Finland/Sweden- The Åland Islands

[choc_lamington]

I did read that, thank you!
It's so strange, but I think he was really passionate about it. I wish I could have met him, but alas, I have to live through memories.
Thanks for you help.

[Diggie]

Choc lamington,

I think I have worked out the possible place/ parish in  Aland where your John ( Johan) Karlsson came from:

I think you said in your original post it was Holmoarna ( sorry cant get dots over the o for some reason today!)
 do you think it could be Holmarna?

If so, there is a place called Holmarna, in the parish of Lumparland in Aland Islands. I just  typed it in on search engine for maps...

regards

Diggie
 

[choc_lamington]

I have just discovered his Naturlization records and it appears I had his brithdate wrong!
He was born 05/12/1905 in Marieham, Finland.

Now to go from there. Let's see what I can find

[choc_lamington]

On his naturalization records, it states his mother and fathers names, but only that they lived in Finland. He didn't know their date of birth.
His records state that he left Finland when he was 20 years old, via France to sail to Australia on the  Hertzogen Cecelia.
I also have a photocopy of some form of census sheet here, but it's all in Finnish or Swedish and I can barely make out names other than his own, his mother (aged 29) and fathers (aged 33 I think) and maybe a couple of names in the same paragraph: Wilhelm Mathsson and Gloria Mathilda Karlsson.

Help? lol Finnish/Swedish is beyond my capabilities!

[Diggie]

Hi

Any way you can attach that document or PM me ( I think you have to be careful how you do it on here - see other threads relating to copyright etc)  I will see if I can translate.


Glad it throws up new options tho!

[choc_lamington]

I don't have a scanner but I will do the best I can and PM you

[MuttWoman]

Mariehamn is the big town in the Alands. My grandmother was from Eckero, and a proud Swede. And the islands were Swedish when she left in 1904. So your grandfather is absolutely right in insisting that he was a Swede. It's the main language. The Alands are only a protectorate of Finland. They were tossed back and forth between Russia and Sweden for a couple of centuries.

[choc_lamington]

Johan Arthur Karlsson (John Mikael Karlsson's father) Born 1873 in Jomala, Finland (I think!)
Need help finding out more.
Last doc I have of him is a Passenger List for the Saint Paul 16th April 1906 from South Hampton to New York.

Also looking for Johan's Spouse- Alina Sofia with unccertainty of maiden name, possibly Mattsson. Last known residence Mariehamn, Aland Islands, Finland. Unsure if she came from Finland or Sweden due to the Islands changing hands so many times. I know she was alive in 1950 according to information from my Nana, but that was the last she had heard from her.

Which direction to go now? lol Any suggestions?

Does anyone read Swedish? I have this document my Nana gave me, but it just happens to be in CURSIVE Swedish of all things! As if Swedish isn't hard enough to read already!

[janrm]

Hi!

Can you do a better scan?

Apparently it starts with: Parents: Torparemågen Johan.... The Next underlined word is "godparents", I think.

But the rest is too faded for an old man!

j