Eva Wilhelmina Strandt

 After last week's blog about William F. Strandt, I received a request wanting to know more about William's oldest daughter, Eva. This week's blog is what I've been able to piece together about Eva Wilhelmina Strandt. She also sorta fits the prompt for this week which is "War and Peace." 

Eva Wilhelmina Strandt was born April 20, 1899 in Allegan, Michigan to Mary and William Strandt. She lived with her parents on a farm belonging to her grandparents, Carl FT and Wilhelmina "Amena" Strandt in Allegan. Eva was soon joined by siblings Carl, Ruth and Howard. The family also moved from Michigan to Illinois and back to Michigan again. At the age of 18 Eva followed in her mother's footsteps and became a teacher in a rural school. She lived at home and taught school for many years. 

On January 11, 1923 she married Reed Hayes, an auto mechanic. They lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1929, or earlier, a daughter was born to them, Ruth Marilyn Hayes. Ruth was born after the death of Eva's sister, Ruth. My guess is that she named her daughter after her beloved sister. Ruth's early death seemed to bring great sadness to the Strandt family.

On January 20, 1934 Eva was granted a divorce from Reed Hayes. In the petition Eva cites extreme and repeated cruelty, and non support for reason for divorce. Reed didn't contest it. In talking to Eva's granddaughter, she relayed a story her grandmother told her about her first husband. Eva said that he had asked her to move to Florida with him so he could find work there. Eva refused, on the grounds that she wanted to stay and help her mother stay safe. Whatever the real reason was, after the divorce Reed did move to Florida where he remarried and had another child. Eva stayed in Kalamazoo with daughter Ruth.

The 1940 Federal Census finds Eva and Ruth living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Eva supports herself and Ruth by teaching. Her income was $926, with no other source of income. 

On August 14, 1943 Eva married for a second time. She married Robert G. Kiser, who was originally from South Dakota. He worked in a local paper mill. Eva still worked as a teacher. In February 1948, daughter Ruth marries Jack Jones and moves out. A year later in 1949 her daughter Marilyn Eva is born. Eva is now a grandmother.

Eva and Robert live in Kalamazoo. Eva's daughter has moved to Orlando, Florida after the death of her husband in 1952. On one of her trips back home to visit family in December, daughter Ruth goes for a ride in a car with her cousin Charles Strandt, son of Howard. With them is Ruth's daughter Marilyn. While driving, a postal truck hits the car they are riding in. All 3 occupants are injured. Ruth dies later at the hospital, Charles survives, but with crippling injuries for life. Marilyn is severely injured but survives. Eva takes Marilyn in and helps raise her.

Marilyn remembers Eva as a kind woman. Eva never spoke to Marilyn about the conflict with her brother Carl. One day Eva drove Marilyn past the farm and told her her oldest brother Carl, his wife, and four children lived there, but no more was said about Carl. Eva also didn't mention any of the Strandt relatives in Chicago either. Eva and Howard did talk and associate, but I think there may have been a falling out with Howard after the tragic car accident. Marilyn does remember visiting William and Mary when they were older, and when they went to live in a nursing home before their deaths.

At some point after the deaths of William and Mary, Eva and Robert moved to Tampa, Florida. There they remained until their deaths. Robert passing away in 1967, and Eva passing away in 1980, at the age of 81.

Eva loved to teach and taught many children over the years. She also spent 5 years teaching children with Special Needs. She spoke both High and Low German, and drove a Model T in her younger days. Like her brother Howard, she supported the Republican party. 

Eva had a lot of trials and tribulations in her life, but she seemed to deal with everything with grace and dignity. Always trying to help others. Her granddaughter Marilyn had very fond memories of her. 

Mary, baby Eva, William Strandt.

Eva and 2 boys on horse. Perhaps Carl and Howard?

Ruth Marilyn Hayes, Eva's daughter

From the Tampa Tribune 1980

Adversity - The Swedish Famine of 1867/1868

 The prompt for this week is "Adversity." Now, most of us are familiar with the Irish famine of 1845-1852 that led to the deaths of one million Irish citizens and was responsible for the large number of Irish immigrants in the mid 1800's. There was another famine in Europe that also had a direct impact on immigration to America. 

The 1860's were not very kind to Sweden. Swedish farmers had numerous crop failures and it was a difficult time trying to harvest crops and grow enough food to feed family and farm animals. Times were hard. In 1867 times were going to get harder. Due to the weather patterns the winter of 1866-1867 was colder and lasted longer than normal. Spring came so late that farmers had to wait to sow seeds. The summer was very short lived and then Fall came. It became difficult to feed animals, and people. The price of food increased, making it tougher. The early arrival of ice and snow also made travel and communications throughout the land harder. All parts of Sweden were affected, but the northern parts of Sweden suffered the most. In southern Sweden, where Carl and Ulrika Andersson lived, the large farms were able to export their crops, but the smaller farmers, like Carl, had a harder time. In 1868, instead of cold and rainy weather, a drought occurred. No rain meant crops still couldn't be grown or harvested so the famine continued for another year. Little to no food for people or animals. 

Fundraisers were held in America to help the Swedish famine victims and money was sent to Sweden. The Swedish government also sent money to the affected areas to help. However, local authorities would put their own restrictions on who was able to receive the money. People would have to agree to work, or supply labor, to receive the funds. Exceptions were made for people who physically couldn't work or the very old, but many people were turned away for aid if they couldn't say they could work for the funds. In turn, much of the relief money stayed with local authorities or went to wealthy and large farmers who could guarantee work for the funds. Famine victims were often told to eat bark bread. Bark bread is bread made from the inner bark of trees, and lichen. It's mixed with flour and gives the bread a greyish green appearance. The bread doesn't rise much and eating too much of it can cause vomiting and nausea, especially in children. The Swedish press criticized the distribution of the relief funds. Some felt that the lack of aid extended the suffering of the poor. 

Swedish famine victim eating bark bread.

Newspaper cartoon criticizing aid. Aid given to County Governor, then wealthy officials, wealthy farmers, then the poor getting what's left over.

 Carl and Ulrika moved out of Hjalmserd Parish in 1870. Carl was listed as a lodging pauper. That year 105 people left the parish. Annika from "Find a Swede" notes that between 1861 and 1870, 11,514 people left Jonkoping County. The Swedish famine, and the Swedish response to it, was the beginning of the great Swedish migration to America. 

Sources:

Swedish_famine_of_1867%E2%80%931869

Find a Swede