My grandfather was born on this day, October 3, 1887. Born in Hällestad, Östergötland, Sweden, I do not know if his birth was met with joy or worry. His family was in grinding poverty and he was the 5th of what would be 6 children to feed and raise. His mother died when he was just eleven and not long after he worked with his father in the iron factory. Both of his parents died of Tuberculosis as did an older brother. Rikard was lucky enough to escape that illness and with the help of siblings who had gone before, he emigrated to the United States in 1906.


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