Berggren, Mary Jonasdotter (1828-1896)

BERGGREN, JONASDOTTER, LAVINE, ROSENGREN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

Stratford Courier
July 23, 1896

OBITUARY

Mrs. Mary Berggren died at her home five and one-half miles south east of Stratford on July 19, 1896.

Deceased was born in Sweden on October 28, 1828 and was married to John Berggren in September of 1850. They lived in Sweden fourteen years when they immigrated to the United States locating in Moline, Ill., and in the spring of '67 they came to Hamilton county, where she lived with her husband until her death; honored and liked by all who knew her.

She has been a sufferer of consumption for two years, but the last attack lasted but two weeks. She was 67 years, 8 months and 24 days old; leaving a husband, six children and many friends to mourn her departure. One daughter died last year. Her funeral was conducted yesterday at 2 p.m. by Rev. Levahn.

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Stanhope Saturday Mail
July 25, 1896

PASSED AWAY

An Old Resident of Hamilton County Succumbs to Death

On Sunday, July 19, 1896, occurred the death of Mrs. Mary Berggren, at her home five miles southwest of Stanhope, after a long illness. At the time of her death she was 67 years, 8 months and 24 days old.

The deceased was born in Sweden on the 28th of October, 1828, and came to the United States in the summer of 1864. She had been a resident of Hamilton county since 1867. Her husband and six children, three sons and three daughters, survive her, one daughter having died some time ago. The deceased had many friends in this vicinity, all of whom extend sympathy to the sorrowing family. The funeral was held on Wednesday, being conducted by Rev. LeVahn.

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Biography
By Bernice Sealine Lund

Maria (Mary) Jonasdotter Berggren was born on October 24, 1828 in Slatthög, Kronoberg, Sweden, the daughter of Jonas Pettersson and Anna Persdotter.

She married Johannes (John) Berggren on February 1, 1851 in Kvenneberga Parish, Kronoberg, Sweden.

John, Mary and five of their children came from Kvenneberga Parish in Sweden in 1864 and located in Moline, Illinois for about three years. They then moved to the settlement of Hook's Point, which was north of the area that later became Stratford, Iowa.

John and a young man, Olof Rosengren, who had come from Sweden in 1868, began working together in a blacksmith shop. They could do repair work quickly for the farmers when they needed a plow lay sharpened, horses shod, or vehicles repaired. John made wagon boxes that were popular, for he made them with the same perfection that he did pieces of furniture, his spare time hobby. It was said that every farmer longed to own one of their wagons, for a good wagon and box was one of the first essentials since it served so many uses.

John and Mary Berggren had seven children, five of whom were born in Sweden.

Gustaf Adolph Berggren, John Peter Berggren, Anna Maria (Berggren) Lavine, Christina Katharina (Berggren) Rosengren, Ida Sophia (Berggren) Johnson, Alfred H. Berggren and Emma Berggren.

John and Mary Berggren, with their son and his wife, Gust and Ingre Berggren, moved from Hook's Point to the East Marion area in the 1870s, where they farmed. Mary passed away in 1896, John in 1908, and were buried in the South Marion Cemetery.

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Swedish records for Slatthög parish, Kronobergs län, Sweden show Maria Jonasdotter was born October 25, 1828 and was baptized on October 26, 1828.