About the origin of the inhabitants in Råsele

Last Updated on Saturday, 10 July 2010 21:11 Written by Stefan Rådström Saturday, 11 July 2009 15:20

"Sörgård" is the youngest farm in Råsele. Earlier it has, according to the tradition, only reached as far back as Nils Andersson and his wife Ella, when one is talking about the predecessors of the people in Råsele.

Nils and Ella Andersson established Gafsele in 1674, as the first new settlement in Åsele Lapland. Through the so called "Lappmarksplakatet", in 1673 the Lapland was opened for permanent colonisation. As a stimulant the colonist was relieved from taxation for 15 years and from being called up for military service. The latter was a attractive benefit in an unsettled and military era.

Finland was in those days a part of Sweden since from time immemorial. In those days the water was the connecting link between the countries. The authorities severe ruling with heavy taxes and continous drafting of fresh soldiers to the ongoing wars created a strong general discontent among the Finnish peasantry. That led, among other things, to the formation of a peasants' revolt, the so called "klubbekriget", "the clubbing war", which was beaten down with severe cruelty. Among many Finns the thought of migrating westward over the sea to find themselves a better future in Sweden was awoken.

Lately, at the Helsinki University, research has been done around the ongoing fortunes for those emigrated Finns. Professor Saloheimo have especially examined the fate of the Finns from Savolaks. Saloheimos information have made it possible to add additional generations to the family records of the people living in Råsele.

In the genealogy compilation entitled "Anor från Savolaks till Sörgård" Lennart Rådström has made a herculean genealogical work. His findings was showed to my mother, among others, in a letter from 2002. The following comments are collected from this letter:

• 1. Heikki (swedish "Henrik") Tenhunen (born around 1545). The suffix "-unen" is said to be characteristic for the naming in Savolaks. This family name is still found in Finnish telephone books. His son:
• 2. Påvel Hindersson (Henriksson) arrived to Sweden around 1598 and did apparently arrive to the "Finnish village" Grundtjärn in Anundsjö 1635. The village lies next to the lake Storsjön on the border between Anundsjö and Liden. His wife was Ella, a name that was exclusively used by the Finns in the area of Anundsjö in those days. It is considered to be a development of the name Helena (Elena, Lena) and is still present in the Finnish almanac on the 10th of February. The son:
• 3. Påvel Påvelsson, father to:
• 4. Hindrik Påhlsson. Hindriks wife's name is unknown. They got the daugther Ella, which is of interest during the next generation. Hindrik died and his widow was remarried with Pål Andersson, also of Finnish family. In their marriage the son Mats Pålsson was born, who later would found the village Hälla, the second founded village in Åsele Lapland. He was deaf and dumb, but is said to have been a "good and gentle man" with many children and members of his family. One grandson was Eric Pålsson and he was the one who became the first registered colonist in Råsele, at "Gammelgårn", "The Old Farm", (Arvid Jonssons).
• 5. Ella Henriksdotter (16??-1711) was married to Nils Andersson (16??-1706) from the Finnish village Grundtjärn in Anundsjö. They arrived to Gafsele 1674 with half grown-up children and a cow, and there they built up the first settlement in Åsele Lapland. Gafsele was the fishing water for the Junsele peasants and the colonisation was not fully performed without any conflicts. Rut Gavelin from Lövliden, Vilhelmina, writes in 1966 about Ella that she was speaking Swedish, since she apparently had place in Sidensjö before she got married, and that she was skilled in magic and performed magic in her own house. This, that the tradition mention Ella as skilled in magic, gives an interesting indication about the prevalent conceptions of the life in the woodlands in those days. For many Swedes it was not very attractive to take up residence in the forest and in the land of the Lapps, since they among other things had some respect for the putative magic skills of the Lapps. The Finns, however, were used to a life in the deep forests, and was seen as successful as the Lapps, when it came to affecting the existence through magic. Of Ella and Nils Anderssons children there are two, that is of interest from now on, namely the two daughters:
• 6. Karin Nilsdotter and Gertrud Nilsdotter. Both became married and settled down in Gafsele.
  • Karin married with Anders Jonsson (????-1731) from the village Eden in Junsele parish.
  • Gertrud (1665?-1722) married with Ingel Persson (1675?-1723) from Sil in Fjällsjö parish.

In his report from "En resa till Åsele 1715" ("A trip to Åsele 1715") Georg Wallin, Theology lecturer in Härnösand, writes among other things that they on Christmas Eve att passed by Gafsele. In the village lived 3-4 neighbours, among them one, that was a "Finland man". In the parish registers is Gertruds husband Ingel Persson also recorded as county sheriff. The traveller also mentions that there was another county sheriff for the Lapps. At the parish catechetical meeting 1715 lecturer Wallin expressed his regret that only three people in the collected congregation of Swedes, Finns and Lapps were able to read satisfactory. However, he mentions a young man that had examined from the Lapp school in Lycksele an that were "fluent in both languages (Swedish and the language of the Lapps) and were quite a smart young man". His name was Nils Ingelsson, obviously a young man gifted for studies that were a son to Gertrud and Ingel Persson in Gafsele. This Nils is later mentioned as a student in Uppsala, where he took the surname Gavelin. Obviously it was the custom among the people who went out in the world in those days that they took a new name based on their home town. Nils died young but all of the Ingelsson siblings from that time took on the name Gavelin. This is the origin to the family name, that later became so widespread.

• 7. Jon Andersson, son of Karin Nilsdotter; Per Ingelsson-Gavelin, son of Gertrud Nilsdotter
  • Jon Andersson (????-1768), married to Elisabet Matsdotter. She was the daughter to the first colonist in Hälla 1683, Mats Pålsson. Her brother's name was Pål, who became father of the first colonist in Råsele 1741, Eric Pålsson. Her sister Gertrud was married to Sven Jacobsson, in a place that is mentioned as the Mesele settlement. Sven succeeded his father the Lapp Jacob Persson at Råsele Lapp taxland which was situated by Meselet. When Eric Pålsson began in Råsele 1741 he had for a period lived at his aunts settlement Mesele (on the right beach side a few hundred metres upstream from the railroad bridge) before he started to build in Råsele.
  • Per Ingelsson-Gavelin (1700-1772), married to a clergyman's daughter Magdalena Sjöberg (1709-1799) from Åsele. They had twelve children, of who Erik became a county sheriff; Magdalena a clergyman’s wife in Gällivare; Ingel shopkeeper in Härnösand; Margeta married to the county sheriff Edin in Söråsele; Daniel an innkeeper in Gafsele; Petter reverand in Volgsjö (Vilhelmina); Catharina a lieutenant wife in Härnösand; Nils churchwarden in Söråsele; Brita married to the parliament member and churchwarden Olof Mickelsson Almroth in Almsele. Obviously it was an active and outgoing family - and just the third generation on the first settlement in the wilderness in Åsele Lapland!
• 8. Karin Jonsdotter (1714-1783), daughter of Jon Andersson; Daniel Persson-Gavelin (1741-1801), son to Per Ingelsson-Gavelin.
  • Karin Jonsdotter, married with Mickel Olofsson, district judge, Almsele. Ten children from who Olof became the first member of the parliament member from Lapland and took the surname Almroth; Kerstin married with the churchwarden in Söråsele; Gertrud got married in Torvsjö.
  • Daniel Persson-Gavelin, innkeeper, married with Kerstin Persdotter (1744-1825) from Kubbe in Anundsjö. Kerstins family were interested in woodworking, and it is especially told that the men were weaving, obviously something extremely unusual. Ten children where Magdalena became mother to Per Svensson, a farmer in Råsele ("Väst i Byn", i.e. "West in the Village"); Cajsa became mother-in-law to Christoffer Ersson in Råsele; Per farmer and innkeeper in Råsele; Eric grandfather to Marcus Ersson junior in Råsele and among other things forefather to Anna-Lisa Grundström, artist in Åsele; Christina mother-in-law to Daniel Ersson in Råsele; Greta married with Erik Christoffersson in Råsele; Nils forefather to among others Karl Gavelin, pastrycook in Vilhelmina (now Stenmans).

• 9. Gertrud Mickelsdotter-Almroth (1757-1846) daugter to Karin Jonsdotter; Per Danielsson-Gavelin (1770-1828) son to Daniel Persson-Gavelin.
  • Gertrud Mickelsdotter-Almroth got married in Torvsjö with Johan Andersson (1749-1841) from Själevad. Nine children where Mikael (1784-1881) married with Erik Christoffesson's widow Greta in Råsele 1828; three sons settled in Bäsksele and Laxbäcken; Ivar became the son-in-law to Per Danielsson-Gavelin and became later known as "Gammel-Ivar" ("Old-Ivar") in Råsele.
  • Per Danielsson-Gavelin married for the second time with Christina Nilsdotter (1776-1840). Four children from who Katarina (Stina Kajsa) married with Per Svensson, Råsele; Ingeborg Magdalena (Inga Maglena) married with Ivar Johansson in Råsele; Anna Greta married with Olof Jonsson in Malgovik; Nils farmer in Lövliden, Vilhelmina.

In the year 1812 Per Danelsson-Gavelin exchanged his homestead in Gafsele to Nils Gabrielssons "Gammelgårn" ("The Old Farm") in Råsele and thus became a farmer and later also an innkeeper ("Pelle Gästgivare", "Pelle the Innkeeper") in Råsele. The same year Vilhelmina became its own parish after have been part of Åsele parish earlier. Apparently the winter was very hard that year. In the year 1812 Napoleon and his army had to retreat from Moscow through the cold and he snow. That spring it was still possible to ride a horse on the ice in the river the 31st of May. But the summer arrived suddenly with strong heat the 15th of June and all snow melted away in just eight days, it is told. The river rose substantially and an ice dam was formed in the narrow pass near Storforsen downstream of Almsele. When the ice dam at last released itself large parts of the hayfields in Almsele was flushed away by the huge amounts of water. The year 1812 thus became a memorable year for Napoleon, as well as the Almsele farmers, the inhabitants in vilhelmina - and for Per Danielsson-Gavelin.

Around the year 1820 there were "Gavelinare" on all four farms in Råsele. "Väst i Byn" and "Gammelgårn" were run by the daughters of Per Danielsson-Gavelin, on "Framgårn" ("The Front Farm") was run by a niece and "Yst i Backen" ("East on the Hillside") was run by a nephew to Per.

In the year 1832 in the month of July a professor Zetterstedt was travelling along the river during his scientific trip to Åsele Lapland. He writes: "In Råsele lives four farmers, all of them wealthy". Those farmers were Per Svensson, "Väst i Byn"; Ivar Johansson in "Gammelgårn"; Daniel Ersson in "Framgårn", and Marcus Ersson "Yst i Backen". In only 90 years had Eric Pålssons settlement "Gammelgårn" from 1741 developed to a whole village with four "wealthy" farmers. This development had also taken place before the era of the "träpatroner" ("wood squires"), before the forest had got a value as the raw material for the foresting industry.

The family line from Savolaks, that was divided into two branches at generation 6 through Ella Henriksdotters two daughters Karin and Gertrud, became one again in Råsele through the marriage i generation 10, between:

• 10. Ivar Johansson "Gammel-Ivar" (1802-1893) son of Gertrud Mickelsdotter, and Inga Magdalena Gavelin (1807-1892) daughter to Per Danielsson-Gavelin.
  • Ivar Johansson, generally known as "Gammel-Ivar i Råsele". Moved from Torvsjö to Råsele when the husband and wife married in 1830. He was obviously somewhat of a technical genious. He is described as "being gifted with exceedingly mathematical and organizational ability, multitalented and far-seeing. These abilities he also shares with most of his descendants" (!) - all according to J.P.Johansson, one of Ivars grandchildren, who have written down many memories from his upbringing in Råsele. Ivar was engaged as an "enschineer" (engineer), among other things, when finding out how the water would be transported out over the "översilningsängar" ("colander fields"), which was such an important part of the "myrslåtter" ("bog hay-making"). He became 91 years old.
  • Inga Magdalena was five years old when her family moved from Gafsele to "Gammelgårn" in Råsele 1812. In her marriage with Ivar she gave birth to fourteen children in nineteen years! Ten of these children lived until adulthood. She became herself 85 years old.

Of these children Stina Greta stayed in Råsele "Väst i Byn" and married with Marcus Ersson junior; Anders and Amatius was given a farm each in Bränna; Gertrud and Inga became married to their own farms in Dalasjö; Mikael became a farmer in Dalasjö; Ivar became a farmer in Granliden; Anna got married to the farmer Mårten Persson in Bränna. Gammel-Ivar's decendants was with a common name called "ivarniter". His family obviously was an active, outgoing and successful one, since all of the children got their own farms.

At the eleventh generation the straight family line was once again divided into two branches, when two siblings from Gammel-Ivar's family each one but in parallell passed the ancestry on, namely:

• 11. Mikael Ivarsson (1835-1917), son of Inga and Ivar Johansson, and Stina Greta Ivarsdotter (1832-1911) daughter of Inga and Ivar Johansson.
  • Mikael Ivarsson takes over the new farm "Väst i Berget". Married with Greta Stina Salomonsdotter from Volgsele (1832-1919) - aunt to the musically gifted "Lapp-Lisa" and according to Mikael "it is true that she is poor, but she is so richly beautiful" that he just had to have her as his wife. Of the children, Ivar and Johan took over one half each of the farm; Selma emigrated to America; Daniel Petter became a carpenter and crowncrofter in Meselefors.
  • Stina Greta Ivarsdotter (1832-1911) grew up with her childless aunt and in time took over the farm "Väst i Byn". She got married in 1854 with Marcus Ersson junior (1832-1899) from Rönnäs. He was a Gavelin and decendant from the legendary settler "Finn Pål" in Åsele. Ten children from who only four reached adulthood: Erik Petter (1856-1937), took the name Rådström, farmer in "Sörgård", the youngest farm in the village; Jonas August (1862-????), farmer at the "gårdsskifte" ("farm distribution"); Ivar Oskar (1869-1936) bachelor; Kristina (1876-????) married to the farmer Erik Jonsson in Almsele.
• 12. Johan Mikaelsson, son of Mikael Ivarsson, and Erik Petter Marcusson-Rådström, son of Stina Greta Ivarsdotter.
  • Johan Mikaelsson (1863-1941) married with Kristina (or Stina Brita) Persdotter (1858-1949) from Varpsjö. Took over half of the farm "Väst i Berget". Ten children.
  • Erik Petter Marcusson-Rådström (1856-1937) married with Kristina Rådwitz (1862-1923), daughter to "Precentor Rådwitz" ("Klockar Rådwitz") on "Framgårn".

At the legal distribution in Råsele 1890 Erik Petter won through lottery the "hut place" ("fäbodstället") Sörgård, where the husband and wife built up their farm. Twelve children, of who:

• 13. Albin Rådström (1891-1970) married with Ida Margareta Johansson (1900-1990) daughter of Johan Mikaelsson, "Väst i Berget". This marriage meant that the heritage from generation 1 from Savolaks in Finland in the year 1545 once again was united in generation 13 double up in Sörgård in Råsele. Children: Lennart Rådström (1927-), Nils Rådström (1931-); Beda Rådström (1899-1976), married with Artur Eliasson (1890-1975). Children: Svea Eliasson (1927-2006), once again taken back the name Rådström, married with Birger Eliasson (1921-1966). Children: Marie Rådström (1951-), Sven Rådström (1953-), Stefan Rådström (1962-) married with Helena C. Rådström (born as Tham Cheng Yee in Malaysia 1971).

Source: Letter from Lennart Rådström to Svea Rådström in June 2002.

The image at the link below is an attempt to summarize the family tree in graphic form (generated with Family Tree Builder):

Descendants of Heikki Tenhunen

Old toy

Last Updated on Monday, 22 March 2010 10:48 Written by Stefan Rådström Sunday, 14 February 2010 15:41

An old toy from the 1940's

The story of this one, as my mother told me briefly, is that it was given to my grandmother as a Christmas gift in 1943 by the father to Harry Ivarsson. He was driving a horsetrailer for the lumberjacks, and was married to a cousin to my grandmother's father.

Cool cat

Last Updated on Saturday, 25 September 2010 16:31 Written by Stefan Rådström Sunday, 28 February 2010 17:46

Yeaaaaaah!