Augusta Marie Anderson. Born: 21 Jun 1865 in """"Kopparberg"""" - to US 1883

[Lisa Robinson]

I am looking for information about Augusta Marie Anderson. Born: 21 Jun 1865 in Kopparberg, Sweden. Died: 22 Jan 1935 in Yakima, Washington. She is the daughter of Andrew Anderson and Fredericke Messig.  
     Augusta emigrated from Sweden in 1883 to the United States, maybe through Philadelphia.  She came to the USA for an arranged marriage, but rejected that suitor.  I think she worked as a domestic servant.  Somehow she got to Duluth, Minnesota, by 1900, where she married Gustav C. Kohagen and they moved to Yakima by 1920 according to the censuses.  
     I've always admired her spunk and would love to find out about our family in Sweden.  Unfortunately I don't read Swedish (yet?) and I'm confused because it seems that Kopparberg could be the town, or also a county--and it may be part of Dalarna now.  Is this correct and can anyone give me some hints on how to find out if Kopparberg is or isn't her hometown?  Thank you!  Lisa Robinson, lahrdesign@aol.com

[Peter Karlsson / anbytarvärd (Peter)]

Here's some comments that i've just mailed to Lisa (which I helped to post this query above..)
 
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Regarding Kopparberg it often means the county (län) Kopparbergs län -which is the same area as the province (landskap) of Dalarna.  
BUT - the name Kopparberg might also mean the parish (socken) Kopparberg (one of two parishes in the city of Falun), also in Dalarna..
 
There's also a little possibility that it can be the parish of Ljusnarberg, which is also called Nya Kopparberg.. That parish is situated just south of Dalarna, in the province of Västmanland.
 
-When I had a look in the swedish census 1890 for the uncommon name 'Messig' I find a couple of families called 'Messing' in the parish of Ljusnarsberg (or Nya Kopparberg) - so maybe it can be the name Messing instead..? (I've hard to believe that 'Messig' is the correct name.)
 
'Messing' is most propably an old military name; in english it's brass (the metal). In modern swedish we spell it 'Mässing'.
(But of course it's not sure this is the correct name, but you'll find out later I hope.. :-)
 
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-With the spelling 'mässing' there is really a lot of persons in Ljusnarberg/Nya Kopparberg - so maybe that's the place..! (Someone who can check in the emigrantCD maybe can find out this quickly..)
 
The 1890 census for Ljusnarsberg let us know that there was an Anders Andersson, born 1817 and a Fredrika Persdotter, born 1828. This could be the right parents (if Fredrika is daughter to a Per Messing/Mässing)..

[Eva Dahlberg]

I've tried to find Augusta Marie Andersson or Andersdotter on the CD Emigranten, but without success. There is no obvious match with the name and 1883 as year of emigration as search parameters, nor with Ljusnarsberg or Nya Kopparberg as last parish in Sweden in 1883 as parameters. But the cd deoesn't cover all emigrants, so asking someone to check the birth records could be worth while.
Reagrds,
/Eva

[Lisa Robinson]

I have just posted two family photos of Augusta Marie Anderson Kohagen on a webpage at:
http://www.hpphoto.com/servlet/com.hp.HPGuestLogin?username=lahrdesign@aol.com&password=28830991
 
I also included a picture of a postcard of the Sanatoriet in Kopparberg there.  I would love to know if anyone has information about this place  and if there are any records available about patients or staff.  The postcard has writing on the back that I could use help with translating, too. This postcard was glued in Augusta's family photo album, so there must be some kind of a connection.

[Anne-Marie Lloyd]

Hello Lisa,
I have a several of Messings from Kopparberg in my family research. The name Fredrik and Fredrika is quite common in this family. I have not access to the books from Ljusnarsberg at that time, but I am sure if you post a question under  
Landskap=Västmanland and Parish=Ljusnarsberg  somebody could help you find Fredrika?s parents and perhaps her parents. If you get these names I would be happy to help you with ancestors in the Mässing family further back in time.  
 
I tried to look at the photos you?ve mentioned, but did not get access. Do you know who has written the postcard?
 
Regards
Anne-Marie

[Lisa Robinson]

It turned out the postcard had the Swedish Anthem on the back--so there were not any hints about family members included there!  
 
I need to try to order any documents about Augusta that were recorded in Duluth, Minnesota to see if her mother's maiden name is included on any of them--that would help to prove or disprove the Messing/Messig connection.  Thank you to everyone that gave me help already!