John F. Bjorkman

JOHN F. BJORKMAN. - The Swedish type is one which has found many representatives in the New World and it has assuredly contributed its quota toward the onward movement of progress. America owes much to the Swedish stock and has honored and been honored by many noble men and women of this extraction. Among the enterprising representatives of the nation in Kansas City, Missouri, is John F. Bjorkman, of this notice, whose business headquarters are in the city mentioned, but whose home is maintained in Kansas City, Kansas. Since 1903 he has conducted one of the best and most exclusive tailoring establishments in the city and as a citizen and a business man his loyalty and patriotism have ever been of the most insistent order, Mr. Bjorkman was born in the city of Linkoping, Ostergotland, Sweden, on the 14th of April, 1863, and is a son of Gustaf and Johanna Bjorkman, both of whom are deceased. The father was engaged in merchant tailoring during the major portion of his active career and of the four children born to him and his wife, he whose name inaugurates this review is the youngest in order of birth.

After availing himself of the advantages afforded in the public schools of his native land, young Bjorkman entered upon an apprenticeship as a tailor. In 1884, having become familiar with the trade and being just attained to his legal majority, he came to the conclusion to try his fortunes in the land across the seas whose advantages he had heard so greatly vaunted, and accordingly he severed home associations and immigrated to the United States. He located in New York City and in that great metropolis engaged in the work of his trade for the ensuing four years. In 1888 he followed the tide of immigration westward and established his home in Kansas City, Missouri, where he has ever since maintained his business headquarters. He worked as a journeyman until 1903, in which year he decided to go into business on his own account. He then formed a partnership with E. G. Zimmer, under the firm name of Zimmer & Bjorkman, and their splendid tailoring establishment is now located at 914 Grand avenue, Kansas City, Missouri. In due time the firm built up a large and lucrative trade and it now enjoys distinction as one of the most enterprising concerns of its kind in the state.

On the 20th of November, 1885, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Bjorkman to Miss Anna C. Edlund, whose birth occured in the city of Stolkholm, Sweden. Mr. and Mrs. Bjorkman are the proud parents of two sons, concerning whom the following brief data are here entered: David is paying teller in the Commercial National Bank of Kansas City, Kansas; and Eric is in business in Kansas City, Kansas. The latter spent several years in the most fashionable shops in New York City learning the secrets of tailoring and he is considered the best cutter and the nattiest tailor in the state of Kansas. In fact he enjoys a large share of the patronage of the best-dressed men of Kansas City, Kansas. Both boys were afforded an excellent education and a brilliant and successful future is prophesied for them.

Mr. Bjorkman is affiliated with several social orders of a representative order. He has taken an active part in unifying and uplifting Swedish people of this community. In politics he endorses the cause of the Republican party. While undoubtedly Mr. Bjorkman has not been without that honorable ambition which is so powerful and useful as an incentive to activity in public affairs, he regards the pursuits of private life as being in themselves abundantly worthy of his best efforts. In community affairs he is active and influential and his support is readily and generously given to many measures for the general progress and improvement. He is a man of splendid executive ability and unusual energy and by reason of his sterling integrity is accorded the whole-souled regard of his fellow men.