The Peter Magnus Lundell Family
The Peter Magnus Lundell FamilyUpdated February 16, 2008 | |
| Peter's life began in Sweden on June 29, 1844, the son of Johan Petterson and Stina Katrina Svensdotter.Early in life and seeking his own identity, Peter changed his surname from Johanson to Lundell.In 1870, in Sweden, he married Johanna Maria Pettersdotter.Johanna died in 1920, Peter in 1926.Today, they lie buried side-by-side in the Gowrie Township Cemetery, Gowrie, Iowa. We know little of their life in Sweden, only that it must have held little opportunity for they and their first four children emigrated from Sweden to America, arriving at some point in time between 1877 and 1879.During that time, overpopulation, poverty and hunger were the underlying causes of Swedish emigration.Famine led to the exodus of 80,000 people from Sweden between 1867 and 1869.By 1886 nearly half a million Swedes had emigrated from Sweden because of food and job shortages.We can only speculate as to exactly why Peter and Johanna came to America, although their instinct for survival must have been the compelling reason. By 1894 Peter and Johanna had added another six children to their family, all of whom were born in Iowa - 10 children in all.Now, more than a century later, we have identified more than 500 individuals (including spouses) who are descended from Peter and Johanna.Many of them are deceased - most we never knew - others alive today we don't know.Whatever their state of being, then or now, we long to know more about the family of Peter and Johanna. | |