John Deere town
After John Deere moved his plow business to Moline many Swedes came to the Quad City area, especially Moline. They were well suited for working in the Deere factories because of their ability to work with steel As new immigrants they didn't know much English. The story goes that they only recognized one phrase, so when the train conductor called out "John Deere town" all the Swedes got off! .
The Swenson Center at Augustana
The Swenson Center is a must for anyonme searching for their Swedish Ancestors. They have vast holdings of Swedish parish records, Swedis-American newspaers and Innigration records. Please call them to make an appointment so there can be somebody there to help you. All the people there are very knowledgable and very helpful.
Augustana Swenson Center
Swedes in Moline
by Lilly Setterdahl
This richly illustrated manuscript provides a closer look at the Swedish immigrants who populated Moline from 1847 through the 1920s and their accomplishments. It also deals with the contributions made by their descendants to the city of Moline and beyond. The Introduction gives a comprehensive view of the environment facing the new immigrants. The first chapter, Civic Leaders, reveals that Moline elected seven Swedish-American mayors between 1895 and 1987, with four of the earlier ones being born in Sweden.
A 75-page section entitled Businesses shows that Swedes were represented in about fifty various branches of enterprises, some of them being substantial manufacturers, such as Moline Furniture Company. Lilly Setterdahl is probably the first researcher to include small businesses in her study, such as tailor shops and grocery stores. The businesses span a period from the 1850s to the 1970s. The Swedish American press, which was well represented in Moline, concludes the business section.
Churches and organizations founded by Swedish Americans get their due in separate chapters. Documented Impressions features old letters, travelogues, daybooks, and diaries, relating first-hand, written experiences.
The author then presents a 75-page section, Oral Histories, with data, photos, and brief summaries from more than one hundred interviews recorded with Swedish Americans in Moline in 1985 and 1986 by her late husband, Lennart Setterdahl.
The final 90-page section entitled Family Histories is based on a survey conducted by the author. Fifty-three participants submitted information and photos for a total of at least one hundred ancestors, who could be traced back to their birthplaces in Sweden, and also forward to include their descendants in America.
Setterdahl's work presents a wealth of genealogical and biographical data. It gives insights into the individual lives of the Swedes who made up the largest ethnic group in Moline for many years. While the general history of the Swedes in America is relatively well documented, local histories still remain largely untapped. Mrs. Setterdahl fills one gap on the subject in the Midwest, which was so prominently settled by Swedes.
This is a "must read" book for anyone interested in Swedes in Moline.
To contact Lilly Here
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