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Although
Sjoberg is primarily known as a
supplier and
manufacturer of millwork for the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and
Interborough Rapid Transit Company (New York Subway system), he also
constructed entire
street and railcar bodies as well as wagons and commercial truck bodies
for Manhattan
businesses. The firm also constructed moldings, mantels, furniture and
other household
items
when business slowed down.
John P. Sjöberg was born in Sweden on
October 4, 1856. He emigrated
to the United State in 1881 and in 1884 married another Swedish
immigrant named
Emma Dorothea Johnson (b. Feb. 4, 1863, emigrated in 1880). They made
their
home in Elmhurst, Queens, New York and to the blessed union was born 4
children:
Hedwig E. (b.Mar. 1886, m. Maddaus), Conrad Fabian (b.July 18, 1887),
Florence
(b. May 1892, m. Henry Huss), and Ruth Amelia (b.Oct. 1893, m. Ortman)
Sjoberg.
Prior to 1893 J. P. Sjoberg Co. was a known
woodworker
located in the McClave Bldg. located between 22nd and 23rd
St along the North River just west of 11th Ave. A massive fire
destroyed the
building and an adjoining lumber yard on April 12, 1893 and the New
York Times
listed his name as a tenant.
J.P. Sojberg & Co. 145 11th Ave., New
York listed in the
Railway equipment section under Car Panels and Car Sidings in the 1899
edition
of Seeger and Guernsey's Cyclopædia of the Manufactures and Products of
the
United States.
1901 Price & Lee Carriage Builders
Directory:
“J. P. SJOBERG & CO., MANUFACTURERS
OF FRAME WORK
FOR WAGON AND VAN BODIES. Made Exact by Machinery for any Style of
Bodies,
Shipped " Knocked Down " ready to go together. Also Wagon Bodies
Complete. 145 AND 147 ELEVENTH AVENUE, CORNER 21st STREET. NEW
YORK.”
1905 issue of the New York Supplement:
“It appears from the affidavit submitted in
opposition to
this motion that Joseph H. Turl and Jeanette Turl, as trustees, on
December 20,
1902, leased the premises Nos. 533 to 537 West Thirty-Second street to
Gorham
F. Smith for the term of 10 years from January 1, 1903, and that said
Smith
leased on January 1, 1903, to J. P. Sjoberg & Co., the
second and
third floors of these buildings for a term of 10 years.”
The 1910 edition of the Brown University Alumni
Magazine states:
“Conrad F. Sjoberg, ex-'08, is in business
with his father,
head of the firm of J. P. Sjoberg & Co., New York city. They make
woodwork
for railway and electric cars.”
The 1911 Electric
Railway Dictionary
shows a “Half Cross-Section of Light Storage Battery Car Body” and
attributes
it to Sjoberg as “Builders.”
Jan 5, 1913 New York Press display ad for
automobile bodies:
“The J.P. Sjoberg Copmpany, Automobile
Bodies Established
1892. Main office and factory 70th St. and Ave A. Phone 6240 Lenox.
Finishing
Shop 351-355 W 53rd St. Phone, 8314 Columbus.”
Sjoberg was mentioned in the January 31,
1913 NY Times:
“Among the victims who visited the police
was J. P. Sjoberg,
a manufacturer of automobile fixtures, whose home in Broadway,
Elmhurst, was
entered on Tuesday Evening.”
A 1913 issue of the Commercial Vehicle mentions
the firm in an article titled 'Adapting the Commercial Body for
Individual Work' as follows:
“Combination furniture and piano body
by J. P. Sjoberg Co., New York City. This builder has
extended the side gate from the middle of the body to the front pillar.
This generous opening permits pianos to be backed right up against the
front, and aids greatly in removing furniture or pianos in the rear
portion, through the side. The body is 12 feet 6 inches long. 5
feet 9 inches wide, and 6 feet high, inside measurement. The side gate
is 6 feet wide, and is closed with three stakes. which may be joined by
chains if desired. Another interesting feature of this body is the
height of the panels at the side, which are 4 feet high, a 14-inch
opening being allowed above it, to admit light. The body may be
complete enlsoed with side curtains, as may the open cab."
Another 1913 issue of the Commercial Vehicle
included a picture of Sjoberg-built sightseeing bus:
“Convertible Sight-Seeing Bus
“In the service of a bus line for suburban
and interurban
service, the design shown in Fig. 5 was prepared by the J. P.
Sjoberg
Co., New York to permit the same body to be used the year
round.
The February 24, 1914 issue of Motor World
annoucned that the firm was in the hands of a receiver:
“Minor Business Troubles
“The J.P. Sjoberg Co. of 1314 Avenue A. and
351 West 52nd
street, New York City, has assigned for the benefit of creditors to
Lewis H.
Woodburn the company of which J.P. Sjoberg is president, was
incorporated in
1911 and conducted an automobile repairing and woodworking business.”
The March 1914 issue of the Hub confirms the
news:
“J. P. SJOBERG CO. ASSIGNS
“The J. P. Sjoberg Co., Seventieth
street and
Avenue A. New York City, has assigned for the benefit of its
creditors. The company announces that the business has been losing
ground for
some time, but, in the hope that an improvement would occur, it has
continued
at a loss until now it is inadvisable to go further. The directors
decided that
the best interests of the creditors would be promoted by an assignment,
and
that course has been pursued.”
The 1915 NY State census lists John’s
occupation as ‘retired’
and he passed away unexpectedly in Northfield, Franklin County,
Massachusetts, on
August 31, 1919, at the age of 63. His wife Emma died on Nov. 4, 1936.
Conrad F. Sjoberg served in Co. 10, 18th P.T.
Regiment, U.S. Army during the First World War. He later changed his
name to
Conrad Franklin Seabury, and survived until 1953.
John P. Sjoberg held a number of US Patents
as follows:
Design for sash spring - USD27894 -Grant -
Filed Sep 16,
1897 - Issued Nov 23, 1897 to John P. Sjoberg
Car Vestibule - US805326 - Grant - Filed Jul
31, 1905 -
Issued Nov 21, 1905 to John P. Sjoberg and Ernst L. Forsgren assigned
to John
P. Sjoberg
Car Vestibule - US844585 - Grant - Filed Oct
2, 1906 -
Issued Feb 19, 1907 to Ernst L. Forsgren assigned to John P. Sjoberg
Railway Car Door - US929888 - Grant - Filed
Dec 31, 1908 -
Issued Aug 3, 1909 to John P. Sjoberg
© 2013 Mark
Theobald for Coachbuilt.com with special thanks to Henrik Elmer
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