Super Sister Sunday - The Swedish Sisters

This is the first Super Sister Sunday I have blogged about. It is something I have wanted to do for awhile. Being one of four sisters - I just love stories and pictures of sisters. I hope you will join me from time to time with your stories and pictures of sisters.

The Swedish Sisters
Here is a great photo taken in 1922 of my Grandma on my mothers side (the one on the right) and her sisters. Their parents came to America in 1890 with their Eldest child Mary (the one on the left) when she was about 18 months old or so. They came to the little town of Ruthven, Iowa where the rest of the children were born. My Grandmother was the youngest of her siblings. They also had two brothers. It was also taken the year before my grandparents married.

On a trip to Iowa in 2008 my sisters and I visited my mothers cousin Bob. I asked him to tell me about his parents. Both his parents died during the same year for different reasons which was a very difficult year for Bob and his siblings. This is the lady in the middle.
She was only 53 years of age when she died.

Back to the Swedish Sisters. Bob told me that the sisters used to drive he and all the cousins crazy because these ladies would either be on the telephone with each other or at family gatherings speaking in Swedish! This was a surprise to me because I never knew my grandmother even spoke swedish. Obviously their parents taught it to them. Plus in those days - if you don't ask, you won't ever find out. I never asked and barely found out! From a cousin of my mom's! Even she did not tell us kids about this.

Here are the sisters. They are actually standing Oldest to Youngest from left to right.

Mary B Nelson
B August 31, 1888, Genarp, Malmohus, Sweden
D December 17, 1971, Spencer, Iowa

Elizabeth Nelson
B June 23, 1896, Ruthven, Iowa
D February 14, 1949, Spencer, Iowa

Laura Marjorie Nelson
B November 20, 1903, Ruthven, Iowa
D October 1, 1979, Spencer, Iowa


All sisters are buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Ruthven, Iowa.

Sentimental Sunday Grandpa's Dilly Bars

For Sentimental Sunday I thought of a very fond memory. Saturday night was always a special night for my Grandpa Davis. He would travel from Ruthven, Iowa in to the larger town of Spencer to get a sack full of Dilly Bars from the Dairy Queen. Then he would bring them back for all the kids who waited excitingly at his house with Grandma, Aunts and Uncles. Usually this consisted of quite a few cousins.

I can remember the sack. It was really thick to keep the cold in. The sack went from one person to another as they selected their treat. I was so happy when there were enough Dilly Bars so that I could have one too! It made me feel special. Everyone paused to eat their favorite flavored Dilly Bar as Grandpa happily watched. Of course he bought enough for the adults to have one, him included!

My Grandpa on my maternal side was Stuart Donald Davis. He owned a junk yard which I will tell you about some day. I loved him very much.