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FINDING AID

Amanda Ehn Johnson letters, 1876-1940

COLLECTION SUMMARY

Collection Title:    
Amanda Ehn Johnson letters

Collection Number:    
MSS P:301

Dates:            
1876-1882 (bulk), 1920, 1940, and undated

Size:            
1 box (.25 linear feet)

Language:        
Swedish (bulk), English

Creator/Collector:    
Ehn, Amanda, 1860-1940

Subject Headings:    
Ehn, Amanda, 1860-1940
Rockford (Ill.)
Galesburg (Ill.)
Stora Åby (Sweden)
Östergötland (Sweden)
Letters--19th century.
Correspondence 

Repository:    
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

Abstract:    
Amanda Wilhelmina Ehn Johnson was born on 14 September 1860, in Stora Åby, Sweden. She immigrated to America in 1877, where she settled in Galesburg, Illinois with her grandparents. She married Peter M. Johnson on 15 October 1880, and together they had two children. Amanda passed away on 26 January 1940. This collection contains correspondence between Amanda and her friends and family back in Stora Åby, Sweden after her immigration to America.

RIGHTS AND ACCESS

Conditions Governing Access:    
Collection is open for research.

Reproduction and Use:    
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the Swenson Center and the copyright holder. 

Preferred Citation:    
[item identification], in MSS P:301Amanda Ehn Johnson letters, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATERIALS

Source of Acquisition:    
Gift of Ann Elwert Hurley of Bettendorf, Iowa in 1996. She is descendant of Amanda Ehn.  

Processed By:    
Received by Christina Johansson, 2006. Finding aid written by Shelby Jensen, 2018.

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Administrative/Biographical History:    
Amanda Wilhelmina Ehn Johnson was born to John and Mathilda Ehn on 14 September 1860, in Östergötland, Sweden. At 17 years old, she immigrated to America in 1877, where she settled in Galesburg, Illinois with her grandparents. She belonged to First Lutheran Church in Galesburg and later joined the Methodist church. She married Peter M. Johnson on 15 October 1880, and together they had two children, Jennie Elwert and George E. Johnson. Amanda passed away 26 January 1940.

Scope and Content:    
This collection contains letters between Amanda Ehn and her friends and family, mostly siblings, in and around Stora Åby, Sweden, after her immigration to Galesburg, Illinois in 1877. Includes copies of letters from her sponsors, Charlotte and A.J. Strömstedt of Galesburg, Illinois (then of Rockford, Illinois), regarding the pre-paid ticket they were about to send to her. 

System of Arrangement:    
Material arranged by subject and chronologically. Material in Swedish unless otherwise noted. 

Collection Inventory:    

Box 1

Folder 1: Background information, copies, English, 1908, 1920, 1940 and undated

  • Copy of First Lutheran Church (Galesburg, Ill.) membership records, English, undated
  • Copy of newspaper articles concerning Amanda Ehn Johnson, her husband Peter Johnson, and her parents Mr. and Mrs. John A. Ehn, English, 1908, 1920, 1940 and undated

Folder 2: Letters to Amanda, Swedish, 1876-1882

  • From friend Lovisa Post in Linköping, 21 February 1876
  • From friend Anna Post in Linköping, 23 April 1876
  • From A.J. Strömstädt in Galesburg, 17 July 1877
  • From A. and Mathilda Ehn in Stora Åby Skattegård, 28 October 1877
  • From Clara Andersson in Stora Åby, 31 December 1877
  • From friend Anna Post in Stora Åby, 2 January 1878
  • From Mathilda Ehn in Stora Åby, 4 January 1878
  • From aunt Anna Strumstedt in Rockford, 18 February 1878
  • From one of her brothers, 24 March 1878
  • From unknown in Åby, 25 August 1878
  • From Josephina Carolina Björn in Ödeshög, 11 November 1878
  • From one of her brothers in Stora Åby, 31 December 1878
  • From unknown in Åby, 31 December 1878
  • From unknown in Åby, 1878
  • From Anna Strumstedt in Rockford, 5 January 1879
  • From friend Anna Post in Stora Åby, 31 January 1879
  • From Anna and Charley Strumstedt in Rockford, 25 February 1879
  • From A.P. Post in Stora Åby, 20 April 1879
  • From friend Anna Post in Stora Åby, 29 April 1879
  • From Annie Strumstedt in Rockford, 26 May 1879
  • From friend Anna Post in Stora Åby, 17 February 1880
  • From Karl Gustaf Karlson in Grönland, 4 April 1880
  • From Karl Gustaf Karlson in Grönland, 5 April 1880
  • From M.C.B, 20 July 1880
  • From friend Anna Post in Stora Åby, 10 August 1880
  • From unknown in Åby, 18 October 1880
  • From C.F. Björn in Ödeshög, 28 December 1880
  • From cousin Amanda Johnson in Öster Våla, 21 April 1881
  • From niece Lovisa Post in Stora Åby, 12 January 1882
  • From unknown in Rock Island, 30 January 1882
  • From Emma Björkonson in Stora Åby, 26 February 1882

Folder 3: Incomplete and undated letters and other materials, Swedish, circa 1870s-1890s

  • From Gustafva Josefina Storm in Haddestad Storgård Väderstad, 24 December [unknown year]
  • From Gustavfa Josefina Storm, 18 April [unknown year]
  • From unknown in Stora Kullen, 8 March [unknown year]
  • From friends and Josephina Nilsson in Åby, 12 May [unknown year]
  • From cousin Elin Amanda, undated
  • From one of her parents, undated [fragment]
  • From A.J. Strömstedt and A.C. Strömstedt, undated [fragment]
  • From Emma Björkonson, undated [fragment]
  • From Maria Hellström, undated [fragment]
  • From sibling in Stora Kullen Väderstad, undated [fragment]
  • From unknown in Stora Åby, undated [fragment]
  • From unknown in Karlsfors, 11 October [unknown year] [fragment]
  • From unknown in Stora Åby, 14 September [unknown year] [fragment]
  • From unknown, undated [fragment]

Other materials

  • Letter to Gustaf, unsigned, undated
  • Hymn, unattributed, undated
  • Card titled “Svenksa Tributens Kontor” of Chicago, stating a subscription has expired, circa 1880s
  • Newspaper clipping of “Special-Notiser,” undated

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