In His Shoes - Summarry of John Nordstrom

John Nordstrom was only 16 when left his home and traveled to New York with about $5 in his pocket. He was born February 15, 1871 in Alvik Neder Lulea, Sweden and was traveling in hopes to make it rich. Unfortunately for him; he could not speak a word of English. He left Sweden with 2 friends and traveled to many different places getting money from various odd jobs. And eventually found himself gold-mining in Alaska. He returned to Seattle with $13,000 and decided the best thing to do was to go back to Seattle. He went to business school for a couple of years and in May of 1900 Nordstrom married a woman named Hilda Carlson and the two began raising a family together and eventually had five children. A man named Carl F. Wallin who he had met earlier in Alaska offered him a partnership in a little Seattle shoe repair shop.

In 1901 the two as business partners opened Wallin & Nordstrom. At last Nordstrom had begun to invest in the business that would lead him to success. But by the year of 1928 after opening another store and working together for more than 20 years, the two were arguing and disagreeing about the way to run their business. Nordstrom would have left the business but his son, Everett, was still extremely interested in the shoe business. So Wallin sold his part of the business to Nordstrom and eventually John sold it to his two sons in 1930. And so the business was carried throughout the family. Unfortunately, On October 11, 1963, John Nordstrom died in Seattle, Washington of a cerebral hemorrhage, at the age of 92. Nordstrom’s was passed along from his son’s to his grandsons and on and on until today. Now Nordstrom’s is a nation-wide fashionably consistent store with many locations and hundreds of loyal customers.

- Edie Dean

Doc

Doc Maynard was born on March 22, 1808 near the town of Castleton, Vermont. Originally David S. Maynard, arrived at Alki Point on March 31, 1852. He was aquatinted with the Duwamish Indians and Chief Seattle whom paddled Maynard from Olympia in a canoe all the way to Seattle. Maynard settled in a tiny village of what used to be known as Seattle, called Duwamps. He was Seattle's first merchant, physician, postmaster, Indian agent, and justice of the peace in the spring of 1852. Doc Maynard was one of Seattle's most influential people. He sympathized with the local Indians and represented their needs. He was one of the first to develop some of Seattle's laws and territories. He was one of the first to build important structures for the economy and for the people.

-Evan

Lou Graham: Brothel Madame or Shrewd Business Woman?

Seattle, September 1888. Germman Native Dorothea Georgine Emile Ohben a.k.a Madame Lou Graham steps off the steamer Pacific Pride. She was soon to become the first successful business woman in Seattle, giving loans to prominent Seattle corporations when they couldn't afford to carry on their livelihood. She gained her money and fame through the brothel business. She supplied consorts, companions and overall, females to the the city of Seattle. When she arrives, the city was barely three decades old and suffering from the the outcome of women's suffrage which resulted in a reform period where liquor licenses were revoked, brothels closed and law strictly enforced. In turn the city shriveled, the citiziens not realizing that the income recieved from fines and taxes on liquor, crime and prostitution were what kept Seattle afloat. MAdame Lou Graham made big bucks and played a huge part in resurrecting Seattle. She left a quarter million dollars to the public schools. She died at age 42 of syphilis.

phil marcus- summary-William D. Wood

William D. Wood played an important role in Seattle's history. He helped develop the Green Lake neighborhood and was the mayor of Seattle for a short period of time.It was his studies in law that brought him to Seattle in 1884. He became the judge of king county. he didn't get re-elected but that was ok because he found new opportunity in land development. He bought up 600 acres of land around the Green Lake are. he platted the land for resale in 30 by 100 lots for families who wanted more space outside the busy city, and he was able to get the trolley out to Green Lake. After that Wood became mayor of Seattle. but only for a short while, do to the gold rush. Wood quit as mayor and began shuttling people from California to Alaska. he did this for a few years than he died several years later do to intestine ailment on march 23,1917

Doc Maynard, that drunk

In March 22, 1808, David Swinson Maynard. He attended the Castleton Medical School in Vermont. He eventually made his way to the west coast. He caused some trouble in Olympia, where he had ended up. The town fathers kicked him out and Doc went to Seattle, at the time the city was called Duwamp. Doc Maynard caused some more trouble there. He was always drinking. Doc helped in the development of the pioneer square district and was the reason why the streets in that area are oriented to a compass. The other founders ran the streets along the water. Doc would then help the city grow. He would later advertise the city and invite a lot of people to settle in it.

Bio Summary

Aurthur Denny (born 1822) traveled with a group of settlers in 1851 to Alki Point and became recognized as the founding settlers in Seattle.

Throughout his time in the area he made many contributions to the development of Seattle, specifically in regard to politics. He was a key player in the campaign to separate "the north of Columbia" area from the rest of the Oregon Territory, and in the relations with the native people, and even with women's rights.

Because of this political involvement, his voice was a influential tool that shaped the area into what it is today.



Angela Conti~

Steph Golden Bio-Summary

Nordstroms Success Within the Expasion of the Pacific Northwest


John Nordstrom was born in Sweden in 1871 and came to America at the Age of 16. While working in New York he read an article about the Gold Rush, the next day he set off to Alaska. He sold a claim for $30,000 and split it with his parntners at the time and got $13,000. He then returned to Seattle and opened a small show repair store with his friend CArl Wallin in 1901. As Seattle expanded so did John Nordstrom's success in his business. Nordstrom,INC. is now one of the nation's leading fashion retailers. His success in business influenced many others to expand in the United States.


Steph Golden