Immigration and Industry: The Rockford Connection

1
Immigration and Industry The Rockford Connection

• Created and Compiled By
• Judy Vinzant

2
The Swedish Population

• Some of the first immigrants to come to Rockford
  were the Swedes, who arrived in Rockford in
  August of 1852.
• Instead of working for mills and factories that
  were established, as in the case of the East
  Coast, many Swedes established their own
  companiesUnion Furniture Company, Nelson
  Knitting Company, and Rockford Drilling Company.

3
John Nelson

• John Nelson, a Swedish immigrant, arrived in
  Rockford in 1852.
• He patented the sock knitting machine in 1869.
• From his socks, the sock monkey was born.

4
John Nelson (cont.)

• John Nelson went on to develop the Forest City
  Knitting Company in 1891.

5
City of Immigrants Rockford, IL.

• http//www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/3
  3405927v1ch08.pdf
• http//www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/3
  3405927v1ch12.pdf
• By 1900, Rockfords population had reached
  31,051.

• Winnebago County had a total of 12,318 immigrants
  living there.
• If all of the Winnebago County immigrants lived
  in Rockford, they would comprise 40 of
  Rockfords population.
• Most Winnebago Country immigrants were of Swedish
  and German decent.