Olof Olsson Blom

Torpare. Was 75 years.

Marriage with Anna Kajsa Andersdotter (1850 - 1930)

Notes

Utflyttad till Åmot 1867-11-20

Järbo (X) AI:3 (1871-1875) Bild 44 / Sida 40, Lundfors
Ockelbo (X) AAI:3a (1880-1880) Bild 23 / Sida 10, Rabo

Olaf Olson and Anna Kasja Bloom and their three children, Andrew, Anna and John, left Ugglebo, Geflebargs, Sweden, May 5, 1882 for the United States. Another son, David, died of pneumonia after he had fallen into a lake during the winter season. David was two years old and passed away before they came to America.
The Bloom family came to Malmo, Nebraska after a short residence at Kanakee, Illinois. Pete Lust, who lived in Malmo, paid their passage to America. It was agreed that Olaf would work for this man seven years to pay for the transportation. When they arrived in Malmo, all their worldly possessions for a family of five were contained in a homemade trunk that measured thirty-six inches by twenty-four inches by eighteen inches. This trunk is still in the home of a descendant of the Bloom family.

Olaf planted trees for landowners as boundary lines for their claims. Long willow branches would be planted in dug furrows. Many new trees would grow along the planted branches. Many other kind of trees were planted.

Olaf and his sons did a lot of hunting and fishing. Rabbits were their specialty.

While at Malmo, Beda O'Tillia was born. After the transportation bill was paid, they moved to Ashland, Nebraska. They lived on various rented farms located south, northwest, and northeast of Ashland.

Anna became ill with rheumatism and was bedfast for two years. Tillie was forced to leave school at the fourth grade to take care of her mother. Anna Margaret, their older daughter, was married to Gustaf Holmberg and lived in Missouri. Olaf needed help to care for his wife when Tillie became ill. Dr. Kirpatrick called Tillie his "Little-Nurse" and encouraged her to get well so she could care for her mother.

A young Swedish girl, named Anna Anderson, had just arrived in Ashland from Sweden. Olaf brought her home to help care for his wife and daughter. Anna Anderson never left the Bloom family. She became Andrew's wife. John married Edyth Cramer from Iowa, and Tillie was left to care for her aging parents. Andrew was nineteen years older than Tillie.

The lack of money never kept them from owning an organ and later, a piano. Tillie was given music lessons from a blind man who came to the house to give music lessons. Tillie learned easily and practiced until she was able to play for local dances. She had a natural gift to play any song by ear that she heard.

When Tillie married Peter Edward Anderson, Olaf and Anna moved to 1717 Clay Street in Ashland. Ed and Tillie bought a 160 acres north of Memphis where Anna Marie, Carl Edward, and Clarence Eugene were born.

When World War II began, they sold and moved to a farm east of Elkhorn, Nebraska where Ed passed away a short time later. Tillie returned to Ashland in 1951 and passed away January 19, 1952.
//By Mrs. Marie Hoxie

Personal History

Sources