Johan Johansson

  Research Notes:

Summary: 2 Johan Johanssons, one born in 1730 and the other in 1731
Written by Rueben D Grue, 3 Mar 2020. Copywrite 2020. All Rights Reserved.


There are two people named Johan Johansson who are related to my family. They were 1st cousins and their mothers were sisters. Their mothers were the daughters of my 7th great grandfather who was a direct line ancestor of my grandmother, Avey Rangborg Grue (nee Skaret), 1890-1960.

The first Johan Johansson was born 7 Nov 1730 at Runnsjön and his parents were Johan Johansson and Karin Andersdotter. The second Johan Johansson was born 29 Jun 1731 at Arnsjön and his parents were Johan Danielsson and Annika Andersdotter. Both Runnsjön and Arnsjön are farms or small villages in Fryksände parish in Värmland county in Sweden and less than 20 kms apart. Note that the early Sweden Church records for this area was located in Fryksände parish until about 1765 when Östmark parish was formed. On my Legacy database I have a source citations for many births, marriages, and deaths. In addition, I have many detailed research notes relating to the 2 families.

Family Tree Researchers

I have spent many hours going through the Fryksände and Östmark parish church books trying to verify the families of the two Johan Johanssons. I often make use of other Family Tree researchers and their Family Trees (FT) and then try to verify their information with the most original records that are available, that is, the Swedish Church Records or books. The Sweden Church Records contain a tremendous amount of information, although in the earlier books the handwriting is very difficult to read and in some cases do not contain enough information establish family relationships.

Most Family Tree researchers record that Johan Johansson b 1731 was married to Britta Staffansdotter b 1738 at South Röjdåsen (S. Röjdåsen). But a problem that I encountered was that this marriage information doesn't correspond with the Household Records for Fryksände or Östmark parish. The person married to Britta Staffansdotter b 1738 at S. Röjdåsen was Johan Johansson, but the Household records throughout the years report that his birth was 1730. However, reviewing all the information it is clear that the parish priest (around 1758) had incorrectly recorded Britta's husband as Johan Johansson born 1730 when in fact he was born in 1731. I have noted this mistake below and also on my research notes for Johan Johansson b 17 Nov 1730 at Runnsjön and was the son of Johan Johansson (b 1707) and Karin Andersdotter.
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1. Household records, Fryksände parish


Fryksände (S) AI:6a (1752-1757) Image 177 / Page 181, S Röjdåsen
Staffan Michelsson b 1712 and wife Marit 1711
then, son Carl, b 1748
Maria, b 1735 [name crossed off]
Britta b 1738
Anna b 1743 [name crossed off]
son Hindrich b 1751 died 1754
then drang, Johan b 1730 [ efternamn not recorded, nor where he came from; BUT this Johan b 1730 is the son of Johan Danielsson and Annika Andersdotter from Arnsjön - see page 201 of the same volume and from above )
Maria b 1755 (but name is crossed off ??)

NOTE: on page 180 the household of Henrik Michelsson b 1711 is recorded


Fryksände (S) AI:7 (1757-1765) Image 105 / Page 99, S Röjdåsen ]
on the top of this page is Hinrick Michelsson b 1711 and died 1758
- the 18th person is "gifta drången Johan b 1731" - this is in fact, also on my research notes for Johan Johansson b 17 Nov 1730 at Runnsjön and was the son of Johan Johansson (b 1707) and Karin Andersdotter.
SEE: my research notes for Johan Johansson b 1730


- about mid-page of this volume (AI:7) is Staffan Michelsson b 1712 died 1758; then his wife, Marit (Göransdotter) born 1711, then son Carl b 1748 (but name crossed off;
then ...
mangån (son in law) Johan Johansson b 1730 * and wife Britta b 1738 (8 Jan) and then there are 2 names (Kerstin b 1745 and Marit b 1755, död - these are Staffan Michelsson's daugthers) and
then:
- Johan Johansson b 1730, wife Britta, b 1738; this
their children:
Anders, b 1763
Johan, b 1757
Staffan, b 1759
** note there was a son named Daniel born 1761 (birth record) but died sometime between 1762 and 1767 since there is another son named Daniel b 1768; [Östmark (S) CI:1 (1765-1818) Image 8 / Page 7, no 16 and this Daniel died, 1 Jul 1773 son of Johan Johansson from S Röjdåsen; age 5 [Östmark deaths, CI:1, page 361 no 51]

AND another important Note! After following the household records, it seems clear that around 1757, the parish Priest at Fryskände started to record the wrong birthdates. It seems that he confused the 2 Johan Johansson and recorded their wrong birthdates. This Johan Johansson actual birth was 29 June 1731

DO NOT CONFUSE the 2 people named Johan. Even though the Household records record this Johan's birth as 1730, his birth should have been recorded as 1731. And as indicated in the first available volume for Östmark parish, he died in 1872.


NOTE: missing volume of Household Records: years 1766-1772.

2. Household records for Östmark parish


Östmark, AI:1, 1773-1778, page 35, S Röjdåsen - next available volume is in Östmark parish
- but Johan Johansson (born 1730) has died; actual death, 27 Feb 1772, [Östmark (S) CI:1 (1765-1818) Image 175 / Page 357, no 11; at S Röjdåsen age 41 ]
and Britta Staffansdotter b 1738 is remarried to a Johan Olofsson, 1754 (married, 12 May 1776)
- daugther Marit, born 18 Sept 1770, father Johan Johansson b 1730 [Östmark (S) CI:1 (1765-1818) Image 14 / Page 19 no 61];
then
Johan, b 15 Jul 1757; reference to page 50, Ärnsjön as a drang;
as well as: Stephan, b 1759 to page 50, Ärnsjön as a drang
then, Annika Johansdotter (birth year isn't recorded, but she was born 1765)
Anders, b 1763
Marit, b 1770
and then 2 children of Britta Stafffansdotter and Johan Olofsson

Östmark (S) AI:2 (1779-1787) Image 52 / Page 46, S Röjdåsen
mid page: Johan Johansson b 1757 - drang; from or to page 41 which references p 47 - about middle of 1st group

note: Stephan, b 1759 (Arnsjön in previous book) recorded at page 65 (AI:2, Arnsjön; the 4th person in the second grouping and then what appears to be a reference to page 81 (last exam tick was in 1782) but no record on page 81 ; BUT before his name is ....? 81 - is this referring to a different parish?? - the handwriting is hard to make out but similiar to the word before his sister, Annika - see below ????
maybe, H or K allnås - the closet I can come to is Tallnås parish in Jamtland ????? BUT it must have a different name, since no archive for this area on Arkivdigital [no moving out records for Östmark in 1780's .... ]
- See Stephan Johansson (b 1759) page for research notes


Östmark (S) AI:2 (1779-1787) Image 53 / Page 47, S Röjdåsen
- mid page, Johan Olofsson b 1754 and Britta Staffansdotter, b 1738
Anders Johansson, b 1763 - reference to page 75 - Rögdaset Turastorp; as a drang [exam 1785-1786-1787 ]
Annika Johansdotter b 1765?? - reference to page 83, - but she isn't recorded, so is this a different parish, re her brother Staffan ???
Maritt Johansdotter b 1770
and then, 4 of their children


Östmark (S) AI:3 (1788-1793) Image 68 / Page 63, S Röjdåsen
Johan Olofsson b 1754 and Britta Staffansdotter, b 1738
- daughter Marit Johansdotter, b 1770 is referenced to page 56
- son Olof b 1777 referenced to page 84
- Johan b 1779 referenced to page 84
- Michael, b 1781
- Carl b 1784

then, mid page
Johan Johansson, b 1757, married Lisa Ersdotter b 1748; See Johan Johansson (b 1757) page for research notes **
and their children,
Johan b 1790;
Marit, b 1783 but died
son Erik 1786
then Marit Johansdotter, b 1770 and then a reference to page 93


**see Östmark (S) AI:9 (1821-1827) Image 207 / Page 201, S Röjdåsen;
Johan Johansson b 1757, [ Finnish Family Name - FFN, Sikainen] and wife Lisa Ersdotter b 1748
4 lines down,
Johan Ersson/Eriksson, b 24 Jun 1811 [ this is likely the son of Erik Johansson, 1786-1818)
Erik Ersson/Eriksson, b 1813

- the FFN of Sikainen was included based on work with Carl Axel Gottlund and his travels throughout the area in 1820 or so. My understanding is that Gottlund and the parish priest went through the records and added the FFN
Johan Johansson's (b 1757) father was Johan Johansson (b 1731) and his father was Johan Danielsson Sikainen b about 1704 in Øyeren, Norway. This FFN of Sikainen provides further evidence that Johan Johansson born 29 June 1731 birth as recorded in the Fryksände Household Records volumes (AI:6a and AI:7) was INCORRECTLY recorded.



and then, bottom of the page
Anders Johansson b 1763; married Karin Jonsdotter b 1761 (no children noted); See his page for research notes

Östmark (S) AI:4 (1794-1799) Image 74 / Page 68, S Röjdåsen
Johan Olofsson b 1754 and Britta Staffansdotter, b 1738
- son Olof, b 1777 moved to page 66
- son Michael, b 1781
- Carl, b 1784
- Jon b 1779

Östmark (S) AI:5 (1800-1806) Image 92 / Page 86, S Röjdåsen
Johan Olofsson b 1754 and Britta Staffansdotter, b 1738
- Carl, b 1784 reference to p 104
- Jon b 1779

Östmark (S) AI:6 (1806-1811) Image 115 / Page 108, S Röjdåsen
Johan Olofsson b 1754 died 1807 [actual, 6 Jan 1807, age 52)
Britta Staffansdotter, b 1738 died 1807 [ actual 22 Nov 1807, page 425 no 58; age 70]
son Michael b 1781
son Jon b 1779 (but spelling is Jan Jansson); married with one son Johan b 1809






Family Trees
1. geni.com FT; https://www.geni.com/people/Johan-Johansson-Porkka/6000000020500382610?through=6000000020440985896
- 'managed' by Larry Eriksson with most information from 2013
- this FT records names of 7 children of Johan Johansson and his 2 wifes, but DOES NOT have information on further descendants other than for Lisa (Elisabet) Johan Johansdotter b 1726 (mother Karin Andersdotter)
2. Kenneth Bergman; http://www.kenalexis.se/p7fc3069a.html
- only has descendant information for Lisa (Elisabet) Johan Johansdotter b 1726 (mother Karin Andersdotter)
- notes birth of son Johan Johansson as 7 Mar 1730 [incorrect date], BUT does not have descendant information
3. FamilySearch (id LV7N-BPZ) for Johan Johansson b 1707
- does NOT have descendant information for son Johan Johansson b 7 Nov 1730
4. Disbyt (Lennart Gustafsson) 2014; for Johan Johansson b 1707
- does NOT have descendant information for son Johan Johansson b 1730 or any other children
All of the above use the Finnish Family Name (FNN) of "Porkka". HOWEVER, these do not provide much information

Two Johan Johanssons, Östmark, Värmland län, Sweden

Summary: 2 Johan Johanssons, one born in 1730 and the other in 1731
Written by Rueben D Grue, 3 Mar 2020. Copywrite 2020. All Rights Reserved.


There are two people named Johan Johansson who are related to my family. They were 1st cousins and their mothers were sisters. Their mothers were the daughters of my 7th great grandfather who was a direct line ancestor of my grandmother, Avey Rangborg Grue (nee Skaret), 1890-1960.

The first Johan Johansson was born 7 Nov 1730 at Runnsjön and his parents were Johan Johansson and Karin Andersdotter. The second Johan Johansson was born 29 Jun 1731 at Arnsjön and his parents were Johan Danielsson and Annika Andersdotter. Both Runnsjön and Arnsjön are farms or small villages in Fryksände parish in Värmland county in Sweden and less than 20 kms apart. Note that the early Sweden Church records for this area was located in Fryksände parish until about 1765 when Östmark parish was formed. On my Legacy database I have a source citations for many births, marriages, and deaths. In addition, I have many detailed research notes relating to the 2 families.

Family Tree Researchers

I have spent many hours going through the Fryksände and Östmark parish church books trying to verify the families of the two Johan Johanssons. I often make use of other Family Tree researchers and their Family Trees (FT) and then try to verify their information with the most original records that are available, that is, the Swedish Church Records or books. The Sweden Church Records contain a tremendous amount of information, although in the earlier books the handwriting is very difficult to read and in some cases do not contain enough information establish family relationships.

Most Family Tree researchers record that Johan Johansson b 1731 was married to Britta Staffansdotter b 1738 at South Röjdåsen (S. Röjdåsen). But a problem that I encountered was that this marriage information doesn't correspond with the Household Records for Fryksände or Östmark parish. The person married to Britta Staffansdotter b 1738 at S. Röjdåsen was Johan Johansson, but the Household records throughout the years report that his birth was 1730. However, reviewing all the information it is clear that the parish priest (around 1758) had incorrectly recorded Britta's husband as Johan Johansson born 1730 when in fact he was born in 1731. I have noted this mistake below and also on my research notes for Johan Johansson b 17 Nov 1730 at Runnsjön and was the son of Johan Johansson (b 1707) and Karin Andersdotter


and this Johan's birth was 1730 and this birth year was consistently recorded through the various Household Records. This Johan is the first one mentioned above and his parents were Johan Johansson and Karin Andersdotter.

Why have so many other Family Tree (FT) researchers recorded that Johan Johansson b 1731 was the person who was married to Britta Staffansdotter 1738 at S. Röjdåsen.


A Review of some of the Church Records for: Johan Johansson born 1730

The Fryksände marriage record confirms Britta Staffansdotter's (b 1738) marriage on 11 Apr 1757 to Johan Johansson [EI:1, page 35]. A comment in this marriage record, specifically "Johan Johansson from Arnjsön" is likely what caused much of this confusion and that led many Family Researchers to conclude that the marriage to Britta Staffansdotter (b 1738) was with Johan Johansson b 1731. But as I have noted, the subsequent Household Records all record her husband as Johan Johansson, born in 1730.

Carefully reviewing the Household Records, it is noted that Johan Johansson b 1730 was living with his parents at Runnsjön until about 1755 when he likely moved to Arnsjön. Here he is recorded as a "drång or farm worker at the farm of his aunt, Annika Andersdotter. He continues to work there until until sometime after Jan 1757 when he is next recorded as a farm worker at S. Röjdåsen at the farm of Staffan Michelsson (Britta's father). Then later in Apr 1757 he marries Britta Staffansdotter. And then in subsequent household records at S. Röjdåsen he is recorded as married to Britta Staffansdotter (b 1738) and, as well, his children are recorded.

One of the difficulties with the early Household Records in Fryksände parish is that they do not record where people moved to. This means that I can't prove definitely what I wrote in the above paragraph. However, I believe that my comments are a reasonable summary, particularly when I review the information on the other person named Johan Johansson ( b 1731).


A Review of some of the Church Records for: Johan Johansson born 1731

Johan Johansson b 1731 continues to live with his mother Annika Andersdotter and his step-father at Arnsjön until at least 1757 or 1758. He is recorded as a farm worker at Arnsjön in 1757, but sometime after this he likely moved to S. Röjdåsen where he also is recorded as a farm worker at the farm of Henrik Michelsson who had died in 1758. On this Household record (AI:7, page 99) he is recorded as "married drång" but also on this page, at about the mid point of this first grouping of people, there is a reference to page 253 and just below that number is "254". By reviewing page 254, there is another list of people living at S. Röjdåsen and at the end of this grouping is "Johan Johansson Börk born 1731" and married to Karin and 2 children are recorded with them (recorded as daughter Karin b 1760 and son Pär (or Per), b 1756). Börk is actually another name for the Finnish Family Name "Porkka". Perhaps this is another reason for some of the confusion between the 2 Johan Johanssons, since the Finnish Family Name of "Porkka" should be attached to Johan Johansson b 1730 - his ancestors were of the family name Porkka and they were the first to settle at Runnsjön¹.

What I think likely happened was that Johan Johansson b 1731 left Arnsjön likely in 1757 or 1758 to work at the farm of Henrik Michelsson at S Röjdåsen. Sometime after Henrik Michelsson died in 1758 (as noted in the household record on page 99), Johan Johansson b 1731 married his widow. Johan and Karin had a daughter Karin, who was born on 25 May 1760 at South Röjdåsen. Although Karin's patronymic name is not recorded in the household records, it is recorded as "Stephansdotter" (a spelling variation of Staffansdotter) on the birth record for their daughter Karin Johansdotter (b 1760). Additionally she is recorded on the marriage record of 2 Dec 1753 for Henrik Michelsson from S Röjdåsen and Karin Staffansdotter and notes that she is from "Vålberget" (Norge)". The farm Vålberget is in Brandval parish, Hedmark County in Norway. Reviewing the birth record for "son Pär born 1756, his parents are recorded as Henrik Michelsson and Karin Staffansdotter from S. Röjdåsen.

On page 254 (AI:7), Johan Johansson's family is crossed off and to the left there is handwriting that is difficult to read. It appears that they moved somewhere else, likely Norway. On 20 Dec 2019, I requested assistance in reading the comments from a Facebook group, "Swedish American Genealogy". Leif Olofsson responded that the comment is: "Flyttat till Norks- sidan" - moved to the Norwegian side", and this most likely correct.

Unfortunately I have not been able to find a marriage record for Johan Johansson (b 1731) and Karin Staffansdotter in Fryksände or Östmark parish records. The most likely reason is that they were married in Norway and likely in Brandval parish, but this is not proven. They also likely moved to Brandval parish in Norway, sometime after the birth of their daughter, Annika who was born 15 Jan 1764 at S. Röjdåsen. Also I have not found a death/burial record for Johan Johansson (b 1731) in either Fryksände or Östmark parish. But since it is most likely he moved to Norway, he likely died in Norway before 1794.

There are 2 other clues that I found that support Johan Johansson's family move to Norway (Johan b 1731). On Ancestry.com I found a FT (family tree) with owner, "Richard FT" and he records that Johan Johansson b 1731 was married to Karen Stefansdotter b 1730. And that they had a daughter Karin, born 1760 at South Röjdåsen in Östmark parish. Karin Johansdotter had married Olof Henriksson born in Östmark and they lived in Gransjon parish. This FT records their marriage as 1792 at Gransjön in Östmark parish. However, their actual marriage was 24 Jun 1793, and in the marriage book ( EI:1) the record states "Hinrik Olofsson from Gåstkarn and pige, Karin Johansdotter from Norge." Karin Johansdotter's (b 1760) mother, Karin Staffansdotter, came to live with her around 1794. Karin Stefansdotter is recorded in the household records for Gåstkarn as a mother in law to Olof Henriksson (b 1770) and it is noted that she died on 5 Jan 1800. Her actual death/burial record notes that she was a widow and the she died at age 70, and therefore, her birth would have been 1730. There is no other identifying information in this death/burial record.

The above information provides only very limited evidence that the family of Johan Johansson (b 1731) had lived for a number of years in Norway. And as I indicated much more researched is needed to verify this. There are no death/burial records at this time in the Norway parish records (the only Norway records for this time frame are "chronological" or a listing of people within the parish; unfortunately there is no index and so there are hundreds of pages to review, and so I will leave this to later).

Footnote:

¹ The use of the Finnish Family Name of "Bork" in relation to Johan Johansson (b 1731) raises the possibly that my conclusion that most Family Trees who have recorded Johan Johansson (b 1731) parents were Johan Danielsson and Annika Andersdotter, but that they have incorrectly recorded that he was married to Britta Staffansdotter b 1738 from S. Röjdåsen. My conclusion is that he had married Karin Staffansdotter (b 1730) and they had moved sometime after 1760 to Norway.

Either my conclusion is wrong and most of the Family Trees are correct OR the parish priest made a mistake.

Further research is needed!


NOTE: I have a word document that is named/saved as, "Two Johan Johanssons born 1730 and 1731" that includes a section, Additional Information, and this includes another attempt to outline my reasoning. It includes the above information but expressed somewhat differently and includes some detail from the parish records. It also includes some miscellanous information.

Johan married Britta Staffansdotter.⁸⁷¹⁸ (Britta Staffansdotter was born in 1738 in Fryksände, Värmland län, Sweden ⁸⁷¹⁹ and died on 22 Nov 1807 in Östmark, Värmland län, Sweden ⁸⁷¹⁹.)