Looking help searching for Eugenia Johnson born in Sweden Circa 1881

[philos]

I'm looking for someone but unfortunately someone with a terribly generic name, Eugenia Johnson, apparently my maternal grandfather's mother. She was born in Sweden supposedly in 1881, according to the U.S. Census in 1920, taken in Minneapolis city, Hennepin county, Minnesota.

Please tell me where would be the best place to ask for help finding further information about her and her son/nephew/ who was my grandfather (Thorlief Christofferson— another common name with dozens of permutations)? I'm just a beginner at this time and would certainly appreciate anyone's guidance; Thanks!

[pinefamily]

Do you have a birthdate and place of birth for Eugenia? And where was your grandfather born? If he was born in the US, where were his parents married?
If you check other census records, you might find a place of birth for Eugenia. If she married in the US, a marriage record could show a father's name. A shipping record could show her place of origin as well.
Once you have a birthplace, it is possible to find her in the Swedish records.

[philos]

Do you have a birthdate and place of birth for Eugenia? And where was your grandfather born? If he was born in the US, where were his parents married?
If you check other census records, you might find a place of birth for Eugenia. If she married in the US, a marriage record could show a father's name. A shipping record could show her place of origin as well.
Once you have a birthplace, it is possible to find her in the Swedish records.

Thank you Pinefamily, I only know that she told the 1920 census taker in Hennepin county, Minnesota that she came over to USA in 1904 and that in 1920 she was 39 years old – hence she was born supposedly in 1881. My grandfather Thorlief was born in Oslo Norway, supposedly in 1902, emigrated to the USA in 1917 according to statements given to the census taker. I found the little information that I have about him and his mother while on a free trial with ancestry.com... there are so many ancestries sites offering this that and the other and every one of them is expensive. You think I could find out about her and maybe him too anywhere that DOESN'T require a subscription?

[jamcat95]

Hi philos

As you said there is a Thorleif Christofferson living with Euginia Johnson in Minnesota in 1920 as a nephew but he was born in Norway. Do you know if Thorleif was born in Norway. I have found a Euginia Johnson in Sweden with the roughly the same date of birth and the same year of emigration, but I need a little more info before I pursue her.

Actually the more I look at the census I believe Thorleif to be the nephew of the family Brown living at the same address. The wife of Richard Brown, Lottie, her parents were Norwegian.

What do you think?
I, we, need a little more info on your family.


Ian
 

[jamcat95]

*Just seen the title of your PM*

I need to know what you know of Thorleif. Do you know his birth date etc.

And I must ask why you think Eugenia is his mother?

Ian

[jamcat95]

ummmm..

Just seen your post before I wrote mine. I don't know how I missed that.....!

Ian

[pinefamily]

I'm sure it wasn't there either, Ian. Very strange.....

[pinefamily]

Philos,
Did you find the information on ancestry in the records, or on a member's tree? The reason I ask is that the trees uploaded to ancestry are notorious for incorrect information. If the 1920 census has Thorleif as a nephew, that is how you should approach it, until it can be proven otherwise. It does seem more likely, as they went to the US at different times.
In answer to your question about subscriptions, unfortunately there isn't a lot you can find out without one. The kind people on Rootschat do look up a lot of things for others though. 

[jamcat95]

I had actually found this before I knew Oslo was involved. This could be Thorleif:

http://digitalarkivet.arkivverket.no/en-gb/ft/person/pf01036392148992

Here is his birth. But the dates differ:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ew5/
and
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NWV4-CM9

Marie Gulbrandsen nee Hansen remarried in 1910. She re-married as Marie Kristoffersen. Here is his death Kristian Kristoffersen:
http://www.arkivverket.no link broken

Here is a link which could be your Thorleif. I haven't found a passenger list for him but 2 crew lists for a Thorleif. 1 deserted and 1 left in New York. (I hope it works).
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ew4/

But to see these lists you will have to be a member of: (It is free):
http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/signup


I have given you a lot of info here. I am not saying this is your Thorleif but this could be a start. It looks promising but we must find more info to prove all this.

I have found who I believe to be Eugenia in Sweden. I'll get back with her later on sometime.

I hope all the links work.

Here is the link to the Norwegian Records:
http://arkivverket.no/eng/content/view/full/629


Ian