Biographies
AXEL TELLSTROM
Among the successful business men of Sacramento, Axel Tellstrom stands as an example of what a young man who has his own way to make in the world, and who must stand on his own feet or fail, may accomplish through thrift and honest perseverance. He was born in Sweden, May 5, 1868, and was reared on a farm in his native country. When twenty-one years old he decided that the America he had heard so much of hold greater promise for him, and in 1889 he made the venture out into a strange world. On reaching this country he worked for wages for a time, in Kansas City, and than went to Astoria, Ore., and engaged in salmon fishing on the Columbia River, later working for wages again, in the state of Washington.
After this preliminary “skirmishing” about in search of a satisfactory location, he came to Sacramento, in the fall of 1896, and here he settled, first working at the trade of carpenter with Siller Brothers, on the construction of a number of buildings in the growing city, among them the Capital Hotel, the Stowell Building, and the Ochsner Building. On leaving their employ, for a time he worked with different contractors, and was employed on the Presbyterian Church at Thirteenth and K Street from the beginning of its construction to its completion. He then started in business for himself, as building contractor, and has since erected a number of residences and apartment houses. From the first he met with deserved confidence from the people, who recognized him as a man who knew his business and could be depended on to put the right material and construction work into any job entrusted to him. He has seen many changes in Sacramento since his arrival. Paved streets were then a rarity, and other modern improvements have since gradually come in as the city grew from a comparatively small beginning to one of the largest in the state. In all its growth Mr. Tellstrom has taken an active interest, and he stands ready at all times to do his share toward further developing the natural resources of his district and the surrounding territory of the Sacramento Valley, famed for its productiveness and daily bringing new wealth to the city, which in turn is wisely doing all in its power to develop the agricultural sections.
While building up his business interests, Mr. Tellstrom has found time to attend to civic duties. He has served as councilman and trustee, and for over twenty years he has been a member of the English Lutheran Church. Mr. Tellstrom is the parent of two children, Pearl E. A., now Mrs. Ralph Brodie, of Clarksburg, Ind.; and Ambrose W., a high-school student at Clarksburg, Ind.
Transcribed
by Patricia Seabolt.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page 424. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Patricia Seabolt.