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Lovedahl family to hold Aug. 26 reunion, traces roots to Erik Lofdahl of Sweden

By Rose Hooper
Eric Lofdahl and Margaret Watson

Eric Lofdahl was born Sept. 9, 1827, in Sorhorsebeck Village, Vaster-lovsta Parish, Vastmanlands County, Sweden, and came to North Carolina in 1850. The origin of the Jackson County Lovedahl family, he married Margaret Watson in 1857 and they lived in the Caney Fork community.

The American ship "Oregon" left Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 4, 1850, bound for the United States. The 36 passengers on board had been recruited to work in a small iron mine in Coopersville, S.C., near the North Carolina border.

After two and one-half months at sea, the "Oregon" arrived in Savannah, Ga., five days before Christmas, on Dec. 20, 1850. That same evening the group traveled by boat from Savannah to Charleston, S.C. Two days later they traveled by train to Columbia, S.C., and after one day there they continued by train to Winnsboro, S.C., where the railroad ended. From there they began the final four days of their journey by mule-drawn wagon.

The details of that trip are especially important to Patsy Lovedahl of Caney Fork community. Making the journey was Erik Larsson Lofdahl, the Swede who originated Jackson County's Lovedahl family.

Jeff Lovedahl

Jeff Lovedahl is the only living grandson of Erick and Margaret Watson Lovedahl. Etta Lovedahl Wood, a resident of Mountain Trace Nursing Home, is the only living granddaughter.

Lofdahl's group had barely arrived at their destination before disputes arose. The employer began using warnings, threats and promise of dire consequences, all in vain. The Swedish workers rebelled and left the iron works. All, including Lofdahl, believed that they had come to a land were "freedom was uninhibited and that the servant is just as good as the master." (Taken from a diary of the journey.)

Lofdahl was born Sept. 9, 1827, in Sorhorsebeck Village, Vaster-lovsta Parish, Vastmanlands County, Sweden, to Lars Jansson and Brita Larsdotter. The couple had eight children, with only two surviving past childhood.

Last year was the first time any of the descendants held a family reunion. Because it was so successful, with 175 attending from all over the United States, the family decided to make it an annual event. This year's reunion is slated for Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Comfort Inn in Sylva, beginning at 11 a.m.

"This year we've had an easier time contacting people," said Patsy Lovedahl, "since we have a data base from who attended last year. Last year, we just contacted people by word of mouth and on the Internet. But you know how it is. You just have to tell one family member and the word spreads."

One of the surprises resulting from last year's reunion was a geneaological trace of the family, written by Teatte Shelton Price, a judge in Baltimore and the great-great-granddaughter of Eric and Margaret.

"She really did a lot of research - about 10 years worth," said Lovedahl, who recently became interested in genealogical research herself.

But tracing Swedish roots isn't very easy, she discovered. While Swedish nobility and merchants adopted the use of family names, farmers used a different system - the patronymoic system.

"A child was known as the son or daughter of a certain man. The last name of a son of a man whose first name was Lars would be LarsSON; the last name of a daughter of that same man would be LarsDOTTER. When men entered the military service, they often assumed different surnames. This causes Swedish genealogical reseach to be somewhat challenging," Lovedahl said.

Swedish emigration records show Erik Lofdahl of NorrHorsbeck left Sweden for North America in 1850. Arick L. Lovedahl of Jackson County was born Sept. 9, 1827, in Sweden and immigrated to the U.S. in 1850, according to U.S. Census records.

Erik Larsson Lofdahl and Arick L. Lovedahl are apparently the same person and the origin of Jackson County's Lovedahl family.

"You learn all kinds of interesting things about your family at a reunion," said Lovedahl. Like "Lolfdahl" in Swedish translates into "leaf valley," from lof, or leaf, and dahl, meaning valley.

Arick L. Lovedahl appeared in Jackson County on Sept. 18, 1855, and requested U.S. citizenship, stating he had lived in the U.S. for five years. He was granted citizenship in September 1857. On April 29, 1856, he purchased land in Jackson County near Black Rock Mountain and was referred to on the deed as Erick Lovedoll. In 1857 he married Margaret S. Watson, daughter of Elias Watson and Sarah Phillips, and they lived in Caney Fork community.

Their children were Jiles Lawrence (Patsy's ancestor), Julie Cassie, Sarah A., John Van and William Erick.

Additional family history show that A.L. Lovedahl enlisted in the 62nd Regiment of the N.C. Infantry State Troops on July 11, 1862, at Webster. Muster rolls show he was detailed to Knoxville, Tenn., where he worked in a government shop as a wagon master. On July 1, 1901, then 73 years old, he applied for a pension based on his service in the Civil War.

His last will and testament was admitted to probate Sept. 23, 1907, detailing the lands he owned on Johns Creek and who was to get what. Both he and his wife and many of their descendants are buried in the Lower Coward Cemetery on Caney Fork.

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