Karin Norén
Corine, Karin, Catherine, or Kathrine are all variations of the name that was given to my Great-grandmother, Karin Falkman (nee Norén). We, the family, used to call her 'Mongi' Katherine as she was call in America, was born and raised on the out skirts of a small central eastern town called Arbrå. The local area was known as "Koldamo". Arbrä is located about 15 Km north of Ballnas, and 5 Km south of Vallsta, along the Ljusnan River. Her home was an old, rather large, structure. Probably built by her grandfather. And each succeeding generation lived in it, as was the custom in those times. And not migrating, hither and thither as was done in the large cities. The homestead was near a large forest and a small inland lake..
Karin mother, Gölin, died when she was about a year old. Karin was the youngest of 3 sisters. Of necessity, it was not long before there was a stepmother installed in the house. Karin's stepmother's name was Stina Sjon Andersdotter. After which there came several more children. Her stepmother was a good and kind mother to them all. And there was no cause for complaint from the older children.
The first railroad Karin had ever seen was one built through their section of land, when she was about __ years old. The railroad handed out passes for a free ride, when it was completed. The pass would take them from one town to the next, and back again. So Karin, with her father, enjoyed her first train ride. They rode to the next town and visited friends.
Karin's father was an intellectual man. He became a lay preacher. And had studied a great deal and wrote considerably. He passed away when Karin was about 14 years old. Karin Norén immigrated to America in May of 1892. She left from Gothenburg the same as Nils. She traveled on the SS Norden. Which took her to her first stop, Humburg. From Humburg she traveled by train to Breman. And from Breman, she boarded the SS Trave, a steamer that would take her to New York, America.
Upon her arrival she set off immediately for DuBois Penn. And there she met up with Peter. And within several months of her arrival she was married. That would have been on the 25th of May 1892. This leads me to believe that Karin and Peter must have known one another while still in Sweden. Or maybe she was a mail-order-bride. And was contracted to go to Du Bois. Anyway, her first child was born in September of 1893 (Herman). Shortly after Herman's birth the family decided to move to Chicago, IL.
Several years after moving to Chicago, her husband, Peter, landed a job with the rail road. Where he eventually died in a work related accident. With the insurance money the family bought a place in the Austin area. This is where the children were raised and went to school. My earliest memories of her unfortunately are when she was sick and confined to bed. Her two daughters Lillian and Ester remained in the home. Never marrying. Ester would take care of her mother and the home. While Lillian would be the 'Bread Winner' of the family. Lillian worked well into her 70's. Eventually retiring to the home on Hadden. The boys (Herman and Robert), on the other hand. Married and moved away from home.