A Surprising Family Find!

Imagine coming to an archives to simply scroll through old newspaper microfilm in hopes of reading your ancestor’s published articles but instead discovering an actual book from his personal library.  That’s what happened to Phil Edstrom of Minneapolis when he came to the archives at North Park University last week.  Here he could view the microfilmed issues of Gamla och Nya Hemlandet, a Chicago Swedish-American newspaper published from 1855 until it merged with Svenska Amerikanaren in 1914.  Phil’s grandfather's brother, Aron Edström, served as editor of Hemlandet for some time in the early years of the 20^th century and Phil hoped to find reference to him in the pages of the newspaper.  Unfortunately, Hemlandet gave very few acknowledgments to its authors or editors. 

  

Instead, Phil turned to the archives’ issues of Prarieblomman, an annual published by the Augustana Book Concern, to which Aron Edström had also contributed during the same period.  Here is where Phil found that several issues were inscribed by members of the Edstrom family, including Aron Edström in 1910 and Aron’s son, Edward Edström.  Above is Phil enjoying his research find!

 

Comments

[Kajsa Anderson]

Great story! Such a fun find for the family - and fun also for the archives to have the mysterious name written inside a book be unexpectedly identified.

[Paul Scalcini]

Aron Edstrom was my great grandfather. Was Mr. Edstrom's grandfather,John? I have a photo of John,his wife and their son Carl.And much more Edstrom family photos and information. It would be nice if we could share. Paul Scalcini Milw. Wi.

[Anne Jenner]

That's great, Paul! I'll send the information on to Phil so that he can contact you. Anne