Church Record Sunday: Matilde Josefine Eriksen

Chicago's vital records prior to 8 October 1871 were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. However, church records record the birth, baptism, and burial of Matilde Josefine Eriksen.

Matilde Josefine was the daughter of my 2nd-great-grandmother's brother Elias Eriksen (also spelled Erickson) and his wife Ingeborg. She may have been their first child; I have not found records for any earlier children. She was born on 4 November 1863.

Records for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois are available on Ancestry.com in the collection U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940. Although it would seem from the name of the collection that no records are available before 1875, some earlier records are available for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

Contents of Membership Record Books #2, #3, and #4, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

On 31 January 1864, Matilde Josefine was baptized at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

Baptismal record for Matilde Josefine, daughter of Elias and Ingeborg Eriksen, 31 January 1864. Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

An August 1864 burial was recorded for Elias Eriksens Barn (Elias Eriksen's child.)

Burial record for Elias Eriksens Barn [Elias Eriksen's child], August 1864. Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Chicago, Illinois. Ancestry.com. U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. ELCA, Birth, Marriage, Deaths. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Chicago, Illinois.

Although no name is given, I believe that this child is Matilde Josefine. I have not found any earlier children of Elias Eriksen, and I have found no further record of this Matilde Josefine. Another child of Elias Eriksen, born on 24 September 1869, was given the same name and was baptized at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church on 25 December 1869.

Without these church records, I would not know about the first Matilde Josefine Eriksen. Now she will be remembered.