Cover photograph for Bill Carlson's 2011 "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now" by Alf Brorson of Sweden
"The Other Swedes"
Celebrating Them
~ The Groupings ~
Mr. Bill Carlson on the Hoglund Family
~ Leaving $600,000 for Bethany Lutheran Church, the Lindsborg Hospital and Bethany Home
"The Other Swedes"
Celebrating Them
~ The Groupings ~
Mr. Bill Carlson on the Hoglund Family
~ Leaving $600,000 for Bethany Lutheran Church, the Lindsborg Hospital and Bethany Home
SVHA leader, historian and author Mr. Bill Carlson gave me a tour in the summer of 2009 or 2010 of the Hoglund Dugout after I gave him and John Marshall, owner and editor of the Lindsborg News Record, a tour of the Old Deere Farm, Peaceful Acres.
At the time, Mr. Carlson was already working on his 2011 book, Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now of which he dedicated two chapters to the Smoky Valley dugouts: Chapter 7, "Dugouts in the Smoky Valley" and Chapter 8, "The Hoglund Dugout."
Including a LINK to Chapter 7, here is Chapter 8 which will give background now on the dugout that Smoky Valley Historical Association Vice President Mrs. Barbara Buskirks restored and preserved in 1987.
At the time, Mr. Carlson was already working on his 2011 book, Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now of which he dedicated two chapters to the Smoky Valley dugouts: Chapter 7, "Dugouts in the Smoky Valley" and Chapter 8, "The Hoglund Dugout."
Including a LINK to Chapter 7, here is Chapter 8 which will give background now on the dugout that Smoky Valley Historical Association Vice President Mrs. Barbara Buskirks restored and preserved in 1987.
2011 Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now
by
Bill Carlson
Chapter 8
The Hoglund Dugout
by
Bill Carlson
Chapter 8
The Hoglund Dugout
"The story of the Hoglund Dugout is of an amazing and unique early Smoky Valley family, the Gustaf Hoglund family, who lived just west of the city limits of Lindsborg, Kansas.
"Arriving in the fall of 1868, Gustaf was one of the first to immigrate from the Värmland province, Sweden, to Kansas, where he pioneered the Smoky Valley of this state, and settled on acreage, part of which was Homestead land.
"With no accommodations for living available, he selected an area with a grove of trees near a creek on the west side of his new property and proceeded to dig a dugout to serve as some protection against the ever-changing Kansas climate.
"The Dugout today is now a historical site, which marks the place of an early Scandinavian home, with the Smoky Valley Historical Association being responsible for the preservation and maintenance of the site. To view the Dugout today, one's imagination can yield all kinds of difficult possibilities of the living conditions of early settlers.
"Gustaf Hoglund was born on July 18, 1841 in Fernebo (Persberg) in the province of Värmland, Sweden. Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg shows records that Mr. Hoglund was received as a member of the church on March 18,1872.
"Maria Mathilda Olsson Hoglund was born in Fernebo, Sweden on September 20, 1846 and arrived with her parents in the Smoky Valley in 1868, and was received as a member of the church on September 1, 1869. On January 8, 1871 the Hoglunds were married in Bethany Lutheran Church by Rev. Olof Olsson, having previouwsly served the same parish in Persberg, Varmland, Pastor Olsson was undoubtedly well acquainted with the couple.
"The Hoglunds immigrated to America for the same reasons as most of the Swedish emigrants, the promise of land on which to make a living, religious freedom to worship as they saw fit, as well as large families in Sweden making employment scarce in the old country.
"According to reports from family members of the early Smoky Valley immigrants the Dugout constructed by Gustaf Hoglund was where they had their first two children: Gustaf born on February 13, 1872 and Selma on August 19, 1873. During this time the Hoglunds were not only busy farming, but also in erecting a small shanty-like building on the creek bank near their Dugout which would serve as their second home in the Valley for several years. During these years their third and fourth children were born: Emil on March 19, 1875 and Lydia on June 16, 1877. Also during these busy years the Hoglunds were building a large two-story, five-bedroom home in the middle of their acreage with a beautiful wrap-around porch, a large kitchen, and family living room area.
"Some time in the late 1870s the Hoglund family moved into this home where they proceeded to add to their growing family with four more children being born: Elizabeth on July 18, 1879, Gustaf Simon on April 2, 1884, Anna Olivia on May 26, 1886 and Alma Sophia on May 19, 1888. Bethany Lutheran Church records show that all eight children were baptized with their baptismal dates. There have been reports a ninth child had been born, however, there are no recorded records of this birth which was probably due to death in childbirth.
"Having eight children on the Prairie of Central Kansas was not at all unusual in those early days of the Smoky Valley. Now what seems quite unusual is that none of the eight Hoglund children ever married.
"Further, the Hoglunds proved to be a healthy family tolerating the severe Kansas very cold winters and very hot summers rather well. In spite of the fact their first child died at the age of six months, the others lived long past life expectancy to the ages of 74, 86, 93, 81, 63, and 87. In contrast, one family located a little over a mile from the Hoglund farm also had eight children. However, the infant virus, so prevalent in 1870s and 1880s, took its toll, four deaths occurring from two weeks old to one year, with the other four living to the ages of 19, 44, 83, and 84. I am referring to the children of my paternal grandparents, pioneers Magnus and Maria Carlson. The names of their nineteen-year-old daughter and four infant sons and daughters are listed on the same tombstone at the Rose Hill Cemetery located a few miles north of Lindsborg.
"As the family grew, the Hoglund farming operation also grew with additional land purchased, and the erection of a large barn and milk shed located near their home. According to stories from early-day Swedes, the Hoglunds were a tight knit family keeping pretty much to themselves, all working long hours famring the land, tending an extraordinary and large garden. The family was faithful in attending Sunday morning worship in Bethany Lutheran Church where for many years Mr. Hoglund served as a trustee. Long time members of the church have mentioned that at the end of each year, when church funds were running low, the Hoglunds were always ready to contribute generously.
"No one today could attest to the Hoglund children attending school in Lindsborg, or any of the country schools in the area, although there was one about two miles north-west of their home. Possibly they were some of the first home-schooled children in the Valley. It is known the Father was opposed to higher education, according to the Attorney and Executor of their wills.
"On most Saturday mornings in the thirties and forties, as the writer of this story can remember, the Hoglund four-door Model T traveled, with doors flapping in the wind, on the main road into town on West Lincoln Street, a mixture of dirt and sand served as the play ground for a number of games, with children appreciating the slow "putt putt" of the Hoglund Model T not raising expected dust as was usually true of other vehicles.
"Following the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Hoglund, the family of eight continued their Saturday morning shopping trips to town in the way they were taught.
"Gustaf Hoglund passed away on June 14, 1922 at the age of 81, and was preceded in death by Maria Hoglund on Februeary 8, 1920 at the age of 74. The children of the Hoglunds continued their successful farm operation for many years.
"The family estate had been placed in the trust of the President of the Farmers State Bank in Lindsborg, Mr. C. A. Abercrombie. Following the death of Alma Sophia, at the age of 87, on June 22, 1975, the Hoglund estate was divided between Bethany Lutheran Church, Bethany Home, and the Lindsborg Hospital, with the church receiving one half of the estate (approximately $300,000) and Bethany Home and the Lindsborg Hospital receiving one quarter, (approximately $150,000 each.) The hospital had been home for Alma Sophia for the final years of her life. The church then gave $100,000 of their share to Bethany Home to assist in building a new wing, named the Hoglund wing.
"Undoubtedly, there are many other stories and tales to be told about the Gustaf Hoglund family who lived just west of Lindsborg. Hopefully, through this study of this unique and amazing early Lindsborg family, we have been able to preserve some history of Lindsborg from its earliest days. Unfortunately, there are no Hoglund family members in the community to add to their legacy today.
"After all: History not recorded, is perhaps history lost."
"Arriving in the fall of 1868, Gustaf was one of the first to immigrate from the Värmland province, Sweden, to Kansas, where he pioneered the Smoky Valley of this state, and settled on acreage, part of which was Homestead land.
"With no accommodations for living available, he selected an area with a grove of trees near a creek on the west side of his new property and proceeded to dig a dugout to serve as some protection against the ever-changing Kansas climate.
"The Dugout today is now a historical site, which marks the place of an early Scandinavian home, with the Smoky Valley Historical Association being responsible for the preservation and maintenance of the site. To view the Dugout today, one's imagination can yield all kinds of difficult possibilities of the living conditions of early settlers.
"Gustaf Hoglund was born on July 18, 1841 in Fernebo (Persberg) in the province of Värmland, Sweden. Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg shows records that Mr. Hoglund was received as a member of the church on March 18,1872.
"Maria Mathilda Olsson Hoglund was born in Fernebo, Sweden on September 20, 1846 and arrived with her parents in the Smoky Valley in 1868, and was received as a member of the church on September 1, 1869. On January 8, 1871 the Hoglunds were married in Bethany Lutheran Church by Rev. Olof Olsson, having previouwsly served the same parish in Persberg, Varmland, Pastor Olsson was undoubtedly well acquainted with the couple.
"The Hoglunds immigrated to America for the same reasons as most of the Swedish emigrants, the promise of land on which to make a living, religious freedom to worship as they saw fit, as well as large families in Sweden making employment scarce in the old country.
"According to reports from family members of the early Smoky Valley immigrants the Dugout constructed by Gustaf Hoglund was where they had their first two children: Gustaf born on February 13, 1872 and Selma on August 19, 1873. During this time the Hoglunds were not only busy farming, but also in erecting a small shanty-like building on the creek bank near their Dugout which would serve as their second home in the Valley for several years. During these years their third and fourth children were born: Emil on March 19, 1875 and Lydia on June 16, 1877. Also during these busy years the Hoglunds were building a large two-story, five-bedroom home in the middle of their acreage with a beautiful wrap-around porch, a large kitchen, and family living room area.
"Some time in the late 1870s the Hoglund family moved into this home where they proceeded to add to their growing family with four more children being born: Elizabeth on July 18, 1879, Gustaf Simon on April 2, 1884, Anna Olivia on May 26, 1886 and Alma Sophia on May 19, 1888. Bethany Lutheran Church records show that all eight children were baptized with their baptismal dates. There have been reports a ninth child had been born, however, there are no recorded records of this birth which was probably due to death in childbirth.
"Having eight children on the Prairie of Central Kansas was not at all unusual in those early days of the Smoky Valley. Now what seems quite unusual is that none of the eight Hoglund children ever married.
"Further, the Hoglunds proved to be a healthy family tolerating the severe Kansas very cold winters and very hot summers rather well. In spite of the fact their first child died at the age of six months, the others lived long past life expectancy to the ages of 74, 86, 93, 81, 63, and 87. In contrast, one family located a little over a mile from the Hoglund farm also had eight children. However, the infant virus, so prevalent in 1870s and 1880s, took its toll, four deaths occurring from two weeks old to one year, with the other four living to the ages of 19, 44, 83, and 84. I am referring to the children of my paternal grandparents, pioneers Magnus and Maria Carlson. The names of their nineteen-year-old daughter and four infant sons and daughters are listed on the same tombstone at the Rose Hill Cemetery located a few miles north of Lindsborg.
"As the family grew, the Hoglund farming operation also grew with additional land purchased, and the erection of a large barn and milk shed located near their home. According to stories from early-day Swedes, the Hoglunds were a tight knit family keeping pretty much to themselves, all working long hours famring the land, tending an extraordinary and large garden. The family was faithful in attending Sunday morning worship in Bethany Lutheran Church where for many years Mr. Hoglund served as a trustee. Long time members of the church have mentioned that at the end of each year, when church funds were running low, the Hoglunds were always ready to contribute generously.
"No one today could attest to the Hoglund children attending school in Lindsborg, or any of the country schools in the area, although there was one about two miles north-west of their home. Possibly they were some of the first home-schooled children in the Valley. It is known the Father was opposed to higher education, according to the Attorney and Executor of their wills.
"On most Saturday mornings in the thirties and forties, as the writer of this story can remember, the Hoglund four-door Model T traveled, with doors flapping in the wind, on the main road into town on West Lincoln Street, a mixture of dirt and sand served as the play ground for a number of games, with children appreciating the slow "putt putt" of the Hoglund Model T not raising expected dust as was usually true of other vehicles.
"Following the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Hoglund, the family of eight continued their Saturday morning shopping trips to town in the way they were taught.
"Gustaf Hoglund passed away on June 14, 1922 at the age of 81, and was preceded in death by Maria Hoglund on Februeary 8, 1920 at the age of 74. The children of the Hoglunds continued their successful farm operation for many years.
"The family estate had been placed in the trust of the President of the Farmers State Bank in Lindsborg, Mr. C. A. Abercrombie. Following the death of Alma Sophia, at the age of 87, on June 22, 1975, the Hoglund estate was divided between Bethany Lutheran Church, Bethany Home, and the Lindsborg Hospital, with the church receiving one half of the estate (approximately $300,000) and Bethany Home and the Lindsborg Hospital receiving one quarter, (approximately $150,000 each.) The hospital had been home for Alma Sophia for the final years of her life. The church then gave $100,000 of their share to Bethany Home to assist in building a new wing, named the Hoglund wing.
"Undoubtedly, there are many other stories and tales to be told about the Gustaf Hoglund family who lived just west of Lindsborg. Hopefully, through this study of this unique and amazing early Lindsborg family, we have been able to preserve some history of Lindsborg from its earliest days. Unfortunately, there are no Hoglund family members in the community to add to their legacy today.
"After all: History not recorded, is perhaps history lost."
For 1991 Hoglund Dugout Hyllningsfest Tour
Courtesy of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau & Board President Tim Stewart of the Smoky Valley Historical Association
-------
The Bill Carlson Family has kindly extended permission to share this selection of his Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now in SWEDES, 8/19/24.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On November 14, 2023, under the leadership of SVHA president Tim Stewart and the Board
"full support and permission for the use of all content under the Smoky Valley Historical Publications umbrella,"
of which "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now" belongs, was kindly granted to Fran Cochran for SWEDES.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bill Carlson Family has kindly extended permission to share this selection of his Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now in SWEDES, 8/19/24.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On November 14, 2023, under the leadership of SVHA president Tim Stewart and the Board
"full support and permission for the use of all content under the Smoky Valley Historical Publications umbrella,"
of which "Lindsborg Then and Lindsborg Now" belongs, was kindly granted to Fran Cochran for SWEDES.
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* * *
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
"Let Us Celebrate Them"
* * *
Swedes: TheWayTheyWere
~ restoring lost local histories ~
reconnecting past to present
* * *
All color photography throughout Swedes: The Way They Were is by Fran Cochran unless otherwise indicated.
Copyright © since October 8, 2015 to Current Year
as indicated on main menu sections of
www.swedesthewaytheywere.org. All rights reserved.
