John Malmberg
John Malmberg arrived in Lee in 1893. He was a Journeyman Blacksmith and Machinist who was born in Sweden emigrating to the United States in 1892.
He married Nettie Ames, the daughter of John and Eliza Ames, a farmer near Shabbona, Illinois. They were married May 8, 1901.
To this marriage came five children all born in Lee, Illinois where John was engaged in running a blacksmith and machine shop until 1947, when he sold his shop to the Rynearsons.
The children are in the order of their birth: Carl, who graduated from the University of Illinois in Mechanical Engineering married to Dora Benson, and living in Appleton, Wisconsin. Paulmarried to Eva Good, who followed in his father’s footsteps and who now owns a shop in Hinckley, Illinois, specializing in ornamental iron work. Rutha graduate of Naperville College married to Charles Ford, an attorney in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Kenneth, married to Eunice Rigge, graduated from Northwestern University in medicine. He practices in Auburn, Illinois, and is also Mayor of that city. Helen graduated from the University of Illinois and married Roger Baker an Engineer. They live in Kansas City, Missouri where she is in charge of a city library.
Carl and Ruth are retired, he from his works manager job in Appleton and Ruth from her service with the Chicago School System.
Carl has two daughters, Paul one son, Ruth and Charles have no children. Kenneth has a son and daughter and Helen has two daughters and two sons.
John Malmberg moved to Hinckley are selling the shop in Lee where, while he was physically able, he worked part time with Paul.
John died in 1954 at the age of eighty-five and his wife Nettie in 1965 at the age of eighty-nine.
Source: Lee Then and Now; Compiled by The Committee on History for the Lee Centennial Observance June 13 – 16, 1974
