Johanna Carolina Hellsten, the Rest of the Story

If you've been reading the saga about Johanna Carolina Hellsten and Uno Kempff, you'll notice there are some time gaps that we do not know all the details. This post will fill in all of the details that we know about Johanna, after many posts on Uno Kempff and his shenanigans with the law.

What do we know about Johanna, the oldest daughter born to Carl (Kalle) Hellsten and Johanna Sparr on 25 February 1851 in Nikolai Parish, Örebro, Sweden?

What did she do with her life?

She was 16 when her family fell on hard times in Sweden.  She wrote to her uncle in America, describing her talent for handwork in her father's brewery and general store (which had gone bankrupt), appealing for funds to travel and help once she arrived.  Eric Adolf Helsten had immigrated to USA in 1845, his mother died in 1863. His brother Manne (Theodor Emanual) Hellsten had managed their mother's estate and there was a small amount of money due to Eric. Eric agreed to have his niece Johanna borrow those funds.  Eric knowing the "reduced circumstances" of his brother Carl's family, he has his brother Manne send the funds to their sister Lovis who lives nearby to Johanna's family and who will give the money to Johanna when she is ready to travel.


She was a young woman of 17 when she immigrated to Gaylordsville, Connecticut arriving in New York City on 22 April 1868.  Her uncle had alerted Castle Island of her upcoming arrival and they notifiied him of her arrival.  Eric finds a job for her working for the Bostwick family in Gaylordsville.  She agrees to a two year commitment to work as a domestic servant for them.

Bostwick family in 1870 US Census, New Milford (Gaylordsville),
Connecticut.  Johanna is listed as a domestic servant.

She was just 21 when she ran away from Gaylordsville to New York City  -- nary a goodbye or thank you to her helpful uncle.
The Bostwick family tells Eric how they liked her so much the first year, and Maria Bostwick's mother (probably the Eunice Sanford, age 71, above) liked  her so much that she gave her a tip at the end of her service in her final pay.

Her own family was very worried that Johanna connected with Uno Kempff, someone who was from the same town in Sweden, but who had a criminal past.  He had been writing her asking her to help him find work -- much to her family's dismay.
She ran off to New York City in 1871, and we have no record of her meeting up with Uno in 1871, but we have no proof that she didn't.  The next time we find Johanna is in 1874, coming back to NYC on a ship from Hull, England with Uno, pretending or actually being his wife.
Since Uno was married to another woman back in Sweden and living with yet another woman and possibly fathering that other woman's child, one wonders about the relationship between Uno and Johanna in 1874.  The family had heard a rumor in 1871, that Johanna had not only run off to NYC but had also married Uno.

I have not found Johanna Carolina Hellsten (Johanna, Hannah, Caroline, Carolina) in New York City in 1871, however, I did find her multiple times from 1875-1877 -- advertising her services as a dressmaker.
The first one was in the New York Herald on 31 August 1875:

In August 1875, she is a "Dressmaker" who can do all kinds of family sewing by the day at a reasonable price, in a couple of weeks (14 Sept.) she is a "Competent Dressmaker," who is available by the day or week at a moderate price, with references.  Sounds like she had some practice that first couple of weeks.  By 5 December, she is not only competent she can "make old dresses over equal to new."

By 24 September 1876, she is not only a competent had seamstress, she now advertises her ability to operated any machine.  She has also moved to 88 Clinton Street, from 27 Bond, of last year.

Then, the final listing I find for her as a dressmaker, is 24 April 1877, she is now at
111 WEST 11TH ST. -- FIRST-CLASS DRESSMAKER 
to go out by the day, or will take work home; best ref-
erence.                                                  Miss HELSTEN.


So, maybe she went home to Sweden after she ran away to New York City for some reason and was never mentioned in any of the many family letters to Eric Helsten (that I had translated and put in the book, A Ring and a Bundle of Letters), came back to New York with Uno Kempff, and then stayed and worked as a dressmaker.

In each of these ads, she is Miss J. C. Helsten, or Miss Helsten, not "Mrs. anyone."
Was traveling as Uno's wife, a convenience to get from Europe to New York and not appear to anyone as a single woman, or maybe not?
Who knows, I don't.

So, did Johanna stay in NYC and live happily ever after?
We have one final clue about Johanna ....
The 1910 Census for Brooklyn, New York, 60 Gates Avenue, in a three-family building, lives
Caroline J Hellsten,

She is now called Caroline J Hellsten, 58, single, never had any children.
Go to the next page of the census and you'll find she had Albert F Faberstedt, 45, also from Sweden living there as a boarder.  He is listed as married for 20 years, naturalized having came to the USA in 1887.   Albert is working as a painter.

She came in 1892, but is not naturalized.  She is working as a cook, was employed on
15 April 1910, but was out of work for 24 weeks in 1909.  She rents her home.

Notice, she is not naturalized.  No surprise.
From 1855 to 1922, a woman took the citizenship of her husband, so in order to become a US citizen, Johanna would have had to have married someone who was a citizen (birthright or naturalized).

[I wrote a blog post about how a woman could lose her US citizenship.  Marian L Smith’s wrote two fascinating articles tracing women’s naturalization from 1802 through 1940. These are in Prologue Magazine. Read the first and click through to the second one.]

Neither Malin Klangeryd nor I have found anything more about Johanna Carolina Hellsten. No marriages, no deaths. No other census listing, no passages to and from Europe (should be something if "came in 1892").

I'll write again, if we find anything.


©2015, Erica Dakin Voolich
The link to this post is http://genea-adventures.blogspot.com/2015/06/johanna-carolina-hellsten-rest-of-story.html

Uno Kempff … Family Scandal or Family Friend?

Back to the family scandal!

Johanna left Gaylordsville without repaying her Uncle Eric for her passage, as promised!

Johanna lied about where she was going and what she would be doing!

Johanna has gone to New York City possibly to be with Uno Kempff.

Her uncle tried to discourage her, but she left her life as a domestic servant as soon as her agreed upon two years ended.  Without even a goodbye, she was gone … gone to New York City.

Johanna's Uncle Eric Helsten

who paid her way to USA and

found her work and was upset

with her sudden departure from

Gaylodsville for New York City.

So, who was Uno Kempff that the family was so concerned with?

With the great Swedish research skills of Malin Klangeryd, we know a little something about Kempff and his misdeeds.  There are some gaps, but here is what we know about him.

His full name was Knut Uno Kempff. He was born 8 September 1826 in Örebro. 

He was married 27 October 1854 to Johanna Lovisa Juberg (sometimes called Sophia Lovisa) (born 10 March 1827 in Saint Lars parish, Linköping county). They had three children who each died at a young age:

1. Anders Gustaf Uno (born 9 June 1855 in Nyköping – died 31 March of croup in Almbro, Gällersta)

2. Knut Frithiof (born 13 December 1856 in Vaksala – died 17 April 1863 of scarlet fever in Almbro, Gällersta)

3. Unus Alfred Louis (born 12 January 1861 in Gällersta parish – died 4 April 1863 of scarlet fever on Almbro, Gällersta).

Uno Kempff and his wife Sofia (Johanna) Lovisa Juberg are twenty-five years older than our Johanna Caroline Hellsten — they are old enough to be her parents!

How did they meet? Did they know each other in Sweden?

Malin has constructed a timeline of what she knows about Uno Kempff’s whereabouts from various official records:

•   1826 born in Örebro

•   1854-1855, living lat first city block farm nr 66-68 in Nyköping’s west parish. Uno works as a merchant. 

•   1854 Uno married Johanna/Sofia Lovisa Juberg

•   1855, son born in Nyköping

•   1856, son born in Vaksala

•   1860: living in Vaksala parish

•   1861, son born in Gällersta

•   1860-21 May1869: living in Almbro (Gällersta parish, Örebro County)

•   21 May 1869 – in Stockholm

•   17 April 1874-: departure from Göteborg to Hull, England on the ship Orlando. Destination New York

•   1880 -1882: living Västergötland 5 i Maria Magdalena parish in Stockholm, working as shop assistant. Living alone  

•   12 August 1882: Departure to America through Hull, England

There is a gap here in the above timeline from 1869 to 1874 when Uno Kempff leaves for New York City.  The family was worried that he was already in New York City. 

Uno Kempff leaves for NYC twice, once in 1874 and then in 1882.  When did he return?   What was he doing in NYC and Sweden that might concern Johanna C Hellsten’s family.

… and Johanna Hellsten's timeline while growing up with her parents:

•   1851, born in Nikolai parish, Örebro

•   1856 – 15 June 1863: living at plot no. 100 (Örebro, North Nikolai parish)

•   15 June 1863 – 15 November 1867: living at Norra Bro 6 (Gällersta parish)

•   15 November 1867 – 27 March 1868: living at Almbro (Gällersta parish)

•   22 April 1868, Johanna arrives in New York.

Johanna officially moves 3.5 Km with her family to Almbro (Gällersta parish, Örebro County) on 15 November 1867,  the day after she returned her travel document allowing her to go to North America.  She first got her travel paperwork a week before and had the travel money from Uncle Eric already there being held by aunt Lovis.  

Already living in Almbro when the Hellsten family arrived, was Uno Kempff and his wife.  It was close enough that the families might have known each other already. Her family ran a general store before her father went bankrupt, maybe Kempff's family had been customers.

Was her abrupt delay of travel because she had met Kempff when her family planned their move?  Was Kempff going to be the spring traveling companion she would have that her father Carl mentioned in his letter of February 1868?  I’m not sure we’ll ever know the answer to that question. 

Malin Klangeryd found this 1861 local newspaper coverage:

Tidning för Wenersborgs stad och län 1861-01-21 [Newspaper för Wenersborgs city and county]

http://magasin.kb.se:8080/searchinterface/page.jsp?id=kb:212466&recordNumber=10&totalRecordNumber=11 

"Severe sentence. Norrlands-Posten [Norrlands newspaper] from Gefle [Gävle] says: grain traider Uno Kempff, which prosecution by the court last year, for deceit and fraud in trade, aroused great attention, and whom by the Municipal Court was sentenced to compensate claimants and witnesses, and to one and a half years in prison, has recently got his sentence by the Court of Appeal; the verdict is not less than four months in prison - a true warning for those who feel tempted to walk in Kempff's footsteps”

We should add this to the Uno Kempff timeline above, 

• 1861,  a stay in prison at hard labor and also financial restitution for his deceit and fraud in trade as a grain trader.

When Carl and his wife Johanna Sparr moved to Almbro, did they know the history of Kempff from the early 1860s?  Or, did they just become friends with someone who was a friendly neighbor or colleague?

Kempff has served time for forgery and fraud!  

Our Johanna Hellsten would NOT have been in the same town as Kempff was when he got caught using deceit and fraud with his grain clients.  Besides, she would have been a young child at that time.  Her parents might not even have known what Kempff's 1861 history of what was probably a friendly neighbor or businessman.  

But there’s even more to tell about our charming Kempff.

©2015, Erica Dakin Voolich

The link to this blog is http://genea-adventures.blogspot.com/2015/05/uno-kempff-family-scandal-or-family.html

Living up to Expectations … or Not!

Imagine a young woman in Sweden in 1867.  Her parents say they can’t keep all four kids because of reduced circumstances.  It was not unusual for her younger siblings to be living with various Hellsten aunts and uncles from time to time when life got tough.
Her father ran a store and a brewery before he went bankrupt. As the oldest child, clearly she worked in the family businesses when she says she was “used to brewing, commerce, and rough work.”
She is 17, the oldest, and decides to take charge of her life. She writes her “rich” uncle in “employer America” where “no one finds fault with one’s honest work” to loan her the money to go there where, as her father says, “hard work and frugality is a way to blessing.”
She is an adult in her mind, independent.
"America here I come!”

Johanna goes to Gaylordsville, where her uncle lives.  A rural town, about 85 miles from New York City.

Fast forward 2 years.
Johanna isn’t satisfied with the life of a domestic servant.
Uncle Eric tries to advise her, but she “just won’t listen.”
Just like a 20-year-old today who thinks she knows everything and won’t listen to her parents, she is not listening to the advice of her uncle who probably feels obligated to act like a parent for his young niece.

Our first hint of a problem was a draft of a letter that Eric wrote to his sister Lovis back in Sweden.
Eric didn’t leave drafts of his letters along with the letters that he saved from his siblings and mother that I used to put together my book, A Ring and a Bundle of Letters.  It would have been wonderful to have his letters with his news and responses to his mother and siblings, but only this one survived.

Gaylordsville  8 Jan 1871

Dear Sister Lovis,

I'm taking this moment to write to you to let you know that I am well and that all of mine have the health, and that we all wish you a good new  year.

Nothing has changed with us here except that Johanna has left the place where she has been for two  years.  But where she is now I do not know.  When her time was up the 13th of Dec. she went to New York unexpectedly to me.  She told Mrs Bostwick that I had found her a position in a factory in Danbury (a town 16 Engl. miles from here) which was a lie, and from others I heard later that she had told them different places that she was moving to.  The 8th of Dec. she told me, when I saw her the last time, that there were several good positions where they would like to have her and that she would stay with the Bostwicks 2 or 3 weeks after her time was up.
I know that she went to New York because a shopkeeper in New Milford went to New York the same day and he had seen her in the steam wagon when he disembarked there.  

The reason why she left her position in this manner I do not know.  I went to the Bostwicks later, after I heard that she was not longer there.  Mrs Bostwick told me that she liked Hanna very much the first year, but the second  year she did not like her as well, as she had made so many acquaintances with the other girls there.  

Hannah had received a letter from a Mr. Kemf in the first year that she was with the Bostwicks.  The first letter that he wrote to her came to me in an envelope.  I mailed it to Hannah, and he wanted Hannah to find him a job where she was.  But I told Hannah to write to him and tell him that there was no position for him, which she did.    Later I heard that he had written to her and she to him.  And then I was allowed to read a letter from you to Hannah about him, and at the same time a piece that was cut from a newspaper that had been sent to  Mrs. Ericson (I think that was the name) that she had company with her from Sweden,  she sent the clippings to Hannah -- I read this at the Bostwicks about his deeds, and more.  I admonished her in their presence not to write to Kemf any more, I said that if she wanted to have anything written to him, then I would like to write for her to let him know that we know everything about him.  Later Mr. Bostwick told me that they had told Hannah to send him the piece from the newspaper about his deeds and his portrait which she had, she said that she had some so, and she told me that she had done so, which pleased me.  If she later had a letter from him, or he from her, I do not know.   

Last February Hannah had earned almost 300 dollars since she came to America, but she had not saved any money, she liked pretty clothes, more expensive than she needed.  I talked to her about that several times.  About 2 months before she left she bought a large trunk, which cost about 7 dollars, which she has filled with her clothes.  I do hope she won't lose it when she came to New York and also doesn't lose herself, this has worried me right  much since there are all sorts of people in such a city.  She had paid me 40 dollars the 9th of July 1870, that is all that she has paid me.  --- when Mr. Bostwick had paid her 17 dollars that remained of her yearly pay, Mrs Bostwick's mother gave her 5 dollars as a present.  I expect that this is all she had.  It was not much to go to New York with.  But there is nothing to hinder her to do well if she wants to, it depends only on her, whether she does well or badly.  

There was a girl who lived on the next farm that she was acquainted with, who moved back to New York, maybe Hanna had agreed with her to meet her in New York and she did not want me to know about it.  She  probably knew I would not like it.  I hope that she will write to me, if she does not write I will not know what to think.  

If you should receive a letter from her so write to me so that I can write to her.  Let me know what Mrs. Ericson's address is if  you can find out, maybe she will go there when she has some money.  I thought it best to write to you to let you know how it is, maybe we will find her out.  Maybe it is better not to let her know I wrote you about her, but you can do as you like about that.

I remain your brother Eric

Almost 7 months later, Lovis replies to Eric’s concerns about Johanna, 29 July 1871:

Pålsboda .. Svennevad 29 July 1871

Dear Brother Eric,

Thank you for your letter, I should have answered it a long time ago.  It was sad to hear that Hannah could behave in such a bad manner especially towards you who has been so good to her.  We informed her parents as soon as I got your letter.  As I didn’t know Mrs. Ericksson or her relatives, I heard later from Kalle that he had answered you as he had promised me and left Mrs. Ericksson’s and Mr Kempfs’ address.  

I learned from a paper that Kempfs was made president in a society that he started to help Swedes who arrive in the US.  Could that be something good he’s doing since I have heard that Hanna is supposed to be married to Kempfs.  He brought Miss Bor with him when he escaped from Sweden. ...

Mr Uno Kempff
Nort America
Care of Kapten Jåsen
New York
No 2 Borsling grem [maybe Bowling Green]
Box 4,542.

Mr Erik Eriksson
Lansing.
Allamaka County
Box 19 jöwa
Nort America

Johanna, age 20, has been rebelling this past year.
Her practical-minded uncle, didn’t want her spending money on fancy clothes; but she did so anyway.
She borrowed money for her passage from her uncle, but she didn’t repay him most of it.
Johanna has run off to New York City without even saying goodbye to the family and lying about where she was going!

She’s been corresponding with a man, Uno Kempff, that she might have married once she got to New York!
A Swedish family friend, Mrs Eriksson in New York City tried to warn Johanna about Uno Kempff.
Uncle Eric tried to discourage her, practically forbid, this relationship after learning about this Swede — described in Swedish paper for his misdeeds.
Kempff “escaped from Sweden”


What did Kempff do that resulted in his need to escape?

Unfortunately the newspaper clippings didn’t get saved with all the letters!
Remember, they were shown and given to Johanna to convince her of Kempff’s misdeeds!

∞∞∞∞∞

For  years, this is where the story ended, for me.  I couldn’t find any information about Kempff.  Then last November I received an email from a distant Swedish cousin, Malin Klangeryd, who is also descended from Eric Helsten’s parents, Eric Hellsten (1786-1839) and Lovisa Charlotta Robert (1795-1863).  She was also researching this Hellsten family.  Ironically, she is descended from Eric’s sister Erica.

Malin Klangeryd lives in Sweden and knows how to search the archives.  She has found our mystery man, Uno Kempff.

©2015, Erica Dakin Voolich
The link to this page is http://genea-adventures.blogspot.com/2015/05/living-up-to-expectations-or-not.html