Title: A history of the northern peninsula of Michigan
and its people;.
Author: Sawyer, Alvah L. (Alvah Littlefield), 1854-1925.
Collection: Michigan County Histories Page 776
ANDREW BJORKMAN.-Occupying a foremost position among the worthy
and esteemed business men of Iron Mountain is Andrew Bjorkman, one of
the earlier settlers of this part of the Upper Peninsula, widely known
as an extensive and wealthy lumber dealer. He was born August 7, 1859,
at Forlanda, Hallands, Sweden, where his parents were life-long
residents. They reared four children, namely: August, deceased, served
as a soldier in the Swedish Army; Martin; Annie; and Andrew. The three
children now living are residents of the United States. Brought up in
his native land, Andrew Bjorkman acquired a practical education when
young, and at the age of twenty years sailed for America, disembarking
at Prince Arthur's Landing, Canada, where he was engaged in railroad
construction for a short time. Coming from there to Marquette,
Michigan, he took a contract to build a mile of the Detroit and
Mackinac railway, and at its completion went to Florence, Wisconsin,
where he was employed as a mining contractor until 1883. Locating in
that year at Iron Mountain, Mr. Bjorkman was engaged in mining at the
Chapin Mine for eight years, and since that time has been extensively
engaged in the lumber business in the Upper Peninsula, his operations
in Michigan having been in Ontonagon, Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson and
Menominee counties, and in Wisconsin in Marinette and Florence
counties, his work at the present time being principally in the latter
county. As a lumber dealer he is meeting with satisfactory results,
year by year adding to his wealth, and as a man of integrity and honor
is held in high regard as a valuable member of the community. He is a
director of the First National Bank of Iron Mountain, and is a member
of the Board of Public Works, which he has served as president. Mr.
Bjorkman married, in 1882, Johanna Nelson, who was born at Wiby,
Orebro, Sweden, and is the only member of her family to come to this
country. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bjorkman,
namely: Albin, Frank, Thera, Gust, Selma, Elsie and David. Politically
Mr. Bjorkman is a straightforward Republican, and religiously is both
a member and a trustee of the Swedish Mission church, to which Mrs.
Bjorkman also belongs, and is one of the trustees of the United
Presbyterian Mission Society. |
