 1805 Sept 4 Ekeby

Daughter Stina Maria born 1810 Jan 17 Ekeby

Son Johan born 1811 Dec 15 Ekeby

Daughter Anna Sophia born 1816 July 11 Ekeby – dead 1818

Son Anders born 1819 Nov 28 Ekeby

Johan Ekeqvist (1781) dead 1822 June 29

Lena (Helena Gustafsdotter dead 1855 Oct 17 in cholera.

Family Johan Ekeqvist (1811)

Soldier Johan Ekeqvist born 1811 Dec 15 Ekeby

Wife Ulrica Sophia Larsdotter born 1806 March 10 Ånsta – dead 1855 Oct 17 from cholera.

Daughter Anna Maria born 1830 Febr 25 Vintrosa - (A note that she is the wife’s own daughter. No name of the father).

Daughter Charlotta Carolina born 1832 July 29 Ånsta

Daughter Sophia Lovisa born 1835 Nov 8 Ånsta

Son Carl Johan born 1838 Febr 2 Ånsta

Son Anders Gustaf born 1840 May 25 Täby

Son Per August born 1843 Febr 14 Glanshammar

Daughter Mathilda born 1848 Oct 5 Längbro

1841

The whole family moving from Skeppsta by, Täby to Södra Palmbrohult, Mosjö.

1842

The whole family moving to Husby, Glanshammar.

1844

The whole family moving to Längbro. In Längbro they are noted as “Husvilla”, which means they had no place to live in.

In Längbro, after 1851, they are noted as “På socknen” which means the parish has to give them food and living.

1852

A note that Johan Ekeqvist (1811) is punished for theft for the 2^nd time.

1855

Oct 17.Ulrika Sophia (wife of Johan Ekeqvist (1811) dies from cholera

Leo Molinaro

The husband of Eileen Osterberg Molinaro (Aunt Ida's daughter), Leo Molinaro died at one minute after midnight on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. He had slipped the day before and hit his head in the bathroom. He never regained consciousness. And poor Eileen asks where he is every five minutes, and when they have to tell her, again, that he died, she says “Oh my—I have to take this in.” And then a few minutes later she has to ask again. She wasn’t there—she was in the hospital recovering from a broken hip.

Leo was 91 years old. As of now, a Christmas memorial service is being planned. 

Eileen and Rhoda Hoaglund are the only remaining children of Ida Ekquist Osterberg.

Word was received from Judy Buck-Glenn and Ron Osterberg.