John P. Hedberg

Biography

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J. P. Hedberg (May 3, 1853-aft 1933) was born in Sweden and came to America with his parents and younger brother in 1869. His father died aboard ship. J.P. went to school in Minneapolis where he was a classmate with C. A. Smith and the two of them struck up a friendship that led to a business relationship in central Minnesota.

J. P. worked for Mr. Smith in the Herman elevator and moved to Evansville with the Smith/ C. J. Johnson partnership. J.P. and Johnson had married sisters. After spending a few years in Evansville and Brandon, John moved to Kensington in 1887 and built a hardware store and lumberyard in connection with Mr. Smith. After selling that business to J.A. Wedum, he went into the loan, insurance and banking business with E. H. Johnson. Erick Johnson was Kensington's first postmaster and the Johnson and Hedberg partnership sold furniture from the same building that housed the Post Office and Hedberg's office.

Hedberg left Kensington about 1911, operated a similar loan and insurance business in Warroad, MN and later moved to Everett, WA. where he is believed to be buried. His wife Sophia (Sophie) Craft and son Arthur G. are both buried in the First Lutheran Cemetery, Kensington.

Besides being an active businessman, J.P. Hedberg was one of the key men in establishing Kensington's village government, serving as the first Common Council president. Obviously well respected in the community, it was to J. P. Hedberg that Olof Ohman turned for help in deciphering the strange markings on a rock which Ohman found in 1898.

John P. Hedberg served as president of the village common council from 1891-1894, 1897-1900, and 1902-1903.