Copyright © Hans Högman 2019-11-20
The John W. Nordstrom Family
Introduction
John W. Nordstrom (1871 – 1963) was one of the
founders of Nordstrom Inc, a chain of department
stores in the USA.
In 1887, at the age of 16, John left Sweden for the
USA. On 1 August 1887, he
arrived in New York with only a
few dollars in his pocket (rumors
says $5), unable to speak a word
of English.
The image to the right shows a
young John W. Nordstrom.
He worked his way across the
United States taking jobs on railways and in mines,
lumber camps, and shipyards, eventually arriving in
Seattle, Washington in 1896. Nordstrom also made
his way to the Klondike to look for gold. He invested
in a claim, but his right to the claim was challenged
and a lawsuit was filed. Nordstrom was offered
$30,000 for the claim which he accepted. He split
the money with his two partners and returned to
Seattle.
In Seattle, Nordstrom attended business school.
In May 1900 Nordstrom married a fellow Swedish
immigrant, Hilda Carlson.
Together with another Swede, Carl F. Wallin,
Nordstrom opened a shoe store in Seattle in 1901,
Wallin & Nordstrom. From that first shoe store, the
Nordstrom retail empire grew. Nordstrom retired in
1928 selling his stake to his sons Everett and Elmer.
Everett and Elmer acquired Carl Wallin's share of the
company in 1929. A third son, Lloyd, joined the
company as a part-owner in 1933. Members of the
Nordstrom family still own 20% of Nordstrom Inc.
His name in Sweden was Johan Wilhelm
Nordström, born on February 15, 1871, in the
village Alvik, Nederluleå parish, near the city of
Luleå, Norrbotten province, Sweden. Alvik is located
in the northern parts of Sweden.
John Nordstrom died on October 11, 1963, in
Seattle and was buried on the Lake View Cemetery,
King County, Seattle.
Parents
Johan Wilhelm Nordström was born on 15
February 1871 to the farmer and lay assessor Nils
Peter Nilsson Nordström and his wife Katharina
Charlotta Berlin. Nils Peter and Katharina Charlotta
were married on 21 October 1858.
•
His father Nils Peter was born on born 1822-08-
26 and died on 1879-12-09.
•
His mother Katharina Charlotta Berlin was
born on 1838-05-12 and died on 1904-11-09.
Nils Peter was previously married to Anna Lisa
Nilsdotter (b. 28 August 1823). She died on 20
January 1854, merely 30 years old.
Nils Peter and Anna Lisa had 3 children; Lisa Greta
(b. 1847), Nils Johan (1849-1951) and Nils Johan
(1852-1853).
Johan Wilhelm’s birth record:
Emigration from Sweden
- People
Above, the Nordström family in Sweden 1864 - 1874,
No 19 Alvik, Nederluleå parish (page 121), i.e. at the
time of Johan’s birth.
At the time there were 6 children living in the
Nordstöm home:
1.
Lisa Greta, b.1847-02-16, d. 1891-08-19. Married
1873 to Erik Anton Andersson (b. 1848).
2.
Maria Charlotta, b. 1859-10-20, d. 1863-02-07.
3.
Nils August, b. 1861-08-15, died 1923-02-09.
Married 1886 to Johanna Olofsson (b. 1863).
4.
Maria, b. 1865-08-29, died 1916-02-11. Married
1892 to Nils Johan Holmgren (b. 1866).
5.
Anna Mathilda, b. 1868-12-10, d. 1870-02-12.
6.
Johan Wilhelm, b. 1871-02-15, d. 1963-10-11 in
Seattle, WA, USA. Immigrated to the US in 1887.
7.
Hilma Charlotta, b. 1873-11-05. Hilma
immigrated to the US on 1890-05-12.
8.
Arvid, b. 1879-10-06, d. 1880-06-03.
Nils Peter’s first wife Anna Lisa Nilsdotter (b. 28
August 1823) died on 20 January 1854 and the oldest
daughter, Lisa Greta, was born in Nils Peter’s first
marriage.
Source: Household examination rolls;
•
Nederluleå (BD) AI:11c (1864-1874) Image 125 /
page 121 and
•
Nederluleå (BD) AI:12c (1874-1884) Image 136 /
page 128
The Nordström home 1885 - 1894, No 19 Alvik:
.
Above, the Nordström family in Sweden 1885 - 1894,
Alvik, Nederluleå parish (page 148), i.e. at the time of
Johan’s emigration.
Johan’s father Nils Peter died on 9 December 1879
when Johan was merely 8 years old. Johan’s mother
now had to run the family farm all by her self, with
some help from the children. In the above extract, we
can see that the family also had a foster-son,
Emanuel Wikström, born in 1864.
Johan’s mother was remarried on 12 May 1889 to Nils
Petter Hansson (b. 1853) and moved to his farm No
10 Alvik.
Source: Household examination roll; Nederluleå (BD)
AI:13c (1885-1894) image 153 / page 148.
Above, the Nordström family in Sweden 1885 - 1894,
Alvik, Nederluleå parish (right-hand side, page 148),
i.e. at the time of Johan’s emigration.
Johan has a notation in the roll stating that he
emigrated from Sweden to “N. America” on 28 May
1887. This date is the date his emigration was
registered by the parish minister.
Source: Household examination roll; Nederluleå (BD)
AI:13c (1885-1894) image 153 / page 148.
It must have been tough for Johan and his siblings
growing up on the farm after their father’s death,
helping their mother in running the farm. There is
information on the Internet stating that Johan’s
mother took him out of school at the age of 10 to
work on the family farm, expecting him to do as much
work as his 10 years older brother Nils August.
Anyhow, Johan has described his childhood as
unhappy. So, at the age of 16, Johan left his family
home for a new future in the US.
Departing Göteborg, Sweden, in June 1887
Luleå is located far up north in Sweden and Johan
departures Sweden from Göteborg on the Swedish
west-coat in southern Sweden.
I don’t know how he traveled from Luleå to Göteborg
but presumably he went by boat from Luleå to
Stockholm, a 900 km (560 mi.) journey. At this point in
time there were no railroads going all the way up to
the northernmost cities of Sweden. The Northern
Main Line (Norra stambanan) was under construction
but was being built far away from the coastline due to
defense policy reasons and wasn’t reaching all the
way up to Luleå in 1887.
From Stockholm he most certainly went by train to
Göteborg, a 500 km (310 mi.) journey.
The transatlantic shipping lines had travel agents in
most parts of Sweden, also in the north, so I guess
Johan must have seen one of the many posters
attracting people to immigrate to the USA.
Göteborg Police Department Passenger Lists for
1887
Above, Johan’s entry in the Nederluleå parish birth
book for February 1871.
He was born on 15 February 1871 and baptized on
February 16.
Source: Birth book; Nederluleå (BD) C:9 (1871-1888)
Image 11 / page 7.
The Nordström home 1864 - 1874, No 19 Alvik:
Above, Göteborg Police Department Passenger Lists
for June 1887.
Johan sailed with the Wilson Line “Orlando” from
Göteborg, Sweden to Hull, England on 24 June 1887.
Johan was passenger 3156. Johan didn’t travel alone;
he had two friends with him, Alfred Wikström and
Nils Lundström, all from Nederluleå parish.
As listed in the above extract, their destination in the
US was Stambaugh, Michigan.
Source: Göteborgs poliskammare (-1900) (O) EIX:32
(1887) Image 1850 / page 365.
From Hull, they went by train to Liverpool from where
they sailed as a steerage passenger on a transatlantic
liner to New York in the US, The City of Chester.
Ship Manifest of “The City of Chester” -
arriving in New York City July 1887
Johan arrived in New York City in July 1887 aboard the
City of Chester.
Above, Johan Nordström in the ship manifest, City of
Chester.
Source: Passenger lists 30 Jun 1887-1 Aug 1887
(NARA Series M237, Roll 509), page 316. Passenger
lists of vessels arriving at New York, 1820-1897.
FamilySearch.com.
RMS City of Chester was a British passenger
steamship that sailed on the transatlantic route from
1873 to 1898. The ship was employed on the
Liverpool–Queenstown–New York route, making her
maiden voyage on 10 July 1873. In February 1893 the
Inman Line was taken over by the American Line and
the ship was renamed Chester, making her first
voyage under her new owners from New York to
Southampton on 4 March 1893.
In 1887 Johan would have come through Castle
Garden with Immigration processing done by New
York State. Ellis Island, (Federal processing center) did
not open until 1892 although they took over
processing from the State in 1890.
Stambaugh, Johan’s destination in the US, is a city in
Iron County in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan.
Johan had a cousin in Stambaugh who helped him get
a job loading iron ore onto railroad cars.
This job was one of many manual back-breaking jobs
Johan held while moving westward through Iowa,
Colorado, California, and Washington. This was
typically work such as logging, mining, and carting
bricks.
John Arriving in the USA
In 1896, after nine years in the US, he settled in
Arlington, Washington, north of Seattle, a town with
many Swedish immigrants. Here he started a potato
farm.
In the US, Johan Nordström anglicized his name to
John W. Nordstrom.
John Nordstrom became an naturalized American
citizen on 8 March 1894 (see below).
In 1897 the news spread that gold had been found in
the Yukon territory, Canada. Like many others, John
Nordstrom went north to seek his fortune on the gold
fields. He went by boat to Port Valdez, Alaska, and
then traveled 1,000 miles on horse and on foot to
Dawson City, a town in the Canadian territory of
Yukon. The town is inseparably linked to the Klondike
Gold Rush.
John invested in a claim and being used to hard work,
he toiled in the gold fields for two years before
striking pay dirt. When another miner challenged his
claim, john sold his share to the other miner rather
than fight him in a corrupt arbitration process. John
Nordstrom was offered $30,000 for the claim which
he accepted. He split the money with his two partners
and returned to Seattle with $13,000.
Marriage in 1900
John found his love in Seattle. On 12 May 1900 John
married a fellow Swedish immigrant, Hilda Carlsson.
The marriage was held in King County, WA. Hilda was
born on 25 August 1876 in Överluleå parish and
arrived in the US in 1895. She died on 27 May 1944 in
Seattle, WA.
Source: Washington, County Marriages, 1855 - 2008.
Ancestry.com.
John and Hilda Nordstrom had 5 children:
1.
Esther Catharina, born on 8 April 1901 in Seattle.
2.
Everett William, born on 13 January 1903, died on
1 July 1972.
3.
Elmer John, born on 23 November 1904, died on 4
April 1993.
4.
Mabel, born in 1907 (1906?), died on 7 September
1919.
5.
Lloyd W, born in 1911 (1910?), died on 20 January
1976.
The children’s year of birth, except Esther’s, are
estimates from their ages stated in the federal
censuses.
Esther’s birth record:
Above, Esther’s birth entry in the U.S., Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American
Church Records, 1800 - 1947. Swanson Immigration
Center. Ancestry.com.
The second image is the right-hand side of the birth
record and contains information about parents and
sponsors. Here we find parents Johan W. and Hilda
Nordström, i.e. still using their Swedish names. Also,
note the Swedish spelling of Esther, “Ester”. So, at this
point, the family is still very Swedish.
There is an Ida Carlson listed as one of the baptism
sponsors, possibly Hilda’s sister Ida Johanna Carlson
(b. 1874).
John W. Nordstrom’s Naturalization Record 1894:
John W. Nordstrom’s naturalization record, 8 March
1894.
Hilma Nordstrom and Manly Wibur are two sworn
witnesses attesting to his good character and that he
was in the country at least 5 years and Washington
State at least 1 year.
Hilma Nordstrom is possibly John’s younger sister,
Hilma Charlotta Nordstrom.
Hilma immigrated to the US in 1890.
John’s wife Hilda got her citizenship automatically as
the wife of John, under his date – normal in those
years for a woman.
Visiting Sweden in 1900
In 1900, the newlywed John and Hilda Nordstrom
made a visit to their old home country, Sweden. I have
no information when they left for Sweden but they
returned to the US in September 1900 aboard The S.S.
New York. They sailed from Southampton, England, on
September 8 and arrived in New York on September
16.
Above, the SS New York Ship manifest, arriving at the
port of New York on 21 September 1900. As we can
see of the manifest, John’s stated occupation was
“miner” in 1900.
John and Hilda Nordstrom left Göteborg, Sweden, on
5 September, 1900, aboard the steamer Rollo for
Grimsby, England. See below:
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.
From that, you’ll see John gave the info for the 1920
census and Hilda gave it in 1910 and 1930.
The Nordstrom Family in the 1910 Census:
Above, the John Nordstrom family in the 1910 US
Federal Census. This 1910 census was taken on 21
April in King County, City of Seattle, WA. Hilda gave
data.
Below John and Hilda are their then four children;
Catharina (Esther), Evert (Everett), John (Elmer) and
Mable.
Hilda’s mother, Johana Carlson (age 67) is widowed
and in the household with them. They have a Swedish
servant girl, Elvira Pearson.
Further to the right on the census sheet, there are
two columns about occupation. The first is “Trade of
profession” and the other “General of industry or
business”. John’s occupation is no longer a miner -
he’s an employer in the boot and shoe business.
See below.
As we can see in the Rollo passenger list, the people
listed above John and Hilda Nordstrom also appear in
the SS New York manifest above.
Source: Göteborgs poliskammare (-1900) (O) EIX:66
(1900) Image 810 / page 159.
John Nordstrom’s wife Hilda
John was married to Hilda (née Carlson) in May 1900.
Hilda’s name in Sweden was was Hilda Katarina
Carlsson, born on 25 August 1876 in Brobyn,
Överluleå parish (BD) and died on 27 May 1944 in
Seattle, USA. She emigrated from Sweden in 1895
(Her emigration was registered in the parish church
book on 1895-07-06).
Both John’s and Hilda’s childhood shows many
similarities. They came from the same area in
Sweden; near the city of Luleå, a coastal town by the
Baltic Sea, far up north in Sweden. John was born in
Nederluleå parish (Lower Luleå parish) and Hilda in
Överluleå parish (Upper Luleå parish). It is only about
10 miles between the two parishes’ churches. The
province is Norrbotten (BD).
Both their families worked the land as farmers.
Further, both John and Hilda lost their respective
fathers when they still were children making their
youth tougher than most other children of the time.
John’s father died in 1879 when he was 8 years old
and Hilda’s father died in 1878 when she was 2 years
old.
John left Sweden for America in 1887 at the age of 16
and Hilda in 1895 at the age of 20. Hilda left together
with her mother Johanna Enström.
Hilda’s parents were:
•
Farmer Johan Erik Carlsson, born 1839-05-28 in
Överluleå, died 1878-05-18 in Överluleå.
•
Johanna Enström, born 1842-09-28 in Överluleå,
died 1924-12-07 in Seattle, WA, USA.
Johanna Enström became Johanna Carlson in the
USA.
Hilda’s birth entry in the Överluleå parish birth
book, August 1876:
Above, Hilda’s birth record in Överluleå parish book
for 1876. Entry 235.
Hilda was born on 25 August and baptized on 27
August 1876. Her christening name was Hilda
Catharina. Parents were Johan Erik Carlsson and his
wife Johanna Enström. Their place of residence was in
the village of Brobyn.
Source: Överluleå (BD) C:3 (1866-1879) Image 178.
The Carlsson home 1874 - 1884, Brobyn:
The Carlsson home in Brobyn, Överluleå parish
1874 - 1884, i.e. at the time of Hilda’s birth.
Hilda’s father died in 1878 when she was 2 years old.
There are 6 children on the family farm.
Leaving for the US:
Hilda’s older brother Nils Erik left Sweden for the USA
in June 1883, Maria Amanda in June 1889 and Ida
Johanna in December 1893. Hilda and her mother
Johanna followed in July 1895.
Sources:
•
Överluleå (BD) AI:6a (1874-1884) Image 160 / page
151.
•
Överluleå (BD) AI:7a (1884-1893) Image 173 / page
159
•
Överluleå (BD) AIIa:1b (1894-1900) Image 320 / page
419
The Nordstrom gravestone at Lake View Cemetery,
Seattle, King County, WA, USA.
Hilda’s year of birth is listed as 1877 on the stone, as
far as I can see, while she in the Swedish church books
is listed as being born in 1876.
Image source: Find-a-grave.
A map of the area in Sweden where John and Hilda
Nordstrom grew up.
The red dot marks Alvik, Nererluleå parish, the home
village of John. Hilda’s home village, Brobyn, Överluleå
parish, is located in the top part of the map.
Luleå town is located in the bottom right corner of the
map.
Source: Lantmäteriets historiska kartor.
Above, the John Nordstrom family in the 1920 US
Federal Census. This 1920 census was taken on 9
January in King County, City of Seattle, WA. John gave
data.
Below John and Hilda are their then four children;
Esther, Evert (Everett), John Elmer and Lloyd. Mabel
died in 1919.
Hilda’s mother, Johanna Carlson (age 79) is widowed
and in the household with them.
John’s year of immigration is listed as 1887 and Hilda’s
as 1896. John’s Naturalization date (citizenship) is
listed as 1894. Hilda got her citizenship automatically
as the wife of John, under his date – normal in those
years for a woman. Johanna’s immigration date is the
same as her daughter Hilda’s, 1896.
John is now the “owner” of the shoe store. See below:
The Nordstrom Family in the 1920 Census:
Hilda’s notation in the church record regarding her
emigration to N. America. The emigration was
registered on 6 July 1895. She was at the time a
servant girl in Bredåker, Överluleå parish.
The Nordstrom Family in the 1930 Census:
Above, the John Nordstrom family in the 1930 US
Federal Census. This 1930 census was taken on 3
April in King County, City of Seattle, WA. Hilda gave
data.
Below John and Hilda are their then three children
living at home; Everett, Elmer, and Lloyd.
Hilda’s mother, Johanna Carlson, is no longer listed;
she died in 1924. They have a Swedish live-in servant
girl, Greta Vicklund.
The extract of the 1930 census is, unfortunately, a bit
blurry.
It now looks like John has retired since he is no longer
indicated as working. Two of his sons, Everett and
Elmer, are now in the business, apparently running it.
See below:
Nordstrom Inc.
John Nordstrom made his way to the Klondike to look
for gold. He invested in a claim, but his right to the
claim was challenged and a lawsuit was filed.
Nordstrom was offered $30,000 for the
claim which he accepted. He split the
money with his two partners and returned
to Seattle.
The image shows John W. Nordstrom.
The $13,000 John made himself in Klondike gave him
the start he needed. John had met Carl F. Wallin in
Klondike, a fellow Swede. Carl was a Seattle
shoemaker. 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's sons, Everett and Elmer, began working in
the store as stock boys when they were young.
John Nordstrom retired in 1928 selling his stake to his
sons Everett and Elmer. Everett and Elmer acquired
Carl Wallin's share of the company in 1929. John’s
third son, Lloyd, joined the company as a part-owner
in 1933.
Everett, Elmer, and Lloyd ran their business with a
high level of personal service. Under the management
of Nordstrom's sons, the business grew to be the
largest independent shoe chain in the United States.
By the early 1960s, Nordstrom had expanded to eight
stores in Washington and Oregon and the Seattle
downtown store became the largest shoe store in the
country.
In 1963 Nordstrom expanded its business into the
women's clothing market when they acquired Best's
Apparel. Three years later they purchased an Oregon
fashion retailer. From then on Nordstrom was able to
offer their customers a selection of shoes and apparel
under the name Nordstrom Best. Men's and children's
wear was added in 1966.
The three Nordstrom part-owners, brothers’ Everett,
Elmer, and Lloyd, stepped down in 1968 and handed
the company over to the next generation; to Everett's
son Bruce, Elmer's sons James and John, Lloyd's son-
in-law Jack, and to Bob Bender, a family friend.
The Nordstom family reasserted control of Nordstrom
in 2000 with the sons of Bruce Nordstrom; Blake
(1960-2019), Peter, and Erik, assuming senior roles in
the company.
Members of the Nordstrom family still own 20% of
Nordstrom Inc.
The Nordstrom Family in the 1940 Census:
Above, the John Nordstrom family in the 1940 US
Federal Census. This 1940 census was taken on 16
April in King County, City of Seattle, WA. Hilda gave
data.
The children are no longer living at the family home on
2810 Montlake Blvd, Seattle, WA. They have a live-in
servant girl, Alice.
John is now retired, being 68.
Source: Svenskar i USA 1940 (USA) WA:05 (1940)
Image 2800.
John W. Nordstrom’s Swedish Cousins
Contradictory information in the censuses
There is contradictory information in the different
censuses regarding the Nordstrom family, especially
about John’s age and year of immigration.
Information in the Swedish church records about
dates of birth:
•
John was born on 17 February 1871
•
Hilda was born on 25 August 1876
•
Johanna was born on 28 September 1842 (Hilda’s
mother)
Age information:
The chart contains information about their 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.
Dates for the respective census:
•
1910: 21 April
•
1920: 9 January
•
1930: 3 April
•
1940: 16 April
Carl gave the information in the 1920 census while
Hilda gave the information in the 1910 and 1930
censuses.
