Copyright © Hans Högman 2019-11-20
Carl F. Wallin
Introduction
Carl F. Wallin (1868 – 1951) was one of the founders
of Nordstrom Inc, a chain of department stores in
the USA.
In 1893, 24 years old, Carl emigrated from
Sweden to the USA.
The image to the right shows Carl F. Wallin
in the beginning of the 20th century.
In the US he settled in Seattle, Washington state,
where he was a shoemaker. Wallin also made his
way to the Klondike to look for gold during the
gold-rush. In Klondike Carl Wallin met John W.
Nordstrom, a fellow Swede.
The two Swedes later reunited in Seattle where John
Nordstrom also had settled and together they
decided to invest in a shoe store. Their first shoe
store opened in 1901; Wallin & Nordstrom. From
that first shoe store, the Nordstrom retail empire
grew. John Nordstrom retired in 1928 selling his
stake to his sons Everett and Elmer. Carl Wallin
retired a year later, 1929. Everett and Elmer then
acquired Carl Wallin's share of the company. A third
brother, Lloyd Nordstrom, joined the company as a
part-owner in 1933.
Carl Ferdinand Wallin was born on 14 May 1868,
in Borserud, Nyed parish, Värmland (circa 30 km
north of the city of Karlstad).
Carl Wallin died in January 1951 in Seattle, WA.
Parents
Carl Ferdinand Wallin was born on 14 May 1868 to
shoemaker Carl Johan Jansson Wallin and his wife
Lovisa Petersdotter. Carl Johan and Lovisa married
on 9 October 1863.
•
Carl Johan Wallin, born 1838-01-12, died 1921-
05-22 in Nyed.
•
Lovisa Petersdotter, born 1842-07-12, died
1912-03-15 in Nyed.
Carl Johan and Lovisa had 4 children; Emma Lovisa
(b. 1866), Carl Fedrinand (b. 1868), Emil (b. 1873)
and Olga Emilia (b. 1884).
Carl Ferdinand Wallin’s notation in Nyed’s birth
book:
Emigration From
Sweden - People
Above, The Wallin family 1886 - 1890, Borserud, Nyed
(page 70).
Carl Wallin and his wife had 4 children:
1.
Emma Lovisa, b. 1866-03-30 in Nyed. Immigrated
to the USA in September 1895.
2.
Carl Ferdinand, b. 1868-05-14 in Nyed, d. 1951 in
Seattle, WA, USA. Immigrated the USA in March
1893.
3.
Emil, b. 1873-10-02 in Nyed. Immigrated the USA
in September 1898.
4.
Olga Emilia, b. 1884-06-25 in Nyed, d. 1948-02-13
in Åmål (P). Immigrated to the USA in 1907 and
returned home in 1912.
Sources: Household examination rolls:
•
Nyed (S) AI:25 (1881-1885) Image 67 / page 62
•
Nyed (S) AI:27 (1886-1890) Image 74 / page 70
Carl F. Wallin 1891 - 1899, Landala, Göteborg:
.
Above, Carl Ferdinand Wallin 1891 - 1899, Landala,
Göteborgs domkyrkoförsamling (page 238), at the
time of Carl’s emigration.
Carl Ferdinand moved to Landala, Göteborg, in 1892.
I Göteborg where he was listed as shoemaker.
Source: parish book; Göteborgs Domkyrkoförsamling
(O) AIa:60 (1891-1899) Image 257 / page 238, line 45.
Above, Carl Ferdinand Wallin 1891 - 1899, Landala,
Göteborgs domkyrkoförsamling (sida 238), at the time
of Carl’s emigration.
Carl (line 45) has a notation regarding his emigration
to “Amerika”, 20 February 1893. This is the date
when his moving certificate (Swe: flyttningsbetyg) was
issued.
Source: parish book; Göteborgs Domkyrkoförsamling
(O) AIa:60 (1891-1899) Image 257 / page 238, rad 45.
Departing Göteborg on 3 March 1893
Göteborg Police Department - Passenger list,
March 1893
Above, Carl Ferdinand in Nyed’s birth book, May
1868.
He was born on 14 May 1868 and baptized on 16
May.
Source: Birthbook; Nyed (S) C:9 (1861-1873) Image97.
The Wallin Family 1886 - 1890, Borserud, Nyed (S):
Above, Göteborg Police Department (Göteborgs
Poliskammare), passenger list for March 1893.
Carl sailed with the Wilson Line “Rollo” from
Göteborg, Sweden to Hull, England on 3 March 1893.
Johan was passenger 3111. Carls destination in the
US was New York.
Source: Göteborgs poliskammare (-1900) (O) EIX:50
(1893) Image 840 / page 165.
Carl Arriving in New York in March 1893
Carl arrived in New York City sometime in March
1893. Unfortunately, I haven’t found Carl Wallin in the
New York ship manifests for March 1893. His
destination is listed as New York in the Rollo
passenger list above.
Carl sailed from Göteborg on 3 March 1893 for Hull in
England. The voyage across the North Sea usually
took 2 days. In England the emigrants went by train
from Hull to either Liverpool or Southampton
depending on the shipping company. They
approximately spent 4 - 5 days in England before
boarding the ship which was going to take them to
the US. The voyage across the Atlantic usually took 10
days at this time depending on the weather. In Carl’s
case the entire journey from Göteborg to New York
would have taken about 17 days. If he sailed from
Göteborg on 3 March he must have arrived in New
York on 20 March or a few days thereafter.
In 1893, when Carl arrived in New York, the Ellis
Island immigrant station was in use.
Ellis Island was a federal station that opened in 1892.
The federal government took over processing from
the State of New York in 1890.
Carl Wallin in the USA
I haven’t found any information about Carl Wallin’s
early years in the US but around 1896/1897 he was a
shoemaker with his own shoe repair shop in King
County, City of Seattle, WA. Presumably, he worked
his way across the United States taking jobs,
eventually arriving in Seattle, Washington.
In 1897 the news spread that gold had been found in
the Yukon territory, Canada. Like many others, Carl
Wallin went north to seek his fortune on the
goldfields.
In Klondike, Carl met a fellow Swede, John. W.
Nordstrom. Both lived in Seattle but hadn’t previously
met.
Carl F. Wallin became a naturalized American
citizen in 1898 (after 5 years in the US).
Married to Annie
Carl was married to Ann (Annie), a daughter of
Norwegian immigrants. Annie was born in 1870 in
South Dakota in the American Midwest.
Carl and Annie Wallin had 2 daughters:
1.
Evelyn, born in 1898 in Seattle.
2.
Gunvor, born in 1901 in Seattle
Evelyn’s and Gunvor’s years of birth are estimates
from their ages stated in the federal censuses. Their
names are being spelled differently in the censuses
they appear in. The above names are the names they
were listed under in the SS C.F. Tietgen’s passenger list
during the family’s return to America after a visit to
Scandinavia in 1908. The C.F. Tietgen was a Norwegian
ship and the crew must have known how to spell
Scandinavian names correctly.
However, in the passenger list, Carl’s wife’s name is
spelled Amy instead of Ann or Annie.
In the 1900 US census is Evelyn’s name is listed as
Ethylyn and in the 1920 census, Gunvor’s name is
listed as Genevieve.
Visiting Sweden and Norway in 1908
In 1908, Carl and Annie Wallin made a visit to
Sweden/Norway with their two daughters. I don’t
know when they arrived in Scandinavia but they
returned to the USA in September 1908 aboard the
C.F. Tietgen. The ship sailed from Christiania (Oslo),
Norway on 21 August 1908 and arrived in New York
on 1 September.
Above, extract from C.F. Tietgen’s passenger list. The
ship arrived in New York on 1 September 1908. As can
be seen in the passenger list, Carl’s occupation is
listed as shoemaker.
Carl F. Wallin was married and had 2 children. His
wife’s name was Amy (Ann?) and she was at the time
36 years old. The children are; Evelyn 9
years old and Gunvor 7. The entire
family is listed as US Citizens.
Carl F. Wallin’s Obituary in 1951
Carl died at the beginning of 1951, probably in
January. The Swedish-American Newspaper
Vestkusten has his obituary in the 1 February 1951
edition.
The obituary in Vestkusten, translated into English:
Carl F. Wallin in Seattle has passed away.
C. F. Wallin arrived in Seattle in 1892 and spent a few
years in Alaska. Together with J. W. Nordstrom, he
established in 1901 a shoe business, Wallin & Nordstrom
on 2nd ave. About 20 years ago, Walin retired and the
company is now called Nordstrom and is ran by
Nordstrom’s sons.
Wallin was very popular and the rich flower decoration
at his funeral showed that he had many friends.
He was a member of honor of the Svea Manskör (Svea
Male Chorus) of which he was one of the founders in
1905; he was a member of
the Swedish Business Men’s
Association and was a
member of the Board of
Directors with the Swedish
Hospital in Seattle. Wallin was
born in Värmland in 1868. He
is mourned by his wife Annie
P. Wallin, daughters Mrs. John
Sundsten and Mrs. Lewis
Stedman and 3
grandchildren.
The image to the right
shows Carl F. Wallin’s the
obitaury in the newspaper
Vestkusten on 1 February
1951.
According to the obitaury Carl Wallin was still living in
Seattle when he passed away. His year of immigration
is noted as 1892 which doesn’t match year in the
sources, 1893. His year of birth, 1868 in is correct
though. His wife’s name is Annie P. Wallin.
Carl retired from “Wallin & Nordstrom” in 1929 when
hi sold his share to John W. Nordstrom’s sons.
Carl Wallin’s daughters aren’t mentioned by their
names but by their respective husbands’ names, i.e.
Mrs. John Sundsten and Mrs. Lewis Stedman. Further,
Carl had 3 grandchildren.
Carl Wallin was engaged in many activities, such as
the Svea manskör (Svea Male Chorus) of which he was
one of the founders in 1905 and was a member of the
Swedish Business Men’s Association. Carl Wallin
was also a Member of the Board with the Swedish
Hospital in Seattle.
Vestkusten was a weekly Swedish-language
newspaper, published in San Fransisco, California,
between 1887–2007. It represented the growing
Swedish American community in northern California
and became the leading Swedish language
newspaper in the state.
The Swedish Hospital or the Swedish Medical Center
in Seattle was founded in 1910 by the Swedish-
American and physician Nils August Johanson (1872-
1946) and was a non-profit hospital. Nils August
Johanson later became the father-in-law to John. W.
Nordstrom’s son Elmer; Johanson’s daughter Kathrine
(Kitty) was married to Elmer Nordstrom (f. 1904).
Elmer Nordstrom became a Member of the Board in
1935.
The Swedish Hospital Training School for Nurses
was founded in 1910 at the hospital's first location on
Belmont Avenue, Seattle. Applicants to the nursing
school had to be female, aged 18-35, and high school
graduates.
In the 18 May 1921 commencement program for
the Swedish Hospital Training School for Nurses, is an
Evelyn A. Wallin listed among the graduated girls. This
Evelyn is most likely Carl Wallin’s daughter Evelyn.
Carl’s Evelyn was born in 1898 and would have been
23 years old in 1921, so the age fits.
Svea Male Chorus was formed in 1905. A fondness
for choral singing was a tradition the Scandinavian
immigrants brought with them from their home
countries. Among the founding members were Carl F.
Wallin and Nels B. Nelson, president of the chorus.
Svea Male Chorus still exists today.
Maps of Borserud, Nyed parish in Värmland,
Sweden
Nyed parish church in Värmland.
The image shows Nyed parish church.
The church is located in the southern part of Molkom
community.
The present cruciform church is a wooden church and
was built between 1703–1706.
Maps showing where in Sweden Carl F. Wallin grew up.
Numeral “1” on the left map shows the location of
Nyed parish. The right map shows the location of
Borserud village in Nyed where the Wallin family lived.
The City of Karlstad is at the bottom of the map.
Source: Lantmäteriets historiska kartor.
US Federal Censuses
Since 1790 a Federal Census has been taken, by law,
every 10 years, therefore it’s called a decennial
census.
The federal censuses were conducted by specially
hired and trained census-takers (enumerators) who
went door-to-door interviewing the people within
their district asking the questions stated in the
questionnaire. Not all people within a household had
necessarily to answer the questions; it was enough if
one person answered for everyone in the household,
for example, the wife if the husband was at work.
The enumerator marks the census sheet to indicate
who gave the recorded information. That is usually an
extra code mark after the person’s name or after the
relation in the “Relation” column. You’ll be able to see
the marking used as you look up and down the page
– it might look like a heavy “I” or maybe a narrow “H”
or other.
The Wallin Family in the 1900 Census:
Above, the Carl F. Wallin family in the 1900 US
Federal Census. This 1900 census was taken on 12
June in King County, City of Seattle, WA.
Carl Wallin’s year of immigration is listed as 1892 (?).
He became a naturalized American citizen in 1898.
Carl’s date of birth is listed as May 1869, age 31. The
Swedish sources have Carl’s date of birth as 14 May
1868.
Carl’s wife’s name is Anna Wallin, age 29. Anna’s date
of birth is listed as September 1870, age 29. The
couple had been married for 4 years when the census
was taken which means that they were married
about 1896.
They have a daughter, Ethylyn Wallin, born in
September 1898, age 1. The spelling of her name is
odd; it should be Evelyn.
Further, on the right-hand side of the census sheet is
a column about each person’s occupation. Carl’s
occupation is listed as “Shoemaker”.
See below:
Above, the Carl F. Wallin family in the 1920 US
Federal Census. This 1920 census was taken on 9
January in King County, City of Seattle, WA.
Carl Wallin’s year of immigration is now listed as 1893
and he became an American citizen in 1898. His age is
52.
His wife Annie is listed as 48 years old and born in
South Dakota. Both her parents are Norwegian
immigrants.
There is an unmarried daughter living in the Wallin
home, Genevieve Wallin. Her age is 19 which means
that she was born about 1901. The spelling of her
name is different from the passenger list; Gudrun vs.
Genevieve.
In the Occupation column, Carl is now listed as
“Proprietor / Shoe store”.
See below:
The Wallin Family in the 1920 Census:
The Wallin Family in the 1940 Census:
Above, the Carl F. Wallin family in the 1940 US
Federal Census. This 1940 census was taken on 16
April in King County, City of Seattle, WA.
Carl F. Wallin was born in Sweden and according to
the 1940 census 71 years old. This means that Carl
and his business partner John Nordstrom (68 years
old in 1940) were about the same age.
Carl’s wife Annie Wallin was 68 years old and born in
South Dakota.
The Wallin family lived in 1940 on 447 Federal
Avenue, King County, Seattle City, WA, USA.
There are no children living at home in 1940. The
Nordstrom home was on 2810 Montlake Blvd, Seattle,
WA.
Source: Svenskar i USA 1940 (USA) WA:05 (1940)
Image 1200 (AID: v834876.b1200)
Contradictory information in the censuses
There is contradictory information in the different
censuses regarding the Wallin family, especially about
Carl’s age and year of immigration.
Information in the Swedish church records about Carl
Wallin’s date of birth:
•
Carl was born on 14 May 1868 in Nyed, Värmland
(matches his obituary)
•
Annie was born in September 1870 in South Dakota
of Norwegian parents (according to the 1900
census)
Age information:
The chart contains information about Carl’s and
Annie’s ages in the different censuses above. Green
numbers are representing the correct ages in the
censuses. Red numbers are incorrectly listed ages.
Numbers within brackets are the correct ages
according to the sources.
The question asked by the enumerator regarding age
was: Age at last birthday.
Annie’s real age is based on the information given in
the 1900 census.
Dates for the respective census:
•
1900: 12 June
•
1920: 9 January
•
1930: 3 April
•
1940: 16 April
Carl’s year of immigration; in the 1900 census, it is
listed as 1892 while it is correctly listed as 1893 in the
1920 and 1930 censuses.
Nordstrom Inc.
Carl F. Wallin was a shoemaker with his own shoe
repair shop in Seattle, WA. In 1897 he made his way to
the Klondike to look for gold. I don’t know if he was
successful in Klondike but he met a fellow
Swede in the goldfields, John W.
Nordstrom, his future business partner.
The image shows John W. Nordstrom.
The two met again in Seattle and Carl
offered John a partnership in a shoe store. In 1901
they opened their first shoe store, Wallin &
Nordstrom, on Fourth and Pike in Seattle. John
invested $5,000 in the business and Carl Wallin
$1,000. John and Carl relied on traveling salesmen to
stock the store.
The business went very well and, in 1923, the two
partners opened a second store in Seattle's University
District.
From the first shoe store, the Nordstrom retail empire
grew.
John Nordstrom retired in 1928 selling his stake to his
sons Everett and Elmer. The following year, 1929, also
Carl Wallin retired from the business. Everett and
Elmer then acquired Carl Wallin's share of the
company. John’s third son, Lloyd, joined the company
as a part-owner in 1933. Under the management of
Nordstrom's sons, the business grew to be the largest
independent shoe chain in the United States.
Members of the Nordstrom family still own 20% of
Nordstrom Inc.
Carl’s Younger Sister Olga Emilia
All of the Wallin siblings emigrated from Sweden to
the USA but at different points in time. Their
youngest sister Olga Emilia left for the US in 1907 but
unlike her siblings, she returned to Sweden after 5
years.
1.
Emma Lovisa, born in 1866 and emigrates to the
USA in Sept. 1895.
2.
Carl Ferdinand, born in 1868 and emigrates to the
USA in March 1893.
3.
Emil born in 1873 and emigrates to the USA in
Sept. 1898.
4.
Olga Emilia born in 1884 and emigrates to the
USA in 1907. She returned to Sweden in 1912.
Olga Emilia Rudh (née Wallin)
•
Olga Emilia Wallin, born 1884-06-25 in Borserud,
Nyed (S), died 1948-02-13 in Åmål (P).
Olga Emilia emigrated from Sweden to the USA in
1907, 23 years old. Her moving certificate was issued
on 1907-08-17 in Nyed. Olga Emilia returned to
Sweden at the end of 1912 (1912-12-06). Her mother
Lovisa Petersdotter had died on 1912-03-15 (b. 1842)
and perhaps she returned in 1912 to take care of her
father, widower Carl Johan Wallin (1838 - 1921). Her
father was a shoemaker in Borserud, Nyed parish (S).
In the Nyed parish book (församlingsbok 1911-1915)
there is a notation about Olga Emilia whether there
was an impediment to marriage or not: ”Freedom to
marry unverified. A notification about whether there is
an impediment to marriage for Olga has been posted in
the “Post och Inrikes Tidning” [national newspaper] on
14, 15 and 16 June 1915”. This was probably due to
her stay in the USA where she had been for 5 years
and upon her return failed to verify whether she still
was unmarried or not?
Source: Nyed fösamlingsbok: Nyed (S) AIIa:7 (1911-
1915) Image 1630 / page 149.
This issue must have been solved because Olga
Emilia was married on 1920-06-05 to Johannes Rudh
in Åmål (P). He was born on 1875-01-29 in Kila (S) and
died on 1957-09-03 in Åmål (P). His occupation was a
locomotive inspector. After the wedding, Olga Emilia
moved to his home in Åmål.
Olga and Johannes had no children.
