Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Wedding Wednesday - Hanging out with the guests of a royal wedding (perhaps)

Imagine you are a 20 year old female in 1928. You are born in a small place in the south of Sweden called Södra Rörum.

So, your aunt Anna came to visit. She moved to America and Chicago a year before you were born. You decide to go with her when she goes back to Chicago.  When you and your aunt get on the ship Gripsholm you realize there are some quite well-known people going to New York as well.

Creme de la creme of Swedish society of that time, H. R. H Gustaf Adolf and H. R. H Sigvard at the time aged 22 and 21, princes of Sweden. Count Carl Bernadotte as Wisborg, Countess Marianne Bernadotte af Wisborg, Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg. Count Carl and Countess Ebba Bonde, Capitain Rolf Magnus von Heidenstam, Baron Carl-Erik von Platen and Baroness Gunhild von Platen,  Erik Olof von Platen, Count Nils Wachmeister with his wife Countess Märtha among others.

They are all headed to friend Edvard Manville, Pleasantville, New York for his daughter Estelle Manvilles' wedding on December 1, 1928. She married Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg. 1500 people were invited to the wedding and it was the first time a member of an European Royal family got married in America.

Estelle Manville, Wedding 1928. Public Domain photo:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Estelle_manville_wedding.jpg

Olga Elisabeth Olsson was born on July 18 in 1908. When she was seven her mother Ellen Elisabeth Svensson died. Olga grew up with her father Johan Olsson, born in 1881, who was a farmer. Six year after his wife died he got married to Ida Larsson. From 1922 to 1930 Ida and Johan have six children.

In 1927 his sister Anna comes to Sweden on a visit. She went to America in 1907 and became a US citizen in 1923. When Anna goes back to America in 1928, Olga goes with her. And that is when they get on the same ship as the bridegroom Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg and some of the guests of the wedding between Folke and Estelle, sailing from Gothenburg on November 16 and arriving in New York on November 26, five days before the wedding.

Swedish princes on the passenger list

Aunt Anna Olson on line 3

20-year old Olga Elisabeth Olsson from Södra Rörum going to Chicago and America in 1928

Olga Elisabeth Olson was a cousin of my grand aunts husband. What happened to Olga after she arrived in America, I don't know. Yet.

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