Charles Bernard Andersson Hilding (Carl Hilding)

Far: Anders Bengtsson (1822 - 1855)

Mor: Cicilia Carlsdotter (1821 - 1903)

Charles Bernard (Anderson) Hilding was born Jan 1, 1848 in the village Hyllinge,
Skane, Sweden. He had at least two sisters, one of the sisters -- Matilda (Anderson)
came to America about 1874 or 75. She married Johnnie Johnson of Osage City, KS.
about 1876. They had 6 daughters, one of which was Esther Martin. The other sister
never came to America.
Charles lived with his parents on a farm in southern Sweden. He describes his home
as a beautiful wooded hill. He wasn't happy as he was growing up because he knew he
would have to spend two or more years in the army serving the King. He didn't want
to do this so at the age of 17 or 18 he stole away on a cargo ship and came to
America. He landed in New York Harbor. Here he was, a big strong Swedish boy who
couldn't speak or understand a word of English. Of course there were many differen- [sic]
languages spoken in the area.
Charles thought the best thing to do was to get away from the city and all the people
He walked and walked and trying to find someone who needed help. Finally he made a
man understand the needed work. The man gave him a bag and told him to "pick peas".
All day long Charles picked peas and said over and over "pick peas". So thats the
way Charles learned to speak English--by saying phrases over and over. In fact he
was a very well self-educated man. After the pickingexperience he moved westward.
He did many different kinds of jobs.
The railroads were being laid westward at that time and that's how he finally
found himself in Ottawa, kansas working with a gang building the Missouri Pacific
railroad. Swedes like flies swarm together, so it was here he med Charlotte Johanna
Gustafson Brandel. She was a Swedish maiden with flaxen hair and a happy smile.
They were married Feb. 1874 in Ottawa. That same year they moved to Osage City, Ks.
When Charles came to Osage City he worked in the coal mines in the winter months. Coal
mining was a thriving industry in Osage at that time. He farmed and gardened and
always had "livestock". He was an expert horseman.
In 1876 Marie Alveria was born, She was a very sweet little girl and her father
loved her very much. One afternoon she became very ill with a very acute disease
"membranus croup". She died in a few hours. The young couple were beside themselves.
Their beautifl little girl was just a few hours earlier sitting on the back step
eating bread and sugar. It wasn't long before Charles could see that Charlotte could
get great comfort and strength from her strong Christian faith. So he surrendered to
the gospel call and became well versed in the Bible and lived his faith from then on.
Charles' name was Charles Bernard Anderson when he came to Osage, but because
of the many Andersons in Osage at that time it caused so much mail confusion that
he changed the Anderson to Hilding. Possibly he chose this name because he said his
home was on a green wooded hill or maybe he took the name from the village where he
lived. (Hyllinge) I know of no exact time that he made this name change. He owned
property and other legal holdings using the name Hilding long before it was legally
changed. The records show at the county seat (Lyndon) he legally becaome Charles
Hilding, June 11, 1907. That same day he received his nationalization papers making
him no longer a subject to the Swedish crown but a citizen of the U.S.A.
Charles and Charlotte had six children born to them. Marie: 1876-1879;
Arthur William (1880-1932); Edna Marie (1882-1965); Allie E. (1887-1943) Raymond (1895,)
and Carl Ephram (1885-1961) was my father.
The family lived in Osage and were educated in the Osage City school system.
Arthur and Edna couldn't speak English when they started to school but by the time
Carl and Allie were in school they could speak it very well. In 1891 Charles bought
a quarter section of land northwest of Osage and he lived there the rest of his life.
(I was born on that farm) He was a good farmer, and an honest but keen business man.
Many farmers and Swedish friends asked his councel on business wisdom. He died at his
home Feb. 1923, and is buried in the Union (Swedish) cemetry [sic!].


Skrivet av Anne Hilding, text skickad till mig från Mary Sleightholm, Kansas City.