Anders (Andrew) & Albertina Anderson
Andrew Anderson and his wife Albertina were born in Sweden and married in Sweden in 1880. In 1887, Andrew received a letter from his brother, Charlie, who had gone to America in 1885 with two sisters. Charlie offered to loan Andrew money for passage to America and a place to live until he could build a house for himself. As wages were low and there was little chance of advancement for himself in Sweden, so Andrew jumped at the opportunity.
They had four children and another one on the way, expected in the spring. Agnes was six, Elsie four, Carl three and Lydia was a baby. They came by boat, steerage class. (Steerage is the lower deck of a ship, where the cargo is stored above the closed hold. In the late 19th and early 20th century, steamship steerage decks were used to provide the lowest cost and lowest class of travel, often for European and Chinese immigrants to North America, often placing hundreds together in a single large hold. With limited privacy and security, inadequate sanitary conditions, and poor food, steerage was often decried as inhumane, and was eventually replaced on ocean liners with third-class cabins.) the journey took many weeks. They landed in Boston, in October. After a short stop in Boston to rest, they took the train to Rapid City, South Dakota. From there they went by stage coach to Spearfish where they were met by Charlie and sister Hannah. Charlie had a homestead on Oak Creek, 35 miles from Spearfish.
Andrew went to work at a sawmill that was run by another swede, John Pearson. He walked the six miles to his work, coming home on Saturday nights and going back on Sunday nights. Often he carried a sack of flour or other supplies home on his back, from the little store that John Pearson owned. He was paid $18.00 a month, and the hours were long. After three years the debt to Charlie was paid and Andrew filed on a claim of his own, where he built a two-room log house with a loft overhead.
Agnes and Elsie walked to school, carrying their lunch in lard pails. As more children reached school age, they were given an old horse to ride and finally five were riding the old horse in search of an education.
Andrew was naturalized in 1905 – C.H. Parmelee was judge at the time. The nearest post office was at Spearfish. Anyone going there got all the mail for everyone along the creek.
Andrew & Albertina had 4 more children in the United States, for a total of 8:
Agnes Julia married Elmore Engle – buried in Alva
Elsie Marie married Lewis Atkinson – buried in Lewiston, Idaho
Carl Ephriam married Thelma Jones – buried in Belle Fourche
Lydia Albertina married Charles Hauber – buried here at Hulett Cemetery
Anna Grace married Lisle Powell – buried in Broadus, Montana
Effie Victoria married Russell Hardy
Ruth Mabel married Dallas Roberts
Esther Olivia married Charlie Shaul – buried here in Hulett Cemetery
Albertina and Andrew sold their home in the Bear Lodge and moved to Hulett in 1918, moving into the Powell house. Albertina died in 1926 and Andrew in 1928.
Andrew Anderson and his wife Albertina were born in Sweden and married in Sweden in 1880. In 1887, Andrew received a letter from his brother, Charlie, who had gone to America in 1885 with two sisters. Charlie offered to loan Andrew money for passage to America and a place to live until he could build a house for himself. As wages were low and there was little chance of advancement for himself in Sweden, so Andrew jumped at the opportunity.
They had four children and another one on the way, expected in the spring. Agnes was six, Elsie four, Carl three and Lydia was a baby. They came by boat, steerage class. (Steerage is the lower deck of a ship, where the cargo is stored above the closed hold. In the late 19th and early 20th century, steamship steerage decks were used to provide the lowest cost and lowest class of travel, often for European and Chinese immigrants to North America, often placing hundreds together in a single large hold. With limited privacy and security, inadequate sanitary conditions, and poor food, steerage was often decried as inhumane, and was eventually replaced on ocean liners with third-class cabins.) the journey took many weeks. They landed in Boston, in October. After a short stop in Boston to rest, they took the train to Rapid City, South Dakota. From there they went by stage coach to Spearfish where they were met by Charlie and sister Hannah. Charlie had a homestead on Oak Creek, 35 miles from Spearfish.
Andrew went to work at a sawmill that was run by another swede, John Pearson. He walked the six miles to his work, coming home on Saturday nights and going back on Sunday nights. Often he carried a sack of flour or other supplies home on his back, from the little store that John Pearson owned. He was paid $18.00 a month, and the hours were long. After three years the debt to Charlie was paid and Andrew filed on a claim of his own, where he built a two-room log house with a loft overhead.
Agnes and Elsie walked to school, carrying their lunch in lard pails. As more children reached school age, they were given an old horse to ride and finally five were riding the old horse in search of an education.
Andrew was naturalized in 1905 – C.H. Parmelee was judge at the time. The nearest post office was at Spearfish. Anyone going there got all the mail for everyone along the creek.
Andrew & Albertina had 4 more children in the United States, for a total of 8:
Agnes Julia married Elmore Engle – buried in Alva
Elsie Marie married Lewis Atkinson – buried in Lewiston, Idaho
Carl Ephriam married Thelma Jones – buried in Belle Fourche
Lydia Albertina married Charles Hauber – buried here at Hulett Cemetery
Anna Grace married Lisle Powell – buried in Broadus, Montana
Effie Victoria married Russell Hardy
Ruth Mabel married Dallas Roberts
Esther Olivia married Charlie Shaul – buried here in Hulett Cemetery
Albertina and Andrew sold their home in the Bear Lodge and moved to Hulett in 1918, moving into the Powell house. Albertina died in 1926 and Andrew in 1928.