Linnea Augusta Jacobson
From Nancy Spjut Slawson (grandpa Spjut's (Phil) sister)
"My Mother arrived at Ellis Island on August 9, 1917 at the age of 17. She had traveled from Götoberg, Sweden to Oslo, Norway where she boarded the ship, United States, and sailed to Ellis Island. When I was in Sweden, I got to go to the railway station that she left for Oslo from and arrive in the very same Oslo station she did. I had my husband and daughter with me; she was all alone. The Germans wouldn't harm a passenger ship during World War I but they followed it to make sure there were no hidden arms on it or soldiers. A sub did follow it from outside of Oslo to just before New York. World War I (the war that was going to end all wars) started on July 28, 1914. On May 7, 1915 the German's subs sank the Lusitania, a British ocean Liner, killing 1,198 persons. The Germans promised the USA they wouldn't torpedo any of their passenger ships; only ships carrying arms. The US joined the war on April 6, 1917. My Mother crossed the Atlantic 4 months later. They did have German subs following them all away the across the Atlantic. Mother said it was so scary when those subs, one or two would surface and watch them. What happened to the Lusitania was all they talked about all the way across the Atlantic. Bill and I tried to take Mom and Dad back to Sweden. My Mom had sworn she'd never cross the Atlantic again and she never did. The journey was indeed frightening for a 17 year on her own. The journey took 2 weeks too! She spent at least 2 days on Ellis Island. They slept in barracks and got their vaccinations, etc. She was so happy to get on a train to Salt Lake City. Ellis Island had her name spelled wrong, Richard spent a lot of time finding it. I can't remember how they spelled it now. Richard may remember. I have a certificate issued by Ellis Island saying her name (and my Dad's) have been added to the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. Mom was the 6th child of 13. At that time she had a brother living in Duluth, Minnesota, a sister married and living in Ashton, Idaho, and 2 sisters in Salt Lake City who greeted her at the train. They also had her employment as a nanny-housekeeper-cook, etc. She said she was so happy to see her sisters, Anna and Signe, waiting for her at the station. She knew only a few words of English. She taught herself how to read and write English.
As you celebrate 100 years since my Mom arrived in the USA, I thought of another story of her departure. They (Mormor & Morfar) sent their children by twos from Sweden to the USA. The first to go of the. 13 children was Hilding with Elin. They went to Duluth,Minnesota where the missionary who had been Sweden was living. Hilding stayed in Duluth where he married and had 2 sons. The eldest son Paul, died in May of 2016 one month short of his 101 birthday. Elin married a missionary from Idaho and lived in Ashton, Idaho. The next 2 to come were Anna and Signe. They both went to Salt Lake where they got jobs as live in housekeepers. My Mother who went next was to go with her older sister Karin. Karin was too scared to go because of the war and refused to leave so Mom went on her own. She was the only one to do the trip by herself! What a gal and such a great Mother!
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