We finished writing the first edition in 2001, and passed copies out at a Lofgren family picnic in August. We also sent copies to some members of the Johnson and Swenson clans. From the Johnson side, we received more information from Bev Applund Larson of North Branch MN and also Joey Johnson of Woodbury MN, who sent a copy of a family history that Fillmore Johnson of Harris wrote for that media conglomerate, the East Central Minnesota Post-Review. Jon Kent of Santa Barbara CA sent data and photographs about California relatives, descendents of R.G. Smith, as well as pictures of fourth and third generation ancestors. We have included this information.

We are thrilled that the booklet reconnected us with 2nd cousin Alf Gunnarson in Skövde, Sweden. The E-mails flew between us. He sent lots of genealogical information on the Finnerödja (Swenson) side of the family, extending that history from the fourth generation back to the tenth generation. In addition, he sent photographs we'd never seen of relatives, even those in America. Without his generous sharing of family history, we probably would not have bothered to revise. Alf runs a  website, www.mossebobladet.se, devoted to family history and sometimes current events in and around Barrud.  Swedish is the normal language for this website, but sometimes English is used. There are also many photographs, which are accesible to anyone, no matter what your language. He changes the content regularly. He featured Ida Lowisa Swenson in November 2005.

Finally, Chuck Maki of Rock Island IL contacted me in 2005 with a generous offer to look up Lofgren ancestors in the Elghult (now called Älghult) parish records, copies of which are at the Swenson archives at Augustana college. He corrected many birth-year errors and found previously-unknown siblings of August Löfgren (fourth generation Lofgren, chapter 5). He added birth dates for early ancestors, so you can celebrate someone's birthday almost any day you're in the mood. I thank him for all his genealogical help. One discrepancy between the records he found and the scribbles handed down to me through the family is that the records sometimes show "Karl" as being spelled "Carl," and sometimes the opposite. As far as I can make out, the spellings are interchangeable, so I won't try to be consistent about it.

If you have more than a cursory interest in this material, we could send you the booklet, which is not kept updated like this website, but is a damn site easier to read. To get a copy or otherwise comment, e-mail us at lylelofgren@visi.com.

July, 2003 (web edition, 2005. Updated  Jan. 2006,   Feb., Sept., and Nov. 2007)

INTRODUCTION
     Roots
     Limitations of Genealogy
     How Long is a Generation?
     Old Social Structure in Sweden
     Ancestor Immobility
     A Swedish History Lesson from Alf Gunnarson
     Prounouncing Swedish Umlauts
     Swedish English Language Similarities
     Swedish Surnames
     Where's Småland?
     Where's Västergötland?
     Using "MMFMM", etc., to Identify Ancestors
     Life Expectancy
     Ghosts

LOFGREN FAMILY, PART 1 -- 8th - 3rd generations B.L. (before Lyle)
     1. Eighth Generation -- of geneaological interest only.
     2. Seventh Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     3. Sixth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     4. Fifth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     5. Fourth Generation -- First Lofgren family immigrant to America, plus first family photographs.
     6. Third Generation -- C.A. Lofgren comes to America.
             C.A. Lofgren's Siblings -- Stories about my Lofgren 2nd cousins and their descendants in Sweden, California and Minnesota.

JOHNSON FAMILY -- 4th - 3rd generations B.L.
     7. Fourth Generation-- First Johnson family immigrants to America
     8. Third Generation Augusta Johnson's family comes to America. Hard times in Harris. First Johnson family photographs.
             Augusta Johnson's Siblings -- Stories about my Johnson 2nd cousins and their descendants.

LOFGREN FAMILY, PART 2 -- 2nd generation B.L.
     9.  Second Generation -- C.A. Lofgren and Augusta Johnson in Harris
              Lofgren Home Place
              Influence of the Railroad
             C.A. Lofgren's Mishaps
             The Smith Place
             Stromberg's Washout
              Diaries
             Schooling
             C.A. & Augusta's Later Years
             Elmer Lofgren's Siblings -- Stories about my Lofgren aunts and uncles, as well as their descendants. Includes Arvid's snuff recipe.

SWENSON FAMILY -- 12th - 2nd generation B.L.
     Prolog: Twelfth & Eleventh Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     10. Tenth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     11. Ninth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     12. Eighth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     13. Seventh Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     14. Sixth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     15. Fifth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     16. Fourth Generation-- of geneaological interest only.
     17. Third Generation -- First Swenson family immigrants to America. Visiting Barrud and my 2nd cousins in Sweden.
     18. Second Generation -- John Swenson & Ida Lowisa Karlsdotter in Fish Lake township
             Ida Swenson's Siblings -- Stories about my Swenson aunts and uncles, as well as their descendants.
             August Carlson's Letters Home
             Music in the Swenson Family

LOFGREN FAMILY, PART 3
     19. First Generation
             The Great War
             After the Great War
             Ida
             The Hired Man
             Mike and Me
             Elmer & Ida's Last Years
             Elmer & Ida Singing (mp3 audio files; added 6/12/05)

MAPS:
SOUTHERN SWEDEN
SMÅLAND
VÄSTERGÖTLAND
BARRUD
HARRIS TOWNSHIP, 1888
FISH LAKE TOWNSHIP, 1888