Frank August Petersson was born in Sweden and emigrated to the United States, where, following his older brother, John, he changed his surname to Lindgren.
Frank Lindgren Inventor
Grandpa Frank was constantly looking for new and labor saving ways to accomplish the tasks of farming. The link below will provide details of one device for which he made application and received a patent. The opening letter from his grandson Richard Lindgren, MD of Madison, WI provides some insights about the story of this invention.
Emigration from Sweden
From age 16-19 Frank Petersson worked at the Hemberg Store in Hamneda. The following was retrieved and translated from this Website
Hembergs museilanthandel
Hembergs
Alfred Hemberg established his business down by the river bridge in Hamneda in 1888, because here the steamboat from Ljungby had its additional place. This steamboat connection began in 1884, and it was a daily trip in each direction.
The Åstorp-Ljungby-Värnamo railway was opened to traffic on 16 June 1899, and in 1900 Hemberg moved its business to the station community to be in the city center. During the first three decades, one house after another was built in a long row opposite the station.
From 1914, Hembergs had a telephone exchange. The postal service was also with Hembergs from 1918 until 1968 and was handled by Torvall, born in 1904 and who was one of Alfred Hemberg’s sons. The rural letter carrier was also based on this.
Alfred Hemberg, born 1862, was married to Ingrid Svensdotter, born 1858. They had no less than 10 children. Johan, born in 1885, was the eldest and he was the one who took over the business, when his father died in 1951, together with his sister Eva, born in 1901. In 1967 the railway was closed. Johan Hemberg said that he had seen the first train enter the platform and now he had also been involved in waving the last one, which he thought was sad. In 1973, Hemberg’s business was closed down. In 1974 Johan died and in 1979 his sister Eva. The deal remained completely untouched.
Hamneda Hembygdsförening was formed on 31 May 1978, and was then very happy to receive the store as a gift in 1986. Board meetings and study circles are held here in the country trade. We meet, talk and remember times that have been, with the help of objects, photos and a lot of newspaper clippings. We have also set up a Småland farm. Of course, Hembergs is also a museum that can tell future generations about what it was like in Hamneda in the past.
The store was in need of repainting. We then applied for funding from Hus med historia, and we received a positive decision from the County Administrative Board, which granted SEK 11,1050. The rest, about 10%, the association has contributed. The work was carried out by Linnebygden’s painting. Started in August 2010 and was completed in September 2010.
Hembygdsgården courtyard side with the station building in the
background. Photo : NilsG Isaksson