John W. Nordstrom

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Johan Wilhelm Nordstrom

Swedish: Johan Vilhelm Nordström
Birthdate:
Birthplace: Alvik 19, Nederluleå, Norrbotten, Sweden
Death: October 11, 1963 (92)
Seattle, King County, Washington, United States
Place of Burial: Seattle, King County, Washington, United States
Immediate Family:

Son of Nils Peter Nilsson Nordström and Katarina Charlotta Hansson
Husband of Hilda Catharina Nordstrom
Father of Everett William Nordstrom; Elmer John Nordstrom; Mable Nordstrom and Lloyd Nordstrom
Brother of Nils August Nordström and Maria Holmgren
Half brother of Lisa Greta Andersson

Managed by: Private User
Last Updated:

About John W. Nordstrom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_W._Nordstrom

He was born Johan Nordström (later anglicizing it to "John") in the village of Alvik, near Luleå, Sweden, and 60 miles from the Arctic Circle. Nordstrom's father, a blacksmith, wainwright, and part-time farmer, died when Nordstrom was eight. Three years later, Nordstrom's mother took him out of school to work on the family farm. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 16. Arriving in America with $5 to his name, he worked his way across the continent taking jobs on railways and in mines, lumber camps and shipyards, eventually arriving in Seattle, Washington in 1896.

While working at a sawmill he read a newspaper account of the discovery of gold in the Klondike and headed to Alaska to make his fortune. He invested in a claim on Gold Run, but his right to the claim was challenged and a lawsuit was filed. Nordstrom was delighted when another party offered him $30,000 for the claim. He sold it, split the money with his two partners, and returned with his share ($13,000) to the warmer climate of Seattle. Nordstrom, Inc.

In Seattle, Nordstrom attended business school, built two rental houses on Capitol Hill, and decided to join his friend, Carl Wallin, in the shoe business. He and Carl opened Wallin & Nordstrom, a shoe store, at Fourth Avenue and Pike Street in 1901. From that first shoe store grew the Nordstrom retail empire. John Nordstrom retired in 1928 selling his stake to his sons Everett Nordstrom and Elmer Nordstrom. Everett and Elmer also acquired Carl Wallin's share of the company. John's third son Lloyd Nordstrom joined the company as a part owner in 1933. Members of the Nordstrom family still own 20% of Nordstrom Inc and closely supervise the chain.[1] Ironically John Nordstrom never had a passion for the shoe business, although he continued to show up at the shoe store almost daily into his mid 80s to chat with customers.[2] His initials (JWN) are used as Nordstroms' ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange. Personal information

In May 1900, John Nordstrom married Hilda Carlson, also a Swedish immigrant, and began raising a family. He and Hilda eventually had three sons: Everett, Elmer, and Lloyd. All three of Nordstrom's sons eventually managed the store, in turn, as they graduated from the University of Washington School of Business.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8564



Anbytarforum: Nordström 2002:

Emigrerade 1887 28/5 från Nederluleå, BD till Klondyke, USA (B-ML). Efter en lyckosam tid i Klondyke, kom han till Seattle och startade en skoaffär med en god vän. Affären har senare utvecklats till Nordstrom's varuhus, som finns i större städer i USA, särskilt då i västra delen. Hans sonson John Nordstrom var årets svensk-amerikan år 1992

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Företagshistoria och foton; http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/company-history?origin=leftnav (Länk kollad 2014-12-28)

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John W. Nordstrom's Timeline

1871
February 15, 1871
Alvik 19, Nederluleå, Norrbotten, Sweden
1903
January 13, 1903
1904
November 23, 1904
Seattle, King County, Washington, United States
1906
1906
1911
1911
1963
October 11, 1963
Age 92
Seattle, King County, Washington, United States
????
Lake View Cemetery, Seattle, King County, Washington, United States