GUSTAV EDWIN “COTTON TOP” BERGLOFF

Gustav Edwin Bergloff
(photo from Illinois, Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991)

Gustav Edwin “Cotton Top” Bergloff gravestone
(Photo by Vernon B. Paddock)

B. March 18, 1903 in Ludvika, Ludvika kommun, Darlanaslän, Sweden
D. January 6, 1991 in Round Lake Beach, Lake County, IL
Find A Grave memorial (click here)

  • Father: Karl Gustaf Berglof born September 10, 1871
  • Mother: Maria (Simonsson) Berglof born February 14, 1877
  • Wife: Selma (Nelson) Bergloff born December 22, 1906 in Clearwater, Wright County, MN, daughter of Sam Nelson (1880-1936) and Anborg (Oland) Nelson (1876-1957); married August 5, 1931 in Cook County, IL; Selma died March 22, 1959 in Lake County, IL (See section pertaining to Selma (Nelson) Bergloff buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery)
  • Children:
    1. Edwin Carl Bergloff born June 23, 1931 in Chicago, Cook County, IL; Navy Korean Veteran (1951-1953); married Joyce Diane Pittelkow; Edwin died May 30, 1974 in Roanoke, Roanoke County, VA; buried in Avon Cemetery, Round Lake, Lake County, IL
    2. Dolores E. (Bergloff) Thompson born January 3, 1933 in Chicago, Cook County, IL; married Paris “Tom” Thompson
    3. Carol J. (Bergloff) Leber born February 10, 1935 in Chicago, Cook County, IL; married Richard A. “Dick” Leber (1933-2007) on November 14, 1953 in Round Lake, Lake County, IL, son of Edward Leber and Alice (Rubright) Leber; Carol died January 28, 2017

According to the Hamsher Lakeside Funerals and Cremations, Inc, Fox Lake, IL website:

   “Carol J. Leber, 81 of Lake Geneva, formerly of Ingleside and Round Lake, passed away Saturday, January 28, 2017.  She was born February 10, 1935, in Chicago, to the late Gustav “Ed” and Selma (nee Nelson) Bergloff.  Carol married the late Richard A. “Dick” Leber, Sr. on November 14, 1953, in Round Lake. 
   Carol was a business owner in Round Lake co-owing (sic) the Sinclair Gas Station and Repair Shop in Round Lake, the R&C Corral Restaurant in McHenry with her husband.  She also worked at National Tea in Fox Lake as a checker and in produce and Thornton’s in Round Lake, and Wilson Liquors in Ingleside all the while plotting her next business endeavor.  For a time, Carol and Dick lived in Birnamwood, WI, where they owned a rustic campground and a restaurant on their property. 
   Survivors include her son, Richard A. “Rick” (Michelle), Jr. of Volo; grandchildren, Lauren Freye (Mike), Kurt Leber, and DeeAnne Leber (fiance, Richard Peter); great-grandson, Branden Leber; siblings, Dolores Thompson of Phoenix, AZ, and Melvin (Grave) Bergloff of Shelbyville, TN; sister-in-law, Joyce Bergloff of Roanoke, VA; 18 nieces and nephews: Pamela Overstreet (Charles), Guy Bergloff (Cheryl), James Bergloff (Susan), Penny Dupre (Jeffery), Debra Camden (Robert), Daniel Thompson, Eydie Abernathy, John Thompson (Allison), Cheryl Ritter (Jeffery), Kenneth Bergloff, Jr. (Gayla), Mary Shelton, Deborah Alanis (Federico), April Wong, Karen Raymond, Melvin Bergloff, Jr., Scott Bergloff (Kelly), Erik Bergloff (Tina) Keith Bergloff (Dawn); 38 great-nieces and nephews, comprising Generation Four; and 17 great-great-nieces and nephews, comprising Generation Five. 
   In addition to her parents and husband, Carol was preceded in death by her siblings, Edwin Bergloff, Jr. (Joyce) and Kennth Bergloff, Sr. (Patricia), sister-in-law Patricia Bergloff (nee Eaton), brother-in-law, Paris “Tom” Thompson; niece, Judy Bergloff; and her nephews, Mark Bergloff, Todd Bergloff, and Michael Bergloff. 
   The visitation will be Thursday, February 2, from 4-8 p.m., at Hamsher Lakeside Funerals and Cremations, 12 N. Pistakee Lake Road, Fox Lake.  The funeral service will be Friday, February 3, at 10 a.m., at the funeral home.
   Interment will following in Windridge Memorial Park, Cary.
   You may leave online condolences for the family at www.HamsherLakeside.com, or call 847-587-2100, for information.”

4. Kenneth Dale Bergloff born January 11, 1938 in Chicago, Cook County, IL; married Patricia M. Eaton (1940-2010), daughter of Stanley F. Eaton (1911-1971) and Kathleen P. (Semerau) Eaton (1913-2009); Kenneth died December 17, 2004; last residence in Round Lake, Lake County, IL; Patricia is buried in the Ascension Catholic Cemetery, Libertyville, Lake County, IL

According to the Legacy.com website for Patricia M. Bergloff:

   “Patricia M. Bergloff (nee Eaton), 70, of Round Lake Beach, died unexpectedly March 7.
   She was born March 6, 1940, in Chicago and had been a resident of Round Lake Beach since 1949.  She was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.  She was a strong, caring person whose greatest joy was spending time with family.
   Patricia leaves her daughter Cheryl (Jeff) Ritter of Menomonie, Wis.; her son, Ken Jr. (Gaela) Bergloff of Genoa City, Wis.; her daughter Mary Shelton of Ingleside; her daughter Debbie (Fred) Alanis of Johnsburg; her daughter April Wong of Grayslake; her grandchildren, Melissa (John) Rist, Beth Martell, Rachel (Brad) Greiner, Meagan, Mark, and Derek Bergloff, Nick Dowell, Adam Shelton, Eli, Noah, Elliot and Zane Alanis, and Olivia and Evan Wong; her great-grandchildren, Jacob Martell, Charlie Trinchetilla and one due in April; her brother, Robert (Carole) Eaton of Antioch; and many nieces and nephews.
   She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Ken Bergloff Sr.; two sons, Mark and Michael Bergloff; her brother, Dennis Eaton; and her parents, Stanley and Kathleen Eaton.  Friends of the family visited March 10 at Strang Funeral Chapel & Crematorium in Grayslake.
   The funeral mass will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 11, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 114 N. Lincoln Ave., in Round Lake.
   Interment will follow the mass at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville.
   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Froedtert Memorial Hospital Transplant Division, 8700 W. Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226.
   For information, call 847-223-8122 or visit www.strangfuneral.org.
   To plant trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
   Published by Lake County Suburban Life from Mar. 11 to mar. 17, 2010.”

5. Melvin A. “Jack” Bergloff born about 1940; married Grace Konieczka about 1962; Mel died April 14, 2020

According to the Northwest Herald (Woodstock IL) Friday, April 24, 2020, page 8:

“MEL BERGLOFF
   On April 14, 2020, Mel “Jack” Bergloff left our world unexpectedly.  He was married to Grace (Konieczka) Bergloff for 58 years and together they had five amazing children, Karen (Bergloff) Raymond, Mel Bergloff Jr., Scott (Kelly) Bergloff, Erik (Tina) Bergloff and Keith (Dawn) Bergloff.  He was a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather and was cherished by his many nieces and nephews.
   Mel’s siblings, Edwin Bergloff, Carol (Bergloff) Leber and Kenneth Bergloff preceded his departure.  His sister, Dolores (Bergloff) Thompson, survives him.
   Mel had a great sense of humor and loved a good prank.  He loved tinkering in his garage or man cave, as it would come to be called, and truly enjoyed hunting down treasures at yard sales.  He loved sports and was a staunch Minnesota Vikings fan.
   He was unforgettable in so many ways, and we will miss him dearly.  We were fortunate to have had our father and husband as long as we did.
   In lieu of flowers, we would like you to keep your memory of him tucked warmly in your hearts.” 

Additional Information:

According to the 1930 U.S. Census for Peoria City, Peoria County, IL living at 604 Sanford St., the household members were:

“Kenneth W. Webb, head, age 27, married at age 25, born in Illinois, parents born in Illinois, occupation: welder – railroad; Edna Webb, wife, age 20, married at age 18, born in Illinois, parents born in Illinois; Beverly Webb, daughter, age 1 3/12, single, born in Illinois; Charles Dickson, roomer, age 40, single, born in Illinois, parents born in Illinois, occupation: foreman – glove factory; Charles Huson, roomer, age 25, single, born in Illinois, parents born in Illinois, occupation: machinist – ice cream factory; Gustaf Berglof, roomer, age 27, single, born in  Sweden, parents born in Sweden, immigrated in 1922, occupation: machinist – tractor factory.”

According to the Illinois, Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991:

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PETITION FOR NATURALIZATION

 To the Honorable the District Court of the United States at Chicago, Illinois.  The petition of Gustav Edwin Bergloff, hereby filed, respectfully shows: (1) My place of residence is 831 N. La Salle St., Chigo., Ill. (2) My occupation is Machinist. (3) I was born in Ludvika Noreberget, Sweden on March 18, 1903. My race is Scandinavian.  (4) I declared my intention to become a citizen of the United States on February 18, 1936 in the U.S. District Court of Northern District of Illinois, at Chicago, Ill.  (5) I am married. The name of my wife or husband is Selma we were married on August 6, 1931 at Chicago, Ill.; he (she) was born at Neving, Minn. on December 22, 1908; and now resides with me.  I have 4 children, and the name, date, and place of birth, and place of residence of each of said children are as follows:
Edwin – Born on June 23, 1931.
Daloris – Born on January 2, 1933.
Carol – Born on February 10, 1935.
Kennith 0 Born on February 1938.  All born and reside at Chicago, Ill.
(6) My last foreign residence was Norsbnerget, Sweden.  I emigrated to the United States of American from Gothenburg, Sweden.  My lawful entry for permanent residence in the United States was at New York, N.Y., under the name of Bergloff, Gustav Edwin on October 7, 1922, on the vessel SS Stockholm as shown by the certificate of my arrival attached hereto.
(7) I am not a disbeliever in or opposed to organized government or a member of or affiliated with any organization or body of personal disbelief in or opposed to organized government.  I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy.  I am attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States.  It is my intention to become a citizen of the United States and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, and particularly to Gustavus W. King of Sweden of whom (which) at this time I am a subject (or citizen), and it is my intention to reside permanently in the United States.  (8) I am able to speak the English language.  (9) I have resided continuously in the United States of American for the term of 5 years at least immediately preceding the date of this petition, to wit, since October 7, 1922 and in the County of Cook this State, continuously next preceding the date of this petition,since December, 1927, being a residence within said county of at least 6 months next preceeding the date of this petition.

I, Gustav Edwin Bergloff, do swear (affirm) that I know the contents of this petition for naturalization subscribed by me, that the same are true to the best of my own knowledge, except as to matters therein stated to be alleged upon information and belief, and that as to those matters I believe them to be true, and that this petition was signed by me with my full, true name: SO HELP ME GOD.

                        signed: Gustof Edwin Bergloff”

According to the 1940 U.S. Census for Round Lake Beach Village, Avon Township, Lake County, IL living on Partridge Court the household members were:

“Gustaf Bergloff, head, age 37, married, highest grade completed: 7, born in Sweden, lived in Chicago, IL in 1935, occupation: machinist – can company; Selma Bergloff, wife, age 33, married, highest grade completed: H-4, born in Minnesota, lived in Chicago, IL in 1935, Edwin Bergloff, son, age 8, single, highest grade completed: 2, born in Illinois; Dolores Bergloff, daughter, age 7, single, highest grade completed: 1, born in Illinois; Carrol Bergloff, daughter, age 5, single, born in Illinois; Kenneth Bergloff, son, age 2, single, born in Illinois”

According to the U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947:

“Name: Gustav Edwin Bergloff; Place of Residence: Round Lake Beach, Lake County, Ill; Mailing Address: Lake Villa, Illinois; Telephone: None; Age in Years: 38; Date of Birth: Mar. 18 1903; Place of Birth: Sweden; Name and Address of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address: Mrs. Sam Nelson, Gonvick, Minn.; Employer’s Name and Address: Continental Can Co., Chicago, Illinois; Place of Employment: 7600 So. Racine Ave., Chicago, Cook County, Ill.; Race: White; Height: 5′ 7″; Weight: 138#; Eyes: Blue; Hair: Brown; Complexion: Ruddy; Signed: February 16, 1942”

According to the 1950 U.S. Census for Round Lake Beach, Avon Township, Lake County, IL living at 91 Partridge Rd, the household members were:

“Gustav E. Bergloff, head, age 47, married, born in Sweden, Occupation: Machinist automic screw – Our Board Motors; Selma Bergloff, wife, age 43, married, born in Minnesota; Edwin C. Bergloff, son, age 18, never married, born in Illinois, Occupation: Jeep Driver – Out Board Motors; Delores E. Bergloff, daughter, age 17, never married, born in Illinois; Carol J. Bergloff, daughter, age 15, never married, born in Illinois; Kenneth D. Bergloff, son, age 23, never married, born in Illinois; Melvin A. Bergloff, son, age 9, never married, born in Illinois”