I thought this a little bit different to have a Nordic map for the header on a Shawano County page... but it has a two-fold purpose.  The first is to show the countries that are referred to as "Scandinavia" -- Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and generally Finland is included.  The second purpose is to show the proximity to the other European countries were other Shawano County immigrants came from... the Nederlands, Germany, Poland, Russia - very close indeed.

A few days ago, I received an email from Kathy Merzouk that contained some yet to be identified pictures of Shawano area residents.  She added this note: "Regarding the photos, I have quite a few that we have not identified!  Karolyn Roberts and I work together -- she has her website of the Swedish side and I am doing the Norwegian side on Ancestry which I hope to make public on Ancestry towards the end of December, and make it public with its own site in 2010.  I will of course be adding more information as I find it -- it is an ongoing process, as you can well imagine."

Kathy, we look forward to a link to the ancestry database and we always have room for any data or pictures you or anyone else wish to share! 

This page is dedicated to the rich Scandinavian heritage that our researchers share.  I'll add links as I find them and also hopefully, a page to list helps & resources.  I encourage you to send your items in to share with other researchers -- that is how we all learn.  And in addition to KNOWN and UNKNOWN pictures, I'm adding a HELP AREA near the bottom... this is for researchers (you!) with documents or letters who do not read the language and could use some expertise in reading their ancestor's letters & cards.  Again, this is how we learn and this is what the GenWeb Project is for... learning & sharing.  ENJOY!

 
1) These pictures are part of a collection that had belonged to Mary Swanson Johnson, born in Sweden and died in Mattoon in 1912, and married to James Johnson who was born in Sweden and died in Mattoon in 1922.  Please click on the photo to see the LARGER more detailed picture.  If you can identify any of these people, let us know and we'll add their names to the faces.

 

 "Striking Unknown Swedish Man" -- this man is most likely from the county of Skane, Sweden, and possibly came from the area around Harslov, Sabyholm, or Kvistofta/Quistofta.
   
   

"Unknown man of Clintonville or Wittenberg" -- this is the only thing we know about him
   
   

"Unknown woman" -- this photo was taken by Oscar Wils, "fotografiske".  Oscar Wils was a well-known photographer in Kolding, Denmark which is a port towards the center of the country.  This woman would be (a)  a member of the Swanson or Johnson family who married and moved to Denmark, (b) someone who had her portrait taken en route for the US, or, (c) was a woman of Danish descent who married into the Johnson or Swanson family when she was already in the Mattoon area.
   
 
2) And, here is where we have plenty of space to add MORE PICTURES, NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, OBITUARIES, YOUR QUESTIONS & LETTERS THAT NEED TRANSLATION, ETC. that pertain to your Scandinavian Families!  Just email me.
 
 
 
Norwegian Genealogy Help List