Hoping for better prospects in a new land, Peter Hanson’s family sailed for America in 1886, settling in southwestern Iowa. But Peter’s struggle to find new opportunities was not without personal hardships and divisive ripples in the relationships with his family members back home in Sweden.

Separated by a great ocean and thousands of miles from her loved ones, Peter’s wife Kerstin cherished their letters, carefully preserving them as a comfort from waves of homesickness.

The history of this American immigrant family unwinds through these treasured letters from the Hansons’ Swedish relatives, especially through the words of Peter’s young niece, Astrid de Jonquières. Her expressive testimonies formed a significant bond with Peter’s family that endured for decades and through four generations.