page_title: Chellberg Farm
section_title: The Family
hierarchical_section_title: Chellberg Farm / The Family
caption_attribution_description: English: View of the Chellberg Barn at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Porter, Indiana
context_page_description: Chellberg Farm is a historic farmstead which in 1972 became part of Indiana Dunes National Park. Chellberg Farm is significant as it represents the ethnic heritage of a nearly forgotten Swedish-American settlement. The farm includes a family home, water house with windmill, chicken coop/bunkhouse, and the original barn. Other nearby Swedish landmarks have been restored or preserved, including the Burstrom Chapel and the Burstrom Cemetery.
context_section_description: The Kjellberg Arrival in America
  Anders Ludwig Kjellberg (born March 22, 1830) and Johanna (Anderson) Kjellberg (born April 28, 1829) were married in Sweden in the 1850s. They emigrated to the U.S. in 1863 with their son, Carl (born 1859).  Family tradition says that they immediately moved to the Bailly area.  They did not set up a home on the current location.  They first lived on Mineral Springs road, south of the tracks from the Swedish Lutheran Church.
  The 1871 Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of the Swedish community in Chicago. Many Swedish residents choose to move to the Swedish community of Indiana.  A popular story that is the Kjellberg family met Joel Wicker (the son-in-law of Joseph Bailly) while in Chicago and that Joel hired Anders to clean out brush in preparation for planting.  Joel is said to have provided a small log house for the family.
  Anders Kjellherg had been a tailor and a lay preacher the Lutheran Church in Sweden. He continued to place an emphasis on his religion after immigrating and helped to establish the Swedish Lutheran Church, now the Augsburg Lutheran Church. The Kjellbergs' second child, Carolyn, was born in the mid-1860s. She died at the age of three or four.  The family also had a foster son, Simon Larson, who was born in 1874 and joined the family before 1880.
  Arrival in Northwest Indiana
  In October 1869 the family took legal title to the Chellberg Farm property.  On November 1, 1869 the Kjellberg (Chellberg) family took possession of what is known as the Chellberg Farm. John Oherg and Anders Kjellberg represented the family in the purchase of 80 acres (320,000 m²) from J. H. Wicker.  It cost $12.00 per acre.  They also paid off an older contract of Wicker's worth $1000.
  There were no structures on the land, nor was it cleared for agricultural use.  The 1870 Population and Agricultural Census. The family of four living on the property with only 4 acres (16,000 m²) of improved land.  No crops had been produced in their first year, but they had several animals, two milk cows, two other cattle and two swine.  Their only farm production and possibly only source of income was 100 pounds of butter that had been produced.  Meanwhile, John Oberg's farm also had 4 acres (16,000 m²) improved and a higher production level, 10 bushels of Spring wheat, 25 bushels of Winter wheat and 1 bushel of Irish potatoes.  The Obergs owned one swine, two milk cows and had produced 150 pounds of butter.  There appears to be some confusion over whether the Chellbergs were actually on the 'farm site' or if it was the Obergs who were residents at the time of the census.
  Clearing the land would have been a slow process.  In a good year, they might be able to clear only 15 acres (61,000 m²) per year.  It's more likely that they only cleared 5 acres (20,000 m²) to 10 acres (40,000 m²) a year.  Clearing the land would produce sell-able lumber and cordwood, i.e., firewood.  Most farms in the area were small and did a little of everything.  The Chellbergs had an orchard which may have produced apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, strawberries, and raspberries.
  On April 4, 1872 Anders Kjellberg purchased an additional 40 acres (160,000 m²), the northern half of the property, from Joel H. Wicker.  The house (prior to the current brick house) and the barn had been built between 1869 and 1872 when this additional land was obtained.  It is assumed that the well and outhouse also built early for use by the family. By 1879 the farm included thirty poultry, eight cows, two sheep, eleven swine, and five horses. A chicken house was probably constructed between before 1879. Evidence also indicates that a corncrib may have been built prior to 1879. That year, the farm produced 100 bushels of Indian corn, from the 40 acres (160,000 m²) cultivated.  9 acres (36,000 m²) of Indian corn produced 100 bushels.  3 acres (12,000 m²) of oats produced another forty bushels and 1-acre (4,000 m²) of rye produced fifteen bushels.  One hundred and twenty-two bushels of wheat came from 9 acres (36,000 m²). Hay is measured in tons, and
caption: Old barn on the Chellberg Farm
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