Johannes, Johanna and Emma Holmquist

Johannes Holmquist (March 18,1857 - November 15, 1925) who in America called himself John (we will use his Swedish name Johannes to distinguish him from his son John T., his daughter-in-law's father John Swanson and his half-brother John [Johan] Holmquist) was born at Älmhult Station, Norköping, Stenbrohult Socken, Kronebergs Län, Sweden on March 18, 1857. His home was called Lindhult (a Swedish custom has been to give names to their houses or farms) where he lived with his folks until about June 27, 1876 when he went to the industrial port city of Malmö and worked for the Malmö railroad. His training with the railroad provided him with his occupation the rest of his life. He learned his trade as machinist in Sweden, possibly in Malmö, but we don't know where for sure.

Johannes Emigrates to America

Family oral history (from an earlier generation(s) to Bernard Holmquist to Lennart Holmquist) has it that Johannes' parents sent him to Germany to learn engineering. He did actually go to Germany it is said but not for long. His dream was to go to America. However, we have not found any documentation that Johannes did travel to Germany.

As mentioned he worked for the railroad in Malmö, Sweden. He gave his employer notice that he was leaving. The railroad wrote Johannes a recommendation.

J. Holmqvist, hvilken varit anställd, som Plåtslagararbetare vid Tredje Trafik-Distriktets Maskin-afdelning af Statens Jernvägar sedan den 6e December 1875, är nu på egen begäran från denna sin befattning ledig, med vitsord om duglighet i sitt arbete, god flit samt ett godt uppförande. Malmö den 25e Mars 1880 G. S. Brodin

Translation by Kjell André:

J. Holmqvist, who has been employed as a sheet metal worker at Third Traffic-District Machine Department of the [Swedish] State Railroads since the 6th of December, 1875, is now on his own request, released from his position with [our] attestation regarding the competence of his work, good diligence and good behavior. Malmö on 25th March 1880 G. S. Brodin

See also Johannes_Holmquist_intyg.

In 1880 he and his brother, August, emigrated to America.1 Perhaps they used the money that was meant for Johannes education or perhaps the money came from their share of the sale of the family farm. We don't know. Johannes' and August's leaving for America was not according to his parent's wishes apparently. 2 Johannes was 22 years old when he emigrated.

A Swedish emigrant ship from the 1800s could take ten weeks to cross the Atlantic. We would suppose they landed in New York as did most immigrants from Europe. Research into ship's registers during this time though have not turned up Johannes' and August's names. Wherever they landed it did not take them long to arrive in Chicago where a large Swedish population already lived, and where the railroad and associated businesses provided jobs by the score. Chicago was to remain Johannes' home throughout his life - though he did buy a forty acre farm in Indiana and spent time at the farm when he could.

Johanna Emigrates

Johanna Erickson's parents were both from Sweden. Her father died the same year she was born and her mother died when she was only ten years old. She became a foster daughter of her aunt and uncle Kristina Louisa and Gustaf Gustafson of Stockberga , Karlskoga parish in Värmland, Örebro län (county), Sweden.

Other than the above we know nothing about her early childhood. However we do know that she and her sister Christina received their exit permits to leave Sweden on August 4, 1881. A photo of Johanna, apparently taken just before she left Sweden, shows her in coat and scarf wih her traveling bag on the floor in front of her - a bitter sweet memento of a daughter/sister they may never see again - and they didn't.

Johanna Erickson boarded the steamship Romeo at the port city of Göteborg, Sweden with her sister Christina on August 19, 1881 They are listed together on the Romeo's passenger list.The Romeo was a new ship, built earlier the same year that Johanna and Christian sailed on her to England. The Romeo would have looked and felt new with the smell of fresh paint mixing with the smell of oil and smoke exiting the ship's stack from her powerful steam engines below deck.

Johanna was just fourteen years old and her sister about seventeen. Their ship was bound for Hull, England. In a sense they did not leave Sweden behind just yet because the Romeo was full of Swedes also bound for America. The sound of Swedish was all around them as they boarded the ship, made way to their quarters, and settled in.

In the port of Hull Johanna and Christina disembarked. Most emigrants entering Hull went to the Paragon Railway Station. At the station was a waiting room where immigrants could wash up. As with most immigrants Johanna and Christina probably took a train to either Glasgow, Liverpool, London or Southampton to board another ship to America. Sometimes so many emigrants were passing through Hull that up to seventeen carriages pulled by one locomotive was needed. The last four carriages carried all the baggage.

The transatlantic steamers left from England on different days, so emigrants often had to wait several days in England. The emigrants were often housed at emigrant hotels owned by the shipping companies. We do not know Hanna's and Christian's particular experience.

We also do not know at this the name of that ship that took Hanna and Christina from England to America.

Upon arrival in America Johanna and Christina traveled, probably by train, to Chicago. One can guess they stayed with friends or relatives who had come to America before them.

As with the Romeo, Johanna and Christina did not totally leave Sweden behind. Chicago was home to tens of thousands of Swedes who had emigrated before them or sons and daughters of Swedes who, though born in America, still culturally and often linguistically to one degree or another still Swedes.

During the 1880s, the Swedish-born population in Chicago increased to more than 43,000. In some neighborhoods of Chicago it was not only very easy to meet another Swede, it was also easy to speak and hear Swedish most of the time in schools, churches, stores, restaurants, hospitals, old people's homes, social and civic organizations, and city streets. And it was this milieu that Johanna met Johannes. 1

Johannes and Johanna

We don't know how or when they met, but we do know that when Johannes was 28 years old, he married Johanna Elisabeth Eriksson (May 2, 1867 - February 6, 1890) in 1885 who was only seventeen.5

Three years later, on October 29, 1888, Johannes became a U.S. citizen in the Superior Court of Chicago. His naturalization paper states:

. . . he [Johannes Holmquist] having now here in open Court taken and subscribed to the oath required by those laws to support the Constitution of the United States, and to renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or Sovereignty whatever, and more particularly all allegiance which he may in anywise owe to [the] King of Sweden and Norway of whom he was heretofore a subject.

Johannes, who was known as John in America, 6 and Johanna, nicknamed Hanna, had four sons, John Theodore (January 3, 1886), Edward and Wilhelm (William) (identical twins born July 22, 1887), and Waldemar Truvid, also known as Val, (born September 11, 1889). We can imagine a letter sent to family in Sweden after the birth of each child.

Their idealic life collapsed suddenly, unexpectedly and irreversably. In 1889 the Asiatic Flu pandemic reached North America.7

In 1890 a friend of Hanna's became sick. Hanna, went to take care of her friend not realizing she was putting her life in danger. Hanna came down with the flu and was soon dying, and both Hanna and Johannes knew it.

At the time Hanna and Johannes had some connection to the Swedish covenant church though neither were committed church goers up until this time, apparently. Just before her death the pastor of the covenant church 'lead both of them to the Lord,' i.e., they both became what Johannes' son John later considered (and perhaps what Johannes considered at that time) true Christians. She 'died confessing conversion and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ and wishing to see her husband and boys some day in heaven,' as their son ,John T., says in his writings of the Holmquist family.

Hanna Elisabeth Holmquist: Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index

Johannes lived a consistent Christian life thereafter John T. Holmquist wrote though he continued to chew snuff which was considered a sin.

William (Bill) Holmquist writes, 'I can remember way back when I was one and a half years old . . . . I remember standing in the front room, my thumb in my mouth, looking up at the casket where my mother lay, having died of influenza.'8

Their eldest son, John, remembered his father taking him along with him to Hanna's grave where Johannes sat and read for a while, John no doubt playing nearby. This was the closest Johannes could get to Hanna, sitting by her grave, reading. Now and again, John writes, Johannes cried. Esther Holmquist said though that after much prayer, he was given peace concerning her death.9

We know little about Hanna. Her sons were too young to remember much about her. Johannes wrote nothing about her as far as we know, and we have no letters of Hanna's, unfortunately.

We know some things about her family. Her father's name was Erik Olsson. Hanna's maiden name, Erickson, came from her father's first name.

Hanna had two sisters and two brothers who emigrared to America. One sister and a brother bought farms in Bismarck, North Dakota. Later, the brother moved back to Chicago and left the farm to his sister who married and continued to live there. We have lost track of that side of the family; all attempts to locate them have been futile so far (2012).

Hanna's brother, Charles (Charlie) lived in Chicago. Not much is known of him except that he was 'inclined to strong drinks' which Johannes 'had no use for.'

Hanna was only 22 years old when she dies. She leaves a husband and four young sons all under the age of five. These sons were John, Wilhelm, Edward and Waldemar. With four boys to take care of Johannes needed help. Johannes hired a young lady, a Swede, Emma Carlson, to be a live-in maid to care for the boys.

Emma

Emma was from Västervik, Ukna socken (parrish), Småland, Kalmar län (province), Sweden She was the daughter of Carl Johan Lock. Carl's last name at one time was 'Carlsson' but the army changed it to Lock. This was common in the military at the time. Sweden simply had too many Carlsons, Johnssons, Erickssons and the like. To make identification easier, the military simply gave the new recruits a new last name.

Though growing up in the Lutheran church, the state church of Sweden, Emma was converted to Christianity in Vestervik, Sweden and baptized on March 14, 1879.

Emma had four sisters and seven brothers. They are Carl, Johan, Anders Gustaf, August Theodore, Peter Enock, Frans Otto and Nils Oscar. Two of the sisters were Tilda and Josephine. The names of the other sisters are not known at this time.

A family document from 1948 records that Emma came to America from Sweden on on August 31, 1887 after which she went to Evanston, Illinois. Actually, August 31 is probably when Emma arrived in Chicago, and possibly the same day in Evanston, which is just twelve miles north of downtown Chicago. Coincidentally, Emma took the same ship, the Romeo, from Sweden to England as did Hanna, six years earlier.

In Evanston Emma joined the Swedish Baptist Church of Evanston.

When Johannes' young wife Hanna died of influenza, Johannes' sister Annie cared for the four boys for nine months following Hanna's death. During this time, according to Esther Holmquist, Johannes hired Emma Charlotta Carlson (April 28,1855 - May 8, 1944) as a live-in housekeeper. This worked out in more ways than one. Six months after Emma was hired, Johannes and Emma were married on April 1, 1891 by a Mission pastor named Anderson at the home of a family member by the name of Holander. Johannes was 36 years old and Emma, 33. The were married in Cook County, Chicago, Illinois.

Emma Charlotte Carlson in the Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index

Two daughters were born to Johannes and Emma, but both died young. Edith Marie died after one month of croup apparently (August 2, 1892- September 4, 1892), and Emma Elizabeth (September 4, 1896-1900) who also died of croup.25

According to her stepson John T. Holmquist, Emma 'was a faithful and hard working step-mother to John's [Johannes'] boys and much credit is due her.'26 Bernie remembered his 'grandmother' Emma as being 'a truly grand person.' (It was Bernard Holmquist's understanding that some of Emma's brothers came to the United States.

Johannes built a house at 6613 South Green Street where he and his wife, Emma, lived until the end of their lives. The house our building must have been fairly large. Caryl Holmquist says that Emma ran a boarding house, as was not uncommon during those days. Immigrants often lived in boarding houses. In many or most boarding houses, the boarders ate meals together in a dining room with the proprietor, Emma in this case, providing the meals. If the boarders were single working men, they ate breakfast and the evening meal together, but brought lunch with them to their jobs. Considering Emma spoke only Swedish it would not be surprising if her boarders were all Swedes, and in Emma's boarding house the boarders were men. One can imagine a house full of Swedish men, speaking Swedish, eating Swedish food, reading Swedish publications printed in America when time was available, and perhaps some attending the local Swedish baptist church, as the Holmquist family did, or the local Swedish Covenant or Swedish Lutheran churches. Here in this little corner of Chicago was a little bit of Sweden. A Swede here could feel almost completely at home.

For a time Johannes' and Emma's son Bill (Wilhelm) and daughter-in-law, Esther, lived upstairs in the boarding house. On Sundays the rest of the family often gathered and Johannes and Emma's home, and of course there would always be food, delicious food both prepared by Emma and brought by family members visiting as is remembered by their granddaughter, Caryl. After eating, Caryl and the other kids, might run to the candy store. One day someone gave Caryl a nickel. She gave it to Uncle Bill to hold for her. Later, when she and the others were to run to the candy store she mistakenly asked Bill's identical twin brother, Ed, for the nickel. Of course he didn't have it, and Caryl realized she had asked the wrong uncle. She was very embarrassed.

Elaine remembers going to Emma's house on 66th and Green Street. Emma spoke only Swedish. Elaine remembers her father telling about the time that Emma came across an intruder, a black man, in her house. She picked up a wooden potato masher and chased him out of the house with it.

For more on Emma see:

Emma Charlotte Carlson

Ironworker

One of Johannes first jobs in America was erecting the ornamental iron work on first Union Station on Canal and Adams Streets in Chicago, built in 1881. By 1893 Union Station handled 251 departing and arriving trains daily carrying 30,000 passengers.[Clark, David G. Route 66. Arcadia Publishing, 2007, page 60.]

Later Johannes worked for companies supplying rail switches for the railroads in the Chicago area. One of his first employers was Wills and France. Later he worked for the Ajax Forging Company on 22nd and Leavit streets for a number of years making frogs switches, which are 10 railroad switches used on railroad tracks allowing for trains to transfer from one railroad track to another. At Ajax Forgings Company Johannes taught his brother August how to make railroad switches. Johannes was always very interested in his work. Three years before he died he invented a frog which had the bend in such a manner that a heavier 'point' could be used. This would save a lot of wear on the switch or frog. Alden Holmquist actually had a miniature of that switch Johannes invented for the railroad.

Afterwards Johannes worked for Strom's Frog Shop which in later years was known as Pettibone and Mulliken Company.11 ¹⁰² 'Organized in 1880, this company was a leading manufacturer of railroad track equipment such as such as frogs, crossings, and switches. The company's main railroad equipment plant was on Chicago's West Side.' Wilson, Mark R. 'Pettibone Mulliken The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. 20 Jan. 2009 x. It was possibly at Strom's that he worked for 25 or 30 years as he mentioned in a letter in 1917.12 In the1960's Bill Holmquist sent a stick pin in the shape of a frog switch to his children. With the stick pin he also sent a letter to his children writing about the work his father, Johannes, did.

Just a few lines to tell you about Dad's stick pin and his work. Dad was a planer hand and [I] will give you and idea of how big his machine was he had a derrick along side of the machine, this he used to hoist up cannons he was finishing to get ready to ship - for the 1st world war. His regular job was to plane frogs and switches used on RR [railroad] Crossings. He got an invention, rather he invented a switch which would out-last any that were in use then. He showed it to men in his office and that's the last he ever saw of it. It was a drawing. Dad made a pin but I can't say this is the one like he had drawn. Its about 60 years old or more.13

Strom's Frog Shop was started by a man named Strom with whom Johannes worked at Wills and France. Strom worked in the blacksmith shop while Johannes worked in the machine shop. Johannes had actually known Strom in Sweden, and in fact knew him well and was a close friend of his.

Johannes worked for Strom's Frog Shop for forty years running a 'plainer' or 'planer' plaining frogs and switches, until the last two years of his life when he was put on lighter work due to a failing heart.

Johannes, before he developed his heart condition, was well fitted for working in this industry. He was tall and very strong. People said he could pick up an iron rail himself that would normally take three men to lift.

Chicago Water Tower

Johannes also was proud of having worked on the Chicago Water Tower,14 a noted landmark in Chicago. The Water Tower was built in 1869. Johannes did not arrive in America until 1880 so he did not work on the original construction. However, the water tower was renovated between 1913 and 1916. Perhaps he worked on the renovation.

Later Johannes son, Val and his grandson, Dick were allowed into the Water Tower at a time when it was closed to the public. Apparently, Johannes had connections.

Playing Accordion in Saloons

Johannes used to play accordion in saloons for extra money. Saloons during these days charged $.05 for a stein of beer, and provided free food, buffet style, for the customers. Poor people would come in, buy a stein of beer, and eat. Some saloon keepers would sometimes allow this even if they lost money in those days so people would not go hungry.

Johannes played his accordion in the saloons before he was a Christian. After he was a Christian, he never drank alcohol believing that it was a terrible sin. Many years later he said in a letter to his sister Christine in Sweden, 'I have 4 good sons. They have never tasted spirits; they are absolutely sober.'15 No doubt, abstinence from drinking alcohol was looked upon as the proper Christian thing to do especially among the Swedish community who really loved their drink. Charles Erickson writes that 'The old Swedes did a lot of drinking on weekends. Before beer was bottled they went to the saloon for a can or pitcher of beer. They always had a good time.'16

John T. Holmquist relates that when he was a small boy he wondered where the music came from in the accordion. To find out he took a knife and cut the accordion open. When Johannes found out about it he felt so bad that he literally cried, saying that he would never be able to afford another one.

Personality

One illustration showing his compassionate nature goes back to his childhood in Sweden when he took grain from his father Trufvid's grain storage and give it to neighbor boys who were starving. Those were extremely tough times in Sweden.

Emma Holmquist says that Johannes was a good man and good looking, which of course is one reason Emma was attracted to him.

Johannes liked to travel 17 and would have done more of it if he could have afforded it. In the early 1920s he visited his cousins (possibly the Erickssons side of the family) near Hutchinson, Kansas and went on to see the Rocky Mountains in the Denver area.

As mentioned earlier, he was a man of great strength, especially in his younger days. His friends respected this and as John T. said 'always tried to keep peace with him.' He always tried to help others, and again as John T. says, 'Pride never got the best of him and he always had a hatred for anything that showed pride and warned his boys never to let pride get the upper hand of them.'

He was a firm believer in the Bible and read it much. His faith in God was plain. He only believed what he thought the Bible taught, not adding anything to it and taking anything away. You might say that the Bible for him 'had the last word.'

He never seemed to develop a love for wealth, but desired simply good health, and enough materially to get by. He often said that his riches on earth were his wife and his four boys whom he thought the world of.

Richard (Dick) Holmquist said this of Johannes, his grandfather:

Grandpa Holmquist also liked to come to see us. He was a man we all loved--and not only because he always carried a lot of dimes in his pocket which he generously handed out to each of the kids. He was a kind man. For an immigrant who arrived from Sweden as a young man in his early twenties, he had done well, and with his frugality owned a farm near Grovertown, Indiana, as well as a house at 6613 Green Street in Chicago. There is much to write about Grandpa Holmquist, but I shall skip that for now, except for one event. he was a rugged individualist who enjoyed using his snuff.

Larson Family

Hanna's sister, Tilda,18 married John (Jack) Larson. John worked as a blacksmith foreman for the Harvester company in Rock Falls. John lived with Charles after his wife died. The Holmquist family had a long and good relationship with the Larson's and their descendants, even into the 1980s. For instance, Bernard Holmquist and Charlie Larson kept in touch over the years. And, Bernard and his wife Doris visited Charlie and Marge at their home in Illinois in the 1970s.

The Larsons had three children: Ellen, Charles, and August. The fourth died very young. They all lived on the west side of Chicago for years and then moved to Sterling, Illinois. Ellen married Leslie Chapin of Prophetstown, Illinois. They had three children: Harry, Margaret and Richard.

Chapin Family and the Chapin Poultry, Egg and Creamery Plant

In 1913 the Chapins moved to Tampico, Illinois. Here they started a poultry and egg business.

According to Margaret Vickrey:

My parents Ellen (Larson)19 and Leslie Chapin moved to Tampico, Illinois, in 1913 and started a poultry house ([they] bought live poultry, eggs and cream at the door as well as running a wagon through the countryside buying those items . . .

The business started . . . as a receiving station for chickens, eggs and cream. Eggs and live chickens were shipped by train to Chicago. Chickens were 'dressed' (feathers plucked), frozen and shipped by truck to Chicago (also live chickens trucked to Chicago).

As this part of the business dwindled [in the 1930's] the poultry business was phased out, the Creamery business was started . . . butter and later cheese and later pasteurizing milk. This flourished and became quite a large operation. But by the 1960's farmers began to give up 'milking' an went to raising grain crops . . . hence the milk supply was running out and the business was closed and sold in 1966.20

In 1920 Leslie Chapin added an new refrigeration plant. According to the Tampico Tornado on July 22, 1920:

REFRIGERATING PLANT COMPLETED The fine new refrigerating plant at L.E. CHAPIN's poultry and egg plant has been completed and was in operation for the first time this week. Mr. CHAPIN says that he has ample storage and cooling room for four [train] car loads of eggs or some 576,000 eggs. He will be able to hold eggs until they are sold during market declines. His plant is in good shape now to handle any amount of poultry, eggs and cream and to pay top prices for it because of the improved facilities for marketing.

The business was run by Leslie Chapin and later years by sons Harry and Richard Chapin who had been assisting their father in the cheese and butter business long before. 21

The Creamery can be seen in the photo to the right. The first floor housed the actual business. The top floor was used for storage Margaret believes.22 Though the creamery was located at the cross of two streets, the streets had no names or at least they were not designated according to Margaret Vickrey. Neither was there mail delivery. One had to go to the post office to pick up mail. The sign above the door reads:

Tampico
Creamery
Milk Cream Eggs
Cheese Butter

They did very well. The Creamery eventually processed three tons of cheese a day.

In 2005 Bob Maxwell wrote on the Welcome to Tampico, Illinois website of his memories of the Creamery and the Chapin boys:

I have fond boyhood memories of Richard Chapin and of the Creamery/Poultry business.

The Chapins lived across the street from us and, although Richard was a few years younger, we were excellent friends and played together. Richard had a bb-gun and we would go to the poultry house. There stored feed for the chickens in little rooms and the mice would often find those rooms. We would scare them up the screen walls and shoot them with the bb-gun.

We would then go to the cheese factory portion. They had a rat terrier named Sandy. We would call sandy and Dick would walk down one side of the cheese presses with the gun and Sandy and I with a club and flashlight down the other. We would invariably find one or two rats in the empty presses. Dick would shoot it with the gun and chase it toward me. I would try to hit it with the stick and if I missed or just stunned the rat, Sandy would grab it.

About 10 years ago I was at an American Legion meeting in Rock Falls and heard that Dick was living there. I called him on the phone and had a very nice talk with him. A couple of years later I heard that Dick had died. I knew Margaret and Harry as well, but they were older. Bob M

Message Board: Chapin Creamery

In 2009 the town held their annual potluck, and this year held at the Chapin Creamery. The subject was the Chapin Creamery. Here is the announcement:

Good News! Our program for our annual potluck meeting in August is The Chapin Creamery. We are inviting those who worked at the Creamery to join us and reminisce.

So far, we have Harold Grimes, John Taets, Denver Cole & Gene Wright committed to attending and sharing.

If you or someone you know worked there and would like to join us, please contact me at your earliest convenience! If you worked there, but are not able to attend, but have a story (or two) to share, please post here or email me to share with the group.

Denise
Family History Coordinator
Tampico Area Historical Society

For years the Chapin Creamery provided free cheese sandwiches during the annual Cheese Days.

According to Laverne Holm the Holmquist family would go out to Tampico to visit the Chapins during the summers. Eleanor Swanson in her autobiography says she celebrated her 6th birthday in Tampico in 1919. In 1925 her grandfather, Johannes suffered a heart-attack in Tampico from which he died some weeks later. And, one will notice that the photograph to the right was taken around 1948. This slide was found among Holmquist photos. Evidently, there was a strong relationship between the Holmquists and the Chapins.

Ellen's brother Charles Larson married Marjorie. They had a hardware specialty business where his brother August was in charge of the plant.

Ellen's brother August married Lois Graham of Prophetstown, Illinois. They made their home in Sterling. A short time later Lois died leaving a young daughter. Later August married Althea. They had two children, both boys and nephews of Charlie Larson who owned Charlie's business through inheritance and buying out other members of the family.

Johannes lived originally at Bissel and Sedgwick Streets on the north side of Chicago. They moved to 6613 S. Green Street on the south side.

Religious Faith of Johannes

Johannes was a Christian, having converted to the faith through a Covenant pastor27 shortly after the death of Hanna. Johannes lived a consistent Christian life thereafter though he continued to chew snuff as mentioned. Richard C. Holmquist says that several times Johannes sailed his snuff box off the back porch saying, 'That's the last one!' Johannes never was able to kick the snuff habit. In Johannes' later years, John T. took him for rides in his seven passenger Packard touring car. Johannes poked holes in the celluloid windows to spit out his tobacco. John then had to clean up later whatever did not make it through the hole.

Johannes joined Mission Church on the north side of Chicago, later transferring his membership to the Mission Church at 59th and Carpenter Streets. On January 31, 1897 he was baptized and joined the Engelwood Swedish Baptist Church at 5900 S. Emerald Avenue and remained a member there with Emma.

His devout Christian life caused him to be concerned for the spiritual salvation of his family. In a letter 28 to his sister Christine in Sweden he writes:

How are you doing with God. Have you been born again? My beloved sister Christin, we must all be born again if we would like to go to heaven. This is to be born again when he who died for all of us has forgiven us all sins.

Johannes Farm

Johannes bought a small farm of 40 acres in Grovertown, Indiana on June 2, 1897 from Andrew Uncapher the owner of much land in the area. Johannes was not a farmer. He just wanted a place to get away weekends. But Johannes grew up on a farm in Sweden with his brothers and sisters. He probably felt a special tie to the land. Much of his family, no doubt, felt the same way. His sister Menny and her husband John Carlson bought a farm in Grovertown, as did his brother August, his other sister Annie and her husband Andrew Nelson.

Johannes enjoyed the farm and went out there whenever he had a chance. He built a small house on the property which his son, John T, later enlarged.

To get to the farm from Chicago Johannes took the Pennsylvania Railroad to Grovertown. On at least one occasion and possibly more he actually rode his bicycle from Chicago to Grovertown, a distance of over seventy-five miles.

On this farm his wife Emma and the boys spent the summers picking blueberries and huckleberries, pickles, and raising a garden which included potatoes. Some of the blueberries, which apparently were quite good according to those family members who have had first hand experience with them, were sold to the dining car of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Johannes, incidentally, did not like Mr. Heil who had the farm across from his. Mr. Heil was always stealing blue berries from Johannes' bushes.

Johannes did not intend to continue living in Chicago but to move permanently to the farm, but for many reasons, not stated, this did not happen. It was probably never their intention to have the farm support them, but rather to have it has a quiet, beautiful place to retire to.

As mentioned above Johannes bought the farm from Andrew Uncapher. Andrew's nephew, Otto Uncapher, had a store for years in Grovertown and became a friend of the family. His store was moved in the 1940's a few hundred yards because route 30, the new cement highway, ran right through the original location. Andrew Uncapher also had a refrigerated grocery truck and brought food to the Holmquist's and others farms.

But Andrew Uncapher was not actually the original owner of the land on which the farm was part. Indians used to live or hunt on the land. Arrowheads were often found on the farm.30

One interesting story about Johannes out at the farm was when he hired 'Old Man' Newberg to dig a ditch down the road along Johannes farm for the purpose of draining some land. They drew up a contract and agreed upon a price. Soon after Johannes had to go home to Chicago. When he came back Old Man Newberg had dug the ditch on his side of the road draining his own land. The contract did not state which side of the road the ditch was to be dug. Old Man Newberg had the reputation of being devious.

Johannes did not want to pay Old Man Newberg, but had to. He paid him, but also beat up Old Man Newberg. Johannes then went into town and told the sheriff what had happened.

'What is the fine for beating someone up?' Johannes said.

'Ten dollars,' the sheriff replied.

'Here's the ten dollars.'

Johannes then left the sheriffs office. Later Old Man Newberg went to the sheriff to tell him what had happened, but the sheriff said Johannes had already paid and there wasn't anything more he could do.

Another story concerns another neighbor (Blaud possibly) who lived about 1 1/2 miles away who stole some tools from Johannes. Johannes visited him, said he was the only one that would do this and if they are not returned in one week, he would come and beat him up. The tools were returned by the following week.

Included was a glass pane to replace the glass he broke to get at the tools.

Johannes' last visit to the farm was in August of 1924 for he was very weak and apparently could not make the trip again. He was taken home to Chicago with his wife by his son Edward who had driven him out to Grovertown.

Last Days

The last years of his life Johannes' health seemed to be good until just a couple of years before his death. One day John T. and his wife Ruth took Johannes for a visit to Sterling, and Tampico, Illinois. Here they visited the Larson family, Hanna's sister and family. They drove out to Tampico, where the Larson's daughter Ellen lived. After eating supper at the golf course, about a mile east of Tampico, John T. and his children and Leslie Chapin started across a field to see a new canal. Johannes did not go along at first, but later followed down the hill on a run. This was too much for him and he became very sick. He apparently had his first heart attack. A few days later he seemed to be over it. His heart condition though continued to develop.

After his last trip to Grovertown he never regained his strength. He was given a thorough medical exam by a Professor Gilbert at South Shore Hospital. There was nothing he could do but rest. Johannes remained in bed the last eight weeks of his life. His dying days were said to be peaceful though painful.31

During these last days he never complained, it is said, but instead expressed thankfulness to everyone, and cautioned his boys not to have too much love for things of this world, but to rather remember the life to come after this one is over. He also frequently prayed for his boys.

Some days before he passed away Bud at about two years of age went up to Johannes and blew on him so he would get well just as his mom, brothers or sisters would blow on Bud's 'owie' when little Buddy was hurt. Johannes told Bud that he would not be getting well.

Toward the final hours of his life, Johannes became unconscious from 1:00 AM Saturday until 1:00 PM Saturday. Upon regaining consciousness, his nurse Esther Johnson took charge of him. Esther is described by Eleanor as being a saint in taking care of Johannes. Esther was a Christian. William, Esther, John T. and Ruth and their two sons, Alden and Russell were at his bedside. Ruth, intending to go home, took his hand to say good-bye. With his hand in Ruth's Johannes began halucinating, imagining he was traveling on the way to heaven. He said, 'It is the same there as here, they have [railway] stations.'

He thought that the rest of those in the room were starting on a journey also. He asked that God bless everyone on their journey. He then asked Ruth if Jesus was here.

He continued by saying that each person in the room had a number. John T. was #1 and Will was #2 for instance. He explained the numbers. He said that each has a number and when Jesus comes along and he calls our number, we should be ready to go.

He then heard something. He said, 'Jesus is calling our number now. Can't you hear him calling?!' He was afraid that everyone would not hear Jesus calling and so be left behind. John T. and William left the room since Johannes was so afraid of their not making it on the train for their journey to heaven. Wanting to calm his fears they pretended that they had heard Jesus and were responding to his calling by leaving. Johannes waved his hand to them and said, 'I will meet you there.' John T. wrote, 'He [Johannes] had not been able to speak clearly for several days, but the above quotations were as clear as though he was well. It was wonderful for us to be present when he had this beautiful vision just a few hours before he went to be with his Lord.'32

At this time Dick Holmquist, age ten, t visited his grandfather. Later Dick wrote:

Johannes was a very kind man and liked to give a dime to small children. He gave me a dime, which I still have, as he lay on his death bed.

Johanes was 68 years old when he died.

An obituary appeared in Swedish a local Swedish publication in Chicago:

Vi hava den smärtsamma plikten I tillkännaglra, att Herren hem kallat vår ällskade make och fader John Holmquist.

Han föddes den 18 mars 1857 Stenbrohults församling, Kronobergs län, Sverige. Vid 22 Ars AIder anlände han till Amerika och bosatte sig i Chicago, varest han hade sitt hem till sin död. Han förenades i äktenskap 1885 med Hanna Erickson. Äktenskapet välsignades med 4 söner, John Theodore, Edward, William, och Waldlmar Truvid. Efter endast ett 5-årigt äktenskap bortrycktes makan genom döden d. 6 feb. 1890. Den 1 april 1891 ingick han i äktenskap med Emma Carlson. Detta äktenskap välsignades med 2 döttrar, Edith Marie och Emmy Elisabeth, vilka båda gått före hem till den eviga viIan.

Han blev omvänd till Gud en kort tid efter den första hustruns död. Blev döpt den 31 jan. 1897 och förenad med Englewood svenska baptistförsamling, av vilken han var en trogen och aktad medlem, tills det behagade Gud att taga honom hem till triumferande församlingen därovan.

Efter sju veckors svära lidande, vilka han har med tålamod, Insomnade han stilla och fridfullt i tron på sin Frälsare, Söndagen den 15 Nov. 1925 i en ålder av 68 år, 7 mån, och 28 dagar, djupt sörjd och saknad av den efter lämnade makan. 4 söner, 4 sonhustrur, 16 barnbarn, en syster, 5 systerdöttra, av vilka 4 ha familjer, övriga släktingår, församlingen och många vänner.

Begravningsgudstjänsten hölls I kyrkan den 18 nov. och stoftet jordades i Oak Hill gravgård.

Makan och barnen.

Chicago, Ill .

The translation of the above is:

We have the painful duty in announcing that the Lord called home our beloved husband and father John [Johannes] Holmquist.

He was born March 18, 1857 Stenbrohults parish, Kronoberg county, Sweden. At 22 years of age he arrived to America and settled in Chicago, where he had his home until his death. He was united in marriage in 1885 with Hanna Erickson. The marriage was blessed with four sons, John, Theodore, Edward, William, and Waldlmar Truvid. After only a 5-year marriage snatched away spouse through death d. February 6 In 1890. On April 1, 1891 he was part of marriage with Emma Carlson. This union was blessed with two daughters, Edith Marie and Emmy Elisabeth, both of which have gone before home to the eternal rest.

He was converted to God shortly after the first wife's death. Was baptized January 31 1897 and associated with Englewood Swedish Baptist church, of which he was a loyal and esteemed member, until it pleased God to take him home to the triumphant congregation, from above. After seven weeks of severe suffering, which he has patience, asleep, he quietly and peacefully in faith in his Savior, Sunday, Nov. 15 1925 at the age of 68 years, 7 months, and 28 days, deeply mourned and missed by his wife, 4 sons, 4 daughters-in-law, 16 grandchildren, a sister, five nieces, of which four have families, other relatives included, congregation, and many friends.

Funeral service was held in the church November 18 and the dust of the earth was in Oak Hill cemetery.

Wife and children.

Chicago, Ill.

The following month after his father's death, John T., wrote to the relatives in Sweden informing them of Johannes' death. We have the letter 33, given back to the American side of the family about fifty years later. John wrote:

Chicago, Ill[inois] December 12, 1925

Dearest Uncle and Cousins,

I have sad news to inform you. Our beloved father has moved from us, he has gone where there is no sorrow any more. We hope there he has found his brothers and sisters as well as other relatives that have gone before him.

He died Nov. 15 after eight weeks of heart failure. At times he suffered a lot, but you never hear a complaint from him, always thankful for everything.

He was, until his death, always grateful and ready to help others, and forget himself.

Our mother as well as we kids feel his going hard, but have the hope to see him again.

I will hereby end my letter for this time with greeting from us all.

It is hard for me to write in Swedish. It's been about 15 years since I wrote the last one, perhaps I'll do better next time.

John T. Holmquist
8041 Vernon Ave.
Chicago, Ill
U.S.A.

John [Johannes] Holmquist: Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index

John [Johannes] Holmquist: Cook County, Illinois Death Index

Emma lived for another 20 years and kept her home at 6613 Green Street. Toward the end of her life, Esther [Holm] Holmquist took care of Emma, and was very devoted to her. Emma died May 8, 1944. Out of appreciation for her taking care of her mother John T. gave his portion of his inheritance to Esther.

Johannes was the sixth of eight children.3 Of those eight children, five emigrated to America.

For information on Johannes and Hanna's descendants see:

Descendants of Johannes and Emma Holmquist.

Much of the initial information on this page was written in 1935 by John T. Holmquist in his document entitled A brief Family Tree.

Footnotes

1. Chicago also contained thousands of immigrants from other countries including Greeks, Czechs, Hungarians, Russians, Poles, Yugoslavians, Italians. Irish, and Norwegians.