The passing of Margareta Jonason

 Today I was notified of the passing of one of our Swedish cousins. 
Margareta Jonason was the wife of Hakan, my fathers cousin.

Our beloved Margareta Jonason, born December 8, 1943 has left us in great sorrow and loss in Östra Frölunda on March 17, 2025. 

She leaves behind...

Husband Håkan

Son Henrik, his spouse Eva with their children Evelina and Willy
Daughter Josefine, her spouse Johan with their children Vincent and Amanda
Family and Friends

"Thank you for painting the world so beautifully with your love and care, our beloved Maggan!
May your path meet you and may the wind be your friend and may the sun warm your cheekand may the rain water the soil of the soul and until we meet again may God hold, hold you in his hand."

The funeral service will take place in Östra Frölunda church on Thursday, April 10 at 1:00 p.m.
After the farewell at the grave, you are invited to a memorial service inMedborgarhuset. 

RSVPs for participation are requested by tel. 0325-61 15 17 or via kindsbegravningsbyra.se by Thursday 3 April.

Please remember Maggan with a gift to the Swedish Rheumatology Association
donation phone number. 08-505 805 00.
———
A special warm thank you to the staff at Solsidan Östrabo and Hemtjänsten in Östra Frölunda for her excellent and friendly care.

† Rest in Peace Margareta,

A family portrait for those in America?

The Abrahamsson family poses for a portrait. These are the siblings who remained in Sweden. The year is at least 1915 perhaps a bit later as Ruth was the last to leave for America and she left in 1914. Also Tyra, in the front left, was born in 1901 and she appears to be at least in her teens.

Perhaps this was a photo taken to send to family in America?

Great Uncle Emil Jacobson becomes a citizen?

 106 years ago this month my great uncle Emil became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

On the 23rd of December 1911, just 3 1/2 months after entering the US as an immigrant, John Emil declared his intention to be a U.S. citizen in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois. After living the prerequisite 5 years in the U.S. he first petitioned for citizenship in Moline on 6 October 1917. 

That petition was denied as he no longer lived in the Moline jurisdiction. HIs petition was granted and he became a citizen 11 Feb 1911 in Henry county Illinois, where he now lived.

His wife Anna also became a citizen automatically with John Emil's naturalization. The law would change in 1922. At that time she would have had to personally apply for naturalization on her own merit.

Interestingly the oath of allegience states...

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to Gustavus V the King of Great Britain and Ireland of whom I have been heretofore been a subject ,that I will support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same."

John Emil signed under oath and it was notorized! Did no one until I in 2025 notice that Gustavus V was not the king of Great Britain and Ireland but the King of Sweden? If anyone had noticed would his naturalization have been invalid?

Wow,

**click on document to enlarge it for easier reading**

1950 Census - Albin & Leola Kallman Family

 My uncle Albin and Aunt Leola had sometimes in the 40's left Chicago and moved to California, leaving city life for a farm.

120 Walnut Road Ceres, Stanlaus, California

#12-house #120, a farm, Kallman, Albin R. head, white, male, 38, married, born in Iowa, worked 72 hours last week, farming, on a farm
#13-Kallman, Leola E. Wife, White, Female, 38, married, born in Iowa, at home
#14-Kallman, Jeanette, daughter, white, female, 10, never married, born in Illinois

additional sample questions for Jeanette-lived in same house a year ago, both parents born in the U.S., currently in school attending 5th grade, not working

my Uncle
Albin Richard Kallman
1912-1989

My Aunt 
Leola Ethelyn Lowenberg Kallman
1912-2012

My Cousin
Jeanette Kallman

Wow, Uncle Albin working 72 hrs, the last week farming? A hard life no doubt.

Swedish blacksmiths find work in Moline, Illinois. The JOHN DEERE factory

"In 1870, Swedes were the largest ethnic group in Moline, at nearly 50% of the population. John Deere located its plow factory in Moline in 1847 and many Swedish immigrants came to the Quad Cities for this manufacturing work. In fact, many blacksmiths were recruited from Sweden to come work in Moline. The railroad came to Moline in 1854 and legend states that the conductor would yell “John Deere” as the train pulled into Moline so the immigrants knew they were in the right place."*

In 1906 Richard Kallman, my grandfather, was an 18 year old blacksmith who left Sweden with the lure of jobs and a bright future in America, The 1910 US Census says he was working in the plow factory in Moline. Here in Moline he met my grandmother, Lydia Abrahamson. Lydia's sister Ruth would meet and marry Andrew Soderstrom in Moline, where he also worked at the plow factory.

*AUGUSTANA COLLEGE - Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center > 

  Swenson Center Exhibits - Permanent  Exhibit: Swedish Immigration to North America

  https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonexhibits_permanentexhibit/

*** right click on and enlarge newspaper article on your computer for easier, and interesting, reading***

My grandfather Richard's adventure in steerage, 1906

In 1906 my grandfather Richard, a poor blacksmith, immigrated to the states from Sweden on the steamship Ivernia. His family arrived, as many did through "chain immigration". His older brother Patrik was the first to arrive in 1901, sister Olga arrived in 1902, sister Sarona arrived in 1904 and it was she who purchased a  "steerage" ticket for her younger brother Rikard to follow.

"Steerage passengers were herded below decks like cattle. Large rooms were set apart for the sexes and married couples, and as many as forty and fifty persons slept in one room. The companies furnished only the bare berth and food and each passenger had to purchase a straw mattress, a tin dish, cup and knife and fork before leaving the docks. The mattress was thrown overboard at the end of the trip. When meal time came a large cauldron was brought into the dining room and the hungry immigrants turned in and helped themselves. Hunks of bread were thrown down beside the cauldron and in the scramble for food there were frequent desperate fights between the passengers."*

After 1907 conditions for the steerage passenger did substantially improve with the carriers now refering to not "steerage" but "third class" passengers. 

It would seem that my grandmother, arriving in the U.S. in 1909 would have a much better if not even a pleasant trip. Her more affluent family bought her a second-class cabin ticket, also on the Ivernia.

*The above quote is from the historical website Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives, Adventures in the Steerage 1906. Do read the entire post HERE to fully understand and appreciate the experience of my grandfather Richard.