Matson Project
Matson-Krafve Line
By Don Taylor

Joseph Alvar Krafve

Joseph Alvar Krafve was born on 14 March 1863 in Eriksbyn, Västra Götaland, Sweden, as the seventh child of Josef Olsson Krafve and Maja Andersdotter. He had eight siblings: Jonas, Anders, Olof Wilhelm, Charlotta, Johan Gustaf, Carl William, Ida Kristina, and Johan Oskar. When he was 27, he married Inga Maria Person on 29 November 1890 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, USA (Performed by Carl J Peter’, a minister of the Gospel – Witnesses: Peter Peterson, Nels A. Peterson). He died on 21 January 1924 in Rhinelander, Oneida, Wisconsin, USA (At home of daughter & son-in-law – Mr. and Mrs. Hjalmer Kragtorp).

Names and places can become confusing when you trace an ancestor back to Europe. Joseph Alvar Krafve confused me a little. The first records I found for him spelled his name as Josef, so I used that spelling. Later, I found other records that spelled it Joseph. It’s not a problem, as both spellings are pronounced the same. When his middle name is provided, it is almost always Alvar, but I found his birth record indicated Alwar. After some quick research, I learned that in Swedish, “V” and “W” are considered two graphic variants of the same letter, and they only became two distinct letters a few decades ago.

Joseph Alvar Krafve (via Ancestry)

Similarly, I got confused by the place names. Some records indicate Joseph was born in Eriksbyn, Västra Götaland, and others say Skållerud, Älvsborg. I learned that Älvsborg & Västra Götaland are the same place. Eriksbyn is a third-level administrative division, while Skållerud is a village about 10 miles away. My guess is that he was born in Skållerud, and the birth was registered in Eriksby. I would love to hear from someone who knows the area and the records there.[I]

Joseph Alvar Krafve is in my Matson Project Family Tree, Family Search profile 9VZV-J97, and 53 Ancestry Public Trees[II].

List of Grandparents

• Grandmother: Hildur Christina Krafve(1895-1976)
• 1^st Great-grandfather: Joseph Alvar Krafve (1863-1924)
• 2^nd Great-grandfather: Joseph Krafve (1830-___)[III]

Joseph Alvar Krafve (1863-1924)

Birth

Joseph was born on 14 March 1863 in Skållerud, Älvsborg (Västra Götaland), Sverige (Sweden).

Children of Joseph Olsson and Maja (Andersdotter) Krefve (Siblings)

Immigration

Joseph immigrated to the United States in 1881 and settled in Minnesota.

Marriage

Joseph married Inga Maria “Mary” Person in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 29 November 1890. Carl J Peter’, a minister of the Gospel, performed the ceremony. The witnesses were Peter Peterson & Nels A. Peterson.

Children of Joseph & Mary Krefve

Adulthood

After his marriage to Mary, the young couple lived in Minneapolis, MN, where his first five children were born. About 1902, the family moved to Troy, Idaho, where his two youngest children were born. Mary died in 1904, and Joseph moved back to Minnesota. He lived in Maple Ridge from about 1906 to 1910. He then moved to Mankato and lived there until about 1916. In 1916, Joseph moved to Minneapolis.   

Death/Burial.

Marker – Joseph Alvar Krafve (1963-1924)

Joseph went to visit his daughter, Emma, for Christmas in 1923. While there, he took sick and died there on 21 January 1924. His funeral was held at Dalbo Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, and he was buried in Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Maple Ridge, Isanti County, Minnesota.

Events by Location

• Sweden, Västra Götaland, Skållerud – Birth, 1863-1880
• U.S., Idaho – 1899-1906
• U.S., Minnesota, Blue Earth County, Mankato – 1911-1916
• U.S., Minnesota, Hennepin County – 1890
• U.S., Minnesota, Hennepin County, Minneapolis – 1900, 1916-1924
• U.S., Minnesota, Isanti County, Maple Ridge – 1906-1911, Burial
• U.S., Wisconsin, Oneida County, Rhinelander – Death (1924)

Actions / Follow-up

• Determine the maiden name of Joseph Arthur Krafve’s wife, Edith V.
• Determine the first name of Alma Eugenia Krafve’s husband, Mr. Gustafson.
• Do a deep dive into Joseph Alvar Krefve’s life.

Sources

• 1900 Census, Family Search, Joseph A Krefve, Head – Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota. “United States, Census, 1900”, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9SK-KYY.
• 1910 Census, Ancestry.Com – Maple Ridge, Isanti, Minnesota; Roll: T624_707; Page: 16b; Enumeration District: 0051; FHL microfilm: 1374720.
• Alien Registration of 1918, Iron Range Research Center, 1005 Discovery Drive, Chisholm, MN 55719, Joseph Krafve – Registration 1918, Roll 228, Frame 0187.
• com, U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947 (Lehi, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017), Ancestry.com, Karl Per Harold Krafve – b. 18 September 1900.
• Find-a-Grave, Joseph Alvar Krafve – Memorial 94050289. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94050289/joseph_alvar-krafve accessed 4 December 2024)
• Idaho, Certificate of Birth, Melville Ephraim Krafve – 30 December 1902 – Idaho State Department of Health; Boise, Idaho; Idaho Birth Index, 1861-1919.
• Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949, Family Search, Joseph A Krafve. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKNP-RG3
• Minnesota, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980, com, Joseph Arthur Krafve – 23 May 1893. Source Information
• “Sweden, Household Examination Books, 1880-1930”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLKV-19QL : Sun 25 August 05:29:19 UTC 2024), Entry for Joseph Olsson Krafve and Maja Andersd:r, from 1876 to 1880.
• “Sweden, Household Examination Books, 1880-1930”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLKK-D9MR : Sun 25 August 05:13:07 UTC 2024), Entry for Joseph Olsson Krafve and Maja Andersdr., from 1881 to 1885.
• “Sweden, Household Examination Books, 1880-1930”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLKK-V99Q : Sun 25 August 05:05:10 UTC 2024), Entry for Josef Olsson Krafve and Maja Andersdotter, from 1886 to 1890.
• Genline AB; Johanneshov, Sweden; GID Number: 100015.50.9000; Roll/Fiche Number: SC-870 – Ancestry.com – https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2262/records/191290326

Endnotes

[I] Eriksbyn is a third-order administrative division in Melleruds Kommun. Melleruds Kommun is a second-order administrative Region Vaestra Goetaland.[I] Is a primary administrative region in Sweden.
[II] Ancestry Public Trees – This number changes. It is the number of trees on the day I was writing this sketch.
[III] Tentative Name & Facts – I have not verified this ancestor.