Collection on Olof Z. Cervin

Olof Zakarias Cervin was born 18 October 1868 in Paxton, Illinois. His father, Anders R. Cervin, was a professor at Augustana College, and when the College moved to Rock Island, Illinois in 1873 the Cervin family moved there as well. Olof graduated from Augustana College in 1887 and went on to study architecture at Columbia University. After working as an architect in various cities, Olof returned to Rock Island and established his own architecture firm on 1 April 1896. Olof Cervin and Benjamin A. Horn were partners in the firm until 1925 when they added a third: William Stuhr. Horn left the firm in 1928. Olof Cervin designed several buildings in Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline, Illinois, including schools, churches, and factories. During World War I, Cervin designed four hundred houses to accommodate the growing wartime workforce in the Rock Island/Moline area. Olof Cervin married Ruth Theodora Engberg in 1909; together they had three children: Bodwin, David, and Ruth.

Anders Richard Cervin was born 20 April 1823 in Kristianstad, Skaane, Sweden. In 1847 he graduated with highest honors and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Lund University. After graduation, Cervin taught for six years at the College of Helsingborg. In 1856, Cervin moved to Galesburg, Illinois to help his brother-in-law edit the Hemlandet newspaper. He then returned to Sweden to teach in Kristianstad and take theological courses at Lund University. Cervin and his wife immigrated to the United States in 1864. In 1868, Anders Cervin accepted a call to teach at Augustana College in Paxton, Illinois (where his brother-in-law was the College President). He taught mathematics, Greek, and the natural sciences. He also assisted with courses in Swedish and theology. Cervin edited the periodical Augustana in 1875. Cervin taught at Augustana College for ten years until poor health forced him to retire in 1878. He passed away 5 January 1900 in Rock Island, Illinois. He had four children: Anders Emanuel, Olof Zakarias, Josef Ebenezer, and Louisa Elisabeth.