Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Chalstrom, John E 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 7, 2007, 10:26 pm

Author: Genealogical & Biographical Record

JOHN E. CHALSTROM. A goodly number of the Swedish-American citizens of Joliet
have successfully engaged in contracting and building, and in this number is 
Mr. Chalstrom, who has followed his chosen occupation for some years in this 
city and has become known as a reliable, honest and efficient workman. Among 
the people of his own nationality he is well known, being a leader in 
movements for their benefit. Since the organization of the First Swedish 
Methodist Episcopal Church he has served as president of its board of 
trustees. When a house of worship was built he had charge of the work as 
chairman of the building committee, and when that building was destroyed by 
fire he rebuilt on the same site. For many years he was a class-leader and at 
this writing he is recording secretary of the church. In the Swedish 
Republican Club he has been an energetic worker, being a stanch believer in 
Republican principles. He was the first agent in Joliet for the Minnesota 
Scandinavian Relief Association of Red Wing and still represents that company. 
In the North Star Benefit Association, of which he is a member, he holds 
office as a deputy.

In the laen of Kalmar, Sweden, Mr. Chalstrom was born March 21, 1864, a son of 
Charles and Johanna Gustava (Nelson) Johnson, natives of the province of 
Smaland. His father, a son of Jonas Johnson, became the owner of a farm at 
Bronthult, and there spent his entire active life. When he was sixty years of 
age he was killed one day by a drunken man while returning home from a fair. 
His wife, who was a daughter of Nels Peter Swensen, a farmer, died at forty 
years of age. They were the parents of twelve children, ten of whom are 
living, of these, two (John and Charles) being in America. John, who was 
reared on the home farm, came to the United States in 1884 and spent two 
months in a carpenter shop in Chicago, after which he located in Lockport. For 
five years he was employed on Harmon Fraziers farm in Homer Township, and 
meantime he acquired a good knowledge of the English language.

Upon coming to Joliet in 1889, Mr. Chalstrom began to deal in real estate in 
this city. He also bought lots in Chicago, but these he soon sold and invested 
in Joliet property. In 1890 he began to build on his lots and has erected six 
residences for sale, the larger number of which have been sold. After working 
for a time upon his own buildings he began to take contracts for others, and 
has since been kept busy in carrying out his contracts. He built the residence 
that he occupies at No. 141 Jackson street. In all of his contracts it has 
been his aim to live up to both the letter and the spirit of the agreement, 
and his work has been universally recognized as permanent in value. He is a 
man of honor, whose life is above reproach and in whom every confidence is 
placed. Since coming to Joliet he has established domestic ties, his wife 
being Ida M. Nelson, a native of Sweden. They have three children living, 
Florence Amelia, Alice D. and Myrtle Cornelia, and lost their only son, Walter 
A., when he was fifteen months old.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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