Source: Göteborgs poliskammare (-1900) (O) EIX:75 (1904) Image 1980 / page 393.Oscar’s emigrant contract number was 53846 according to the passenger list above. He is listed as Karl O. Nilsson. The third column lists his place of residence; Jonsberg, Östg. “Östg” is short for his province, Östergötland. Next column holds his age, 23. Oskar was born in September 1880, so he was 23 years old in April 1904. Next column states his gender, male. The second last column with the headline Summa tells us that he traveled alone. The column to the extreme right lists his destination in the US; Evansville, Minn. So, now we know that Oskar planned to go to Evansville, Minnesota.
Minnesota State Census
Many US states took their own censuses. The states which took censuses usually did so every 10 years, in years ending in "5" (1855, 1865, etc.) to complement the federal census. The federal censuses were taken every ten years from 1790, therefore it’s called a decennial census.Oskar was in the US between 1904 and 1908. Therefor he won’t be in the federal censuses 1900 or 1910. However, the State of Minnesota took a state census in 1905. If Oskar lived in Evansville, Minnesota, in 1905 he should be found in the census. However, Oskar isn’t found in this Minnesota State census.
The Emigration from Sweden to the USA (4g2)
Contents this page:
The chapter “The Journey” is divided into several subpages:
Wilson Line’s Calypso’s Passenger List 22 April 1904
Passenger Lists
In 1869 Sweden adopted a law that required the registration of emigrants leaving Sweden and thereby we saw the birth of passenger lists. Thereafter, emigrant agents were obliged to keep passenger lists, i.e. to draw up emigrant contracts and enter the emigrants into special lists. These passenger lists were then handed over to the Police Departments at the ports of departure. The Police ticked off every passenger on the lists when the emigrants boarded the ships.
The Calypso Passenger Lists of April 1904
We know from Oskar Nilsson’s travel book that he left his home on 18 April 1904 heading for Gothenburg. He spent a few days in Gothenburg before the departure on the Calypso to Hull.I browsed through the Wilson Line’s passenger lists for the second half of April 1904 looking for the Calypso departures in this period.I was lucky and found Oskar’s entry on Friday 22 April 1904.Oskar’s given names were Karl Oskar and he is listed as Karl O. Nilsson. However, he went by his second name, Oskar.Oscar’s entry in the passenger list:
The Ivernia sailed from Liverpool, England, on Tuesday 26 April 1904 and arrived in Boston, USA, on Thursday 5 May; 2 days late due to a storm on the Atlantic. I have browsed through the Ivernia’s ship manifest for the Boston arrival on 5 May 1904 and I have found Oskar Nilsson in the manifest. Oskar was listed as Karl O. Nilsson.Oskar in the Ivernia’s ship manifest:
As stated in the manifest above, the Ivernia sailed from Liverpool on 26 April and arrived in Boston on 5 May. Source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. FamilySearch.
Above, source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. Image 149. FamilySearch.Oskar is listed in the above manifest as Karl O. Nilsson. His age is listed as 23 and his occupation laborer. As can been seen above this is an extract of the steerage passengers.
Above, source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. Image 149. FamilySearch.Column 10 shows Oskar’s last residence; Jonsberg, Österg. (Östergötland, Sweden). Oskar’s final destination is no longer Evansville, MN, but Veblen, South Dakota (SD) [column 11]. Column 12 reveals that Oskar hadn’t a train ticket to Veblen, SD, but to Evansville, MN. Further, Oskar carried $18 with him to the USA. Oskar’s emigrant ticket from the beginning was made out to Evansville, MN. This is clearly stated in the Calypso’s passenger list shown above. Oskar must have changed his mind about his final destination during one of the two voyages; across the North Sea or across the Atlantic. When he arrived in Boston, he stated a new final destination, Veblen, SD, to the immigrant officials.Maybe he met someone aboard the emigrant liner who convinced him to go to Veblen instead? Maybe he got a job offer in Veblen?
Above, source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. Image 149. FamilySearch.Column 16 above shows who he was going to in Veblen, SD; A friend by the name Leand (Leander) Carlson, Marshall County.So where is Veblen, Marshall County, South Dakota?
As can be seen in the map above; Veblen is located in the northeastern corner of South Dakota, close to the state lines to both North Dakota and Minnesota. The map also shows the location of Evansville, Minnesota. Veblen, SD, is located about 100 miles (160 km) by car west of Evansville, Minnesota.
Oskar in the USA
Oskar lived, according to Oskar’s grandson Lars Nilsson, at some point in Evansville, even if he didn’t live there in 1905 when the Minnesota State census was taken. Oskar’s family received a letter from Evansville a while after the death of Oskar in 1953, so Oskar must have had some connection to Evansville.However, it is obvious that Oskar stated his final destination as Veblen, SD, in the Boston immigration processing upon his arrival in 1904. As can be seen below, Oskar most likely lived in Veblen when the South Dakota State census was taken in 1905. The map above shows that the distance between Evansville, MN, and Veblen, SD, wasn’t far, only 100 miles.South Dakota State CensusSouth Dakota, like Minnesota, took a state census in 1905. I have tried to find Oskar in the South Dakota State census, but I haven’t found someone with a 100% match. However, I have found someone close enough to be of interest. This is a person called Osker Nelson who in 1905 lived in Veblen, Marshall County, SD. “Osker” must be a misspelling of Oskar and Nelson is an Americanized version of Nilsson.Oskar Nelson in the state census:
Source: South Dakota State Census, 4245262, image 31, FamilySearch. Card number 334.The census card shows Osker Nelson, Marshall County, SD. Oskar is listed as 23 years old (1905) which means he was born around 1881/1882. His place of birth is Sweden.Oskar Nilsson in the travel book was born in September 1880. Oskar in the census card above had in 1905 been in the USA for 2 years and all of these years in SD. Oskar Nilsson arrived in the USA in 1904.So, there are some deviations between Oskar Nelson above and Oskar Nilsson, however no major ones. The question is; was it likely that two Swedes with similar names and similar details could be in such a small place such as Veblen? The population of Veblen was 173 in 1910.Oskar Nelson was employed as a farmhand. He lived in Section 3, Township 128 and Range 53 (possibly 33). The handwriting in the card is very weak and difficult to read. I have also found Leander Carlson in Veblen, SD, i.e. the person who Oskar went to according to the Ivernia ship manifest. Leander Carlson in the 1905 SD State census:
Above, the 1905 South Dakota State census card for Leander Carlson (card 68). It is a bit puzzling that Leander is listed as a female. I suspect the enumerator ticked the wrong gender on the card. Leander is normally a male given name. It is unlikely that Oskar Nilsson in 1904 stated a married woman as his final destination in the US. Leander is listed in the census card as born in Sweden and was 34 years old in 1905, i.e. was born in 1870/1871.Leander had been in the US for 19 years and of these 13 years in South Dakota. He must have left Sweden about 1885/1886 and been in SD since 1892. Leander is listed as married and occupation farming. Leander lived in Section 3, Township 129 and Range 53. Source: South Dakota State Census, 004245108, image 1812, FamilySearch.To verify Leander Carlson’s details in the 1905 state census I have browsed both the 1900 and 1910 federal censuses. In these two censuses Leander is listed as a male. See below:
According to the indexed card above Leander was born in 1871 in Sweden and immigrated in 1890. In the 1900 census he is listed as a male and was at this time not yet married. The census was taken in Veblen on 20 June 1900.The actual census sheet shows that Leander Carlson was a farmer in Veblen and that he owned his own farm, i.e. an independent farmer. further, Leander spoke English. The 1910 census shows that Leander was married and had a daughter. He was married to Louise, born in Minnesota by Norwegian parents. Their daughter Linda was 4 years old in 1910. Leander had a hired man at his farm, Knut Carlson.The image to the right shows an index extract from the 1910 census for the Leander Carlson family in Veblen, SD. Leander in Sweden:I have searched the Swedish emigrant database EmiWeb for Leander Carlsson. There is only one Leander Carlsson in the database who matches the birth and immigration details. However, one of these two returned to Sweden after a few years. The most likely Leander Carlsson was born on 24 January 1871 in Värmskog parish, Värmland. He emigrated from Sweden to the USA in September 1890, then19 years old. Leander had two older siblings who emigrated from Sweden in 1887; Maria (b. 1866) and Johan August (b. 1868). See Leander below:
Source: EmiWeb; Leander Karlsson, born in 1871, emigrates from Sweden to the US in 1890.
Oskar Nilsson in the Swedish Church Records
Karl Oskar Nilsson was born on 7 September 1880 in Skallgärde, Jonsbergs parish, Östergötland, Sweden and died on 8 October 1953 in Jonsberg. Oskar had a younger sister, Elin Maria Nilsson (b. 1886).Oskar in the Jonsberg parish birth book 1880:
Source: Jonsberg (E) CI:6 (1873-1894) Image 44 / page 42 for 1880.Oskar’s parents were farmhand Johan Nilsson (b. 1851) and Inga Karolina Andersdotter (1851 - 1891), Skallgärde, Jonsberg. Oskar in the Jonsberg household examination roll 1880 - 1890, Skallgärde:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AI:11 (1880-1890) Image 364 / page 353.Oskar’s mother died on 20 January 1891. Oskar’s father Johan is now listed as tenant farmer at Skallgärde and he remarries in 1895. Oskar’s younger sister Elin Maria was born in 1886. Oskar in the Jonsberg parish book 1896 - 1904, Skallgärde:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:1 (1896-1904) Image 409 / page 399.Johans new wife was Klara Matilda Andersdotter (b. 1864). Oskar has a notation: emigrated to North America (Norra Amerika) dated 11 April 1904.Oskar in the Jonsberg parish book 1905 - 1913, Skallgärde:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:2 (1905-1913) Image 421 / page 411.Oskar has returned to Sweden now and is listed as returned in the parish book on 31 December 1908.Oskar in the Jonsberg parish book 1905 - 1913, Sahlsbäck:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:2 (1905-1913) Image 410 / page 400, Sahlsbäck.Oskar Nilsson married Hilda Helena Jonsson 0n 22 October 1910. Hilda was born on 24 December 1885 in Jonsberg.Hilda’s mother Anna Alexandra Nilsdotter died on 15 March 1905 and Hilda’s father Magnus Alfred Jonsson on 18 November 1908. Hilda inherited the farm and she is listed as the owner (hemmansägare).Oskar and Hilda in the Jonsberg parish book 1914 - 1923, Sahlsbäck:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:3 (1914-1923) Image 420 / page 405, Sahlsbäck.Oskar and Hilda now have two children; Alva Helena, born on 5 February 1911 and Sven Gustaf Hilding, born on 9 May 1913.Oskar died 73 years old on 8 October 1953 at Sahlsbäck 1:3, Jonsberg. Hilda Helena Nilsson died 86 years old on 9 June 1971 at Sahlsbäck, Jonsberg.
Source: Göteborgs poliskammare (-1900) (O) EIX:75 (1904) Image 1980 / page 393.Oscar’s emigrant contract number was 53846 according to the passenger list above. He is listed as Karl O. Nilsson. The third column lists his place of residence; Jonsberg, Östg. “Östg” is short for his province, Östergötland. Next column holds his age, 23. Oskar was born in September 1880, so he was 23 years old in April 1904. Next column states his gender, male. The second last column with the headline Summa tells us that he traveled alone. The column to the extreme right lists his destination in the US; Evansville, Minn. So, now we know that Oskar planned to go to Evansville, Minnesota.
Minnesota State Census
Many US states took their own censuses. The states which took censuses usually did so every 10 years, in years ending in "5" (1855, 1865, etc.) to complement the federal census. The federal censuses were taken every ten years from 1790, therefore it’s called a decennial census.Oskar was in the US between 1904 and 1908. Therefor he won’t be in the federal censuses 1900 or 1910. However, the State of Minnesota took a state census in 1905. If Oskar lived in Evansville, Minnesota, in 1905 he should be found in the census. However, Oskar isn’t found in this Minnesota State census.
The Emigration from Sweden
to the USA (4g2)
Wilson Line’s Calypso’s Passenger
List 22 April 1904
Passenger Lists
In 1869 Sweden adopted a law that required the registration of emigrants leaving Sweden and thereby we saw the birth of passenger lists. Thereafter, emigrant agents were obliged to keep passenger lists, i.e. to draw up emigrant contracts and enter the emigrants into special lists. These passenger lists were then handed over to the Police Departments at the ports of departure. The Police ticked off every passenger on the lists when the emigrants boarded the ships.
The Calypso Passenger Lists of April 1904
We know from Oskar Nilsson’s travel book that he left his home on 18 April 1904 heading for Gothenburg. He spent a few days in Gothenburg before the departure on the Calypso to Hull.I browsed through the Wilson Line’s passenger lists for the second half of April 1904 looking for the Calypso departures in this period.I was lucky and found Oskar’s entry on Friday 22 April 1904.Oskar’s given names were Karl Oskar and he is listed as Karl O. Nilsson. However, he went by his second name, Oskar.Oscar’s entry in the passenger list:
Cunard Line’s Ivernia’s Passenger
List 5 May 1904
The Ivernia sailed from Liverpool, England, on Tuesday 26 April 1904 and arrived in Boston, USA, on Thursday 5 May; 2 days late due to a storm on the Atlantic. I have browsed through the Ivernia’s ship manifest for the Boston arrival on 5 May 1904 and I have found Oskar Nilsson in the manifest. Oskar was listed as Karl O. Nilsson.Oskar in the Ivernia’s ship manifest:
As stated in the manifest above, the Ivernia sailed from Liverpool on 26 April and arrived in Boston on 5 May. Source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. FamilySearch.
Above, source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. Image 149. FamilySearch.Oskar is listed in the above manifest as Karl O. Nilsson. His age is listed as 23 and his occupation laborer. As can been seen above this is an extract of the steerage passengers.
Above, source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. Image 149. FamilySearch.Column 10 shows Oskar’s last residence; Jonsberg, Österg. (Östergötland, Sweden). Oskar’s final destination is no longer Evansville, MN, but Veblen, South Dakota (SD) [column 11]. Column 12 reveals that Oskar hadn’t a train ticket to Veblen, SD, but to Evansville, MN. Further, Oskar carried $18 with him to the USA. Oskar’s emigrant ticket from the beginning was made out to Evansville, MN. This is clearly stated in the Calypso’s passenger list shown above. Oskar must have changed his mind about his final destination during one of the two voyages; across the North Sea or across the Atlantic. When he arrived in Boston, he stated a new final destination, Veblen, SD, to the immigrant officials.Maybe he met someone aboard the emigrant liner who convinced him to go to Veblen instead? Maybe he got a job offer in Veblen?
Above, source: Massachusetts, Boston passenger lists, 1891 - 1943, 073 - v. 142 May 1, 1904 - May 31, 1904. Image 149. FamilySearch.Column 16 above shows who he was going to in Veblen, SD; A friend by the name Leand (Leander) Carlson, Marshall County.So where is Veblen, Marshall County, South Dakota?
As can be seen in the map above; Veblen is located in the northeastern corner of South Dakota, close to the state lines to both North Dakota and Minnesota. The map also shows the location of Evansville, Minnesota. Veblen, SD, is located about 100 miles (160 km) by car west of Evansville, Minnesota.
Oskar in the USA
Oskar lived, according to Oskar’s grandson Lars Nilsson, at some point in Evansville, even if he didn’t live there in 1905 when the Minnesota State census was taken. Oskar’s family received a letter from Evansville a while after the death of Oskar in 1953, so Oskar must have had some connection to Evansville.However, it is obvious that Oskar stated his final destination as Veblen, SD, in the Boston immigration processing upon his arrival in 1904. As can be seen below, Oskar most likely lived in Veblen when the South Dakota State census was taken in 1905. The map above shows that the distance between Evansville, MN, and Veblen, SD, wasn’t far, only 100 miles.South Dakota State CensusSouth Dakota, like Minnesota, took a state census in 1905. I have tried to find Oskar in the South Dakota State census, but I haven’t found someone with a 100% match. However, I have found someone close enough to be of interest. This is a person called Osker Nelson who in 1905 lived in Veblen, Marshall County, SD. “Osker” must be a misspelling of Oskar and Nelson is an Americanized version of Nilsson.Oskar Nelson in the state census:
Source: South Dakota State Census, 4245262, image 31, FamilySearch. Card number 334.The census card shows Osker Nelson, Marshall County, SD. Oskar is listed as 23 years old (1905) which means he was born around 1881/1882. His place of birth is Sweden.Oskar Nilsson in the travel book was born in September 1880. Oskar in the census card above had in 1905 been in the USA for 2 years and all of these years in SD. Oskar Nilsson arrived in the USA in 1904.So, there are some deviations between Oskar Nelson above and Oskar Nilsson, however no major ones. The question is; was it likely that two Swedes with similar names and similar details could be in such a small place such as Veblen? The population of Veblen was 173 in 1910.Oskar Nelson was employed as a farmhand. He lived in Section 3, Township 128 and Range 53 (possibly 33). The handwriting in the card is very weak and difficult to read. I have also found Leander Carlson in Veblen, SD, i.e. the person who Oskar went to according to the Ivernia ship manifest. Leander Carlson in the 1905 SD State census:
Above, the 1905 South Dakota State census card for Leander Carlson (card 68). It is a bit puzzling that Leander is listed as a female. I suspect the enumerator ticked the wrong gender on the card. Leander is normally a male given name. It is unlikely that Oskar Nilsson in 1904 stated a married woman as his final destination in the US. Leander is listed in the census card as born in Sweden and was 34 years old in 1905, i.e. was born in 1870/1871.Leander had been in the US for 19 years and of these 13 years in South Dakota. He must have left Sweden about 1885/1886 and been in SD since 1892. Leander is listed as married and occupation farming. Leander lived in Section 3, Township 129 and Range 53. Source: South Dakota State Census, 004245108, image 1812, FamilySearch.To verify Leander Carlson’s details in the 1905 state census I have browsed both the 1900 and 1910 federal censuses. In these two censuses Leander is listed as a male. See below:
According to the indexed card above Leander was born in 1871 in Sweden and immigrated in 1890. In the 1900 census he is listed as a male and was at this time not yet married. The census was taken in Veblen on 20 June 1900.The actual census sheet shows that Leander Carlson was a farmer in Veblen and that he owned his own farm, i.e. an independent farmer. further, Leander spoke English. The 1910 census shows that Leander was married and had a daughter. He was married to Louise, born in Minnesota by Norwegian parents. Their daughter Linda was 4 years old in 1910. Leander had a hired man at his farm, Knut Carlson.The image to the right shows an index extract from the 1910 census for the Leander Carlson family in Veblen, SD. Leander in Sweden:I have searched the Swedish emigrant database EmiWeb for Leander Carlsson. There is only one Leander Carlsson in the database who matches the birth and immigration details. However, one of these two returned to Sweden after a few years. The most likely Leander Carlsson was born on 24 January 1871 in Värmskog parish, Värmland. He emigrated from Sweden to the USA in September 1890, then19 years old. Leander had two older siblings who emigrated from Sweden in 1887; Maria (b. 1866) and Johan August (b. 1868). See Leander below:
Source: EmiWeb; Leander Karlsson, born in 1871, emigrates from Sweden to the US in 1890.
Oskar Nilsson in the Swedish
Church Records
Karl Oskar Nilsson was born on 7 September 1880 in Skallgärde, Jonsbergs parish, Östergötland, Sweden and died on 8 October 1953 in Jonsberg. Oskar had a younger sister, Elin Maria Nilsson (b. 1886).Oskar in the Jonsberg parish birth book 1880:
Source: Jonsberg (E) CI:6 (1873-1894) Image 44 / page 42 for 1880.Oskar’s parents were farmhand Johan Nilsson (b. 1851) and Inga Karolina Andersdotter (1851 - 1891), Skallgärde, Jonsberg. Oskar in the Jonsberg household examination roll 1880 - 1890, Skallgärde:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AI:11 (1880-1890) Image 364 / page 353.Oskar’s mother died on 20 January 1891. Oskar’s father Johan is now listed as tenant farmer at Skallgärde and he remarries in 1895. Oskar’s younger sister Elin Maria was born in 1886. Oskar in the Jonsberg parish book 1896 - 1904, Skallgärde:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:1 (1896-1904) Image 409 / page 399.Johans new wife was Klara Matilda Andersdotter (b. 1864). Oskar has a notation: emigrated to North America (Norra Amerika) dated 11 April 1904.Oskar in the Jonsberg parish book 1905 - 1913, Skallgärde:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:2 (1905-1913) Image 421 / page 411.Oskar has returned to Sweden now and is listed as returned in the parish book on 31 December 1908.Oskar in the Jonsberg parish book 1905 - 1913, Sahlsbäck:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:2 (1905-1913) Image 410 / page 400, Sahlsbäck.Oskar Nilsson married Hilda Helena Jonsson 0n 22 October 1910. Hilda was born on 24 December 1885 in Jonsberg.Hilda’s mother Anna Alexandra Nilsdotter died on 15 March 1905 and Hilda’s father Magnus Alfred Jonsson on 18 November 1908. Hilda inherited the farm and she is listed as the owner (hemmansägare).Oskar and Hilda in the Jonsberg parish book 1914 - 1923, Sahlsbäck:
Source: Jonsberg (E) AIIa:3 (1914-1923) Image 420 / page 405, Sahlsbäck.Oskar and Hilda now have two children; Alva Helena, born on 5 February 1911 and Sven Gustaf Hilding, born on 9 May 1913.Oskar died 73 years old on 8 October 1953 at Sahlsbäck 1:3, Jonsberg. Hilda Helena Nilsson died 86 years old on 9 June 1971 at Sahlsbäck, Jonsberg.
