Miss Esther Soderstrom becomes the Bride of William H. Liljegren

Seventy Nine Years Ago

The Dispatch Mon. Oct 21st, 1946 - Page 8

My 1st cousin once removed

Esther Anna Marian (Soderstrom) Liljegren
b. 2 Sep 1926 Moline, rock Island, Illinois
d. 9 Apr 2003 Scottsdale, Maricopa, Arizona

      79 years ago,

*right click and download to your computer to enlarge

1950 Census - William and Esther Liljegren Family

 By law in the U.S., to protect the privacy of individual citizens, census records are not released until 72 years have passed. This year, 2022, the 1950 census was released.

April 19, 1950, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
5241 N. Sawyer Ave. 

click to observe enlarged, right click to download to your computer

#18- Liljegren, William, head, white, male, 27, married, born in Illinois, working, 20 hours last week, transplants flowers, in a green house

#19- Liljegren, Esther, wife, white, female, 23, married, born in Illinois, at home, not having a business working outside of the home or looking for a job

#20- Liljegren, Sally, daughter, white, female, July, never married, born in Illinois

This northside Chicago neighborhood in 1950 was not near as heavily Scandinavian as it was a few years back. In fact my Norwegian grandparents lived just 2 blocks down this very street when they first arrived in Chicago in 1923.

The Swedish Club of Moline High School - 1944

 

Second row from the top and third from the left is Esther Soderstrom. This is the Swedish Club of the Moline High School in Moline, Illinois. The year is 1944. At that time there was a very large first and second generation Swedish population. For many years Swedes were the dominant ethnic group in the city. I would venture that today one would be hard pressed to find a high schooler of 100% Swedish ancestry. Today Moline High School, in school year 2020/2021, no longer has a Swedish Club.

   Everything changes,

Esther Soderstrom is engaged to marry

The announcement of  the proposed marriage of nineteen year old Esther

was found in The Dispatch, Moline, Illinois

    "Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Soderstrom, 1408 Ninth Street, announce the engagement of their daughter, Esther, to William H. Liljegren, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert E. Liljegren, 2113 Fourteenth street.
    No date is set for the nuptials.
    Miss Sodertrom was graduated from Moline high school and is employed in the personnel department of the John Deere Harvester works.
    Mr. Liljegren was graduated from Moline high school and was recently discharged from the navy after thirty-seven months service, twelve of which were spent in the Pacific area. He also is employed in the personnel department of the John Deere Harvester works, having returned to the position he held before entering service."

my first cousin once removed

Esther Anna Marian Soderstrom

b. September 2, 1926 Moline, Rock Island, Illinois

d. April 9, 2003 Scottdale, Maricopa, Arizona

Moline High School Class of 1944 - Esther Soderstrom

We are attending a graduation party next weekend for the daughter of my husband's cousin. It's that time of year. Here is a view of another cousins graduation long long ago.

accessed on Ancestry.com U.S., School yearbooks, 1880-2012.

Moline High School in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois
Class of 1944 yearbook the "M"

Here is a close-up. Pretty cute but I have just one question. Who is "Baldy"?

***click photos to enlarge for easier viewing***

October 10, 2020    UPDATE!!!  Esther's younger sister has identified "Baldy" as a boy who lived across the street from the Soderstrom family. "Baldy" was actually Leroy John Skantz, a  good looking basketball player for Moline High School, class of '43, who served in the Navy during WWII.

Sibling Saturday - Esther and Evelyn Soderstrom

photo from the personal collection of Sally Liljegren Thomas

@1940 -  Moline, Illinois

The Soderstrom Sisters

Big Sister - Esther    Little Sister - Evelyn

Friday's Faces from the Past - Esther Soderstrom Liljegren

This adorable little girl is Esther Anna Marian (Soderstrom) Liljegren. The second child and first daughter of my great aunt and uncle, Ruth Abrahamsson and Andrew Soderstrom.  I am sure the intent was just to photograph the baby but I love seeing the old car in the backround. It gives a sense of the times. And don't you wish the babies of today wore those cute frilly bonnets?

my first cousin once removed (my Dad's cousin)

Esther Anna Marian Soderstrom

02 Sep 1926 - 09 Apr 2003

Esther, I have heard so many good things about you, I wish I had known you,

*click on photo to enlarge for easier viewing*