Saturday, November 04, 2017

 

Wenona, Marshall, Illinois and the Abiathar Smith Robinson Family Who Lived There


Nadene Goldfoot
                                                                 
When the town was laid out in May 1855 it had nine houses and a population of 50.   The land was drained and trees were planted and the town began to grow.

By 1856, there were 1,200  people, 300  homes, 2 churches,3 schools, a hotel and a sawmill. The  town was incorporated in 1859 by a vote of 28 to 3.  The first trustees were Solomon Wise, George Brockway, John B. Newburn, F.H. Bond and Emanuel Weltz.

In 1858 an "academy" was built in the east part of Wenona, in LaSalle County.  This facility was shared by Marshall County citizens and was a  non-sectarian seminary at the high school level.  The seminary was later to include a grade school.

 In 1863, a two story school building was built in the northwest end of Wenona. A wing was added to this building in 1866.

Coal was discovered in 1865 and for many years a valuable community product. The mine employed an average of 200 men and a nearby zinc smelter employed 50 more.
                                                                             
The first mention of Abiathar Smith Robinson (Abiath) in Wenona, Illinois was on the August 11, 1870 census which said that Abiathar, a 41 year old laborer, lived there with his wife, Julia Ann (Tuller) age 35.  Both were born in Vermont.  Their son, Edgar, also born there, was 17.  The next 3 children were born in Canada and were Nellie 11, Emma 9, and John 7.  William was born in Illinois and was 1.  They lived next door to Julia Ann's brother and his family, Albert who was 27 and a brick mason.

In 1870, the Chicago and Alton Railroad was completed from Wenona to Lacon.  Wenona now had 4 grain elevators, a stockyard, a brickyard, flour mill, wagon manufacturing store, dry goods store, drug store, grocery store, hardware store, furniture store and implement store.  One of Wenona’s early showpieces was the Union Township Fair, organized in 1871, which for a decade rivaled the State Fair.

On May 18, 1870, the center block of the business district was destroyed by fire and 45 business establishments were lost.

By 1873, new brick buildings were built to take their place.  The Wenona Fire Department was organized in 1884.
                                                                         
Frank Hugh and his father, Abiathar 
On June 7, 1880,  A. Roberson, a 52 year old teamster born in Vermont was listed with his wife, Julia who was 45.  Also living with them was their 17 year old son, John, who was born in Canada,  and the other Illinois born children, William age 11, Frank age 8 (my grandfather), Minnie J age 5 and an unnamed baby (Arthur Roy)  born in May (May 30, 1880) showing the fraction of 12/30.   Julia Ann died on December 2, 1887. Much later, her children living in the area got together and bought a tall headstone for her.                                               
                                                                     
Grandfather Frank Hugh and Unknown 
Frank had spoken about trying to find records about his family as he had left home in a huff after his father and he had had a spat over Frank's horse.  He said the records were destroyed in a fire and he couldn't locate any siblings.

 In 1890, the entire south block of Wenona's business district burned. 

 It was rebuilt with brick buildings and a fire wall was placed between every 2nd building.

 The school  burned down around 1896 and a one room school, Phoenix, rose from the ashes.  The building was later expanded to a two story building.   In 1881 this building was used for seventh and eighth grades and for high school.  Another wing was added to it at that time for the lower grades.
In 1891, a three story brick building was built where the Wenona City Park shelter presently stands.  The first floor was used for the grammer school, the second floor was used for the high school and the attic provided room for the playing of basketball.  The grammar school floor consisted of four rooms, two grades sharing one room.  The high school had one large assembly room and three class rooms.                         

 By 1896, Abiathar had married a widow, Mary Jane Defenbaugh Walters.  He was 66 and she was 63.  Mary Jane had had 11 children, but only 8 were alive.

By the June 7, 1900 census, Abiathar, age 70 was only living with Mary Jane, age 67.  He was a teamster, but was listed as being born in New York with parents from there as well instead of Vermont.  Abiathar said he could read but not write, and that he owned his own house free and clear, and that it was not a farm.

When Frank Hugh Robinson, his son, had spoken of their life, he spoke about a farm and his horse who was in the pasture one Sunday where the bull had entered, and that his horse was threatened and his father wouldn't let him get his horse out because it was a Sunday.  Evidently Abiathar had given up the farm for a home in the town. 
Frank Hugh, Augusta, Ed and Millie
Frank Hugh b: 1870 on right with white hair; on left is his son, Edward Kenneth b: 1915.  Standing with crutches is Frank's wife, Augusta b: 1870  and behind her is daughter Mildred b: 1913 with me.  Ed's wife, Eleanor b: 1914 is standing by Frank.  In front are children David Goldfoot , Charlotte and Dianne Robinson.  
                                                                   
Franks's son, Kenneth Arthur Robinson
.
His last son, Arthur Roy Robinson. 
Abiathar Smith Robinson died October 7, 1904.  He has no headstone.
Mary Jane Robinson died  July 5, 1918 in Streator, LaSalle, Illinois.

                                                                               
The family from Oregon had a reunion  at Oregon's Coast and Kenneth's sister, Mildred Elizabeth  was there as the head matron. Mildred passed away October 7, 2005.




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Wednesday, August 17, 2016

 

Augusta (Johansson) Gustafson, Swedish Immigrant of Sioux City, Iowa Married Yankee Frank Hugh Robinson

 Nadene Goldfoot: 
      My grandmother, Augusta Gustafson, born in Sweden in 1870. 

Our grandmother, Augusta Gutafson, was born on January 31, 1870 in 
Lumheden, Dalarna Province, Sweden to parents,
Gustaf Johansson and Elisabet (Lisbeth) Lisa "Lisbet" Ersdotter.
In the picture is her husband and our grandfather, Frank Hugh Robinson and my young brother, David Goldfoot and  myself, Nadene Goldfoot.  


Augusta 's hip was broken when she was run into by a little boy who had accidently pushed 
her over, so is in the wheel chair.  Here she is with her 2nd huband, Frank Hugh Robinson and her 
daughter's children, Nadene and David Goldfoot.  Augusta died on April 19, 1955, so this picture was taken in about 1949, as David was born in 1942 and Nadene in 1934.  


Augusta carried the DNA H2a1 MT haplotype of which my mother, myself and my daughter also carries and all our mothers preceding us.  H stands for Helena, the branch on the family of homo sapiens that we belong to.  Bryan Sykes, who wrote the book, THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF EVE, tells all about it.  


Grandma Augusta was pushed by a running boy who ran into her when she was in her late 50's and the result was that she broke her hip, forever to be on crutches from then on.   


She immigrated to the USA when she was about 18 years old with her older sister, Anna Lisa Gustafsdotter who was born August 14, 1855 in Backgarden, Lumsheden, Sweden. Below is a picture of her older sister, Anna Lisa when she was much older holding a grandchild.  

                                                                       
      
This must be Anna Lisa with a grandchild.  Anna had married John Lindquist, also born in Sweden, in Sioux City, Iowa,  and they had 2 daughters, Selma and Alice; 
  Accompaning Lisa from Sweden was her son, Charles Karl August Olson of Sweden.  Her son also carried the surnames of  Gustavsson Johnson.  Lisa's Olson husband didn't work out, so she and Augusta were headed for the USA.  

                                                                               

While visiting my cousins, we came across a picture that said it was August Johnson, brother of Augusta.  I didn't have him on my family tree, but there it was, written on the back of the picture!  It said, "August Johnson, Brokussor Augusta Johnson...Gustafson Robinson.  We don't know what Brokussor means.  It's not in our Swedish dictionaries.  

                                                                            


Here are 3 pictures of Johaan Gustafsson, brother of Augusta who was born September 8, 1861 in Lumsheden and his wife.  He died on November 13, 1924 in Gavle, Sweden.   

                             


                                                                                           

When Augusta came to Sioux City, Iowa, she got a job as a cook with the people living in a mansion.  In fact, later on the home was the famous John Pierce Mansion, built in 1893 and located at 29th and Jackson Streets.  It features historical collections, pioneer objects, Native American apparel and artifacts, and a variety of programs and exhibits today. 

                                                                           
       

 Augusta had a little girl by her first husband, Fred Olson, a Swedish tailor, who was called Dorothy Olson b: 1905. It seemed my records show both sisters had met two Olsons somehow; Anna Lisa's in Sweden and Augusta in Iowa.   She was beautiful!                                                                                     

Augusta had divorced Olson at the time she was working in the Pierce Mansion and met the ice-man, my grandfather, Frank Hugh Robinson there who delivered ice for their ice box. (refrigerator).  Dorothy had an appendicitis attack when about 5 years old in 1910 and Frank carried her to the doctor, but it was too late.  She died.  My mother was born to Frank and Augusta in 1913.  Her brother, Kenneth Edward Robinson, was born 2 years later in 1915.  

Here is the family line.                                 

Descendants of Gustaf Johansson
1   Gustaf Johansson b: February 12, 1821 in Falun, Kristine Parish ?,  Sweden
.. +Elisabet (Lisbeth) Lisa "Lisbet" Ersdotter b: December 07, 1830 in Parish Svärdsjö, Backgården, Lumsheden Village, Sweden
. 2   [1] Anna Lisa Gustafson Johansson b: August 14, 1855 in Backgården, Lumsheden Village, Sweden
..... +Olson b: Abt. 1855 in Sweden
. *2nd Husband of [1] Anna Lisa Gustafson Johansson:
..... +John Lindquist b: October 1836 in Sweden
. 2   Eric Gustafson Johansson b: February 01, 1860 in Lumsheden, Sweden
. 2   Johaan Gustafson Johansson b: November 14, 1858 in Lumsheden, Sweden
. 2   Johaan Gustafson Johansson b: September 08, 1861 in Backgården, Lumsheden Village parish Svärdsjö, Sweden
..... +Anna-Greta Hedlund b: March 26, 1864 in Sweden
. 2   Marta Gustafson Johansson b: January 06, 1864 in Lumsheden, Sweden
. 2   Brita Johannah "Hannah" Gustafson b: October 05, 1864 in Backgården, Lumsheden Village, Sweden
. 2   [2] Gustafva"Augusta" Johansson Gustafson b: January 31, 1870 in (Village) Lumsheden, Svardsjo parish, Kopparbergs lan (county)Dalarna Province,  Sweden
..... +Fred Olson b: Abt. 1870 in Prob. Sweden
. *2nd Husband of [2] Gustafva"Augusta" Johansson Gustafson:
..... +Frank Hugh Robinson b: June 21, 1870 in Wenona,Marshall County, Illinois
2   August Johansson b: Abt. 1871


Anna Lisa Johaanson Gustafson's family: from her son: for 2 generations-- who married an OLSON!
Descendants of Anna Mathilda Olson
1   [1] Anna Mathilda Olson b: Abt. 1880 in Iowa
.. +Val Gibbons b: Abt. 1880
*2nd Husband of [1] Anna Mathilda Olson:
.. +Charles Karl August Gustavsson Johnson b: July 20, 1876 in Backgarden, Svardsjo, Lumsheden village, Sweden
. 2   Unknown Johnson b: Abt. 1911
. 2   Unknown Johnson b: Abt. 1912
. 2   Johnson b: Abt. 1913
. 2   Ralph McKinley Johnson b: January 29, 1914 in Sioux City, Iowa/Nebraska
..... +Evelyn Jones Meacham b: Abt. 1915 in Riverside, Iowa
. 2   Ruth Eleanor Johnson b: April 13, 1916 in Lincoln, Nebraska
..... +Sven Lars Anderson b: August 10, 1907 in Near Norberg, Olofsfors, Vastmanland province, Sweden
. 2   Richard "Dick" Carlton Johnson b: September 08, 1920 in Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa
..... +Betty Unknown b: Abt. 1920

Minnie Johnson Olson's details: daughter of Frederick Olson and the sister of Charles Karl August Gustavsson Johnson's wife, Anna  Mathilda Olson.  She's so beautiful I had to include her in these family pictures: She married her 1st cousin, John Olson.  She was born about 1882 as Minnie Wilhemina  Albertina Olson in the USA and may have died in California.  

Linnea Anderson, our 2nd cousin once removed,  told us that "6/7/07  Linnea tells that her mom and dad, her mom's parents-Anna and August and her mom's brothers, Ralph and Dick are in the same cemetery.  

The 2nd husband of her great Aunt Minnie is there, but Minnie is in California where she died.  Minnie was a sister to her Grandma who was called Aunt Annie.  Minnie was born an Olson and married an Olson; so her name was Wilhelmina Albertina Olson Olson Gainor.  Her husband, John Olson, was born in Varmland, Sweden in about 1882. He died in about 1948 in California.  


                                                                                     
                                                                                          

   Mildred Elizabeth Robinson, our mother,  is in the middle in the back row, and her brother Edward Kenneth  Robinson is kneeling with the dog on the left in front.  Augusta's daughter, Mildred Elizabeth Robinson,  was born June 29, 1913.  Her son, Kenneth Edward Robinson, was born March 15, 1915.   Kenneth "Edward", called Ed,  married  Elinor Lois Kalkwarf on August 21, 1937.  

Below is Augusta and Frank's son Kenneth Edward in the back row, and next to him is his sister Mildred, who is my mother, his wife Elinor, his father Frank.  I'm the tall girl on the left of Augusta and in front of her is my little brother, David.  To the right of Augusta are my cousins, Kenneth Edward's children Dianne and in front of her is Charlotte.  This must have been about 1945- 1946. My cousin, Ken, wasn't born until December 1946 and he isn't in the picture yet.    


Ed married Elinor August 21, 1937. 


Mildred E. Goldfoot nee Robinson, daughter of Augusta when she married Morris Goldfoot April 29, 1932. I notice she's wearing flats in this picture so she's not taller than Dad.  
                                                                   
Finally, our big Robinson-Gustafson family reunion at the coast, an overnight affair, with my mother, Mildred (Milly) before she died. 
                                         

Now it's my mother's turn to be in the wheelchair.  Mildred has all the relatives surrounding her.  I'm the one in the yellow tee shirt. Her brother, Edward Kenneth, died in 1988.   Her nephew, Ken,  is also in a yellow tee shirt behind her.  My son, Steve, took the picture.  My brother David and his family are out of town, so not in the picture. Neither was my daughter, who was living on the east coast.  This was taken before October 2005, probably around 1994.  

             Other relatives from Augusta's sister, Anna Lisa below:  The little girl with the hat is of the Albuquerque, New Mexico group, I believe.  Lindquist  Clough and Morrow are surnames in this group.  
          
   Below is Selma  b: January 9, 1890 and Alice Lindquist  b: January 14, 1893  to Anna Lisa in Sioux City, Iowa, then moving later to Albuquerque.  
Update3/25/22:  My brother asked,  "Do you know why grandma came to the States? There weren’t religious or political reasons. Financial opportunity?"
There was a big immigration that started in 1880.  They were part of that.  Why?  During the 1880s alone, some 330,000 persons left Sweden for the United States, the peak year being 1887 with over 46,000 registered emigrants. The pace of immigration remained high after 1890 and by 1910, the U.S. Census recorded over 665,000 Swedish-born persons in the United States.  What was going on?

The mass exodus of some 1.3 million Swedes to the United States, often young and healthy men and women, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was due to the economic and social circumstances in Sweden. "Push and pull" factors on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as the establishment of migration links, are other important factors that more precisely determined the scope and course of the migration patterns. A strong population growth in Sweden increased the pressure on a society that was fundamentally agricultural in nature, and moving to North America provided the Swedish emigrants with economic opportunity not available in the homeland. Religious and political reasons played a much smaller role for the move to America, although it was decisive in some instances. The trans-Atlantic mass exodus is one of the major events in Swedish history during the last two centuries, and the immense network of contacts that was established across the Atlantic has proven very important for the way in which Swedish society then and now has been oriented towards the United States.

She came over with her older sister, Anna Lisa Gustafson, b. August 14, 1855 .  Johansson would have been their surname if Sweden named like we did, as their father was Gustaf Johansson,.  Her sister had her son with her, about 12 years old.  Charles Karl August Gustavsson b: July 20, 1876. Her sister had been married to  an Olson, according to my notes..  So the 3 made the trip.  Our grandmother, Augusta Gustavsson b: January 31, 1870 was the 7th and last child in the family and Anna Lisa was the 1st child born in their family.  

They came over in April 1888.  That made our grandmother 18 years old, and Anna Lisa was 33 years old and Charles was 12. 

 Gustava "Augusta"  was born on a Monday and died on Tuesday at the age of 85 years 2 months 19 days.  
Grandma was born in Lumsheden Village, Dalarna, Sweden, parish Svärdjö,  Stora Kopparbergs Ian (county).

They lived in Lumsheden, Sweden.  Lumsheden is a small village, a place in the eastern region of Dalarna in Sweden.  Dalarna's capital Falun (Falun) is approximately 36 km / 23 mi away from Lumsheden (as the crow flies). The distance from Lumsheden to Sweden's capital Stockholm (Stockholm) is approximately 184 km / 115 mi (as the crow flies).  Dalarna is the name of the Province or Landskap.  The county  is Stora Kopparbergs.  Lumsheden is north of Vastmanland in Dalarna, not too far from the coastal town of Gavle.  Latitude 60.7167 or 60 43"On
Longitude is 16.2500 or 16 15'OT
Altitude is 597 feet.

The "stuga" (small home) that August, his mother Anna Lisa and Aunt Augusta (our grandmother)  left in 1888 is now owned by Soren Hellbom and his sister Ingrid.  Ingrid is a teacher (laarere?) in Lumsheden and Soren works for Class Ohlsson (?) in Ingjon.  Ingrid's son Daniel goes to school and works part-time in an electronic store in Borlange.  

She was born as Gustafva Gustafsdotter and changed her name to Augusta Gustafson after she emigrated.  However, she emigrated with the surname of her father, Johansson, so it was Augusta Johansson. 

Grandma came to the United States on a ship with sails in steerage, "vessel Orlando". I have a big picture of it on my wall.  It's the icon of a Swedish university.   It took two  months, she said, and she went through several storms.  She came in steerage, as that  was the cheapest way.    She came with her older sister Anna Lisa and her nephew,  August Olsen (changed later to Johnson)   Many people were sick.  They thought they would never make it to the U.S.A.  People were throwing up from sea sickness.   They probably had to bring their own food and cook it.    They came over with their things tied up in bundles or kerchiefs. 

This was part of a new immigration that started in 1880.  She spoke about landing at the island. )Castle Garden). People laughed at them since they looked like immigrants.  They came through Canada to the USA according to August, the 11 yr old son of Anna Lisa.  Mildred, my mother,  recalls not Canada but her mother telling her how the people stared at them, and that there were lots of people.  I believe they were met at the ship by their aunt and her husband who had come over much earlier.

6-18-04  I sent for help at the Svenson Institute to find out how she came over.

They spoke about taking a train to the port, so that would not have been Gefle.  They may have gone to England first to get to Canada and the USA.

She had a cousin in Chicago.  Hanna, another sister, was in Chicago.
   
Augusta was born in either l872 as she said, or l870 which my grandfather teased her about.  Olle Lindahl confirmed it was 1870.   She was 18 years old when she came over.  She probably came  here in June of 1888.  She learned to read and speak English by herself.

Mom remembers that an uncle met her when she landed and took her to Chicago.  She told how hot Chicago was.  They dragged their mattresses out onto a landing on the building to sleep at night.  She told Mom a story about being in Chicago and going out in a little boat with a girlfriend.  Grandma could not swim, and a big wind came up and they were in trouble.  Someone came along and helped them get back to land.  
                         
She had married another  Olson, a very handsome tailor.  They divorced because he had a roving eye for the women.  She had a beautiful blonde daughter, Dorothy, who was very bright.  She died at about age 5-10 from appendicitis when Augusta was dating Frank Robinson, my Grandpa.  Grandpa carried Dorothy to the hospital, but it was too late.  

   Augusta had been a cook in Sioux City,  Iowa, and continued to be an excellent cook.  She had worked in the famed Peirce Mansion which is now the Sioux City, Iowa Public Museum.  It is on 29th & Jackson.  Then she had a wood stove to cook on. She had met Grandpa Frank there where he was the ice man and delivered ice there.  The mansion was a 21 room house and the exterior walls were of South Dakota quartzite.  It was built in 1891.  In 1900 the home went to William Barbour and he sold it in  1902 to Stella and William Gordon and they sold it to Dr. J.N. Warren.  Then in 1908 it was sold to Thomas S. Martin who had the Martin Dept Store in Sioux City in 1889 and they lived there until 1920.  I imagine Grandma worked for the Martins.  It's now on the National Register of Historic Places.  

   When she was about 67, a little boy ran into her and pushed her over. She broke her hip, and was on crutches from then on.

I've been in touch personally, phone and messaging with our relative, Linnea Anderson, daughter of Ruth Johnson and Sven Anderson, who is the granddaughter of August, Johnson, son of Anna Lisa.  She was most knowledgeable, provided me with pictures, facts, and has been to Sweden many times.  

Uncle Kenny and his 2nd wife made a trip to Sweden and visited the old family home, etc.  They got a genealogy book with our family in it from Olle Lindahl who was like, me, amateur genealogist because his wife was from there.  It's all in Swedish, of course.  I tried everything to get someone to translate it including Swedish students here like you were in Germany, but they said, it was in Old Swedish, and didn't want to do it.  So I have Swedish dictionaries.; one or several, and tried to do it.  He finished it in 1979. 

One odd thing has happened.  I had moved to Anchorage, Alaska and taught  2nd grade there for over a year in a public school, moving all my furniture there.  When I left, I sold everything as it was to expensive to take with me.  I sold my baby grand piano to a couple who turned out to be my Swedish cousins that I didn't know about and hadn't met before.  What are the odds of that happening?  

Stephen Grover Cleveland was president then, our 22nd president. Below are the New Mexico relatives.  

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

 

Robinson PIctures II

Here's a picture of Arthur Roy Robinson b: May 18, 1879 in Wenona, Marshall, Illinois, the 11th child of Abiathar Smith Robinson.
                                                               

                                                                             
     Here is a young picture of my grandfather, Frank Hugh Robinson b: June 21, 1870 in Wenona, Marshall, Illinois, 9th child,  who is probably with his younger brother, Arthur Roy Robinson, the 11th and last child of the family.  .
                                                                           
                                   Frank Hugh Robinson

John C. Robinson, Abiathar's 6th child, born April 21, 1862 in Montreal, Canada   had 4 sons; Ferdinand Theodore Abiathar, Charles T, Edgar Clyde and John Franklin "Shorty".                                    
                                                                         
              Charles T. Robinson born May 4, 1891, WWI in 1917 ( HA1 USNRF)
                                                                         
            Edgar Clyde Robinson b: November 16, 1892, WWI 1917 (Sgt, Co H, 20) Infantry
                                                                           
 John Franklin "Shorty" Robinson b: November 21,  1894, WWI 1917 (WWI Draft/Reg: LaSalle, )
                                                                         

         Out of uniform, John Franklin Robinson 1894.  Gosh, he's good looking.
                                                                               
                   Here are two of the Robinson brothers.  I don't know which ones.
                                                                           
                                   This is an unknown Robinson living in Wenona, Marshall, Illinois.
                                                                           
The little boy sitting on the bale of hay with his father, Abiathar, was Frank Hugh Robinson, the 9th child.   .  His son was Edward Kenneth Robinson who grew up and married Elinor Kalkwarf.    Below their wedding picture, below,  is a family portrait with Ed and his father, Frank Hugh Robinson and his mother, Augusta Robinson nee Gustafson who was born in Sweden.  Also standing is his sister, Mildred Elizabeth Goldfoot and to her left is Elinor, his wife.  Father Frank is holding Dianne, Ed's oldest daughter, and Charlotte is next to Dianne.  I'm between my uncle Ed and my mother and in front of me is my brother, David.   Kenneth Arthur isn't born yet in the family picture below, but he is the one who took the Ydna test with familytreedna and found that the family were R-L21 haplogroup, or originally called R1b1a2a1a1b4.  Now the familyfinder test has been taken and we'll see who matches with him.  There are a lot of Robinson families out there, especially  from New England.            
                                                                 

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