From Matagorda County History & Genealogy page
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is first part of a stories about two brothers - carpenters - who left Sweden to start a new life in America, ultimately in Collegeport.
Drott Brothers
Two Drott brothers moved to Collegeport, Matagorda County, Texas, during the early years of Collegeport.
A third brother died in Houston enroute to Collegeport to join his brothers.
He was buried in the Collegeport Cemetery.
The brothers were the sons of Otto Wilhelm Drott & Anna Catharina Petersdotter Drott.
The seven children of Otto and Anna were:
Selma Mathilda Drott b April 26, 1872 Hassleby, Jönköping
Karl Oscar Drott b September 15, 1875 Hassleby, Jönköping
Johan Wilhelm Drott b Aug 7, 1878 Askeyd, Östergötland
Albin D. Drott, b January 9, 1880 Askeryd, Jönköping
Felix Victor Drott, b July 3, 1882 Askeryd, Jönköping
Gustaf Adolph Drott, b August 4, 1885 Askeryd, Östergötland
Axel Robert Drott, b July 25, 1891 Askeryd, Östergötland
On March 14, 1902, Albin, age 22, departed from Göteborg (Gothenburg), on the ship Ariosto for Hull, England. (It appears most ships departing Sweden sailed first to England before continuing to the United States.)
His immigration record indicated his destination was Essex, Iowa and was not going to join a relative.
A year later, on March 11, 1903, Albin filed his Declaration of Intent to seek American citizenship in Montgomery County, Iowa.
He completed the immigration process on September 24, 1907 in Montgomery County when he took his Oath of Allegiance as an American citizen.
The following information was included in his naturalization record: Resides on Section 7, Sherman Township, Montgomery County, Iowa, Farmer, Born on January 9, 1880 in Borgen, Askeryd, Jönköpings, lan, Sweden. Emigrated from Goteborg, Sweden on the vessel Oceanic, landing in New York on March 12, 1902. Not married.
Albin’s younger brother, Gustaf Adolph Drott, age 19, began his immigration on March 18, 1904 when he, too, left Goteborg on the Ariosto bound for Hull, England.
He left Liverpool on the Oceanic, and arrived in New York on March 30, 1904.
The passenger list indicated Albin had paid his passage and he was traveling to meet his brother who lived on Route No. 1, Emerson, Iowa.
At the time of the enumeration of the 1910 census, Albin was living in Red Oak, Montgomery County, Iowa and was working as a house carpenter.
He was rooming with Mrs. Cornelia Hobson at 107 Washington Avenue.
Gustaf wasn’t living with him and was not found in the census.
A third brother, Axel Robert Drott, left Sweden to join Albin and Gustaf in 1911.
He left on April 7, 1911 bound for Red Oak, Iowa.
He also sailed on the Oceanic, but left from Southampton, England and arrived in New York on April 19, 1911.
It is unclear whether Albin and Gustaf were still living in Red Oak or had moved to Collegeport by that time.
Sadly, Axel never saw his brothers again.
The Collegeport Chronicle in May, 1911 reported that Axel died in Houston, Texas enroute to Collegeport.
Came in his casket, sad story of a young immigrant who died en route to Collegeport.
Here follows the account of the death of Axel Robert Drott, who left Sweden to join his brothers, Alban and Gustave Drott of this city.
He was picked up on the Houston streets a very sick boy and died there.
The remains were brought to Collegeport on Monday where a large of number citizens accompanied the sorrowing brothers to the cemetery for interment.
The exact location of Axel’s grave in the Collegeport Cemetery is unknown.
It is possible that the shellcrete marker with the Roman number II marks his grave.
After Axel’s death, Gustaf returned to Sweden.
He sailed from New York on the Mauretania on June 20, 1911 bound for Gothenburg via Liverpool.
He was registered as a Swedish citizen.
His name was on the passenger list leaving Gothenburg, Sweden on October 4, 1911 on the Eldorado bound for Grimsby, England.
He departed Liverpool on October 7th aboard the Lusitania. (The Lusitania, traveling from New York to Liverpool on what was her final voyage, was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk on May 7, 1915).
On November 2, 1911, Albin and Gustaf advertised as building contractors in the local newspaper.
It’s possible that Gustaf had left Collegeport by the next year as Albin was only advertising his services.
As a carpenter and contractor, no doubt Albin worked on many of the buildings in Collegeport.
Two of the examples of his expertise were the chancel and pulpit built in the First Church of Collegeport – Federated where he was member # 90.
When a new sanctuary was erected in 1955, the chancel was carefully removed from the old building and installed in the new building where it still resides today.
Albin returned to Sweden on a visit and departed from Gothenburg on October 29, 1913.
On his return, his destination was recorded as Austin, Texas.
Upon his arrival at Ellis Island on November 10, 1914, his last place of residence was listed as Collegeport, Texas.
Apparently, Albin did not return to Collegeport.
The boom of the early days of the town was over and many had moved away.
Albin probably left to find a place with more work for a carpenter.
At the time of Albin’s WWI Draft Registration on September 12, 1918, he was living at 702 5th Avenue, Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois and working at the Rock Island Arsenal.
His nearest relative was listed as Felix Hyden, Box 460, Nashwauk, Minnesota.
His physical description was tall height, small build, blue eyes and sandy brown hair.
In 1920, Albin was living at 311 11th Avenue in Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois.
He was boarding with Albin and Matilda Anderson, who were also born in Sweden, and was working as a carpenter at the Government Arsenal.
Albin married Charlotta Lundblad on August 8, 1924 in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Charlotta was born April 15, 1881 in Sweden and was naturalized on November 18, 1936.
In the 1939 Hammond, Indiana City Directory, Albin was listed as an assistant templet maker at Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company.
No census record was found for them in 1930, but in 1940 they were living at 7115 Jackson Street in Hammond, Lake County, Indiana.
He was working as a carpenter for the Railroad Product Company.
At the time of Albin’s WWII draft registration, they were still living on Jackson Street and Albin was working for W. M. Doss at 7232 Jefferson Avenue in Hammond at the Standard Railroad Equipment Company.
Charlotta died in 1955 and was buried at Moline Memorial Park, Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois.
Albin died September 26, 1965 and his Social Security record indicated he was living in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.
He was buried beside Charlotta.
Next week: How the descendants of the Drott brothers spread through America.