"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



The late Carl Johan Wenstrom was for many years one of the leading business men of St. James. He began life poor in this world's goods, but rich in what is of far more value than material wealth�a sound mind and a sound body. He possessed concentration of purpose and energy that knew no restraint, keen foresight and the rare executive ability that made everything undertaken accomplish the purpose for which intended. He was also a man of uncompromising honesty.

Mr. Wenstrom was born in Sweden on July 14, 1861. He was a son of Swen Johan and Sophia Wenstrom, natives of Sweden, where they spent their earlier lives and were married. They came to America about 1867 and located at Rockford, Illinois, and in 1872 removed to Watonwan county, Minnesota, taking up a homestead, which they developed and on which they spent the rest of their lives, the mother's death occurring in 1883 at the age of fifty-five years. The father outlived her more than a quarter of a century, dying in 1909 at the advanced age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of the following children: Claus lives in Watonwan county; Carl Johan, subject of this sketch; Emma is the wife of Nels Nelson of Watonwan county; Otto lives in St. James.

Carl J. Wenstrom was six years old when his parents brought him to America and he was eleven years old when he came with the family to Watonwan county. He received his education in the public schools here and in Illinois. He assisted his father on the home farm until he was a young man. He came to St. James in 1889 and worked as a drayman for awhile, then engaged in the furniture business, which proved to be quite successful. Through his industry, good management and fair and courteous dealings he built up a large trade with the town and surrounding country and carried an extensive stock of everything commonly found in up-to-date stores of this kind, and he continued in this line of endeavor until his death, .which occurred on January 31, 1911. Since then the family has continued the business along the lines he inaugurated, retaining the original firm name, "The St. James Furniture Company. He was also a stockholder in the Security State Bank, of which he was vice-president. He left his1 family well provided for, including a beautiful home. He was public-spirited and did much for the general welfare of his town and county. He served for some time as a member of the city council. He was a member of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran church, to which his family also belong.

Mr. Wenstrom was married in 1890, to Nellie Nelson, who was born in Sweden in 1865. Her parents brought her to Rockford, Illinois, in 1867. where the family remained six years, coming to Watonwan county, Minnesota, in 1873, the father buying eighty acres, to which he later added another eighty in Adrian township, and here he spent the rest of his life, dying in 190;. Mrs. Nelson still lives on the homestead, being now eighty-three years of age. Politically, he was a Republican, and he was treasurer of the township board for several years. He belonged to the Swedish Lutheran church, to which his1 widow also belongs. Their children were named as follow: Nels lives in Watonwan county; Nellie, widow of Mr. Wenstrom of this memoir; Andrew lives in Watonwan county; Anna is the wife of Nels Johan Nelson of Watonwan county. To Mr. and Mrs. Wenstrom the following children were born: Reinhold, whose birth occurred in St. James in 1892, was graduated from the local high school and the Commercial College at St. Peter, and he is now assisting very ably in the management of the St. James furniture store; Esther, the second child, was educated in the local schools and is living at home; Estella is now (1916) a junior in the St. James high school; Mabel is in high school at this writing. Mr. Wenstrom died Jan. 31, 1911.



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