Recently, JoAnn Turner was featured in our hometown newspaper for her outstanding work assisting individuals and families understand and research their family history.

I speak from experience that JoAnn and our library are excellent and free resources to anyone looking to learn more about their family’s history.

And I offer the following as a testimonial about the very real benefits of looking into one’s history:

Wednesday, June 28 – Friday, July 7, 2023

It all started when six months ago, two ladies approached me at a local funeral with a question: “Did you know that we are family?”

My answer was “No, I did not know that we are family, but please tell me more.”

I had devoted very little time in my life to genealogy, but had grown more interested in learning about family history. I was anxious to learn more.

It turns out our family connection had to do with the least known to me, but perhaps most interesting, branch of my family tree.

My father’s mother was Olga Ullmark. I knew really only two things about her: I knew she was Swedish, and I knew she died when my father was only a child.

It turns out my newfound family members Brenda Jindra and Emily Elliot, who had grown up nearby in Cashion, knew a lot more.

I think in retrospect, much of what they would reveal to me and what I would learn by leaning into my family heritage matches the story of many who will read this.

If a person’s family roots lie in Europe, and for most of us that’s true, then likely your family’s story is something like mine.

My hope is by sharing my story you might gain a deeper understanding of your own.

The Bible makes a strong case that knowing something of our genealogy is important by listing the fully genealogy of Jesus in Luke, Chapter 1.

So, with the hope that this short story of what I learned about my own genealogy, and the history and culture around it, you will be inspired to learn more about your own heritage.

Here is some of what I learned and experienced while visiting my family in Sweden.

European emigration to the United States reached its apex in Sweden in the late 1800’s, which is when my great grandfather, Anders Ullmark, made the fateful decision to leave his family and set off for America.

For some of our family, our visit was likely the first touch with their American family members since that time.

My great-grandfather almost certainly made the diffi cult decision to emigrate based on the three common factors that through history have often pushed people to make such a bold, life-changing move.

At age 26 he left Gothenburg, Sweden on July 2, 1880, on a ship named Rollo, bound for New York.

These factors are poverty, a desire for greater freedoms, and at least a hope of a better future for their children.

Inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty is “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”

It is perhaps important for us all to remember that at one time, that was not referring to some unknown individuals, but rather in all likelihood, our own ancestors. For me, at least, this trip was an enlightening change in perspective on who I am and how I came to be here.

The late 1800’s were a very difficult time for Swedish people. Crops had failed, poverty was widespread and extreme and, accurate or not, others who had emigrated to the U.S. painted a rosy picture, to those still in Sweden of their new life in the United States.

My great-grandfather from Sweden, ultimately married Sigrid Johnsen, also from Sweden, and they homesteaded a place just north of Hennessey.

His obituary and homestead records paint a picture of a hard-working man with a willingness to help others, but also of a man who faced great difficulty through the hardships of homesteading in pioneer times.

Chances are that my great-grandfather was like your ancestors, in that when he decided to go, he had siblings who decided to stay.

Which of course means cousins are now living on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. It is these cousins that we went to see.

What I experienced in Sweden surprised me in some ways, but more than surprise, it exceeded my expectations in wonderful ways.

When Brenda explained my family tree and went on to explain that she had visited our family in Sweden, and I could also, I immediately felt I wanted to go.

I wanted to go because I have a passion for experiencing life more fully through travel, but more importantly, I wanted to go to honor my grandmother.

The Bible gives us the Ten Commandments for successful living. Right in the middle, as commandment #5, is “Honor you father and mother.”

How does one honor a grandmother one never met?

My guess is, more than anything, she would feel honored if I simply carved time out to learn a bit more about her (my) heritage and spend time with her (my) family.

I think that is how she would feel because it is precisely what I hope my own grandchildren will do some day.

Here is what we learned in Sweden.

We learned that Sweden is a beautiful place that was developed largely around its biggest natural resource, timber, and along its coastal ports. A story not unlike early America.

We spoke at length to many Swedish people, both family members and new acquaintances. We visited about all manner of things.

In these visits, I always managed to ask, “What are your thoughts on America and American politics?”

Here is what I heard in broad strokes.

Swedish people have great interest and respect for America’s people, history, culture and ideals.

But, like ourselves, they have great concern regarding the dysfunction they see in our current political environment and our division.

Swedish people care so much about American politics because they believe what happens in America matters in the world more than what happens in Sweden. In short, they are counting on us, like young people count on adults, to be serious and get the big things right.

They are concerned, just as I believe most of us are, that American politicians have become too intent on harming one another and not nearly intent enough on getting the big things right.

Here is hoping we Americans will work hard and pray hard to somehow reverse that trend. The world is counting on us to be more than what we have currently become.

Lastly, a little of what I experienced with my family.

I think what I experienced is just what you would experience if fate offered you a chance to visit your cousins abroad.

My family loves me and I love them.

Liz and I felt instantly comfortable and accepted.

They were incredibly kind and generous in their reception of us.

Specifically, we enjoyed a cold, rainy afternoon in Stockholm snuggled together in the apartment of my cousin, Ulrika, and her husband Ulf.

Ulrika had worked who knows how long preparing a delicious meal of Swedish meatballs for not only us, but also extended family near Stockholm, who were able to attend also.

Conversation flowed easily as the hours passed.

I was particularly interested to learn how they spent time relaxing and exploring the world-famous, Stockholm archipelago on their 38-foot houseboat.

We came to learn it is very widespread in Sweden to keep a houseboat or summer cabin to spend quality time close to family and close to nature.

A few days later, we traveled north to Sundsvall, also situated along the coast, also nestled in behind islands.

From Sundsvall we traveled inland to Stöde, a rural village smaller than Kingfi sher, where my ancestor Lars Petter Ullmark built a log home that overlooks a large, gorgeous lake.

Here on a deck, overlooking the lake on a beautiful, sunny day, we enjoyed not one, but two wonderful meals prepared by my newly “adopted” siblings (aka cousins), sisters, Titti and Jenny, and brother, Jörgan.

Between meals, we traveled a short distance to a local museum that was particularly important to Inger, the family matriarch.

The museum was dedicated to early pioneer times (much like our own Chisholm Trail Museum).

Here we enjoyed lots of laughs as they attempted to teach us traditional Swedish dancing.

Before returning for the evening meal, we also stopped at the cemetery where Inger’s husband was buried in 2018.

The church offered a service one could subscribe to that planted and maintained live flowers at the headstones.

The fresh flowers spread throughout the cemetery, combined with the church itself and the setting, were simply stunning.

We learned that Ingrid Bergman chose to be married there in 1937.

The beauty of the church and grounds made this fact easy to believe.

Over the course of the day, I learned many other things.

I learned that my ancestor Lars Petter and I had some things in common.

He and I both spent our careers in the lumber industry and as small-town store owners, delivering needed materials throughout our trade area.

I could tell so much more, but I hope I have given you enough to inspire you to appreciate the plight, courage, and perseverance of your own ancestors, who made the fateful decision to leave home and cross the Atlantic Ocean, to an unknown place, hoping that it would build a better future for you.