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From: "Virginia Durao" <>
Subject: Surnames: Anderson, Kuter, Erlander, Johnson
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 22:08:40 -0700


Rockford Morning Star Newspaper 1963.

Four elderly friends born in Rockford and whose ages total 365 years, got together Tuesday afternoon at a womanly coffee party reminisce for benefit of the Diamond Jubilee edition of the Rockford Morning Star.
Their conversation ranged from memories of driving cows to pasture and driving horses and buggies, to attending services and events at First Lutheran Church. Where all were baptized and confirmed.
They also recalled the dreadful panic and depression of 1893, when the mother of one of the women told her family of nine children on Christmas Eve. "We won't have presents but will have a good super."
all are members of prominent Rockford families, the women were Ellen E. Anderson, 1802 E. State St., Mrs. Mary Kuter, who resides with Miss Anderson; Mrs. Cora (A J.), 430 N. Vale Ave,; and Mary Erlander, a resident since 1951 in the P.A. Peterson Home on Park view Ave.
Mrs. Kuter, 96 the oldest, was born Jan 3 1867, in a home at Kishwaukee St. and college Ave., and later and later moved to Bremer st. Her father was John Lidell, a school teacher in Sweden and a furniture maker in Rockford.
Mary Erlander, the next oldest, was born Oct 16, 1870. She lived for eighty at 404 s. 3rd St., which since 1952 has been the erlander Home Museum of the Swedish Historical Society of Rockford.
Ellen E. Anderson, 90 was born in the home of Mrs. Kuter, her cousin on Bremer st. on June 18, 1872. Miss Anderson's parents were Mr. and Mrs. Anders Johan ( John ) Anderson.
Mrs. Cora Anderson, 87 youngest of the four, was born Sept. 17, 1875, on the southeast corner of Kishwaskee st. and 3rd Ave, Her father was S. a. Johnson, was among the original Swedish group which came to Rockford in 1852.
Her father and Miss Erlander's father were in the men's tailoring business as partners at 321 E. State St., for many years, starting in 1862, Erlander became president of the Union Furniture co. and Johnson became president of Central Furniture Co.
Maud E. Johnson School is named for Mrs. Anderson's younger sister, who was elementary supervisor on instruction from 1926 to 1948 and earlier had been a teacher and principal at Freeman School for 24 years.
Miss Anderson's father farmed what is now Blackhawk Park, an area of about 300 acres then. She said her family resided on the farm for 28 years, then built a home at 1828 Kishwaukee St., where she lived for 44 years.
Mrs. Anderson also resided on Kishwaukee St., with her husband, the late State Sen. A. J. Anderson.
Lifetimes of Mrs. Kuter and Mary Erlander span all three church buildings of First Lutheran Church. All four women recall vividly the building of the present First Lutheran church in 1882 and 1883.
"We just about lived in the church in those days." Miss Anderson commented, noting all their social and religious activities were Church centered.
Mrs. Anderson said she was a junior in high school in depression-hit 1893. Those were some fearsome days. She said she wondered if she was to be allowed to continue in school. She did, and is a member of the 1894 Rockford High School class. She wanted to become a nurse but had to wait 10 years. During World War 1, from 1915 to 1916, she was a Red Cross nurse in Russia. When she returned home by way of Siberia and the Pacific, thus completing a trip around the world.
It was Mrs. Anderson who said her mother on Christmas Eve, 1893, told her they'd have to accept a good super in lieu of presents. Miss Anderson, then living on the farm, recalled how happy everybody was when the factory whistles blew to announce work was starting again.
Miss Anderson's father was president of the forest bit and Tool co. for 30 years and Miss Anderson was vice president of the firm for 30 years. Miss Anderson attended the school on Kishwaukee St., now Rock River School. Mrs. Erlander and Mrs. Anderson said they attended the Old Adams School on the site of what is now Freeman School. Mrs. Kuter attented the Old four room Kishwaukee School.
The boys once got a cow up on the fourth floor of the old Adams School. Mrs. Erlander recalled it was a Halloween prank, and they had a big job getting that cow down again. Miss Anderson said we had a cow on top of our school building. Longevity is a trait in the families of these four women, who can count 365 years among them. Miss Anderson father lived to be 82, and her mother 88. Mrs. Anderson's father was 89 and her mother 87 when they died. Miss Erlander's father reached almost 91 and her mother was 83. Mrs. Kuter's mother lived to be 94 and her father died at 76.
S. A. Johnson and John Erlander voted for Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 election and again in 1864. As the party broke up, Miss Anderson commented we have seen rough times, and we seen Rockford grow big and strong.


There is a picture that goes along with this article if anyone wants it let me know.
Jennie Durao
in Ca.

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