THE VALLEY OF HEART's DELIGHT

Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: LINDROTH,  MEADE, MASON

A Swedish-American whose admirable thrift and economy have enabled him to succeed where so many would have signally failed, and who has, therefore, as a welcome American by adoption, made good in such a manner as to reflect the highest credit not only upon himself and parentage, but upon the land of his birth, is Oscar Frederick Gohranson, a native of Stockholm, where he was born on December 13, 1835. His father was Oscar Gohranson, an importer and exporter of all kinds of first-class provisions, and he had married Anna Magdalena Lindroth, a talented lady who proved an excellent wife and devoted mother. They had only the one child—Oscar F., the subject of our story. Up to his ninth year, Oscar lived with country folks near Stockholm, and then he came into town and attended the grammar schools. At the very early age of twelve, he went to sea, shipping on a sailing vessel plying between the Northland and the Mediterranean; but after one trip, he commenced school at Gothenburg and for three years pored over his books. He then became a clerk in a grocery store, where he remained for six years; and after that, he went to sea again, and for several years he toured the ocean, -visiting the chief ports of the world.

Stopping at Australia, Mr. Gohranson opened a store at Parker, near Melbourne, from which he supplied the mines; but when, at the end of four years, the mines were closed and the camps broken up, he lost heavily, and was induced to go to sea again, sailing to Java, Borneo, and from there to Singapore, where he was taken seriously ill and had to remain for a long time in the hospital. After that, he returned to his native land and visited his old home, and having seen the friends and scenes familiar in childhood, he became steward on an American schooner bound far New York. At London, however, his feet were badly scalded in an accident, and he was compelled to lay over to recover.

On one of his voyages between London and the East Indies on the "Oriental Queen." sailing around Cape of Good Hope they ran out of fresh water and had to use condensed sea water; they also ran out of vegetables and the crew got the scurvy. Their destination was Madras and they finally drifted into that port. There they obtained medical aid and also plenty of vegetables and fruits and soon recovered. Thence they went to Malmain and loaded teak-wood and returned to England, After discharging their cargo they went to New York for a cargo of wheat, leaving New York December 25, 1861. When two days out, they encountered a severe storm, the cargo shifted, and their vessel, the "Oriental Queen" sprung a leak; the crew took to the boats and it was thirty-six hours before they were rescued and taken back to New York by the Nantucket light ship. He then shipped on the Jersey Brig, but when out at sea a big storm swept over them and they went back to Jersey City. He then took a ship back to Sweden. Shipping on an English vessel bound for Australia, from Australia he came to California, landing at San Francisco in 1868, and here he decided to give up the sea. He had saved considerable money, and with his little capital, he came on to San Jose, Cal., and invested in a chicken ranch. He was unsuccessful, however, and in the venture lost all he had, save $100. This precious sum he put into a restaurant business, entering into partnership; but he stuck to his guns there only a short time, when he sold out and went to farming. He rented a small farm for six years, and raised berries, and then he purchased the ranch of eleven acres just north of San Jose. He steadily developed the ranch, and after many years of hard work and self-denying saving, he cleared his property of debt, and it is now a trim little farm irrigated by means of a fine artesian well and devoted to peas, apples, prunes and apricots.

In 1869, Mr. Gohranson made another trip to Gothenburg and on his return to California, he guided a small company of immigrants bound for San Francisco and was instrumental in securing good positions for the six young ladies in the party, he himself marrying one of them, at San Francisco, on August 8 in the following year. She was Miss Laura Victoria Kellberg, a native of Stockholm, a college graduate and educator, and she became a talented writer of beautiful poetry and short stories, many of her writings appearing in papers in both Sweden and the 'United States. She was the center of a wide circle of friends; and when, in 1906, she died from shock suffered on account of the San Francisco earthquake, her untimely passing was lamented by many. Five children had sprung from this happy union: Oscar S. Gohranson, a carpenter of San Jose; Frederick, deceased; Victor T., also a carpenter living in San Jose; Laura C. is Mrs. Meade of San Francisco; Svea C., is Mrs. Benj. Mason of San Jose. Mr. Gohranson is a member of the Society of Pioneers of Santa Clara County; and he is also a stanch Republican.