Nils Elof Martini and Family

This week I wanted to share a little more about Nils Elof Martini and his family. The letter I posted last week from his granddaughter Olga Martini, born and raised in the United States, gave us a glimpse at what the family knew in the 1970s. After researching Nils Elof Martini in the Swedish church records the following was learned.

Nils Elof Martini Birth Record 1826

Källna Church - resided in area 1855-1858

Nils Elof Martini born 24 November 1826 in Lyngsjö, Kristianstad, Sweden to Lars Eric Martini and Dorothea Lind. At the time of Nils’s birth the family lived at No. 7 Hommentorp in Lyngsjö and his father Lars Eric worked as an arrendator aka tenant farmer.¹ When Nils Elof was three years old he moved to his grandparents in Högseröd, Malmöhus, Sweden. His grandfather was the pastor and his father later moved in and continued to work as an arrendator.²  It is unclear what happened to Nils’s mother, as she does not live with him or his father after he was three years old, his father's remarriage suggests that she died prior to 1830.

Veinge Church where Nils was buried

In 1850, Nils Elof had an illegitimate son named Nils who lived with his (unknown) mother until he was 15 years old. Nils Elof Martini married Sofia Jeppson on 13 June 1851 in Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus, Sweden.3 Nils Elof Martini followed his father's footsteps and worked as an arrendator most of his married life. In 1868 Nils got in trouble with the law (noted on the household record) from what can be made out he stole some property suggesting that the family was financially struggling.⁴ Prior to that time Nils Elof and Sofia had moved their family four times every three to four years.5 Nils Elof Martini died 17 April 1891 at the age of 64 in Veinge, Halland, Sweden cause has not been translated yet.6

Nils Elof Martini Death Record 1891

There are still unanswered questions about Nils Elof Martini's life from 18 to 28 years of age, since the Högseröd records were destroyed by fire. A couple questions that still remain to be answered are: Where did he live for the first three years of his life? Who was the mother of his first child Nils Martini? Did he work as a drang or farmhand for a time before he married Sofia? Most young adults during this time would leave home to work on another farm or homestead during their late teen and early twenties prior to marriage.   
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1. Lyngsjö (Kristianstad, Sweden), vol. CI:1 (1752-1861), p.133, Nils Elof Martini, b. 24 Nov 1826,; digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.net : accessed and printed 1 July 2015).
2. Högseröd (Malmöhus, Sweden), vol. AI:2 (1829-1831), p. 13, grandson, Nils Elof Martini; digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.com : accessed 3 July 2015).
3. Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus, Sweden, EI:1 (1839-1861), image 20, ref. 3, Nils Elof Martini - Sophie Jeppsson, m. 13 Jun 1851.
4. Veinge (Halland, Sweden), vol. AI:14 (1861-1869), p. 161, Nils Elof Martini - Sofia Jeppsson household; digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.net : accessed 1 July 2015).
5. Källna (Kristianstad, Sweden), vol. AI:7 (1850-1855); digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.net : accessed 3 July 2015) p. 23. Källna, Kristianstad, Sweden, vol. AI:8 (1856-1860, p. 30. Östra Ljungby, Kristianstad, Sweden, vol. AI:11 (1856-1860), p. 10. Östra Ljungby, Kristianstad, Sweden, vol. AI:12(1861-1865), p. 8. Veinge, Halland Sweden, vol. AI:14 (1861-1869), p. 161. Veinge, Halland Sweden, vol. AI:17 (1870-1879), p. 132.
6. Veinge Parish (Halland, Sweden), vol F:1, image 1200, line 23, Nils Elof Martini, death, 17 April 1891; online digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.net : accessed 6 July 2015).