Claus Edwin (Gustafson) Bengtson was born October 6, 1866, in Swarji, Sweden. he died on July 22, 2944 at the home of his daughter Helen in St. Joseph, Missouri. Claus is buried in Ashland Cemetery in St. Joseph. His age was 77 years, 9 months and 16 days.
Claus married Bessie Peterson, who was born in Stockholm, Sweden on October 18, 1866. Bessie died in 1912 in St. Joseph, Missouri, and is also buried in Ashland Cemetery.
Claus came to America to avoid the draft in Sweden. (He served 1887-1889). He changed his name from Gustafson to Bengtson and settled in St. Joseph, Missouri. (NOTE: he had relatives in Essex, Iowa whose last name was also Bengtson.) No port of entry is known for Claus. Bessie came to America with a church group from Sweden to help establish Mission churches in Red Oak and Nyman, Iowa. She met Claus while he was working as a hired man for John Hilt. They were married in St. Joseph and stayed there. Claus worked as a packer in a clothing store. he was called Charles in St. Joseph.
A picture of Bessie and 2 other young girls was found in a trunk belonging to Bessie's daughter Ebba Christina. On the back of the picture were the names "Bessie, Lena and Clara". Ebba Christina knew that her mother had 2 sisters, one of whom lives somewhere out on the West Coast of the US. Lena and Clara may be these 2 sisters. Ebba never met either of her mother's sisters.
Claus had relatives living on farms around Essex, Iowa whose last name was also Bengtson. When Bessie died in 1912, 2 of her children, Ebba Christina and Paul Edwin, went to live with one of these relatives. Ebba said that Samuel and Ludwick Bengtson were her father's uncles. Eric and Charles Bengtson were sons of Samuel and it was with Charles that Ebba and Paul lived. Ebba was also married to John Elmer Hendrickson in Charles' home.
Claus and Bessie's third child, Helen Alivia stayed in an orphanage in St. Joseph for a while after her mother died.
Military
1887-1889 • Sweden
Served in the military 3 July 1887 until 2 Dec 1889. He entered the army from the district of Redvag and served in the district of Ulricheham in Vastergotland.
The first record we find of Claus in St. Joseph, MO is 1899. They (Claus and Bessie) are living at 1818 Lafayette and Clause works for Burlington Route. This is also the year their first child, Ebba Christina is born. Ebba was born July 11, 1899 in the home of her parents.
In 1900 Claus and Bessie have a son, Paul Edwin, born August 17.
In 1901 Claus and Bessie have a daughter, Helen Alivia, born December 19th. The family now resides at 622 S. 19th Street in St. Joseph, MO. Claus works for the Nelson M. Packing Company.
In 1906 the family lives at 2014 Angelique in St. Joseph and claus works as a janitor for the Board of Trade Building.
Bessie was admitted to the St. Joseph State Hospital on September 20, 1909. Bessie was a patient there
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