Charles Gustafson

Charles Gustafson was born in Iowa, October 1868 soon after his parents had moved the family from Sweden. He lived in Iowa and Kansas before moving to Silverhill, February 1903, when he was 34 years old. He had arrived just as the Mission church was under construction, and he joined the church membership.

Mission Covenant Church about 1905.

Another person, who had come to Silverhill in 1903 and joined the Mission church, was 43-year-old Hilma Lundblad from Chicago. She had worked as a music teacher while living with her mother up until her mother died in 1900. Hilma's sister Hulda was married to Carl Vallentin who was a realtor and a member of the Svea Land Colony sales representatives. Hilma had seen the Silverhill brochures advertising the warm winters and bought 10 acres on South Boulevard where she built a house.

Below is a section of the Silverhill News, 3rd year, April 1903, Number 4. The translation follows underneath.

The White House in Silverhill, Ala. This photograph reproduces in miniature Miss Hilma Lundbiad's home in Silverhill. She is one of the few women who dared the attempt to build a home for herself and make her way in the Silverhill colony on her own. She has taken up chicken breeding as an occupation and source of income. She bought 10 acres of land from the land company, of which one and a half acres is fenced. She built this house, which consists of 3 rooms and a kitchen. It is very tasteful and functional both inside and out. The rooms are beautifully furnished. Many are the occasions when both old and young have sat around the open fire, which spread both warmth and light in the large, beautiful room, where "the fire place" is one of the ornaments. Sitting on winter evenings like a ring of siblings around the fire and listening to piano music is a favorite even in Silverhill. Miss Lundblad was born in Missouri and raised in Illinois. She has good school skills. Has been a primary school teacher in the north. Is an organist and music teacher in Silverhill in addition to her chicken business, which she seems to take the most interest in. Her chicken farm consists of four sections, but she has mostly purebred chickens and sells eggs, 13 for 50c, what is called a "setting". She is a friend of flowers and in time she acquires the richest collection of roses in Silverhill. Her kitchen garden should also be mentioned. Throughout the winter, she has had onions, cabbage, celery, lettuce, etc. grown in cold soil for household needs. She herself stands by the water pump, content as a queen, with her little palace in the most glorious climate in the world.

On the evening of Wednesday, April 12, 1933, Charles was walking north on Broad Street (Co. Rd. 55) from his house on South Boulevard to the Mission church to attend prayer meeting. In 1933, this road was not paved, and did not have any street lights.

A car, approaching Charles from behind without lights, struck him. The car stopped. The occupants got out and found him injured in the right side of the dirt road. He died shortly afterwards at the age of 64.

The driver of the car was 15-year-old Emil Sandell. He was driving his friend's car who was also a passenger, 16-year-old Donald Armstrong. A third passenger was 17-year-old Leonard Havel.

The boys were not arrested, but they sat at a hearing conducted by justice of the peace, Thomas Vonashek. There, Emil Sandell explained that as they were driving into Silverhill, their lights went out as they were approaching a man walking. They felt the car strike something and they got out to find Charles Gustafson lying in the road. The boys were released and no charges were brought against them since it was decided to have been a complete accident.

The boys went back to their families and school. They told their friends what had happened. Rumors soon began to circulate with a different account of that evening. As the boys were driving into Silverhill, they recognized the man who was walking ahead of them. They thought it would be fun to turn their lights off, drive close to him, and scare him.

Esther, his wife, was devastated. She was afraid to live alone in her own home. She moved to her parent's home, Mr. and Mrs. O.P. Forsman, who were in their late seventies living in Silverhill. A year later, in 1934, the town was shocked to hear that she had died at the age of 50.

In 1935, Alabama began to require a driver's license for all drivers, and set the minimum age at 16. In 1939, Alabama began to require a driver's exam for a new license.