When a new physician came to take up practice in Dassel [Minnesota], [John] Sjoquist [1832-1930] went to call on him as a matter of courtesy and friendliness. While he was in the doctor's office, he decided that he might as well have a physical examination. The result was that he was given a prescription for some minor ill. This is the way he afterwards told the story: “I gave the doctor $2 for the examination because, after all, the doctor has to live. Then I took the prescription he gave me to the druggist to have it filled, and I gave him $2 because the druggist also has to live. Then I took the medicine home and put it on the shelf and there it has been for two years because, you know, I also have to live” (p. 58).

In common with many of the pioneer preachers, Sjoquist did not have much interest in speculative theology, particularly in so-called "prophetic truth." At one time the church which he attended was pastored by a man who believed strongly in what was called “dispensational truth” and in “rightly dividing” the word of truth. This school of thought allocated particular sections of the Bible to the Jews, other parts to the Gentiles, and other parts to a coming age. Our pioneers were pietists who took the whole Bible, Old and New Testaments, and applied it spiritually to Christ. One Sunday morning when Sjoquist was returning home from church, he was met by a friend who said to him, “Well, did you get anything in church today?” to which Sjoquist replied with a gesture of disgust: “Humpf. Get anything? Why he even wanted to take away from that which I already had” (pp. 63,64).

Version #2

One day when Sjoquist was walking down the main street of Dassel, he encountered a man who was a bit unsteady in his gait from over-imbibing at the corner saloon. Sjoquist offered to assist him across the street at the intersection. "No, Pastor Sjoquist," said the man, who happened to recognize him, "I don't need your help. I don't belong to your church. I'm a Lutheran." "Yes," answered Sjoquist, " I can see that." -60

Pastors serving Lake Union Covenant Church were as follows:

Rev. August Sjoberg, Rev. J. G. Sjoquist and Rev. Bergren served the church as ministers during the first years until 1910.

Dassel (MN) to Celebrate 125th Anniversary

DASSEL, MN (June 3, 2004) - Two August events highlight the 125th anniversary celebration for the Evangelical Covenant Church of Dassel.

The church will host a Heritage Sunday on August 8 and will have a variety of events August 28-29 as part of its Homecoming weekend, said a church representative. Donn Engebretson, executive vice president of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), will preach during the 10 a.m. Sunday worship service on August 29 and Northwest Conference administrators will also be special guests. The congregation will host a 4 p.m. barbeque on August 28.

A total of 20 members were part of the official founding of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Dassel on August 15, 1879, according to church records. Pastor J. G. Sjoquist was instrumental in helping the church get started as he led service one Sunday per month as part of a "circuit preaching" ministry. The church built its first building in 1881 and joined the ECC (then known as the Swedish Mission Covenant Church of America) in 1895. Sjoquist was a pastor at the church until 1902 and also served a church in nearby South Kingston.

Some of the early church's pastors went on to serve in other ministerial roles as Rev. C. Elwin Anderson (1935-42) became a chaplain in the U.S. Army during World War II and his replacement, Sigfrid Carlson, later became superintendent of the Upper Michigan Conference (which later became part of the Great Lakes Conference).

Clifford Bjorklund was pastor while the church embarked on a new building project that was dedicated on the church's 75th anniversary in 1954 and finished two years later - by then the church was known as Mission Covenant Church. He later became secretary of the ECC. A key pastor during the 1960s was Wallace Pratt, who had served as chaplain at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis. Pratt helped the church grow into a multi-staff ministry during more than a decade of ministry.

The Evangelical Covenant Church of Dassel currently has an average worship attendance of 206 under pastor Keith Carlson. For more information about the church and its anniversary celebration, call 320-275-3315.

On September 20, 1918 the WWI Draft Registration Report shows Charles Thorsell is living at 411 N. Mesa, San Pedro, Los Angeles Co., CA. He is a Ships Master for the Fred Linderman Steamship Co., and is employed on the Steamer Mary Olson. His wife is Hanna Thorsell.

On April 9, 1919, C. Thorsell (Master) and wife Han... were on the Ship "Cricket" Port of Departure: San Francisco, CA; Port of Arrival: New York, NY. They were in Nicaragua on March 18, 1919.

On February 8, 1921, Claes Thorsell applied for a passport.

   

On February 26, 1921, Hannah M. Thorsell applied for a passport.

   

Modesto Evening News, Modesto, CA, Saturday, February 26, 1921

DAUGHTER OF TURLOCK MINISTER DIES IN SAN PEDRO WHILE ON VISIT

TURLOCK, Feb. 26 - Rev. and Mrs. J. G. Sjoquist received word this week of the death of their daughter, Miss Alma Sjoquist, in San Pedro. Miss Sjoquist was in San Pedro visiting her sister when her death occurred. She had been sick a long time and her death was not unexpected. The remains have been shipped to Turlock and will be interred here. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from Gankler's undertaking parlors.

On August 5, 1921, Claes Thorsell, wife Hanna, and Vanetta and Stanley left Copenhagen and arrived at the Port of New York on August 16, 1921, aboard S. S. Frederick VIII.

The Oakland Tribune, Oakland, CA, Saturday evening, October 8, 1921

AT GOLDEN WEDDING

TURLOCK, Oct. 8. - At the Swedish church Thursday evening the golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Sjoquist was celebrated. The edifice was beautifully decorated. Under a floral arch Mr. and Mrs. Sjoquist again pledged their vows. Following the ceremony a banquet was served to a host of relatives and old friends.

The Modesto Evening News, Modesto, CA, Thursday, May 15, 1924

Funeral Services Held For Mrs. M. Sjoquist

TURLOCK, May 15. - The funeral of the late Mrs. Matilda Sjoquist was held this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Swedish Mission church. Rev. Paul Reed officiated and interment was in the Turlock cemetery. Mrs. Sjoquist passed away at her home on Orange street Monday night. She was a native of Sweden, aged 74 years. She has resided in Turlock for eight years. She was the mother of Mrs. Hannah Thorsell, Mrs. Hilda Hernes, Miss Ruth Sjoquist and Theodore Sjoquist.

The Modesto News-Herald, Modesto, CA, Tuesday, October 12, 1926

Police At Turlock Start Search For Missing Man

TURLOCK, Oct. 11. - A statewide search was launched here Sunday by Turlock police for Ted Sjoquist, 45, prominent Turlock citizen and son-in-law of Claus Johnson, member of the Turlock irrigation board. Sjoquist, who is manager of the Wood ranch, located six miles west and four miles south of this city, left his home last Tuesday afternoon for San Francisco. Indications are that he reached that city and transacted his business there and left, presumably for his home here. Nothing has been seen or heard of him from the time he left the bay city, according to his wife, who has sought aid of police officials in her hunt for her husband. Foul play is feared. Mrs. Sjoquist thought nothing of her husband's absence until several days after he had left home, and the time had arrived when he was scheduled to return. It was then she called parties in San Francisco with whom her husband was expected to confer. From them Mrs. Sjoquist learned that her husband had left the city for his return home. It is feared that Sjoquist may have picked up an itinerant on the road and that he may have met with foul play. Sjoquist was formerly manager of the West Turlock Lumber company. He is described as 46 years of age, 5 feet 4 inches in height, weighed 130 pounds and was slightly stoop-shouldered. He was smooth shaven and wore a brown suit and velour hat. He was driving a coupe. His wife and several children reside here.

The Modesto News-Herald, Modesto, CA, Saturday, October 23, 1926

FOUL PLAY BEST THEORY NOW IN SJOQUIST CASE

With T. C. Sjoquist, prominent Turlock rancher, missing more than three weeks, local officers are inclined to agree with Mrs. Sjoquist's thaory that he has met death, possibly by foul play. "I am convinced that my husband is dead," said Mrs. Sjoquist. Circulars, 550 in all, have been sent to every sheriff, chief of police and constable in the state, describing Sjoquist, but without result. Private detectives are working on the case. Sjoquist was last seen alive when he left Turlock on October 5, with the announced intention of going to San Francisco to call on E. K. Wood, owner of a large ranch near Turlock of which Sjoquist was foreman. When Sjoquist failed tom arrive in San Francisco, Wood came to Turlock, upon his return home he employed detectives. Sjoquist's accounts were all in order, it is said, to the complete satisfaction of Wood. When Sjoquist left Turlock he had only pocket money in his possession. He took with him no extra clothes, expecting to return to Turlock the same night. Efforts are being made through the California Automobile Association to determine whether Sjoquist's machine was taken from the state. According to Mrs. Sjoquist, her husband seldom made business trips as he preferred to remain quietly at home with his wife and family. Sjoquist is the father of four children. Sjoquist was sometimes subject to attacks or weak spells resulting from an operation undergone several years ago. One of these may have figured in his disappearance, it is said. These spells lasted sometimes for two hours, the last manifestation of the attack having taken place last Christmas. The route to San Francisco has been carefully traced in a attempt to ascertain whether Sjoquist was seen along the way, but this too, failed to produce anything tangible.

The Modesto News-Herald, Modesto, CA, Friday, December 17, 1926

SJOQUIST VICTIM OF AMNESIA IS REPORT

Story Around in Turlock Is That He Has Reappeared

TURLOCK, Dec. 16. - (Special) -

The Modesto News-Herald, Modesto, CA, Tuesday, December 21, 1926

MISSING TURLOCK RANCHER FOUND

Ted Sjoquist located at Home of Sister in San Pedro; In Ill Health

Ted Sjoquist, Turlock rancher, missing since October 5, has been located at the home of his sister, Mrs. H. Thorsell, at San Pedro, according to word received by Mrs. Sjoquist at Turlock. Sjoquist arrived at his sister's home Friday night, it was learned, and seemed ill, both mentally and physically. He will be examined by physicians, Mrs. Sjoquist said before leaving Turlock for San Pedro with her son, Ronald. According to meager information received over the telephone from Sjoquist until December 12, when his wife received a letter from him, addressed to his sister in the south but intended for her. In the letter Sjoquist said that he would arrive at his sister's home by the end of the week. The letter, Mrs. Sjoquist said, was not clearly written, and indicated that something had befallen him. Before leaving Turlock, Sjoquist was employed on the E. K. Wood ranch near Hatch.

The Modesto News-Herald, Modesto, CA, Thursday, December 23, 1926

TURLOCK MAN REVEALS LONG MENTAL LAPSE; ENROUTE HOME

BERKLEY, Ca., Dec. 22. - Theodore C. Sjoquist, 45-year-old ranch foreman, today was enroute back to his Turlock home to rejoin his family, eager to greet four children who to him have been mentally dead since October 6. MORE..................

The Modesto News-Herald, Modesto, CA, Wednesday, January 5, 1927

SJOQUIST AND FAMILY LEAVE FOR ARIZONA

TURLOCK, Jan. 4.

Theodore Sjoquist, who returned to Turlock recently after an absence of two months, during which time his family and employer knew nothing of his whereabouts, has departed with his family for Nogales, Arizona, where he states he has accepted a position as salesman for an automobile firm. Sjoquist, who, according to his family, was a victim of amnesia at the time of his disappearance, has apparently fully recovered from his affliction. He was formerly manager of the Wood ranch seven miles southwest of Turlock.

On September 13, 1930, Claes Thorsell was a 2nd Mate serving on the Ship "S. S. Dorothy Wintermote" Port of Departure: Wamino, British Columbia on September 12, 1930; Port of Arrival: Tacoma, WA. He had tattoos on both arms, age 45, Swedish, engaged March 19, 1930 in San Francisco, and has served as a Seaman for 27 years, is 5 Feet 8 Inches in Height and 172 Pounds in Weight.

On August 17, 1921 the Claes Thorsell family were on the Ship "Frederik VIII" Port of Departure: Copenhagen, Sweden on August 5, 1921; Port of Arrival: New York, NY.

The Berkeley Daily Gazette, Berkeley, CA, Wednesday, July 4, 1934

Will Live Here

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thorsell and daughter and son from San Pedro have established their home at 464 Alcatraz Avuenue, Oakland. Their daughter will attend the University of California next year.

The Modesto Bee, Modesto, CA, Thursday, July 2, 1959

Hannah Thorsell

TURLOCK - Hannah Thorsell, 83, died yesterday at Bethany Home after a short illness. She was born in Illinois and came to California in 1896. She lived in San Pedro, Los Angeles County, until 1934, when she moved to Berkley. She had lived in Bethany Home since 1956 and was a member of the Berkley Mission Covenant Church. Mrs. Thorsell leaves one son, Stanley Thorsell of San Francisco, and one daughter Vanette Thorsell, a missionary in the Belgian Congo.

Vanette Myrtle Thorsell
From 1916 to 1990
Covenant Church
Democratic republic of Congo

Translated from French:

Vanette Myrtle Thorsell was born in San Pedro, California, in the United States, on July 29, 1916. His/her parents Charles and Hannah Thorsell had two children, Vanette and his younger brother Stanley. His/her father was a captain in the naval force of the American army.

Vanette grows in a Christian family and gave her life to Jesus as of his childhood. It was called for the mission at the age of twenty-six years, five years after having finished its studies of first cycle in pedagogy at the University of California. Its studies of the Spanish language, science of education and theology qualified it for a teaching career several years in Democratic Republic of Congo (RDCongo). Answering the questionnaire of the committee missionary of its church in May 1943, Vanette wrote what follows to justify its engagement missionary:

Since my childhood, the Lord put in my heart the enthusiastic desire to serve it out of ground of mission far from my country. This desire me forever left. I thus quite simply realized that it is with that that the Lord called me. I never thought only one moment that my life would be complete without obeying this call. For me, obedience means outward journey where the Lord wants to send to me.

Vanette allotted its vocation missionary to his mother. In the same questionnaire, it specified that the prayer of his/her mother played a great part in its engagement missionary: “The prayers of my mother were probably the great force which encouraged me with the mission. All my life, my mother requested that the Lord can send to me where it was not able to go itself.”

Vanette was devoted for work missionary by Evangelical Covenant Church in 1945. It left its country the following year to serve in the primary schools and secondary in the north-western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Gemena, Karawa, Gbado, and Bolenge close to Mbandaka. In a context where teaching in the Protestant medium was enormously lacking, God was useful himself of Vanette to prepare hundreds of young Congolese to the responsibilisation. Several of its alumni, as well of the primary schools as secondary, occupied of the important stations in Democratic Republic of Congo, in the government, the commercial activities, in primary education education, secondary and university, like in the various ecclesiastical ministries.

To achieve this catalyst role, Vanette was characterized by a mobility which was worth to him the English nickname of “Moving Van.” It was always in displacement to teach in the schools and to encourage the teachers. Speaking about its impact on the life of the other missionaries, Barbara Johnson who knew it during twenty-six years known as what follows:

I knew Van like an optimistic, adaptable, flexible maidservant. She always aspired to excellence, and multiple the moment of discouragement never changed its vision of the world. It helped us to maintain a glance positive on any situation. It continued to recall us that people, and not the tasks, were important for our work for the Lord.

It is this determination and this vision of the world which characterized the ministry of Vanette which decided to remain on the field of mission until its death. It died in Karawa, on November 19, 1990, at the age of seventy-four years. Like said it Helen Cepero in a recent homage dedicated to Vanette, the impact of this devoted maidservant of God did not evaporate with its death, because “deaths still remain with us” by their works.

Fohle Lygunda files

December 2006

Hello, Leigh!

Are you preparing for Christmas? Your Swedish relatives are preparing for another occasion, called Lucia. Do you recognize it? It’s in honour of the young lady Lucia who was burned to death in Syracusa on Sicily 304. Lucia, in Sweden, is celebrated on December 13th. By the way, thanks Evan for the last email. It’s so beautiful and reminds us how happy we should be of what we have and that the majority of the world’s population don’t have.

I thought it was time to give some additional information about the family. This issue could be pretty complicated; who is who and who is related to who and how. Not all of the stories are pleasant though. I have put in what Jaime wrote in order to describe the Lucia celebration in Seattle. Family matters can be pretty complicated, so just let me know if there was something below that you didn’t understand and/or if you had any interest in it at all.

I have added some information regarding our relative in Africa. Her name was Vanette Thorsell and her great grandfather, Peter, was the uncle of Olaus Larsson. Peter was vaccinated in the 1810's. Sweden was if not the first, at least one of the first countries in the world that give the population an extended vaccination. Almost every little child in the 1810's and after went through this process. But it didn't help Peter from getting another diseases. He later was "crippled with rheumatism". Olaus Larsson's father, Lars, got small poxes. One of Lars' sister, either Cajsa or Stina, also had small poxes. But she survived as well. Peter became a peasant and got many children. One of them, Petter, was a school teacher and changed his last name from Petersson to Thorsell. Petter Thorsell also had many children of whom four moved to USA and settled down there. Klaes (Charles) Thorsell had - as to the best of my knowledge - two children; Vanette and Stanley. Vanette Thorsell appears to have lived an exciting and dangerous life, since Congo/Zaire for decades has been affected by civil war and dictatorship. It was most likely not a bed of roses. I have put in what Diane Prior (the niece of Vanette Thorsell) wrote to me about Vanette Thorsell.

Vanette Thorsell was my father’s sister.  She was a missionary for Swedish Mission Covenant Church in the Belgium Congo (Zaire, Dem. Republic of Congo … the country had many name changes since the 1960’s).  She died in Zaire in 1991 and is buried there.  She spoke many languages including French, Lingala (Congo trade language), some Spanish, Swedish and of course English.  I studied French in high school but that was a long time ago.  Her father, my grandfather was Charles Thorsell.  He was in the Merchant Marine (we don’t call it “navy” as “navy” refers to the military).  Part of his career was as captain of the ship; he was known as “Red Charlie” because of his red hair.  He died in 1940 of an illness while the ship he was on was in Oregon or Washington (state, not D.C.).

You asked about our Lucia service...it is held this coming Sunday night, and unfortunately this year I have a concert conflict.  (I have joined the Seattle Flute Society Flute Choir and we have a rehearsal at that time, so now we are unable to go as we usually do.) Even though I am involved in several Christmas concerts, the Santa Lucia service is one we have attended, rather than performed in. We are not  formal 'participants' at the Swedish ceremony, but rather participate in the congregational responses and singing.  We have attended this service for many years and enjoy it immensely.  My girls have never been a Lucia bride (except for fun at home)...the church chooses young ladies from their own congregation for this honor.  (We attend a different fellowship). If I find a program from the past, I will let you know the particular songs we do each year.  I will look for one and let you know what they are.

Another tradition in Sweden was the cemetery dances on Midsummer Eve Night and the Botvid Night were common in the old days on many places in southern Sweden. The young people gathered and danced, sang bawdy and scandalous songs and sometimes even made love on the cemetery. The origin of this tradition is duskily, but the cemetery is a place which is connected with both love and death. Complaints came from the bishop in Lund but to no avail. The tradition continued, for how long I don’t know though. The author Vilhelm Moberg has written about this in the book The Brides’ Spring.

The church wasn’t always the sacred place that we might think. Our ancestors danced on every party. They danced at the harvest and feasts and even at the wake. The reason was that it was not only pleasant but necessary. It was important, during the wake, that the deceased would resume dead and not return (ghost). They tried to conjure up the deceased so that wouldn’t happen. If the relatives and friends also could give the fresh body a nice last moment before he or she forever was put in the earth, so much better. But the church didn’t agree. The exhilarated dances at the wake met a stern destiny. The phenomenon was banned in Norway (1607), Denmark (1656) and Sweden (1644).

But our ancestors in Sweden had been the centre of the church’s interest 300 years earlier. On a bishop meeting in Slesvig (1222) promulgated the papal legate Gregorious de Crescentio an edict that banned ring dance, games, drama and scuffle in the church buildings, something that clearly shows what the Scandinavians thought was fun and natural to do.

But the complaints continued. People were sitting on the organ loft; played cards and spitted on the people sitting in the benches under the loft. Church visitors consumed alcohol outside the church and some even threw up in the church and some fell asleep. This was the situation in the area where our ancestors and relatives lived around 1750. Even the priest was not immune. There were indications that he was unfaithful and broke against the church’s own rules, however he got support from some people in the community and one of them was our ancestor, Nils Andersson, which is rather interesting especially when you consider what the priest was accused of.

From 1731 farmers who paid an extra tax were allowed to hooch or moonshine for so-called “household requirements”. There were also speakeasies in Torsås too. I’ll see if I can come up with some pictures of the Lucia celebration in Sweden on 13th December.