Wendla Three Times a Widow

 

Wendla Maria Granback, born January 18, 1898, immigrated to America from Finland in 1916 at the age of eighteen. Her death certificate states her father’s name was John Granback and mother’s name was unknown. She had attended school through the sixth grade and spoke Swedish. Federal Census records found in 1920 show her married to Harry Peterson age 24 and living in Philipsburg, with a son Erick aged five months. Archive data shows that Harry was born at Georgetown, in Deer Lodge County, Montana on January 26, 1896. By 1900 Harry was living in South Philipsburg at the age of four. He married Wendla, November 21, 1918 in Anaconda. Harry’s parents were Johan Emil Peterson and Johanna Mathilda Sanders. Johanna Mathilda Sanders was from the Rock Creek Sanders family. A daughter Hazel (Lawry) was born to this marriage, prior to Harry’s sudden death from Myocarditis secondary to Pulmonary Pthisis (an old medical term used for Tuberculosis), on June 27, 1922. This event left Wendla a widow with two children under the age of three. Without any programs available it is unknown how she earned money to feed these children. 

Herman C. Swanson always known as Carl, born in Dalsland, Sweden on June 29, 1893, immigrated to the United States in 1909. The earliest Federal Census where he was listed under the name Carl was 1920. He was living in Granite with the George Walters Sr. family as a partner in a silver mine lease. In the Census it is noted that he could read, write and speak English but does not state he was naturalized. The possibility that he would have known Wendla and her plight was good as Harry Peterson’s mother (from Rock Creek) would have known George Walter’s sister Annie Walters Gillies, of Rock Creek. Herman (Carl) married Wendla on December 21, 1923. I found where Carl was injured in an accident at the Scratchall Mine on March 30, 1928. Then research revealed a death certificate for Herman Swanson dated June 17, 1930 stating “Found dead on Highway .Freezing from extreme cold weather. Family history states he froze to death sitting against a tree on the road to Granite. The Philipsburg Mail states he was found by A.J. Budel about 2 miles south of Philipsburg on the highway in front of the Owen ranch, on Sunday morning. He apparently was at a friends house and tried to walk home in 30 degree below zero weather. He was 36 years, 6 months and 20 days of age. The informant on the death certificate was Mrs. Charles Pearson from Anaconda who gave the information that his parents were Ole and Annie Johnson Swanson and that he had immigrated in 1914. The death certificate was signed by Clayton Carmichael coroner and the burial was in Anaconda, Montana. 

The 1930 Federal Census showed Wendla Swanson as a widow with Eric Peterson age 10, Hazel Peterson age 9, Leanord H. Swanson age 5 and Carl E. Swanson age 1. Fortunately, sometime prior to Herman’s death, he and Wendla became citizens (I found where Carl filled out a draft card on June 5, 1917 which probably assisted with their naturalization papers and Social Security Cards which granted Leanord and Carl (known as Elmer) and Wendla Social Security benefits. 

 Carl Gustav Issacson was born June 1, 1894 in Torendo, Norrbotten Sverige (Sweden) and is found in the 1940 Federal Census married to Wendla. They were married in Deer Lodge on April 30, 1935. Records show a son Garry L. Isaacson was born to this marriage in 1942. Carl died from a Heart Attack at home December 14, 1975 leaving Wendla again a widow. Fortunately all the children had left home, so she enjoyed grandchildren until her death May 8, 1979 at St Patrick’s Hospital from a Heart Attack.