Wendell Family Story, Voyages to America

Here I'd like to focus in on the voyages my ancestors took between Sweden and the United States, pulling from research done by my family, information I find on ancestry.com, and information I find at the Swedish American Museum. During this 5 year span, it is believed Sven was mining coal in Pennsylvania, making a good enough wage to sail first class on at least one voyage.

1887: Sven first sailed to Amerika in 1887, leaving his wife and 6 children in Sweden. Alma, already 14 and "grown up", was making her own living and living on her own in Sweden.

1892: In 1892, Sven returned to Sweden. He and his eldest daughter Alma then sailed back to America. It is believed that they were readying things in America so that the rest of the family could come over. Sven was an avid reader, and loved Oliver Wendell Holmes. So much so, that he took on the Wendell surname. His granddaughter would later name her first son Wendell, and her cousins did the same with their sons.

1892-1895: Between 1892 and 1895, Sven returned and brought back the rest of the children. I am not sure how many voyages he made altogether, but it seems there were at least 3 such voyages. Jennie, at 15, was by that time "grown up" and living on her own in Sweden. She was a talented seamstress, and brought her talent to America. 

Carolina, mother, was to come over last. Somewhere along the way, she transitioned from milkmaid to nurse. In 1895 she contracted TB while caring for an individual. She died in Sweden, having never left Sweden. It is unknown where she is buried. One of my grandmother's cousins wrote that her headstone may have been removed after years of neglect (see the letter under "documents and letters").