San Francisco County
Biographies
CARL E.
WALLERSTEDT
One of the most popular and esteemed foreign diplomatic representatives on the Pacific Coast is Carl E. Wallerstedt, who is consul for the country of Sweden in San Francisco, his offices being situated at 244 Kearny street.
Mr. Wallerstedt was born in Karlstad, Sweden, January 11, 1882. He acquired his education in the public schools and in college in his native land, and subsequently pursued special studies in Germany and England. Having followed classical courses in the main, he then entered journalistic and literary work, first becoming identified with the Daily Press in Stockholm, in which connection he remained until 1907. During his service on this prominent newspaper, he specialized in foreign items and in feature articles. In 1907, he was given the assignment of attending the Jamestown Exposition in Virginia as a representative of a Swedish newspaper syndicate. Later, however, after his arrival in the United States, he changed his vocation, and became attached to the Swedish legation in Washington, D. C. Subsequently, he was sent to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he was first active in vice consul, and later consul, in which capacity he remained until 1919, when he came to San Francisco to assume the position he now occupies. The district which he represents includes the Pacific coast, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. In the bay cities alone there are over fifteen thousand foreign-born Swedes, and there are about fifty thousand in California, Los Angeles having in excess of twenty thousand. Mr. Wallerstedt has given skillful and intelligent attention to the welfare of his countrymen, and has made an enviable record in the diplomatic service. Since he took charge in 1919, the shipping under the Swedish flag has greatly increased.
Mr. Wallerstedt was married to Miss Marta Fogelqvist, a native of Skaraborg, Sweden, and they became the parents of one son, Stig Wallerstedt, who was born in Minneapolis, and is now (1931) twenty years of age. He is a graduate of the high school of Piedmont, California, and also has had special studies in European schools, with the intention of taking up engineering and patent law practice.
Mr. Wallerstedt is an honorary member of the Swedish-American Patriotic League in California, and is likewise an honorary member of the Order of Vash of the United States, which is a Swedish-American fraternal organization. He belongs to the Swedish Singing Society. When the Consular Society of San Francisco was formed in May, 1931, he was chosen as its first president, and now holds this office. He is a member of the Bohemian Club and the Union League Club in San Francisco. Mrs. Wallerstedt is also interested in club affairs, and is now honorary president of the leading Swedish ladies’ organization, the Utile Dulci Club.
Mr. Wallerstedt has won the confidence of the American citizens of the bay district by his honorable, democratic and sincere manner of making his diplomatic and social contacts with them. He is recognized as an able representative of one of the world’s finest races of people, and his efforts in this community have been extraordinarily successful in every phase.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Byington, Lewis Francis, “History of
San Francisco 3 Vols”, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1931. Vol. 3 Pages 126-128.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
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