Anna Oswood Luebben--together with Marion Windh Bowman, Ruth Windh Spiegel and Jewell Windh Mason--visited the Windh farm in Norra Rörum in August of 1979. Marion later received the following letter from a man named Henrik Svärd whom they had met at the Norra Rorum church. It is dated Jan. 20, 1980:

“Thank you very much for your kind letter. I have never got a so far away Christmas greeting.

I understand it vas touching and moving to you a rainy and cold day stay by the ruins of your fathers native home. I shall be delighted to tell you about the Wind family. However I vas not their nearest neighbour since I live in the norther part in Norra Rörum.

I do not have memory of your father but Maria I often saw. I keep in mind about 1930 Maria and the ladyfriends Olga Thomasson and Rut Martinsson frequently come by bicycle to the church. Every now and then I saw Maria in the shop. She vas a woman vith a lively manner.

In 1950 my brother-in-law purchased a farm close to Agerup. Now and then Maria bought milk of my sister. Since Marias health gradually became bad and she had no more strength to heavy work, she has been forced to sell the farm. Ture had been very little help. Maria vas grieved about his dullness and clumsiness to farmwork. Ture was rather troublesome to deal vith and ungratefull to Maria. He had to and fro work as woodcutter but Maria have to help him vith the subsistence. She was far from seeing his fault and did not like anyone to blame him.

Marias illness grow worse. It was cancer in the throat and she must go to the hospital in Lund. It was incurable and in a short time she was died. My sister call on Maria a few days before the end.

Alone in the house Ture had a hard time. His dinner was not on the table, cleaning was neglected. He lamented, he must have a woman in the house to tend on him. Look about for he make acquaintance vith a “lady.” She wheedled out of him all the valuable things in the house. Copper vessels, the wall clock, antique furniture.

When young, Maria was engaged with a man from Hallaröd. Like girl at the time, Maria had made a dowry with all the textiles to a home. The engagement was broken but Maria keep it in a chest, it was never used. She was neathanded and was very proud over the nice things. Sometimes she displayed to friends. Even the chest vas gone away.

With no more to capture in the house, Ture was alone once more. Now went it quickly backward with him. He borrowed money everywhere, to heat up the house he cut down equipment in the farmhouse, even furniture gone in the furnace. However to the end the social assistance took over and Ture went to Höör.

Maria had sold the farm to Tage Thomasson, owner of the big farm next to. She had a right to stay in the dwelling house. It was a nice house. Maria tended the garden, in room was frugal but pleasant, in the window flowers. Ture let it go to ruin. Thomasson was also annoyed of the quarrel he and his tenant farmer had had with him. Now with Ture departed [he went to a home in Höör on July 1, 1968], Thomasson let the fire brigade set fire on the house. A excavator planed the ground. The Wind farm was gone.

I have told you a sad story and now I will close up for this time. In few weeks I shall help Rut Martinsson and her brother with the tax declaration. Rut and Erik is about 80 years old and can tell me about your family so you can looking forward to hearing from me.

I hope you can understand english in the way I am writing.”
With kindest regards
Yours sincerely,
Henrik Svärd
Holma 3301
243 00 Höör
Sweden