Oskar Edward Johnson Sjökvist

Oskar Edward Johanson Sjökvist (Sjöquist?) was born on 25 June 1880 in Byhult, Lekeryd Parish, Jönköping Community, Sweden (1). He was one of many Swedish people of Jönköping who emigrated to Texas.

When he was about 15, Oskar left his family home and decided to become an apprentice at a boot master's shop. As a result of the young man's action, his parents disowned him. However, one of his sisters kept in touch with Oscar and sponsored his five-year apprenticeship.

After finishing learning the trade, Oskar became a master craftsman bootmaker. Then, the Swedish Army put its hand on him. The young man went AOL and relocated to Texas. In 1901 Oskar Edward Johnson got to the Honey Creek near the Llano River. He rented a room at the local hotel and found a job at Mr. Christensen's boot shop.

Mason County Courthouse, Mason, TX

In 1902, Oskar Edward bought the place where he worked and started his own business.
Three years later, Mr. Sjökvist married Miss Ada Garner, the daughter of Mr. Richard Henry Garner and Martha Ann Cain. The father-in-law owned the hotel on Honey Creek, in which Oskar had been staying.

Due to the spelling and pronunciation difficulties, Oskar's surname was changed to Seaquist.

Oskar and Ada's children were:
Garner Edward - b. 28 July 1910 (2)
Daisy Deane - b. 6 August 1912 (3), d. 1964,
Charles Edwin Linden "Billy" - b. 27 Jan. 1919 (4), d. 1934.

View over Mason

In 1918 Oskar Edward Seaquist was registered by the Army (5). From the record, we can learn that the man was medium height, stout, had grey eyes, and light hair.

Oskar and Ada were a hard-working couple. Oskar hired employees at his shoe shop (6), he also helped some Swedish fellowmen (Edwin Lowgren and sam Linden Lockhart) to relocate to Texas and they worked at Oskar's shop for some time. The shoe and boot making business must have been going well as in 1919 Mr. Seaquist bought a house at Broad Street in Mason. The residence with 22 rooms previously belonged to the Reynolds family.

Seaquist house in Mason

Oscar passed over on 27 June 1933 due to asthma-related breathing complications (1).

Garner Oscar, the oldest son of Oskar and Ada's married Miss Clara Nowlin on 22 Oct. 1935 (7).

 The two restored the structure of the Seaquist house in 1972/73.

Not long ago, when in Mason, we went to see the house.
It is a magnificent and impressive structure. The house has 22 rooms. With all the porches, columns, elaborate wall, door and window frames decorations, and domes, it looks like a palace.

Considering that Oskar Edward Johnson came to Texas with not much more than a box of his tools, the purchase of his home may be considered as quite an achievement and a proof of his successful business in Mason. The man must have been a good craftsman indeed.

The construction of the building started in 1887.  The first its owners were the Reynolds family.
The house got a State Historical Marker in 1974. The last permanent dwellers left the Seaquist house in 2003. Later, in 2015, the place was bought by the Seaquist House Foundation and has been improved ever since (to stop and prevent the structure deterioration).

At the time of our visit, the basement was not available to see - we could only admire the outside of the house. However, it seemed the cellar was quite large and intriguing as well.

Resources:
1. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3Q7-FX6 : 13 March 2018), Oscar E J Seaquist, 27 Jun 1933; citing certificate number 29025, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,115,548.
2. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZV-MHM : 4 April 2020), Ada Garner in entry for Garner Edward Seaquist, 28 Jul 1910; citing, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 51755, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,112,514.
3. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X2BR-6SZ : 4 April 2020), Ada Garner in entry for Daisy Deane Seaquist, 06 Aug 1912; citing, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 28553, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,127,998.
4. "Texas Birth Certificates, 1903-1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X2VP-866 : 4 April 2020), Ada Garner in entry for Edwin Linden Seaquist, 27 Jan 1919; citing Mason, Mason, Texas, United States, certificate 3476, Texas Department of Health, Austin; FHL microfilm 4,492,066.
5. "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZX2-Y28: 24 August 2019), Oscar Edward Seaquist, 1917-1918.
6. United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2Q4-43J : accessed 31 August 2020), Oscar Seaquist, Justice Precinct 1, Mason, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 196, sheet 1A, family 9, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1576; FHL microfilm 1,375,589.
7. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1H-NMR4 : 10 December 2017), Garner Seaquist and Clara Nowlin, 22 Oct 1935; citing Marriage, citing Llano, Texas, United States, Texas State Library, Archives Division, and various Texas county clerks; FHL microfilm 1,903,066.
"Mason County Historical Book", a compilation by Mason County Historical Society, 1976.