Parents for Sophia Jeppsson

Sophie (aka Sophia) Jeppsson, wife of Nils Elof Martini, born 2 May 1828 in Klinta, Malmöhus, Sweden.[1] Her parents have been sought after many times by other family members, however with no success. After searching for her birth record in Klinta, Malmöhus, Sweden from 1823-1833 with no success. I looked for other clues that might help me find her in earlier records. The problem was that the records for Högseröd Parish were destroyed by fire in June 1889 which destroyed the records from the mid-1840s to at least the 1860s and most were destroyed from 1845-1889.

Gudmuntorp Church By Antoniah (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Since Högseröd, Malmöhus was the place her oldest known child was born I searched nearby parish marriage records from 1848-1852 in hopes of finding the marriage record for Sophia and Nils Elof Martini. In Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus in 1851 I found the marriage record dated 13 June 1851 for Sophia Jeppsson and Nils Elof Martini. This marriage record also stated that the union was blessed by her father Inspector Jeppsson of Finnhult in Gudmuntorp.[2]

The next step was to find Sophie in her father’s home in the household records. A search of the Gudmuntorp Household Records revealed that Sophie was the daughter of Pehr Jeppsson, born 16 July 1789 in Hörby, Malmöhus, Sweden. The household record also confirmed that in 1851 Sophie moved to Höxeröd. Another clue that I first overlooked was that Sophie was the illegitimate daughter of the Inspector noted – I’nsp: o. d. I made the mistake of thinking that Pehr wife Gustava Lundberg was the mother of Sophie.[3] The 1842-1851 household records recorded the same information.I had searched the Gudmuntorp birth records from 1823-1833 and again found nothing. Since Sophie’s birth place was not noted I continued in the household records searching for clues to her birthplace.

In the 1831-1836 Gudmuntorp household record Sophie appears to be missing, she was not listed as the daughter of Pehr Jeppsson. Pehr is unmarried with no children and only servants in his household. As I searched through the servants I found a Sophie, dotter of Johanna Cronbeck, born in 1827 again no birthplace listed.  Johanna Cronbeck born 1801 in Östraby was a maid in Pehr Jeppsson’s home.[4] In Gudmuntorp the household records from 1827-1841 were kept in the same book minus the 1831-1836 household record. In the household record from 1836-1840 Sophie again appeared after Johanna Cronbeck with notation of o.d. (illegitimate daughter), they were listed at the top of the servants in Pehr Jeppsson’s home. Johanna Cronbeck moved in 1839 to B’kloster (Bosjökloster) while Sophia stayed. Sophia’s birthdate is 2 May 1828 which confirmed that she is most likely the same Sophia who had been listed as Nils Elof Martini’s wife in previous research.[5]

Östraby Church

Since Johanna Cronbeck was listed prior to Sophia from 1831-1840 chances were high that she was Sophia’s mother. Since Sophia’s birthplace was never given I tried the Östraby, Malmöhus birth records in 1828 and found that Sophia was the illegitimate daughter of Johanna Cronberg with no father’s name given born on the 2^nd of May 1828.[6]

Sophia Jeppsson born 2 May 1828 in Östraby, Malmöhus, Sweden, daughter of Pehr Jeppsson and Johanna Cronbeck.

---

[1] Sophie Jeppsson, 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, Nils Elof Martini - Sophie Jeppsson household.

[2] Nils Elof Martini - Sophie Jeppsson, Gudmuntorp (Malmöhus, Sweden), EI:1 (1839-1861), image 20, ref. #3, married 13 Jun 1851; digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.net : accessed 6 July 2015).

[3] Sophia, Finnhult, Gudmuntorp (Malmöhus, Sweden), vol. AI:6(1851-1856); digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.net : accessed 28 July 2015) p. 72. Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus, Sweden, vol. AI:5 (1847-1851), p. 73. Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus, Sweden, Vol. AI:4 (1842-1847), p. 49.

[4] Johanna Cronbeck: Sophia, Finnhult, Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus, Sweden, Vol. AI:3 (1831-1836), p. 44.

[5] Sophia, Finnhult, Gudmuntorp, Malmöhus, Sweden, vol. AI:2 (1827-1841), p. 45/ image 222.

[6] Östraby (Malmöhus, Sweden), Vol. CI:4, (1789-1858), p. 37 ref. 19, Sophie, Birth, 2 May 1828; digital image, Arkiv Digital (www.arkivdigital.com : accessed 30 July 2015).