this is the first US census that my grandfather, Richard Severin Kallman, can be found in
*He is living on 530 10th Ave. Moline, Illinois as a boarder. A bed to sleep in, a daily meal and he most likely shares a bedroom with the other male boarder.
*25 years old, single Richard is actually 23 but the census indicates his landlord answered the questions for all in the household.
*Richard can speak English, read and write.
*He had immigrated in 1906.
*Richard works as a laborer for a plow company (most likely John Deere). Richard came from Grytòl in Östergötland, a town famous for its iron works since the 1600's (and still to this day).. He was a blacksmith by trade. The Deere company offered jobs to those experienced in the Swedish iron works. Word of this company had spread all the way to Sweden along with the knowledge that a large Swedish speaking population of immigrants lived there. All three of Richards sisters are already also in America. Sarona is married. Olga and Tekla are working as live in servant girls in Chicago.
*He worked the entire year
In just a bit over a year he will marry my grandmother Lydia. I do not know if he had already met her at this time or how he met her but in the 1910 census Lydia is working as a live in servant and living just 8 blocks from her future husband. A cousin told me that she had heard that Richard would hide behind some bushes just to watch her walk by.
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Rather a nice looking fellow, don't you agree?
*click on photo or document to enlarge for easier viewing/reading*