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The Axel Seaholm Family A family that contributed much to Eagle Lake and particularly the rice industry was the Axel Seaholm Family. Axel Seaholm (Sjöholm) was born in the parish of Bosarp, Malmöhus, Sweden on 28 April 1861 to Per Seaholm (Sjöholm) and Catherina Olsson. Following the examples of his grandfather, father, and two older brothers, Axel joined the Swedish army at the age of thirteen in order to achieve an education. After serving in the Kongl. Wendes Artilleri-Regemente, Axel transferred to the cavalry—the Kongl. Skänska Husar Regementet---where the other family members had served. During this time he had the opportunity to go to school. From records that he brought with him when he immigrated to the U.S.A., he did very well at school. When he became 21 years old, he resigned from the army and with his father and younger brother immigrated to the United States. Sailing on the ship The City of Berlin from Liverpool, the three landed in New York on 10 September 1883. They were later joined by other family members in Rockford, Illinois. Shortly after, Axel moved to Travis County, Texas, to be joined by his father, mother, brother Julius, and later by other members of the family. At New Sweden, Texas, the Sjöholms began farming on land owned by the Rev. J. A. Stamline, and here they declared their intentions to become citizens of the United States. At this time, they changed the spelling of the surname to Seaholm. Axel also became the first postmaster of New Sweden and a deacon of the New Sweden Lutheran Church, and there he married Anna Katrina Persson in 1885.1 In the area of New Sweden and Elgin, four sons were born: Gustaf Adolph in 1886, Carl William in 1887, Ernest Evald in 1889, and Axel Helmer in 1891. However, when Anna Catherina died on 9 June 1894, Axel and the youngest son moved to Austin. Carl and Ernest stayed with their grandparents Per and Catherina Seaholm, and Gus stayed with Gus and Emma Persson Seaholm. (Emma was the sister of Anna Catherina.) On 1 January 1896 Axel married Selma Justina Anderson in Austin, and the family moved to Colorado County, TX where a number of Swedes were living after hearing of the enterprise of John Linderholm. On 30 March 1895, N. P. Lundgren and Annette Seaholm Lundgren had bought land in Colorado County from B. L. Vineyard in Section 28, G. H. & H Ry. Co. Survey. And on 4 Sep 1895 Axel Seaholm bought sixty acres of land next to the Lundgrens in the G.H.& H Ry Survey. Here in Colorado County three daughters were born: Mabel Theresa in 1898, Blanche Sophia in 1902, and Allie Katharine in 1904. At first the Seaholm family lived on the prairie outside of Chesterville. Axel, who realized the limitations of the area, organized and built a school known as the Seaholm School or #32 in the county records. He also served as trustee of the McCormick School as well as the Seaholm School, which was taught by Professor N. A. Spillman and sometimes by Mrs. Georgia Murray. In 1902 they moved into a home in Chesterville where the Linderholms had lived. It was at this home that all four boys had measles at the same time. When the Seaholms first arrived in the Chesterville area, they farmed cotton on the prairie, but when rice was introduced, Axel and the four sons started farming rice, irrigating the fields from wells. In 1906, according to an article in the Headlight, Axel Seaholm raised, on one hundred eighty acres, 2250 barrels of rice that he sold in Houston for $11,025. Later the family moved closer to Eagle Lake, living on the Dr. J. S. Bruce place and then moved into Eagle Lake. All continued to farm rice while becoming involved in Eagle Lake. According to the Eagle Lake Headlight of 15 Nov 1913: “One of the best yields of rice made in this section this season, or any other season, was threshed out last week on the Frank Stephens Company’s place, a short distance from town, farmed by Messers. Gus and Ernest Seaholm. On twenty acres of land they threshed out six hundred and one barrels or rice, which is a little better than thirty barrels per acre. This, however, is an exceptional yield of rice, and was planted from imported seed.” In Chesterville, Axel Seaholm, who had also served as a musician in the Swedish army, started a cornet band for his sons and other young men in Chesterville. In Eagle Lake he continued the practice. Axel played a number of instruments and sons Gus and Helmer played cornets; Ernest played the trombone; and Carl played the drum. The Eagle Cornet Band became well known in the area, and traveled to San Antonio and Houston performing on special occasions. The band in one form or another lasted until the 1920’s. Axel Seaholm’s connection with the band ended in the 1920’s, and in fact most of his activities ended when he had a severe stroke on March 10, 1924. He recovered from this stroke though, and while he could not talk after that, he was able to walk and spent most of his days walking on the prairies north of Eagle Lake. The family continued to farm rice and became active in organizations of Eagle Lake. In 1911, Axel Seaholm was one of the representatives, at a meeting in Beaumont, of The Southern Rice Growers’ Association, formed in the early 1900’s. In June of 1921 a new association was formed, known as the American Rice Growers’ Association. Among the members who joined at the first meeting were G. A. Seaholm Carl Seaholm, Ernest Seaholm, and Helmer Seaholm, who were now farming on their own. A reorganization of the American Rice Growers Cooperative Association occurred on 4 August 1939. Ernest Seaholm was elected one of nine directors and then elected president of the local Association. He served as president of the Association from 1939 through 1944 in a period where the Association was actively involved in locating farm labor during the war and in building the Prisoner of War Camp at Eagle Lake which provided workers for the rice fields. After relinquishing the position of president of the organization in 1944, he served as vice president for one year and as a director for a number of years. The other Seaholm brothers also continued to be members of the organization, and all were interested in the improvements in cultivation of rice. Gus was the first one in Eagle Lake to purchase a combine for harvesting rice. In Eagle Lake, the Seaholms became involved in other organizations—religious, fraternal, and civic. Axel was a charter member of the International Order of Odd Fellows in Eagle Lake and an honorary member of the Woodbine Encampment in Houston until his death in 1933. Gus, Ernest, and Helmer were members of the Eagle Lake Masonic Lodge, but it was Helmer who became a leader in the lodge, serving numerous times as an officer and becoming noted for his instruction of members in the various degrees. And all worked at the Masonic Cemetery in Eagle Lake transporting and planting oak trees. Gus, Ernest, and Helmer also became members of the Order of the Eastern Star, and they all served as officers of the lodge. Gus and Carl were members of the Methodist Church, and Helmer became a member of the Baptist Church. Helmer also became an active member of the Rotary Club, an organization he still belonged to at the time of his death. Axel had been active in civic affairs and often served in holding local elections. Helmer too became interested in civic affairs and was a member of the city council, serving from 1950 to 1960. Informal activities they were involved in were playing baseball and racing horses at Cavendale or, for Helmer, playing polo. Axel Seaholm and his four sons lived active and productive lives, and descendents still live in Eagle Lake. ___________________________________ 1 Anna Katrina Persson (Persdotter) was born 24 Jun 1861 in Kopung, Frykerud, Varmland, Sweden, the daughter of Per Nilsson and Anna Larsdotter, one of seven children. When she decided to emigrate to the United States, she was working as a maid in the parsonage in the parish of Nor near Frykerud. Her brother Par Adolf Persson had immigrated to the United States on 2 Mar 1881. Anna left Sweden on 23 Oct 1881 (age 20) and arrived in New York on the ship Germanic from Liverpool on 21 Nov 1881. Her sister Emma and three other brothers later immigrated to the United States. |
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Family Groups of Axel Seaholm Family
SEAHOLM-PERSSON Axel Sjöholm born 28 Apr 1861 in Bosarp, Malmöhus, Sweden Arrived in New York on City of Berlin on 10 Sep 1883 from Liverpool, England Married Anna Katrina (Katharina)Persson on 24 June 1885 in Travis Co., TX Axel Seaholm died 25 Oct 1933 in Eagle Lake, TX Buried in Masonic Cemetery in Eagle Lake, TX Anna Katrina Persson born 24 Jun 1861 in Kopung, Frykerud, Varmland, Sweden Arrived in New York on 21 Nov 1881 on Germanic from Liverpool, England. Anna Persson Seaholm died 9 Jun 1894 in Elgin, TX Buried in New Sweden Cemetery. Travis Co., TX Children of Axel and Anna Persson Seaholm Gustaf Adolph Seaholm, born 6 Feb 1886 in Manor, Travis Co., TX Carl William Seaholm born 21 Aug 1887 in New Sweden, Travis Co., TX Ernest Evald Seaholm born 22 Nov 1889 in New Sweden, TX Axel Helmer Seaholm born 4 Dec 1891 in Elgin, Bastrop Co., TX SEAHOLM-ANDERSON Axel Sjöholm born 28 Apr 1861 in Bosarp, Malmöhus, Sweden Children of Axel and Selma Anderson Seaholm Mabel Theresa Seaholm, born 12 Jun 1898 in Colorado Co., TX Blanche Sophia Seaholm born 26 Apr 1902 in Colorado Co., TX Allie Katharine Seaholm born 30 Apr 1904 in Chesterville, Colorado Co., TX |
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Ernest and Susie (Payne) Seaholm on a picnic at the lake in 1918
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Ernest Seaholm on Paint ca 1948
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Ernest Seaholm on Paint ca 1948 with son-in-law Lloyd Spalinger and grandson Don Spalinger standing watch.
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