Summary
[Brian Andersson]'s parents were of the generation that wasn't too interested in the old country. After all, their parents had left all that behind to come to the New World to become good American citizens. Those were not the days of taking pride in one's heritage; the main thing was to fit into the new society. However, all but one of Andersson's grandparents were Irish, so the one who wasn't - his father's father Henry J. Anderson - suddenly piqued his interest. Being an historically inclined and inquisitive young man, Andersson began what he now refers to as his "detective work."
[Jonas Bronck] was born in Komstad, a village outside Sävsjö in Småland around the year 1600. With his Dutch wife Teuntje Joeaens he emigrated to the U.S. and bought a piece of land across the Harlem River from the village Harlem in 1639. His farm, Bronck's Land, was situated south of today's isoth Street in The Bronx. Jonas Bronck didn't live long on his farm (he died in 1643), but the river which runs through the area around where his farm was, was already referred to as Bronck's River, by and by shortened to Bronx River. The borough was later named after the river - thus The Bronx.Commissioner Brian Andersson sets the record straight: It's called The Bronx because of Jonas Bronck and he was Swedish. Andersson himself claims he can only say two words in Swedish "hej" and "dd" but it matters little: He's done more for the Swedish-American community than most. "If they need me, I'm there," he says.See the full content of this document
Extract
Our Man From the Bronx
"I wasn't the one who discovered Bronck was Swedish, but I certainly made the fact known to the general public."
For the Swedish-American community in New York, he's a beacon: Always a delight to talk to, knowledgeable about history, genealogy, and politics, and loads of fun. Furthermore, Com...See the full content of this document
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