Saturday, December 8, 2018

CLAES (Clas-Herbert) JONSSON

The youngest of Olga and Folke's children was born 1930 and died this year. He was called Claes in America but as he grew up in Sweden, he was called Clas-Herbert. He, like his parents and his siblings, was also very artistic and expressed this talent in many ways. He worked in many areas and he was a building contractor for many years, working with his brothers Folke (Ponkis) and Bo-Erling in Jacksonville, Florida.

He left Sweden when only sixteen and worked on one of the Swedish America Line's vessel M/S Vretaholm. His uncle(Axel Jonsson) was general manager at the this shipping company. After his two years sailing the seas,  he settled in Jacksonville. He later lived in New Mexico, California and when retired, he settled near his children on the east coast, with his fourth wife Lynne, in a small place Wellsville, NY where they restored the  "Hallsport General Store". It became a center of the community and here he could exhibit his paintings and other art work. The photos of the paintings below were kindly sent by Darr Pace who purchased them from Claes.

Here are som early photos of Claes (thanks Lynne for sending them) that might interest family and friends.

Passport photo 1947

Claes, sixteen on the vessel Vretaholm (below)

M/S Vretaholm

Claes with wife Lynne

Hallsport Church. Built in 1901.
Located across the road from Darr and Noreen's home.
Hallsport Hotel PaintingCalvin Hall built/ran the Hallsport Hotel in the early 1800's. His son,
Squire Hall, ran the blacksmith shop. Hotel on left - blacksmith on right.
The Hallsport, NY Grange hall was built in 1937.
It is now Darr and Noreen 
Pace's home.
The building on the far left is the old general store in Hallsport, NY
USA. Claes and Lynne remodeled it to be their home. Lynne still lives there.

(When Claes and Lynne bought the store in 2011 it was listed like this: 
"Opportunity to resurrect the renowned Hallsport General Store! Once a favorite country store of many this building the old character, built-in cabinets & shelving, and the ice cream station. In addition to the store there is a 2 bedroom apartment you could live in or rent it and have additional income! The 1st & 2nd floor apartment has been partially remodeled and is ready for painting your favorite colors. Also on the 2nd floor is the room that was once the Dance Hall with wood floors & walls, and old gas light fixtures." )



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