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Jerry Revelle in memoriam
 
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Female Sackpipa (in 19th century)

 
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:30 pm    Post subject: Female Sackpipa (in 19th century) Reply with quote

Recently, in doing some research, I discovered a family of female sackpipa players who emigrated to Minnesota USA. Perhaps there is some previous evidence of this in Sackpipa i Norden ??? If so let me/Olle know and we'll delete this topic.

Their names were Skifs Anders Andersson (born in 1840 and his wife Hol Brita Larsdotter born in 1842, March 6. They left from her homstead and were possible also known as Hol Lars and Hol Brita. But the emigration papers show his name "Skifs".

Supposedly are the two last known bag pipe player (female ones) in (Dala) Järna, Dalarna Sweden. In Minnesota they changed their name to "Skifström ".

Does anyone have any other information about them?

Jerry Revelle
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Olle
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

According the "Säckpipan i Norden" (p.99) Hol Lars was another person - he was Hol Britas father (that's why her last "name" is Larsdotter = Lars' daughter).

Hol Brita and Skifs Anders emigrated to the USA in 1868. [edited: removed the year of their marriage, which was wrong] The date is interesting since another piper - Erik Persson - emigrated the same year (to Boone, Iowa) and it is likely that they knew each other.

Brita and Anders had a son, Lewis Skifstrom, and there is a photograph of Brita and Lewis in "Säckpipan i Norden". According to the book there is a lake in Minnesota named after the family - Skifstrom lake.

In 1880 Britas mother Ör Anna Jonsdotter and father Hol Lars Larsson emigrated as well. The mother, Anna, was also a bagpiper. Neither were the last known pipers in Dala Järna, though - that's Gudmunds Nils Larsson (1892-1949).
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Last edited by Olle on Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:51 am; edited 1 time in total
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JoshCobb



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PostPosted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interestingly, I live not too far away from Wright County, where Lake Skifstrom is. Also, I have many relatives in Iowa, some in Boone County, and Boone is unfortunately the receiver of numerous bad jokes about its citizenry, usually when it comes to bad driving and poor decisions.
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Olle
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Curiosum: Lewis Skifstrom was a smith, according to the book. So I think we can be pretty sure that the following patent, from 1925, belongs to him: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1526097.html.

The actual patent application begins with the following words:

"To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, LEWIS A. SKIFSTROM, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cokato, county of Wright, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pothole Rings for Cookstoves, of which the following is a specification."

The invention was a ring for cookstoves which allows a kettle to be lowered closer to the fire. The patent application is signed December 12 1921.
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Anders Jackson
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Female Sackpipa (in 19th century) Reply with quote

jerry revelle wrote:

Their names were Skifs Anders Andersson (born in 1840 and his wife Hol Brita Larsdotter born in 1842, March 6. They left from her homstead and were possible also known as Hol Lars and Hol Brita. But the emigration papers show his name "Skifs".

"Skifs" and "Hol" is usally the name of the farm they was born on.
As Olle wrote, the sure names was usally based on father or mother, if father wasn't known. So Andersson is son (son) of Anders and Larsdotter is daughter (dotter) of Lars (and as an exempel showing the extra "s") Eriksson is son of Erik.

In 19th and 20th century, people started to take family names, like my family name "Jackson", which is a based on the farm "Jacks" and it only have one "s", to differ from older ways. The first to take that family name was Anders Andersson.

Skifs is also a sure name of a famous artist in sweden. Totally OT Wink
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:28 pm    Post subject: Skifts gårdsnam Reply with quote

Hej Anders,

Yes….gårdsnam---farm names tended to hang around for a while in Swedish America, too. My grandfathers farm was Knutesgården and a Swedish friend has since named my new home, Nya Knutes.

The person who knows the most about this subject in America and the Skiftstroms, is Margaretha Hedblom, former Director of Culture for Malungs Kommun (Dalarna). She’s also aware of an error in Sackpipa I Norden as she was one of his consultants. If you are interested in more information, Margaretha can be reached in Malung.

As for the interest in Boone Iowa, a great uncle (mor fars bror) founded the Free church in Britt Iowa, after founding one in Cokato Minnesota, and may have been associated with the Skiftstroms.

Sorry, didn't mean to turn this post into a genealogy session.

Jerry Revelle


Last edited by jerry revelle on Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:40 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Olle
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have talked to Margaretha and she has taken back the claim that she found errors in Per-Ulf's book.
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:38 pm    Post subject: Errors Reply with quote

Thanks, Olle, I hadn't heard that.
Jerry
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Baglady



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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm finding this very interesting because I'm a lady piper from Minnesota. I would love to rediscover this tradition here in MN.
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Olle
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes they are of particular interest not only because they emigrated but also because they happen to be the only female pipers in the records. In most countries I know of, with one notable exception, the bagpipe is an instrument dominated by men so I guess a male dominance also for the Swedish bagpipes should come as no surprise. [The exception is Estonia, where most torupill pipers today are women. No one has yet come up with a believable (to me) explanation to this refreshing anomaly.]

Moderators comment: Before someone asks or complains; in contrast to many other forums, there is no rule which forbids bumping here. If bumping can make the forum more active, I have no problems with that. [Bumping is when someone replies to a very old thread, as Baglady did here, to make that thread come up on top of the list of topics again.]
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:44 pm    Post subject: Female säckpipa players Reply with quote

My cousin Ray Carlson, now over 90 years and living in St. Paul Minnesota, often visited the Skiftstrom family with his parents. I never asked Ray whether they were related (his father emigrated from Småland, mother from Dala-Järna heritage). Ray did not know what the relationship was between the families, that brought about the mutual family visits.

I did ask Ray whether he remembered the women or anyone in the family playing pipes; he said he did not. A couple of years ago we even came up with an old photo picturing them all together (guessing 1920s) undoubtedly, probably children of the original emigrants.

Whether it was subliminal or intentional in my part, the female heroine in my novel, Vallkulla, is an accomplished piper and fiddler. Perhaps this coincidence came about accidentally through much work and research in Western Dalarna history with my Swedish historian friend Margaretha Hedblom, or being distantly associated with Olle Gallmo and our mutual interest in popularizing Nordic piping in North America and around the world.
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Baglady



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PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did a little looking around and found a reference to Anders and Brit here: http://hogberg.be/emaus-s.htm

And I found a land grant to Lewis in Koochiching Co MN but it doesn't look like he moved there. Part of the family seems to have moved there because there have been 8 weddings there since 1904.

I'm still poking around.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 5:00 pm    Post subject: Further to the Skifts...mother and daughter pipers Reply with quote

Baglady, the link you reference is by an amateur historian in Dala-Järna but was written by Margaretha Hedblom, who has done extensive research both in Järna Parish and in our area of Western Wisconsin and Minnesota (to name only a couple).

For those of you who don't read Swedish, you might try this (poor) Google translation. Note, the referal to the word iron in the translation means the community of Dala-Järna [Järn means iron in Swedish]:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sv&u=http://hogberg.be/emaus-s.htm&ei=ZPBHTt7dDYaIsQLLr8GSCA&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Demaus%2Bg%25C3%25A5rden%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DZMJ%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26prmd%3Divns. If the window doesn't open, click "allow" at the top of the screen.

I still have not found the time to research living descendants of this family around Cokato Minnesota who might be aware of any surviving säckpipor. There are several names listed in the telephone book. I have learned from someone who was visiting with me at the American Swedish Institute that the lake named after the family is now "officially" called "Mud Lake".

It is located north east of the junction of Wright County Highway 27 and 309 th. Street. I'm unsure where the original Skiftstrom farm lies in relation to the lake or why they changed the name (government meddlers #@@&^%^)...changing history to suit themselves.
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Baglady



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just traced the Skifstrom family through public records from Cokato to International Falls MN and then found a branch of the family is currently in Coon Rapids and Champlin MN. These cities are just across the river from me. Then I did a FB search and I think I found a family member there. I've sent him a message. We'll see how this goes.
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 12:57 am    Post subject: Skiftströms Followup Reply with quote

Let's hope someone has pipes remaining from the mother and daughter players.

Some years ago I helped trace a famous fiddler from Hälsingland who had emigrated to Minnesota. Despite a house fire, two fiddles had survived. The family...grand and great gran daughter were persuaded to return one fiddle to his home town and the history society. A large celebration and presentation followed at the American Swedish Institute and at the Delsbostämman in Sweden. It is now in the museum there and is played regularly at special occasions.

Let's repeat that with a set of long-lost pipes!!!!
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MatthewVanitas
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If such a set of pipes were found in the hands of their descendants, would that be the only set of sackpipa with a known provenance? Am I right in recalling that all the other historical sackpipa are just random pieces of things found in museums with no clear idea as to who the owners were?
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Olle
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, a few of them have known provenance, and in some cases the makers are known too.
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:53 pm    Post subject: Louis Skifström Wedding Photo Reply with quote

I just found a photo of the son, Louis Skifström in my (late) aunt's recipe book ???? of all places. The wedded couple appear to be dressed in late 19 th. Century attire. The photo was taken by photographer E.J. Almquist in Cokato Minnesota. No date specified.
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Anders Jackson
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Louis Skifström Wedding Photo Reply with quote

jerry revelle wrote:
I just found a photo of the son, Louis Skifström in my (late) aunt's recipe book ???? of all places. The wedded couple appear to be dressed in late 19 th. Century attire. The photo was taken by photographer E.J. Almquist in Cokato Minnesota. No date specified.

Great!

Would it be possible to scann and put the picture up here?
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:09 am    Post subject: Louis Skifström Wedding Photo Reply with quote

Here is the photo from Knutes Lelah's recipe book.
(edited 30-1-12..."Mr. & Mrs. Louis Skifström" is written on the reverse of the photo in my Aunt Lelah's handwriting.




Here is another edit (Feb. 2, 2012) since originally posting the photo:

In an effort to find the family and any possible still-existing pipes the ancestry tree I just received from my friend Margaretha Hedblom in Malung Dalarna Sweden goes like this.....

First, the Skifs family and how they got from Skifsforsen in Dalarna, to Minnesota in the USA:

Örn Anna Jonsdotter (born 1819) and her husband Hol Lars Larson (born 1814) had daughter, Hol Brita Andersdotter (born 1842). Örn Anna and Hol Lars emigrated to Minnesota in 1880 (after her daughter Hol Brita).

They had a daughter Hol Brita Andersdotter (born 1842) who married Skifs or Hol Anders Andersson (born 1840).

Daughter Hol Brita and Skifs (or Hol) Anders emigrated (before her parents) with her husband Skifs or Hol Anders Andersson (born 1840), together with the family, emigrating from Uppsälje to Minnesota in 1868.

Louis (Lewis/Lars) Skifström was one of their sons and he married my grandfather´s cousin, Nordanbro Greta Nilsdotter. In USA she was called Gertie. Her mother was Knuts Lisa Jansdotter (in America called Lizzie Nelson – her husband who fled and abandoned his wife and child, was from (Dala) Järna was called Nilsson*(see below).

My great grandfather's side....

My great grandfater Knuts Johan Hindersson and wife Karin Andersdotter, had a daughter named Lisa Henriksdotter (born 1838). In Sweden, Lisa married a man named Nordanbro Nils Olsson (born 1843). They had a daughter named Greta Nilsdotter (born 1866).

Nordanbro Nils Olsson abandoned his wife and child and fled to America for some unknown reason and disappeared. The mother, Lisa and child Greta, returned to the Knuts family in Noret before finally emigrating to America in 1888.

In America, Greta Nilsdotter and Louis Skifström married, as shown in the photo above.

Thus, the two säckpipa players in Minnesota were Greta (Nilsdotter) Skifström and her mother, Örn Anna (Jonsdotter) Larson.

We know that all of the family may not have remained around the Cokato Minnesota area. The following is from Margaretha:
"Greta's mother was called Lizzie Nelson in USA and she lived with her daughter and husband (the Skifströms) in Cokato. Later I have found them close to International Falls where he was a farmer and not a blacksmith. In International Falls lived some relatives of the
Nordanbro's, who changed their names to Lindwall and founded a little town
up there.

With the above information (if you can decipher it) perhaps some of our Minnesota subscribers can find one or more family members.

Olle, if you see any problems with the accuracy of the above, please let me know.


Last edited by jerry revelle on Fri May 11, 2012 5:04 pm; edited 2 times in total
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More information from the Skiftström family has turned up, this time from the county Historical Society in Cokato Minnesota, the original site of the blacksmith shop.




It isn't difficult to pick out the married couple (in older age), from the photo in my previous post, but who are the other people. The girl with the guitar is definitely wearing (Dala) Järna dräkt (clothing).

Jerry
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JoshCobb



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PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2012 2:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is beautiful! Thanks for posting all of this.
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jerry revelle
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PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2012 8:32 pm    Post subject: Minnesota Skifströms Reply with quote

I have finally located a distant relative of Louis and Greta. She knows something about the family history and is an author herself.

She said Louis Skifström became a Minnesota State Fiddle champion.

I have given her this link and hope to learn more from her, soon. Perhaps she will even post here in the future.

Jerry
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Baglady



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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been taking another look at the pictures and the 3 men are obviously related. Father and sons possibly?

I'm formulating a character presentation of the Larson and Skifstrom ladies so I'd like to look at everybody's sources on this subject. Could you post any of them I can go to?
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:39 pm    Post subject: Old article about the Skifströms Reply with quote

If I have not already posted the link to the magazine article written by Bonnie Selberg, here it is:

http://issuu.com/newsrack/docs/simply-north-spring.

The article begins on page 13. If you click on any page it will enlarge for easier reading. In the first photo showing the family, the seated woman in the middle, known as granny, is one of the säckpipa players. She has deliberately turned her face away from the photographer because she has a large birthmark on the right side of her face.

In reading the article, some of the family names are listed. I had a recent email from the author, Bonnie; she said she has tried to make as many cousins aware of the interest in the family, but, as she mentions, memories are fading.

Since Louis became a Minnesota fiddle champion in later years, perhaps some old articles about him and the family may be yet to be discovered?
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