Anton Bennettson Longshoreman

[Alyssa English Tway]

I am Arnold Roepken's cousin. He wrote the below post back in 2005. Since then I have found the marriage certificate of Anton Bennettson. He was married to Sarah Ellen Wood in 1886 in NY
He lists his name on the marriage certificate as Anton Bernalson, his parents as Frans Gustav Bernalson and Mary Peterson.Both parents are born in Sweden. In the 1900 Census his birthdate is May 1859,his immigration year is listed as 1876 and he is not a naturalized citizen. His occupation is Longshoreman however we know from reports of his death that he did work as a ship's carpenter . I have reached out to the American Longshoreman union to see if he was a member. I was unable to find anything on a Longshoreman union in Sweden . Does anyone know if there was  a labor union for longshoreman/dock workers in Sweden in the 1870's? 

I am looking for information about my wife's farfar, Anton Bengtsson, aka Anthony Bennett or Anton Bennettson. He was a Swedish seaman who jumped ship in New York City in about 1880. We have checked all available sources within the USA for information about him, without much success. He was not recorded on any USA census until 1920, his marriage certificate cannot be found, only the birth certificates of two of his eight children and his death certificate have been found and they only give his place of birth as Sweden.

Is there a register of Swedish seamen where he may have been recorded and where his jumping ship in New York may be recorded? This would seem to be my only hope in finding the right Anton Bengtsson. His death certificate says he died in New York on May 9th, 1910 at the age of 49. This would have made his birth date about 1861. But on the birth certificate of one son, born in 1888, it gives the father's age as 32 and this would make his birth date 1856.

I would deeply appreciate any assistance or advise you can give me.

[Marianne Karlsson]

Perhaps his parents are able to find in Sweden, census 1880. Or in Swedish Death index if they died later than 1901.
"Bernalson" is not a name here, maybe Bengtsson, as written in the other entry, or Bernhardson.

[Anita Aronsson]

Hi Alyssa,
This is a real longshot, but check the link below as one never knows for sure when it comes to emigrants and their names in a new country. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSG4-M7C8-P
Here you find a boy named Carl Anton (born 25 April 1855) together with his parents and siblings. 
A problem is that his father’s Christian name is Berhard, not Frans Gustaf as written in the US marriage record. It might however explain Anton’s surname, which would have been Bernhardsson (patronymic) in Sweden. His mother is named Maja Brita Persdotter, not too far from Mary Peterson.
In a Swedish household record (Skee (O) AI:25 (1881-1886) Bild 188 / sid 592) there is a notice about Carl Anton being a sailor, and that he is married in the US! He is also transferred in the household records (Skee (O) AI:25 (1881-1886) Bild 412 / sid 814 and Skee (O) AI:27 (1886-1890) Bild 361 / sid 751) to pages for “Kvarstående obefintlige” (persons no longer living in the Skee parish).
Happy hunting!
Anita

[Alyssa English Tway]

Thank You Anita! I will look into that.