Johanna Lundberg

B. December 12, 1843 - Säfnäs, Kopparberg (Dalarna) Län, Sweden

M. January 15, 1874 - Sven Kristoffersson* - Stora Tuna, Kopparberg (Dalarna) Län, Sweden

M. June 8, 1887 - Per Hallström* - Stora Tuna, Kopparberg (Dalarna) Län, Sweden

D. June 6, 1924 - Stora Tuna, Kopparberg (Dalarna) Län, Sweden

* Not Eric's father.

Johanna was born to Lena Greta Persdotter Hjerpe and Jan Johan Lundberg on December 12, 1843 in Säfnäs, Kopparberg (Dalarna) Län, Sweden (See below for continued Family Tree). She was the 8th child Lena and Jan had - click here to see list of Johanna's brothers and sisters. They lived on a farm in Säfsnäs called Gäddsjöberget (translated as Pike Lake Mountain). Jan was a worker or servant (inhyses) and was born in Gäddsjöberget. His dad and stepmother also lived on the farm when Johanna was born. The Lundbergs go back generations living in Gäddsjöberget.

Johanna left Säfsnäs on October 16, 1861 to go live with, and work for, her brother Nils and his family in Norrbärke, and then Stora Tuna. She continued working as a "piga" (maid/servant) for her brother and a few different farmers in and around Stora Tuna up until 1865. In 1865, she moved to a village I can't decipher yet and this is where she conceived Eric. Johanna was not married when Eric was born in April 1866. She lived with her older brother August just before, and after, Eric was born in 1866. She continued to work as a servant while raising Eric.

Johanna married Sven Kristoffersson in 1874, he was 10 year older than her and a workman (arbetare). Sven is likely the man Eric took his last name from. Eric's half-brother August and half-sister Augusta (twins) were born to Johanna and Sven on May 4, 1974. Sven died (June 28, 1875) from pneumonia just 13 months later at 41 years old leaving Johanna with three children to raise. Sadly, Augusta died just a few months later in December 1875.

Johanna continued to work as a servant until she married Per Hallström in June 1887, a year after her son Eric emigrated to the U.S., in May 1886. Per was a bricklayer and was much younger than Johanna (he was 27 and she was 44 when they married in 1887). Per and Johanna moved to Islingby and lived together until he died of pneumonia in 1920.

August immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 14 (May 1888) to live with Eric in Chicago. It looks like Eric paid his passage and August traveled by himself, which is absolutely amazing at the age of 14! Eric and August eventually formed the Christopher Brothers Motors building bicylces and cars together. See Eric's profile to learn more. We don't know why August left home at age 14 to go live with Eric but the best guess is he didn't get along with Per. It's possible Eric needed his help but it just seems remarkable someone would leave home at 14 to travel across the ocean by himself.

The Household Examination Books kept by the Lutheran Church lists Johanna, and Eric, as Baptists on numerous occassions. Most Swedes are Lutherans.

Johanna died in 1924 at 80 years old.

Dalarna, Sweden

Dalarna was a particularly poor part of Sweden, mostly rural and hilly. All of the Christophers and Berggrens come from southern Dalarna. It was officially called Kopparbergs Län (county) from the 1600s through 1990s, even though it was know as Dalarna for centuries. In 1997, the county's official name became Dalarna County. The two names are often used interchangeably and one needs to be aware of that when searching for ancestors.

Dalarna Birth Locations (see map above - click to enlarge): Eric Christoffersson (Stora Tuna), Caroline Berggren (Säter), Johanna Lundberg (Säfsnäs), Johan Berggren (Säter), Elizabeth (Lisa) Andersdotter (Gustafs).

Family Tree Continued:

Johanna's Records:

Birth Record - Säfsnäs, Sweden

Household Record (Census) - 1866 Eric Born

Household Record (Census) Eric Leaves for America - 1880-1890

Death Record - Stora Tuna, Sweden

Johanna's Husbands

Sven Kristoffersson

B. October 12, 1833 - Segerstad, Värmland, Sweden

M. January 15, 1874 - Johanna Lundberg - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

D. June 28, 1875 - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

Per Hallström

B. June 15, 1860 - Åhl, Dalarna, Sweden

M. June 8, 1887 - Johanna Lundberg - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

D. November 11, 1920 - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

Johanna's Children

Eric Bernhard Christoffersson (Christopher)

B. April 22, 1866 - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

M. August 27, 1887 - Caroline Berggren - Chicago, Illinois

Children - Richard (July 15, 1888), Manghild (Feb. 1, 1890), Gerald (Feb. 23, 1892), Arthur (Apr. 30, 1994), (Sept. 17, 1895), Herbert (Mar. 15, 1897), Warren (June 16, 1908)

D. May 4, 1929 - Chicago, Illinois

August Kristoffersson (Christopher)

B. May 4, 1874 - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

M. December 19, 1896 - Hilda Anderson - Chicago, Illinois

Children - Reuben (June 1897), Pearl (Jan. 23, 1899), Dorothy (July 28, 1911), Russell (Aug. 11, 1913)

D. June 10, 1924 - Chicago, Illinois

Augusta Kristoffersson

B. May 4, 1874 - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

D. December 1, 1875 - Stora Tuna, Dalarna, Sweden

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