John Edward Winblad, I

John Edward Winblad I (1856-1914) aka Johan Edvard Winblad, was a ship's mate and a longshoreman. He moved from Sweden to Norway in 1879 then moved to the United States in 1884 or 1885. He lived in Cuba from 1910 to 1914 and two of his children were born there. He died in Norway on trip to visit his in-laws when his father in-law was dying in 1914. (b. May 14, 1856, Prästbordet, Ytterlännäs, Västernorrland, Sweden - d. September 24, 1914, Klungeland farm, Vanse parish, Farsund, Vest-Agder, Norway)

Ancestors:

John was the third, great-grandson of Anders Örbom (1675-1740). Anders was a Captain in the Swedish Army.

Parents:

Anton Julius Winblad I (1828-1901) and Elsa Maria Elisabeth Näslund (1829-1907). Anton was a school teacher, and the church organist. Elsa's father was the minister for the church.

Birth:

John was born on May 14, 1856 in Ytterlännäs, Sweden.

Siblings:

His siblings include: Karl Israel Winblad (1857-?); Johanna Winblad (1859-1916) who married Per Olof Bernhard Vahlberg (1852-1927) and had children; Anton Teodor Winblad (1862-?) who became a Lieutenant in the military; Maria Elisabet Winblad II (1865-1937) who married the storekeeper Jonas Kempe (1861-1918) and had children; and Frideborg Winblad (1869-1964) who never married and became a teacher in Ytterlännäs.

Ytterlännäs to Anundsjö, Sweden:

On January 24, 1866 at 10 years old, John was a student and his family moved to the "prästbordet", or church house in Anundsjö, Västernorrland, Sweden. The family oral tradition has been that John ran away from home, rather then study to be a minister. Many of the members of his mother's family were ministers. The records show that John didn't move with his family, he must have been at a boarding school.

Ship's mate:

He signed on in Härnösand on July 13, 1871 and signed off the ship on October 21, 1871 with Captain J.P. Lindström. John was15 years old. He was leaving Härnösand on May 29, 1872 and going to Liverpool. He returned to Sweden at Söderhamn on June 15, 1874 in a ship owned by C.M. Åberg. He returned to Stockholm on June 17, 1875. He then signed on in Härnösand on July 24, 1875 with Captain J.O. Stafverin and signed off the ship on Christmas Day, December 25, 1876 in New York City. This may be his his first trip to the United States and what gave him the idea to emigrate in 1883 or 1884.

Norway:

John officially changed his residency on November 10, 1879, from Sweden to Farsund, Norway.

Marriage:

While in Farsund he met Salmine Sophia Severine Olesdatter Pedersen (1862-1914). They married on January 14, 1883 in Oslo, Norway. She was listed as "Salmine Sofie Severine Pedersen" and he was listed as "Johan Edvard Vinblad". Salmine was the daughter of Ole Mathias Pedersen (1820-1914); and Thea Johanne Torstensdatter (1825-1864). Ole was a baker in Farsund.

Emigration:

John emigrated in May of 1882 according to his naturalization certificate, but he may have arrived in 1883, after his marriage to Salmine.

United States:

As "John E. Winblad" at age 27 he arrived in New York on March 31, 1884 from England aboard the "Arizona". He listed his occupation as a "miner", but it may be a mistranslation of "mariner". On September 4, 1884 Salmine, listed as "Salmine Wemmeland", and her father, Ole Pedersen are traveling outside Norway. John worked as a longshoreman when he arrived and may have been a high ranking union member. They lived in Greenwich Village in Manhattan in New York.

Children:

Together Salmine and John had the following children: Anton Julius Winblad (1886-1975) aka Tony Winblad, who married Eva Ariel Lattin (1892-1939) and latter married Marguerite Van Rensselaer Schuyler (1891-1972) aka Marge Van Rensselaer Schuyler; Theodora Winblad (1888) who died as an infant; Mary Winblad (1889) who died as an infant; Otto Edward Winblad (1892) who died as an infant; Marie Elizabeth Winblad (1895-1987) aka Mae Winblad, who married Arthur Oscar Freudenberg (1891-1968); John Edward Winblad II (1897-1899) aka Eddie Winblad, who died as a youth from pertussis; and Otto Perry Winblad (1902-1977) who was born in New Jersey, and married Helen Louise Hollenbach (1905-1928) and after her death he married Leah Maria Way (1901-1986).

Salmine visits Norway:

On April 27, 1894 Salmine traveled from Kristiansand, Norway to New York City, New York. She was listed as "Salmine Sofie Vinblad". She was traveling with her son, Anton Julius Winblad.

Naturalization:

John received citizenship on November 14, 1889 in Manhattan. He was living at 454 Washington Street in Greenwich Village.

Jersey City, New Jersey:

Around 1898-1899 John moved out of Greenwich Village in New York and moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, where it was quieter and more rustic. He had a two-family house built at 439 Wayne Street. He appears in the 1899 City Directory of Jersey City. In 1900 he appears on the census living with his children and a boarder named Anton Pedersen (1872-?), who was working as a longshoreman with John. John listed his emigration as 1886 and Salmine's as 1887. Anton, his son, was "learning making candy" for work.

Trip to Norway:

On August 2, 1901 John made a trip from Kristiansand, Norway to New York aboard a Cunard liner, perhaps coming home from visiting his sick father. John's father died on October 30, 1901.

Isle of Pines, Cuba:

There are several ads in the New York Times for plantations and homes on the Isle of Pines such as: "A Winter Home In the Isle of Pines. Escape the bitter competition of ... industrial conditions. Own a fruit and ..." The family appears in the US census for New Jersey on April 23, 1910, and after that, John and Salmine went to the Isle of Pines in Cuba. John's son, Anton, married Eva Ariel Lattin (1892-1939) in 1910. They returned from their first trip on March 21, 1911 aboard the ship "Saratoga". They may have grown pineapples or citrus on their plantation.

Julia Lattin (1880-1960), Eva's sister wrote the following in 1960: "In the year (1909) my parents moved to the Isle of Pines, just south of Cuba, which was populated at that time by 90% Americans. They had expected that the United States would take it over, but several years later it was turned over to Cuba. My parents (Jarvis Andrew Lattin and Mary Jane Puckett) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary (October 15, 1924) there, and my sister Eva, [Earl Winblad,] and I made them a suprise visit. They were so happy to see us. The boat made only two trips a week between Cuba and the island. we had our luggage inspected in Havana and spent one night there. It took about two hours to cross Cuba by train, and the boat was waiting for us. It was just an overnight trip to the Isle of Pines, and it was so calm there was hardly a ripple on the water. But we did experience a very bad hurricane while there. every one boards up their windows when they see the storm approaching. [They returned from Havana, Cuba aboard the Ship 'Siboney' on November 08, 1924]. After Cuba took over the island, many of the Americans left and went back to the States as my parents did."

Maria and Otto return to New Jersey:

His children, Maria and Otto, stayed about a year and returned on March 26, 1912 and they then lived in Jersey City, perhaps at a rental property that the family still owned.

Wedding of daughter:

In 1914 John and Salmine left Cuba to attend the wedding of their daughter, Maria in New Jersey and from there they went to visit family in Norway and Sweden.

Letters:

Anton wrote his father around 1914 the following: "Dear Father & Mother; I am sending you [a] picture of Tony chasing chickens and ducks, Norman is pumping water for them. It is very quiet here and we are all looking [for] news about the war. But [I] guess you are having all kinds of trouble over there. [I] am sending you what papers I can get now, for the people are coming back. Food has gone up double and sugar that grow[s] here is very scarce for they are sending it away. By the time you get this card I will be Postmaster of Santa Barbara, with Eva as assistant and it will be in Mr. Waha's store. [I] am sending Otto some more stamps. We are having [the] raining season now, it has been raining all week. Your loving son, Tony".

In October 1914 Anton wrote to: "Mr. & Mrs. John E. Winblad, Farsund, Norway via New York. Am sending you papers three times a week. That is some banana plants in the background, Dear Father and Mother, I wrote you about four weeks ago telling you about the map I sent three month ago, so if you don't get it please let me know for I will try to get you one more. Am sending Otto a baseball by Registered Mail and some more stamps. How do you like this picture? Tony." The postcard was mailed before Anton learned of his father's death.

Death:

John died of cancer on September 24, 1914 while in Farsund, Norway. He was there for the death of his father-in-law: Ole Pedersen, who had died on August 24, 1914, just 31 days (1 month) earlier.

Burial:

He was buried on September 30, 1914 in Vanse parish in Farsund.

Hannah Olson:

Salmine's sister Hannah Eline Olson (1860-1938) aka Lena Olson, who married Andrew Havig Jensen (1860-1930) also went to Norway on this trip and she took her son Alvin Jensen. Lena and Alvin returned on September 30, 1914.

Death of widow:

Salmine died on December 12, 1914, and was buried at Vanse parish in Farsund. She died just 79 days after her husband (2 months, 18 days).

Memories about John Winblad:

Earl Vincent Winblad (1916-2005) said on March 03, 1999: "My father told me that there were 4 brothers in Sweden that were siblings of John Edward Winblad. Anton told me that his father was a sea captain and that his room was filled with stamps and coins from all over the world. I asked him how to pronounce our name in Swedish and he said Vin-Lead, which meant wine grass. I asked Otto Winblad to teach me Swedish and he taught me to say 'Thank You' and 'Skoal'. Anton told me that the other brothers were scholars."

Memories about John Winblad:

Maria Elisabeth Winblad (1895-1987) via Susan Penny Van Deusen (1952- ) said: "John Edward Winblad's father was the dean of a college in Sweden. The family had a cook and cleaning lady. John was attending college and was expected to be a priest when he ran away from home for 5 years. He met Salmine Pedersen in Norway. John Edward's father later regretted forcing priesthood on John. In 1910 John Edward and his son Anton moved to the Isle of Pines in Cuba. They had a 4 bedroom house built with a living room and dining room. In 1914 John Edward, Salmine and Otto went back to Norway, so Salmine could visit her father. They stayed at an aunt's house while there. They made trips to Sweden with Otto. They were there for less then a year when they both died." Note: He was not a dean, but the village school teacher. His daughter later was the principal of the local high school and the stories may have become conflated and exaggerated.

Relationship:

John Edward Winblad (1856-1914) was the maternal great-grandparent of Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ).

Source:

Researched and written by Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ) on July 24, 2003. It was updated for grammar on June 21, 2010 by Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ).