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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
You are 100% correct,
Grnerations later, in the 1800’, Europe experienced a cold snap.
Most of the population livrd on small acre farms. Very bad doils, compared with the rest of Europe.
Starvation.
But as Northern America had just opened for immigration by Scandis, they had the opportunity to leave.
Many ended up in the Michigan area. In the letters home, they all had the same theme.
Fantastic soil.
Sweden lost about 1/4 of the population between 1850’ and 1920’......
You’re reasonable close. Minnesota, not Michigan.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
It was probably that time that another branch of my family went out to America, from Sweden. Michigan area right up near the Canadian border. Escanaba iirc or Rapid River, can't remember which. There they mingled with our English origin ancestors. The English ones came in via Georgetown. Owned vast tracts of the Virginia or Carolina states. There's been real money at times in my American family from settler farmland owned by them, later lost completely. Through to big logging empire, also lost. With a bit of bootlegging thrown in, but best not mention that.

Ancestry is fun to track back but even in the actual stories given to the eldest in families there's family stories that can be fascinating and actually date from the far distant history.
 
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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Interesting that you mention the logging Paul. In my grandfathers’ childhoods it was common for,folks to homestead a section (640 acres = a square mile = a “section” as per the Homestead Act) then cut the timber and forfeit the land back to the state rather than pay property taxes. I wish I still had the land they let go back.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
My grandad used to bunk off school early before summer holidays to spend time in the logging camps where its dad worked and his uncles. These were a long way from civilisation.

I remember my grandad told me about one uncle getting caught by a kickback. A full hit in the chest. They took him back to camp and a call for my great grandad to see his brother. He watched his brother die over a few days. The point being, which was very hard for a young brit to really grasp, the camp was two weeks by mule or horse or horse cart from the nearest doctor that could operate. Usually a small town doctor with a surgery that really wasn't sterile. Truth was everyone knew a kickback was a death sentence. Not always a quick death neither.

This was in the days of two man hand saws to cut trees down. Labour intensive and very dangerous. Money was to be made though so plenty to take the risks.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
My grandad used to bunk off school early before summer holidays to spend time in the logging camps where its dad worked and his uncles. These were a long way from civilisation.

I remember my grandad told me about one uncle getting caught by a kickback. A full hit in the chest. They took him back to camp and a call for my great grandad to see his brother. He watched his brother die over a few days. The point being, which was very hard for a young brit to really grasp, the camp was two weeks by mule or horse or horse cart from the nearest doctor that could operate. Usually a small town doctor with a surgery that really wasn't sterile. Truth was everyone knew a kickback was a death sentence. Not always a quick death neither.

This was in the days of two man hand saws to cut trees down. Labour intensive and very dangerous. Money was to be made though so plenty to take the risks.
So true.
 

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