Ranae's Swedish-Chicago Heritage Blog: Abrahamson-Rev L.G.

Showing posts with label Abrahamson-Rev L.G.. Show all posts

Mar 22, 2023

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks - #12 "Membership" - Dr. Rev. L.G. Abrahamson

Prompt #12 (Mar 19-Mar 25): "Membership" - Dr. Rev. L.G. Abrahamson

Dr. L.G. Abrahamson, the cousin of my great grandfather Robert Albin Abrahamson, was given by Gustav V, the King of Sweden, the prestigious title of

Commander of the Royal Order for the North Star.

"The degrees from the Swedish King are a recognition of the work that is being done in this country for the intellectual development of Swedish-Americans. The degrees are conferred upon direct recommendation of Bishop van Scheele to the Swedish monarch, based upon investigations made by the bishop upon the occasion of his visit at the jubilee celebration and subsequent tour of the country."

TEN AMERICANS GIVEN DEGREES BY SWEDISH MONARCH
RANK OF THREE IS RAISED, 7 AMERICANS KNIGHTED

The entire list of those honored can be read by enlarging the newspaper clipping above. Rev. Dr. Laurentius Gustav Abrahamson (cousin of Robert Albin Abrahamsson) was one of those previously knighted by the king who was now elevated in Rank.

referring specifically to Dr. Abrahamsson as printed in the news clipping above...

"Abrahamson First Decorated.

Dr. L.G. Abrahamson, who also is elevated to commander of the Royal Order of the North Star, was the first minister in the synod to receive knighthood in that order. He received the degree in 1894, upon the occasion of Bishop von Scheele's first visit to America. Dr. Abrahamson is perhaps the most influential leader in the synod. For twenty-four years he was pastor of the Salem Lutheran Church in Chicago, resigning there in 1908 when he was chosen editor of "Augustana" by the synod. Previous to that time he had been associate editor of the publication for a period of eleven years.

He is a member of the board of directors of Augustana college, the mission boards of the synod and Illinois Conference and the foreign mission board of the General council of the Lutheran Chirch of America. He is also on the directorate of Augustana hospital of Chicago, and was one of the founders of that institution. For six years he was president of the Illinois conference.

In 1900 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Augustana college, his alma mater, In addition to his editorial work Dr. Abrahamson is the joint author of the Jubilee Album of 1893, published jointly with the late Dr. Carl Swensson of Bethany college."

my cousin thrice removed

Robert Albin Abrahamson's cousin

Rev. Laurentius Gustav Abrahamson D.D.R.N.O.

1856-1946

The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: Kungliga Nordstjärneorden) is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim.

The Order of the Polar Star was until 1975 intended as a reward for Swedish and foreign "civic merits, for devotion to duty, for science, literary, learned and useful works and for new and beneficial institutions".

The letters after our cousin Laurentius name indicate D.D. Doctor of Divinity, R riddare (Swedish for knight) N.O. Nescit Occasum (Latin for - it knows no decline)

From Amy Johnson Crow, a genealogist, far more experienced then I. "The data that we've accumulated in our genealogy software and in our binders and folders doesn't do a whole lot of good just sitting there. We need to do something with it." Each week she sends out a prompt to share a bit about an ancestor, collateral relative, or family friend.

Oct 19, 2021

The Swedish Element in Illinois

Today I came across a Google Book,

"THE SWEDISH ELEMENT IN ILLINOIS"

SURVEY OF THE PAST SEVEN DECADES

BY ERNST W. OLSON

Printed in Chicago in 1917 by the Swedish-American Biographical Association, I found it to be very informative. The book in its entirety can be found HERE. I was very interested in the biography of Dr. L. G. Abrahamson, the cousin of my great grandfather. He came to America as a young boy and ultimately became very influential among the Swedish immigrants of Illinois. His story is found on page 628. Click or download to your computer so you may enlarge for easier viewing.

A busy Swedish-American
My first cousin 3X removed
Dr. Laurentius Gustaf Abrahamson
b. 2 Mar 1856 in Medåker, Västmanland, Sweden
d. 3 Nov 1946 in Rock Island, Illinois, USA

Jul 31, 2016

Obituary - Dr. L.G. Abrahamson

from "The Lutheran Companion" November 13, 1946

my first cousin 3X removed

first cousin of Robert Albin Abrahamson

Rev. Dr. Laurentius (Lars) Gustaf Abrahamson

b-2 Mar 1856 Tveta, Medaker, Sweden

d-3 Nov 1946 Rock Island, Illinois, USA

**click on obituary to enlarge for easier viewing**

**note: Dr. Abrahamson wears on his chest the medal he was given by King Oscar II of Sweden as a
"Knight of the Order of the North Star" giving him the Swedish title R.N.O.**

Oct 12, 2015

Abrahamson cousins in America

Great great grandfather Edvard Julius Abrahamson had an older brother. His name was Anders Gustaf Abrahamsson. Anders was born July 2, 1828 in Filipstad, Orebro, Sweden. He married Britta Maria Nilsdotter, in 1849 and they had 8 children. One of those children died in Sweden and in 1868 Anders and Britta emigrated with their remaining 7 children to the United States. The family settled in Chautauqua, New York.

Anders Gustaf and Britta Maria Abrahamson Family @1890

Laurentius Gustaf far right

Their son Lars Gustaf Abrahamsson was 12 when the family came to the U.S. He attended Augustana College and Seminary and was ordained a minister in the Augustana synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (now ELCA). He changed his name Lars to Laurentius, which at first sounded a bit pompous to me but my research indicates that it was a common practice in Sweden for ministers (priests as they are called in Sweden) to adopt a Latinized form of their name. He also received a doctorate degree and was known more commonly as Rev. Dr. L.G. Abrahamson a very influential person among the Swedish immigrants of Illinois. Laurentius and his wife had 6 children. Two boys and a girl did not survive to adulthood. Two adult daughters never married and a third daughter married but I was unable to tell if she had any children. L.G. Abrahamson was the contact in America named by Ruth Abrahamsson (Soderstrom) on her immigration manifest and he married my grandparents, Lydia Abrahamsson and Richard Kallman. He was, it seems, a close and respected cousin of great grandfather Robert Albin.

The Rev. L.G. Abrahamson had a long list of accomplishments, among them;
He pastored churches in Altona, Wataga and Chicago, most notably Salem Lutheran, Chicago.
He was associate editor of Augustana, the official organ of the Augustana Synod, from 1885 to 1896, and for six years was president of the Illinois Conference of the same synod. He also was a member of the board of directors of Augustana College and Theological Seminary, president of the board of directors of Augustana Hospital, Chicago, a member of the board of missions of the Augustana Synod and the Illinois Conference, and was a delegate to the International Lutheran World's Congress at Lund, Sweden, in 1901.
One of the greatest accomplishments and the one that gives me pause is this...
In 1894 he received the Swedish decoration of Knight Royal of the Order of the Polar Star from King Oscar II. Another link ??? between the Abrahamson family and dear old Oscar? hummmmm.

Dr. Rev. L.G. Abrahamson (wearing Polar Star)

Maria Florinda (Morris) Abrahamson

"History of the Swedes of Illinois" by Ernst Wilhelm Olson, Martin J. Engberg, Anders Schön
-Engberg-Holmberg Publishing Company, 1908 (book is now in public domain) includes this information about Rev. Abrahamson, my first cousin three times removed.