The Swedish Texans

Today is Mother's Day, so I want to acknowledge my mother, along with aunts Jan and Iris, who have helped me learn more about my grandmother Mae. It was Jan who passed on my email to Chuck Charnquist, who contacted me last week. Chuck is the son of Harris Charnquist, Mae's oldest brother. He has found a great deal of information about Carl Ewald and Carl Erick Charnquist, my great and great-great grandfathers. According to Chuck, Carl Erick, "considered the father of the Swedish Methodist Church in Texas, was an incredible individual- a stone mason, organist, composer, preacher, printer, newspaper editor and publisher, author, entreprenuer- and the father of nine children."

He is featured in several accounts about the "Swedish Texans." I found this photo at the "Swedes in Texas" website: http://www.swedesintexas.com/getperson.php?personID=I21221&tree=sit0001. Carl Erick and his wife Carolina Anderson are seated in front, and I assume that Carl Ewald, Mae's father, is the mustachioed man standing second from the left, since he was the first-born son.

I look forward to corresponding with my new-found relative about his family research and will pass on any information here. Thank you, moms, for keeping the stories of our past.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

It's May Day, and Mae Day, since this was the day my grandmother was born 100 years ago today. Grandma's birthday was particularly memorable for me since mom would make up flower baskets for us to take to the neighbors in Green Bay. I always think of grandma when I see pansies. This picture is from her 90th birthday. She was such a beautiful woman. I miss her a great deal.

Please leave your own memories of Grandma Mae by clicking "Comments".

A Favorite Recipe

Swedish Meatballs

1 # ground Beef
1 # ground veal or pork or both
2 eggs
cracker crumbs- I prefer bround bread crumbs (fine)
a little milk
a pinch of nutmeg

Important to mix well. Shape into small balls. Brown well. Remove from pan and mae a gravy with milk. Add balls and simmer for an hour or more. You can't cook them too long. Turn while cooking- Sorry, I just go by gosh and by golly. For a large batch, double the meat, eggs, etc.

How the World has Changed

"When I was little, we didn't have some of the things we have today, such as radio, television, not many cars, airplanes, computers, VCRs, RVs, falsies, artificial nails, Aids- you name it. What did we do, I wonder?"

"However, some of the things we had then which we don't have today were more family life, reunions, ice cream socials, more church affairs, movies on Sunday afternoon, family ball games.

"The most important historical event that I remember in my lifetime was men walking on the moon. That, to me, is almost unbelievable."

On the Day I Was Born

On the day I was born, May 14, 1960, Mae remembers being "very upset because your Grandfather was in the hospital with Hodgkin's Disease. He passed away June 2, 1960, I had him on my mind."

When she did first see me, she thought I was so sweet. "I can see you now with your platinum hair standing up! And your smile was precious," she wrote. "I know I was happy. I think you were my third grandaughter. I alway loved girls- of course, I loved boys, too!"

If Karen was the first grandaughter, and Sherri the second, I guess that means I was born before Geri- that so?

Shinrock/ Charnquist Family Tree

Hello everyone. We had a wonderful Easter Sunday sharing time with my husband Dave's family. My sister-in-law, Sue, shared with us the family tree she made using Ancestry.com, so I was inspired to post the family tree I made for the Shinrock/ Charnquist line. (Actually, I just copied the Shinrock line from the wonderful OneWorld Geneology that Vicki Wade already created.)

When I was working on the Charnquist side, I was pleased to find connections to the Dutch Vanderryt line on the the Barker side, and the Swedish Nelsons on the Hanson side of the family. I know that geneology follows the male line, but I find our matriarchal connections extremely interesting. Here is the site: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/pedigree.aspx?tid=5588690&pid=-1432713605. The picture, above, is of Maude Barker Asdell and Grandpa Fred.

Family Traditions

One of the things Mae's family did that was based on our heritage was having family reunions, eating some Swedish foods like lute-fisk, lingonberries and rice-potato sausage, (Bosta Casa?) cheesecake, etc. "Most of these we had at Christmas time."
"Christmas Eve, we'd all be at our house and have an exchange of little gifts. Mother would cook LuteFish, potatoes, etc. On Christmas Day, it was always goose and the fixings. Thanksgiving, I presume chicken, since we probably couldn't afford turkey in those days."

I love this picture, above, of grandma stealing a piece of turkey while dad and Dave are carving.