Märta Erlandsdotter

Märta Erlandsdotter
Born	1801 Fryelesachen, Jonkoping, Sweden
Died	Nov. 26, 1884
Resting place	Klangsasen, Ljunga, Jonkoping, Sweden
Spouse	Anders Nilsson
Children	Lena Katarina Andersdotter (b. 1837) Jonas Peter Andersson (b. 1840) Karl August Andersson (b. 1843)

Misc. Records

• 1837 Mar. 10: Anders Nilsson married Märta Erlandsdotter in Hennikehemmet (Ljunga), Jönkoping. At the time the vows were exchanged, Märta had lost her parents and had no other relatives. Thus she could not get an inheritance or any kind of help.
• 1837 Jun. 6: Lena Katarina Andersdotter was born in Stocken torp (Ljunga), Jönkoping.
• 1840 Feb. 8: Jonas Peter Andersson was born in Stocken torp (Ljunga), Jönkoping.
• 1841: The family moved to Klangsåsen torp under Ljunga in Norra Ljunga parish.
• 1843 Apr. 28: Karl August Andersson was born on Klangsåsen torp under Ljunga in Norra Ljunga parish. Karl had a speaking problem and was judged unfit for military service.
• 1846: Märta became almost totally blind, and could not make things necessary for the family. Therefore the family became poor. Because of her blindness, Märta was not a good church-goer. Instead the vicar occasionally came to her and gave her communion. Almost every Sunday somebody from the house went to the church, and the custom says that they restated the vicar's sermon when they returned home.
• 1862 Dec. 6: Jonas Peter Andersson married Anna Charlotta Magnusdotter in Klinthult village (Nydala), Jönkoping. (Continued on their own family group chart)
• 1870 Feb. 7: Anders Nilsson died on Klangsåsen torp in Ljunga parish.
• 1884 Nov. 26: Märta Erlandsdotter died on Klangsåsen torp in Ljunga parish.
• From a note to Keith Anderson from Henry Renshult, Bergsgatan 19, 576 00 SAVSJO, Sweden: Märta moved 1831 from Vrigstad parish to Hennikehemmet as servant. There she stayed till 1837, when she was married and moved to Stocken. From 1846 she was almost blind and of course she could not make things necessary for the family, and therefore the family became poor. Anders family had for more than a hundred years lived on Skogsdal torp under the estate Nydala kloster (abbey). Nydala was a large estate, more than 15000 acres. Skogsdal was a good torp with fine soil, but stony. There were not less than 19 small strips of tilled land. Skogsdal still remains as a farm, though the former cultivated land now is covered with forest. Skärvälla and Skuggebo were farms belonging to Nydala kloster. Stocken is a farm, which during the 18th century belonged to Örsbyholm estate. Anders rented that farm for four years but probably Märta already at that time could not see so well, and therefore they moved to the "torp" Klangsåsen under Ljunga village. Klangsåsen is situated near the road between Sävsjö and Vrigstad, near a steep slope, where it was very difficult to come up or down with horse drawn conveyance or - later - with cars. When there was ice on the way it was almost impossible. When Anders and Märta announced the first of three vows in church it is noticed that Märta has lost her parents and has no other relatives. Thus she could not get an inheritance or any kind of help. Ljunga community was divided into four parts - läserotar - in which the vicar controlled the people that they could read (läsa), which was necessary for they should read and remember Martin Luther's catechism. That is Örsbyholms läserote. Carl had a speaking problem and in consequence of that he was unfit for the military. During that time we had in Sweden a special kind of soldiers. 3 or 4 farms should together engage a soldier, who lived on a small farm (soldier's torp) and some month every year moved to a military training area. The rest of the year he was farmer. The 3 or 4 farmers, who had engaged the soldier, gave him wages and equipment (kit), and thus the farmers were free from military service or training themselves. Soldiers were very respected men. That Carl August was not accepted for the military depends on that in that time there had been peace in Sweden, the state's finances were very bad and many young men were free from military service - not only of speaking problem but for economical reasons and because there were special soldiers. Märta was not a good church-goer. Of course not - she was blind, the ways were miserable and so on. But if she wanted, the vicar came home to her and gave her The Holy Communion. And almost every Sunday somebody from the house went to the church, and the custom was that they, when they came home from church, should repeat what the vicar had preached.