JOHN OTIS EDGREN
This article is made by Dorothy, daughter of John and granddaughter of Hanna. His mother called him Talus when the lived in Sweden, and the last two years in Norway
JOHN EDGREN
Written by Dorothy Edgren Turner
John Edgren was born in Sweden on October 31, 1891. He came to America at the age of four years with his mother, Johannah, and his sister, Elizabeth, age nine years.
They came to join his father, John Edgren, who had come earlier.
The language barrier was very difficult. They lived in New York City for some time.
When John was six and seven years old he sold newspapers on Times Square. They lived
in Eastern cities, including Hartford, Conn. John could always find some kind of job and
bring home his meager pay to help the family. John's parents were both tailors and
opened tailor shops wherever they lived. They began working their way across country
to St Louis, Salt Lake City, Boise, Evanston and Ogden. There were times when they
ran a restaurant by day and tailored by night.
John worked at many jobs during his young life; delivering groceries, working for a
railroad, and as an apple grader.
John and Miriam Harris were married in Ogden on April 3, I912. They moved into a
small white house that they rented. They soon began to buy a few bricks at a time, and
built their own house. Dorothy and Lavon were born there.
John went to work for a Mr. Thompson cleaning wallpaper with a secret dough.
Their clients were many. Mr. Thompson gave John the formula and they worked
different parts of town. It was pretty successful.
Grandma Hannah went to Star Valley Wyoming, the pioneer spirit being very much
alive. The little Edgren family sold everything and moved to Star Valley Wyo. There
they took up a homestead called "Salt Hollow". From this time on, they were the John
and Mame team, always working together. They worked to get logs for a house and built
it by pulling the logs in place with horse and chain. There are many stories about this
period, with the 50-degree below temperature, the deep, deep snow in the winter, and a
ranch that failed.
John loved cartoons and found that he could draw many of them, especially the
Maggie and Jigs. He also discovered he could many things but only in his pastime. He
was very athletic and could swim like a fish. He took his family to Sulpher Springs pool
many times and entertained all with his tricks and antics in the water.
Born into a mechanical world, John was soon to begin what he loved most, work with
engines. In the meantime, he had been blessed with two sons. First there was John III
and Vern. Soon there would another, Lloyd. With the help of a dear friend, John went to
San Francisco to learn all about the new engines and about electricity. After completing
the course, he opened his first small shop.
John and partners bought a large threshing machine and case tractor and contracted
out threshing the farmer's grain each fall. This was very successful.
During this time, John was called to fix an engine. The owner did not tell him the
belt was loose, and when he started it, the belt flew off and blinded him in one eye. Then
he contracted the dreaded virus quinsy, which was quite a misery at this time. While still
recovering from it, our house burned down and all was lost. He had been tried, but with
much faith in the future and his sense of humor back in place, he said; "Mame, lets go to
California just for the winter." It was fall 1927 and things got a little rough until he got a
job at Chev. Motor Co. on 73rd avenue in Oakland. This was a time the family never
forgot.
John and his family went back to Thayne, Wyoming in the Spring and with the help of a very dear friend, the Red Star Motor Company was born. The team was in gear again. Miriam became Post Mistress and added a gift shop. John sold new cars, repaired cars, and sold gas. They then added groceries and confections and it became Red Star Motor and Mercantile Company.
John was selling cars for Rich Motor Co., Montelur, ldaho. Hc sold many Plymouths and when a Chrysler representative came through the valley, he asked who had sold all the Plymouths. Jack Edgren was the reply. He immediately signed John for the Star Valley Territory dealership. The same that carried through the great depression and World War Il and over into the Pleasanton after the war.
The depression was very hard, Money seemed to disappear. Business suffered, especially with their compassion for their fellow man. Groceries were sold on credit, many were never paid back, leaving them in debt. The entire family worked at the business, doing whatever needed to be done. All grew up learning the same basic principles in this little Mormon town of Thayne, Wyoming.
For World War Il, all three sons went into the service, leaving John and Marne not too well and feeling their loss. With hope and faith that God would bring their sons home, they sold their holdings and came to Pleasanton. John put all he had into a new business. The boys all came home in one piece to a thankful and grateful family. All began building as John Edgren and Sons. John soon bowed out and turned it all over to his sons. They in tum began with their father's example of friendship and above all, honesty.
John purchased a mobile trailer home and hit the fishing trail. He and Mame became a fishing team, going wherever they heard the fishing was good. At Christmas time, cards carne from all over the U.S. and Canada as evidence of the many friendships they had acquires.
John continued to do a few things to help at the Pleasanton agency until approximately 1965. He loved new invention ideas and tinkered with that.
The fishing trips to the Klamath River for salmon continued until 1978. There were Mame and John out in an aluminum boat, catching whoppers to send to the cannery. lmagine them at the mouth of the river and ocean catching fish half as long as Marne at ages 85 and 86! They truly were an inspiration to all.
In 1979, John asked for the Elders and soon entered Baptism. A year later, John and Mame, after 69 years together, were married in Temple to insure their togetherness continuing throughout eternity.
John had a long and fruitful life and now, with two of his sons, waits lovingly for Mame.Här börjar din text. Du kan klicka här och börja skriva. Ipsum quia dolor sit amet consectetur adipisci.
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