Carl Johan Janson Biography

12 January, 2010 Page 1 of 22

Carl Johan Jönsson (Charles John Janson) Preface This paper is an effort to document the life of Charles John Janson who emigrated from Sweden in 1848 and travelled to San Francisco where he became a successful and wealthy businessman. An attempt will be made to describe not only the key events in his life but to also place them within a historical context of the times in which he lived. His early life in Sweden is the subject of a separate paper. Introduction My interest in Charles Janson and his family stems from the fact that one of his daughters was the 3rd great grandfather of my children. His daughter, Louise Vilhelm Janson married Henry Maurice Lindskog, also from Sweden, and he and his family are the subjects of another research paper. All rights to this paper as written are reserved. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes provided that proper attributions to the author are included. The Janson Surname During the course of investigation into the life of Charles Janson a number of spelling variants were encountered. Some sources suggest that Janson is an anglicized spelling of Jansen, Janssen, and Jansson. Janson and Jansen were the most common and almost an equal number of sources were found for each. Jantzen, Janzen, Jensen and Jenson are also spelling variants but no sources were found with these spellings. However, in the documents that could be attributed directly to Charles Janson, he always spelled his name as Janson. Newspaper accounts used both Janson and Jansen, sometimes switching between the two spellings in the same article. However, his wife stated in a marriage document found in Sweden that she married a Carl Johan Jönsson, yet another spelling variant. Carl becomes Charles, Johan becomes John, and the extra “s” in Swedish patronymics denotes the possessive case, thus Jön’s son becomes Jönsson or when anglicized, Johnson. As will be shown later, Janson was found in the 1860 census in New York with the name Johnson. The marriage document was the only instance of the Jönsson spelling found during the course of this research. His middle name of John was found in only two documents; his voter registration in the 1867 and 1872 Great Registers. By far, the greatest number of references to him were written as “C. J. Janson or Janson, C. J.” New York to San Francisco Our story of his life in America begins on the steamship Crescent City. The newspaper, New York Herald lists C. J. Janson as departing New York City on September 16, 1849 bound for Chagres, Panama. The transcontinental railroad had yet to be built and rather than endure the rigors and dangers of a journey across the western territories, most people preferred traveling by ship. There were two primary routes by ship during this time period; around Cape Horn1 which could take as long as 4 months and cost $150 or, to Chagres Panama, across the isthmus, then another ship at Panama City and up the west coast to San Francisco. The trip across the isthmus to the west coast of Panama was the most dangerous and harrowing part of the journey. The trip from New York City to Chagres would have taken about 8 days if the weather and winds were good. After arriving on the 24th of September in Chagress with his fellow passengers he would have been shocked at the condition of the village. It was inhabited by about 1500 local people of mixed blood. It did not have any sanitation or police resources to handle all the people. On the left of the village were the miserable dirty bamboo huts of the 1 Prospectus from Brooks & Frye, No. 10 Wall Street, NYC, dated 26 December 1848 for the Ship Balance to leave NYC on 18 January 1849 around Cape Horn bound for Sacramento and the Gold Fields


natives. On the right were better huts with huge signs: Washington Hotel, Astor House, and the like. However, they were certainly not hotels that Janson would have been accustomed to

in his native land. Other accounts of this journey indicated that there was no fresh meat for meals, only fruit. The biggest dangers of the 6 to 7 day crossing of the isthmus included robbery and insect- and water-born diseases such as Chagres or Panama fever (yellow fever), malaria, cholera, and typhoid. Many slept in the streets and by the harbor waiting for transportation to the other side of Panama. From Chagres the passengers would hire local indians to take them in canoes up the Chagres River to Gorgons, camping out each night in the hot and muggy jungle. After 4 to 5 days on the river they would have reached Gorgons where a room could be had for the night. The final part of the trip would be on a mule for about 2 days slogging through the muddy trail down to Panama City. If the weather has cooperated the date at this point is about October 1, 1849. However, we know from a passenger

list compiled in Panama City that he arrived there on October 6, 1849. It appears that either the sailing from New York to Chagres took longer than usual or the trip across the Isthmus was delayed somehow. We don’t know exactly how long Charles Janson had to wait in Panama City for a ship to go up the west coast; he could have been there for a day or two or longer. The next leg of his journey would have taken about 8 days to reach Acapulco and assuming he left within a day or two of his arrival in Panama City, he would now be in Acapulco on October 16th. Most ships on this route would have stayed overnight in the harbor. Mazatlan was typically the next stop and once again he would have stayed overnight in the town. After 18 days on the ship Janson and his fellow passengers would have arrived in San Diego. On October 27th after a 3 day trip from San Diego and a brief stop in Monterey, Charles Janson would have arrived in San Francisco. [to read a first hand account of this journey by Adolf Sutro see Exhibits 1 and 2] Another early record of Charles Janson is a document dated August, 1850 showing him to be a life member of the Society of California Pioneers. The


document indicates that the organization was formed in August, 1850. The dates next to each life member I believe is their date of arrival in California, however, this has yet to be verified. It indicates that Charles J. Janson became a life member on October 30, 1849 and if this is in fact correct then the trip from New York City on September 16 and ending in San Francisco on October 30 took 44 days, somewhat longer than the 3 week journey under ideal conditions. The Society of California Pioneers was formed to "to cultivate the social virtues of its members, to collect and preserve information connected with the early settlement and conquest of the country, and to perpetuate the memory of those who sagacity, enterprise, and love of independence induced them to settle in the wilderness, and become the germ of a new State." The Society continues to exist and has its headquarters in San Francisco2 as it has always been. A Business Begins After arriving in San Francisco did Charles Janson travel to the gold fields as so many did in search of his fortune? My belief is that he did not. Charles was a merchant and rather than toil away in the gold fields I think he set about starting his own business to cater to the miners and the rapidly growing population of San Francisco. We know from one of his obituaries that by 1851 he had already established a store on the Long Wharf3. The wharf was built 'from the bank in the middle of the block between Sacramento and Clay Streets, where Leidesdorff Street now is, 800 feet into the Bay.' After 1850 it was extended 2,000 feet and the Pacific mail steamers and other large vessels anchored there. Central or Long Wharf is now Commercial Street. By the time he arrived in the city it had exploded in population from virtually a few hundred people to over 25,000 inhabitants in a span of two years. According to the August 28, 1847 edition of the California Star newspaper there were only 459 people living in San Francisco as of that date.4 By April of 1848 the population had grown to 850 and when the fact that gold had been discovered became widely known, the rush to California’s gold fields was on. It was estimated that by July of 1849 there were 5,000 people in the city and by December of that same year, San Francisco had grown to over 25,000 inhabitants. Continuing with my hypothesis that he went into business rather than travel to the gold fields, we find a number of early sources that confirm this conjecture. As will be seen throughout this study we know that Charles Janson was a merchant of dry goods. While we rarely use the term dry goods any longer, in the 19th century it meant a store which sold fabrics, textiles, and clothing made from cotton, wool, rayon, silk, and related materials, including ready-to-wear clothing and bedding. The earliest record of a Janson or variant of the name owning a business in the City is in this 1850 San Francisco City Directory 5 shown here. As described earlier, his name was spelled in a number of different ways over the years; Janson, Jansen, Jönsson, and Johnson. Misspelling of names in documents, census records, and directories was a common occurrence. Working on the assumption that it is a misspelling and knowing that Charles Janson’s business in later years was dry goods, we can safely conclude that this is the Charles Janson of our research. While this is not definitive proof that this listing is our Charles Janson when we couple it with 2 The Society of California Pioneers, 300 Fourth Street San Francisco, CA 94107-1272 3 San Francisco Bulletin, February 5, 1879, Brief Mention 4 Source: California Star, 28 August 1847, this newspaper reported that there were white males-247, white females-128; Indian males-26, Indian females-8; S. Islander males-39, S. Islander females-1; Negro males-9, Negro females-1. 5 Source: Kimball, Charles P. The San Francisco City Directory. September 1, 1850: Journal of Commerce Press, Montgomery Street, San Francisco.


other evidence that will be shown later in this report, one can strongly suggest that this was his first business after his arrival in San Francisco. Further evidence is that there was no other

Janson or variant of the name shown in the City Directory during 1850. There is also a record in the 1852-3 City Directory of San Francisco 6 of a Janson, O J., dry goods located at 92 Sansome Street which

could be our Charles Janson and that the first initial “O” was simply a misprint. There was only one other Janson/Jansen listed in this directory; an Edmund Jansen, an import grocer located at 69 Sacramento Street. His first name rules him out as a possibility. The 1850 business was located on Jackson not far from Portsmouth Square which was the hub of the city in that year. The 1852-3 store location was at 92 Sansome which is one block north of Market Street. My assumption is that as his business grew he moved it from the Jackson Street address closer to the rapidly developing business locations around Market Street. It is also possible that he moved because so many buildings burned in the early years of the city. A Vicious Attack Additional evidence of his early businesses comes from two newspaper accounts. Notice that in the first one, his name is also spelled “Jansen”

February 19, 1851, Prominent merchant C.J. Jansen was badly beaten today and it has caused much excitement amongst the populace. Two Australians were arrested. February 22, 1851, 5000 citizens rallied to demand that James Stuart and a man named Windred be hanged for robbing the store of C.J. Jansen. Sam Brannan urged a quick hanging.

These accounts succinctly describe the lawlessness that existed at that time. A group in San Francisco known as the Ducks and Hounds were responsible for most of the theft and fires that were prevalent in the city at the time. The following is one account of the activity of these men.

San Francisco had been on the rebound coming back from a state of near anarchy through numerous stages of reform in the previous 3 years. For the longest time, the Hounds and Ducks had spread a reign of terror throughout San Francisco. The Hounds were mustered out members of the 1st New York Volunteers from Five Points and the Bowery who had sailed around the Horn. Upon their arrival in San Francisco, the Mexican War was already over, so the regiment disbanded. Few wanted to go back to New York and many of them had lit out for the gold fields. They soon found that mining for gold was too much work and were so troublesome that the miners swiftly ran them out of the camps. Most returned to San Francisco and ganged up together in a big tent they called Tammany Hall at the corner of Kearny and Commercial Streets. They survived as thieves and extortionists and were quick to prey upon South Americans and Chinese and hounded them unmercifully, henceforth earning the nickname the "Hounds." The "Ducks" were worse than the Hounds and were from the convict settlements of Australia. They all lived along the waterfront between Broadway and Pacific streets in an area they called Sydney Town. They were even more depraved than the Hounds and more adept at rabble-rousing. Suspicious fires occasionally broke out whenever the wind blew away from Sydney Town and it was suspected that the fires were set by the Ducks who would always be the first ones to show up to loot through the rubble. Any time there was a commotion about town people would say, "The Sydney Ducks are cackling again."

6 The San Francisco Directory 1852 - 53. First Publication - San Francisco, published by James M. Parker, Office in Parsons' New Building, No 138 and 140 Clay Street.


A state of anarchy had loomed over the city by the bay, and on June 10, 1851, as the Flying Cloud was getting ready to sail from New York, a Committee of Vigilance had their first secret meeting in a warehouse and citizens then signed a constitution. Their headquarters was soon established on Battery Street and its own blue-and-white flag flew over the building. They lost little time when called to action to deal with rioters, robbers, arsonists, and murderers, although they never called themselves "vigilantes." Two strokes on a bell was the agreed upon signal to call them into action, that came from two firehouses centrally located a half-mile from each other. When the police were found lax in their duties, the Vigilance Committee would administer justice on their own. They had no qualms at all in hanging a Sydney Duck just a few hours after they had caught him stealing a safe. Hounds were also given summary justice and Hounds and Ducks alike were hung from the two stout beams at the headquarters.

It must have been very difficult to run a business in the city under these conditions, but apparently Charles Janson did perservere and became successful. In fact, 3 years after he arrived in San Francisco he was referred to as a “prominent” businessman. In 1855 he is shown in the Schellens Collection7 as a dry goods merchant. However, I believe that the two entries (Janson, C.J.) in this index also relate to Charles Janson. Later on in the 1870 census we learn that he was involved in the shipping business and importing as well. Also in 1855 an advertisement appears in the November 20 issue of the San Francisco Bulletin stating that Janson, Bond and Co. are dealers in foreign and domestic dry goods, address 69 Battery Street. In 1856 he again appears in the Schellens Collection with a partner, Charles W. Bond in the firm of Janson & Bond & Co. Since the names are not in alphabetical order and his name

appears first in the business name I assume that he was the senior partner. Charles W. Bond does show up in the year before (1855) Schellens Collection at the same business location as Charles, but there is no indication of the business name indicated in 1856. Perhaps Bond was an employee and then Janson made him a partner in 1856. San Francisco enjoyed several relatively crime and fire free years until the mid-1850s, which brought a gradual return of criminals and an economic depression as the end of the gold rush curtailed migration to San Francisco, reduced demand for services, and led to a 7 Richard N Schellens was a San Mateo Co resident who, after retirement, devoted his life to collecting genealogical and historical information. His collection is housed at the Redwood City Main Library in the History Room.


sharp decline in land and property values. In New York, it was reported that two-thirds of the 489 murders committed in California during 1855 were in San Francisco where none had been punished. The Annals of San Francisco quotes an anonymous writer saying of the city: "Masked men appeared openly in the streets and garrotted citizens, apparently defying law or resistance; the rough element had apparently banded together for the purpose of preying upon the wealth held by honest hands....”. “Politics was in fact accountable for this chaotic condition of city affairs". The city administration during this time was rife with bribery and corruption. It was this set of conditions that I believe led Charles Janson to set up a business in New York City. In 1858 a New York Times 8 article dated August 13, 1858 tells of the ship, Star of the West arriving at the port in New York the evening before. It brought the mail, passengers and treasure (money) from San Francisco. The money the ship was transporting was from 39 different businesses, one of which was Janson, Bond & Co. in the amount of $24,000. A number of these N.Y. Times articles were found in the time period of 1857 to 1859, all showing that Janson, Bond shipped a great deal of money to New York. I believe that most of this money went into an account in New York in order to pay his wholesalers from whom he bought his goods. I also believe that some of this money was sent by Charles to establish a business in New York City while his partner, Charles Bond continued to run the business in San Francisco. The following is the evidence to support this contention. Up to this point Charles appears in the various documents without any mention of a family or a private residence. Now the story becomes more complex and interesting. Marriage and A Family Begins As will be documented shortly, we know from several records in the parish of Arvika, a province of Värmland Sweden that a Theresia Lovisa Sundblad stated she married on 19 June 1859 Carl Johan Jönsson from N. Amerika and New York. Later on in this document we will show that this Carl Johan is the same person as our Charles Janson from San Francisco. We also know that Theresa and Charles’ first child, Lovisa (Louise who would later marry Henry Gustav Maurice Lindskog) was born in New York. This has been proven by several later censuses. In the 1860 U.S. Census of Brooklyn New York9, a Charles C. Johnson, age 38 is listed with a wife named Teresa, age 21. Both were born in Sweden and Charles’ profession is listed as a dry goods merchant with a personal estate valued at $10,000 ($158,000 in today’s dollars). Once again, his name has been spelled differently. This is definitely the same person since there are too many facts that corroborate this contention. Their ages are a perfect match for their birth years, they are both from Sweden, his profession is the same as in San Francisco, the census stated they were married within the year which we know to be true, and Theresa stated in the Swedish document that he was from New York and N. Amerika (sic). The census was taken on 9 June 1860 and their first child, Louise was born 20 July 1860 so Theresa was 8 months pregnant at the time. Also, living in the same house with them was Emily M Mald, age 25, James M Mald, age 25 (his profession described as a “Gentleman” with a personal estate valued at $5,000), and Christina Bankson, age 27, and listed as a servant. They were all from Sweden and I’m sure there is some connection to Charles and Theresa, but none has been found so far. What is not known is where Charles met Theresa; in New York, or in Sweden. Unfortunately the marriage records for Arvika don’t exist for that time period, nor do we have any marriage record from New York. My set of working assumptions at this stage is that after Charles established his business in New York City, he returned to Sweden on a trip in 1859 and married Theresa there. 8 Archives of the New York Times, August 13, 1858 9 Source: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1860. M653, 1,438 rolls. Ward 11, District 3, Kings County, New York


Charles, Theresa, and Louise left New York after Louise’s birth and returned to San Francisco, sometime between July, 1860 and 1862 when their second child, Charles Ludwig was born in San Francisco. What caused them to leave? Perhaps the outbreak of the Civil War in April, 1861 or simply that Charles wanted to return to his business in San Francisco. Janson, Bond & Co. placed this advertisement in the San Mateo County Gazette News in July 1861

This doesn’t prove that Janson was back in San Francisco by this year but it does show that the business continued probably under the leadership of his partner. Note that the business is now located at Clay and Battery streets. In 1862, Janson is involved in yet another business. He was elected as a director of the Eureka Homestead Association10. Homestead associations were collectives which allowed people to buy land by buying shares in the organization. For example, people would pay $250 for a share and agree to pay $10 a month for 25 month. The land, typically 25’ x 100’ lot would then be paid in full. These corporations were authorized in May 1861 and again in April of 1864 by the state legislature as a means to assist poorer citizens to purchase land and build homes. It also urbanized the parts of the city that were not as desireable as the downtown area. Shown here is a receipt for a monthly payment made to the Eureka Homestead Association. By 1863 he and his partner were not only importers and jobbers of dry goods but also had become agents for the Washington Marine Insurance Co. We also learn from this listing (shown below) in Langley’s San Francisco City Directory of October 1863 that the business was located at 401 and 403 Battery Street in San Francisco. It appears that they occupied two buildings and that the business had prospered. Also mentioned in this same City Directory listing is an Albert Miller. This same person is mentioned in an advertisement in the Daily Alta newspaper, October 3,

10 San Francisco Bulletin August 27, 1862 – Homestead Association Election


As Janson’s business “empire” grew so did his need for additional space. He contracted for a new building in August of 1863.

New Mercantile Buildings - The mercantile interests of the mart of trade are extending so rapidly that the necessities of enlarged business operations demand more and larger mercantile houses. The northeast corner of Battery and Pine streets is being improved, by the erection of a handsome brick block, by C. J. Janson, Esq. On the lots are now being razed, preparatory to the putting up of the new structure, the buildings occupied by Pope, Wilson & Co. , as a sash and blind manufactory. The foundation of the new stores is being laid broad and deep. The is forty-five feet ten inches by one hundred and thirty-seven feet six inches. The edifice will be four stories in height, iron front, and in every respect will rank with our first-class mercantile houses. John Cochran is the builder of mason work, and Mr. Shelden, the carpenter. The total cost of the structure will be $35,000.11

This is the equivalent of $619,000 in today’s dollars and although the structure was probably destroyed in the 1906 Fire, it sounded as if it was quite a smart building. The office building that stands there today appears to be on a lot of the same dimensions but it has 6 stories. The Civil War had begun in 1861 and by the spring of 1862 it was clear it would not end quickly. The Union's debt was growing at the rate of $2 million daily and it was equally clear the Federal government would need additional revenues. In 1862 the Federal government enacted the Internal Revenue Act of July 1, 1862 (12 stat. 432). In 1863 Janson paid $1,733.85 in Ad Valorem (property tax) duty on an assessed value of $34,676.92 of real estate12. This undoubtedly was the value of the new building that he erected. In 1865 we see that Janson paid tax of $240.7013 for the year 1864 on watches and other luxury items probably from his store. The address was listed as 202 Pine Street at Battery and his store was in this general area. Also in 1863 we find Charles Janson as a trustee in the Nelson Consolidated Gold and Silver Mining Company located at Gold Hill in Storey County, Nevada14. Gold hill was the site of the fabulous Comstock Lode, the first major discovery of silver in the United States. On December 30, 1863 the investor group filed their certificate of incorporation showing a capital stock of $120,000 in shares of $100 each. The trustees were listed as follows: Chas. J. Janson, Chas. J. Nelson, Andrew Lawson, John Peterson and Thos. P. Carroll. The names

are not in alphabetical order so it would seem that Janson was the lead investor and the corporation was named after Charles Nelson. The comstock lode was discovered in 1859 and continued to produce for 20 years. If they stayed in the business these five men must have made fortunes. It appears that Janson was also involved in another mining operation. This one was concerned with the mining of salt on Carmen Island in the Gulf of Mexico 130 miles northwest of La Paz of the shore of Baja California. The company was called the San Francisco Mining Company, Carmen Island and was incorporated on June 12, 186315. It had a capital stock of $480,000 in 2,400 shares. The trustees were C. B. Smith, G. S. Mann, E. A. Hawley, and

C. J. Janson. Since he was listed last I am assuming that he did no have as large a position as the others. However, they each could have had 600 shares making them equal partmers. 11 Daily Alta Calfornia newspaper, no. 4934, August 31, 1863 12 Source Information: U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918 - National Archives (NARA) microfilm series: M603, M754-M771, M773-M777, M779-M780, M782, M784, M787-M789, M791-M793, M795, M1631, M1775-M1776, T227, T1208-T1209. 13 ibid 14 Daily Alta California newspaper, December 30, 1863. 15 Daily Alta California newspaper, no.4858, June 13, 1863.


In 1864 he is listed in a newspaper article as a stockholder in the California Home Insurance Company 16. Two days later in the same newspaper, Charles Jansen is listed along with Albert Miller and others as “Directors” of the company. It appears that they were agents for the Washington Marine Insurance Co., and a year later as directors, had put their own money into the California Insurance Company. The insurance office was located at 204 California Street, just two blocks from their business at 401 Battery; a block from the modern day Embarcadero Center. The Langley listing shown on the previous page also describes his residence (dwl) as on the corner (cor) of Valencia and Twenty First which is in the Mission Dolores district. The building shown here is on that corner today and probably dates from that period since the district escaped the Fire of 1906. It has the look of a very substantial victorian, but sadly is now covered with Pepsi and liquor store signs. The Mission Dolores area was considered to be a desirable area to live during the 1860s and it was only about a mile from his home to his business on Battery Street. A Bold Robbery Then in 1864 something occurred at his store that gives us a better insight into the type of business that he had developed. The following is a newspaper account of a burglary of Janson and Bond that occurred on the evening of 8 July 1864. What makes this even more fascinating is that the article was written by none other than Mark Twain while he was staying in San Francisco and doing some occasional reporting for the newspaper located there. Here is his account of what happened that night.

Burglary - The Burglar Caught In The Act17 A bold robbery was attempted, last evening, in the second story of the premises owned by Janson, Bond & Co., corner of Battery and Pine streets, occupied as a fancy goods importing house, but which, owing to the vigilance of one of the clerks who slept in the store, and the promptitude of Special Officer Sweeney in answering his alarm, was frustrated. About half-past eleven, as the clerk was about retiring, he heard a suspicious noise and raised the cry of "Watch!" Officer Sweeney immediately ran in the direction, and met a man running hastily away. He asked him what the matter was, and he replied "Somebody has lost a watch round the corner." Sweeney ordered him to stop; in reply he made a desperate lunge at the officer with a bowie knife. Sweeney then struck him over the head with his night lantern and brought him to reason. He was then taken to the station-house, where, on being searched, four gold watches, three revolvers, a bowie knife, and two bunches of gold rings were found on his person. He stated his name as William Johnson, and further that he had accomplices, and the name of one was McCarty. Officers Minson and Greenwood then repaired to the scene of the attempted robbery and thoroughly searched the place. They found on the sidewalk, just under the window, where it had been let down by Johnson to his confederates, a bag containing fifteen pistols, five bowie-knives and two pairs of bullet moulds. Up to a late hour last evening, the accomplices of Johnson had not been captured. A box containing four hundred dollars in silver escaped the notice of the robbers. It is probable this gang is the same that were concerned in the recent attempted safe robberies. It is somewhat significant, taken in connection with matters transpiring in the interior of the State, that the purpose of these scoundrels seemed to be to get hold of all the arms they could, comparatively ignoring some valuable jewelry, and other articles, of which they might have possessed themselves.

16 Daily Alta California newspaper, no. 5329, October 3, 1864 17 Source: The San Francisco Daily Morning Call. 9 July 1864.


So, Mark Twain reported that Janson, Bond & Co. was a “fancy goods importing house” and judging from what the burglar had tried to steal that evening, Janson and his partner had expanded their business into luxury goods as well as weapons. I’m sure that the sale of guns was a very good business in the 1860s. In addition we learn from this account that Janson and Bond owned the building and that it had at least two floors. One of the most significant pieces of data that tells us more about the life of Charles Janson is his listing in the Great Register of California. These registers were compiled lists of registered voters that included such information as birth dates, naturalization dates, address and occupation. The earliest Great Registers were produced in 1866 as a result of the enactment of Chapter CCLXV, Laws of the 16th Session of the California State Legislature; 1865-66. Charles shows up in the 1867 Great Register, shown below. From this entry we learn that he lived in the Mission Dolores Ward 11 which is consistent with the residence shown in the City Directory, that he was age 45, born in Sweden, a merchant, and was naturalized on May 29, 1854 in the Superior Count and that this voter registration entry occurred on July 26, 1866.

His age of 45 tells us that he was born about 1821. His date of naturalization gives us an indication as to when he might have arrived in California. As a general rule, naturalization was a two-step process that took a minimum of five years. After residing in the United States for two years, an alien could file a "declaration of intent" (so-called "first papers") to become a citizen. After three additional years, the alien could "petition for naturalization." After the petition was granted, a certificate of citizenship was issued. So, working backwards from his naturalization date of May 29, 1854, Charles arrived in San Francisco no earlier than May 29, 1849 at the age of 27. However, we know from the documents outlining his journey to California that he arrived in October 1849. A Multi-Millionaire By 1869 Janson had moved his business down a few blocks from 401-403 Battery to 222 Battery18. In this year he is still residing at the home located on the SE corner of 21st and Valencia.

In the 1870 U.S. Census of San Francisco taken on 29 August 1870, we learn more about his wife and children. They are still living in the Mission Dolores because the census stated that it was taken in Ward 11. It shows Charles Janson as the head of the family, age 48 and born in Sweden. His wife’s name is spelled Thereese (although I know it to be Therese; Theresia in Swedish), age 31, also born in Sweden, and “keep house” as her occupation. The children 18 1869-70 San Francisco City Directory page 333


are Louise, age 10, born New York, Ludwig, age 8, born California, Hildegarde, age 5, born California, and Baby, one month old, born California. I guess they had not named her yet. This is one of the most important documents proving that Louise Janson was the wife of Henry Lindskog. The birth announcements of all four of their children state that their mother was Louise Janson, in several later censuses she states that she was born in New York to parents from Sweden, and there were no other Louise Jansons living in San Francisco at the time. In addition, there is the handing down of the name Louise. Theresia’s middle name was Louise (Lovisa) as well as her mother’s, Christina Lovisa. The first of the two columns with numbers in them indicates the value of his real estate at $600,000 and his personal estate at $400,000. In today’s dollars it means that his real estate was worth approximately $9.5 million and his personal worth was $6.25 million! One can now say that Charles Janson appeared to be a very successful businessman and extremely wealthy for that era. However, we must view these numbers with a bit of suspicion for three reasons. First, census information is all self-reported with no verification of facts; secondly, there is no mention of what debt he has and therefore his net worth might have been considerably less, and finally we know that at his death he left what was described as a modest estate. The column with his occupation still has me stumped. I believe the first word is “Ship” and the third word is “Mercht.” or “Merchant”, but the second word escapes detection. I will leave it to others to decipher it. [update June 2009 – I finally have deciphered the mystery phrase. It is actually two words, not three. Janson was a “shipwright merchant”. A shipwright is an older word for ship builder and presumably as a merchant he sold supplies to ship builders and may have even commissioned a few himself.] So now we know that Charles had a family. But he apparently waited some years before marrying; perhaps too busy making money during the gold rush days to have much time for marriage. His wife was 17 years his junior and judging from the age of his oldest daughter, Louise, he was about 37 when he married and Theresa was 20-21 years old which is consistent with the 1860 New York census. Over the next 9 years the other 2 children are born, Maria Ebba Aurora on 8 November 1871 and Penebroke Robert on 25 January 1878, and "Baby" Janson was finally named Johanna Elizabeth T., presumably not too long after she was born on 1 June 1870. The 1870s saw Charles Janson involved in several other businesses which led to law suits and some foreign intrigue as well. We do know that he was in San Francisco in 1872 because he shows up in the Register of Foreign Born Voters of that year19. The information in this document is consistent with previous information about him. In 1874 a law suit was filed by A. Milatovich in the Fifteenth Distric Court against Charles J. Jansen, to recover rent of salt lands in Mexico.20 Then in 1874 Charles Janson brings a lawsuit for breach of contract against one of the richest and most powerful men in California at the time; General Mariano Guadelupe Vallejo. 19 Register of Foreign Born Voters of 1872 - Record No. 27340: Janson, Charles John, age 45 in 1866, native of Sweden 20 San Francisco Bulletin, March 13, 1874 – Brief Mention column


Action of Law Growing out of Revolutionary Troubles in Mexico - Charles J. Janson has commenced an action in the Nineteenth District Court, against Mariano G. Vallejo, on complaint for breach of contract. Janson alleges that, on May 11, 1869, he sold to Vallejo the bark Francis Palmer and ship E. L. Harriman for $50,000, payable in drafts drawn on General Placido Vega, and certificates of the Mexican Government Sub-Treasurer and Collector of Customs at Mazatlan. The drafts were made payable at San Blas, or the first Mexican port the bark should enter. It was agreed that in case of a nonfulfillment of the contract by Vallejo, by reason of nonpayment of the certificates and drafts, within twelve months, they should become the property of Janson. These drafts and certificates Janson avers have not been paid. Janson also alleges that when the vessels returned from Mexico, Vallejo allowed them to be seized and sold for debts which accrued when they were under his control. In addition, judgments have been obtained against the vessels, amounting to $4,998.59, and Janson claims to have paid for provisions, etc. on account of the vessels, $5,221.40. Janson asks the Court to adjudge that the drafts and certificates drawn and endorsed by Vallejo are his property; that he have judgment for $25,000, the aggregate value of the two vessels, with interest from May 11, 1870, and a further judgment for $10,220.97 with interest.21

On July 16, 1874 a judgment was handed down in the 19th District Court in favor of Janson.

A Heavy Judgment - C. J. Janson recovered judgment in the Nineteenth District Court today against M. G. Vallejo, by default, for $49,517.09 gold coin. The Court also ordered that sufficient of fifteen certificates in Janson's possession drawn upon or against the sub-treasurer of the General Government of Mexico and against the Collector of Marine Custom duties in Mazatlan and Guaymas, and assigned to Vallejo by General Pacida Vega, and by Vallejo assigned to Janson, to represent the face value of $50,000 exclusive of the interest, are declared to be the property of Janson, as the liquidated and stipulated damages due to Janson from Vallejo by virtue of an agreement.

No evidence has been found to date that suggests that Janson received the money (gold coin) that was awarded him by the court ruling. In the January 19, 1877 San Francisco Bulletin we find the following real estate transaction:

C.J. Janson to W. Hollis, lot 160x230, on southwest corner of Valencia and Twentieth streets, and lot 160x230, on northwest corner of Twenty-first and Valencia streets, and lot on southwest corner of Valencia and Twenty-first streets, west 1?? feet, south 114, wet 22, south 114, east 393, north 228 to commencement, $100,000.

One of these lots is across Valencia from his home which is on the northeast corner and the others are a block away on 20th street. Why did Janson sell all of theses lots all at once? It would appear that he needed the money for some debts or wanted to once again start another business. I believe that he needed the money for his new salt business. In the 1877 City Directory, his old partner Charles A. Bond is listed as well as advertisements for the Washington Insurance Co., but Janson was not listed as being with either business. Instead we find him as the proprietor of the Eureka Salt Works22 in this same year. The salt flats of San Francisco Bay have been used for centuries for the collection of salt. It was Captain John Johnson who launched the first commercial solar salt harvest from the Bay in 1854. He made a fortune selling his first salt harvest for $50 a ton to the commodity-starved 49’ers. However, Johnson soon attracted dozens of competitors and in a few years, the price dropped to $2 per ton, along with many entrepreneurial fortunes. Janson was one of those competitors and I wonder, did he make a success of this business as he did with his others or did he go bankrupt when the price dropped? Was the money from the sale of the lots to pay off debts, to expand the business, or for some other purpose? 21 San Francisco Bulletin, March 4, 1874 – Breach of Contract – Action of Law Growing out of Revolutionary Troubles in Mexico. 221877 San Francisco City Directory page 461, JANSEN Charles J., proptr Eureka Salt Works, NW cor Bryant and Fremont, dwl Valencia, nr Twenty-second


In 1878 Janson was involved in yet another law suit.

Action on a Trading Contract - J. E. Jacobsen sues Charles J. Janson, in the Twenty-third District Court, for an accounting on a contract entered into between the parties whereby plaintiff sailed the schooner Emily Franssen on a trading voyage to Behring's Straits and the Artic Ocean, and returned to San Francisco with a cargo of skins, ivory, etc. valued at $17,000. Under the agreement, plaintiff was to receive one-third of the profits of the venture. The action is brought to recover plaintiff's share of the profits, wages as master, etc23.

Then suddenly, on February 2, 1879 Charles Janson died at the age of 58 in San Francisco24.

Janson - In this city, February 2, C. J. Janson, a native of Sweden, aged 58 years and 4 months. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral tomorrow (Thursday), at 2 o'clock, P.M from his late residence, Valencia street, near Twenty first.25

It is interesting to note that the funeral took place at his home on Valencia and 21st Streets and not in a church or funeral home. I wonder if this tells us that Janson was not a religious man. Just below this announcement is a notice about the death of Frederick Joost, the infant son of Fabian and Dorris Joost. Fabian Joost was one of four brothers from Germany who were grocers and later very successful real estate developers. Fabian Joost and his family lived next door to the Jansons in 1870. The usual probate notices were published in the newspapers. The San Francisco Bulletin notice stated that the proving of the will was to take place on the 14th of March 1879 and for the hearing of an application of H. G. M. Lindskog and Therese Louise Janson for issuance to them of letters testamentary. This is a very interesting notice because it not only places H. G. M. Lindskog (Henry Lindskog) in San Francisco in 1879 but also suggests that he must have been a very close friend or associate to be consider for the role of executor26. Henry Lindskog, the subject of a separate research paper would later marry Charles and Therese’s oldest daughter, Louise on 20 Septermber 1882. No information about the cause of death or where Charles was buried has been found. Theresia Lovisa Sundblad – Wife of Charles Janson Theresia Louvisa Sundblad was born on 07 June 1839 in the small market town of Arvika in the province of Värmland Sweden. There is a record of this in the archive of the Swedish Church Records27 where we find a record28 that shows her mother and additional family information. In this record it states that her mother is Christina Lovisa Lundblad born 1804 in Uppland province, a widow, with 6 children born from 1832 to 1843. There is also an immigration record that states that Theresia and her sister Amalia Maria, born 25 April 1835 emigrated to New York on 19 September 1864. In a second record29 Theresia Lovisa states that she married Carl Johan Jönsson from N. Amerika and New York on 19 June 1859. So summarizing these records we know these facts:

Theresia Lovisa was born 7 June 1839 in Arvika, Sweden 23 San Francisco Bulletin June 8, 1878 24 San Francisco Morning Call Newspaper – Vital Records 1869 - 1900 25 February 5, 1879 San Francisco Bulletin 26 Probate Notice dated February 28, 1879 published in the San Francisco Bulletin. 27 Records exist from the 16th to the 20th century 28 Source: GID 579.6.5100 [Värmland] Arvika Stadsförsamling AI:5 HFL 1858-1867 page 228 29 Source: GID 579.6.1000 page 185


Her mother was Christina Lovisa Lundblad, born in 1804 in Uppland province Theresia was one of six children all born from 1832 to 1843 We know the name of one of her older sisters, Amalia Maria, b. 25 April 1835 Theresia states that she married Carl Johan Jönsson on 19 June 1859 Theresia emigrated to New York with her older sister on 19 September 1864. She was pregnant at the time of this trip because her third child, Hildegard was born

in San Francisco on 29 Dec 186430 What we don’t know at this stage in the research is:

Where was Theresia married, New York or Sweden? There are no immigration or church records for this period.

Why did she return to Sweden in 1864? Perhaps to visit her mother or maybe a death in the family.

Why was there is no mention of the children on this trip? Louise and Charles Ludwig were very young at the time. Did they stay home with their father?

After Theresa returned to San Francisco Hildegard was born. Over the next 14 years she would have 4 additional children, all born in San Francisco. Elin was born in 1867, Elizabeth in 1870, Maria Ebba in 1871, and then 7 years later in 1878, her final child, Robert was born, just one year before the death of his father. Based on the records that were presented earlier for Charles, it is presumed that the family resided in San Francisco and raised their family there until his death in 1879. There is no further evidence of Theresa and her children until 1889. What happened during this 10 year period has yet to be found. They do not show up in the 1880 U.S. Census in any location in the U.S. and no emigration records were found to suggest that she may have returned to Sweden. Then in 1889 we find an emigration record that shows that they had been in Sweden and were returning to the United States. Whether this was a visit or whether they had been there since Charles’ death is not known. It is likely that it was a visit since in 1900 Theresa states in the census of that year that she had lived in the United States continuously for 41 years. On this return trip from Sweden Theresa, Ebba (Maria Ebba), Lissy (Elizabeth), and Robert were all on one ticket and on the second ticket was Hildegard and Elin. Hildegard and Elin show up in the Second Cabin, on the ship, City of Chester manifest as arriving in the port of New York on 22 July 1889, however the passenger record for Theresa and the children travelling with her has yet to be found. The other two children, Louise and Charles Ludvig, the eldest son were not listed in the emigration record. Louise had married by this time (20 Sep 1882) and Charles Ludvig did not make the trip with them. No information has been found about the family during the decade of 1890 to 1897 however it is presumed that Theresa continued to live in San Francisco and raise her children there. We find in the 1898 San Francisco City Directory that Theresa is listed as a widow living at 1725 Buchanan Street. Today, it is located in the heart of Little Japan in the City. The 1890 federal census would have given us information about their location in that year, but unfortunately, it was destroyed in a fire in Washington in 1921. We know from other sources that Elin and Elizabeth studied art in both New York and Paris, and it is conceiveable that they were there for some time during this decade. Ellen (sic) A. Janson was shown in the 1898 directory also living at the same address as her mother with a profession of embroiderer. There is no listing for Elizabeth. 30 Source: Emigration record Nr 68, Arvika stadsförs, Värmlands län (Värmland) to Nordamerika


Charles Ludvig Janson Little is known about the life of Janson’s oldest son, Charles Ludvig except that he died young at age 38. He was born about 1862 in San Francisco and presumably went to school in the City. In 1881 when he was about 19 years old he was working as a clerk for the Albert Mau & Co., an importer and wholesale grocer owned by Mrs Otella Mau and Hermann J. Sadler. They had 3 locations: 18-20 Front Street, 15-19 Pine Street, and 212-214 Market Street. Charles Ludvig was living at 318 O’Farrell Street, the residence hall of the Swenborgian Church where Henry Lindskog, the future husband of Charles’ sister, Louise Janson, was also living at the time. We know that both Louise and Charles Ludvig did not make the trip back to Sweden in 1881 with Theresia and the other children, so Henry probably told Theresia that he would look after Charles Ludvig and let him stay at the residenc hall with him. From an obituary in the San Francisco Call newspaper31 we learn of the death of Charles Ludvig in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico on 22 March 1900. We know that his father had mining interests in Mexico therefore it is likely that he was there to inspect those holdings. It specifically mentions that he was the eldest son of Therese L and the late Charles J. Janson and was a native of San Francisco. There is no mention of a wife or children. There was a marriage between a Charles Jansen (note spelling) and Anna Ambling on 23 June 1888 in San Francisco, however no other source has been found that connects this Charles Jansen to Charles Ludvig Janson. If this is the same person then it is likely there would have been a mention of his wife in his obituary. Of course, she could have died before he did, but we will assume that he never married until evidence is found to the contrary. 1900 - San Francisco In the U.S. Census of San Francisco, dated 6 June 1900 we find Theresa with Hildegard, Elin, Elizabeth, and Robert all living together in San Francisco. This document confirms that Theresa did emigrate from Sweden in 1859 and had lived in the U.S. for 41 years. Maria Ebba is not listed with the family and we learn from a later obituary of Elizabeth that Maria Ebba had married a man by the name of Hillbom but no record has yet been of her marriage or her husband. Theresa states in the census that 6 of her 7 children are alive as of this date. 32 As described above we know that it was Charles Ludwig who died on 22 March 1900 in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico 2 months before the census was taken in June, 1900. We also know that Maria Ebba made the trip in 1889 but does not show up in this census, so it is presumed that she married Hillbom between 1889 and 1900 and had left home. In the 1904 San Francisco City Directory, Theresa was living at 1912 Leavenworth while the two girls had a shop of “decorative art” at 131 Post Street and apparently were living there as well. 131 Post Street is the building where Gumps is located. In the 1905 San Francisco Blue Book Directory 33 which was the social directory of the City we find Mrs. Th. Janson, Miss H. Janson, Miss L. Janson, and Miss E. Janson all living at 1655 Post Street. This was of 31 San Francisco Call newspaper, Friday April 20, 1900, page 11 32 Source: 1900 U.S. Census of San Francisco – Theresa states that only 6 of her 7 children were alive at the time of the census. 33 Source: The San Francisco Blue Book, 1905, Charles C. Hoag, Publisher, San Francisco, California, 1905


course, Theresa, Hildegard, Lissy, and Elin. Apparently they had acquired some social status to be listed in this directory. The house shown here is located at 1655 Post Street today. Could this be the same house in which the family lived in 1905? It certainly dates from before that year. In 1905 Therese loses her second son, Robert Pembroke Janson. His obituary was published in the San Francisco Call newspaper.

Janson – Passed away in the city of New York, February 3, 1905, Robert Pembroke Janson, beloved son of Mrs. Therese Janson and the late Charles J. Janson, a native of San Francisco.34

No spouses were mentioned in either son’s obituaries and therefore it is presumed that neither of them married. 1906 – San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Then an event occurred that changed the lives of Therese and her daughters, as well as those of their neighbors – The 1906 Earthquake and Fire. While 1655 Post Street was on the far edge of the destruction, it may not have escaped damage entirely. I believe that this event possibly frightened Theresa so much that she left the City and moved to Mill Valley shortly after the fire or that the fire did consume the home and they were forced to move. Three events helped shape the decade of 1900-1909 in Mill Valley. The first was the vote on August 25, 1900, to incorporate. This transferred control of Mill Valley affairs from the Tamalpais Land & Water Company and the County to locally elected citizens. Second, was the start of electrified rail service into Mill Valley on August 19, 1903. Travel to San Francisco and elsewhere became easier and faster, ironically, quicker than by automobile today. This made living in Mill Valley more practical, and drew the town closer to the rest of the Bay Area. Third, was the devastating San Francisco earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. Immediately after, many part-time Mill Valleyites chose to make the town their year-round home and other San Franciscans moved across the Golden Gate as well. Whether they had a weekend home prior to the 1906 Fire is not known. But, if not, we know that they moved there in the year following. The 1907 Crocker-Langley Directory lists “Janson Misses (Elizabeth and Elin Janson)” as owning a designing company or studio at 1537 Bush Street. However, it shows their residence as Mill Valley. 1910 – Mill Valley The 1910 U.S. Census finds Theresa, Elizabeth, and Elin living together on Cornelia Avenue in Sausalito Township in the town of Mill Valley. Sausalito Township in those days included Mill Valley, Belvedere, Tiburon, Stinson Beach, and Bolinas. In the census Elizabeth’s states her profession as a decorator and Elin describes hers as a designer and they both work on their “own account”. Theresa simply says that she has her “own income” and does not work. The census also shows that Theresa is 65 years old, widowed, is Swedish, became a citizen in 1866 and owns the Cornelia Avenue house and that there is no mortgage on it. Theresa also states in the census that only 5 of her 7 children were alive at the time of this census. This is accurate since we know that Charles Ludwig had died in Mexico and Robert Penebroke died in 1905. Hildegard was married as was Maria Ebba and were living with their respective spouses. Hildegard apparently met a man by the name of David Craelius and married him sometime between 1907 and 1910. Craelius was previously married and already had a daughter, Anna T. Craelius. Anna was born35 17 Feb 1907 in Marin County and her mother’s maiden name was Anderson. There is a California death record for a Theresa Craelius who died 25 34 San Francisco Call newspaper February 5, 1905. 35 California Birth Index 1905 - 1995


February 1907. Since this Theresa Craelius died 8 days after the birth of Anna, it is likely she died of complications associated with child birth. Although no marriage record has yet been found there is strong circumstantial evidence that Theresa was David's first wife and she was born Theresa Anderson, most probably of Swedish heritage or possibly born in Sweden. In the 1910 U.S. Census, David, Hildegard, and Anna are living on Marin Avenue in Mill Valley in the same Precinct #2 of the city but closer to Marin City. He listed his profession in this census as a “Manager of a Fuel Company”. However, a year earlier in 1909 David shows up in a job called a “Trustee” and was described as a California government employee.36 David Craelius was born in Stockholm, Sweden, emigrated to the U.S. in 1882, first to Minnesota and then to California. From his passport application 5 March 1900 37 we know that he was 39 years old at the time, 5 ft. 8 in. tall with light brown eyes and dark brown hair. His profession was stated as an assayer. David died 1 March 1919 at the age of 58 in Marin County.38 Janson’s Estate Reopened In September and October of 1911 there was a series of petitions filed by the family in the probate court of San Francisco regarding the estate of Charles J. Janson. David Craelius and Therese Louise Janson are the only two names listed in the probate file packet. Searching historical newspapers revealed the reason for them reopening the estate. One newspaper account39 stated that since Charles’ death in 1879 Therese had kept an old trunk which contained documents and Mexican Government bonds. Apparently she was under the impression that they were worthless but had kept them nonetheless. She happened to mention the existence of these bonds to a friend in 1911 and he asked if he could look at them. After a preliminary legal examintion it was determined that the bonds constituted a valid claim against the Mexican governement for their full value with interest. The newspaper accounts stated that Charles Janson was in the service of the Mexican government 45 years ago and that the first of the bonds was executed in his favor in 1863. During the next seven years, large blocks of bonds were given to him, some of which were war issues. Another newspaper article40 stated that the value of the bonds was $800,000, or roughly $18,000,000 in 2009 dollars. A third article in the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer41 gives us more information about the case as well as providing some nice detail about the family and their circumstances. Judge J. V. Coffey granted the petition and appointed David Craelius administrator of the estate and authorized him to begin collection of the money. The article states that Therese was 71 years old and “lives in a modest cottage in Mill Valley”. It goes on to mention Mr. H. Lindsoy (Lindskog) of 321 Clipper Street, Mrs. D. Craelius (Hildegard) of Mill Valley; Mrs. Ebba Hillbon of Bolinas, and Misses Elisabeth and Elin Janson of Mill Valley as “heirs to the unexpected fund.” To learn more about why and how Janson was involved with the Mexican government we must review what was occuring in Mexico at the time. On June 7, 1863 Mexico City was captured by French troops. Incomplete In 1915 Elin Janson is shown in the Telephone Directory of San Francisco as a dressmaker with a business address of 177 Post Street. This is on the corner of Post and Grant where the Coach retail store exists today. Her residence was stated as Mill Valley. There is no listing for Elizabeth. I wonder if she and Elizabeth had parted company as business partners by this date. 36 1909 California State Roster of Government and Military Records, pg. 363 37 Passport application for a naturalized citizen, passport division, department of state, no. 17388 38 California Death Index 1905 - 1929 39 Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, October 24, 1911 40 Bellevilee News-Democrat, Belleville, Illinois, Monday, October 28, 1911. 41 Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, Georgia, November 10, 1911.


A decade later in 1920 we find the Jansons still living in Sausalito Township in Mill Valley on Lovell Avenue, but the composition of the family has changed significantly. Theresa has apparently died, but no record has been found to date and Elin is now the head 42 of the household. Living with her is Elizabeth as well as Hildegard Craelius and Anna. They apparently moved in with her after the death of David a year earlier. Elin lists Anna as a step-niece and we learn later in the 1930 census that Hildegard refers to her as her step-daughter. Elin states that she owns the home but that it has a mortgage. She and Elizabeth are single and Hildegard is listed as widowed. 1928 – Death of Elizabeth In 1928 Elizabeth died at 215 San Mateo Drive in San Mateo near Stanford University. However, the funeral file at Halsted’s Mortuary indicates that her residence was Mill Valley. The mortuary was recommended by Walter Leonetti and arranged by him. Hildegard paid for the funeral with Halsted’s and on the invoice her address was 54 Cornelia Avenue, Mill Valley. Elizabeth was probably living there with Hildegard. There were two published obituaries that we know of. The following one was published in San Mateo:

Her father was one of the pioneers of California, dating back to the days of forty-nine and the present family resided in Mill Valley for many years and are among the first settlers. Elizabeth was an artist of considerable note, having studied art in Paris and New York and of late years maintained a studio in San Francisco with her sister, Elin Janson.

The second one is as follows, however, the newspaper which published it is unknown:

Janson – In San Mateo. Nov. 27, 1928, Elizabeth T. J. Janson, beloved sister of Mrs. Louise Lindskog, Mrs. Hildegard Craelius, Elin Janson and the late Mrs. Ebba Hillbom. Funeral services will be held today (Wednesday), at 4 o’clock p. m., at the chapel of Cypress Lawn Memorial Park. Remains at the mortuary of Halsted & Co., 1123 Sutter St. near Polk.

The obituary states that Mrs. Ebba Hillborn had died by this date. It is the only evidence that has been found to verify that Ebba Janson had married a man by the name of Hillborn, a very Swedish name. The newspaper account of reopening her father’s estate stated that she lived in Bolinas, but again, nothing has been located to establish this claim. Her married name was spelled Hillbon (with the “r”) in this article. In the 1930 U.S. Census of we see the final stages in the evolution of the family. Hildegarde Craelius, now age 66, is shown as the head of the household, Annie T. as her step-daughter, age 23, and Elin, age 61. They are living at 118 Eugene Street off Throckmorton Avenue in Mill Valley. This is only a few blocks from the Lovell Avenue residence in 1920. Hildegard states that she owns the home and its value is $3,000. Anna’s profession is stated as “advertising” for the Owl Drug Co. and Elin is running her own business in decorative design. The last place we see Elin is in the 1936 – 1940 Voter Register of Marin County where she lists her occupation as a housekeeper and living at 31 Janes Street in Mill Valley, next to Molino Park. Since she was unmarried it we don’t know if her occupation was actually a housekeeper, i.e., working for someone else or whether she meant that she was “keeping house”, meaning her own. If she were married, she would have stated that she was a “housewife”. It is not possible to tell the exact year from this record but she would have been between 70 – 74 years old. How sad that this woman, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who had studied art in Paris and New York, had design studios in San Francisco, and never married wound up at the end of her life as a housekeeper. 42 Source: 1920 U.S. Census of Sausalito Township, City of Mill Valley


Research continues into this family but as of the date of this paper, no additional information has been found about how the remaining members of the Janson family spent the remainder of their lives. In addition, no death records have yet been obtained for Theresa, Hildegard, and Elin. It is probable that they died in Mill Valley or somewhere in Marin County. It is only a question of writing to the proper vital records department to obtain copies. Final Thoughts If my evidence and conclusions about the events in the lives of this family are correct, the Charles Janson line has come to an end. Both boys died fairly young and the best evidence suggests that neither ever married thus ending the paternal line. Elin and Elizabeth never married; Hildegard never had children of her own, only Louise and Maria Ebba married. We know that Louise had children, but don’t know if Ebba ever did. Despite this, the historical period and location in which the family lived has proven to be fascinating. Charles Janson, an early pioneer in San Francisco apparently worked hard, used his wits, and made the most of the opportunities that were there in those early years. Although dying young, he became very wealthy thus allowing his two daughters the luxury of studying art in Paris and New York. The money apparently ran out or at least it was not inherited by Louise Janson Lindskog because after the death of her husband, Henry Lindskog she and her children were destitute. One wonders what the probate record would have shown in 1880 after Charles died. Sadly, because of the San Francisco Fire of 1906 we will never know. It is a pity that there is not a greater awareness within the Lindskog descendants today of this rich heritage of their ancestors. It is hoped that this paper will stir greater interest in current and future generations who may continue the research.


Exhibit 1 – Account of Chagres Panama by Adolph Sutro

Adolph Starts Across

by Jack Leibman

In Jack Leibman's series of articles culled from Sutro’s letters - here he takes up the tale of Sutro’s journey to San Francisco after the steamer Cherokee from New York deposits him in the port of Chagres on the Caribbean coast of Panama. As always, Adolph provides vivid descriptions of his experiences. The exotic natives of Chagres in Panama number about 1500 and seem to be a mixture of brown and black.

"They are very lazy and passionately fond of smoking, especially the women. Nearly every girl has a cigar in her mouth or sticks it behind her ear like a pen. Men and women are clad from the hips down or not at all, and have no shame. Some women are dressed in fine light-colored materials, with coal-black hair, decked in pearls and gold." With three other travelers, Adolph engaged native canoe operators, speaking Spanish only, to take them up the Chagres River to Cruces for $100.

"We packed all our goods in the canoe and started at 1 p.m. The river is rapid, with strong eddies, dangerous in a dugout. Luxurious tropical vegetation with coconut trees, palms, bananas, oranges, citrus, wild fig, mangoes, guavas, and other often colossal trees. Thick green bamboos, sugar cane, tule, house-high grasses, cactuses, and leaves as long as a man and several feet in width. Then the climbers and parasites which grow to the top and grow down, intertwining in a thousand ways, making an impenetrable smothering foliage. There are thousands of parrots, always in pairs, pelicans, wild ducks, hundreds of hummingbirds, eagles, and vultures. In the grass, you see large lizards, chameleons, iguanas, and in the air fly large colorful butterflies. In the river are the much-dreaded alligators. The river makes many sharp unexpected turns. By 7 p.m. we had covered about 8 miles and stopped at a native village, Catten. So far, we were delighted and excited, and had feasted on provisions from the ship." Adolph now gets to the dangerous and disagreeable part of the trip. He begins by describing the unhealthy conditions in Chagres, the pale, miserable, emaciated whites who look like reflections of yellow fever. The white men last only a few years; the chief cause of the unhealthiness is the thick fog, laden with moisture and malaria, which rises every night from the ground. A single night's exposure may ruin one's health forever. Four nights were spent in this suffocating fog. We were saved from the fever only by the regular dose of quinine given us by the ship's doctor. In Catten, slogging through the mud, there was no place to sleep. A few hammocks were used by the ladies, but 200-300 people gradually arrived, sleeping on the ground or in canoes. Adolph chose to stay in the canoe to guard his baggage. To avoid sickness, he feasted on crackers and some yellow river water. The gambling tables were the main occupation of the boatmen, who made good money but invariably lost it all. In a casual reference, Adolph describes meeting some Americans, most notably, Col. Fremont, the U.S. Senator from California, who had come with us on the Cherokee. He and all his family were in an open hut. Adolph spends the night in the boat, besieged by a horde of mosquitoes and drenched by rain. Dawn breaks and the next day's trials begin.


Stereoviews use two photographs of a slightly different perspective together with a viewer to create a three-dimensional image. This stereoview by Eadweard Muybridge (circa 1875) titled "Chagres, The City Front" is from his stereoview series called Isthmus of Panama. This photograph is in the collection of the Clements Library, University of Michigan.

Exhibit 2

Slogging through Panama

by Jack Leibman

This is the third in a series of articles tracing German immigrant Adolph Sutro’s 1850 journey by ship from New York to California via the isthmus of Panama. City Guide Jack Leibman has drawn this description from Sutro’s letters found in the collection of the Sutro Library. His tale resumes after he has spent a miserable night in a canoe, besieged by mosquitoes and drenched by rain. Today's scenery again features thick forests, trees lying across the river, and isolated huts. At noon, a “disgusting” lunch table is encountered, covered with flies, little worms, and ants. Then a terrible drenching thunderstorm occurs before the next station, which is furnished with two huts. About 60 persons arrive, and Adolph again sleeps in the boat. There is nothing to eat but guava preserves. Hordes of fireflies appear, and mosquitoes fill the air.

Next day we went quite far, often barely avoiding logs and capsizing. Four Frenchmen were upset today, but all were saved. Last week fourteen Americans were drowned. Today we met a wild-looking lot of Californians going down the river. Next day, the 24th, at 3 o'clock, we reached Gorgona, where we finally had some warm food. The road from here to Panama is virtually impassable because of the mud. We finally persuaded our boatman to go on to Cruces, seven miles further, the worst part of the river. This was really dangerous in the dark, and we were thankful for the boatman's skill. We had imagined this was a real town, with good places to sleep, but we were again disappointed. At the United States Hotel, 300 people were crowded in. Supper of coffee, bread, and already


tainted meat cost one dollar. I was glad to be in the closed house after 4½ days on the river. The large sleeping room had about 150 cots, crowded and stacked, with no bedding at all. But I had a good night's rest anyhow. In the morning, October 25th, a way had to be found to get to the city of Panama on the Pacific coast. After hard bargaining, Adolph rented a mule to ride and three pack mules for his baggage. It is impossible to describe the journey from Cruces to Panama. At every step you are in danger of being thrown. Many seasoned travelers, who have crossed the Cordilleras and the Alps, told me that this was the worst trail in the world. Ten minutes after we started, the mules sank down to their bellies in the mud. I thought I would never get out again. The path cut through roots and was often so narrow that the mules barely scraped through and were unable to find their feet. We crossed creeks and swamps, and got covered totally with mud. Then there was the dread of robbers. The night before we left, a young man was murdered and robbed of $9,000. Finally by evening we reached a native hut to spend the night. I shall never forget this night. At dark my traveling companions left me, and I stayed to guard my baggage, alone with the muleteers who spoke only Spanish. I was armed, but quite frightened. At the nearby open hut were about 150 men returning from California, who looked like highwaymen. I had had no food all day, then found a man who sold me a piece of bread for a shilling. It had rained all day and I was again totally soaked with no possible clothing change. At last I lay on the ground among these ruffians, but sleep was impossible. Next morning there was nothing to eat. The baggage was loaded but the riding mule had been stolen during the night. Adolph was forced to go on foot, potentially for seven miles. "In a half hour I was so exhausted I could hardly move a step. The heat was insufferable. Finally a man let me ride his mule for a few dollars. By 9 AM I was overjoyed to see my first sight of Panama and the Pacific." At the American Hotel, the rate was $2 a day. In the mirror, Adolph was shocked by his appearance. His pants were tucked into his boots and mud covered everything. He wore an immense straw hat and a leather belt in which a pistol was stuck. His face was covered in mud, his hair unkempt and disheveled. Clean clothes and a bath seemed like a rebirth after the five-day ordeal. The old Spanish town of Panama is mostly in ruins. "I eat scarcely anything but bread and a cup of tea; the meat all smells. In my room are six beds; some have fifty, stacked three or four high. You won't believe the terrible inconvenience; in all Panama, there is no watercloset. Everyone must go on the walls of the city, even if you are unwell in the night. The natives live on yams, bananas, and coconuts. There is no agriculture and no vegetables. The natives are all Catholics, so there are lots of priests and church bells. The soldiers are truly ridiculous, black, white and yellow all mixed up, none with shoes. I shall be delighted to get on the steamer tomorrow."

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Carl Johan Janson Biography