Erickson, John P. (1825-1907), amerikansk krigshjälte

[John Jones]

Hej!


John P. Erickson was awarded the Medal of Honor (a very big deal in the United States) for bravery during the American Civil War for his actions at Fort Fisher near Wilmington, North Carolina (1865).
Erickson was captain of the forecastle (förkastell/back) aboard the side-wheeler U.S.S. PONTOOSUC during the naval battle and lost part of his right arm from an explosion.
I am trying to identify his origins to update the records of the US Navy.  His hospital record during the Civil War confirms his origin to have been Sweden.


He was likely a sailor on merchant vessels in the 1850s.  In 1864, when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, he indicated that he had been a sailor for six years. Possibly a sailor from 1851-1857?


His arrival in America was listed as 1857 (Svenska amerikanaren, 13 August 1907, p 4), but Erickson also noted that he arrived in 1850 (1900 U.S. Census). He is not located in the Emigranten database and he likely arrived in the United States as a sailor not as a passenger.


His obituary lists his birth as 30 June 1826 in Sweden, another source indicates April 1826.   Family details are sketched out in familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GXPN-YX3


Tack för hjälpen med detta pussel.


John Everett Jones    www.jamestownswedes.org       jamestownswedes@hotmail.com

[Stefan Haasmark]

Hi John!

How interesting with a high decorated swede abroad! :-)

Is the birth year also a bit uncertain - can it also be 1825?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Erickson


Regards,
Stefan

[John Jones]

Unfortunately, his birth date is not certain and this will make his identification more difficult.
Also, his profession as a sailor always makes identification very difficult.  But since he was a sailor for six years he may show up in Sjömanshus records.



There were five (5) Swedes who received the Medal of Honor in the Civil War.

[Stefan Haasmark]

Not that successful in Sjömanshus.

I did a broad search with "eri*" and born between 1824-1827:
https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sjomanshus?Fornamn=&Efternamn=eri*&DatumFran=1824&DatumTill=1827

This was the closest match:
Eriksson, Joh.
Sjömanshus - liggare
Namn: Eriksson, Joh.
Födelsedatum: 1824
Hemförsamling: Nyköping
Civilstånd: Ogift
Hyra/lön: 16 Rdr
Befattning/Yrke: Matros
Avmönstrad: 1850-12-09 i Hudiksvall (Avmönstrad)
Namn: Felix (Skonert)
Svåra läster: 56,92
Kapten: I.F. Pettersson
Arkiv: Sjömanshusets i Hudiksvall arkiv (SE/HLA/1170003)
Volym: DIa: 2
Upprättad av: Riksarkivet SVAR-Svensk arkivinformation


There were other J. P. Eriksson but they didn't match with the civil war years.


//Stefan