Today is March 4. My mother's birthday. Gone way too soon I remember her today with love.
Mommy and me 1956 |
In the early 20th century my paternal grandparents, Richard Kallman and Lydia Abrahamson, immigrated from Sweden, coming to a new life in Chicago. I've been researching my family for over twenty five years. In this blog I will share the family history, photos, documents and stories that I have collected, along with my memories of growing up Scandinavian-American in Chicago. Welcome to My Swedish-Chicago Heritage!
I found a few things of interest on this census record.
John Emil and Anna are now living in Chicago at 903 Waller St. first floor. The children are all grown and gone, nor are any grandchildren living with them as in the 1940 census.
line 25- Jacobson, Anna-maid-white-female-64-married-born in Sweden-citizen-worker-worked 70 hrs. last week as a maid in the home.
Noted is that John Emil is not listed as the head of the household but as a handyman and Anna is not listed as his wife but as an additional employee, a maid. An additional person is also living in the same first floor apartment.
line 23-Lundberg, Anders G.-Head of household-white-male-85-widowed-born in Sweden-citizen-unable to work
My guess is that Anders is the owner of the building. Anna and John Emil live with him, but not as boarders. Anders is quite elderly and unable to work. Perhaps in lieu of rent John and Anna work for him. John Emil does the basic maintenance and upkeep of the building, plus he has an additional job 40 hours a week. Anna is a sort of live in maid for him and judging by the amount of hours she works weekly 70!! she most likely also has an additional job as a full time maid for someone else.
903 Waller Chicago, Illinois My Great Uncle John Emil Jacobson 1878-1962 My great Aunt Anna Abrahamson Jacobson 1885-1965 |
As a child I was always aware that Onkel Emil and Tante Anna were poor immigrants (as were my grandparents) but I guess I really had no clue. Seems a far cry from life on the lovely and loving farm of Albin and Anna Abrahamson?
I am Swedish on my Dad's side and Norwegian on my Mom's. You Swedish cousins will have to forgive me for this post!
My Norwegian grandmother, who I was very close to, always said. "You are half Swedish for sure but if anyone asks you, just tell them you are Norwegian. Ten Thousand Swedes ran through the weeds chased by one Norwegian."
As a kid I always thought she was serious! Today I came upon this poem, that I never knew existed, and it gave me a laugh and better yet, memories of my loving Norwegian grandmother and my snus loving Swedish grandfather!
I couldn't tell you what I had for lunch yesterday but for some reason I do remember that Grandpa Kallman only used Seal brand snuff.
Oh how grandma Lydia hated that snus!
Stolt till hälften norsk och hälften svensk,
A second cousin of mine shared this picture of her father, Evert Hakan Kallman, playing the "Sweet Potato" in his Salvation Army uniform.
PLAYING WHAT???
Google informed me that Sweet Potato is another name for a type of Ocarina and again....
WHAT??
Thank you Wikipedia!
"The ocarina is a wind musical instrument; it is a type of vessel flute.[1] Variations exist, but a typical ocarina is an enclosed space with four to twelve finger holes and a mouthpiece that projects from the body. It is traditionally made from clay or ceramic, but other materials are also used, such as plastic, wood, glass, metal, or bone.
There are many different styles of ocarinas varying in shape and the number of holes:
My great grandparents, Albin and Anna, pose with their first two children, Hilma and Anna.
Prompt #52 ( Dec 24- Dec 30) "Tradition" Christmas Lutefisk Dinners
Good friends of my parents were Al and Ruth Anderson. My Dad had known Al since childhood. Al had stood up for my Dad at my parents wedding. Great people. Each year we were invited over to their home for a traditional Christmas Lutefisk dinner. Sharing great company, Christmas presents, good times, and ............LUTEFISK. Oh dear God it has been at least 60 years since those Lutefisk dinners and if I never have it again? It would be too soon.
Looks disgusting, smells disgusting, tastes disgusting and wiggles like old jello on your plate, There I said it.
Al and Ruth Anderson, a treasured childhood memory.
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.