The Kolmodin family is an old, Swedish family (known from the 17^th century). Today, members of the family live all over Sweden, but originally the Kolmodins came from Koldmo or Koldemo village in Arbrå parish in Hälsingland. From the beginning the Kolmodins consisted of two main families (one older and one younger). For a while there was a third family, the so-called Västerås family, but what became of them is not known.

 

The name Kolmodin is mainly known through the hymn writers: superintendent Israël Kolmodin from Gotland and dean Olof Kolmodin from Flo. The latter was also a famous poet during his lifetime. The name Kolmodin comes from the above mentioned village and was in the beginning Kolmodinus, at least for the oldest members of the family, who were clergymen. The clergymen were ancestors to the Kolmodins in Södermanland and Värmland, who later became the Kolmodins in Stockholm, who, as far as we know, are the only living ancestors to the older members of the family today.

The Kolmodins on Gotland are members of the younger Kolmodin family, which the no longer existing Kolmodins in Uppland, Västmanland and Västergötland were related to. The Kolmodins on Gotland, consisted of two families – the older and the younger, or the Kolmodins from the village Dalhem and the Kolmodins from the village Kräklingbo. The families’ earliest ancestors, two brothers, came to Gotland in the 1690’s. Since then most of the family members have stayed on the island.

The following members of the Kolmodin family are well-known:

- vicar Pehr Kolmodin from Wada, who was the son of a tailor and born in Danmark parish close to Uppsala in 1783. He was the father of goldsmith Pehr August Kolmodin, who lived in Stockholm

- inspector Anders Kolmodin who lived in Wijk and who died in 1798 (52 years old) and who was married to Beata Margaretha Öberg, who died in Sigtuna in 1820.

- halberdier Gustaf Kolmodin who died in Stockholm in 1826 at the age of 36

- Christina and Catharina Kolmodin, who both lived in the first half of the 18^th century and were married to cantors in Skåne.

There are other Kolmodins, who have either taken the name or acquired it through marriage or some other way. Among these is a farmer in Kumla in Ganthem parish on Gotland who took the name Kolmodin simply because his estate (Kumla) had the same initial letter as the family name Kolmodin.

There were also some Kolmodins in the town of Arbrå in Hälsingland, but if they are descendant to the "real" Kolmodin family is not known.

The Younger Family

(The Kolmodins on Gotland and in Uppland, Västmanland and Västergötland)

 

Erik Jonsson: Born in the 1500's and married to Gertrud.

Children:

Ericus Erici Kolmodinus - born 1589 and died 1649

Michael Erici Kolmodin - See Table 22.

Michaël Erici Kolmodin (son of Erik Jonsson), was born in 1597 in Koldemo or

Children:

Anna, born in Enköping and died in 1695. She is buried near Simtuna church, next to her husband. Her husband was one of her father’s successors, vicar in Simtuna and Altuna, schoolmaster Jacobus Martini Waldius, who was born in 1628 and died in 1697.

Michael, born in 1640 and died in 1685.

Helena, born in Enköping. She married the vicar in Närtuna and Gottröra in Roslagen, rural dean Erik Hammarinus in 1673. She died in 1697 and is buried in the vestry in Närtuna church.

Israël, born in 1643 in Enköping. He was a student at both Lund University and Uppsala University and became a schoolteacher in 1672. He studied at several foreign universities and was ordained in 1674. He was vice pastor in Uppsala Cathedral in 1679, a clerk at Uppsala chapter in 1680, theology teacher at Uppsala University and vicar in Näs parish in 1686, professor of theology also in 1686 and superintendent in Visby in 1692. He earned his PhD (theology) in 1693 and worked as clerk in sessions in the Swedish parliament in 1678, 1680 and 1682. He was a member of the Bible Commission until 1692. He had no children and died in 1709 in Visby, where he is also buried.

According to Rhyzelii Bishop Annals, Israël was a hard-working, competent, and nice man who often helped his relatives. He raised his brother’s two sons and also helped raise one of his cousin’s sons, Erik Kolmodin from Västerås. He operated his episcopate with zeal and strength and was especially concerned about the welfare of the younger, poorer clergymen. He was a member of the parliamentary committee that overlooked the 1695 hymnbook. He wrote, revised and translated many of the hymns in that book and has written the lyrics to the well-known midsummer hymn "Den blomstertid nu kommer" ("The season of the flowers is coming", translator’s translation). He was married to Margaretha Hoffvenia, the daughter of the Medical Professor at Uppsala University, Dr. Petrus Erici Hoffvenius.

Brita, born in ? and died in 1648.

Sara, died at a very young age.

Johannes, born in 1648 and died in 1724 (earliest ancestor to the Kolmodins in Uppland, Västmanland and Västergötland).

Nils

Erik, died at a very young age.

Elisabeth, born in ?. She was married to vicar of Färentuna and Hillersjö at Svartsjölandet in Uppland, schoolteacher Petrus Johannis Livonius. She died in 1686.

Christina, born in 1659 and died in 1697. She was married to chief magistrate of Sigtuna Stephan Nordin in his second marriage.

Gertrud

Catharina, was married to vicar in Barlingbo and Ekeby, Nils Hök in his first marriage. No children.

Brita

+ two stillborn babies.

Michaël (son of Michaël Erici Kolmodin), was born in 1640 in Enköping. He was a student at Uppsala University in 1654 and became a schoolteacher in 1668. He worked as a math teacher at Gävle Senior High School in 1668 and was ordained in 1670. He worked as a headmaster in Gävle in 1677 and as vicar in Simtuna and Altuna in Uppland in 1678. He married Catharina Malört in 1670 in Stockholm. He died in 1685.

Sons:

Michaël, born in 1680 and died in 1751 (earliest ancestor of the older Gotland family, the Kolmodins from Dalhem).

Carl, born in 1681 and died in 1755 (earliest ancestor of the younger Gotland family, the Kolmodins from Kräklingbo).

Michaël (son of Michaël above), born in 1680 in Simtuna vicarage in Uppland. He came to Gotland in 1692 with his uncle and foster-father, superintendent Israël Kolmodin. He attended school on Gotland and was later a student at Uppsala University. He was ordained in 1708 and was vice pastor in Lärbro between 1709 – 14 and in Hangvar in 1716. In 1716 he was also a secondary schoolteacher and hospital clergyman in Visby. He was vicar in Dalhem, Ganthem and Halla in 1726. He was a member of the chapter in Visby, dean of Medel-Tredingen between 1742 – 44. He died in 1751 in Dalhem’s vicarage and is buried at Dalhem, in the village’s cemetery next to his both wives and some of their children.

Michaël is said to have been a pious, quiet and competent man with a pleasing personality. In his first marriage (1708) he married Helena Göransdotter, who was born in Stockholm and died in 1733. In his second marriage (1734) he was married to his uncle’s sister-in-law’s grandchild Birgitta Christina Clerck. She is said to have been a difficult stepmother, hard-hearted and greedy.

Children:

(with his first wife)

Israël, born in 1709 and died 1780.

Johannes, born in 1712 and died in 1798.

Göran, born in 1713 and died in 1765.

A daughter, born in 1718 and died the same year.

A daughter, born in 1719 and died the same year.

Carl, born in 1719 and died very young.

Michaël, born in 1720 and died the same year.

(with his second wife)

Anna Catharina, born in 1735 and died in 1750.

Michaël, born in 1737 and died unmarried in Russia. What year is not known.

Brita Christina, born in 1747 and died in 1812. Married saddler David Diedrik Schreiber in 1768.

Israël (son of Michaël), was born in 1709 at Lärbro vicarage on Gotland. He was a student at Uppsala University in 1726 and was ordained in 1736. He worked as a curate in Ejsta that same year, at his future father-in-law’s house. He was vicar in Ejsta and Sproge in 1744 and dean of Södra Tredingen in 1769. He died while praying by his bed at Ejsta vicarage in 1780. He is buried next to his first wife and some of their children in the vestry in Ejsta church.

 

In his first marriage he was married to Anna Catharina Lyth, who died while giving birth to his first daughter in 1744. That same year he married his second wife Elisabeth Facht, who died in 1804.

Children:

(with his first wife)

Helena Catharina, born in 1744 and died in 1819. She is buried next to her husband Jakob Neuman, who she married in 1769.

(with his second wife)

Michaël, born in 1745 and died in 1805.

Martinus or Mårten, born in 1746. He was a lieutenant in the Swedish army. After that he worked in Cape Town in Africa for the East India Company. He died while hunting for tigers in the 1790’s.

Margaretha Elisabeth, born in 1748 and died the same year.

Israël, born in 1749 and died in 1820.

Nikolaus Ephraim, born in 1752 and died the same year.

Elisabeth Abigail, born in 1753 and died in 1829 in Stockholm. In 1771 she married lieutenant colonel at Svea artillery regiment, colonel in the army and chevalier of the Sword Order Johan Anders Palm, who was born in 1747 and died in 1819.

Margaretha Catharina, twin, born in 1755 and died in 1761 of smallpox.

Gustaf, born in 1755 and died in 1831.

Engel Charlotta, born in 1758 and died in 1802. In 1783 she married her sister-in-law’s cousin, shopkeeper Carl Gustaf Hansson Eneqvist.

Anna Sophia, born in 1760 and died in 1761 of smallpox.

 

Michaël (son of Israël), born in 1745 at Ejsta vicarage on Gotland. He was a student at Uppsala University and earned his M.A. in Greifswald, Germany. He was ordained in 1770 and worked as a curate at his father’s house in Ejsta that same year. He was vicar in Ejsta and Sproge in 1781. He died in 1805 and is buried next to his wife in Ejsta.

Michaël was known as a very good teacher of religious studies. He was also a pious, competent and quiet man with an interesting personality. He was one of Linné’s (Linneaus’) disciples and became an avid natural historian. He was also an ornithologist and had the largest bird collection on Gotland. In his later years he became interested in chemistry and physics and corresponded with both domestic and foreign natural historians and scientists. He was also a poet.

He married Johanna Catharina Butendorff in 1784, the daughter of merchant Nils Danielsson Butendorff and Brita Säve.

Children:

Israël, born in 1792 and died in 1872.

Nils, born in 1793 and died in 1813 after being sick for a long time.

Michaël, born in 1796 and died in 1876.

Elisabeth Johanna, born in 1798 and died in 1875. She married bookkeeper Pehr Gudmund Fahlsten in 1825.

Israël (son of Michaël), was born in 1792 at Ejsta vicarage on Gotland. He was a student at Uppsala University in 1810 and became a physician in 1817. He worked as a battalion doctor at Västmanland’s regiment in 1818 and as a district medical officer on Gotland that same year. He continuously worked for better hospitals and treatments. He became a chevalier of the North Star Order in 1863. In 1819 he married Margaretha Sophia Gerle, daughter of merchant Jakob Gerle and his second wife Magdalena Catharina Schwan. He died in 1872 in Visby and is buried in the grave that was bought when his daughter Anna Emilia Jakobina died.

Children:

(since The Swedish Family Register was printed in 1875, these children were still alive when the register was published.)

Johanna Magdalena Sophia, born in 1822. Lives with her mother.

Anna Emilia Jakobina, born in 1824 and died unmarried in 1848.

Michaël, born in 1826. See Tab. 28

Carl, born in 1828. See Tab. 29

Charlotta Euphemia, born in 1830 and lives with her mother.

Johan, born in 1832. See Tab. 30

Richard, born in 1834. See Tab. 31

Edvard, born in 1836. See Tab. 32

Joseph, born in 1838 and died the same year. Buried in the family grave of the Gerle family.

Michaël, (son of Israël), was born in 1826 in Visby. He went to school in Visby and also worked there as sales clerk in 1841. He was a bookkeeper at Skäggs in Westkinde parish in 1844 and then in Suderby in Westerheide parish. He was a tenant farmer in Hägvalls in Wänge parish and thereafter in Folkedarfve in Akebäcks parish. In 1857 he bought an apartment in Hallagårda in Halla parish where he also owns a small leasehold property. In 1853 he married Edla Malvina Lindersson from Roslagen. She was the daughter of district police superintendent of Stockholm county Jakob Lindersson and Eva Elisabeth Broström. Died in 1905 in Halla. He was living with his daughter Hilma and her husband Oskar Johansson at the time of his death.

Children:

Sophia Malvina Euphemia, born in 1854 in Folkedarfve. She worked as a governess for Captain Klingerstjernas at Wreta in Södermanland and she is now working as a governess for Captain Kistners at Holm in Stora Tuna and Dalarne parish. She married Fredrik von Schantz, a lawyer. A relative of von Schantz believes they did not have children

A stillborn son, born in 1855 in Folkedarfve.

Israël Theodor, born in 1856. He studied at Visby secondary grammar school and was an apprentice at craftsman Hellgren in Visby (he learned how to make brass objects) in 1872. Journeyman in 1877. Cannot find a record of his death.

Edla Elisabeth Theresia, born in 1858 in Hallagårda. Lives in Stockholm in Maria parish with her uncle Richard. Married a farmer and "lay assessor Olof Emil Soderstrom. She died a widow in 1910.

Carl Johan Edvard, born in 1859. He went to school in Halla parish. Apprentice at the baker Lindbom in Visby in 1873. Journeyman in 1878. Immigrated to the U.S. and worked as a baker. He died in the Chicago area at a young age.

Hilma Maria Jakobina, born in 1861 and died 1940 in Halla. Married to Frans Oskar Johansson who died in 1938.

Clara Amanda, born in 1864 and died in 1866.

Emilia Carolina Wilhelmina, born in 1863.

The following was added by Karla Jorgensen Carter in 2000.

Emilia Carolina Wilhelmina, born in 1863.

Immigrated to the United States in 1893. Married Karl Jorgensen. She was a master seamstress and quilt maker; very intelligent and quickly learned to speak and read English; loved to dance; had a great sense of humor; was a loving and devoted mother and homemaker.

Children:

Waldamer - 1898-1904

Edmund - 1900-1976 - Married to Francies Poitreau (1905-1980)

Children: Lavona Jorgensen (b. 1926) - married to Robert Weingarten (b. 1923)

Children:

Gail Weingarten (b. 1949) - married to George Schulz (b. 1944)

Children: Myles (b. 1977); Carl (b. 1979); Erin (b. 1983); Kelly (b. 1983)

Debra Weingarten (b. 1951) - married to Fred Davis (b. 1952)

Children: Scott (b. 1978); Brianna (b. 1981).

Wayne - 1904 died in infancy

Earl - 1906-1989 - Married to Helen Outhous (1906-1988)

Children:

Leighton Jorgensen (b. 1929) - married to Elizabeth Jacobs (b. 1929)

Children:

David (b. 1965) - married to Gloria Anne Case b. 1964)

Children:

Bradley (b. 1994); Christopher (b. 1996)

Karen (b. 1963) - married to Richard Koontz (b. 1962)

Children:

Jesse (b. 1987); Richard (b. 1988);

Randall (b. 1992)

Katherine Jorgensen (b. 1941) - married William Dummer (b. 1940)

Children:

Andrew (b. 1966)

Heather (b. 1970)

Charles Malcolm - Born 1909 and age 90 as of this writing in 2000. Married to Charlotte Louise Reidenbach in 1941 until her death in 1973. School teacher in Grosse Pointe, Michigan 1941-1972; retired to Sedona, Arizona. He is a gifted writer, artist and poet. Married to Loraine Regan 1975 until her death in 1988. Married Paula Wells 1994 to present.

Children:

Gail Lynette - Born 1945. Graduate of University of Michigan. Talented writer, artist, and singer. Married to Dennis Snible 1966-1978. Married to Tom Slaughter 1981 until his death in 1998.

Children:

Edward Charles - born 1967. Married to Gayle Kellemen of Phoenix, Arizona. Graduate of Arizona State University; resident of New York City; computer engineer IBM NY; active in a NYC improv company.

Wendy Jean - born 1971. Graduate of Humboldt State University; oceanographer and resident of Trinidad, California. Loves to travel. Summer student in Japan 1988. Attended Fosen Folkhogskole in Trondheim, Norway 1992-93

Karla Jean - Born 1946. Graduate of Northern Michigan University; legal assistant in Palo Alto, California; married to Peter Reed Carter 1994.

Contact: karla_carter@yahoo.com to discuss Kolmodin Family history.

The following are Michael Kolmodin’s (1826-1905) brothers:

Carl (son of Israël), was born in 1828 in Visby. He studied at Visby’s elementary school and Senior High School between 1839 – 51. He was a student at Uppsala University in 1852, earned his Bachelor of Medicin in 1854. He studied at Karolinska Institutet (hospital in Stockholm) between 1854 – 56. He worked as a cholera doctor in Stockholm in 1854 and as an assistant physician at Allmänna Garnisonssjukhuset (hospital in Stockholm) in 1855. He worked as cholera doctor in Visby in 1855 and in Näs and Bondkyrka parishes in Uppland in 1857. He became assistant physician in Slite on Gotland between 1860 – 62 and district medical officer in Slite in 1864.

He lives in Slite in Othem parish. In 1864 he married Maria Hermanna Ekman, daughter of merchant and post office clerk in Slite Johan Walfrid Ekman and Emma Carolina Lovisa Eneqvist.

Children:

Emma Sophia, born in 1865.

Carl Herman, born in 1866. Has studied at Visby Senior High School since 1876.

Alma Carolina, born in 1868.

Mathilda Fredrika, born in 1871.

Johan (son of Israël), was born in 1832 in Visby. He attended Visby’s apologist school between 1843 – 49. He worked as a bookkeeper at Roma mansion on Gotland in 1850. He was the leaseholder of part of the mansion’s estate called Hästgården in Follingbo parish in 1866. In 1867 he married Rosalie Jakobina Höggren in Rohne. She was born in 1841 and is the daughter of Rohne’s cantor Olof Höggren and Helena Gertrud Sandström.

Children:

Joseph, born in 1867. He has been a student at Visby Senior High School since 1877.

Maria Sophia Wilhelmina, born in 1869 and died in 1871.

Maria Helena, born in 1871.

Helena Maria Sophia, born in 1873.

Esther Maria, born in 1874.

Israël Carl Gustaf, born in 1876.

Elisabeth Maria, born in 1878.

 

Richard (son of Israël), was born in 1834 in Visby. He studied at different schools in Visby and worked there as a sales clerk in 1850. He bought Katthamra in Östergarn parish in 1859 and became a merchant in Katthammarsvik. In 1871 he became a merchant in Stockholm and owns the business "Stockholm’s sack rental". He lives in Maria parish. In 1860 he married Elisabeth Catharina Blomberg in Visby. She was born in 1842 and died in 1870 at Katthamra. She is buried at Östergarn’s cemetary. She was the daughter of restaurant-keeper Olof Mathias Blomberg and his first wife Charlotta Österberg.

Children:

Carl Hugo, born in 1862. He is studying at Maria parish elementary school.

Selma Elisabeth, born in 1864.

Edvard (son of Israël), was born in 1836 in Visby. He went to school in Visby and also worked there as a sales clerk in 1852 and as a merchant in 1862. He worked as an office clerk at wholesale dealer L.E. Brandt in Gävle in 1873, and was an agent for that same wholesale dealer in 1878. In 1863 he married Amalia Charlotta Beata Dahl in Visby. She was born in 1838 in Stockholm and is the daughter of prison doctor John Dahl and Anna Charlotta Jordan.

Children:

Hilma Charlotta, born 1864 in Visby.