Persson Family Reunion:
One Hundred Years Later
by
Kenneth Cole, Jr.
Three of the eight children of Otto and Lotta Persson posed in a photographer's studio over one hundred years ago in Höganäs, Sweden. Nils Persson, Alma Persson, and Karl Persson were their names.
The oldest of the three children was Nils Persson. Nils' great-grandson Magnus Rämeback has done extensive genealogical research on the family. He did this while he attended the University of Lund the city where the old church records are archived.
Next in age was Alma Persson, who emigrated to America in 1898 and shortly thereafter lost contact with the two boys who remained in Sweden. Alma came to Ellis Island, New York where her entry record notes that she would stay with John Peterson, born Oscar Persson, her oldest brother who immigrated years earlier to Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Alma changed her name to Telma and married George Cromwell Griffin, an English immigrant in 1903.
Last of the children was Karl Persson, who would raise his family on the farm where these three children were born. His eldest son John followed his father's footsteps and kept the family farm in operation until he retired in the 1980's. He lived on the farm where Nils, Alma and Karl were born and raised until his death in 1994. It was John's brother, Erik Persson, who was my first Swedish relative that I was to meet.
Early in the 1990's, I began my search for my Swedish roots. My great-grandmother was Alma. My quest took me to Sweden three times over a three year period beginning in 1991. My first visit to Sweden was in August of that year. I accompanied my father, Kenneth Cole, Sr. and my step-mother, Mona in my initial visit to Sweden. During that visit, my father and I discovered the church where Alma received her confirmation as a fifteen year old. We knew the name of the church was Brunnby from the inscription in her Swedish Bible which my grandmother, Alma's daughter, Thelma Cole had saved all of her life and passed on to my father after her death.
Brunnby Church is a medieval church orignally built in the 1100's. On August 5, 1991, my father and I stood on the grounds of the church where our ancestor Alma Persson had recieved confirmation and as a gift, the Bible with the inscription which led us there. Although, we made no connection during the initial visit, I wrote to the church about our ancestor Alma Persson Griffin. Gunnel Paulsson, an administrator for Brunnby Church found my relatives and contacted them aboout us. A year later, my sister Cathy Cole Bixby and I returned to meet our "Swedish Cousins."
On the last of my visits to Sweden, I met Magnus Rämeback at the home of Erik and Sollan Persson in Perstorp, Sweden. Erik Persson is the son of Karl Persson the youngest brother of Nils and Alma. Erik Persson was instrumental in setting up this meeting. Actually, none of this would have been possible if it were not for Erik's and his wife, Sollan's generous hospitality. The first photograph below shows the three children Nils, Alma, and Karl (sitting). I just discovered on the Internet that the photographer was a famous photographer, Peter P Lundl, from Höganäs, Sweden. The Web page on his works now on display at the Höganäs Museum is linked here. The first photograph was taken approximately one hundred years earlier than the second photograph. The second photo shows the reunion of the descendants of Nils, Alma, and Karl, respectively. They are Magnus Rämeback of Ystad, Sweden, Kenneth Cole, Jr. of McKinney, Texas, and Erik. Persson of Perstorp, Sweden. The second photograph was taken in August of 1993 at Erik's home.
Nils, Alma, and Karl (sitting)
Photograph by Peter
P. Lundl circa 1893
Magnus, Nils' great grandson, Kenneth, Alma's great grandson, and Erik, Karl's son. 1993
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Last updated 29 April 1997
