The History of Knox County
pub. in 1912 by S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. 

   CHARLES ABRAHAMSON.

     Charles Abrahamson. foreman for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, residing at Altona, was born November 20, 1851, in Jonkoping lan, Sweden.His grandfather. Swan Abrahamson, was a miller by trade and also served as custodian of the parish church and leader of the church choir. His father, Swan Abrahamson, Jr., was born in Sweden in 1805 and there learned the miller's trade, but during the greater part of his life followed farming in Sweden and also acted as custodian of the Swedish Lutheran church. He married Tina Morganson, who was born in 1810 and was a daughter of Swan Morganson. The death of Swan Abrahamson, Jr., occurred in 1874, while his wife survived him until 1879. In their family were eight children, of whom three are now living: Charles; John, who is a resident of Kewanee, Illinois; and Stena, the wife of John Johnson, of Iowa.
     The educational opportunities of Charles Abrahamson were quite limited owing to the necessity of providing for his own support at an early age. He followed the miller's trade for four years, working in the employ of others, and in 1872, upon attaining his majority, came alone to the new world, making his way to Bureau county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming for three years. He then took up railroading, which he followed for seven years, and in 1882 he came to Altona. He has been in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad for thirty-six years and has been foreman for twenty-nine years. He is one of the oldest in the service of the company on the Illinois division and his faithfulness and capability are indicated in his long retention by the company.
     Mr. Abrahamson was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Swanson, who was born in the same part of Sweden as her husband, her natal day being May 4, 1847. She was a daughter of Swan Peterson and came to America a year after the arrival of Mr. Abrahamson, settling in Bureau county, Illinois, where they were married. Unto them have been born six children. August, who is now a train dispatcher at Aurora, Illinois, married Teckla Thumrod, of Sterling, Illinois, and has two children, Ruth and Malcolm. Helma is the wife of Alf Norene and has three children, Edna, Theodore and Harold. Oscar, an operator at Galesburg, lost his first wife, Mrs. Grace Abrahamson, who died leaving a son, Clarence, who has been reared by his grandfather, while the father married again, Frances Winrod, of Galesburg, becoming his wife. Herbert, who is an operator on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy at Galesburg, married Delia Hanson and has three children, Arthur, Delos and Erma. Albert, the youngest of the family, is now nineteen years of age. Emma died when but nine months of age.
     The parents are members of the Swedish Lutheran church of Altona and are prominent representatives of the people of their nationality who have done so much for the upbuilding and improvement of the northern part of the county.  (pages 685-686, submitted by Janine Crandell)