My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Phillips County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

N. J. Fritzon, mayor of Helena and dealer in queensware, has a life record of more than usual interest and seems by nature to be a man fitted to rule. He was born across the ocean, his birth occurring in Sweden near the Baltic Sea, in October, 1838. At an early day he displayed the energy and enterprise which has since characterized his career, and his youth was spent in learning the shoemaker’s trade and in studying music, in which he became very proficient, being able to play almost any instrument which was put into his hands. Life in his native land was not suited to one of his energetic and enterprising disposition, and he accordingly determined to cross the ocean and see what life in a new land had in store for him, and in 1857 first set foot on American soil at Boston, the voyage from Gothenberg to this point occupying a period of five weeks. He immediately went to Moline, Ill., thence to Rock Island, working at his trade, and the year 1859 found him in St. Louis, from which point he went to New Orleans a short time after. This city continued to be his home until the bombardment of Fort Sumter, when he returned to St. Louis, thence back to Rock Island, Ill., where he enlisted in Company A, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and was made chief musician and bugler of his regiment. In 1862 he was mustered out of service, by order of the war department, and was then musician for eight months on Gen. Steele’s staff. In February, 1863, he came to Helena and engaged in the grocery business and this was his exclusive means of a livelihood for twenty-one years, but was a very lucrative one. His stock of queensware is very large and of an exceptionally fine quality, and as he is an honest and upright man of business, his sales are large. He has been connected with the fire department of the city since the war and for several years has been its chief. In 1888 he was elected mayor of Helena and his record as an official, as well as a business man, will bear the investigation of one and all, for not a shadow can be advanced derogatory to his reputation. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and for a number of years he has been a member of the town council and the board of health. He was married in 1867 to Miss Mary B. Nixon, by whom he has five children: Sidney H., John E., Mary B., Nelson J. and Eudora C.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 103 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Phillips County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Phillips County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Phillips County, Arkansas family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.