!SO: A-011.
BIRTH: date from A-033. A-020 L lists 1844. Date and place fron A-020-O.
PROBLEM: A-020-M says he and all siblings born at Nummedal, Norway.
A-025 lists b. date as 30-8-43 (probably AUG 30, 1943.)
NOTES: Sven was the first to come to America. He had written his parents a
letter telling them to come and that he would help them learn English.
But by the time his parents arrived in Decorah, Iowa, Sven had enlisted
in the Civil War Union Army and died shortly after in a Memphis, Tenn.
hospital from chronic diarrhea.
MILITARY: A-026. Residence listed as Elgin. Iowa, and age as 18, when he
enlisted as a private in Company H of the 38th Regiment of Iowa
Volunteers on Aug 15, 1862 to serve 3 years in the Civil War. He is
shown present for duty from the date of enrollment until June 30, 1863.
He is absent on the July and August roll for reason of being sick since
July 23 at Vicksburg, Miss. Same report Oct, Nov and Dec 1863. Death
date listed as Dec 5, 1863. Cause of death: chronic diarrhea.
His name is listed as Swain Gunnelson. On March 23, 1878, his father,
listed as age 63, files a claim with the government (A-026) for Swain's
pension. Father gives his own name as Gunnel Swainson but signs the
document by making "his mark" before witnesses, instead of writing his
name. The application states that Swain had no wife or children,
and indicates that his mother was no longer living. There is eveidence
that Gunnel was given a required physical examination as a dependaent
relative and as part of the application for Swains pension. This
examination was dated 1879 and indicates that, in the examining doctor's
opinion, that Gunnel was, at that time, physically incapacitaed for the
support of himself and his family. The examination was given in Fayette
Iowa. On Mar 10, 1887, a letter from the Postmaster in Elgin, Iowa
in response to an inquiry about the address of Gunnel Swainson,
states that the postmaster believed Gunnel had died several years
earlier. But that an inquirey could be made at the Post Office in
Clayton County for further information. It appears that Gunnel never
received any of the pension applied for because a document signed
by the attorney representing Gunnel in his application is marked, "Dead"
and "Abandoned" on April 8, 1878.
DEATH: A-020-M says he was 18 when he died.
A-025 by the Surgeon general lists d. date as Dec 5, 1863 on one copy
and Dec 6, 1863 on a second copy. The Iowa Department of veterans list
it Dec 4, 1863. (I am using Dec 5, arbitrarily)
A-031 lists sirname as Korsgaarden, same as for his father.
