About 1889 brothers August (Gus), Charlie, John Ekburg immigrated from Malma, Sweden to the United States to seek their fortunes. All the Ekburg brothers, except Johan, were born to Nils Son Anders and Anders Dotter Anna. Johan’s mother was named Catrina who died a year after Johan’s birth. August, Charles and their half-brother Johan chose a new surname of Ekburg (oak town) before immigrating to the U.S. Their sisters, Mary and Johanna (Hannah) took their father’s name Anderson (Americanized), Mary and Hannah Anderson. They had a second sister named Hilda, who passed at a young very age in Sweden.
Gus and Charlie eventually lit in La Plata, Colorado and John moved on to California to involve himself in farming. They immigrated with their sister named Mary Anderson/Gullickson and Hannah Anderson who’s last known whereabouts was Seattle, Washington and Escalon, California.
Gus’s first wife was a Swedish girl named Mary Grahn Ekburg; they married in Pueblo, Colorado, 12 April 1901. Mary, after bearing only one daughter named Elvira, was taken by a stroke during the Spanish enfluenza epidemic of 1918. Twelve years later, August (1929) married a Finnish widow lady named Signe Kronland. Signe’s first husband, we discovered, died as the result of an accident in Chicago some years earlier, leaving Signe with one daughter named Mae, who also lived with her and Gus in La Plata, Colorado.
Gus’s only daughter Elvira, married another durable swede in Silverton, Colorado, named Arvid Alexander. They eventually moved to La Plata City to help in Gus’s and Charlie’s gold mining operation and then to Durango where Arvid worked as a steam locomotive mechanic on the D&RGW.
Charlie married a young Swedish lady named Beda Matilda Albertina Petersson, whom he allegedly found via Swedish newspapers and/or through other contacts, who resided in Denison, Texas. She and her sisters worked as husas (domestics) for a family named Kingston who owned a drug store. They married in Texas after an appropriate courting time. Charlie and Beda born three children, Verner, (b. 1916) Evelyn (b.1918) and Edwin (b.1920).
Beda Petersson was one of ten children born to Johan and Karolina Petersson in Edshult, Eksjö municipality of Sweden. As best as we know, Beda lived with three sisters in America, Hannah, Augusta, and Emma of all whom we were acquainted except Emma. Emma was the oldest (b.1865) who immigrated to the States in 1884, working as a hembiträde (domestic), in Texas. Four sisters immigrated to the U.S.; sister Augusta Kristina immigrated in 1893 and Emma sent money to Beda and Hannah to make the trip in 1902. We believe the four sisters lived together in Denison, Texas for some unknown amount of time. Even though the Ekburg boys and Petersson girls resided in southern Sweden, we have no knowledge that the Ekburg boys and Petersson girls knew of each other in Sweden.
The Ekburg clan lived their lives in the La Plata Canyon, in La Plata City, Colorado and operated a gold mine named the Black Di’Mond and the White Di’mond located and owned by both brothers. In 1934 Charlie left the Canyon and moved his family to Durango, Colorado. Verner remained in La Plata City until his untimely death in 1938 from injuries caused by a mining accident. Gus remained in La Plata City until his death in 1950, after which, his wife Signe remained in the family home with her daughter Mae, until Signe’s death in 1955. After Signe’s death, Mae reportedly, returned to Finland, where she married, and lived well into the 1990’s.
Gus’s daughter, Elvira and her husband Arvid first lived in Silverton, Colorado, than in La Plata, Colorado before they moved to Durango, where they would spend the remainder of their lives. Arvid was a Master Mechanic servicing the steam engines for the narrow gauge trains that served local commerce and later as a tourist train between Durango and Silverton.
The descendants of these hardy folks have set up this website, not only to share the adventures of these case-hardened Swedes, along with a plethora of unique photographs, but also in hopes of finding other distant relatives and friends of this family with stories and images to share.
If you have interest in this family, or in the area, please share in these stories and images. They may give us clues to locations of distant family and friends. Please share stories form any family you may have from this area.
Explore our site in its entirety and feel free to log in and make comments.
Charlie Ekburg
All images copyright of Ekburg Family Archive or Sweet Light Photography (a few images are public domain as noted)
Hi this is the beginning of my new website.
Cool! its always a good thing knowing your roots.
It gives you an azimuth on life
Looked through the site sure was a lot of work Charles. Makes you want to go back up the canyon.
I will be there sometime this summer if all works right.
Hi Charlie,
My name is Tari SG-Mitchell and I also have family history in La Plata Canyon. My grandparent’s, Gayle and Mary Farnham lived in the tram-house across from the mill circa 1932. My mother lived there as a child and her sister was born when they lived there. They lived on one floor of the tram-house, and the mechanics of the tram was on the other floor. I can’t imagine what that sounded like when the tram was running. Gayle was an assayer working at the old Gold King Mine/Mill. I have been searching for a photo of the tram-house, which stood where the chimney is left now. I wonder if your photo of the power house might be the tram-house. It’s item 24 of 35 in the La Plata City, Colorado story. I noticed in your photo of the chimney, that you called the Gold King Mine, the old Gold King, which is what my mom always called it. She told me stories of riding the buckets from the tram-house up to the mine. She also played around in the sluices. We spread my grandparent’s, my mother’s, and some of my dad’s ashes in a meadow in the area near the tram-house. I have also been searching for the old Gold King Mine on Google Earth and I believe I have found it. If you have any information on that, I would love to hear it. I wonder if my ancestors knew any of your ancestors. In some way, I bet they did.
Welcome Tari and thanks for your comments.
Great family history! I find your info very interesting. I am sure my grandad and granduncle knew your relatives. The La Plata City crowd was a close-nit group from what they told me. Plus, my grandma Beda was the postmistress and ran a small general store.
The Gold King mine is located in the Lewis drainage, one drainage north of the Tiburcio drainage where the mill is (was) located; a tram connected the two. I am sure this is the same tram you referenced. I have two older images of the Gold King mill in the La Plata City link that, I think, shows the tram house that you mention. In one of the images you can see the last pole of the line just beyond the mill structure.
As a kid I use to play in that (dangerous) old structure when most of the structure was intact. I remember the tramway; the cables and cars were absent but the towers were there. From stories I heard, the tram was the only winter supply and human access to the mine. There was a dorm at the mine site where the miners lived. I have heard stories of miners skiing down from the mine and riding the tram back up. Colorado’s first ski lift? LOL
I couldn’t find your family name on the 1930 census records, so them must have come immediately thereafter.
I remember the house that the standing chimney served. It was a tar-paper covered building standing essentially on stilts. I remember going with my dad to see its remains after the fire. I have a friend who had a great-aunt who was living there at the time of the fire. I think it may have been used as an assay lab/residence – but I am not totally sure. It stands (stood) across the La Plata River from the old Gold King mill.
My aunt Evelyn and my dad told me stories of the power house. The foundation remains, I was there just last October. In the 50-60’s we use to have family picnics there because the foundation was just like having a floor.
Your family had to be there during the “great snow storm”. The local newspaper had an article telling how my granddad had skied into Hesperus then to Durango to let people know their families were ok.
I have more images to post and am researching others. I have some 1960-70 images of the mill somewhere that I will post as soon as I find them.
Please keep in touch and if you have other stories from the La Plata Canyon I would love to hear them.
About five years back I found a small memorial (small cross with beads) stating the someone had spread their mom’s ashes in the canyon. It was located across the La Plata river from the Gold King mine.
Sorry, I kinda fell off the grid with some major health problems that started just after I messaged you. I did check my Ancestry today because I thought it was weird that you didn’t find them on the 1930 census. They were in Durango at the time of the census and my great-uncle was with them too. The census lists their name as Farnum (a phonetic spelling, I suspect.) Anyway, I will try to keep in touch. I am still trying to find a photo of the Gold King Mine and the tramhouse.
Tari, I hope all your health problems are history. I only have the 1930 census for La Plata City, I haven’t seen Durango’s.
Please check the images; I posted some new of the Gold King mill that I’m sure show the tram-house, just not sure exactly which building is it. I slowed on building this site, but have more images to post and others to scan and hope to add much more content very soon. I also hope to make a trip back there this summer and follow up on some locations and visit some aging relatives (not that I a spring chicken)
My ex husband Clifford Alexander is Arvids and Elvira’s grandson. His fathers name is arvid jr. My son and daughter are keagan and kyla alexander, Arvid’s great grandchildren. Kyla and keagan have a son each which would be Arvid and Elvira’s great great granschikdren
Hi Kendra,
Of course I know Cliff, we just spent some time together summer before last. He and I video recorded his dad Jr., about his life story. I am still editing it. I have not yet met Kegan and Kyla, but are very anxious to do so; you too if that works.
I knew Gus Ekburg and his wife, spent countless hours with Arvid Sr., and Elvira (she was the coolest person on earth to me then) Knew Arvid Jr., real well, went to his and Erlene’s wedding.
Cliff allowed me to scan some older photos I hadn’t seen before. I plan on getting those posted to this site before winter’s end.
Please keep in touch and – be sure to post any memories that add to our story.
Charlie
This is really awesome! Arvid Alexander was my Great Grandpa. I practically grew up in La Plata canyon. My Dad and Grandpa (Arvid Jr) still own and maintain 2 cabins in La Plata city that we still enjoy on regular basis’. The red one near the old post office and another one across the road down by the creek. If you could email me so we can talk more about this I would greatly appreciate it! breanna_b813@yahoo.com
Kyla,
I am glad you found us! I knew you great granddad, know your granddad and Erlene and your dad. I stayed in the Square house two summers ago for several days. I had been in both cabins and can remember them when I was just a tyke. The black house use to be in the family as well. My grandmother was postmistress for La Plata City for over 20 years. I was raised in Hesperus and spent almost forever in that canyon!
I will send you a personal email as well, but it would be fun and informative to everyone to post memories and the like here.
Charlie.
Hi back,
It’s such a coincidence that I found the records of Signe’s death just after I contacted you. You probably have these records but Signe died Jan 25, 1955, in Durango, Colorado and was buried at the Greenmont Cemetery, probably near Gus.
I remember when Mae left Durango and I was under the impression that Signe went with, but I was wrong. I met both Signe and Mae, but I was only 3 years old. After Gus’s death, Signe lived in the family cabin at nearly 10,000 feet in elevation, surviving some brutal winters. I have some additional photos of Signe and Mae I am happy to share if you are interested.
Gus and his siblings emigrated from Sweden as you may have read in the narratives. I have/had only limited knowledge of my dad’s side of the family that I started this site and my research to make a discovery. I have come a fair distance, but still have a lot to go. I thank you for your input and I hope we can keep in touch.
I know Signe was not a blood relative, but she had such an interesting life I want to know more. Do you know how her first husband met his end and do you know how Signe ended up in Colorado from Chicago?
I was raised in Colorado but live in Nevada presently.
Cheers
Charlie
Hi Charlie, my Dad told me that you sent him a video file in the mail of my grandfather. I was wondering if there is any way you could email the same video to me?
Keaganalexander00@gmail.com
Hi Keagan,
He said that he was going to give it to you to do the honors. It is too big to email, I had to send it on a 16G jumpdrive. Let me know if he doesn’t share and I will send you a copy. Address?
Probably best to email me at charlie@sweetlightphotography.com Congrats on the new family member.
Hi Charlie,
My Grandpa and Grandma were Arvid and Elvira Alexander. Thank you so much for all the info. I look forward to seeing more as I spent many, many wonderful years in the canyon. I would also love to see the video file as Cliff never told me about it. Thank you.