Month: March 2018

Eskil Bååv

This is Eskil Lorentz Bååv, my paternal grandfather’s first cousin. My grandfather died in 1933, and after that no one knew, or spoke of, his original family. I discovered the Bååv family through the Swedish church records. Eskil’s mother was Ada (1855-1951), my grandfather’s maternal aunt. Ada was 16 when my grandfather was born, and I’m pretty sure she helped take care of him. Both Ada and her sister Johanna, my grandfather’s mother, worked as maids from when they were young. “Maid” (piga) was a catch-all title that referred to female domestic and farming workers.

The railroad expanded to Falköping, where they lived, in the 1860s. Johanna used the railroad to find work away from home. Ada married a man whose occupation is listed as “wagon greaser”, a railroad worker.

Ada and her husband Johan Alfred Bååv moved to Göteborg, where they had a large family. Eskil was one of the youngest kids. He spent most of his life working for the railroads. He died in 1948 i Göteborg.

July 10, 1871

      Trädgårdsgatan, Hästtorget, Falköping, in the 1930s.

My paternal grandfather Karl Adolf (or, later in life, Carl Adolf) was born in Falköping. Skaraborg, Sweden, on July 10, 1871. At the time his mother, grandfather, and teenage aunt were living in a small house in Trädgårdsgatan at Hästtorget. I’m guessing he was born at home.

In the 1870s Hästtorget, or Hästbacken as it was known, was right outside town. It was, and still is, a large, open, sloping, area. In the old days it was used for markets. ‘Hästtorget’ translates to ‘horse square.’

From Trädgårdsgatan you have a clear view all the way across town to the mountains on the other side. I am sure in the 1870s the interior of a small old wooden house was dark, cramped, smelly, and dirty. But the view. I hope it lifted some spirits.