The following are 'Thumbnail Sketches' of some of the oldest immigrants that were present in the Kiron vicinity. The plan is to add to these sketches as additional credible information becomes available and hopefully develop a biography that includes their entire life. The primary criteria used for placement in this list is age. (This list first appeared in the 10 February 1998 issue of the Kiron Centennial)
Andersson, Nils
Nils was born on 17 April 1800 in Kristianstad län
in Sweden. Immigrated around 1869 with wife and family.
He purchased 80 acres in the NW of Stockholm section 8.
He built one of the first frame houses in the settlement.
Nils retired, sold the land and moved to farm of daughter in Hayes
township around 1885. He died on 22 February 1887 in Hayes
township and is buried in Kiron Cemetery.
Olsson, Olof
Olof was born on 6 May 1800 in Hassela, Gälveborgs
län in Sweden. He immigrated around 1880 to Wheeler
township. He is father of three sons who were all
carpenters and built the strongest beam-based house in the
settlement with tenon and mortised building methods. Married
to Sigrid Erickson in Sweden. Died on 14 September 1888
at home in Wheeler township. He is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Petersson, Johan
Johan was born on 11 March 1810 on the Kroxtorp farm in
Misterhult parish in Kalmar län in Sweden. He was a
boat skipper in Sweden. He and his wife Anna immigrated
with a large group of Swedes from Misterhult to northern Crawford
county in May of 1868. He purchased land in the NE of Otter
Creek section 13 and began the life of a farmer. He died
on 3 August of 1878 at his farm home and is buried in the Kiron
Cemetery.
Linman, Carl
Carl was born in 1811 in Sweden (probably in Östergötland
län). He married Margaret Johnson there and their six
children were born there. The parents and four living children
came to Stockholm township in 1869 and purchased the NE of section
8 from Christ Christianson where they began farming. He
and his wife attended the Swedish Mission church. He died
on 21 December 1901 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Lind, Nils Ingemar
Nils was born on 4 January 1813 in Sweden. He and
wife Ingri Magdalena immigrated to America in 1857 and came to
Otter Creek township in the 1870s buying land in the NE
of Section 1. He was a farmer until the late 1890s
when he retired. He died on 1 June 1900 and is buried in
the Bethel Cemetery.
Engström, Sara Christina
Sara was born on 2 February 1813 in the village of Figeholm
in Kalmar län in Sweden. She married Carl Peter Frodig
in Sweden. Two of her children died as babies in Sweden.
She is one of the original Kiron area immigrants having left Sweden
with her husband and daughter in June of 1865 to join the Swedish
settlement at Swedebend near Stratford in Iowa. Two years
later they came to live in a dugout on their own farm
in the SE of Stockholm section 19. She was a charter member
of the Swedish Baptist church which was started in her humble
home. She was an active mid-wife during the first 15 years
in the new settlement. She made her home with her daughter
in Wheeler township in her late eighties. She died on 27
January 1901. She is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Berggren, Paul
Paul was born on 14 January 1814 in Malmöhus län
in Sweden. After his wife died he immigrated to America
in the early 1880s with his daughter to the farm home of
his son in the SW of Wheeler section 29. He lived
with his son and family until his death on 15 April 1887.
He is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Petersson, Gustaf Fredrick
Gustaf was born on 11 June 1814 at the Figsjökrog dwelling
in Misterhult parish in Kalmar län in Sweden. He married
Christina Nilsdotter over there and had a daughter Mary Gustafsdotter.
Gustaf was a boat skipper sailing out of the seacoast village
of Figeholm. On 29 November 1868 the family left Sweden
for northern Crawford county. They bought land first in
the NE of Otter Creek section 11 and added more in the NE of Otter
Creek section 2. He retired from farming around 1885
and went to live with daughters family in Hayes township
in Ida county.
Johnson, Axel
Axel was born in Bronestad parish in Kristianstad län
in Sweden on 13 April 1815. He married Pernilla Nilsdotter
in Sweden and had several children. The family immigrated
from Sweden to Henry County, Illinois in 1866 where they started
farming. Several of the daughters married and moved to northern
Crawford county. Around the early eighties, Axel retired
from farming and came with his wife to live with his oldest daughter,
Johanna Engberg, and family in Stockholm township section 8.
He died on 13 March 1885 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Beck, Nils Peter
Nils was born on 9 May 1815 in Kalmar län Sweden, probably
at Bankhult farm in Kristdala. He married Lena Maria Persdotter
and they had six children. They were living in Figeholm,
Sweden when they immigrated with their daughter Anna to America
in May 1868. They came with several Misterhult area immigrants
to Swedebend and on to north Crawford county where they bought
land in the NE of Otter Creek section 13. The family were
members of the Swedish Baptist church. Nils died on 19 August
1889 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Persdotter, Lena Maria
Lena Maria was born at Grindstuga on the Virum manor in
Misterhult parish in Kalmar län in Sweden. She married
Nils Peter Beck in 1845 and had six children. She
immigrated with her husband and daughter to Iowa in May 1868 and
settled into a dugout home on the NE of Otter Creek
section 13. She was a charter member of the Swedish Baptist
church in Aug of 1868. After her husbands death she
moved to live with her son Fred in Odebolt. She died there
on 24 March 1895 and is buried next to her husband in the Kiron
Cemetery.
Sparfeldt, Jöns
Jöns was born the farthest north of all the immigrants.
His birthdate is 12 June 1815 and his birthplace is on the Finnvattnet
farm north of Ström in Jamtland län in Sweden.
He was married to Anna Johansdotter of Ramsele and had five children.
He immigrated with his youngest son and came to Stockholm township
in the winter of 1867. He purchased an 80 acre farm in NW
Stockholm township section 20 in February 1868 and lived there
the remainder of his life. He died 9 May 1895 and he is
buried in the Kiron Cemetery. His farm stayed in the family
and qualified for one of the first Iowa Century farms around Kiron.
Andersson, John P.
John was born on 23 June 1815 in Sweden (Västervik
area) and came to the north Crawford county area by way of Chicago
in 1870. Financially prudent, he had accumulated $1000 of
Stockholm township real estate in section 7 by June of 1870.
Together with son Charles J. they built one of the first above
ground houses in the community in late 1870. His family
provided a temporary home for traveling clergy in the early days.
He died on 7 February 1908 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Weberg, Peter W.
Peter was born on 26 August 1815 in the Norrköping
area of Sweden and married Bertha Lydia Johnson there. They
immigrated to Iowa and came with the group from Swedebend to north
Crawford county in August 1867. He purchased an 80
acre farm in the SE of Stockholm section 19 next to the Frodig
farm. He was a member of the Swedish Baptist church.
A farmer all his life, he retired and moved into the Erickson
log house of the neighboring farm to be cared for by Mrs. Erickson.
He died on Christmas day 1890 in Omaha, Nebraska. He was
buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Ericksson, Erick
Very little is known about Ericks early days.
He was born in 1816 in Sweden, married Anna there, and came to
northern Crawford county with the group from Swedebend in August
of 1867. At that time he purchased a farm in the NW of Stockholm
section 19. A carpenter by trade, he distinguished himself
by immediately setting out to build an above ground Log
Cabin instead of a dug-out as a home.
The Ericksons have one known son in this area who used the
name of Nyland. Erick only got to enjoy his farm for
about ten years as he died on 5 August 1879. He is buried
in the Kiron Cemetery.
Lindblad, Nicolaus
Nicolaus was born on 5 November 1816 in Ingatorp parish
which is in Jönköping län, Sweden. He was
a military man and had a 40 year career in the Army of the King
of Sweden. He married Elizabeth Johnson and came to America
with the families of their three daughters around 1870.
After a short time in the north part of Michigan and in Illinois
they came to the Kiron area. The four families all bought
property in Wheeler section 31 and began farming. Nicolaus
has the distinction of having enjoyed a very long vigorous life.
One of the leaders of the Bethel Lutheran church, he was honored
at the church on his 100th birthday. He died on 30 September
1919 and is buried in the Bethel Cemetery.
Hansdotter, Anna
Anna was born on 14 January 1817 in Hassela socken in Gävleborgs
län, Sweden. With her husband Erick Ljunglof,
she came to the Kiron area in 1881 settling on a farm in Hayes
township. She spent her remaining days with the families
of her children who were farming in the area. She died on
23 April 1907 and is buried in the Kiron cemetery.
Star, Charles J.
Charles was born on 13 June 1817 in Sweden and immigrated
with his wife Margaret and daughter Carolina to America around
1852. They first settled around Rock Island, Illinois and
came to Swedebend in Iowa around 1855 where they farmed for several
years. Charles, along with Carl Frodig and Nils Rodin, were
the original threesome that selected the Kiron community in July
1867 as the future homesite for the Swedish immigrants.
He lived on his farm in Otter Creek section 13 and made a building
available on his farm for the first schoolhouse in the area.
It also served as the place of worship for the early Swedish Baptists
of which he was a charter member. Charles died on 24 March
1886 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Nilsson, Peter
Peter was born on the island of Hunö off the
east coast of Sweden in the parish of Misterhult and
in Kalmar län. His first wife, Maria Christina Jönsdotter,
died leaving Peter with young children so he married Maria Greta
Clausdotter, a sister to Carl Fredrik and Sara Lotta. The
Nelsons left Sweden for Iowa in May 1867 and in August they purchased
a farm in Stockholm township. They raised a large family
on this farm in the SW of section 19, but all of them moved away.
Peter died on 20 Feb 1888 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Lindberg, Nils
Nils was born on 28 December 1817 in Sweden and came to
America with wife Bengta and three sons and two daughters around
1866. He was with the group from Swedebend who came and
purchased land in north Crawford county in August 1867.
His farm was the NW of Stockholm section 18. It was on his
farm that the first to die of the immigrants were laid to rest
in the extreme northeast corner of his farm. This eventually
became the site of the original Kiron Cemetery. Nils was
a charter member of the Swedish Baptist church and served as its
first chairman. He died suddenly on 30 April 1872 and is
buried with two of his babies in the Kiron Cemetery.
Nilsdotter, Cathrina
Cathrina was born on 7 May 1818 in Sweden (Västervik
area). She married John P. Anderson and immigrated to America.
They lived for a time in the Chicago area and came to the north
Crawford area around 1870 starting their farm in the E of
Stockholm section 7. She had one of the first above ground
houses which she shared with traveling ministers. She died
on 7 March 1904 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery next to her
husband and granddaughter.
Petersson, Lars Magnus
Lars was born on 17 September 1818 at Figsjökrog in
Misterhult parish in Kalmar län in Sweden. He was a
laborer and sailor in the area around Figeholm. His wife Anna
Maria Magnusdotter and his two young children died in Sweden.
He came to northern Crawford county around 1880 and stayed with
his brothers and nieces families in Otter Creek township.
He attended the Baptist church. He died on 26 Dec 1910 and
is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Lundell, Andrew W.
Andrew was born on 6 Feb 1819 in Skaraborgs län in
Västergötland, Sweden. He, his wife Anna, and
their three children immigrated to Princeton, Illinois in 1869
and came to the Kiron area about 10 years later. They settled
on a farm in Wheeler township in the NW of section 29. Andrew
died on 23 Feb 1896 and is buried in the Bethel Cemetery alongside
his wife.
Swensson, Carl Christian
Carl was born on the Hillorp farm in the North Akarp parish
in Kristianstads län in Sweden on 11 June 1821. He
married Elna Olsdotter and together with three children immigrated
to America arriving at Swede Bend on 4 July 1866. In March
1880 they purchased some land from Nils Rodin and began a small
farming operation in the SW of Stockholm section 18. Carl
was also a carpenter. A religious family, he saw his son go to
Seminary at Morgan Park in Chicago and his daughter go to Nurses
Missionary training. Unfortunately, both died unexpectedly
young. Carl passed away on 20 June 1882 and is buried in
the Kiron Cemetery.
Berg, Olof
Olof was born on 19 July 1821 near Bjuråker in Gävleborgs
län in Hälsingland, Sweden. He married Katherine
Uddblom and together with their four children immigrated to the
Kiron area in 1870. They purchased a farm in the NW of Stockholm
section 5 where Olof continued his blacksmith trade while his
son did the farming. Olof lived his retired years with the
families of his children and died 14 August 1883 on the farm.
He is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Peterson, Waldemar
Waldemar was born 11 March 1822 in Kristianstad län
in southern Sweden. He married Hanna Hansson there and the
family immigrated to Swedebend, Iowa and on to the Kiron area
by August of 1867. They purchased a sizable farm in Otter
Creek township in section 24 along the Otter Creek river bed and
here they set up their farming operation. He was a charter
member of the Swedish Baptist church. Waldemar died on 2
May 1904 at his sons farm home in Hayes township.
Burial was in the Kiron Cemetery.
Carlsson, Peter
Peter was born 16 December 1822 around Stockholm in
Sweden. He married Anna Mary Johnson from Karlstad around
1850. With their four living children they immigrated to
America and arrived in north Crawford county in August 1867.
He purchased 80 acres from the Providence Western Land Company
in the NE of Stockholm section 19. He was a charter
member of the Swedish Baptist church. Peter died on 25 July
1892 and was buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Swede (Svensk), Jonas
Jonas was born in February 1823 in Sweden. There he
married Ingrid Göransdotter and had two sons, Erick and Jonas,
Jr. They all immigrated from Sweden to the Kiron area in
1870. They lived on a farm on the NW of Wheeler township
section 19. His two sons were two of the earliest to set
up a general merchandise store in Old Kiron. Jonas, Sr.
was a farmer. After the early unexpected death of his son,
he made a home for his sons family. Jonas, Sr. died on 8
May 1902 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Hamren, C. Ludwig
C. Ludwig was born in northern Sweden in May of 1823.
His obituary refers to him as Baptist minister in Sweden.
He immigrated with wife Christine and sons Charles and Josef
to the north Crawford area around 1870. They farmed in the
SW of Otter Creek section 13 along the Otter Creek River.
Records show he drowned crossing the river after attending some
meeting on 5 September 1875. He is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Lindberg, Olof
Olof was born 9 October 1823 in Bollnäs socken in Gävleborgs
län in the Hälsingland province of Sweden. He
was married around 1860 to Mary and they had one daughter Anna
Marie. The family immigrated to America around 1860 and
came to north Crawford county around 1869. Olof was able
to purchase 80 acres in the SW of Stockholm section 20 and he
set up a the first blacksmith shop in the Swedish settlement at
his farmstead. (Later this corner was called Johnsonville for
a short while.) His hired farm laborer married his daughter
and moved to a farm in the NW of Otter Creek section 13 so Olof
sold the farm to neighbor Julius Johnson and moved his shop to
the new farm. Here he spent the remaining years of his life.
He died in November of 1897 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.
Olsson, Peter B.
Peter was born in Skåne, Sweden about 1824.
He married Anna Holmquist and immigrated to the north Crawford
county area before 1870. After Nils Lindbergs untimely death,
Peter purchased the east 80 acres from the Lindbergs in the NW
of Stockholm section 18. After getting the deed to the farm,
he gave the 2 acres used for the cemetery to the Kiron Cemetery
Association. When the Mons Berggren family arrived, he set
aside the north 28 acres for them to get started farming.
When they obtained a larger farm in Wheeler township, he set aside
an acre next to the northwest corner of the cemetery for the first
Church of God (Ev.Free) church building. He died on
2 April 1891 and is buried in the Kiron Cemetery.