Journey to America - Ruth Abrahamson Soderstrom

 

Grandma Lydia's younger sister Ruth was the last of the three sisters to immigrate to America. We know their father, Robert Albin, if not approving at least agreed to her journey as he paid for her ticker. Ruth traveled second class on the Fredrick VIII, headed to the Rock Island/Moline/Davenport area where her sisters resided. As a second class passenger Ruth  did not have to go through Ellis Island proper but she was questioned, given a cursory examination on board ship and allowed to disembark directly to the dock.

This is the manifest of the ship Fredrick VIII, which left from Copenhagen  November 19, 1914 and arrived in New York December 4, 1914. Earlier Swedish immigrants had a longer, more involved journey. They left from Gothenburg and sailed to the west coast of England, taking a 2/3 hr train ride to Liverpool, from where they would depart for North America. The introduction of Scandinavian lines eliminated the additional travel.

#30 Abrahamson, Ruth, 20 yrs old, single, female, servant, Swedish, can read and write, resides in Ö Frölunda, next of kin RA Abrahamson in Stommen Hid, destination Rock Island, Illinois, has ticket to final destination, passage paid by father, in possession of $25, has never been to the US, contact is cousin Dr. LG Abrahamson of Rock Island, In good health, 5'7" tall, light hair, grey-blue eyes, no identifying marks, born in Östra Frölunda, Sweden.

My Grand Aunt

Ruth Abrahamson Soderstrom

b. June 3, 1894 Östra Frölunda, Älvsborg, Sweden

d. October 8, 1960 in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois, USA

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