Louisa Kaymens brev något förkortat:

November 28, 2008

I would like to give you a little background and you can pick out what you need. I hope that is okay. I have trouble answering your questions in just a few words!

Yes, we did come to Åland for the first time in August of 1994. As I mentioned to you, it was a very exciting time for me because I had dreamed of visiting my Nana’s (Maria Sofia Gronholm Mattsson) birth place for many years. I was very close to my Nana as she lived with us until I was 7 years old. She was a very kind, gentle person and I loved how she spoke-----her pronunciation was different than any one else in my young life and it was soothing and intriguing to me. I would often go with when she and her Gronholm sisters would get together for a visit. They were all very similar to Maria Sofia, soft and kind and when they talked it was in Swedish which felt warm and good to me and often included a lot of laughter! I also met her brothers with their deep baritone voices, also speaking Swedish. Although the men’s voices sounded intense, the mood was always jovial and they obviously enjoyed being together. I was definitely drawn to them, loved being in their company and I believe these experiences were the beginning of my awakening----of wanting to know more.

As a teenager and young adult I questioned Maria Sofia about her life and where she was born. I only wish I had listened more carefully and/or written it down. (At the time I thought I would be able to remember---ah youth!) She was quiet and never volunteered any information-----if I hadn’t asked, she would not have said anything. And much of what I do know comes from conversations with Maria Sofia’s daughter, Mae---my Mother. One of the most interesting things to me was knowing we had relatives in Aland. Who were they? Did they know about us? Why weren’t we in contact with them? We had a few family photos. One was a large photo of Albin Gronholm with his wife and four young children. The others were all of the Mattsson family. I wanted to know what happened to them and were there any cousins still living there and would they want to know us? My Mother told me the contact between Aland and Maria Sofia ended in the 1930’s after Maria Sofia’s husband died. Her husband had been very good about writing and sending photos to his Mother. I don’t know if Maria and Albin ever communicated. Albin was a tiny baby when Maria Sofia left Aland.

For years my interest never waned, but I was busy raising our family and had no time to do any research. In 1972, while I was pregnant with my sixth and last child, Maria Sofia died. (The daughter born in 1973 is named Maria Sofia). It took 20 more years for my life to calm down enough for me to finally begin researching for lost family. I wrote many letters to the Finnish & Swedish genealogical associations, Immigration, Jomala’s Priest and finally I placed an advertisement in the Aland newspaper and was fortunate to receive two responses. One was from Olga Gronholm who was married to Henry, Albin’s second child. The other letter came from Ebba Mattsson Fager on Hasse Lindblom’s side of the family. They put me in contact with other family members for which I will be forever grateful!

In 1994 our first stop was to meet Albin’s children and grandchildren in Norrtalje and Vallentuna, Sweden. When we told them our plans to take the ferry to Aland, Albin’s grandchild, Karin Eklof, offered to accompany us. We took the ferry from Grisslehamn as my excitement grew, to be finally nearing my destination. As we approached the outer islands, Karin and I went into the bow of the ferry to watch as the red granite came into view. I thought how very appropriate that Albin’s granddaughter should be accompanying Maria Sofia’s granddaughter back to the place of our ancestors. It was a special realization for me and made me feel very much a part of our larger heritage.

I felt right at home on Aland from the moment we stepped off the ferry. I had known in my heart that I would. I have to tell you a little story that my husband likes to tell. He is from Brooklyn, New York and grew up with people who like to discuss and debate---loudly at times, as many native New Yorkers do! They are assertive, don’t easily take “no” for an answer and usually get what they want! Most of our friends at that time were also New Yorkers. In our 31 years of marriage (at that time) my husband had always assumed I had a shyness “problem” and he tried to help me overcome this and be more like him. (The only way to be!!!) And I did try but it didn’t work. After our time spent with my relatives, especially on Aland------he concluded I was an Alander and there was nothing “wrong” with me. To feel that I belonged, that I was experiencing MY culture, with people who behaved as I did was enlightening to say the least. (That is; polite, quiet and not aggressive or loud). Living in the “melting pot” of USA, I never realized I had a culture! But on Aland I was enveloped in its warmth and familiarity and I loved it! Knowing the people I come from and recognizing the quiet strengths they possess, has helped me to accept and be proud of who I am and also very grateful.

And in addition to all the above revelations------to walk in my Grandmother’s footsteps was amazing! Thinking of her walking the same path to St. Olof’s Church, being in the church where she and her siblings were baptized, sitting in a pew she may have sat in, seeing the same sights, and trying to imagine life the way it was 100 years ago. Also meeting her husband, Johan Erik Mattsson’s (who died before I was born) family and sitting in the house he lived in and helped build------it was a large dream come true. I was elated and enjoyed every minute of our time there. And both sides of the family----Gronholm’s and Mattsson’s greeted us so warmly and welcomed us into their homes and their lives. And it wasn’t just me who was having this experience. My husband Samuel was enjoying the cousins, looking at the old photos, figuring out how I was related to everyone and asking SO many questions because he was interested in everything and everyone! And the cousins enjoyed Samuel, his inquisitive mind and his appreciation of their culture. I think it was Hasse who remarked, there would have been little conversation if Samuel were not there…

Samuel and I love Aland. We returned again in 1996 and brought my 85 year old Mother (Edla’s Granddaughter), our six grown children and two grandchildren. Samuel and I returned again in 1998, our last trip, but we hope to come again…

My expectations were to meet my relatives, first and foremost. I wanted to see who they were, how they lived and did they “feel” like family. And then I wanted to “experience” Aland, to see it with my own eyes after so many years of trying to imagine it. I also hoped to answer the question of why Albin Gronholm had stayed on Aland and not immigrated like his family. And the other question, why did Johan Mattsson leave Aland and all his family stayed there? I wanted and hoped to learn more about both families and their histories. And I was not disappointed----on the contrary-----it was one of the most special times of my life. To make the connection with people who WERE my family and who FELT like family. We cousins on both sides of the family, remarked to each other, “We are happy to be cousins but even if we were not related, we would want to be friends”. That is something families do not often get to share, yes?

So I hope I have answered all your questions. I would very much enjoy coming back to Mariehamn and seeing the Ross home and the place where the other Ross cottage was torn down. Although we spent quite a bit of time in Mariehamn, Jomala was the big attraction for me at that time. To delve into history, the history of my family is one of the most interesting and exciting things I can think of doing! And I will look forward to receiving the photo of Overnasstugan. Any other relevant information you may find in your research would be most welcome as well.

Gathered on the Esplanadgatan in 1996 are four generations of Ross/Gronholm/Mattsson descendents. They are in the back row, Scott, Darryn, Ananda, Rebekah, Eileen holding baby Ian, Mae (Edla’s granddaughter) and my husband Samuel. In the front are Maria Sofia, Louisa and grandson Scott.