Household Examination for Selma Antonsson

Next I look into the household examination records for Selma Antonson's family. I find them listed in Alvsborg for the years 1861 - 1872, 1873 - 1880, and 1881 - 1890.

Selma has brothers Gustuv Aldof and Karl Rudolf. She also has a sister Augusta Matilda. Augusta is mentioned as Selma's sister on the Ellis Island record when Selma came to the United States on July 28, 1917. Augusta's last name is difficult to determine. It may be Samson. She lives in Linnared Sweden.

All the birthdates are listed for each member of the family in the household examination records.

Usually when a line is drawn through a name that means the person has left the parish. The entry for the 1873 - 1880 record has a line drawn through everyone and a word written on the side that starts with fattig. Fattig means poor.

John Benson and Selma Antonson Marriage Record

I start to wonder if John Benson and Selma Antonson were married in Massachusetts. So I write a letter to the Massachusetts archives requesting their marriage certificate.

And it arrived in the mail! My aunt knew they were married in the United States. I had assumed they were married in Sweden and came to the United States together.

By the way, now all the Massachusetts records are online up to 1910. I belong to New England Historic Genealogical Society and from their website www.newenglandancestors.org I can search the records.

They filed two marriage certificates. This first one was filed December 23, 1904 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Date of marriage is December 20, 1904. John Peter Benson is 45, birthplace Sweden, father is Peter Benson, and mother is Ingre Uhanson.

The bride is Selma Anthransen, 34, born in Sweden, father is Anton Svenson, and mother is Laura Larson.

The second marriage certificate is filed in Holden, Massachusetts on January 4, 1905. Most of the information is the same except for John’s mother is listed as Engre Uhanson and Selma’s father is Anton Swenson.

Do you think John’s mother’s name is Ingrid Johansson?

Selma Antonson Birth Record

I made a trip to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002. I had great help from the people working there. I was immediately able to find Selma’s birth record.

Of course her father’s first name is Anton. That’s how Selma got her surname, based on the first name of the father and eventually most people choose son instead of dotter after the last name. Selma’s father’s name is Anton Svenson. From the wonderful people in Salt Lake City who translated the record, Anton is a farmer who lived in Ahlabäcken.

Selma’s mother was Laura Larsdotter, 34 years old. Selma was born on January 8, 1870 so Laura was born about 1835/1836.



Also while in Salt Lake City I try to find the birth record for John Benson. I went through about half the parish records and I did not find him.

Selma's Passport

Again as a beginning genealogist, I let everyone know my interest and hope they share what information they have about the family. I get a copy of Bertha’s mother’s passport. It says she was born January 8, 1870, Svenljurga, Sweden. Her name is Selma Alvida Antonson.

Next stop Salt Lake City.