Johan Gotfrid Bergren

Gotfrid was already out painting when he was 13 years old and would stay where he painted. One summer he helped paint "Mårbacka" the home of the famous Swedish writer, Selma Lagerlöff. He left Sweden the July before he was 19. He went with a neighbor boy to America and came to Minneapolis. He met and married Signe Hanson and they were married on 24 February 1917. they had a son, Kenneth Eugene who died at fifteen months old, then a daughter, Elaine, daughter, Joyce and finally another son, Kenneth David Bergren.

He worked there and in Wheaton and in World War II he painted in the shipyards in San Francisco. Then after this, he stayed with your mother for about six months. Then me moved back to Minneapolis where he lived until his death in 1954.

Gotfrid emigrated 21 June 1911 out of Göteborg with destination of Minneapolis, using the name Gottfrid Berggren; he arrived 30 June 1911 at Ellis Island. He journeyed on the ship Maurentania out of Liverpool, England, UK at the age of 18. He was on the passenger list As Gottfrid J. Berggren on the passenger manifest in Ellis Island and listed his occupation as painter and was being sponsored by his friend, "Irvan or Svan Nelson who lived at 245 - 21st Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Gotfrid as he was called since childhood, received his certificate No. 4819 of Naturilization or Certificate of Citizenship January 10, 1934 from the United States of America, district of Minneapolis, 4th Division and from that time his name was "John Gotfrid Bergren", not Johan Gotfrid Berggren as it was in Sweden. He was described as of fair color, blue eyes, brown hair, 5'4" tall and 130 pounds and married at the time and of Scandinavian or Swedish nationality. At the time of receiving his citizenship, Gotfrid lived at 3907 Colfax Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was married to his second wife at the time of his naturalization but later became divorced when she wouldn't tollerate the children, all we know is that her name was Katherine.

Gotfrid took Kenny with him to San Francisco with him about May or 1943 when my Dad turned 18. Gotfrid worked at painting the ships or buildings, whichever he was assigned to and Kenny was working as an electrician apprentice on the ships.

Although the writer of this was only five years old at the time of Gotfrid's death, it is remembered that he had a twinkle in his eyes just like brother, Olof, and he would leave Hershey candybars between the doors of the house wrapped in newspaper if he visited and we were not home.

Ruth, Gotfrid's sister revealed that his second wife treated his three children very badly and they couldn't even occupy certain parts of the house. Eventually Hilding Skytte, Ruth's husband brought them to their house to distance the children from this woman. Eventually Gotfrid divorced this woman.