Henrickson History

Henry J. Henrickson, a pioneering contractor in Robbinsdale, was born on July 3, 1871, in Loderup, Sweden. At the age of 20, in 1891, Henry left Sweden for America, joining his father and younger brother, who had emigrated to the Minneapolis area a year earlier. After five years in Minnesota, he returned to Sweden in 1896 but found limited job opportunities. Determined to seek a better life, Henry decided to try America again.

Before returning, Henry proposed to Maria Anderson, whom he had met and fallen in love with. Initially hesitant due to fears of the long journey and leaving her family behind, Maria sought advice from her friend Bertha. Bertha encouraged her to accept Henry’s proposal but requested to join them if Maria chose to leave. Henry and Maria married in August 1899, and in 1900, the three set out for America.

Upon arriving at Ellis Island, New York, Bertha became separated from the couple in the chaos of the mass migration. She was taken in by a kind family traveling to Winnipeg, Canada, where she found work as a housemaid. Meanwhile, Henry and Maria, devastated by the loss of Bertha, settled in Minneapolis and sent letters back to Sweden about their ordeal. Through an exchange of correspondence between their families, Bertha’s location in Winnipeg was discovered, and after several months—possibly a year—she reunited with Henry and Maria, who had by then moved to Robbinsdale.

Henry, a skilled carpenter, found work in Robbinsdale, where he met the town’s founder, Andrew B. Robbins. Impressed by Henry’s craftsmanship and eager to develop the village, Robbins offered Henry a lot at the corner of 40th and Hubbard Avenue as an incentive to settle there. Henry and Maria built a home on the lot, moving to Robbinsdale permanently. In 1906, their only daughter, Minnie Josephine, was born when both parents were 35 years old.

Henry quickly became a prominent contractor in Robbinsdale. He joined the fire department, proudly serving as a ladderman with “H & L #1, Robbinsdale, Minn. Fire Dept.” Over the years, Henry constructed many of the town’s early landmarks and homes. He built houses on three lots next to his own home at 4001 Hubbard Avenue, eventually selling the original house and moving to 4011 Hubbard Avenue.

4011 Hubbard in 1917. This was the second home of Henry J. Henrickson. Arline and Geneva are playing in the yard.

In a letter to Maria’s sister in Sweden dated December 19, 1904, Henry described life in Robbinsdale:
“I have built two houses here in Robbinsdale. It is a small community with about 800 people, a nice place about a quarter of an hour from Minneapolis proper by streetcar. Even in this little place, we have an electric streetcar. Robbinsdale lies between two small lakes. I often go fishing and hunting. I have an excellent hunting dog who fetches the mail from the post office and carries packages from the butcher shop. Maria also has chickens to keep her busy, and she collects eggs from them now and then.”

In 1904, Maria developed a sore on her nose that was later diagnosed as cancer. She passed away in 1910, leaving Henry a widower with a 4-year-old daughter. After Maria’s death, Bertha—who had married Nels Olson, a local hotel proprietor and barber—helped care for Minnie.

In 1913, Henry remarried Otillia Burgren, a former housekeeper. Together, they had four children: Arline, Geneva, Monroe, and Gloria. The family continued to live in Robbinsdale, with two of Henry’s children and Minnie residing there as of the 1980s.

Henry played a significant role in Robbinsdale’s development during the early 20th century. He built many prominent structures, including:

Mueller’s Drug Store (corner of 42nd and West Broadway)
The original Elim Lutheran Church (1924), to which he donated a large stained-glass window depicting Christ Rising
The Security Bank Building, which later housed Fawcett Publications
The Log Cabin Café
The Catholic Church in Osseo
Several elegant homes, including the Tom Howard house on Quail Avenue and the Dr. Colp residence on 38th and West Broadway.

The Colp Residence at 38th and West Broadway

Despite his many achievements, Henry’s business was severely impacted by the stock market crash of 1929. On the infamous Monday of the crash, he deposited $600 he had collected for a completed job, only to lose access to the funds when the bank failed shortly thereafter. At 60 years old, with young children to care for, Henry struggled to recover from the financial devastation.

Elim Lutheran Church under construction in 1924

Henry’s craftsmanship and dedication left a lasting mark on Robbinsdale. A charter member and trustee of Elim Lutheran Church, he contributed significantly to its construction, even amid controversy over his bold decision to include his name on the donated stained-glass window. When the congregation covered his name with an elevated altar, Henry left the church but insisted his children remain active members.

Henry’s younger brothers also followed him to America, with one farming in Forest Lake and another, Peter, settling in Robbinsdale as a carpenter.

Henry lived in Robbinsdale for most of his life, passing away on February 14, 1961, at the age of 89. His legacy endures in the buildings he constructed and the stories of his dedication to family, faith, and community.

3 thoughts on “Henrickson History”

  1. Nice article on my grandpa Henry my mom Arlines daughter saved everything I have boxes of photos and letters written in beautiful penmanship even some legal documents concerning their immigration to much to list I need to get them up to the society I have no one left to give them to I’m 70 now and most of my family is gone my son isn’t interested in this type of his history. So I hope to get them to yall before I pass on

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