portrait

Text for Olle Björkman. Johan Björkman, my father, was born in 1892 at Åtigården, Bondersbyn, Kalix. It was a typical Norrbottens farm with soil and forest and it was close to the Kalix river. In the yard there was also a well-equipped forge, which Johan’s grandfather, Johan Olofsson Björkman had built. He was a blacksmith, came from Piteå and had been travelling to Finland.On his home road, he stayed in Kalix and was given a seat at Björkfors Bruk as a “blacksmith and saw maker.” There he met Josefina Lundholm from Hällfors and the court married in 1850. Josefina’s mother came from Åtigården in Bondersbyn. The owner of the farm died in 1850 and Johan and Josefina took over the estate after Josefina’s uncle and aunt, who was childless. The son Albert Bernhard and his wife Maria Johansdotter took over the estate in the 1880s. The son Johan and the wife Hulda born Häggström from Kamlunge became new owners in 1920. Until now, the main income of the farm had come from forging and carpentry. Both judges were more craftsmen than farmers, but the times changed so that agriculture took over. My father - Johan B was very interested and went on courses in both forging and carpentry, including a longer course in carpentry and construction in Stockholm. He sometimes served as a veil teacher in Bondersbyn’s school. Johan had always enjoyed reading. In a notebook from the green youth, he has written that “he promises that every time he drinks coffee he will fine 5 pennies to a book buyer’s mass.” Johan was a postman in Bondersbyn for 30 years and he was awarded a medal when he was finalised. He was a denominator in Kalix Domsaga, he was a member of the school board in Töre municipality and he was a church host in Töre parish. A book circle “For Life” ("Furan?) was formed in 1913, but the incursions during the war caused the business to die out after some year. The photo shows the participants with my dad in the north floor suit. 1. Maja Wennström -Henriksson 2. Alida pettersson-Nilsson 3. Arvid Larsson 4. Johan Gahm? 5. Axel Gahm 6. Johan Wennström 7. Justina Rönnberg Wennström 8. Alida Hallman Gahm 9. Amalia Hägatröm Gahm 10. Johan Björkman 11. Johan Rönnbäck?