Early Härad Court Records in Rural Sweden
by Carolyn Eccles

Not much has been written in English for the genealogist who wants to explore the Härad Court records in Sweden. They are a treasure chest of information when other avenues, household examination records, births, deaths, marriages, probate records, church accounts etc., do not have the information you are looking for or are not available for searching. The Härad court system in rural Sweden encompasses a district comprising numerous sockens(parishes) which were in close proximity to each other. The Aspeland Härad, which I will discuss, consists of 6 sockens(parishes) (Gårdveda, Järeda, Målilla, Mörlunda, Tveta, and Virserum.) This court system heard cases from the community dealing with many issues, such as land disputes, neighborhood "squabbles", and adultery . Land purchases and settlements and requests for estate inventories following deaths are also sometimes recorded here. Remarkably some of the same sort of things that are found in the local US court records today are found in the early Swedish court records. Many genealogists are probably hesitant to attempt these records if they do not speak Swedish. The purpose of the article is to show the non Swedish speaking genealogist that these records are possible for them to navigate and to show what can be found.

I do not speak Swedish, but have a good background in reading the traditional Swedish genealogy records listed above. My father's mother's family came from Kalmarlan mostly in the region that Aspeland Härad comprises. About 3 years ago I came to an "end " in the early birth, death, and marriage records (mid-late 1600's-early 1700's) of this region. From some books I was browsing through( I say browsing because they were in Swedish) I realized that some of the information in the books on my ancestors was from the Härad Court records. I decided to see what I could learn from the records myself and was astounded at the information I found here and NO place else.

What kinds of information can be found in the rural Härad records that are valuable to the genealogist? Surnames of wives and husbands, patronymic names of soldiers and others, approximate ages of people, all kinds of relationships (step-parents, son-in-law, mother, father, etc.), previous places lived, fathers of illegitimate children are all examples of information that can be found in the Härad records. Much of this information is in simple enough form that it can be translated by the non Swedish speaking person.

I will discuss the Aspeland Härad records, but I believe they are generic in many ways to the Härad records in any district in rural Sweden. The early district courts met regularly 3 times a year- the winter court (vinter ting), summer court(sommar ting) and the fall court (hösta ting). They also met in special session between times called extraordinary ting. Often these court proceedings are in the same books and proceed in order by date with the regular court proceedings. Sometimes these special court records are in separate books. The format of the records is: 1. the records will begin with the date and the name of the Hårad 2. followed by the name of the bailiff (befallningsman) and the names of the Härad jurymen (nämndeman). The jurymen were from the parishes encompassed by the Härad and their jobs were to help with the court decisions and other work assigned by the Härad. The juryman was usually a farmer in rural Sweden, held the position for a long time, and often times passed the position along to his son or son-in-law.3.After this information the individual court entries begin. In some entries the first name mentioned is who is representing (like at lawyer) the person that the entry is actually about so don't stop skimming with the first name. If an entry is a dispute, particularly if it is a lengthy one there is usually a resolution at the end and the word is Resolution. The resolution may help clarify some relationships that may be vague in the body of the entry.

To navigate your way through the records you need a good Swedish Genealogical Dictionary (I use the one compiled by Phyllis J. Pladsen and Joseph C. Huber). A regular Swedish-English dictionary helps sometimes also. You also need a fair amount of luck that the writing hasn't faded to a degree that it is unreadable and the scribe or recorder of the records had a good handwriting. Luckily, Aspeland Harad has both of these most of the time. Patience and a good amount of time is also helpful. As I would search the records I would make notes on 1.the entries that I either knew the people were my ancestors 2. on a particular farm that I knew my ancestors lived on in later years. (I often found relationships in later records that would connect some of these people from the earlier records to known ancestors.) Because I have so much of my family from this court district I would usually come away with about 15-20 pages of notebook paper, back and front, worth of notes. A lot of the notes have proven not to be helpful to me, but enough have proven to be so valuable later that I was glad I copied all that I did. Of course less notes would be taken if fewer families came from a particular district. (My notes for Sevede Härad and Tuna Härad are usually only 2-3 pages since I have few families in only 1 or 2 parishes)

The Aspeland Härad records begin 1604-33. The next set of records is 1634-37, 1645-47 records. This set records has missing years and not much of genealogical significance. It seems these early court records are sparse for Aspeland Härad and quite a good number deal with issues of adultery (lägersmål). They do of course list some farms and people who lived there, so it is possible to trace people if they are listed. The next set of records is 1652-55 and 1658-59 and the following set is 1660-1680 and these records like the earlier records do not have page numbers or entry numbers so you have to set up your own way of recording entries so you can find them again later if you look. Luckily there are not as many entries as in later years so it is not too difficult. The next set of records are 1681-89, 1692, and 1695 are similar to the last set of records except they have a few years that the records have page numbers. By 1696-1700 records there are page numbers and entry numbers. The succeeding sets of records may not all have page numbers, but they do at least have entry numbers. (The microfilmed Härad records continue on 1860, but the years 1826-30 are missing.)

Some of my best genealogical finds were some of the easiest records to translate. In Jan 1707(winter ting) entry # 31 is 6 pages of a dispute, which most court records seems to be about, in Målilla socken and I was skimming it for names and places. Most disputes if they are lengthy gives witnesses testimony and the record will say something like what the 4th witness says here "Erik Nilsson i Hylte, 60 år gammal,....witnesses sin svärfader Hans i Ödhult....." If you are not familiar with any of these words they are easily translated to read Erik Nilsson of Hylte, 60 years old, ...witnesses his father-in-law Hans of Ödhult. Erick Nilsson I knew was married to Anna Hansdotter, but she is listed from Stighult in the marriage record in 1674 in Målilla. From this information I was able to find the CHR record of Anna (in Ödhult), the marriage records of her father Hans Persson of Ödhult ( he was married twice-1641 to Gertrud Sunesdotter and 1664 to Anna Ericksdotter) and CHR records of her siblings Karin CHR 1644 died 1657, Samuel CHR 1652, Gustaf CHR 1657, Brita CHR 1660, another daughter of Hans who died in 1675 age and name unknown, half brother Erich CHR 1665, a half brother name unknown CHR 1671. Besides all of this I did not know Erick Nilsson age when he died in 1711 no age was listed. (The age listed in the record is probably not exact but is at least an approximation.) If he was around 60 years old in 1707, he was born around 1647.

Another easy translation was in Oct 1706(Hösta ting) entry #37. I was skimming another dispute, this time in Tveta socken, which is a parish I did not think I had any family in, there as a witness in the dispute is "Hemming of Blackelid(Virserum socken) bodt i Lilla Sinnerstad 15 år......". Translated it says Hemming of Blackelid lived in Lilla Sinnerstad 15 years. I had found Hemming Svensson in Blackelid Virserum socken with his son Daniel Hemmingsson Boman. Hemming Svensson dies in Virserum in 1731 at age of 71, but I was not finding any evidence of a Hemming or Sven in Blackelid in the earlier court records. Now I knew why. They were in Tveta Socken. I went to those records and found in the moving in and out records that Hemming Svensson and his wife, child/children, and his relatives moved from Sinnerstad to Virserum socken in 1699. I also found a CHR record for another child of Hemming Svensson in Tveta. I learned after this discovery to look more closely at witnesses at any dispute in any parish.

For parishes where CHR records give only children's names or only father's first names and no mother's name court records can fill in the blanks. Here are some examples: 1. Entry #14 Oct 1700(Hösta ting) is a dispute between Per Hemmingsson of Giöseboo (Högsby socken) and Erick of Fargshult (Mörlunda socken). It was not necessary for me to know what the dispute was about because what I needed to know was a few lines down from here where it said Erich hustru Brita Persdotter (Eric's wife Brita Persdotter). No where else have I been able to find Brita's last name. 2.Olof of Hammarsbo (Målilla socken) has many children from about 1648 to about 1664, but no last name is ever given for him. Feb1681(Vinter ting), an entry lists Olof Böriesson of Hammarsbo Målilla socken... An entry in March 1687(Vinter ting) p.94 lists him as Olof Börgesson of Hammarsbo. (Börie and Börge seemed to be used interchangeably in these records.)

This brings me to one of my favorite stories. Every family has a few "black sheep". Olof Johansson of Hägelåkra (Målilla socken) second wife is one of mine. I was never able to find a name for her in the conventional records, but in July 1713(summer ting ) she makes one of a series of court appearances for adultery (lägersmål). Entry # 36 gives the information I needed "....Sold. hustru Lisbette Ericksdotter. Man Olof Jonsson... ...soldier's wife Lisbette Ericksdotter. Husband Olof Jonsson... For these rather lengthy entries I had a professional genealogist translate because I wanted the details. I could figure out that she had an illegitimate child and it was eventually decided that her farmhand Nils Persson was the father, but I wanted to know more. The shortened story is that Lisbette's husband Olof Johansson/Jonsson joined the army in 1708 because he was disgusted with the "relationship" Lisbette had with the neighbor Nils Jonsson of Hägelåkra. Olof was never heard from again. The rest of the somewhat lengthy court proceedings had to do with deciding the father of the child, which turned out to be her farmhand Nils Jonssson and not the neighbor Nils Jonsson. Lisbette had another illegitimate child in 1716 with Simon Swensson. The child with Nils Jonsson I have not been able to identify, but the child with Simon Swensson I believe is a girl, Sara Simonsdotter who appears as a witness at the CHR of her half sister Annika Olofsdotter's child Erick in 1733. Simon is not a very common name in this region and I am fairly sure this is the child. For further help with determining the father of illegitimate children I recommend the article by Elisabeth Thorsell entitled "Father Unknown- What to Do?" in Vol. XII 1992 of the magazine "Swedish American Genealogist". Reprints are available through the Swensson Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

Proof of relationships abound in the Härad records.1. Vinter ting 1706 #25 talks about the farm of Hammarsbo (Måillla socken) ...Hans Persson i ibm.(Hammarsbo) i sin skykon broder David Persson sampt systers Elisabeth, Sigrid, och Maria Jonsdotter (Maria is a half-sister although it doesn't say that). The translation is Hans Persson of ibm. of his siblings brother David Persson and/also sisters Elisabeth, Sigrid, and Maria Jonsodotter. 2.June 1719(Summer ting) p.90 #66 Jöns Nilsson i Jarnudda (Vena socken) och hans swårmoder Maria Persdotter ibm. ...efter hans swårfader Hans Harstensson (Jöns Nilsson of Jarnudda and his mother-in-law Maria Persdotter ibm...after his father-in-law Hans Hartsensson ...) 3. An entry in Oct 1669(Hösta ting) gives enough information to fill out a family group sheet. It reads "h. Margreta Nils Siggesson Enk of Årena (Gårdveda socken)...1) af moder Brita Börgesdotter 16 Rdr... 2)af h. Ingebor i ? sin syster... 3) af Lars Siggesson sin broder... 4) af h. Kierstin i Morhult sin sister 4 1/2 Rdr. 5)af h. Margareta i ? sin syster 6) af h. Brita i ? sin syster 4Rdr... Enk h. Margreta i Årena swager Oluff Siggesson of Ljungby(Gårdveda socken)" The translation is wife Margreta Nils Siggesson of Årena widow... 1)from mother Brita Börgesdotter 16 Rdr. (money)... 2) from wife Ingebor of ? his sister...3) from Lars Siggesson his brother... 4) from h. Kierstin of ? his sister 4 1/2 Rdr. (money) 5)from wife Margareta of ? his sister... 5) from wife Brita of ? his sister... Widow wife Margareta of Årena brother-in-law Oluff Siggesson of Ljungby.

Land transfers or sales are often found recorded in the Härad records. In Jun1664 (Summer ting)...Bonde(a name this time, not the meaning of farmer) sin arf. jord. i Hammarsbo (Målilla socken)...till Per Oluffson i Fagerhult for 28 riksdaler (...Bonde his inherited lands in Hammarsbo...to Per Olufsson of Fagerhult to Per Olufsson of Fagerhult for 28 riksdaler (money). Land sales or transfers can also given valuable family relationships as in Summer ting (July) of 1680 "1/6 del i Hammarsbo (Målilla socken) af Oluf i samma gård kiopt af moders syster hustru Karin Andersdotter for...Ingeborg Börgesdotter i samma gård kiopt 24...broder och syster Anders Börgesson och Brita Börgesson.(1/6 share of Hammarsbo of Olof of same farm purchased of/from mother's sister wife Karin Andersdotter for...Ingebor Börgesdotter of same farm purchased (for) 24 (probably money of some kind)... brother and sister Anders Börgesson and Brita Börgsdotter. I imagine since Oluf's last name is Börgesson that all of these people having the last name and on the same farm are all siblings.

Patronymic names of solders and others are often unavailable in the conventional records, but are found in the Härad records. Fall court(Oct) 1711 #44 Sold. Pehr Erichsson Holms h. (wife) Elisabeth Johansotter..i(of ) Turlanda(Mörlunda socken). Oct1706(hösta ting) # 24 Samuel Larsson Locke i Årena(Målilla socken)...till broder Petter Locke of Krakeryd (Målilla socken)...deras fader Lars Persson Locke och broders Samuel Larsson and Lars Larsson Locke (Samuel Larsson Locke of Årena...to brother Petter Locke of Krakeryd...their father Lars Persson Locke and brothers Samuel Larsson and Lars Larsson Locke.

I am very glad I decided to search the Härad records. Although it did take me some time to understand the format and some of the words, it was certainly worth the time and effort. I have shared with you only a few of the genealogical discoveries I have found in the Härad records. I hope that some of my discussion here will make it easier for anyone attempting to search the Härad records for the first time. This is not something to be attempted by the novice, but I encourage anyone to give it a try who has a good understanding of Swedish writing and the reading of basic Swedish records. Härad records are not meant to take the place of birth, death, and marriage records where they exist, but are meant to be a supplement/place of last resort when information can not be found elsewhere.

 EARLY HÄRAD COURT RECORDS IN RURAL SWEDEN

Not much has been written in English for the genealogist who wants to explore the Härad Court records in Sweden. They are a treasure chest of information when other avenues, household examination records, births, deaths, marriages, probate records, church accounts etc., do not have the information you are looking for or are not available for searching. The Härad court system in rural Sweden encompasses a district comprising numerous sockens (parishes) which were in close proximity to each other. The Aspeland Härad, which I will discuss, consists of 6 sockens (parishes) (Gårdveda, Järeda, Målilla, Mörlunda, Tveta, and Virserum.) This court system heard cases from the community dealing with many issues, such as land disputes, neighborhood "squabbles", and adultery . Land purchases and settlements and requests for estate inventories following deaths are also sometimes recorded here. Remarkably some of the same sort of things that are found in the local US court records today are found in the early Swedish court records. Many genealogists are probably hesitant to attempt these records if they do not speak Swedish. The purpose of the article is to show the non Swedish speaking genealogist that these records are possible for them to navigate and to show what can be found.

I do not speak Swedish, but have a good background in reading the traditional Swedish genealogy records listed above. My father's mother's family came from Kalmarlan mostly in the region that Aspeland Härad comprises. About 3 years ago I came to an "end " in the early birth, death, and marriage records (mid-late 1600's-early 1700's) of this region. From some books I was browsing through( I say browsing because they were in Swedish) I realized that some of the information in the books on my ancestors was from the Härad Court records. I decided to see what I could learn from the records myself and was astounded at the information I found here and NO place else.

What kinds of information can be found in the rural Härad records that are valuable to the genealogist? Surnames of wives and husbands, patronymic names of soldiers and others, approximate ages of people, all kinds of relationships(step-parents, son-in-law, mother, father, etc.), previous places lived, fathers of illegitimate children are all examples of information that can be found in the Härad records. Much of this information is in simple enough form that it can be translated by the non Swedish speaking person.

I will discuss the Aspeland Härad records, but I believe they are generic in many ways to the Härad records in any district in rural Sweden. The early district courts met regularly 3 times a year- the winter court (vinter ting), summer court(sommar ting) and the fall court (hösta ting). They also met in special session between times called extraordinary ting. Often these court proceedings are in the same books and proceed in order by date with the regular court proceedings. Sometimes these special court records are in separate books. The format of the records is: 1. the records will begin with the date and the name of the Hårad 2. followed by the name of the bailiff (befallningsman) and the names of the Härad jurymen (nämndeman). The jurymen were from the parishes encompassed by the Härad and their jobs were to help with the court decisions and other work assigned by the Härad. The juryman was usually a farmer in rural Sweden, held the position for a long time, and often times passed the position along to his son or son-in-law.3.After this information the individual court entries begin. In some entries the first name mentioned is who is representing (like at lawyer) the person that the entry is actually about so don't stop skimming with the first name. If an entry is a dispute, particularly if it is a lengthy one there is usually a resolution at the end and the word is Resolution. The resolution may help clarify some relationships that may be vague in the body of the entry.

To navigate your way through the records you need a good Swedish Genealogical Dictionary (I use the one compiled by Phyllis J. Pladsen and Joseph C. Huber). A regular Swedish-English dictionary helps sometimes also. You also need a fair amount of luck that the writing hasn't faded to a degree that it is unreadable and the scribe or recorder of the records had a good handwriting. Luckily, Aspeland Harad has both of these most of the time. Patience and a good amount of time is also helpful. As I would search the records I would make notes on 1.the entries that I either knew the people were my ancestors 2. on a particular farm that I knew my ancestors lived on in later years. (I often found relationships in later records that would connect some of these people from the earlier records to known ancestors.) Because I have so much of my family from this court district I would usually come away with about 15-20 pages of notebook paper, back and front, worth of notes. A lot of the notes have proven not to be helpful to me, but enough have proven to be so valuable later that I was glad I copied all that I did. Of course less notes would be taken if fewer families came from a particular district. (My notes for Sevede Härad and Tuna Härad are usually only 2-3 pages since I have few families in only 1 or 2 parishes)

The Aspeland Härad records begin 1604-33. The next set of records is 1634-37, 1645-47 records. This set records has missing years and not much of genealogical significance. It seems these early court records are sparse for Aspeland Härad and quite a good number deal with issues of adultery (lägersmål). They do of course list some farms and people who lived there, so it is possible to trace people if they are listed. The next set of records is 1652-55 and 1658-59 and the following set is 1660-1680 and these records like the earlier records do not have page numbers or entry numbers so you have to set up your own way of recording entries so you can find them again later if you look. Luckily there are not as many entries as in later years so it is not too difficult. The next set of records are 1681-89, 1692, and 1695 are similar to the last set of records except they have a few years that the records have page numbers. By 1696-1700 records there are page numbers and entry numbers. The succeeding sets of records may not all have page numbers, but they do at least have entry numbers. (The microfilmed Härad records continue on 1860, but the years 1826-30 are missing.)

Some of my best genealogical finds were some of the easiest records to translate. In Jan 1707(winter ting) entry # 31 is 6 pages of a dispute, which most court records seems to be about, in Målilla socken and I was skimming it for names and places. Most disputes if they are lengthy gives witnesses testimony and the record will say something like what the 4th witness says here "Erik Nilsson i Hylte, 60 år gammal,....witnesses sin svärfader Hans i Ödhult....." If you are not familiar with any of these words they are easily translated to read Erik Nilsson of Hylte, 60 years old, ...witnesses his father-in-law Hans of Ödhult. Erick Nilsson I knew was married to Anna Hansdotter, but she is listed from Stighult in the marriage record in 1674 in Målilla. From this information I was able to find the CHR record of Anna (in Ödhult), the marriage records of her father Hans Persson of Ödhult (he was married twice-1641 to Gertrud Sunesdotter and 1664 to Anna Ericksdotter) and CHR records of her siblings Karin CHR 1644 died 1657, Samuel CHR 1652, Gustaf CHR 1657, Brita CHR 1660, another daughter of Hans who died in 1675 age and name unknown, half brother Erich CHR 1665, a half brother name unknown CHR 1671. Besides all of this I did not know Erick Nilsson age when he died in 1711 no age was listed. (The age listed in the record is probably not exact but is at least an approximation.) If he was around 60 years old in 1707, he was born around 1647.

Another easy translation was in Oct 1706(Hösta ting) entry #37. I was skimming another dispute, this time in Tveta socken, which is a parish I did not think I had any family in, there as a witness in the dispute is "Hemming of Blackelid (Virserum socken) bodt i Lilla Sinnerstad 15 år......". Translated it says Hemming of Blackelid lived in Lilla Sinnerstad 15 years. I had found Hemming Svensson in Blackelid Virserum socken with his son Daniel Hemmingsson Boman. Hemming Svensson dies in Virserum in 1731 at age of 71, but I was not finding any evidence of a Hemming or Sven in Blackelid in the earlier court records. Now I knew why. They were in Tveta Socken. I went to those records and found in the moving in and out records that Hemming Svensson and his wife, child/children, and his relatives moved from Sinnerstad to Virserum socken in 1699. I also found a CHR record for another child of Hemming Svensson in Tveta. I learned after this discovery to look more closely at witnesses at any dispute in any parish.

For parishes where CHR records give only children's names or only father's first names and no mother's name court records can fill in the blanks. Here are some examples: 1. Entry #14 Oct 1700(Hösta ting) is a dispute between Per Hemmingsson of Giöseboo (Högsby socken) and Erick of Fargshult (Mörlunda socken). It was not necessary for me to know what the dispute was about because what I needed to know was a few lines down from here where it said Erich hustru Brita Persdotter (Eric's wife Brita Persdotter). No where else have I been able to find Brita's last name. 2.Olof of Hammarsbo (Målilla socken) has many children from about 1648 to about 1664, but no last name is ever given for him. Feb1681 (Vinter ting), an entry lists Olof Böriesson of Hammarsbo Målilla socken... An entry in March 1687(Vinter ting) p.94 lists him as Olof Börgesson of Hammarsbo. (Börie and Börge seemed to be used interchangeably in these records.)

This brings me to one of my favorite stories. Every family has a few "black sheep". Olof Johansson of Hägelåkra (Målilla socken) second wife is one of mine. I was never able to find a name for her in the conventional records, but in July 1713(summer ting ) she makes one of a series of court appearances for adultery (lägersmål). Entry # 36 gives the information I needed "....Sold. hustru Lisbette Ericksdotter. Man Olof Jonsson... ...soldier's wife Lisbette Ericksdotter. Husband Olof Jonsson... For these rather lengthy entries I had a professional genealogist translate because I wanted the details. I could figure out that she had an illegitimate child and it was eventually decided that her farmhand Nils Persson was the father, but I wanted to know more. The shortened story is that Lisbette's husband Olof Johansson/Jonsson joined the army in 1708 because he was disgusted with the "relationship" Lisbette had with the neighbor Nils Jonsson of Hägelåkra. Olof was never heard from again. The rest of the somewhat lengthy court proceedings had to do with deciding the father of the child, which turned out to be her farmhand Nils Jonssson and not the neighbor Nils Jonsson. Lisbette had another illegitimate child in 1716 with Simon Swensson. The child with Nils Jonsson I have not been able to identify, but the child with Simon Swensson I believe is a girl, Sara Simonsdotter who appears as a witness at the CHR of her half sister Annika Olofsdotter's child Erick in 1733. Simon is not a very common name in this region and I am fairly sure this is the child. For further help with determining the father of illegitimate children I recommend the article by Elisabeth Thorsell entitled "Father Unknown- What to Do?" in Vol. XII 1992 of the magazine "Swedish American Genealogist". Reprints are available through the Swensson Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.

Proof of relationships abound in the Härad records.1. Vinter ting 1706 #25 talks about the farm of Hammarsbo (Måillla socken) ...Hans Persson i ibm.(Hammarsbo) i sin skykon broder David Persson sampt systers Elisabeth, Sigrid, och Maria Jonsdotter (Maria is a half-sister although it doesn't say that). The translation is Hans Persson of ibm. of his siblings brother David Persson and/also sisters Elisabeth, Sigrid, and Maria Jonsodotter. 2.June 1719(Summer ting) p.90 #66 Jöns Nilsson i Jarnudda (Vena socken) och hans swårmoder Maria Persdotter ibm. ...efter hans swårfader Hans Harstensson (Jöns Nilsson of Jarnudda and his mother-in-law Maria Persdotter ibm...after his father-in-law Hans Hartsensson...) 3. An entry in Oct 1669 (Hösta ting) gives enough information to fill out a family group sheet. It reads "h. Margreta Nils Siggesson Enk of Årena (Gårdveda socken)...1) af moder Brita Börgesdotter 16 Rdr... 2)af h. Ingebor i ? sin syster... 3) af Lars Siggesson sin broder... 4) af h. Kierstin i Morhult sin sister 4 1/2 Rdr. 5) af h. Margareta i ? sin syster 6) af h. Brita i ? sin syster 4Rdr... Enk h. Margreta i Årena swager Oluff Siggesson of Ljungby (Gårdveda socken)" The translation is wife Margreta Nils Siggesson of Årena widow... 1)from mother Brita Börgesdotter 16 Rdr. (money)... 2) from wife Ingebor of ? his sister...3) from Lars Siggesson his brother... 4) from h. Kierstin of ? his sister 4 1/2 Rdr. (money) 5)from wife Margareta of ? his sister... 5) from wife Brita of ? his sister... Widow wife Margareta of Årena brother-in-law Oluff Siggesson of Ljungby.

Land transfers or sales are often found recorded in the Härad records. In Jun1664 (Summer ting)...Bonde (a name this time, not the meaning of farmer) sin arf. jord. i Hammarsbo (Målilla socken)...till Per Oluffson i Fagerhult for 28 riksdaler (...Bonde his inherited lands in Hammarsbo...to Per Olufsson of Fagerhult to Per Olufsson of Fagerhult for 28 riksdaler (money). Land sales or transfers can also given valuable family relationships as in Summer ting (July) of 1680 "1/6 del i Hammarsbo (Målilla socken) af Oluf i samma gård kiopt af moders syster hustru Karin Andersdotter for...Ingeborg Börgesdotter i samma gård kiopt 24...broder och syster Anders Börgesson och Brita Börgesson.(1/6 share of Hammarsbo of Olof of same farm purchased of/from mother's sister wife Karin Andersdotter for...Ingebor Börgesdotter of same farm purchased (for) 24 (probably money of some kind)... brother and sister Anders Börgesson and Brita Börgsdotter. I imagine since Oluf's last name is Börgesson that all of these people having the last name and on the same farm are all siblings.

Patronymic names of solders and others are often unavailable in the conventional records, but are found in the Härad records. Fall court (Oct) 1711 #44 Sold. Pehr Erichsson Holms h. (wife) Elisabeth Johansotter..i(of ) Turlanda (Mörlunda socken). Oct1706(hösta ting) # 24 Samuel Larsson Locke i Årena (Målilla socken)...till broder Petter Locke of Krakeryd (Målilla socken)...deras fader Lars Persson Locke och broders Samuel Larsson and Lars Larsson Locke (Samuel Larsson Locke of Årena...to brother Petter Locke of Krakeryd...their father Lars Persson Locke and brothers Samuel Larsson and Lars Larsson Locke.

I am very glad I decided to search the Härad records. Although it did take me some time to understand the format and some of the words, it was certainly worth the time and effort. I have shared with you only a few of the genealogical discoveries I have found in the Härad records. I hope that some of my discussion here will make it easier for anyone attempting to search the Härad records for the first time. This is not something to be attempted by the novice, but I encourage anyone to give it a try who has a good understanding of Swedish writing and the reading of basic Swedish records. Härad records are not meant to take the place of birth, death, and marriage records where they exist, but are meant to be a supplement/place of last resort when information can not be found elsewhere.

(Article originally published at horlacher.org 20 September 2001)