106 years ago this month my great uncle Emil became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
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**
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
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
Wow, Uncle Albin working 72 hrs, the last week farming? A hard life no doubt.
"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.
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.
I found this today searching the web for family history info. My Aunt Ebba? Easy to definitely recognize her from this photo. But "Evangelist of Chicago?" "Dynamic Speaker-Talented Musician-Singer Converted to Christianity from the entertainment world?" I DO NOT remember any of this hype. I had heard her play piano and sing and I was not impressed even as a little kid. A cousin once told me she played the piano in a bar. Maybe, but that is hardly the "entertainment world".
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| The Daily Sentinal-Tribune (Bowling Green, Ohio) Sat Nov 1, 1952 pg 5 |
Hmmm. Another bit of info I wish I knew more about. Some more investigation needed, for sure.
