Name: Charles "Carl Hendrich" Holm
Sex: M
ALIA: Carl /Hendrich/
Birth: NOV 1849 in Near Stockholm, Sweden
Death: 24 APR 1918 of Tuberculosis
Burial: Lookout Lutheran Church, Lookout, Wisconsin
Immigration: 1871 From Sweden
Military Service: Swedish Army and Swedish Navy
Religion: Swedish Lutheran Church
Note:

This appears to be Charles in 1880, but some children information does not match, though he had a sister Lottie:

1880 Federal Census, Wisconsin, Buffalo Co., Dover, District 101, age 12 of 18, 92
Chas. Anderson, age 31, born in Sweden, parents born in Sweden, Farmer
Hannah, wife, age 28, born in Sweden, parents born in Sweden, Keeping House
Lotta, sister, age 26, born in Sweden, parents born in Sweden, Keeping House
Augusta, daughter, age 5, born in Wisconsin (if correct would be Wilhelmina)
Carl, son, age 3, born in Wisconsin (if correct would be Andrew)
Baby, son, age 4 months (Feb), born in Wisconsin (if correct would be Carl Willy).

1900 Federal Census, Wisconsin, Buffalo Co., Dover, District 7, page 14 of 18, 122, 123
Charles Anderson, age 50, married 9 years, born Nov 1849 in Sweden, parents born in Sweden, emigrated 1871, resident 28 years, naturalized, Farmer, own farm free and clear
Emma, wife, age 35, married 9 years, 7 children 5 living, born Jul 1864 in Wisconsin, parents born in Norway
Edward, son, age 22, single, born Nov 1877 in Wisconsin, Farm Laborer Eva, daughter, age 17, born Dec 1882 in Wisconsin; Olga, daughter, age 14, born Jul 1885 in Wisconsin Selma, daughter, age 12, born May 1888 in Wisconsin, attended school in past year Johnny, son, age 7, born Oct 1892 in Wisconsin, attended school in past year, Oscar, son, age 6, born Feb 1894 in Wisconsin, attended school in past year, Hazel, daughter, age 5, born Aug 1894 in Wisconsin, Carl, son, age 3, born Apr 1897 in Wisconsin, Lottie, daughter, age 6 months, born Dec 1899 in Wisconsin, Hanah Klolte?, daughter, age 14, born Feb 1886 in Wisconsin.

Upon arriving in America, Carl changed his name to Charles (the English version of Carl) Anderson which leads to speculation that his father's name was Anders (Andrew) using the Scandinavian practice of taking his father's name and adding s-o-n to the end of it.

As a young man, around the mid-1860's, Carl entered the Swedish Army, but according to legend, he didn't like the training. He either agreed to or was forced to enter the Swedish Navy. He spent most of six years at sea traveling thousands of miles from home.

Charles used to tell stories of his travels to the Near East and of passing through the narrow Dardanelles, a strait leading from the Aegean to the Black Sea. There's speculation that Charles may have "jumped ship". After leaving the Navy, Charlie married his sweetheart and left for America.

Charlie and Johanna, his bride, came to America via sailboat. They resided in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, however Charlie was unable to find a job. Johanna found a job in a hotel but after a year of two, they heard about the opportunities in the west so they left for La Crosse, Wisconsin, where Charlie was hired in the logging and lumber mill business and Johanna became a seamtress.

By 1877, Charlie was restless and decided to pursue a career in farming and the family moved to Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in either the summer or fall of 1877 traveling by covered wagon overland about 75 miles. They set claim on 160 acres in the Town of Dover, about six miles northeast of Gilmanton on a ridge that was later to bear their family name. Johanna was pregnant when they moved and the story goes that the new cabin wasn't completed when she gave birth so Andrew was born in the covered wagon.

Charlie built his house, barn and other farm structures on a gentle slope at the edge of the ridge, above a clear spring at the bottom of the hill (perhaps a quarter mile away). The water was of excellent quality but the chore of carrying it was something his children always remembered.

There was no Swedish Lutheran Church in the area so the family joined a Norwegian congregation at Lookout, Wisconsin, a tiny settlement where some of the children also attended grammar school.

In the early 1900's, Charlie purchased more farmland. He also took over the operation of a hotel in Independence which he operated for a year or two before returning to the farm where he died of tuberculosis.

Charlie was an interesting person in his appearance - he had a thick beard and had a habit of wearing a large, red handkerchief around his neck which likened him to a western cowboy. More importantly, Charlie was a good neighbor who enjoyed wholesome fun. He had his own platform in a wooded area where he entertained friends and especially area young people at summer dances, buying beer for the men and having his daughters make lemonade for the women and children. His daughter, Hazel, recalled many years after his death: "Dad just loved to see people have fun, and when he died some folks said the whole neighborhood died because nothing was the same."

Although Charlie was often times light in spirit, there was another side to him that reflected a certain kind of upbringing. He always loved his homeland of Sweden. He spoke of it often but he never returned. He also loved his church and was generous in his financial support. The year he died, he was one of the top contributors to the church with an offering of $50.00 according to church records.

Charlie enjoyed beer in moderation and was never known to drink excessively, but he regarded a deck of cards in a house as simliar to "living with a devil."

Charlie's son Oscar, recalled how his father received a letter from his brother, Andrew, when, presumably, the last of the parents died. Andrew said he was in financial difficulty and Charlie offered his share of the inheritance to Andrew as a gift. Andrew was Charlie's favorite kin.

Written by John E. Anderson (February 1, 1972)

Charles worked in Pittsburg, PA before coming to Wisconsin. He went by several names, Charles Anderson, Carl Anderson, Charles Holm, Charles Holmes, C.H. Anderson. He was in the Russian Army and deserted to come to America, and this explains why he used different names. At that time Swedish men were required to serve in the Russian Army.