Person:Per Johnson (1)

His name at birth was Per Johan Evald Johannesson.

Summary:

He is listed with the family in the 1896 church record, and the 1890 (SVARvolume: 000164 Card nr: 8, Page: 15 Row: 39) and 1900 Swedish census for Nykulla.

In June, 2004 Folke Ericsson had a specific request for us to try and locate information on Per and Gustav Johannesson who are indicated in his records as having emigrated to America. He was asking us for information since the line of communication has been broken. At that time we had no specific American data on these men.

Folke indicated that his brother, Karl Ericsson, had planned to emigrate to America and join their uncles, Per and Gustav. But he stayed to help his Aunt Frida run the farm that she had inherited from his grandfather, Johannes Petersson. There are also indications that Mathilda, Per and Gustav's mother, had cut off communications with them and suggested they wanted nothing to do with their Swedish relatives. This could also have occurred around 1927. Karl later emigrated to Australia.

Per Johanneson emigrated to America in May, 1903. Ellis Island Records have a 1903 manifest for Per Johansson, age 21, from Sweden. He is listed on line 10, travelling on the SS Aurania sailing from Liverpool on May 12th and arriving in NY on May 21st. His last residence was Copenhagen (many from Kronoberg emigrated thru Denmark), and his occupation is a laborer. His destination is 926 N. 48th Ave, Chicago, IL , the residence of a friend, Chs Jensen (sp).

He settled in Chicago, and an undated Chicago studio photo of him exists. He changed his surname to Johnson and married Alma Prag in 1905. We have a copy of the May 8, 1905 Chicago marriage certificate #408387 between Per Johnson (22) and Alma Prag (23). She was also born in Sweden in 1882 and emigrated in 1903.

The 1910 US Census has a Peter Johnson, born in Sweden, age 28. (Locale: 31-WD CHICAGO, Series: T624, Roll: 277, Part: 2, Page: 219A) He is living at 5931 Elizabeth Street. He and his wife Alma (28) were born in Sweden and both immigrated in 1899 (probably an error). They were married in 1904 and have 3 children - Mary (5), Hilma (Helen)(3), and Carl (1) all born in Illinois. His occupation is a stair builder(sp) in a carpenter shop.The Elizabeth Street location is four blocks from August's shop on 5837 S Laflin St.

We have a copy of a 1914 letter that Per wrote to his sister. His youngest son, Russell, had just been born on 11/13. It contains his Chicago address.

Note: Hanna Newquist's brother Fred and his family lived at 5935 Elizabeth St. in 1917.

The 1920 US Census has a Per Johnson (age 37) born in Sweden, immigrated in 1903 (compatible with the Ellis Island record) and naturalized in 1908, and living in the 31st Ward at the same Elizabeth St. address in Chicago. He has a wife, Alma (age 38 born in Sweden), and four children born in IL - Mary (13), Hilma (Helen)(12), Carl (11) & Russell (6). The occupation data is unreadable. (Locale:31-WD CHICAGO, Series: T625, Roll: 349, Part: 1, Page: 58).

Folke provided a copy of an affidavit that Per Johannesson (now age 45) signed in Chicago, IL on September 17, 1927. It is addressed to his father and references his mother's death. It's probably a power of attorney needed in the estate document, as it occurs at the time his mother's death, and his father was turning over the farm to Ernst and Frida. The document is also endorsed by the Swedish Consulate in Chicago. It would have been required for Swedish legal procedures. Although it is clear he had changed his name to Johnson, he may have used his Swedish surname for this purpose.

In the 1928-29 Polk Directory of Chicago addresses, H.O. Johnson and his wife, Mary, are living at the same address with Peter and Alma Johnson.

The 1930 Census has the Peter Johnson family living in the home he owns at the same Elizabeth Street Address. (It is now in the 16th Ward, Block 75. Roll 442, Book 1, Page 252a) Peter is listed as age 48,was 22 at the time of his marriage and immigrated in 1903 and is a naturalized citizen, but no date is shown.(The 1920 Census indicated 1908). His occupation is a machinist in a carpenter shop (probably August's firm). Alma is listed as 49 years old, and was 23 at the time of their marriage. She also immigrated in 1903 and is a naturalized citizen.

The oldest daughter, Mary, is living with the family and is listed as Mary Zindell, her married name and she is divorced.. She is 24 years old.. She is employed as a file clerk for the Spiegel mail order company.Also living in the home is Mary's daughter, Gloria Zindell, age 6 and born in Illinois. Her father was born in Sweden. She is listed as a granddaughter.

Their daughter Hilma (Helen) is living with the family and is listed as Hilma Peterson, age 22 and married at age 18. Her husband, Oscar Peterson , age 30 also lives in the home and is listed as a son-in-law. He was married at age 26. He was born in Sweden and immigrated in 1916. Hilma has a clerical position with a mail order firm, and Oscar is a machinist in a welding shop.

The oldest son, Carl, is 21, single, and working as a machinist in a carpenter shop (probably August's firm).

The youngest son, Russell, is 16, single, and has no occupation listed.

Per worked many years for his uncle, August, and lived a few blocks from the business. He also purchased autos from his first cousin, Art Newquist of Aurora, IL. He worked for Edward Hines Lumber Co. after his employment at Southside Interior Finish Co.

His granddaughter, Gloria, was a close friend since childhood of her cousin, August's daughter, Dorothy Newquist Labrose (b.1919), until her death in 2003. She now lives in Dorothy's home in Evergreen Park, IL.

In September, 2006 she provided two photos of Per to Mike Newquist prior to his leaving to attend the Vaxjo reunion. They are included in a December 2006 photo book from Folke.