Peterson-Hantla Family

Peterson - 1713 to Present Day Family Tree

For Ruth Adele Peterson-Hantla

My Great Grandfather was Louis Peterson, aka Ludvig (Ludwig) Peterson, I spent several years trying to figure out the genealogy of my mothers family and there lineage from Sweden. Finally I got help and learned why I could not trace my mothers family. It was because of patronymic's.

In Sweden the surnames change every generation because of patronymics. A patronymic or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. Acomponent of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage used until 1900, when al Scandinavian countries stopped this use. Also, note the change from Peterson to Petersson. Note the double "S." Ludwig Peterson was Peter Svensson's, son. Peter Svensson was Sven Eriksson's, son.

Sven Eriksson was Erik Svensson's, son. Erik Svensson was Sven Andersson's,

son. Might be hard to follow but it was the way they named offspring all the way back to the 1200's. Females instead of using son used dotter. Stina Andersdotter, was Anders Andersson's daughter.

Ludvig Petersson born on Oct. 2, 1848 ni Västby, Nyed, Värmland, Sweden His family were all farmers and lived in Vastby from about 1790.

Sven was born in Olmeharad and his family were all farmers. Ludvig learned a new skill as a stone mason before he was given permission to leave Sweden

April 2, 1869. He landed in the USA at the Port of Philadelphia. He spent a couple of years working his way to Council Grove, Kansas. He married May Smith on December 3rd, 1874 at the Congressional Church by reverend Ansley. He became well known for skills in stone mason and added brick laying to his skills. He was the contractor for and built the Court House, Grove National Bank, the Methodist and Congressional Churches. Many other Council Grove landmarks were restored by Ludvig. He also had a brick laying Herrington, Kansas.

- Brian L. Hantla Sr., March 24, 2013