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Eric (Erik) Bernhard Christoffersson (Christopher)
B. April 22, 1866 - Stora Tuna, Kopparberg Län (Dalarna), Sweden
M. August 27, 1887 - Caroline Berggren - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
D. May 4, 1929 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Eric (Erik) was born to Johanna Lundberg on April 22, 1866 in Stora Tuna, Kopparberg (Dalarna), Sweden, Eric's father is unknown (Ökand).
Eric and Johanna moved around a lot during his childhood as she was a "piga" (maid/servant). They lived with her older brother August when he was born and on and off again until Johanna married Sven Kristoffersson in 1874. This is likely where Eric took his last name. In 1874, Johanna gave birth to Eric's half-brother and sister, twins August and Augusta. Just 13 months later Sven died from pneumonia leaving Johanna to raise the three children. Eric's half-sister Augusta died at just a little over 1.5 years old in December of 1875.
Eric and his half-brother August became close. Johanna lived with or near her brother August (likely the source of her son August's name) for several years around this time. She was often their servant although her brother August was a workman (arbetare) and had several children of his own. It was pretty tough in Dalarna at this time period and through much of the 1800s. More than one-third of the population immigrated to the United States or Canada. Eric left Stora Tuna, Sweden on May 21, 1886 and arrived in Hull, England on June 18, 1886. We don't have a record of him landing at Ellis Island or anywhere else. We know that he went to Chicago, Illinois. As grandma Wally used to say, Eric threw the son out in the ocean on the way over and became Eric Christopher.
We don't have much information about what he did when he first arrived in Chicago. He might have sent for Caroline Berggren in 1887 and then his brother August the following year. August immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 14 (1888) to live with Eric in Chicago. It looks like Eric paid his passage and August traveled by himself, which is absolutely amazing at the age of 14! Eric and August eventually formed the Christopher Brothers building bicylces and cars together. We don't know why August left home at age 14 to go live with Eric but the best guess is he didn't get along with Per. It's possible Eric needed his help but it just seems remarkable someone would leave home at 14 to travel across the ocean by himself.
We also know that Eric and Caroline were Baptists. In fact, Eric and his mother, Johanna, are listed as Baptists in the Lutheran Church Household Examination Records that the parish ministers kept and provide most of the information we know about the Swedes. It was these Household Examination Records (censuses - see below) that gives us the most the information we learn about Swedish relatives while they lived in Sweden. Eric likely met Caroline in the Baptist Church in Sweden, or shortly after he arrived here. It is very likely they went to the same Baptist church in Stora Tuna, Sweden, since there weren't many Baptists in Sweden and they lived fairly close to each other.
We pick up with Eric again in the 1890s (sadly, the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire or that would be extremely helpful). He was running Christopher Brothers Cyclone Bicycle Company out of 1049 Sheffield Avenue. We know this because he place several ads in the Chicago Bladet (a Swedish newspaper) in the 1890s. He advertised that he manufactured and sold bicycles under the business name "Christopher Bros.," the brothers being Eric and August (click here see one of his many ads). He moved on from selling bicycles to automobiles in the early 1900s. His car was called a Triumph. Grandma Wally had a brochure and some pictures of it but I have been unable to locate those yet.
Eric was listed in the "History of the Swedes of Illinois" published in 1908. I have a PDF version if you care to go through the book - he is on page 350. It is 61 MB so if you don't have high-speed internet you may want to just view his page here, it is a JPG file. The listing includes his photo and a short biography (1/2 page). It says he builds the Triumph automobile, which is self-starting and 30 HP. He does general machine work and repairs. The listing goes on to point out that Eric was a good singer as he was a member of the Apollo Musical Club and choirmaster of the Swedish Baptist Church in Lake View, just north of Chicago. This is where Wrigley Field is located; in fact, Christopher Motors was just a few blocks from the ballpark on 1049 Sheffield Ave.
Family lore has it that he invented the self-starter and embarked on a train ride to Dearborn to meet with Henry Ford. The story goes that Ford looked at the starter and sent it back to his engineers to examine it and then declined to purchase it. According to the oral history, Ford had copied the design and began manufacturing it without compensating Eric.
Eric did not stay in the automobile manufacturing business long because he didn't have the capital to compete with the bigger manufacturers that were springing up all over the Midwest, but primarily in Southeast Michigan. He switched to repair and machine work and ran Christopher Motors with his sons until his death in 1929. Eric died from burns he received while putting oil on the fire in his Chicago residence.
Eric and Caroline had eight children - two died very young (Esther and Arthur were twins born April 30, 1894 and were not with Caroline when she went to Sweden in 1897 and not listed in the 1900 Census). See list of children below. Herbert was born in Sweden when Carolina was visiting her parents in 1897. He was five months old when they made the journey back to Chicago through Boston. There was a long lull between Herbert born in 1897 and Warren in 1908. Gerald ran the company when Eric died in 1929. Herb was a salesman and Grandpa Warren was a auto repairman. See the 1930 Census.
Census and Records (click blue links to view)
Eric's Birth Record in Sweden
Eric in Church Household Book when born - Note: if you want to learn more about how to read this image check out the History, Language & Geography page where I break down this specific record to show you what each column means and make note of Johanna's brother who is listed right about her and Eric.
Eric and Johanna from 1870-79 in Church Household Book. Again, still living right next to her brother and listed as a servant, pretty sure she is working for August? Note: her reading ability is listed as någon (some).
Eric, August and Johanna in Church HouseHold Book when he immigrates to the U.S.
The 1900 Census lists Eric as a manufactuer of bicycles. All children but Warren are living with them. Says they had seven children but only five are living.
The 1910 Census lists Eric as a manufacturer of automobiles. All his children are living with him, along with Elizabeth Berggren, Carolina's mother. Manghild is a bookkeeper in a wholesale house.
The 1920 Census lists Eric as a proprietor and they have live-in help - mechanic Helmer Osberg from Sweden - 1910. Elmer and Warren are still living with them, along with Elizabeth Berggren (Carolina's mother).
Eric ad for Cyclone Wheel in Bladet Feb. 1896.
Eric and August listed in the Chicago Business Guide 1897
Christopher Bros. auto repair in the Chicago White Pages after abandoning making cars and bicycles - 1910s.
Dalarna, Sweden
Dalarna was a particularly poor part of Sweden, mostly rural and hilly. All of the Christophers and Berggrens come from southern Dalarna. It was officially called Kopparbergs Län (county) from the 1600s through 1990s, even though it was know as Dalarna for centuries. In 1997, the county's official name became Dalarna County. The two names are often used interchangeably and one needs to be aware of that when searching for ancestors.
Dalarna Birth Locations (see map above - click to enlarge): Eric Christoffersson (Stora Tuna), Caroline Berggren (Säter), Johanna Lundberg (Säfsnäs), Johan Berggren (Säter), Elizabeth (Lisa) Andersdotter (Gustafs).
It wasn't just Dalarna that was poor, most of the Swedes lived in poverty. Over one-third (one million) of the Swedes immigrated to the United States and Canada in the mid-1800s through the 1910s. Dad's grandparents all came from Sweden and immigrated to the United States in 1886 (Eric), 1887 (Caroline), 1905 (Knut) and 1907 (Gerda). The Swedes, like almost all immigrants, moved to parts of the United States where their relatives had already established residency - mostly Chicago and the Midwest. From there they spread out to Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and especially Minnesota.
There was a Swedish community on the near Northside of Chicago, called Andersonville north of Lake View and Wrigley Field where Eric had settled. They had their own Swedish language newspaper (Bladet) and many Swedish shops. Eric used to advertise in the Bladet - see an ad for Cyclone Wheel, Eric's bicycle company. There was a very popular Swedish bakery (closed in 2017) and there still is the Swedish-American Museum on Clark Street in Andersonville but the Swedes have dispersed throughout the city and the Midwest.
Slideshow
Eric's Wife
Carolina (Caroline) Berggren
B. May 14, 1866 - Sätters, Kopparberg Län (Dalarna), Sweden
M. August 27, 1887 - Eric Bernhard Christopher - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
D. November 1, 1960 - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Eric's Children
Richard Bernhard Christopher
B. July 15, 1888 - Cook County, Illinois
M. October 24, 1917 - Ethelda Clafford* (nee: McClure) - Chicago, Illinois
Stepchild: Thomas Harry Clafford (July 15, 1912)
D. November 30, 1942 - Chicago, Illinois
*Ethelda had been married to Harry Clafford before Richard
Manghild Carolyn Christopher (Forssell)
B. February 1, 1890 - Cook County, Illinois
M. June 24, 1914 - Birger Eugene Forssell - Chicago, Illinois
Child: John Burton (Aug. 9, 1927 - Dec. 3, 2015)
D. January 24, 1943 - Chicago, Illinois
Gerald Erick Christopher
B. February 23, 1892 - Cook County, Illinois
M. May 30, 1919- Ada N. Miller (Nee:- Chicago, Illinois
Stepchild: Florence (@1900 Missouri)
D. January 24, 1937 - Chicago, Illinois
Arthur Christopher (Twins)
B. April 30, 1894 - Cook County, Illinois
D. Before 1897
Esther E Christopher (Twins)
B. April 30, 1894 - Cook County, Illinois
D. Before 1897
Elmer John Christopher (Born Johann Elmer)
B. September 17, 1895 - Cook County, Illinois
M. January 9, 1922 - Anna Seman - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Child: Jack (1933)
D. November 30, 1943 - Chicago, Illinios
Herbert August Christopher
B. March 15, 1897 - Bespberg, Säter, Dalarna, Sweden
M. August 16, 1916 - Emily (Emilie) Schmaide - Lake County, Indiana
M. September 8, 1926 - Anna Maria (Marion) Hetzel - Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Child: Elizabeth "Grace" (Mrs. Donald H. Pierce) (Dec. 5, 1928-?), Marvin Kiethom (May 30, 1930 - April 6, 2010), Gordon Wayne (July 19, 1935 - June 4, 2020)
D. January 18, 1977 - New Buffalo, Michigan
B. June 16, 1908 - Chicago, Illinois
M. July 27, 1931- Walborg Marie Soderling - Chicago, Illinois
Child: Warren Bernard Christopher (July 17, 1934 - Dec. 1, 2001), Pete Knut (May 13, 1943), Lynn Marie (
D. January 18, 1977 - New Buffalo, Michigan
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