Copyright © Hans Högman 2019-12-24
Göta Canal
Introduction
Göta Canal (Swe: Göta Kanal) is a 190 km (118 mil.)
long Canal in Götaland Region officially opened in
1832. Out of the total length of the canal, about 87
km (54 mil.) is handmade or blasted while the rest
are natural watercourses. The difference in altitude
is 92 m (300 ft.). Together with Trollhätte Canal and
Göta River the Göta kanal constitutes a 390 km (242
mil.) waterway across Sweden, from the Baltic Sea to
the Cattegat.
The canal itself, Göta kanal, stretches from Sjötorp
on the eastern side of Lake Vänern in Västergötland,
via the canal’s highest point Lanthöjden (elevation
91 m) located west of Lake Viken, via Lake
Bottensjön to Lake Vättern. The canal continues
through lakes Boren and Roxen and finally flows
into the Bay of Slätbaken, in Östergötland
In total there are 58 locks and 50 bridges on Göta
Canal. See also The History of Göta Canal
Lock and Bridge Tenders on the Canal
Each of the locks and bridges on the canal were
operated by employed tenders; lock tenders and
bridge tenders.
In order for a ship to pass through a lock, the lock
chambers have to be filled and emptied of water.
The chambers are filled and emptied via the lock
gates. In order to open a lock gate, the water level
on both side of the gate has to be exactly equal.
Initially the lock gates were opened and closed with
the assistance of long booms. However, by 1847 all
locks were equipped with a type of capstans with
cogwheels.
The bridges across the canal had to be opened
when ships passed. The bridges were in those days
opened by hand.
The lock and bridge tenders were employed by the
Canal Company. They were paid in cash but also
assigned a tender dwelling (cottage) with an
associated small piece of arable land where they
could grow potatoes and vegetables. The dwelling
was a fringe benefit and when the tender finished
his employment with the Canal Company he and his
family had to move out of the dwelling. Now, a new
tender was to move in.
They pay wasn’t high which is why the lock and
bridge tenders also had second jobs such as
carpenters, quarry workers or even lighthouse
keepers etc.
The image to the right
shows a lock-tender’s
dwelling located
somewhere between
Söderköping and Mem.
Photo Hans Högman
2003.
However, the locks and
bridges had to be
operated 24 x 7 which meant that the wives of
tenders had to tend the locks in daytime when their
husbands were attending their other jobs.
The size of the payment as a tender was dependent
on if it was a single or double lock or a bridge they
were tending. It was common that the job as a
tender was inherited by a son of the tender,
generation by generation.
Bridge Tender Lars Johansson
Berg
Lars Johansson Berg was one of the 50 bridge
tenders on the canal. Berg was a bridge tender at
Levsäng (Lefsäng), Fredsberg parish, Töreboda
kommun, in Västergötland (Skaraborg län (R)).
A Bridge Tender
on Göta Canal
Lars Johansson Berg was born on 1806-10-01 in
Åsaka parish (Skånings-Åsaka (R)). His wife was Maja
Katharina Larsdotter, born on 1811-07-16 in
Fredsberg parish. Lars was the bridge tender at
Levsäng which was part of Hajtorp rote.
Below is the birth entry for Lars from the Skånings-
Åsaka birth book of October 1806:
The above map shows the course of Göta Canal from
Sjötorp by Lake Vänern in the west to the Bay of
Slätbaken in the east. Image Wikipedia.
The bridge across the canal at Levsäng is located
between Hajstorp and Töresboda. See the above map.
Above, the bridge at
Levsäng is located in the
middle of the map, by the
two lines across the canal.
Above, this is the same
map blown up showing
the location of Levsäng.
Above, the Levsäng bridge tender cottage is
marked by the red arrow.
Above, a satellite view of the bridge and the
bridge tender cottage at Levsäng.
Above, Source: Skånings-Åsaka (R) C:2 (1754-1834)
Image 71 / page 133.
Lars parents are Johan Johnsson and his wife Greta
Larsdotter. They are listed as farming people
”bondefolk”.
Lars Johansson Berg’s wife Maja Katharina
Larsdotter’s birth entry in the Fredsberg birth book
for July 1811:
Above, Source: Fredsberg (R) C:3 (1783-1814) Image
107 / page 203.
Maja’s parents were Lars Nilsson and Maja
Andersdotter in Torstorp. Lars Nilsson Löfgren was a
bridge tender on Göta Canal, Hajstorp, Fredsberg
parish.
Fredsberg household examination roll 1831-1842:
Above, source: Fredsberg (R) AI:4 (1831-1842) Image
273 / page 536.
Lars is in this early household examination roll (1831-
1842) only listed with his patronymic name,
Johansson. This tells us that he hadn’t adopted the
family name Berg at this point in time.
This is the earliest household record I have found
listing him as a bridge tender employed by the Canal
Company. So, Lars has been a bridge tender at least
since 1831.
In the next household examination roll (1843 – 1852)
we can see Lars’s entire family:
Above, source: Fredsberg (R) AI:6 (1843-1852)
Image140 / page 269.
The Lars Johansson Berg Family:
In this household record Lars is listed with both his
patronymic name (Johansson) as well as with the new
family name Berg.
Lars and his wife Maja now have 7 children:
1.
Lars Johan, born 1833-12-26 in Fredsberg parish.
Died 1910-02-27 in Göteborg.
2.
Maja Greta, born 1835-08-15 in Fredsberg
3.
Alfrid, born 1837-10-08 in Fredsberg. Died 1844-
06-09 in Fredsberg.
4.
Sofia, born 1840-03-11 in Fredsberg. To the USA.
5.
Charlotta, born 1842-09-22 in Fredsberg. Died
1889-11-17 in Jönköping.
6.
Alfrid, born 1845-04-26 in Fredsberg
7.
Albertina, born on 1849-09-16 in Fredsberg. Died
1856-03-28 in Fredsberg.
In the next household examination roll (1852-1870)
there is a notation that bridge keeper (brovaktare)
Lars Johansson Berg died on 1860-08-08.
Above, source: Källa: Fredsberg (R) AI:7 (1852-1870)
Image 288 / page 294. Död = Died.
This household record holds information that both
Lars and his wife Maja are diseased. Maja died on
1857-02-06 in Fredsberg and Lars on 1860-08-08 in
Fredsberg.
Death records:
•
Fredsberg (R) F:1 (1850-1860) Image 39 / page 34
(Maja entry 16, no listed cause of death. Age 45)
•
Fredsberg (R) F:1 (1850-1860) Image 55 / page 50.
(Lars entry 47. Cause of death: “Lungsot”
(pulmonary tuberculosis))
Lars was only 53 years and 10 months when he died.
The funeral was held on 14 August.
When Lars died he had been a bridge tender since
circa 1831, in other words for at least 29 years.
After the death of both parents, the children scattered
to different places:
1.
Lars Johan moved to Thorstorp, Fredsberg, in
1861.
2.
Maja Greta moved to Stockholm in 1858
3.
Sofia moved to Stockholm in 1860. Later she went
to the USA. Married Nils Persson (Nicholas Planten /
Plantin), shoemaker, b. 1839-11-05 in Kattarp (M).
4.
Charlotta moved with her son Johan Fredrik (b.
1861) to Kyrkefalla (R) in 1862.
5.
Alfrid moved to Stockholm in 1860.
Son Lars Johan Berg new bridge tender at
Levsäng
When Lars Johansson Berg died in 1860 his son Lars
Johan Berg took over the position as bridge tender at
Levsäng.
When Lars Johan was married to Cajsa Bengtsdotter
on 7 April 1861 he is listed as bridge tender at Leväng
in the marriage record:
Above, source: Fredsberg (R) E:2 (1861-1894) Image 5.
Lars Johan Berg remains as a bridge tender for about
one year.
Above, probably bridge tender Berg’s cottage by Göta
kanal at Levsäng. Text on the photo: Cabinet Fotografi
(Cabinet Card). The cabinet card was a style of
photograph which was widely used for photographic
portraiture after 1870. It consisted of a thin
photograph mounted on a card.
The photo is shown with consent of Carol Kemp, WA,
USA.
The household record below shows that a new person
has taken up position as the Levsäng bridge tender in
1861. The new bridge tender was Pehr Johan
Pettersson.
Above, source: Källa: Fredsberg (R) AI:7 (1852-1870)
Image 288 / page 294.
”61” to the far right is Pehr’s and his wife’s moving-in
year, i.e. 1861. The couple married on 1861-03-28 so it
it likely that they moved into the bridge tender cottage
after the wedding.
Pehr is the bridge tender at Levsäng även also in the
following household record:
Above, source: Källa: Fredsberg (R) AI:8 (1871-1884)
Image 231 / page 226.
Pehr Pettersson was the Levsäng bridge tender also in
the thereafter following household record (1884 -
1895). Source: Fredsberg (R) AI:10 (1884-1895) Bild 198
/ sid 189.
Lars Johan Berg
Lars Johan Berg was born on 26 December 1833 to
Lars Johansson Berg and Maja Larsdotter. Below is his
entry in the Fredsberg birth book for December 1833:
Above, source: : Fredsberg (R) C:5 (1830-1848) Image
23.
Lars Johan Berg was the Levsäng bridge tender after
his feather’s death in 1860 for about one year. Prior to
this, Lars Johan spent a few years at sea in the 1850s
and as a guardsman with Göta Life Guards in
Stockholm.
This Fredsberg household record (1852-1870) holds
the following information about him:
Above, source: Fredsberg (R) AI:7 (1852-1870) Image
288 / page 294.
The text reads: Sjöman hyra betyg 4/3 56.
Sjöman means seaman or sailor and “hyra” means that
he signed on as a sailor on a ship. Betyg means
reference or testimonial regarding his time at sea.
Then there is a date 1856-03-04.
The above household record also has a notation that
Lars Johan moved to Stockholm in 1857. In Stockholm
he was enlisted as a guardsman with the Göta Life
Guards (Göta Livgarde). Note, the regiment didn’t
received this name, Göta Livgarde, until 1894. At this
point in time the regiment carried the name the
Second Life Guards (Andra livgardet).
Below is an extract from the June 7, 1859, general
muster roll (GMR) for the Göta Life Guards:
Above, source: Generalmönsterrullor - Göta livgardes
föregångare (A, AB) 1241 (1859) Image 1670.
Berg was guardsman 67 in Captain Edvard
Jegerschjöld’s Company of the Göta Life Guards.
According to the GMR; Lars Johan replaced the former
guardsman on number 67, Olof Olsson on 30
December 1856.
This general muster was held on 7 June 1859 and Berg
had, at this time, served for 2 years and 5 months. At
the general muster Berg was 25 years and 5 months
old.
Berg wasn’t personally present at the general muster.
A notation in the GMR holds the following information
about him:
Above, source: Generalmönsterrullor - Göta livgardes
föregångare (A, AB) 1241 (1859) Image 1680.
Berg was hospitalized at the time of the general
muster in June 1859. His condition was serious and he
was no longer fit to be a soldier.
There is a medical certificate about Berg’s condition
signed by a surgeon, inserted into the general muster
roll:
Above, source: Generalmönsterrullor - Göta livgardes
föregångare (A, AB) 1241 (1859) Image 1670.
Göta livgardes församling (A, AB) AIa:5 (1851-1860)
Bild 88 / sid 83
The above medical certificate holds information about
Berg’s condition. Berg, guardsman 67 of Captain
Edvard Jegerschjöld’s Company, second Life Guards
(Andra livgardet) is suffering from Lungsot (pulmonary
tuberculosis) and is therefore no longer fit for active
military service. The certificate is dated Stockholm 5
June 1859.
A bit of an irony, Lars Johan suffered from the same
disease that killed his father, lungsot.
Lars Johan returned home to Levsäng after he was
discharged from the Army. Between 1860 and 1861
he was the bridge tender at Levsäng after his father.
Lars Johan was married to Cajsa Bengtsdotter on 7
April 1861 and the family now lives in different places
in Fredsberg parish. For a few years he was a tenant
farmer (torpare) at Thorstorp, Fredsberg.
In 1870 the Lars Johan Berg family moved to
Göteborg (Gothenburg).
The following extract from Fredsberg household
record 1852-1870 is showing a notation that the
family was moving to Göteborg in 1870:
Above, source: Fredsberg (R) AI:7 (1852-1870) Image
217 / page 223.
To the far right of the extract is the moving-out
columns. The destination is Göteborg and the year is
70 (1870).
The extracts lists Lars Johan Berg and his wife Cajsa
Bengtsdotter (f. 1837-04-16) and some of their
children:
1.
Emma Christina, born 1862 -01-03 in Fredsberg
(R). To the USA 1892-09-02 but returned on 1910-
09-08 to Sweden. Unmarried. Died 1950-03-30 in
Göteborg.
2.
Lars Johan, born 1863-10-08 in Fredsberg (R).
3.
Julia (Yulia), born 1865-12-26 in Fredsberg (R).
Married K.F. Johansson 1889 in Göteborg.
Divorced 1898. To Canada. Died circa 1953.
4.
Anna Sophia, born 1869-09-12 in Fredsberg (R).
Died 1871-07-03 Göteborgs Karl Johan (O).
5.
Anna Sophia, born 1874-10-12 in Göteborgs Karl
Johan (O). Twin.
6.
Oskar Alfred, born 1874-10-12 in Göteborgs Karl
Johan (O). Twin. Died 1874-10-21 in Göteborgs
Karl Johan (O).
7.
Helga Sofia, born 1876-11-23 in Karl Johan parish,
Göteborg (O). To the USA on 1891-04-24. Died
1970.
8.
Stillborn baby, born 1880-11-02 .
In Göteborg the family settles in the Oscar Fredrik
parish:
Above, source: Göteborgs Oscar Fredrik (O) AI:7
(1883-1886) Image 151 / page 1391.
Lars Johan is in this household record listed as
seaman (sjöman).
Later the family is found in the Karl Johan parish,
Göteborg:
Above, source: Göteborgs Karl Johan (O) AIIa:1 (1889-
1902) Image 142 / page 138.
Their son laborer Lars Johan (b. 1863) has a notation
in the household record ”dömd för 1:a resan snatteri
1879” (first conviction petty theft 1879). Source:
Göteborgs Oscar Fredrik (O) AI:19 (1886-1893) Image
153 / page 2399.
I haven’t found any indication of him being married.
There is a notation about him in a parish record from
in Göteborg covering years 1900 - 1910; Obef. R.
meaning Obefintlighetsregistret which means that he
has no known address (i.e. nonexistent). Source:
Göteborgs Karl Johan (O) AIIa:4 (1900-1910) Image
170 / page 162.
I found Lars Johan (b. 1863) in the
Obefintlighetsregistret (register of nonexistent people).
Source: Göteborgs Karl Johan (O) AIII:2 (1889-1908)
Image 10. Lars Johan probably had left Göteborg
without a moving-out certificate. Maybe he emigrated
from Sweden to North America without his papers in
order?
The Karl Johan parish record (1900-1910) holds a
notation that the father, Lars Johan Berg (b. 1833)
died on 1910-02-27.
Source: Göteborgs Karl Johan (O) AIIa:5 (1900-1910)
Image 199 / page 595.
This is confirmed in the Karl Johan parish death book
for February 1912:
Above, source: Göteborgs Karl Johan (O) F:5 (1907-
1912) Image 109 / page 103.
Lars Johan Berg is entry 48. His occupation is listed as
“sjöman” (seaman).
His wife Kajsa Bengtsdotter Berg died on 1913-08-11
in Karl Johan parish, Göteborg.
Source: The Swedish Death Index 1860 – 2016.
The photo shows presumably Lars Johan Berg (1833
- 1912) and his son Lars Johan (b. 1863).
The photo is shown with consent of Peter Saal, USA.
At the bottom of the photo is the name of the
photographer listed , Bäckström, and the location
of the photo studio, Töreboda in Västergötland.
Töreboda is a town just south of Levsäng.
There was a female photographer in Törebode by
the name Karin Bäckström, born in 1880. Her
studio was on Vasagatan 5 in Töreboda. Her father,
Thure Bäckström, born in 1845, established the
photo studio in 1886 and Karin took over the
business when he retired.
Karin ran the studio between 1896 and 1916. She
married John Knape in 1917.
There is a photo of the house where the studio was
at digitalmuseum. See
https://digitaltmuseum.se/021017173171/karin-
backstrom-f-1880-drev-fotoatelje-pa-vasagatan-5-i-
toreboda-hon-tog
The photo of Berg and son must have been taken
between 1886 and 1916. Lars Johan Berg’s father,
i.e. Lars Johansson Berg, died in 1860 so the photo
must show the son Lars Johan and a son of his.
The above photos from Göteborg are of members of
the Berg family. It is not known who is who. Lars
Johan Berg (b. 1833) and his wife Cajsa Bengtsdotter
(b. 1837) had three daughters. Maybe they are on
these photos?
The photo to the extreme left was taken at a studio
on Stigbergstorget 7, Göteborg. The name of the
studio is Lefins. The photographers full name was
August W. Lefin. I haven’t been able to find when he
was running his studio but probably at the end of the
1800s.
The photo in the center was taken by photographer
Carl M Olson (1858-1900). He was another Göteborg
photographer and established his studio in 1882. His
widow took over the studio in 1900.
The photo to the extreme right was taken by
photographer N G Hagman. His full name was Nils
Gabriel Hagman (1830 – 1879). His son Nils Gustaf
Hagman, born in 1865, took over the business in
Göteborg when his father died in 1879.
The photos are shown with consent of Peter Saal,
USA.
The Berg Siblings
Lars Johan Berg and his wife Cajsa Bengtsdotter Berg
had 8 children of whom 4 lived into adulthood. Three
of the children left Sweden for America at various
points in time. Emma Christina went to the US in
1892 but returned to Sweden in 1910. Helga Sofia
went to the US in 1891 and Julia went to Canada
around 1898.
For more information, please go to The Berg siblings
Charlotta Berg Sjöholm
Charlotta Berg was a daughter to Lars Johansson Berg
(b.1806-10-01) and Maja Katharina Larsdotter, (b.1811-
07-16). Charlotta was born on 1842-09-22 in
Fredsberg (R) and died on 1889-11-17 in Kristina
parish, Jönköping (F).
Below is an extract of Charlotta’s birth entry in the
Fredsberg birth book for September 1842:
Above, source: Fredsberg (R) C:5 (1830-1848) Image 76.
Charlotta was born on 22 September and baptized on
24 September.
Charlotta was married to Nils Peter Sjöholm on 1860-
09-13. Nils Peter was born on 1833-04-09 in Ivetofta
(L).
The Sjöholm family moved a lot. They left Fredsberg
for Kyrkefalla (R) in 1862.
The Sjöholm’s in Falköping 1876 - 1880:
Above, source: Falköpings stadsförsamling (R) AI:14
(1876-1880) Image 354 / page 322b.
Nils Peter was a master gardener.
Their children:
1.
Johan Fredrik, born 1861-07-08 in Fredsberg. Died
1935-06-15 in Ramnalid, Borås, Sweden.
2.
Regina Josefina Gravilda (Hilda), born 1863-03-19
in Kyrkefalla. To the USA 1884-08-29
3.
Julius Wilhelm, born 1865-05-17 in Hjo sfs. To the
USA 1888-11-09 ??
4.
Helga Edla Adolfina (Helen), born 1867-06-23 in
Falköpings sfs. To the USA 1884-08-29
5.
Richard Birger, born 1870-02-07 i Valtorp. Died
1875-03-01 in Falköping of scarlet fever.
6.
Irenes Viktor, born 1872-04-05 in Mularp. To the
USA 1912-09-24.
7.
Karl Oskar, born 1873-05-11 in Mularp. From
Stockholm to the USA 1913-08-18. Died 1926-04-
05 in Stockholm, Sweden.
8.
Charlotta Albertina Paulina (Pauline), born 1875-
06-21 in Falköpings sfs. To the USA on 1890-08-02.
9.
Richard Birger, born 1878-04-10 in Falköpings sfs.
Died 1959-1016 in Ölmstad (F). Married 1899.
10.
Nils Theodor, born 1883-04-10 in Jönköpings
Kristina. To the USA 1893-05-02.
11.
Elva Amanda Hildegard, born 1885-06-13 in
Jönköpings Kristina. To the USA 1890-08-02.
The name of the 11th child above is Elva which means
eleven.
Nils Peter followed the children to the USA (at the age
of 60) and emigrated from Sweden on 1893-05-02. Nils
Peter traveled together with his youngest son Nils
Theodor.
The above emigration dates are from the Swedish
online emigration database, EmiWeb.
Other household records where the family is listed:
•
Kyrkefalla (R) AI:10 (1862-1876) Image 87 / page
390
•
Valtorp (R) AI:5 (1860-1873) Image 126 / page 118
•
Hjo stadsförsamling (R) AI:7 (1861-1868) Image 30
/ page 21
•
Mularp (R) AI:10 (1872-1880) Image 95 / page 180
•
Falköpings stadsförsamling (R) AI:14 (1876-1880)
Image 354 / page 322b
•
Jönköpings Kristina (F) AI:61 (1881-1889) Image
220 / page 217
•
Jönköpings Sofia (F) AI:31 (1881-1889) Image 292 /
page 288
•
Jönköpings Kristina (F) AI:61 (1881-1889) Image
220 / page 217
•
Jönköpings Kristina (F) AI:72 (1890-1897) Image
206 / page 200
•
Borås (P) AIIa:39 (1911-1929) Image 329 / page
1525
Charlotta Sjöholm died on 1889-11-17 at the age of
47 of a lung disease. Below is an extract from the
Kristina parish, Jönköping, death book for November
1889:
The photo shows Charlotta Berg Sjöholm (1842 -
1889).
The photo is shown with consent of Carol Kemp, WA,
USA. Charlotta was Carol’s maternal great-
grandmother (morfars mor).
Above, Source: Jönköpings Kristina (F) F:4 (1878-1890)
Image 234.
The funeral was held on November 24. The column to
the extreme right is the cause of death column.
The Sjöholm family consisted at the time of many
young children. This must have been difficult for the
remaining members of the family. Therefore, Nils
Peter remarried on 1890-12-21 to Charlotta Maria
Petersson (b. 1837-01-13).
When Nils Peter left Sweden in 1893 for the US, only
his son Nils was with him, not his second wife. His
second wife never came to the US and died in
Sweden on 1899-05-04 in Jönköping. What’s
interesting is that he came in through Galveston,
Texas. Two of his daughters, Charlotta (Pauline) and
Helga (Helen), were living in Coleman, TX, at the time,
so probably that is the reason why.
Nils Peter was in Oklahoma in the 1900 and 1910
census. In 1915 he lives in Kansas by the name
Seaholm.
In 1920 Nils Peter, at the age of 87, applied for a US
passport and returned to Sweden to live his last years
there. In Sweden he was living in Borås where his
oldest son Johan Fredrik also lived.
However, Nils Peter only stayed in Sweden for one
year. He returned to the US on the SAL passenger
ship Drottningholm sailing from Göteborg and arrived
in New York on 22 November 1921. Then he moves in
with his oldest daughter Josefina (Hilda Perry) in
Magnum, Oklahoma. Nils Peter died on 1922-02-21
in a house fire at the home of his daughter Hilda
Perry in Mangum.
Below is an extract from the Swedish American Line
(SAL) passenger list for the steam ocean liner
Drottningholm, departing Göteborg on 12 November
1921 for New York, USA:
In the above extract we find Nils Sjöholm in the
passenger list, ticket number 12083. His age is listed
as 87.
The Sjöholm Siblings
Nils Peter Sjöholm and his wife Charlotta Berg
Sjöholm had 11 children of whom 10 lived into
adulthood. Nils Peter and 8 of the children left
Sweden for America at various points in time. Only
the oldest son Johan Fredrik and the second Richard
Birger (b. 1878) remained in Sweden. Karl Oscar
returned to Sweden after a few years and died in
Stockholm in 1926.
For more information, please go to The Sjöholm
siblings
