Martin Jepson (1869-1950)

Bolshög, Skåne, Sweden → Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Swedish immigrant who left rural Skåne and built a life in Chicago’s Swedish community.

Quick Facts

  • Born: 12 November 1869, Bolshög, Skåne, Sweden
  • Died: 9 October 1950, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
  • Spouse: Anna Erika Olsson (Annie Olson)
  • Occupation: Railroad foreman
  • Illinois Settlement: Chicago

Connection to Author: Great-grandfather (Jepson line)

Black-and-white portrait of Martin Jepson as a young man with short hair and a moustache, wearing a jacket and white shirt

Family photo of Martin Jepson, date unknown.

Early Life

Martin Jepson was born Mårten Jeppsson on 12 November 1869 in Bolshög, Skåne, the son of Jeppa Hansson and Anna Mårtensdotter.

Martin’s father was a tenant farmer, but when Jeppa died in 1877, the family’s financial security disappeared. Martin was only seven years old.

As he grew older, he worked as a farm laborer, moving from place to place in search of work, much like many young men in rural Sweden at the time.

Why He Left

For Martin, the future in Sweden probably looked uncertain.

Land was difficult to obtain, wages were low, and opportunities for younger sons were limited. At the same time, stories from America were spreading through Swedish communities—stories of steady jobs, higher wages, and thriving Swedish neighborhoods in cities like Chicago.

For many young Swedes, America represented something difficult to find at home: opportunity.

Journey to Illinois

Martin emigrated to America twice: the first time he was sent back to Sweden. Then in 1893, Martin boarded the Berlin and arrived in New York on 11 April before making his way to Chicago.

Like thousands of other Swedish immigrants, he left behind rural life for the uncertainties of a new country.

It was a life-changing decision.

Building a Life in Illinois

Martin arrived in one of the largest Swedish immigrant communities in America: Chicago.

In Chicago, Martin met Anna Erika Olsson, later known as Annie Olson, who had immigrated separately from Allerum, Skåne, in 1896, at about sixteen years old.

Martin and Annie married on 16 June 1901 at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in Chicago, a center of the city’s Swedish immigrant community.

They had five children, three of whom lived to adulthood.

Martin spent many years working as a railroad foreman while Annie cared for their growing family. Together they built a life far different from the one they had known in rural Sweden.

Migration Timeline

Name Date From To
Mårten Jeppsson 1893 Bolshög, Skåne, Sweden Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Why This Story Matters

Martin’s story reminds us that immigration involves far more than crossing an ocean. He left behind the only world he knew—rural life in southern Sweden, farm labor, familiar customs, and his native language. In Chicago, he entered a rapidly growing industrial city that required new skills, adaptation, and resilience. His journey reflects the courage of immigrants who transformed both their own lives and the communities they helped build in northern Illinois.

Source Documents

The research documents for the Jepson 1893 migration story:

Related Reading

My Blog and Newsletter have additional stories and research related to the Jepson family.

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