Englund/Severson Family History
By: By Edward Arlo Englund, Edited by Jeff T. Severson

My grandfather and grandmother, Erick and Anna Englund were early settlers in the Port Wing area. Erick was born March 2, 1871, in Nas, West Dalarna, Sweden and Anna was born January 3rd, 1871, also in Nas, West Dalarna, Sweden. They were married in 1896. Two children, Anna and Erik, were born in Sweden. The family emigrated to the US in 1901, originally settling in the Council Bluffs, Iowa area. While living there, two additional children were born, Edwin and George Englund. Edwin was born in 1903 and George in 1912. Erick and Anna became US citizens in 1906.

The family settled on a farm North of Council Bluffs, Iowa in 1910 and then to another farm near the town of Ogden, Iowa. During these years they were a farm family. All of the family except Anna moved to the Port Wing area in 1921. Best I can determine they homesteaded some land off the Flag River road. I recall that their road turned left of the main road somewhere near a home site of Conrad Johnson. I believe the road went North several miles, up a pretty steep hill and on to their homestead. They continued to farm for many years in the area. Erick was a pretty good craftsman also. As a blacksmith, he could create many things such as kitchen knives, and other metal goods to sell and barter for other things.

After the family was grown and gone, Erick and Anna sold the farm and moved into Port Wing. The old home was located on the first street heading West of the old Port Wing school. As you followed the road West, the home was located at the corner where the road turned North. Don't remember the name of the street. Anna passed away July 21, 1956 and Erick on March 26, 1966. Both are buried at the old Port Wing cemetary. The last time we visited Port Wing in 1978, the old house was no longer there, however, Erick's work shop was still standing.

My father, Edwin and Beulah Englund were married in 1927, and also lived on a farm at the end of the Flag River Road. They were farmers also and lived in the area until 1945. My father had contracted arthiritis and had to leave the area for his health. They sold the farm and auctioned off all of their belongings, boarded a train and moved to Prescott, Arizona. He worked for the US Post Office there until he retired around 1968. My mother worked for the Sharlot Hall Musuem for 25 years or so until she retired. Edwin passed away in February of 1983, and Beulah in October of 1991. George Englund passed away in 1946 and Anna in the late 70's. I'm not sure about Erik.

Anna married a Nystrom and remained in Iowa raising her family of 7 boys and 1 girl. After her husband passed away, she returned to live in Port Wing in the mid-late 60's. She had her own home however cared for my Grandfather Erick in his later years until he died at age 95. Anna's family included Bernard Nystrom, Des Moines Iowa, Eric Nystrom, Hayward California, Paul Nystrom, Lincoln Nebraska, Richard Nystrom, Carmel California, Loren Nystrom, Placerville California, Eugene Nystrom, El Dorado California, Dorothy Rothfus, Woodward Iowa, and Reuben Nystrom, Cincinnati Ohio. These are the last known locations of her family. I'm not to sure about Erick's or George's family.

I was born in Superior, Wisconsin on March 4th, 1942. I lived in Port Wing with my parents until they moved to Prescott, Arizona in 1945. My wife Janice and I were married in 1966 and have two daughters, Stacey and Jamie. Stacey is married to Rueben Lemos and they live near Tucson, Arizona. Jamie is presently living in Phoenix. We have lived in Tucson, Arizona for 24 years.

I have many enjoyable memories of Port Wing as a kid. After moving to Arizona, my folks would drive back to the area every 3-4 years or so to visit the family. My aunt and uncle also lived in Port Wing, Aldor and Cora Peterson. I'm sure their family will supply information on their history in the area. They ran the CO-OP store. It was always exciting to work on things in Erik's shop. He had many old tools and small projects to keep young minds busy during the visit. I still have a dozen old wooden hand planes that I have kept over the years. He also had an old Model T Ford that he used in the summer time to get around in. Some have said that his driving in the later years left a lot to be desired, anyway, in a small town you know the folks and in his case, just stayed on the opposite side of the road that he may have been driving on at the time. Everything worked out ok. I also remember there was a path from the back of his shop down to the Slough. We would go down there and go fishing in an old boat that he had. As I recall, it was a beautiful area. Also always enjoyed the beach at Lake Superior down by the pier.

It was always a long trip. The first time, we came in a 1930 Chevy, then in a 1950 Nash, followed by a 1955 Pontiac, and finally in a 1964 Ford Pickup. The last time we felw.

Last Updated: August 3, 2002