It’s in the genes. . .

Awhile back, I decided to look for family resemblances on this really cool website, to which I was introduced by my Swedish blogging friend Thérèse. In my post “Swedish Roots”, I showed a picture of a relative (or family friend?) named JP Svensson along with an unknown person from Jönköping. Here they are again (JP is in the center) with another similar-looking man (right) from Halmstad, where AJ Hagnell apparently had a studio in addition to the one in Varnamo. Were they related? It’s possible, although it could also have been the clothing and hairstyles of the day that made them look similar.

Nels Nelson (left) was my grandma Edla’s father. According to the Sioux Falls, South Dakota newspaper, Nels and two of his sisters, Emma and Mary, all of whom had been in the U.S. for around 10 years, went back to Sweden in November of 1891 to spend a year in Stockholm, returning in May of 1892. I went to the “Stockholm” page on the website to see if I could find anyone who looked like Nels, because who knows if they had their portraits taken while they were there? I found the man on the right. Not an exact match, but close enough in some ways. I’ve never seen photos of Emma or Mary, so I wouldn’t know if I came across anyone who looked like them.

On the left is Lars, most likely a brother of my great grandmother, Anna Caroline Johnson. Although their photos were taken in separate cities, Lars and the unknown man on the right share quite a few characteristics.

I’m pretty sure the lady on the right is my great grandmother, Petronella Magnusson (it says “Nella on the back of the photo). The lady on the left doesn’t necessarily look like her, but there are still some similarities. Maybe it’s the hair, or the dress, or the pose.

A woman from Petronella’s album (right) with a young lady from Jönköping who bears a bit of resemblance.

The woman in the center is not related to me. The other two are my grandma, Edla (Nelson) Johnson, at different ages. To me, the unknown lady looks a bit like she could be related. It’s the eyes and the cheekbones.

My grandfather, Emil Johnson, (left) and an unknown Swede with a similar profile.

That’s Emil again on the left. I can see a bit of the Johnson profile in the unknown man on the right.

An unknown relative of mine (left) and a lady from Jönköping with similar characteristics.

Based on their hairstyles and where they had their photos taken, these ladies could be related to me.

I can see some family resemblance in these photos, but on Swedish Roots they were listed as “unknown”.

Some young Swedes who look like they’re ready to go on social media. (I have a seventeen-year-old grandson, so believe me when I say I can spot that look a mile away!)

I’ll finish this post with some more photos that I really like, either for the clothing, hairstyles, facial expressions, or just the general makeup of the portrait. Maybe you’ll even see some of your own Swedish relatives!

As far as I know, none of them are related to me, there’s always a chance!