COLSON FAMILY GENEALOGY AND HISTORY

RESILIENCE THROUGH HARD TIMES IN RURAL SWEDEN

September 14, 2024

A FAMILY HISTORY BLOG BY LAVERNA COLSON SMITH

http://swedishrootsamericanbranches.com

Carl Johan Bråbergen and Britta Jonasdotter -Early 18th Century

One of my goals in pursuing genealogy has been to study my ancestral family in respect to their response to the age in which they lived. The Colson forbears, the Bråbergens, were active participants in Sweden’s Age of Greatness (1611-1721) which ended when Sweden lost territory and predominance in the Great Northern War of 1700-1721.

The Swedish Empire Prior to the Great Northern War of 1700-1721
(Image credit, Susan Heep)

The Great Northern War was a 21-year conflict where a coalition of rivals consisting of Russia, Saxon Germany, Poland and Denmark challenged Sweden’s supremacy in Northern Europe. At the time, Sweden had the best trained and most formidable army in Europe. It ended with Sweden losing most of its Baltic Territories and allowing Russia to become the dominant power. Sweden never regained its influence after suffering both significant territorial and human loss.

Sweden’s military glory rested on an autocratic king and a crack military but underneath that greatness was a rural, agricultural and poor nation. After its Age of Greatness ended, much political upheaval and realignment took place resulting in a much-improved nation.

The immediate effects of the war on rural Sweden were devastating. Many young men in their prime left their homes and families to fight but never returned. Wives and families were turned out of soldier crofts when their soldier died or went missing Many soldiers deserted never returning to their homeland. As soldiers returned from the continent to Sweden, many brought with them the Black Plague which raged in Sweden from 1708-1712, The Plague often decimated entire parishes. There were crop failures. It was really not a pleasant time to live.

I find it interesting that Carl Johan Bråbergen and his family lived through this time yet seem to have thrived – but I don’t believe it was easy. Carl Johan is one of the most intriguing persons in my ancestral tree – and one I would love to have met.

One of the many paintings depicting the bloody conflicts in the Great Northern War.

Fascinating Fact #7

Did Carl Johan serve in the military?? There is only one reference to his possible service in a tax record but no other supporting data. Although Arkiv Digital (the Swedish Ancestry Search Site) has alphabetized the massive Military Muster Rolls, Carl Johan has not turned up in any of them. Until I can verify that he actually served in the military I cannot give him that credit. I will continue to search until I find clearer evidence.

Next Post: Going Deeper into Bråbergen Ancestry – Searching for the Elusive Sven

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Swedish Pronunciation Guide for English Speakers

The Swedish Language has 3 extra vowels and some challenging consonant combinations.   Here is a quick guide to pronouncing these vowels and tricky consonants

Åå           Sounds like the “o” in for

Ää          Sounds like the “ai” in fair

Öö          Sounds like the “ea” in earn

Y             Sounds  like the Y at the end of Terry

SJ,sj       Pronounced like “wh” – a voiceless fricative. 

K, k       Pronounced like “sh” before the soft vowels of:    e, i y, ä or ö

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LaVerna Colson Smith (Lolly)
I was born in Oakland, Nebraska (the Swedish American Capitol of Nebraska) and graduated from the University of Texas with B.S. and M. S. degrees. My professional work took me to many different states and cities and after my retirement from the corporate world, I traveled extensively in Europe, Scandinavia and Africa. I currently reside in Lakewood Ranch, Florida near Sarasota and the Gulf Coast beaches. My interest in genealogy began on my 2010 trip to Sweden where I began researching both my paternal and maternal family lines. While living in Denver,Colorado, I became a member of the Colorado Swedish Genealogical Society, studied with Kjell Andersson, a professional Swedish genealogist/author and attended the Swedish School of Denver to further my knowledge of the Swedish Language. I currently belong to the Sarasota Genealogical Society in Sarasota, Florida. My primary research tool is Arkiv Digital, a Swedish focused site which provides clear digital images of church, tax, military, court and estate records going back to the mid 1600’s. Although, the Swedes are excellent records keepers, many valuable old records did not survive fires, floods nor poor storage. My goal is to present genealogy from a socioeconomic and historical point of view paralleling the lives of my ancestors with the times in which they and the character with which they met their challenges. I
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