Rolf Kenving

Shown here are Rolf and his wife, Isa-Susanne, and their 9 year-old daughter, Isa-Saga. Isa-Saga is standing in front of her school, which looks surprisingly like Wilson Elementary School!

John Otto Bush - 1921

This studio portrait of John Otto was taken in Port Angeles, Washington, in 1921, that he had sent to his family. There is a handwritten note to the side that says, "Otto Busk left for America in 1907".

In our current day of instant communication, it is hard to imagine that this could have been the first image of Johan Otto his family had seen since he left Vemdalen, Sweden 14 years earlier.

John Otto and Magnus Bush

By 1907 John, age 20, immigrated to the United States on the ship Cedric, arriving in New York City 14 May 1907. His final destination was the home of his uncle Muns Munson in Portland, Oregon. His uncle paid for his passage to America. After arriving in Portland he worked as a janitor at the Hill Military Academy and later became a carpenter.

Magnus "Frank" immigrated to America from Liverpool, England on the ship Megantic and then crossed through Saint Alban's Canadian Border Port from Quebec, Canada to Detroit, Michigan 18 June 1910, aboard the C.P. Railroad. His ship manifest said, "His brother paid for his passage and he arrived with $25.00. He was 5'7-1/2" and had fair hair and blue eyes. He could read and write, and was a sawyer. He left behind his mother, Ingeborg Busk of Vemdalen, Sweden and was going to join his brother, Otto Busk c/o Muns Munson (Uncle) in Portland, Oregon."

Magnus never married. He worked as a logger and a construction laborer and died 15 Oct 1945 in Oregon City. Magnus "Frank" was buried 26 October 1945 in the Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Portland.

Ingeborg's House in Vemdalen

Ingeborg Tiren at her home that John Otto, Magnus and August all helped to build around 1903.

In the lower picture, Ingeborg is seated with Rolf's aunt Ingeborg Larsson, his father Vilgot Kenving (he changed his name from Larsson to Kinving because he wanted to become an actor, and another aunt, Aina Larsson.

Vilgot Kenving was both in 1923 and died in 1993 in Nordmaling. [His military suit reminds me of a picture of Dad with his father, Henry Simmons, taken in Portland.]

John Otto's grandfather, Jons Olofsson Ferag

This is Ingeborg Tiren's father, Jons Olofsson Ferag. He was a blacksmith by trade and was called Smessjons. He was born 18 May 1804 in Bruket, Ljusnedal and died 9 June 1888 in Vemdalen.

Jons' wife's name was Ingeborg Guttormsdotter, born 23 Apr 1815 in Storsjo. She died 8 Nov 1881 in Vemdalen.

John Otto's Parents - Ingeborg Tiren and Halvar Halvarsson Busk

This is the wedding photo of Ingeborg Tiren and Halvar Halvarsson Busk, taken 4 Nov 1873 in Vemdalen. The postcard shows the church where they were married. They went on to have nine children:

Magnus - 1874-1885

Kerstin - 1877-1953

Halvar - 1878-1965

August - 1880-1968

Ingeborg Elisabet - 1882-1975

Karolina - 1883-1946

Magnus (Frank) - 1885-1945

Johan Otto - 12 Apr 1887-24 Apr 1978

Margareta - 1889-1979

Hallvar, born 25 July 1842, died in Kyrkbyn 2 Dec 1889,

when his youngest child was just a month old.

Ingeborg, born 14 Feb 1855, died 29 Dec 1939 at the age of 66.

John Otto Bush

One day last spring I was puttering around on Ancestry.com, looking at all the leafs that were popping up on the family tree I had posted, mostly comprised of Bland's lines. All of a sudden it occurred to me that I could start a family tree for John Otto Bush (Dad's birth father)and maybe someone would be searching and find it. I started the tree with John Otto and added a few family members,then promptly forgot about it.

In early September, 2011, I checked my Ancestry account and couldn't believe my eyes: I had a message in Swedish! Once I discovered Google Translations, I read that Rolf Kenving's grandmother and John Otto Bush were brother and sister! The message was from my second cousin! The following day I opened my email to see, for the first time, an image of my [birth] grandfather!

Since then Rolf and I have corresponded. He has sent more pictures and then, several days ago, I received a package from him with additional photos, pages of genealogy, and a large, beautifully inscribed family tree for John Otto Busk that goes back into the 1600's. I want to share these with all of you.

In the photo above, John (born 1887) is flanked on his left by his sister, Ingeborg (born 1882). On his right is sister Margaret (born 1889). The picture was taken in Vemdalen, Sweden, on the occasion of another sister Kerstin's funeral in March, 1953. Margaret Busk is Rolf Kenving's grandmother.