John Brynteson

John Brynteson (August 13, 1871 in Ärtemark – 1959) was one of the "Three Lucky Swedes" who founded and developed the Nome mining district.[1]

Background

Johan Bryntesson was born in the parish of Ärtemark in the traditional province of Dalsland, Sweden. He came to the United States at the age of 16 and headed to the upper Peninsula of Michigan where he worked in copper and iron mines for about ten years and became a United States citizen. Citizenship was granted in Michigan in 1896.[2]

Career

In 1898, Brynteson arrived at Unalakleet, Alaska on the eastern coast of Norton Sound, Bering Sea to find coal for the Swedish Mission Covenant. A gold-seeking venture which commenced in mid-September 1898 with Erik O. Lindblom and Jafet Lindeberg proved quite successful. Brynteson and partners soon knew they had a major discovery. In 1898, the three formed the Pioneer Mining and Ditch Company.[3] The company was the largest mining company operating in Nome, Alaska, in the years following the discovery of gold.[4]

Brynteson was the first of the party to leave Alaska and the only one to return to his homeland. Brynteson used his fortune to fund other business ventures and for philanthropy. Brynteson purchased a farm in Santa Clara County, California later known as The Pruneyard.[5] He established a home for sailors in San Francisco and endowed charitable works in Chicago. He also financed the construction of the Ice Palace in Stockholm for the 1912 Olympic Games.[6]

Personal life

Brynteson married Emma Forsberg on May 2, 1900 in San Francisco. The Bryntesons had three children. Brynteson died in Svaneholm, Säffle kommun, Sweden in 1959.[7]

Legacy
  • A statue of John Brynteson, together with Erik Lindblom and Jafet Lindeberg stands in Nome, Alaska.
  • Jafet Lindeberg, Erik Lindblom and John Brynteson are all listed in the Alaskan Mining Hall of Fame [8]

References
  1. The Three Lucky Swedes Archived March 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Guldkungen - John Brynteson (by Holger Danielsson) Archived 2010-06-25 at the Wayback Machine Swedish
  3. "The three lucky swedes: John Brynteson, Jafet Lindeberg, & Erik Lindblom" (PDF).
  4. Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation
  5. Origins of Pruneyard Shopping Center stretch to Nome (The Campbell Reporter. by Martin Nobida. March 3, 2004)
  6. V. Olympiaden. Olympiska spelen i Stockholm 1912 i bild och ord (Ahlen & Akerlund; 1912) Swedish
  7. The Nome Gold Rush (by Larry Gedney. Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks) Archived 2009-09-22 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Members by Induction Date (Alaska Mining Hall of Fame Foundation)

Primary sources
  • Harrison, Edward Sanford, Nome and Seward Peninsula: a book of information about northwestern Alaska (E.S. Harrison. 1905)
  • Carlson, Leland H., Swedish Pioneers & the Discovery of Gold in Alaska(American Swedish Historical Museum: Yearbook. 1948)
  • Olsson, Siv, Torparsonen som blev Guldkung (Dalslands Fornminnes- och Hembygdsförbund. 1989) Swedish
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