Ernie Was a Cabinet Builder and Pattern Maker

Ernest Ferdinand Nilsen, the fourth son of Nils Malkom Nilsen and Hulda Charlotte Anderson-Carlson, was born 10 April 1900 in Cromwell, Middlesex County, Connecticut.[1] Since his father was a minister for the Swedish Covenant church, he lived in several places before finally settling in Southern California with his parents.

Ernest, who was my husband’s maternal great-uncle, served in the Navy during World War I, stationed at San Pedro and aboard the USS Sequoia.[2] After serving in the war, he returned to school and finished high school.[3]

He worked as a carpenter making custom cabinets for homes.[4] He served in the Navy again during WWII., working as a patternmaker. He enlisted at Los Angeles and was discharged at Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Other places he served was San Pedro, California, Bremerton, Washington, and Boston.[5]

After the war, he continued working as a patternmaker, finishing his career with the Johnston Pump Co in Glendora, California.[6] His retirement did not stretch far enough, so went daily to the stock exchange in Pasadena and traded stocks.

Being a carpenter and working with wood, one had to be very careful. The adage of “measure twice, cut once” is very important and likely very important to Ernie. That same carefulness to details probably served him well in trading stocks.

Being slow and steady was the rule of the day for Ernie.

#52 Ancestors: Week 26: Slow

This is my sixth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] Swedish Covenant Church, Register of Families at the Swedish Covenant Church, Hilmar, California, p. 42, #73, 74.

[2] United States Naval Reserve Force, discharge paper, 30 Sep 1921, Ernest Ferdinand Nilsen, Sea 1c. Also, Adjutant General’s Office, State of California, certification that Ernest Ferdinand Nilsen served in the Navy, dated 15 March 1939.

[3] San Pedro High School, Los Angles, California, diploma, Ernest Ferdinand Nilson, 16 Jun 1920.

[4] 1930 U.S. census, Los Angeles Co, California, Assembly Dist. 61, ED 19-773, sht 13a, dwelling/family 288/295, Ernest Nilsen.

[5] Certificate of Discharge, United States Naval Service, Ernest Ferdinand Nilsen, patternmaker first class.

[6] Funeral Notes, Ernest Ferdinand Nilsen, 25 Aug 1993.

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