Gustafva Pettersdotter was born on November 6, 1817 in Lövhult, Jonkoping, Sweden to Petter Svensson and Catrina (Persdotter) Svensson. On December 3, 1841 she was married to Johan Samuelsson Kämpe in Mörlunda, Kalmar, Sweden. They lived in a small soldier cottage in Årena and had nine children: Maria Gustafva, Per August (b. 1842), Lena Sofia (b. 1845), Carl Johan (b. 1847), Samuel Fredrik Oskar (b. 1852), Jonas Alfred (b. 1855), Oskar Fredrik (b. 1858), Emma Josefina (b. 1859), and Lovisa Eugenia (b. 1864).
Johan Kämpe / Gustafva Pettersdotter Marriage Record
Johan Kämpe / Gustafva Pettersdotter Marriage Record
The family moved to another soldier’s cottage in Gårdveda in 1850 and remained there for the next four years. They moved to a new house in Löfhult, Gårdveda, and Johan began farming. All of their children except Per August and Maria Gustafva emigrated to America.
Flathult Soldiers’ Cottage
In 1881, Johan built a new home, called “Kämpe-stugan” (Kämpe-cottage), and the couple moved into the cottage in 1882. Johan passed away in May of 1888 of unknown causes. Gustafva lived out the rest of her life in their little cottage. In a letter to Josefina in 1891, Gustafva told that she had a cow, five sheep with lambs, and three hens, so got milk, eggs, mutton, and wool. She said that she had two grandchildren, Hilma Ottilia (Per August’s daughter) and Lydia Viktoria (Maria Gustafva’s daughter) living with her in the cottage, as their school was in the neighborhood.
Kämpe Stugan Cottage
Gustafva died on October 31, 1913 at the age of 96, in Kalmar. Cause of death was arteriosclerosis. She was buried on November 9 in Målilla cemetery in the same grave as Johan.
Gustafva Pettersdotter Death Record
Gustafva Pettersdotter Death Record
Gustafva Pettersdotter Death Record
Gustafva Pettersdotter Death Record
Source: Barbro and Åke Bogelius visited Rune Kämpe in Småland while they were visiting Johan Samuelsson Kämpe and Gustafva Petersdotter’s soldier cottage (parents of Per August and Lena Sofia Kämpe). Rune is Per August’s grandson. This visit took place during the summer of 2010 when Rune was 86 years old. Rune had letters that Gustafva Petersdotter had written to her children in the U.S.
