John A Haleen

HALEEN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/4/2010 at 09:08:03

Among the business concerns of Boone the firm of Anderson & Haleen, who are engaged in blacksmithing and carriage manufacturing, take a prominent place. The firm has built up a reputation for punctuality, reliability and high class work which reflects honor upon those who conduct the business. Mr Haleen is the junior partner in the concern and not only is he efficient as a workman, but he is a shrewd and able business man who combines the sturdy qualities of his native race with American aggressiveness in promoting his interests. A large number of satisfied customers is proof of the success of this firm.
Mr Haleen was born in Sweden June 29, 1866, and is a son of Gustav Anderson and Catherine (Johnson) Haleen, the former a farmer throughout life. The father is now seventy-eight year of age, while the mother died when seventy years old. In their family were the following children: John A of this review, Anna of Sweden, Victor of Boone, Iowa, Sanna of Webster City, Iowa, Gustav a farmer of Boone, Marie of Boone, and Tachlay also of Boone.
The educational advantages of John A Haleen were meager. He entered school at the age of seven but at that time had only one term of instruction and although he later was permitted to attend for two more terms most of his boyhood and youth was taken up by work on the home farm. Being impressed with the opportunities which were awaiting willing young hands in this country he decided when twenty-one years of age to emigrate to the United States and sailed from Guttenburg to New York, whence he made his way to Pocahontas, Iowa. There he engaged at his trade doing blacksmith work, which he had learned in his native country. In the spring of 1893 he left Pocahontas for Rockford, Illinois, to work as a blacksmith in the Scandia Plow factory. However, he remained there but a few months going in August 1893, to Webster City where he worked for four years. At the end of that time, in 1897 he came to Boone and was for over seven years in the employ of Thompson & Peterson. The desire to see the place of his birth influence him to pay a visit to Sweden and he spent five months in his native land. He and Mr Anderson formed their present partnership, February 1, 1913, bringing into life the firm of Anderson & Haleen. They are engaged in blacksmith work and carriage manufacturing and do and extensive and profitable business. They are obliging to their customers, their workmanship is superior, and they can be relied upon in every detail of the work. As business men they enjoy a high reputation, and wile they own a prosperous business, they have contributed by this earns towards the general prosperity of the city in which they reside.
In December 1896, Mr Haleen married Miss Larvida Benson, whose father and mother are both dead.. Mr and Mrs Haleen have the following children, Allan, Helmer, Esther, Ruth and Arthur. The parents are members of the Swedish Lutheran church and are loyal and devoted to its creed. They take part in the various phases of church life and give their moral and material support to its work. Mr Haleen is a republican, supporting the candidates and measures of that party. Personally he is averse to accepting public office but in a private way has done much toward promoting trade and industrial prosperity in Boone. Fraternally he is a Modern Woodman and popular in this order. He is well liked by all who know him because of the genuine qualities of his character ad he has many friends in Boone.

1914 Boone County History Book