Anna Elisabet Hauk

Anna Elisabet Hauk was difficult to find. When following the tennets of family history research the idea is to trace backward through the generations. In following this method my first clue to her identity came from the birth certificate of her son Olaf Johan Carlstom. In this Swedish record her maiden surname is recorded as HAHN.

Extract from Swedish birth record Olaf Johan Carlström 22nd April 1891

The next clue to her identity was from Olaf's Application for Certificate of Naturalization in 1939, stating that the nationality of his mother prior to her marriage was Swedish.

Extract from the Application for Certificate of Naturalization made by John Olaf Carlstrom in 1939

Using this information I was unable to find any trace of her until I finally paid to look at the Swedish census records. These records show her name as Carlstrom nee Hauk, finally giving me the clues I needed to find more about her birth, life and death.

Anna Elisabet Hauk was born on the 21st of April 1859 in Reus Bohmen Tyskland (now Czech Republic). I have been unble to find record of this town and suspect that a translation error has been made at some point. Unfortunately without this information it is impossible at this point to find an original birth record.

Anna arrived in Sweden from her home in Carlsbad, Bohemia ( now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic) on the 25th of March 1882 and took up residence in Lissma Stockholm. On the 4th of May 1882 Anna marries Nils Olsson Karlström, a Tanner, in Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.
The marriage was approved by Anna's brother Shoemaker Johan Hauk and her mother, Innkeeper and widow Maria Hauk, both residents of Carlsbad Bohemia. Anna and Nils return to live in Halmstad, Halland, Sweden where Nils had been living since 1877.

On the 11th February 1883, their first child, Emmy Maria Karlström is born in Halmstad. Her birth is closely followed by the birth of a second daughter Eleonora Anna Katartina Karlström on the 22nd June 1884.

At some point prior to 1890 the family move to Helsingborg, Skåne, Sweden. The Swedish census of 1890 show the family living at Qvarnen 11, Helsingborg and Nils is now employed as a Baker. It is here in the following year that their next child, a son, Olaf Johan Carlström is born on the 22nd of Arpil 1891.

On the 1st of October 1892, Anna loses her husband Nils to a fatal accident, leaving her widowed with 3 children. It is not known how she supported her family during this time, living in several locations in Helsingborg over the next few years.

John Erik Carlstrom, German birth record, Charlottensburg 23rd Oct 1897

 In 1897 Anna travels to Germany where she gives birth to a son John Erik Karlström in Charlottensburg, Berlin on the 5th of October that year. No Father’s name is given in the birth record and there is no record of Anna travelling to Germany in this period. The child is not seen on the 1900 Swedish census nor does he appear to have been bought up as part of the family. John Erik shows up in Stockholm records in 1922 and has some military history in Sweden from about 1917.

In 1898 the family move to Kristinehall 8 in Helsingborg. It is during this period that Anna marries for a second time to Jöns Assarsson, a Music Teacher nine years her junior, on the 22^nd April 1900. This marriage produces a daughter Sonja Assarsson, born on the 3^rd of October 1900.

Anna lives the rest of her life in Helsingborg. Her eldest daughter Emmy, also stays in or around Helsingborg. The next daughter Eleonora moves to Stockholm and Olaf Johan emigrates to Australia. Sonja's movements are not known at this stage. Records also show John Erik spending some time in Helsingborg in the late 1920's. It would be interesting to know if he knew his Mother.

Nya Krykogatan, Helsingborg. Personal photograph of the author.

Anna dies on the 23rd of January 1937 of Heart and Kidney disease. On the 30th January she is buried in the Nya Krykogatan (New Cemetery), Helsingborg, in the family grave of her son in law Bror Gotthard Elversson.

Personal photograph of the author.