J-A-N-S-O-N is fairly unusual, but shouldn't be. Names in northern Europe were often simply the dottir or son of Lars, or Ander, Ole or John, and then in America became Larson, Anderson, Olson or Johnson. I remember thinking that Janson was obviously formed that way, by Jan's family, but it's only speculation. What we know is that there were Jansons in Baiertal, Balzfeld, Deilheim, and Horrenburg Germany since at least 1709, probably earlier. Oh, yes, we DO have a theory about how that happened ☺.
In any event, those Janson families were all "us", and the Janson families who emigrated to America settled in more states than just Michigan or Minnesota.
I heard recently from Eilleen, another descendant, whose great great great grands settled in Pennsylvania, but not as farmers. She wrote that she has "a somewhat grainy picture of Janson Steel and Iron Company which was owned and operated by Joseph Janson and his brothers Frank and Valentine Janson".
She said her maternal Great-Great Grandparents were Frank P. Kasel and Katharina Janson (born February 20, 1848 in Horrenberg Germany). Her maternal Great-Great-Great Granparents were Katharina Duerk (born in Horrenberg) and Johann Valentin Janson (born in Horrenberg). Katharina Duerk and her husband came to America in 1853...so 30 years before the Minnesota Jansons arrived. Eilleen said she would write up an account of the Pennsylvania family to post here, so I won't add any of her photos.
This is just to let you know, and to say "Hi" ☺!
No comments:
Post a Comment