Oscar Bonstrom

   Another name for Oscar was Bonstrom Oskar.⁹²⁷⁹

  Research Notes:

Summary:


Oscar was born at Bäckången in Östmark parish in 1883. His father is not known, but his mother was Kerstin Bönström (b 1862), daughter of Christoffer Ersson Bönström (1819-1900). Oscar had 3 brothers and 1 sister who had died as an infant. His mother did not marry, but lived most of the time at Bäckången with her parents. Later she lived with her oldest son, Olof Alfred.

On 17 May 1902 Oskar left Östmark parish for North America. He likely traveled to Cokato MN and to the home of his aunt, Maria Christoffersdotter (who was married to Lars Johnson). However, I have not been able to locate him in MN State census records. At some point, he had moved to the Spokane area of Washington State. On 23 Dec 1915, he married Anna Harrington in Latah Co, Idaho. A marriage record for him is from Latah Co, Idaho. Note that I have seen a number of people who lived in the Spokane Valley, but for awhile they lived in neighboring area of Idaho. He married Anna Harrington, who was born in Sweden, but I haven't found any additional information on her [a couple of Ancestry family trees, records her surname as Hendrikson but no source information is noted). Oscar's marriage record stated that both her and Anna were from Spokane.

They are recorded in the 1920 US Census (enumeration as of 1 Jan 1920) in Shoshone Co, ID. In the spring of 1920, Oscar and Anna left the US and moved to Alberta, Canada to the Vega district, north of Barrhead. Oscar had obtained a homestead entry and on the 11 of Sep 1926 he received a patent for the land. I haven't found him in the 1921 Canada Census, although he and Anna are recorded in the 1926 western Provinces living on Sec 33 in Twp 62 (Vega area of Alberta, about 30 kms north of Barrhead).

From available information, Oscar and Anna did not have any natural born children. However around 1945, they adopted 2 children, a boy name Andrew and a girl named Elmona (sometimes called Alma) The date of 1945 is from the book, The Trails Northwest: a history of the district of Barrhead Alberta, 1867-1967. But I don't think this date is accurate.

I met a "distant cousin", Anita Bonstrom [m. Maast; nee McNabb] on 14 July 2022 in Barrhead. I was directed to Anita by a Vega community person who had shown me how to get to the cemetery. He had called Anita and she and I spoke for a few minutes. We agreed to meet in Barrhead later in the day.

Anita is the daugther of Elmona Bonstrom (m. to Luke McNabb). As indicated, Elmoma and her brother Andrew were adopted by Oscar and Anna Bonstrom. Anita has shared with me some photos of Oscar, Anna, Andy and Elmona, but they are not dated. In one photo, Andy appears to be 7 or 8 years old and Elmona about 6 or 7. This would mean the photo was taken about 1937 or 1938, and from this it is likely that Andy and Elmona would have been adopted sometime before 1938.

Andrew / Andy was born 30 Nov 1930 and he died 16 Apr 2019. Elmona Darleen was born on 9 Nov 1932 and died 2 Jan 2019.

Andrew was known as "Andy". He was not married. Elmona married Luke McNabb and they had 3 children - Ramona, Anita (m. Klaas Mastz), and Janet.

Oscar died in 1948

Anita Bonstrom [Maast] - see email of 13 Jul 2022 and documents she had mailed
1. from a "Photo Book" compiled by Anita - recent, maybe 2021-2022 [I'm not sure if it is easily available]
2. some scanned pages from "Vega's first forty years, Vega Community Club"; pages contain some info on Bonstrom's
3. couple of additional photos - Hilda Bonstrom [wife of Hjalmar Bonstrom], and 2 with Oscar and Andy and Elmona
4. funeral brochure - Andrew Bonstrom, died 2019.

Relationship:
4th cousin, twice removed: Oscar Bonstrom, 1883-1948
Common ancestor: Nils Ifvarsson, 1741-1829; my 4th great grandfather and Karin Svensdotter, 1741-1821
- Nils Ifvarsson's son, Sven Nilsson, 1766-1855 - my direct line, and following this line to my grandmother, Avey Rangborg Skaret [1890-1960]
- Nils Ifvarsson's other son, Ifvar Nilsson, 1768-1852; had a son, Erik Ifvarrson, 1794-1851
- Erik Ifvarsson's, 1794-1851, son Christoffer Ersson Bönström, 1819-1900
- Christoffer Ersson Bönström, 1819-1900:
- daugther Kerstin Bönström, 1862-1950/1960
Kerstin had had 5 children [she was not married, so all children with recorded in the church records as "oäkta" - born outside of marriage. 2 of her children emigrated to North America:
Hjalmar (1890-1956) and Oscar (1883-1948) with Oscar emigrating to MN and then further west to Idaho and Washington state and later to Alberta, Canada in 1920-21

NOTE: see folder for PDF: relationship chart - my grandmother Avey and Oscar Bonstrom and io.draw Chart of Bonstroms
NOTE: see folder for a brief "photo doc" and homestead farmland and the Vega community and cemetery using information from "google earth"
NOTE: see folder for 2 PDFs from Anita Bonstrom



2 . Värmlänningar i Nordamerika, by Måwe, Carl-Erik 1971; image 284
- Oscar Bonstrom
- last known address, Vega AB [notes daugther, Eleanor married to McNabb; Oscar died 1948


3. Alberta community histories
from University of Calgary digital collections [https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/]

The Trails Northwest: a history of the district of Barrhead Alberta, 1867-1967
1967. Barrhead and District Historical Society, Barrhead Alberta

Chapter: XXVII, Vega page 283 [image 309] [some of this is my summary...]

.... For some years, only [a few] residents between Neerlandia and the Athabasca River. Mostly the soil was quite sandy and not considered too good for farming, but in later years it was found to be very productive.

" About 1921, Oscar Bonstrom came, took up land, cleared a small plot of ground and built a log cabin, then brought his wife out. [note that on the Alberta Homestead Record, Oscar reported that he built his log house, 16 by 28, in July 1920 and he and his wife have lived there since Jul 1920]

He was very enthusiastic about the country, and when he took his wife to the cabin, turned at the door, saying, "All this land is mine, as far as you can see". Mrs. Bonstrom laughed over that many years to come, as there was only the tiny clearing surrounded by heavy timber, and she could not see farther than fifty feet in any direction. However, they were hard working people and soon had land under cultivation and a very good farm. They were most hospitable, and men from various parts of the country made that home their headquarters when going up there moose hunting in the fall. Some fifteen years later [abt 1945] they adopted two children, Andrew and Alma, both of whom still live here, built a new frame house, and felt they truly had a home.

The district as a whole was not settled until a later era ......

On the next page (page 284, image 310), it seems that with the organization of a school district in 1928, "... a second choice had also to be given, and Oscar Bonstom, looking around for inspiration, noticed a Vega cream separator, and suggested "Vega" as the second choice name"... and Vega became the name of the school district.
A store was opened in 1930 and a post office was established the same year

- this seems to be the only reference to the community of "Vega"

https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/asset-management/2R3BF1OH6PVKN?FR_=1&W=1466&H=721
- last access, 2 Oct 2022


4. Provincial Archives of Alberta
https://provincialarchives.alberta.ca/sites/default/files/2018-11/deaths-b-1948-1949.pdf

Oscar Bonstrom, died 17 Dec 1948, Vega ........ born in 1883 [code 73 - likely Sweden]
Anna Bonstrom, died 30 Oct 1943, Vega .......... born 1881 [code 73]

5. Oskar Bonstrom / Oscar Bonstrom, b 1885; died 1948 at Vega, Alberta [north of Barrhead, 30 kms]
married to Anna

a son, Andrew (Andy) Bonstrom; b abt 1931, died 16 Apr 2019 at Vega;
- Andrew predeceased by his sister, Eleanor McNab and his parents Oscar and Anna
- survived by brother in law Luke McNab and nieces, Ramona [McNab] Janet McNab [married to Chris Townley] and Anita McNab [married to Klaas Mast]

- buried at Vega Community Cemetery; findagrave id 155993469 [linked to Oscar Bonstrom]
from: [newspapers.com, Edmonton Journal issue 23 Apr 2019, p C7]

- see my folder "Cemeteries", Vega .... ; walked and viewed on 13 Jul 2022; Oscar, Anna, Andy, and Elmona;
currently held on: 64 GB Lexar flash drive, dark grey [2 Oct 2022]


6. US records

1920 US Census, Wallace Precinct, Shoshone Co, ID; ED 0172; sheet 4A; dw 73/fam 127
Oscar Bonstrom age 37 born in Sweden, emigrated 1901; laborer - concrete
wife Anna age 38 b in Sweden , emigrated 1900
[as of 1 Jan 1920]

US City Directories: 1916 Spokane (image 95); both Oscar and Anna, residence E 1523 Rowan Ave; he is a laborer

Idaho marriage record: 23 Dec 1915 to Anna Harrington; at Latah, Idaho
- the image on ancestry - Oscar Bonstrom from Spokane, WA and Anna Harrington from Spokane
- Rownham Tree 2020 FT on ancestry records her name as Anna Harrington [Henrickson] b 1881 Sweden
[but no specific parish]

New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew List, 1820-1857; image 8 [Ancestry collection]
arriving 16 Jun 1902 on the ship "Cymric"
Oskar Bönström, age 19, going to Cokato to "aunt Maria Larsson" at Cokato - I think this is a bit of an error - likely he was going to his aunt Maria Christoffersdotter who was married to Lars Johnson and they homesteaded/lived about 8-10 kms north of Cokato

WW 1 US Draft Registration, 12 Sep 1918, Shoshone Co, Idaho
- living at 405 Bank Street, Wallace, Shoshone Co
- age 35, born 10 Jun 1883, Sweden
- laborer working for Henry Johnson [?]
- nearest relative, Anna Bonstrom




Ancestry Collection, Border Crossings: From U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935
1919-1924; Form 30; Bolt - Bowman, A; image, 724; wife Anna on image 723 but no added information
- border crossing, entered from Saskatchewan; ???; 8 Apr 1920; Oscar Bonstrom and wife, Anna
reason - took up land; going to Edmonton
- US landing: 10 Jun 1902, New York [name of Steamship, but hard to make out the name; maybe "Cymric"]


7. Alberta - Provincial Archives

AB Homestead entry, with a stamp of 15 Apr 1920; from Wallace, Shoshone Co, ID;
[on Ancestry - images 1008-1013]
NE¼, Sec 33, Twp 62, Range 3, W 5th
- link, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60865/images/albertahomestead2497cana_1007?pId=176812

image 1010 - Support document for Homestead Patent;
- homestead entry, 15 Apr 1920, built house and lived there - he and his wife
1921 broke 2.5 acres; by 1925 had 26 acres in crop; and by 1924 had 13 cattle and 5 horses; has log house, 16 by 28 with a log
barn 20 by 30 with value of $400; another building / barn 14 by 24, $200; hen house, 12 by 24, value of 150 ; 3 miles of wire rail
fence, value of $225
above dated 15? May 1926
- there are two 'letters of support'' by neighbors, but nothing new
- image 1012 - letter of patent, dated 11 Sep 1926

1926 Canada western provinces Census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C395-GSLL-T?i=1&cc=3005862&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQP2H-Y1QC

1926 Peace River electoral district (south); ED 51B,6; fam/dw 2/2
Oscar Bonstrom age 43, b in Sweden; emigrated 1920
wife Anna, age 45 b in Sweden; emigrated 1920
residence: Sec 33, Twp 62 Range 3 west of the 5th



7. Ancestry Family Trees
- there are 5 FTs on Ancestry, but most only record his name; those with additional information:
Lennart eriksson Släktträd FT [lennart eriksson]
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/85009464/person/222121082528/facts
on 19 Jul 2022, I further reviewed Lennart Eriksson's Ft
- he notes that Oscar Bonstrom's father was Johannes Henriksson Gran, b 6 May 1875 at Gransjön, Östmark and
died on 12 Feb 1961 at Sormark, Östmark parish. Lennart does not record a direct source
BUT a problem with this is that Oscar was born in 1883 and if this Johannes Henriksson was the father, Johannes would have only be 8 years. So either Oscar's father was someone else or the birth date of 6 May 1875 is not correct - likely this person (Johannes) is NOT the father of Oscar


Eggen Clark1 FT [teedeeE1]; last access, 2 Oct 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/100825750/person/180006460160/facts
- nothing new, but includes an Ancestry collection: "Border Crossings: From U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935" with his arrival at Northgate, Sk crossing on 6 Apr 1920. The image is hard to read, but looks like his US address was Wallace, ID, place of birth Murnak, Sweden [??] - there is no place by that name; age 37; designation, Edmonton


Rownham Tree 2020 FT, [rownham1946]
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/31579316/person/242228224544/facts
- the last FT seems to be a bit more comprehensive - the others record the same sources, but incorrectly records the death of step-daughter, Eleanor McNabb as 2 Jan 2019 [given name should be "Elmona"]
Ancestry FT: Rownham Tree 2020 FT [rownham1946] ; last access, 2 Oct 2022
https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/31579316/person/242228224544/facts?_phsrc=PwF109&_phstart=successSource
- it is not clear what relationship the owner of the FT has, relative to Oscar Bonstrom or his wife Anna Harrington - this FT records Anna's surname as "Hendrickson", however, it does not include any information on Anna's ancestors or on Oscar's ancestors.
- when I viewed her "chart-view" Oscar's FT, Oscar and Anna are NOT connected to any others in this AncestryFT, so again I'm not sure of any relationship.
- I also reviewed the FT's "media gallery" - it has 555 pages of media - I did not view any of these pages

** interesting to note that Elmona died in Jan 2019 and also her brother Andy, died in 2019

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Emigration - 1902: Leaving for North America, 17 May 1902, Östmark, Värmland län, Sweden. ^9279,9282 Oscar (Oskar) Bonstrom leaves Östmark parish for North America on 17 May 1902 [Östmark moving out records, B:5, page 18 no 37

2. Land -1926: Alberta Homestead, Sep 1926, Vega, County of Barrhead, Alberta. ^9283,9284 AB Homestead entry, with a stamp of 15 Apr 1920; from Wallace, Shoshone Co, ID; [on Ancestry - images 1008-1013] ; NE Sec 33, Twp 62 Range 3 west of the 5th

1926 Canada western provinces Census - same rural address as above

Oscar married Anna Harrington on 23 Dec 1915 in Moscow, Latah Co, Idaho, United States. (Anna Harrington was born in 1881 in Sweden, died on 30 Oct 1943 in Vega, County of Barrhead, Alberta, Canada ⁹²⁸⁵ and was buried in Vega Community Cemetery, Vega, Alberta, Canada.)