Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Per Mellander Israelsson Näslund (1838-1907) who emigrated from Sweden

Per Mellander Israelsson Näslund (1838-1907) aka Peter Naslund; Immigrant to USA in 1865; Ship Sank off Cape Horn; Survived the Great Chicago Fire; Mariner, Well and Ditch Digger (b. July 27, 1838, Näs, Högsjö socken, Västernorrland län, Sweden - d. January 20, 1907, Crystal Lake, McHenry County, Illinois, 60014, USA)

Birth:
Per was the son of Erik Näslund (1791-1873) and Margareta Steckson (1800-1856).

Siblings:
He had the following siblings: Israel Eriksson Näslund (1823-?); Elsa Magdalena Näslund (1825-?); Daniel Eriksson Näslund (1826-?) who married Barbro Stina Nilsdotter (1819-?); Erik Eriksson Näslund (1829-?); Olof Eriksson Näslund II (1832-1893) who married Kajsa Stina Nordkvist (1827-1914); Johan Eriksson Näslund (1835-?); and Anna Dorothea Näslund (1842-?) who married Paulus Walter (1814-1887).

Emigration and Marriage:
Per emigrated in 1865. He came to America after his ship sank near Cape Horn in South America. He them came to the US and moved to Chicago, Illinois.

Marriage:
He married Elizabeth Britta Bylund (1845-1915) aka Berta Bylund, in 1869 in Chicago, Illinois.

Great Chicago Fire:
He first lived in Chicago, Illinois but moved to Crystal Lake, Illinois after the Great Chicago Fire of Sunday, October 08, 1871.

Children:
Together Elizabeth and Per had the following children: George E. Naslund (1874-1938) who married Jennie Camm (1872-aft1920); Albert Naslund (1875-1936); Martin Naslund (1878-1955) who married Sophie Axelina Rosell (1876-1937); Mathilda Christina Naslund (c1880-before1900) and William Charles Naslund (1881-1948) who married Edith Elizabeth Rosell (1884-1956).

Crystal Lake, Illinois:
He appears in the 1880 US Census under the name "Peter Nelson" and "Britia Nelson" living in Crystal Lake, McHenry County, Illinois. He has his two youngest children, George and Martin still living at home and he is working as a "ditcher". In the 1900 US Census he is living in Nunda, McHenry County, Illinois under the name "Peter Naslund" and "Bertha Naslund". He had 5 children with 4 living in 1900 and was working as a "hole digger".

Death:
He died in 1907.

Burial:
He was buried in Union Cemetery in McHenry County.

Relationship:
Per Mellander Israelsson Näslund (1838-1907) was the first cousin, four times removed of Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ).