Ester Kristina Rawstrom, daughter of Karl (Charles) Arvid Konstantin Rawstrom and Hilda Kristina Bäcklund, was born in 1909 at New Jersey.¹

     Ester married Frank Gibbs.¹

     Fredrick J. Rawstrom Jr, son of Fredrik Josef Rawstrom and Margurite Wright, was born circa 1939 at Georgia.¹

     Fredrik Josef Rawstrom, son of Karl (Charles) Arvid Konstantin Rawstrom and Hilda Kristina Bäcklund, was born in 1913 at New Jersey.^1,2

     Fredrik married Margurite Wright in 1936.¹

     Harry Wilfred Rawstrom, son of Karl (Charles) Arvid Konstantin Rawstrom and Hilda Kristina Bäcklund, was born on 11 February 1917 at Montclair, Essex, New Jersey.^1,2

     The U.S. officially entered World War II on 8 December 1941 following an attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Just about a year before that, in October 1940, President Roosevelt had signed into law the first peacetime selective service draft in U.S. history, due to rising world conflicts. After the U.S. entered WWII a new selective service act required that all men between ages 18 and 65 register for the draft. Between November 1940 and October 1946, over 10 million American men were registered. The Fourth Registration, often referred to as the "old man's registration", was conducted on 27 April 1942 and registered men who born on or between 28 April 1877 and 16 February 1897 - men who were between 45 and 64 years old - and who were not already in the military. Harry filled out a draft card for World War II on 16 October 1940 (at age 23), while living at 203 Rugby Avenue, Rochester, New Jersey. He was employed by the Central YMCA.³

     Harry and Edna Sally Morrison were engaged circa 14 February 1941;

Miss Edna Morrison Betrothal Told

At a Valintine party last evening in their home, Mr. and Mrs. William B. Morrison, Ravenwood Avenue, announced the engagement of their daughter, Miss Edna Morrison, to Harry Rawstrom, Rugby Avenue, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rawstrom of Montclair, N. J.⁴

     Harry married Edna Sally Morrison, daughter of William B. Morrison and Alice "Surname Unknown", on 20 November 1941.^1,5

     Harry died on 26 April 1994, at age 77,^6,2 and was buried at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, New Castle, Delaware.⁷

     DATELINE 1999: Harry was

One of the nation's most respected swimming coaches during his tenure, Rawstrom served as head coach at Delaware for 35 years, the second longest head coaching tenure in UD history. A Montclair, NJ native and two-time collegiate All-American at Springfield (Mass.), Rawstrom posted a 35-year dual record of 211-154 and led the Blue Hens to the 1947 Mason-Dixon Conference title and 1954 Middle Atlantic Conference title. Rawstrom was a professor of physical education at Delaware from 1948-81 and was the co-founder of the UD men's lacrosse program, serving as head coach for the first two seasons in 1948-49. A member of the state of Delaware Sports Hall of Fame, the University of Delaware Pool in Carpenter Sports Building is named in his honor.⁸

     Karl (Charles) Arvid Konstantin Rawstrom was born on 19 January 1874 at Stockholm, Södertälje, Sverige.^2,3,4 He immigrated in 1893.⁵

     Karl married Hilda Kristina Bäcklund, daughter of Johan Jönsson Bäcklund and Karolina Andersdotter, on 7 May 1897.⁶ Karl (Charles) Arvid Konstantin Rawstrom was naturalized on 28 May 1900; He held Certificate of Naturalization, issued by Common Please Court, Newark, New Jersey, no number noted.⁷

     Karl, his wife, Hilda and their children, Elsie, Beda and Ruth were found on the "S. S. United States" passenger list departing 19 March 1904, from Christiania (Oslo), Norway. They arrived at the Port of New York, 02 Apr 1904. They were going home.⁸

     Due to a need for men to serve during World War I, the United States instituted a draft. The first registration was for men between the ages of 21 and 31. As a result, this first registration included men born between June 5, 1886 and June 5, 1896. As World War I continued to escalate, the United States instituted a second draft registration. The second registration was for men who had turned 21 since June 5, 1917, so it added men born between June 5, 1896 and June 5, 1897. Two months later, a supplemental registration was held on August 24, 1918 for men who had become 21 years of age since June 5, 1918, adding the names of men who were born between June 5, 1897 and August 24, 1897. With no end in sight for World War I, the United States instituted it's third and final registration. It included all men who were between the ages of 18 and 21, and 31 to 45 years of age. This added younger men than the previous registrations, those who were born between September 12, 1897 and September 12, 1900; and added an older group of men, born between September 12, 1873 and September 12, 1888. Karl filled out a draft card for World War I on 12 September 1918 (at age 44), while living at 153 Valley Road, Montclair, Essex, New Jersey. He was self employed as a stairmaker and cabinet builder and described as height, medium and medium build with grey eyes and grey hair..⁹

     Karl and his daughter, Doris Ellen was found on the "Gripsholm" passenger list on 20 June 1935, departing Göteborg, Göteborg och Bohus, Sverige. Their final destination was Port of New York.¹⁰

     Karl died on 17 February 1937, at Montclair, New Jersey, at age 63,^11,12 and was buried at Mt. Hebron Cemetery, Montclair, Essex, New Jersey.^13,12