John was born in Gudmundra Parish, Vasternorrland, Sweden, the son of Johan Helmer Ahlenius and Anna Brita Ryden. On 22 Sep 1923, a 19-year-old John left from Goteborg, Sweden and crossed the big pond on his own, disembarking in New York, but soon after making his way to the Windy City. John was a carpenter so it would not have been difficult for him to find work in a big city.
Two years after arriving, John wed Marie Andrea Rostol on 21 Mar 1925. Marie was born in Chicago, but her parents, Gerhard Rostol and Randi Meinseth, were Norwegian. It seems that Marie’s parents separated, and in May of 1908, 4-year-old Marie and her mother went to live in Norway. Marie applied for an American passport on 11 Feb 1921 in order to visit her father in Chicago for a few months. It was likely during that visit or a subsequent visit that Marie met John Ahlenius.
Four sons were born to John and Marie—Robert John Leroy (15 Apr 1926 – bet. 1998-2019, m. Joan Ann Schuler); Franklin “Frank” D. (25 Feb 1934 – 27 Mar 2019, m. Judy Kobak); John Jr. (16 Dec 1936 – 22 Dec 2003, m. Marjorie Heise); and Phillip “Phil” (b. 23 May 1942, m. Mary Christine Butra).
I was hoping to find the family on the 1930 Census, but no joy. They did appear on the 1940 Census, living at 2219 Clybourne in Chicago. John Ahlenius, 36, was earning a living as a carpenter. Maire, 35, was home with sons Robert, 13, Franklin, 6, and 3-year-old John Jr. Son Phillip would join his older brothers two years later, born three days before Christmas.
The 1950 Census, set to be released in 2022, will inform whether the family was still in Chicago or if they had already relocated to Starke County, Indiana. Sometime in 1950, the family moved to Knox, Indiana where they were planning to build a motel. Five years after the move, a peat bog changed the life of the Ahleniuses. Read on.
(The South Bend Tribune – Sun 29 May 1955 p. 31) “BROTHERS FIND ‘GOLD’ IN SWAMP. Starke Peat Moss Bog to Net Them $33 Million. Who would ever think there might be a 33-million-dollar gold mine in a Starke County swamp? The Ahlenius brother, John Jr. and Franklin, claim they have found what virtually amounts to a gold mine—a 45-foot deep deposit of peat moss in a bog southeast of Bass Lake. They say than an estimated 660,000 cubic yards of the stuff which makes flowers and vegetable grow faster and bigger should net them 33 million dollars if they dig it all out. With the help of their father, John Sr., they are just now beginning to reap financial rewards from their find after two years of development. They believe it will take them 10 years or more to exhaust their bonanza. ‘The decayed peat, which is the only peat moss that does a garden any good,’ explains John Sr., ‘must be stockpiled for two years so that the air will cure it. After that, it must be pulverized, screened and sacked for distribution…’ The Ahleniuses, who moved from Chicago to near Knox five years ago, say they found the peat moss when they were hauling black dirt from a swampy tract to use in building a lawn for a motel they planned to put in operation. ‘We did some investigating, stopped work on the motel and got into the peat moss business,’ says John Sr. ‘Since then we’ve bought equipment, put up a building for our operations, begun digging the peat moss out with a crane, dried it and got it ready to sell.’ The Ahleniuses say peat moss is formed in layers, one a year, from the decayed green moss and that it takes 10,000 years to build up 10 feet of peat moss. They deduce, therefore, that the bottom of their 45-foot-deep find is 45,000 years old. The bed is about 900 feet wide and 1,200 to 1,400 feet long. The cured and pulverized peat moss is used as a top dressing for lawns and gardens, for mulching and to speed the growth of flowers and shrubs. According to the Ahleniuses, they have produced such specimens as 3 ½-pound tomatoes and six-inch roses with their peat moss. The motel project is side-tracked but may get rolling one of these days, the Ahleniuses say.” (The Culver Citizen – Wed 7 Apr 1954 p. 15) “PEAT MOSS and black dirt, loaded on your truck. Will deliver. John Ahlenius one mile south of Road 10 on Ora Road. “ (Wed 5 Oct 1955 p. 15) “SUPREME PEAT COMPANY HEAD VISITS NOTED OHIO RESEARCH LABORATORIES. John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co., Bass Lake, Knox, made a business trip last week to confer with agronomists of the noted Brookside Research Laboratories at New Knoxville, Ohio.” (Wed 24 Oct 1956 p. 8) “Supreme Peat Co. BOX 383A, ROUTE 3, KNOX, INDIANA Mile East of BASS LAKE on STATE ROAD 10, Then a Mile South (Phone Monterey 2870) Open From Dawn to Dusk 365 Days A Year JOHN AHLENIUS JR. FRANKLIN ALENIUS” (Wed 9 Jan 1957 p. 8) “John Ahlenius, the peat moss king southeast of Bass Lake, has really hit big-time with his packaged product. One of the biggest hardware wholesalers in the country, with more than 300 outlets, is stocking it exclusively, besides a number of other chain operators. Try some on your lawn and garden next spring.” (Wed 29 May 1957 p. 16) “John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co. at Bass Lake is plugging his fine product these nights through one-minute commercials over radio station, WMAQ, Chicago. Jack Angell and other favorite commentators are making the announcements.”
Son Franklin took a break from the family’s peat business to serve his country. (The Culver Citizen – Wed 8 Jan 1958 p. 13) “Army PFC Franklin D. Ahlenius, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Route 3, Bass Lake, Knox, recently was assigned to the 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion at Camp Lucas, Mich. Ahlenius, a mechanic at the battalion’s Battery B, entered the Army in July, 1956 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.”
John Jr. was busy working the Ahleniuses dream when a train got in his way. (The Times, Munster, IN – Mon 24 Oct 1960 p. 5) “Receiving emergency treatment at St. Catherine Hospital were John Ahlenius, 23, of Route 3, Knox, Ind., a driver of the truck, and John Nickels, 35, a brakeman on the train who was thrown from the observation platform on the caboose. The accident occurred at where the Indiana Harbor Belt main line tracks cross 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., in the Twin City. THE LOCOMOTIVE, traveling south on the tracks, pushed the caboose into the truck, which was traveling north on Kennedy. Impact from the collision turned the tractor-trailer truck over, spilling its contents over the pavement…AHLENIUS remained in the cab of the truck as it turned over but suffered only minor back injuries, police said. Both Ahlenius and Raymond Scott, engineer of the locomotive, claimed they had the right of way. Scott told police the warning signals were flashing, but Ahlenius said they were not.” The railroad sued. (Mon 28 Aug 1961 p. 3) “CABOOSE HIT. CROWN POINT—A damage suit for $416.52 has been filed in Lake County Circuit Court by the Elgin, Joliet & Erie Railroad against Jack Gray & Co., Inc., Gary, and John Ahlenius Jr., of Stark [Starke] County, a drive for the company. The petition states that on Oct. 24, 1960, the railroad was operating a train at 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., East Chicago, when Ahlenius, driving north on Kennedy avenue, disregarded crossing gates and flasher signals and struck the train’s caboose. EJ&E claims it cost $415.52 to repair the caboose.” And though the amount claimed doesn’t seem all that much, in today’s economy, it would be equivalent to $3,591.77. Yikes. Nowadays, this accident wouldn’t happen, given that the caboose fell by the wayside when technology made them unnecessary.
A year later, John Jr. would face a much-worse tragedy than a mere lawsuit. (The South Bend Tribune – Mon 3 Dec 1962 p. 4) “Eugene Edward Ahlenius, 1 ½-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Rt. 3, died at 4:25 a.m. today in Starke Memorial Hospital, where he was admitted at midnight after becoming ill in his home…He spent the day with his family at the home of his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Heise, in Monterey, Ind., where they had dinner. The Ahlenius family returned to their home in the last afternoon and the boy complained of stomach pains in the early evening…’ Eugene’s death certificate noted accidental nicotine poisoning as case of death. This must have been a devastating loss for the family.
Life went on, as life is wont to do. In 1965, John Sr. and Marie went to battle on behalf on the local fish population. (The South Bend Tribune – Sat 29 Jan 1966 p. 18) “FISH-KILLING SUIT SETTLED. Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, of Chicago, have settled privately their dispute with United Telephone Co. of Indiana and Shue Spray Service, both of Warsaw, over the alleged killing of fish in a commercial fish pond near Knox. As a result, a $250,000 suit has been dismissed in the U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs contended that spraying operations by Shue for United Telephone in the neighborhood of the pond resulted in killing of the stock over a period of years.” I do not know if the pond in question was owned by the Ahleniuses.
Sadly, two years later, John Sr. lost his helpmate and companion when wife Marie died on 30 Sep 1967 at age 63, claimed by a heart attack. John Sr. lived another twenty-one years, not departing this life until 15 Jul 1988 at age 83. His peat business lived on, managed by son John Jr. until his own death in 2003.
Two years after arriving, John wed Marie Andrea Rostol on 21 Mar 1925. Marie was born in Chicago, but her parents, Gerhard Rostol and Randi Meinseth, were Norwegian. It seems that Marie’s parents separated, and in May of 1908, 4-year-old Marie and her mother went to live in Norway. Marie applied for an American passport on 11 Feb 1921 in order to visit her father in Chicago for a few months. It was likely during that visit or a subsequent visit that Marie met John Ahlenius.
Four sons were born to John and Marie—Robert John Leroy (15 Apr 1926 – bet. 1998-2019, m. Joan Ann Schuler); Franklin “Frank” D. (25 Feb 1934 – 27 Mar 2019, m. Judy Kobak); John Jr. (16 Dec 1936 – 22 Dec 2003, m. Marjorie Heise); and Phillip “Phil” (b. 23 May 1942, m. Mary Christine Butra).
I was hoping to find the family on the 1930 Census, but no joy. They did appear on the 1940 Census, living at 2219 Clybourne in Chicago. John Ahlenius, 36, was earning a living as a carpenter. Maire, 35, was home with sons Robert, 13, Franklin, 6, and 3-year-old John Jr. Son Phillip would join his older brothers two years later, born three days before Christmas.
The 1950 Census, set to be released in 2022, will inform whether the family was still in Chicago or if they had already relocated to Starke County, Indiana. Sometime in 1950, the family moved to Knox, Indiana where they were planning to build a motel. Five years after the move, a peat bog changed the life of the Ahleniuses. Read on.
(The South Bend Tribune – Sun 29 May 1955 p. 31) “BROTHERS FIND ‘GOLD’ IN SWAMP. Starke Peat Moss Bog to Net Them $33 Million. Who would ever think there might be a 33-million-dollar gold mine in a Starke County swamp? The Ahlenius brother, John Jr. and Franklin, claim they have found what virtually amounts to a gold mine—a 45-foot deep deposit of peat moss in a bog southeast of Bass Lake. They say than an estimated 660,000 cubic yards of the stuff which makes flowers and vegetable grow faster and bigger should net them 33 million dollars if they dig it all out. With the help of their father, John Sr., they are just now beginning to reap financial rewards from their find after two years of development. They believe it will take them 10 years or more to exhaust their bonanza. ‘The decayed peat, which is the only peat moss that does a garden any good,’ explains John Sr., ‘must be stockpiled for two years so that the air will cure it. After that, it must be pulverized, screened and sacked for distribution…’ The Ahleniuses, who moved from Chicago to near Knox five years ago, say they found the peat moss when they were hauling black dirt from a swampy tract to use in building a lawn for a motel they planned to put in operation. ‘We did some investigating, stopped work on the motel and got into the peat moss business,’ says John Sr. ‘Since then we’ve bought equipment, put up a building for our operations, begun digging the peat moss out with a crane, dried it and got it ready to sell.’ The Ahleniuses say peat moss is formed in layers, one a year, from the decayed green moss and that it takes 10,000 years to build up 10 feet of peat moss. They deduce, therefore, that the bottom of their 45-foot-deep find is 45,000 years old. The bed is about 900 feet wide and 1,200 to 1,400 feet long. The cured and pulverized peat moss is used as a top dressing for lawns and gardens, for mulching and to speed the growth of flowers and shrubs. According to the Ahleniuses, they have produced such specimens as 3 ½-pound tomatoes and six-inch roses with their peat moss. The motel project is side-tracked but may get rolling one of these days, the Ahleniuses say.” (The Culver Citizen – Wed 7 Apr 1954 p. 15) “PEAT MOSS and black dirt, loaded on your truck. Will deliver. John Ahlenius one mile south of Road 10 on Ora Road. “ (Wed 5 Oct 1955 p. 15) “SUPREME PEAT COMPANY HEAD VISITS NOTED OHIO RESEARCH LABORATORIES. John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co., Bass Lake, Knox, made a business trip last week to confer with agronomists of the noted Brookside Research Laboratories at New Knoxville, Ohio.” (Wed 24 Oct 1956 p. 8) “Supreme Peat Co. BOX 383A, ROUTE 3, KNOX, INDIANA Mile East of BASS LAKE on STATE ROAD 10, Then a Mile South (Phone Monterey 2870) Open From Dawn to Dusk 365 Days A Year JOHN AHLENIUS JR. FRANKLIN ALENIUS” (Wed 9 Jan 1957 p. 8) “John Ahlenius, the peat moss king southeast of Bass Lake, has really hit big-time with his packaged product. One of the biggest hardware wholesalers in the country, with more than 300 outlets, is stocking it exclusively, besides a number of other chain operators. Try some on your lawn and garden next spring.” (Wed 29 May 1957 p. 16) “John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co. at Bass Lake is plugging his fine product these nights through one-minute commercials over radio station, WMAQ, Chicago. Jack Angell and other favorite commentators are making the announcements.”
Son Franklin took a break from the family’s peat business to serve his country. (The Culver Citizen – Wed 8 Jan 1958 p. 13) “Army PFC Franklin D. Ahlenius, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Route 3, Bass Lake, Knox, recently was assigned to the 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion at Camp Lucas, Mich. Ahlenius, a mechanic at the battalion’s Battery B, entered the Army in July, 1956 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.”
John Jr. was busy working the Ahleniuses dream when a train got in his way. (The Times, Munster, IN – Mon 24 Oct 1960 p. 5) “Receiving emergency treatment at St. Catherine Hospital were John Ahlenius, 23, of Route 3, Knox, Ind., a driver of the truck, and John Nickels, 35, a brakeman on the train who was thrown from the observation platform on the caboose. The accident occurred at where the Indiana Harbor Belt main line tracks cross 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., in the Twin City. THE LOCOMOTIVE, traveling south on the tracks, pushed the caboose into the truck, which was traveling north on Kennedy. Impact from the collision turned the tractor-trailer truck over, spilling its contents over the pavement…AHLENIUS remained in the cab of the truck as it turned over but suffered only minor back injuries, police said. Both Ahlenius and Raymond Scott, engineer of the locomotive, claimed they had the right of way. Scott told police the warning signals were flashing, but Ahlenius said they were not.” The railroad sued. (Mon 28 Aug 1961 p. 3) “CABOOSE HIT. CROWN POINT—A damage suit for $416.52 has been filed in Lake County Circuit Court by the Elgin, Joliet & Erie Railroad against Jack Gray & Co., Inc., Gary, and John Ahlenius Jr., of Stark [Starke] County, a drive for the company. The petition states that on Oct. 24, 1960, the railroad was operating a train at 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., East Chicago, when Ahlenius, driving north on Kennedy avenue, disregarded crossing gates and flasher signals and struck the train’s caboose. EJ&E claims it cost $415.52 to repair the caboose.” And though the amount claimed doesn’t seem all that much, in today’s economy, it would be equivalent to $3,591.77. Yikes. Nowadays, this accident wouldn’t happen, given that the caboose fell by the wayside when technology made them unnecessary.
A year later, John Jr. would face a much-worse tragedy than a mere lawsuit. (The South Bend Tribune – Mon 3 Dec 1962 p. 4) “Eugene Edward Ahlenius, 1 ½-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Rt. 3, died at 4:25 a.m. today in Starke Memorial Hospital, where he was admitted at midnight after becoming ill in his home…He spent the day with his family at the home of his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Heise, in Monterey, Ind., where they had dinner. The Ahlenius family returned to their home in the last afternoon and the boy complained of stomach pains in the early evening…’ Eugene’s death certificate noted accidental nicotine poisoning as case of death. This must have been a devastating loss for the family.
Life went on, as life is wont to do. In 1965, John Sr. and Marie went to battle on behalf on the local fish population. (The South Bend Tribune – Sat 29 Jan 1966 p. 18) “FISH-KILLING SUIT SETTLED. Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, of Chicago, have settled privately their dispute with United Telephone Co. of Indiana and Shue Spray Service, both of Warsaw, over the alleged killing of fish in a commercial fish pond near Knox. As a result, a $250,000 suit has been dismissed in the U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs contended that spraying operations by Shue for United Telephone in the neighborhood of the pond resulted in killing of the stock over a period of years.” I do not know if the pond in question was owned by the Ahleniuses.
Sadly, two years later, John Sr. lost his helpmate and companion when wife Marie died on 30 Sep 1967 at age 63, claimed by a heart attack. John Sr. lived another twenty-one years, not departing this life until 15 Jul 1988 at age 83. His peat business lived on, managed by son John Jr. until his own death in 2003.
John was born in Gudmundra Parish, Vasternorrland, Sweden, the son of Johan Helmer Ahlenius and Anna Brita Ryden. On 22 Sep 1923, a 19-year-old John left from Goteborg, Sweden and crossed the big pond on his own, disembarking in New York, but soon after making his way to the Windy City. John was a carpenter so it would not have been difficult for him to find work in a big city.
Two years after arriving, John wed Marie Andrea Rostol on 21 Mar 1925. Marie was born in Chicago, but her parents, Gerhard Rostol and Randi Meinseth, were Norwegian. It seems that Marie’s parents separated, and in May of 1908, 4-year-old Marie and her mother went to live in Norway. Marie applied for an American passport on 11 Feb 1921 in order to visit her father in Chicago for a few months. It was likely during that visit or a subsequent visit that Marie met John Ahlenius.
Four sons were born to John and Marie—Robert John Leroy (15 Apr 1926 – bet. 1998-2019, m. Joan Ann Schuler); Franklin “Frank” D. (25 Feb 1934 – 27 Mar 2019, m. Judy Kobak); John Jr. (16 Dec 1936 – 22 Dec 2003, m. Marjorie Heise); and Phillip “Phil” (b. 23 May 1942, m. Mary Christine Butra).
I was hoping to find the family on the 1930 Census, but no joy. They did appear on the 1940 Census, living at 2219 Clybourne in Chicago. John Ahlenius, 36, was earning a living as a carpenter. Maire, 35, was home with sons Robert, 13, Franklin, 6, and 3-year-old John Jr. Son Phillip would join his older brothers two years later, born three days before Christmas.
The 1950 Census, set to be released in 2022, will inform whether the family was still in Chicago or if they had already relocated to Starke County, Indiana. Sometime in 1950, the family moved to Knox, Indiana where they were planning to build a motel. Five years after the move, a peat bog changed the life of the Ahleniuses. Read on.
(The South Bend Tribune – Sun 29 May 1955 p. 31) “BROTHERS FIND ‘GOLD’ IN SWAMP. Starke Peat Moss Bog to Net Them $33 Million. Who would ever think there might be a 33-million-dollar gold mine in a Starke County swamp? The Ahlenius brother, John Jr. and Franklin, claim they have found what virtually amounts to a gold mine—a 45-foot deep deposit of peat moss in a bog southeast of Bass Lake. They say than an estimated 660,000 cubic yards of the stuff which makes flowers and vegetable grow faster and bigger should net them 33 million dollars if they dig it all out. With the help of their father, John Sr., they are just now beginning to reap financial rewards from their find after two years of development. They believe it will take them 10 years or more to exhaust their bonanza. ‘The decayed peat, which is the only peat moss that does a garden any good,’ explains John Sr., ‘must be stockpiled for two years so that the air will cure it. After that, it must be pulverized, screened and sacked for distribution…’ The Ahleniuses, who moved from Chicago to near Knox five years ago, say they found the peat moss when they were hauling black dirt from a swampy tract to use in building a lawn for a motel they planned to put in operation. ‘We did some investigating, stopped work on the motel and got into the peat moss business,’ says John Sr. ‘Since then we’ve bought equipment, put up a building for our operations, begun digging the peat moss out with a crane, dried it and got it ready to sell.’ The Ahleniuses say peat moss is formed in layers, one a year, from the decayed green moss and that it takes 10,000 years to build up 10 feet of peat moss. They deduce, therefore, that the bottom of their 45-foot-deep find is 45,000 years old. The bed is about 900 feet wide and 1,200 to 1,400 feet long. The cured and pulverized peat moss is used as a top dressing for lawns and gardens, for mulching and to speed the growth of flowers and shrubs. According to the Ahleniuses, they have produced such specimens as 3 ½-pound tomatoes and six-inch roses with their peat moss. The motel project is side-tracked but may get rolling one of these days, the Ahleniuses say.” (The Culver Citizen – Wed 7 Apr 1954 p. 15) “PEAT MOSS and black dirt, loaded on your truck. Will deliver. John Ahlenius one mile south of Road 10 on Ora Road. “ (Wed 5 Oct 1955 p. 15) “SUPREME PEAT COMPANY HEAD VISITS NOTED OHIO RESEARCH LABORATORIES. John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co., Bass Lake, Knox, made a business trip last week to confer with agronomists of the noted Brookside Research Laboratories at New Knoxville, Ohio.” (Wed 24 Oct 1956 p. 8) “Supreme Peat Co. BOX 383A, ROUTE 3, KNOX, INDIANA Mile East of BASS LAKE on STATE ROAD 10, Then a Mile South (Phone Monterey 2870) Open From Dawn to Dusk 365 Days A Year JOHN AHLENIUS JR. FRANKLIN ALENIUS” (Wed 9 Jan 1957 p. 8) “John Ahlenius, the peat moss king southeast of Bass Lake, has really hit big-time with his packaged product. One of the biggest hardware wholesalers in the country, with more than 300 outlets, is stocking it exclusively, besides a number of other chain operators. Try some on your lawn and garden next spring.” (Wed 29 May 1957 p. 16) “John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co. at Bass Lake is plugging his fine product these nights through one-minute commercials over radio station, WMAQ, Chicago. Jack Angell and other favorite commentators are making the announcements.”
Son Franklin took a break from the family’s peat business to serve his country. (The Culver Citizen – Wed 8 Jan 1958 p. 13) “Army PFC Franklin D. Ahlenius, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Route 3, Bass Lake, Knox, recently was assigned to the 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion at Camp Lucas, Mich. Ahlenius, a mechanic at the battalion’s Battery B, entered the Army in July, 1956 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.”
John Jr. was busy working the Ahleniuses dream when a train got in his way. (The Times, Munster, IN – Mon 24 Oct 1960 p. 5) “Receiving emergency treatment at St. Catherine Hospital were John Ahlenius, 23, of Route 3, Knox, Ind., a driver of the truck, and John Nickels, 35, a brakeman on the train who was thrown from the observation platform on the caboose. The accident occurred at where the Indiana Harbor Belt main line tracks cross 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., in the Twin City. THE LOCOMOTIVE, traveling south on the tracks, pushed the caboose into the truck, which was traveling north on Kennedy. Impact from the collision turned the tractor-trailer truck over, spilling its contents over the pavement…AHLENIUS remained in the cab of the truck as it turned over but suffered only minor back injuries, police said. Both Ahlenius and Raymond Scott, engineer of the locomotive, claimed they had the right of way. Scott told police the warning signals were flashing, but Ahlenius said they were not.” The railroad sued. (Mon 28 Aug 1961 p. 3) “CABOOSE HIT. CROWN POINT—A damage suit for $416.52 has been filed in Lake County Circuit Court by the Elgin, Joliet & Erie Railroad against Jack Gray & Co., Inc., Gary, and John Ahlenius Jr., of Stark [Starke] County, a drive for the company. The petition states that on Oct. 24, 1960, the railroad was operating a train at 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., East Chicago, when Ahlenius, driving north on Kennedy avenue, disregarded crossing gates and flasher signals and struck the train’s caboose. EJ&E claims it cost $415.52 to repair the caboose.” And though the amount claimed doesn’t seem all that much, in today’s economy, it would be equivalent to $3,591.77. Yikes. Nowadays, this accident wouldn’t happen, given that the caboose fell by the wayside when technology made them unnecessary.
A year later, John Jr. would face a much-worse tragedy than a mere lawsuit. (The South Bend Tribune – Mon 3 Dec 1962 p. 4) “Eugene Edward Ahlenius, 1 ½-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Rt. 3, died at 4:25 a.m. today in Starke Memorial Hospital, where he was admitted at midnight after becoming ill in his home…He spent the day with his family at the home of his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Heise, in Monterey, Ind., where they had dinner. The Ahlenius family returned to their home in the last afternoon and the boy complained of stomach pains in the early evening…’ Eugene’s death certificate noted accidental nicotine poisoning as case of death. This must have been a devastating loss for the family.
Life went on, as life is wont to do. In 1965, John Sr. and Marie went to battle on behalf on the local fish population. (The South Bend Tribune – Sat 29 Jan 1966 p. 18) “FISH-KILLING SUIT SETTLED. Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, of Chicago, have settled privately their dispute with United Telephone Co. of Indiana and Shue Spray Service, both of Warsaw, over the alleged killing of fish in a commercial fish pond near Knox. As a result, a $250,000 suit has been dismissed in the U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs contended that spraying operations by Shue for United Telephone in the neighborhood of the pond resulted in killing of the stock over a period of years.” I do not know if the pond in question was owned by the Ahleniuses.
Sadly, two years later, John Sr. lost his helpmate and companion when wife Marie died on 30 Sep 1967 at age 63, claimed by a heart attack. John Sr. lived another twenty-one years, not departing this life until 15 Jul 1988 at age 83. His peat business lived on, managed by son John Jr. until his own death in 2003.
Two years after arriving, John wed Marie Andrea Rostol on 21 Mar 1925. Marie was born in Chicago, but her parents, Gerhard Rostol and Randi Meinseth, were Norwegian. It seems that Marie’s parents separated, and in May of 1908, 4-year-old Marie and her mother went to live in Norway. Marie applied for an American passport on 11 Feb 1921 in order to visit her father in Chicago for a few months. It was likely during that visit or a subsequent visit that Marie met John Ahlenius.
Four sons were born to John and Marie—Robert John Leroy (15 Apr 1926 – bet. 1998-2019, m. Joan Ann Schuler); Franklin “Frank” D. (25 Feb 1934 – 27 Mar 2019, m. Judy Kobak); John Jr. (16 Dec 1936 – 22 Dec 2003, m. Marjorie Heise); and Phillip “Phil” (b. 23 May 1942, m. Mary Christine Butra).
I was hoping to find the family on the 1930 Census, but no joy. They did appear on the 1940 Census, living at 2219 Clybourne in Chicago. John Ahlenius, 36, was earning a living as a carpenter. Maire, 35, was home with sons Robert, 13, Franklin, 6, and 3-year-old John Jr. Son Phillip would join his older brothers two years later, born three days before Christmas.
The 1950 Census, set to be released in 2022, will inform whether the family was still in Chicago or if they had already relocated to Starke County, Indiana. Sometime in 1950, the family moved to Knox, Indiana where they were planning to build a motel. Five years after the move, a peat bog changed the life of the Ahleniuses. Read on.
(The South Bend Tribune – Sun 29 May 1955 p. 31) “BROTHERS FIND ‘GOLD’ IN SWAMP. Starke Peat Moss Bog to Net Them $33 Million. Who would ever think there might be a 33-million-dollar gold mine in a Starke County swamp? The Ahlenius brother, John Jr. and Franklin, claim they have found what virtually amounts to a gold mine—a 45-foot deep deposit of peat moss in a bog southeast of Bass Lake. They say than an estimated 660,000 cubic yards of the stuff which makes flowers and vegetable grow faster and bigger should net them 33 million dollars if they dig it all out. With the help of their father, John Sr., they are just now beginning to reap financial rewards from their find after two years of development. They believe it will take them 10 years or more to exhaust their bonanza. ‘The decayed peat, which is the only peat moss that does a garden any good,’ explains John Sr., ‘must be stockpiled for two years so that the air will cure it. After that, it must be pulverized, screened and sacked for distribution…’ The Ahleniuses, who moved from Chicago to near Knox five years ago, say they found the peat moss when they were hauling black dirt from a swampy tract to use in building a lawn for a motel they planned to put in operation. ‘We did some investigating, stopped work on the motel and got into the peat moss business,’ says John Sr. ‘Since then we’ve bought equipment, put up a building for our operations, begun digging the peat moss out with a crane, dried it and got it ready to sell.’ The Ahleniuses say peat moss is formed in layers, one a year, from the decayed green moss and that it takes 10,000 years to build up 10 feet of peat moss. They deduce, therefore, that the bottom of their 45-foot-deep find is 45,000 years old. The bed is about 900 feet wide and 1,200 to 1,400 feet long. The cured and pulverized peat moss is used as a top dressing for lawns and gardens, for mulching and to speed the growth of flowers and shrubs. According to the Ahleniuses, they have produced such specimens as 3 ½-pound tomatoes and six-inch roses with their peat moss. The motel project is side-tracked but may get rolling one of these days, the Ahleniuses say.” (The Culver Citizen – Wed 7 Apr 1954 p. 15) “PEAT MOSS and black dirt, loaded on your truck. Will deliver. John Ahlenius one mile south of Road 10 on Ora Road. “ (Wed 5 Oct 1955 p. 15) “SUPREME PEAT COMPANY HEAD VISITS NOTED OHIO RESEARCH LABORATORIES. John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co., Bass Lake, Knox, made a business trip last week to confer with agronomists of the noted Brookside Research Laboratories at New Knoxville, Ohio.” (Wed 24 Oct 1956 p. 8) “Supreme Peat Co. BOX 383A, ROUTE 3, KNOX, INDIANA Mile East of BASS LAKE on STATE ROAD 10, Then a Mile South (Phone Monterey 2870) Open From Dawn to Dusk 365 Days A Year JOHN AHLENIUS JR. FRANKLIN ALENIUS” (Wed 9 Jan 1957 p. 8) “John Ahlenius, the peat moss king southeast of Bass Lake, has really hit big-time with his packaged product. One of the biggest hardware wholesalers in the country, with more than 300 outlets, is stocking it exclusively, besides a number of other chain operators. Try some on your lawn and garden next spring.” (Wed 29 May 1957 p. 16) “John Ahlenius Sr. of the Supreme Peat Co. at Bass Lake is plugging his fine product these nights through one-minute commercials over radio station, WMAQ, Chicago. Jack Angell and other favorite commentators are making the announcements.”
Son Franklin took a break from the family’s peat business to serve his country. (The Culver Citizen – Wed 8 Jan 1958 p. 13) “Army PFC Franklin D. Ahlenius, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Route 3, Bass Lake, Knox, recently was assigned to the 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion at Camp Lucas, Mich. Ahlenius, a mechanic at the battalion’s Battery B, entered the Army in July, 1956 and completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.”
John Jr. was busy working the Ahleniuses dream when a train got in his way. (The Times, Munster, IN – Mon 24 Oct 1960 p. 5) “Receiving emergency treatment at St. Catherine Hospital were John Ahlenius, 23, of Route 3, Knox, Ind., a driver of the truck, and John Nickels, 35, a brakeman on the train who was thrown from the observation platform on the caboose. The accident occurred at where the Indiana Harbor Belt main line tracks cross 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., in the Twin City. THE LOCOMOTIVE, traveling south on the tracks, pushed the caboose into the truck, which was traveling north on Kennedy. Impact from the collision turned the tractor-trailer truck over, spilling its contents over the pavement…AHLENIUS remained in the cab of the truck as it turned over but suffered only minor back injuries, police said. Both Ahlenius and Raymond Scott, engineer of the locomotive, claimed they had the right of way. Scott told police the warning signals were flashing, but Ahlenius said they were not.” The railroad sued. (Mon 28 Aug 1961 p. 3) “CABOOSE HIT. CROWN POINT—A damage suit for $416.52 has been filed in Lake County Circuit Court by the Elgin, Joliet & Erie Railroad against Jack Gray & Co., Inc., Gary, and John Ahlenius Jr., of Stark [Starke] County, a drive for the company. The petition states that on Oct. 24, 1960, the railroad was operating a train at 151st St. and Kennedy Ave., East Chicago, when Ahlenius, driving north on Kennedy avenue, disregarded crossing gates and flasher signals and struck the train’s caboose. EJ&E claims it cost $415.52 to repair the caboose.” And though the amount claimed doesn’t seem all that much, in today’s economy, it would be equivalent to $3,591.77. Yikes. Nowadays, this accident wouldn’t happen, given that the caboose fell by the wayside when technology made them unnecessary.
A year later, John Jr. would face a much-worse tragedy than a mere lawsuit. (The South Bend Tribune – Mon 3 Dec 1962 p. 4) “Eugene Edward Ahlenius, 1 ½-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, Rt. 3, died at 4:25 a.m. today in Starke Memorial Hospital, where he was admitted at midnight after becoming ill in his home…He spent the day with his family at the home of his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Heise, in Monterey, Ind., where they had dinner. The Ahlenius family returned to their home in the last afternoon and the boy complained of stomach pains in the early evening…’ Eugene’s death certificate noted accidental nicotine poisoning as case of death. This must have been a devastating loss for the family.
Life went on, as life is wont to do. In 1965, John Sr. and Marie went to battle on behalf on the local fish population. (The South Bend Tribune – Sat 29 Jan 1966 p. 18) “FISH-KILLING SUIT SETTLED. Mr. and Mrs. John Ahlenius, of Chicago, have settled privately their dispute with United Telephone Co. of Indiana and Shue Spray Service, both of Warsaw, over the alleged killing of fish in a commercial fish pond near Knox. As a result, a $250,000 suit has been dismissed in the U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs contended that spraying operations by Shue for United Telephone in the neighborhood of the pond resulted in killing of the stock over a period of years.” I do not know if the pond in question was owned by the Ahleniuses.
Sadly, two years later, John Sr. lost his helpmate and companion when wife Marie died on 30 Sep 1967 at age 63, claimed by a heart attack. John Sr. lived another twenty-one years, not departing this life until 15 Jul 1988 at age 83. His peat business lived on, managed by son John Jr. until his own death in 2003.
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