It has taken me a few days to start this post, as the years between 1869-1882 are the most confusing in Pop's life; not just emotionally ( and, most probably, psychologically), but also, in location. Herman moved around a lot during these years, sometimes, I suspect, not staying in one place for more than a few months.
After Herman left the military in 1868 (either voluntarily or involuntarily-still not sure of that fact), I think he drifted without any clear perception of what he was going to do. I have no records to show that he was employed, but I do have notations in one record that during these years, he was arrested for "walking around", which meant homeless.
After much thought, I think the best way to record the "lost years" is to just write it directly from the records. Any reader of this post can draw their own conclusions on what was going on with Pop.
The most telling of his activities and whereabouts comes from the 1866-1868 Household Examination for Dimbo. One of the notations states that in 1869 he was in Dimbo (I am slightly assuming this as it did not mention a location, so I assume it was local) and was arrested for "doing something that isn't allowed". There is a Moving Out record for 24 Oct 1869 which records Pop going to Karlsborg. I am assuming his arrest was prior to this move to Karlsborg. It is unclear why he went to Karlsborg.
Now, where Pop was in 1870 is equally confusing. I think he gets a big kick out of confusing me from the great beyond as Pop was one of the most complicated ancestors to research. I think it has been, oh, maybe 8 or 9 years since I began to timeline Pop (timelining is attempting to record the events and movements of one ancestor from birth to death) and I still do not have everything recorded or all of his life years timelined. I know the records are there, it's just that I think Pop laughs as he skirts his way through my research.
Anyway, in 1870 there is a notation in the 1866-1868 H.E. that says Pop was areested in Linkoping for "walking around and doing bettings". This is where it confuses me, as he spent time in Linkoping and Lidkoping - two vastly different places - and, lucky me gets the two places confused. Thanks Pop!
Pop is also in the 1870 household record in Finland either visiting or staying with his step-brother, Otto Falk. It is unknown how long he was there. The record doesn't record that info and I have no records for Pop's whereabouts until 1872 when he was back in Dimbo (again from a notation that doesn't record a specific place, so assuming Dimbo) being sentenced to 1 month in prison for petty theft.
Once again, there is nothing in the records for Pop until 4 Mar 1873, when he was moving out of Dimbo into Göteborg.
From 1874-1876, the Karlsborg H.E. has Pop incarerated in the parish. It is unclear to me just how long Pop was in custody. One of the notations on the record indicate he could have been released 18 Apr 1876 and left for Göteborg, although a notation on the 1866-1868 H.E. mentions on 2 Sep 1876 "stealing for the first time - penal servitude for 4 months and loss of citizen's trust for 3 years" which probably occurred in Dimbo.
Another notation on that same H.E. mentions a 1877 conviction for "defenselessness -2 years social work ending 10 Dec 1879." And that is when we find him again, in 1879, from another notation recording being arrested in Linkoping for "doing something not allowed".
Pop, once again, briefly disappears from the records until 1882 where he is found in 3 different ones - an H.E. for Lidkoping, a Moving Out record from Lidkoping to Sil, and another H.E. in Sil where he is now living in the same household with Alma's brothers, Gustaf and Johan.
There is no record of Pop having any legal problems from this time on, and he marries Alma in 1883, just about two months prior to the birth of their first child, Axel Sigurd Linus. Alma already has a daughter, Elin Evelina, from a previous relationship. So begins the lives of Herman, Alma and their children.
The other key record for Pop during the "Lost Years"; the Household Examination for 1874-1876 in Karlsborg records his incarceration.
