EKSTROM Ruth Mamie

Notes:

SSN: 472-30-4152

Ruth was born at home. Episcapalien

Ruth lived at 167 North McGregor, Mahtomedi, MN for about the last 50
years of her life.

Education: Graduated from Towner, ND High School in 1937. She was
involved in Band in High School.
Ruth had training in Milling machines, Rockwell hardness, Tukon, Band
saw.

Ruth worked for Federal Catridge in New Brighton, MN from May 1966
through April 1970 where she supervised and assisted lab techs. Her
final salery was $3.57/hr.

Ruth worked at Merrill Abbot & Donahoaur from 1957 to 1965 as a
Practical Nurse. She provided complete home nursing care - including
any mediation or treatment necessary for patients. She made $2.50/hr.

Ruth worked at Twin Cities Arsenal from 1952 to 1956 as a Lab Tech
II. Responsibilities included Titrations, Preparation & reading of
grain size and grain configuration of metal. Rockwell Hardness
testing Mercurons Nitrate test. Viscosity of mouth Varnish and J. D.
Lacquer. Templex test of Annial temperatures. Ruth made $.88/hr in
1952.

Hobbies included Womens golf league, mixed doubles bowling, breading
Samoyeds.

August 24, 1954 Udal and Ruth purchased property at "Lots thirteen
(13) and fourteen (14), except the westerly ten (10) feet of said lot
fourteen (14), block three (3), third addition to Forest Heights,
according to the plat thereof on file and of record in the office of
Register of Deeds in and for Washington County, Minnesota," for the
cost of $5000.00.

Read at her funeral by her grandson Brian Freeman:

To me Grandma was my second mother. She taught me about life,
politics, manners, people, writing, golf, society, you name it. She
helped me with school projects and personal issues. She kept me
company when I was feeling down or lonely. When I was a child she was
not only my Grandmother, she was usually me best friend. That
friendship continued until last week.

Many things that I did in my life, I did to the motivation of hearing
her tell me how proud she was of me. We found that the two of us
could talk on a level that we often couldn't do with others. Although
Grandma had the ability to ruffle the feathers of other on certain
issues, we found a way to get beyond that and "solve the world's
problems," as she would say.

My memories with her goes well beyond holiday visits. I spent
uncountable hours at her house just visiting or helping out with
projects. Most of my memories lies within her house and yard as we
touched on all of the topics of the day.

I am happy about every moment I've spent with her even the occasional
disagreements which I think we both learned from. My last memory of
her today will be remembering all of the other good times we've had.


Memories from Ruth Maimie Ekstrom

Memories – Karen you asked for these.
I warned you there would be times they would be hardly legible but you said go ahead.

I remember my grandmother Ekstrom sitting in the “corner” of the kitchen. With the wood stove on one side and a table with many canaryies (sp) birds on a table beside her. She had what I would call a many layered cage and quite a few birds. She would sit and whittle and talk to them and they would respond. I was intrigued. They only responded to her voice. Not mine or any one else.

My grandfather was a gentle sort of remote figure. But although he may not have responded to the to her grand children, he did respond to me. My first remembrance of my grand parents home was warmth and Love. Lots of it.

They lived next door – one house removed.
Their house sm. house our house
All on one whole lot
In back – behind grandfathers house was the horse barn. Behind our house was the cow barn and chickens. Horses and cows were never kept in the same barn. Horses and chickens were separate but in the same building. The horses were for draying (hauling) your [supplies].

(1) Remember
Grandmother Ekstrom
Life – Birds – Arvid – Death
(2) The days of haying –
The houses
The sand paint for water
The fun of controlling the placing of the hay on the stack by the speed etc of the stacker team.
First driving – Model T across hay (practice) land.
(3) My father took me everywhere possible with him. His campaigne (sic) for sheriff. His trip to Mr. (Fostor) to look after my mothers parents farm problems. Mr. Weker (Lawyer) and friend traveled with us (by train). I was about four years old. I was left with an older couple called Mr. & Mrs. Hanson while dad & Mr. Weker went out to the farm. This is still embarrassing to tell: Noone told me where the bathroom was and I was too embarrassed to ask these people I had just met and was left with. I suffered as long as I could and then went into some woods near by and relieved myself. What ever happened after that I cannot recall tho (sic) I have really tried. The Hansons spoke very little English and what they said to friends and my father was in Norwegian and I could not understand. Some how I was told where the “out house” was and I was scared to death of it (because all it had was two large holes and is was high). I was sure I would fall in. But I must have been very timid because I never told anyone my feelings about “anything”. My father was my “rock.” He always was kind of gentle and protective. My earliest memory is being picked up by him from a couch at my grandma and grandpa Ekstroms house on a Christmas eve (we always spent Christmas eve at this house, Thanksgiving at Aunt Anna and uncle Ervin Cook’s farm house, Christmas day at ours), but I digress. I had fallen asleep and when it was time to go home my father picked me up. Someone said “look she’s smiling” and daddy said, “She always wakes up smiling.” Funny how children are impressed with praise and I think it was because my father had pride in me that it meant so much. Also, I do not recall my mother “ever” praising me. Maybe she did but somehow she took care of my needs (physical) very well, I am sure. I was kept clean and healthy. As my father once said “she was a good woman.”

I was born approx nine mos. After my sister Edna died (at about 1 1/2 or 2) I was the third girl. I somehow (later) sort of got the feeling I was a “gender” disappointment to my mother. This is a sort of (paradox).

My father, being the only son of an only son of an only son – etc. of the Ekstrom name and line. My father wanted a son to carry on the family name (a proud name) and so there would be more pregnancies until a son was born. Some how I got the feeling that sex for my mother was for procreation only – not a pleasurable act. ie: That’s why I got the impression from her.

But my father never felt that way. He really hurt a great deal when Edna died (he loved children) and I probably helped fill an empty place in his heart. I was what one might say “a daddy’s girl.” I was a blue eyed blonde happy baby and I enjoyed a very happy young life.

At pre-school age (maybe 4) I was chosen to be the bride in a presentation at school called “Tom Thumbs Wedding.” My groom was Ormiston Kermott, the dentist son. If you do no know, Tom Thumb was a famous midget in the circus world. (There are pictures of us among my photos). Ormiston (what a name) died while attending the U. He had a blister on his heel. It led to blood poisoning and killed him. (Remember b/4 penicillin and also remember young people feel they are invincible and are careless of their health.)

My next years of “Lime-light” are my years of competing in what was called declamation contests. I really did quite well. Memorized and had training from Mrs. on presenting my reading.

I won awards including a gold medal. I am enclosing and the prize I gave.

I remember the warm, clean smell of the cow barn in the winter time, when the cows were brought in from the pasture and lived near us (in the same block).






|-------------------|-------------------------|
| House barns | Sow barns |
| Chickens | Silo & feed area |
|-------------------|-------------------------|
Our house | Grandfather’s | sm | our house | Block of space
| house | house | milk house |
| | our old | indoor |
| | one | plumbing |
|-------------------|----------|---------------|

There were always (barn) cats. They were sort of wild, except for one, and lived warm & snug among the cows, had their litters hidden away in the haymow (but I found them and loved them,) and they kept the mice down and received warm, fresh cows milk morning and night.

My father was meticulous (very clean) about the hired hands who helped with the milking, that they washed the cow teats (tits to you) and their hands before milking. My parents were Scandinavian and very clean people. Only now do I realize how natural this was for them.

Today it would be controlled or demanded by someone. To them it was simply the way one did things. My father was a self taught vet. He vaccinated, treated many animals beside his own. If I say self-taught, I may be wrong. His family was very intelligent and had formal education beyond the usual (norm.) His father, Grandpa Ekstrom came from a wealthy family in Sweden. He ran away as a young lad (what age is uncertain – at least in his terms) and hid on board a ship was accepted as a cabin boy. His family tried to have him returned to them but was not successful. He stayed at sea and worked his way up to Captain of his own sailing vessell (sp) ship. There is a time lapse I cannot account for. Maybe cousin Roy Cook in Seattle may help you. He has a genealogy of the Ekstrom family. His wife’s name is Sophia.

However, my father was very intelligent and adaptable to his enprisonment.

Grandfather Ekstrom at one time when he was married and had a family of 3 girls and 1 boy (my father) an other male child Verner, had died in infancy. He was a banker in, I think, Litchfield, MN. At that time banks were personal businesses. He and two other partners owned the bank thru economics, poor loans, extended credit or whatever, the bank failed. The two partners pulled everything they could out of it but my grandfather felt an obligation to his depositors and put everything on the “block” except his furniture and personal possessions.

My father, who had homesteaded in North Dakota brought them, his parents and three sisters to Dakota (Towner) and built them a house. His mother grandma Ekstrom and her daughters became seamstresses. They had always done fine “needle work” and they now put it to use.

They hand made every fine linen you could imagine. Cloths, wedding gowns, table linens, trousseau (sp) linens, baby Christmas gowns, table linens, napkins. This was not simple embroidering, but “cut” work or “open” work, where a solid satin (I think) stitch was done over & over. I was too young to appreciate what they were doing and what my cousins, particularly, Hattie Cook, was forever doing. They were never without hand-work in their hands.

My grandfather became a “dray man”. He with his team of horses and dray wagon on the wheels in summer & sleigh in winter hauled freight from the Depot to the merchants of the town. He accepted what was handed him and gained the love and respect of the town businessmen. He was “Dad” to them and they gave him a gold watch on his retirement with the inscription “To Dad from the Boys”. He was a great wonderful person.

My own relationship with him was a warm, safe, place. Because of his loss of hearing and bad eye sight (he had a cataract operation before anesthesia was invented) they gave him whiskey & tied him down, he only had it done once – could not face it again. He loved to read but had to use a large strong magnifying glass. He took & read a daily paper and had in the past accumulated a bit of a library.

Special Occasions:

(a) Death of Grandma Ekstrom – laid out in parlor of their house. Took Carol (neighbor) Chadderton to see her. First death I had experienced.
(b) Presentation of bouquet of roses to Crown Prince & Princess of Sweden – on rear platform of train. Betty Sommerdorf represented the Germans (her father owned the general merchentile store) and I represented the Swedes. We both wore link (satin? rayon? shiny material) like dresses with panties to match. About 4 yrs old I think – or less. The bouquet was as large as I was and my father held me up to present them. The picture that was taken shows me standing on a chair holding dahlias from mothers garden. We each (Betty & I) received a gold bracelet. I am wearing it in the picture. I just recently got I back from Aileen after I pointed out it was mine in the above mentioned picture. The inscription on the inside had been scratched out.
(c) Tom Thumbs wedding – Ormiston Kermott (dentists son).
(d) Declamation contests
Mrs. Kinder, wife of school principal coached me. Still have one gold medal.
(e) Played 1st trumpet in band. Was suppose to play solo “Little Town of Bethlehem” at church xmas program. Totally “froze” – couldn’t play a note! Mother was embarrassed & angry. Daddy felt so very sorry for me and comforted me.
(f) My first dog. The butchers wife gave me a Pekinese puppy. Her purebred female was unfortunately mated to a undesirable male. I was thrilled and loved her (my puppy) dearly. But one day when I came home from school for lunch I could hear crying in the basement and the door was locked. Mother wouldn’t let me go to her. She said the dog was sick but she was taking care of it. When I came home after school she said it had died and she had buried it. I found out she had cloraphormed (sp) it and her puppies. I didn’t even know she was pregnant. When I told her I knew she had killed them she didn’t deny it and was furious at the neighbor who had told me. I was crushed.


These are real names.
I am trying to be completely honest with you. I don’t think many parents do. It is different to separate ones feelings.

The small form stopped struggling and became still. Like a sigh, Edna ceased her struggle for air and relaxed. It was over. Mrs. Shipman, the nurse, turned to John and shook her head. He buried his head in his hands and sobbed.
He cradled the baby and rocked her. Talking to her and soothing her as if she was still with them.
She in now in God’s hands. No she is still in mine.
The blond, blue eyed baby lay limp but still warm to the touch. He could not put her down.
At 2 1/2 she could walk and her dearest treasure was “a new pair of shoes”. She had hugged them to her and repeated over & over “new shoes, my new shoes!”
They took her from him gently and his sister (Mamie) put her arm around him and lead [sic] him off.
The mother & nurse bathed and dressed the baby and prepared her for burial. In those days there was not a funeral parlor and embalming was not done. The family took care of it’s own.
John came in and put the “new shoes” in her arms.
She was buried from the home.
John was inconsolable. His sisters rallied around him and gave what support they could.
A judge, Judge Christianson, a friend of John’s knew of Nettie’s love of flowers particularly dahlias and as a new strain of light pink had just been developed he gave it the name “Edna Karin” in memory of (my sister) the baby.
Approx 2 1/2 yrs later another blond, blue eyed baby was born to John & Nettie. Atho [sic] she could not replace Edna, she did fill a loving need.
She was a happy cheerful child and her father adored her. He took her everywhere possible with him.
However there was an older child. Born 2 yrs before Edna. She was a somber quick baby and when the tragedy of Edna’s illness (pneumonia) and death overwhelmed her parents I’m sure she felt a bit left out. Then the new baby. All smiles and watched over very carefully so nothing happened to her.
This new baby seemed to live a charmed life. She was blond, blue eyed, chubby and a totally happy smiling person.
John was enchanted by her and his family, who lived next door were thrilled to see him so happy again. And the bond between father & daughter grew every day.
John was well liked & respected in the community. He was kind and gentle and giving he also had great manners. He was hansom, and people responded to him. He was without guile and was trustworthy. His ward could always be depended upon.
He was brought up a “gentleman” but never let necessary hard labor demean him. His manners were impeccable. It was inate (sp). (totally natural)
My father (John) led a very diversified life. He was an only son after his brother Verner died in infancy, and being an only son meant a great deal to the Ekstrom family. There had been only one male to carry the name for several generations. And today there is only one – John Verner (my brothers grand son) to carry it on (and possess the “Loving Cup”) a family heirloom handed down to only sons for at least 6 generations.

Vestibule of Train

I have a desire to let you all know who I am and have been.
I don’t think it is an ego trip. I do feel there isn’t enough time or availability to tell you all I would like you to know and I am overwhelmed with trying to give you an unbiased picture. But I know it is almost impossible to be objective.
And I have no way of knowing how you will interpret what I tell you. Boy I wish I could.

Ruth married SMITH Udal Sprague on 13 Jan 1939 in St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN. Udal (son of SMITH Sprague W. and SMITH Hazel) was born on 02 Oct 1911 in St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN; died on 04 Jun 1984 in St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living

Notes:

from McHenry County Centennial Book:
Capt. Pehr and Helena (Sauvrow) Ekstrom
By Helen Chapman
John settled in Towner. He was in several businesses and always was a
loyal supporter and promoter of the town. John married Nettie Haugen
in 1912 they had three children, Aileen, Ruth and Verner.

Died:
died at the age of 85

John married HAUGEN Nettie on 12 May 1912 in Fosston. Nettie (daughter of HAUGEN Jorgen and Haugen) Bestomore (Grandma) was born in 1883; died on 27 Jan 1975 in Union Cemetery, Newport Twp., Towner, ND. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Born in a covered wagon, traveling across America.
100% Norwegion. Lutheran.

Notes:

Per started out as a stowaway at the age of 16 then, cabin boy on a
ship and worked his way up the ladder until he was captain of his own
ship. Per was a banker, owning his own bank in Litchfied, MN, then
went bankrupt. He then hauled freight on a Dray line before his team
was hit by a train. He survived. Per was Episcapalien, and enjoyed
reading.

Posted by George Freeman on Sun, 04 Jul
1999, in response to Ekstrom, posted by Brian Freeman on Sun, 04 Jul
1999

Note: Pehr wasn’t a banker or own a bank. He was a real estate agent and sheriff in Litchfield, MN.

Surname: Ekstrom

from McHenry County Centennial Book:
Capt. Pehr and Helena (Sauvrow) Ekstrom
By Helen Chapman

Capt. Pehr Ekstrom and Helena Sauvrow were born in Orebro, Sweden,
Pehr in 1845 and Helena in 1850. With a group of their country men
they came to Chicago. They made their way to Minnesota and were
married in Saint Paul In 1872. They lived on a farm for a while, but
finally sold this property and moved to Litchfield Minnesota where
they remained and raised their family. During this time Pehr opened
and operated an abstract office. Later he was the Sheriff of Meeker
County. After this he was auditor and collector for several machine
companies. At this time the West was opening up with the building of
the Great Northern Railway. As the result of this expansion land
became available. So he moved his family consisting of Karne, Anna,
John and Mamie to Towner. Homesteads and claims of 160 acres were
available for the processing. Mrs. Ekstrom, Anna and John each filed
on claims west of Towner in the area north of Buffalo Lake. They were
required to build a house or cabin and live on the land for one year,
to "prove up' the claim and then they owned the property.

************************************************************************

Getting a Jump on Life
Appendix: Captain Peter Ekstrom’s Story

Captain Ekstrom

Reminiscences as told by Capt. Ekstrom to his daughter Mrs. I.B. Cook, when he was ninety years old.

I was born in Erbro, Sweden on January 20, 1845. I was the second youngest in a large family and the only living member at present.
My father Peter was wealthy, being interested in a line of freighters that visited the leading countries of the world at that time.
When the boats would dock in the harbor, I would, in spite of the fact that I was a mere child, accompany him on his tour of inspection. While Father was transacting business, I would play on the decks and climb the riggings.
It was at this time that I decided that as soon as I was old enough I would be a sailor.
At fifteen I graduated from high school and had the opportunity of entering the university, but my only desire was to sail the seas. The first year I spent on a Boys’ Training Ship in Stockholm. At sixteen I had to return home to receive instructions fro Confirmation. This was compulsory as the law of the land was that every child at the age of sixteen must be confirmed.
My parents pleaded with me to give up this notion of being a sailor but to no avail.
I finally received permission and after obtaining my recommendations I started for Gottenborg. The trip was by coach over rough roads. In this coach were two Jewish priests (sic) and a corpulent woman beside who I sat. I arrived in Gottenborg late in the day, it was foggy and misty. I had an address to a boarding house for students. After wandering around for some time I asked a policeman for information, he directed me to the house. I rapped on the door and a middle-aged woman appeared. I introduced myself and handed her a letter. After she had read the letter she was very cordial and invited me in.
I was very tired after my long ride. The next day I interviewed a Captain whose boat was ready to sail. After reading my recommendations he decided to accept me and ordered me to change my clothes and get to work. There was another lad who was so ill-behaved at home that his parents had sent him on this boat thinking it would tame him down a bit.
The name of the first vessel I sailed was Julia. All the sailors occupied the same cabin. The bunks were crude and built one over the other. There was very little space to move about. Before we left we were given our rations which had to last for a certain length of time, also we received a tin plate, soup bowl, tin cup, fork and spoon. Our pocket knife had to be used as a substitute for a table knife.
Our breakfast was black coffee, mush and hard tack; dinner was pea soup and supper was pea soup, salt pork, hard tack and black coffee. Thus was our daily diet except when we anchored at some port, then we received fresh meat, vegetables, fruit, etc. The boat had no facilities for keeping perishable foods on long trips.
I experienced several ship wrecks. The first was in the North Sea. This was about Christmas time. For days a raging blizzard tossed the ship about, carried away the main mast also the forecastle. The boat was covered with ice and snow. The ropes which controlled the sails were also covered with ice. We took turns climbing the riggings and pounding the ice off the ropes. One sailor, an older man, was swept into the sea. When the storm subsided, the boat had drifted along the northern coast of Norway. A pilot and his twelve-year-old grandson came to our rescue. He was asked to pilot the boat to shore. We threw a rope to him and pulled him on board. The little lad took the pilot’s boat back to shore.
The town was a fishermen’s village called Cleveland (This name was difficult for me to read so I guessed at it. It may not be correct. I copied this from my mother’s handwritten copy of this story.) Here we were treated very kindly by the people. That night was Christmas Eve. We spent it drying our clothes and retiring early. Our beds were made by scattering hay on the floor. We were given blankets; we laid down and were glad to rest. As I lay there I thought of the Christmas Festival which was taking place at my home. The lad who hired out on this boat was glad to go home and behave himself, but I was determined to carry on.
The second ship wreck was off the Danish coast. As the tide went out we gathered our belongings and went ashore. We told the fisher folks they could have what they could salvage from the ship in exchange for food. This they gladly did saying, “It was the first time God had blessed them for two years.”
I returned to Gottenborg and signed up with one of the largest, finest boats which would be ready to sail in about two or three days.
I wrote mother telling her about my plans. Mother telegraphed Gottenborg asking me to wait that she was coming to see me. Before she arrived our boat had started out. Mother chartered a steamer and followed for some distance in hopes she could encourage me to come home. We watched the steamer from our dock thinking that tourists were out on a pleasure trip, little realizing my mother was on board.
When I reached Australia a letter was waiting for me. The mail had gone over land. It required 128 days to make this voyage. Australia was a new country and alive with excitement over the finding of gold.
On one of our stops at Bombay there was another boat called the Red Jacket. They challenged four other vessels in a race to Liverpool. The captain of our boat wished to enter the race but the Insurance Company objected. The prize was $2500. The vessels left Bombay before our vessel did, however our captain decided to try to best the other vessels. It required 122 days to make the trip. We won the race reaching Liverpool 48 hours before one vessel and four days before the second vessel. Crowds of people gave us a great welcome.
I returned home after having spent 39 months sailing.
The next boat I went aboard was the Elanor. We had a mixed cargo from Liverpool to Archangel. The ice has been reported out but as we entered the White Sea, the current brought back the ice. This was in the month of May. Our vessel was caught in the ice jam and crushed. We left our vessel hanging on the ice and started on foot to reach land. This was about four or five o’clock PM. We saw seven other vessels wrecked. We walked about one hundred miles and when we became tired, we would lie down on the ice to rest and then to go on again. Our food was pork and snow.
We traveled for two days and one night this way. We thought we saw land, started again the next day and finally did see land at four PM. All we could see was sand and brush. The nearest town was Cola. As we were gazing for some sign of life, one of the boys saw some smoke in the distance.
We traveled on until we reached a village inhabited by Finlaps, very small people about five feet or less tall. Their huts were made of drift wood and covered with seaweed. The large room was about twelve by sixteen feet with a rock fireplace in one end. It was very neat. They lived on fish, reindeer and barley bread. The milk from the reindeer was given to the children. A father and son took the Captain for Cola for supplies. The Captain wired Archangel and learned that crews on other vessels had perished.
After this I attended school at Gottenborg and received my title as Captain but sailed as first mate. I was called home because of [economic] depression. I stayed home for one month and started out again. I left for Liverpool seeking work but the depression was general. Finally I left for New York. Here I found conditions worse as the Civil War was just over and commerce was at a standstill. My pal and I left for Chicago and from there we went to St. Paul. The farthest west the railroad had reached was St. Cloud.
I liked the country and purchased two quarters of land from Col. Matteson. I paid between $180 and $200 for a yoke of oxen. I broke twelve acres of land and I raised a good crop of wheat but had to haul it two miles to market. The price I received was 52 cents a bushel. Flour cost five dollars per hundred. I was able to haul only thirty bushels on account of the bad roads.
The grasshoppers destroyed the crops for the following three years and the fourth year a tornado destroyed everything. I finally sold the farm for $1500 cash and $3000 on time with interest at (this looked like 10% but it was very difficult for me to see). The farm was finally known as the Weard Farm.
Mother and I were married in St. Paul on April 20, 1872. We lived on the farm for a couple of years then decided to move into town where I opened an Abstract and Real Estate Office. I was Sheriff of Meeker County and preferred to go along to get my man and I never failed to bring him back.
After being Sheriff, I was Auditor and Collector for the following machine companies: Plano, John Deere and McCormick, at times having the eastern half of North Dakota as my territory. At this time my hearing began to fail and it was necessary for me to give up this type of work.
In 1898 I came to Towner and have been here ever since, but for my sight and hearing I am in perfect health.
There were many places of interest I visited while at sea. One [was] an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the Coast of France where the Count of Monte Cristo was held as prisoner. The Black Hole of India where so many British soldiers perished and a Church on the Spanish Coast of the Mediterranean where the Inquisition was practiced. In this church I saw the terrible means that were used in executing unfortunate victims. The stone steps were worn from people walking down to their awful death. In the chambers where they were sentenced were the huge chairs where the judges sat. When I saw the places of torture, it seemed the blood stains were still noticeable. I have seen the funeral biers on the shores of India. At one time I witnessed the execution of twelve Malay pirates by the Danish man of war. This put an end to piracy in this region and it was safe to travel between the peninsula and the East Indies.
Well, I believe that is all I can recall now. A few years ago I could have related the things as they happened, even the dates on which they occurred.
I have sailed around the world thirteen times and the only coast I haven’t seen is the Pacific coast of the United States. This was not open to travel.

* * * * *


Captain P. Ekstrom was born in Erbro / Orebro, Sweden, January 20, 1845. He came to the U.S. after the Civil War and located at Litchfield, Minnesota before the railroad reached there. He was one of the last pioneers of that section to pass away.
On April 20, 1872, he was married to Helen Sandow / Helena Sauvrow. There were six children, two passed away in infancy. The remaining members are: Karin, Mrs. C.H. Gumelius; Anna, Mrs. I.B. Cook; Jon Ekstrom; Mamie, Mrs. Fred Hermanson of Seattle, Washington. The others all live at Towner, North Dakota. There were eighteen grandchildren, one Edna Karin Ekstrom passed away at the age of two. The remaining grandchildren are: Arvid Gumelius, Helen Hattie, Lytle, LeRoy and Pat Cook; Robert and Esther Hermanson and Aileen, Ruth and Verner Ekstrom.

Died:
Funeral services were held in the (sic) on May first with the Rev. Basil Dourthy of the Episcopal Church officiating. The following were present at his funeral: two daughters, his son, five grandsons, Arvid Gumelius, Verner Ekstrom, Lytle Cook from Hatton, North Dakota, LeRoy Cook from Hillsboro, North Dakota, and Irvin (Pat) Cook from Grand Forks, N. Dak., and a granddaughter, Hattie Cook, from Rugby, N. Dak.
His daughter, Mrs. Fred Hermanson and children and Helen Cook from Seattle, Washington, were unable to attend. Aileen and Ruth Ekstrom from St. Paul were also unable to attend.

Pehr married SAUVROW Helen on 20 Apr 1872 in St. Paul, Ramsey Co., MN. Helen was born on 10 Feb 1850 in Örebro, Sweden; died on 09 Jul 1928 in Union Cemetery, Newport Twp., Towner, ND. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Helen and her daughters did seamtress work for the community.
Name may have been Sandow

Notes:

Bestofore (Grandpa Haugen)
From the Telemarken region of Norway near the fjords.
Lived to about 90 years of age.

Jorgen married Haugen) Bestomore (Grandma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the Telemarken region of Norway near the fjords.
Lived to 98 years.

Notes:

FENIXHUSET

1868 a key-novel was published which caused a tremendous commotion. The title was “Now and then or the mysteries of a small town”. And the town was Orebro.

The first chapter is called “Fallan” (the Trap). And is a story about the Fenix-house. The chapter begins “A beautiful, clear and sunny morning in the late summer of 18…, a young man come out of the most distinguished cellars, the so called The Trap.

What was behind the doubtful name, was not quite clear, but one of the explanations was that when you successfully reached the harbour there, it was exceedingly difficult to get away from there.

The place had four rooms. In the “Cellarhall” the guests were served glass by glass, but in the inner rooms, mostly whole or half bottles shone on the tables.

In the very inner holy, or the cubby-hole, Casino was played, which later had to give way to the more intelligence trying card playing “Dundrapart”.
………………………………

The restaurant-keeper Strom, who also was an alderman, was presented as a grey-haired and magnificent old man, who went there and back in the rooms with grave steps. The restaurant-keeper was not only very rich, he had furthermore a very good reputation in the town. His wife, who also had an elegant appearance, was called “the Queen”.

Strom´s business and income did not confine to what was over the surface, even under the ground in the cellar The Pit a considerable quantum of the Swedish National Beverage was served, of course with an enormous profit.

The Trap was in real life Ekstrom´s Cellar and later the Town Cellar. Strom in the book was in real life Ekstrom, with the Christian name Johan Peter. Ekstrom was beside restaurant-keeper even alderman and also for a while member of Parliament. In 1847 he had built the house – the sole purpose of trade with wine and spirits and the restaurant. In the building they also produced liquor – within the pale of the law.
………………….
Over the entrance to the open yard you can see the sign with the words “J P Ekstrom & Co,
Vin och spirituosa”.

Remarkably enough, the building was saved in the big fire 1854 - when more than 1200 persons lost their homes – despite the fire started just in the neighborhood.

Connected with the fire, Mrs Ekstrom , “the Queen”, made a remarkable contribution which went down in history. An inhabitant with a good memory wrote: “From time to time you could see a magnificent lady, accompanied by some maids, proceed among the firemen, who were exhausted and in a sweat. It was the wife of the restaurant-keeper and alderman Ekstrom. She had got the name “The Queen” because of her grand figure. From her own hands and as far as the well-stocked supplies of the house was sufficient, she bid on this occation refreshments. …………That the alderman´s wife made such a socialable gesture
seemed if possible more encouraging, then the material treat with food and drinks, restored the overstrained forces.

…………….
The original house had got a wing to the north 1855, directly after the fire and one against Fargargrand in 1863.

Died:
Buried in the family cemetery of Nikolai Kyrkogard (situated at the end of Drottninggatan(Queen´s street, after no 52) and Sodra Allén. But everyone calls it the South cemetery int the "VIP-corner".

Johan married BEHMER Sofia Margareta on 08 May 1827 in Örebro, Sweden. Sofia (daughter of BEHMER Magnus Arvid and SPRINCHORN Anna Fredrika) was born on 05 Aug 1808 in Örebro, Sweden; died on 12 Oct 1881 in Stockholm, Sweden. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

AD 1881 the 23 of November started and the 1st of December was the estate inventory finished after the late dowager Sofia Margareta Ekström, born Behmer, who registrated for census purposes in the city of Örebro, died in Stockholm, where she had been staying the last years, the 12th next preceding October, in the age of 73 years, 2 months and 7 days, and
Leaving as heirs three sons of age and five daughters namely
1. Johan Magnus Robert, living in Stockholm
2. Per Fabian, reside in Litchfield, Minnesota, northern America
3. Otto Wilhelm, who likewise resides in Minnesota
4. Fredrika Sofia Josefina, married to Tradesman Carl Theodor Hoffman in Stockholm
5. Emelie Carolina, married to Tradesman Carl Fredrik Hammarén in Örebro
6. Ingeborg Margaretha, the widow of bank executive Erik Rahlén in Örebro
7. Amalia Hortense, married to Tradesman Stefan Kling in Norrköping and
8. Eva Catharina, married to deputy district judge Salomon Theodor Rubin in Stockholm
At the estate inventory, to which all of Mrs Ekström´s heirs, who were living in the kingdom had been called, were present Mr Robert Ekström, together with Mrs Hoffman and Mrs Rubin and on behalf of the other heirs Mr deputy district judge S T Rubin and the estate was reported by Mr Ekström, was of below undersigned valued as follows.
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Residue 8,511:39 kr. (2009 404 272 skr )
It was also reported that Mrs Ekström through deed of gift had given her children received purchase-price from a selling from an estate and “garden” in Örebro and even quite a number of valuable documents and that this gift had reached its completion.
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That nothing is with will or knowledge concealed but that everything is correctly reported is testified under oath.
Robert Ekström


Claes Lagergren:

Memories from my years at school 1863-72

She was an angel in her home, which she made a real paradise to husband and children. Her love of mankind was immense. Every poor person knew, that he in her had a friend and never had to reach out his hand in vain.

The person, who in the bourgeoisie still held the first place was the wife of the borough alderman or, as she simply was called in public, Mrs Ekstrom. She was the widow of the alderman and member of Parliament J.P..Ekstrom, but mostly known as the Restaurant keeper. Mrs Ekstrom, was born Behmer, daughter of a restaurant keeper. If it was restaurant keeper Behmer´s business, which after the principals death was run by Ekstrom, who had married the daughter, I do not really know, but I consider it be that way. Ekstom was very magnificent as was his wife – so she got the surname “the Queen”. When I saw her, she was already old. I remember her as a very dignified lady, expensively dressed, but after her age, in no way striving to attract attention. But those, who remembered the Ekstroms twenty years earlier, gladly spoke, mixes with envy of the couples splendid appearance, when they walked through the saloons of the restaurant in the big house at Storbron (The big bridge) examining everything, greeting acquaintances. The Ekstrom Cellar with the dining rooms upstairs was known all over the country for its excellent food, fine wines and its modest prices. – “In the lower floor”, as Kojander sings in “Hittebarnet” (the Foundling), things were not that impressive, because there was all kinds of spirits sold both by wholesale and by retail and there stood old countrymen, farm-hands, journeymen, and trainees, consuming their snaps. – There was all the alcohol brought to the country and it was there where the big fortune was established,

The magnificent couple had many children, among them at least six daughters, all tall, grand and very well brought up. The most beautiful and for her large amiability
very popular was Mrs Hammarén. They were very highly thought of. People were telling how on a ball one of the Ekström Misses should have said to one officer, unknown to the town, who danced with her and expressed his enthusiasm at finding the ball in the big hotel saloon so splendid - all the same as tailor Kaeding said to count Gyldenstolpe, “it is just a pity that the Society would be so mixed.” “Please, keep quiet, My Lady, behind us sits a innkeepers´ wife.” That was Mrs Ekstrom.

During my years at school, Mrs Ekström had totally withdrawn from the Cellar, which hade been taken over by restaurant owner Wetterberg, who there collected a big fortune in a short time and recently had died. – Then there came a bunch with merchant J.W Gyllander, manufacturers with dyer and cotton mill owner J.W.Elgérus who led the way. At this time, Mrs Ekstrom´s mother was still alive/living
The very old Mrs Behmer, who had her famous garden at the east corner of Stortorget,(the Big Square). –As her many granddaughters were married and most of them with numerous children, who like their mothers called Mrs Behmer Grandma. She was generally named Grandma Behmer by all the inhabitants in the town. Everyone knew when Grandma Behmer was going to give a party in her garden.

Between this class of merchants and industrialists and the aristocratic nobility and officer class, which, even if they were in economical embarrassment, always kept an enormously higher position, came the category, who not were………….

The article ends here.

Died:
Buried in the family cemetery of Nikolai Kyrkogard (situated at the end of Drottninggatan (Queen´s street, after no 52) and Sodra Allén. But everyone calls it the South cemetery int the "VIP-corner".