John Nordlund, senior member of the contracting firm of Nordlund & Tulien, Topeka, Kan., is a native of Sweden and comes of that hardy race of Northmen whose bold navigators were probably the first white men to set foot on American soil. He was born in 1858, and was reared and educated in the schools of his native land. Early in life he was apprenticed to learn the bricklayer's trade, which he mastered and followed until he immigrated to America. The young man in Sweden who decides to learn a trade is compelled to devote several years toward learning it. In Mr. Nordlund's apprenticeship, he was required to work at the trade of brick-laying from the age of sixteen until he was twenty-two years old, before he was given a journeyman's certificate as an efficient and skilled workman. Immediately after mastering his trade he set sail for the New World, having Topeka as his objective point. Soon after his arrival here in 1880, he went to Saint Marys, Kan., where he followed his trade one year. In 1881, he went to Denver, Col., and for the next six years or until 1887, he successfully worked at his trade of brick-layer on many of the best of that city's fine structures. However, in 1887, Mr. Nordlund decided to return to Topeka, and make the capital city his future home, as in that year he was united in marriage with Miss Augusta Carlson, who was also a native of Sweden. After returning to Topeka, he followed his trade independently until he formed a partnership with Swan A. Tulien, who was also engaged at the time in contracting brick and stone construction. The contracting firm of Nordlund & Tulien was formed in 1900, and from its inception has met with well merited success. They have had the brick and stone contracts on many of Topeka's best and finest buildings among the more recent being the Knights and Ladies of Security building at the southwest corner of Seventh and Quincy streets, which was completed in 1911. The firm is well established in the confidence of the people, and are regarded by the public as being strictly honest and honorable in carrying out their contracts. As previously stated, Mr. Nordlund was married in 1887, and to that union have been born two sons: Carl A., born in Topeka in 1888, graduated from the Topeka High School in 1906, and is at present holding a fine clerical position in the office of the general superintendent of the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company. The second son, Theodore W., born in 1892, also graduated from the Topeka High School with the class of 1911, and at present is taking a commercial and business course, better to qualify himself for a business career. Carl A., also took a commercial course in a business college after completing his high school course. Mr. Nordlund has always given his allegiance to the Republican party, but of late years he has supported the men and measures that in his judgment are best calculated to conserve the interests of the people. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security.