Bufvers, John

John Bufvers wrote, in letters to the Alaska Historical Library, that he was born November 8, 1888 in Bohuslan, Sweden. He arrived in the United States in 1910. In July of 1913 he boarded the S.S. Dolphin, disembarking in Juneau "when that city was booming as the world's largest gold mining center." After his arrival, he worked in salmon canneries and mines at Yakatagae Beach, the Gold Bullion Mine in Willow Creek District, and at Kennecott. After his discharge from the Army in 1919, Bufvers worked again at the Kennecott, Gold Bullion and Latuche Copper Mines before going "Outside" again. He returned to Alaska in 1931 to work in the Lucky Shot Mine of the Willow Creek District. Close to Christmas of 1931 he went to Ketchikan, where he was employed intermittently by Salt Chuck Mine on Prince of Wales Island. Bufvers was also employed by the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and between jobs, went out prospecting in the hills. John Bufvers said he left Alaska for the last time in September of 1954.

Swedish American gold miner and amateur naturalist, John Bufvers (1888-1979), was born on Buvenas farm in Bohslau, Sweden on November 8, 1888. He served in the Swedish Cavalry between 1906 and 1909. Bufvers immigrated to the United States in 1910, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1914. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1981 and served in the United States14th Infantry during the First World War. Before and after his service in the army, Bufvers traveled throughout Alaska as a gold miner. He later worked for the United States Forest Service and the Ketchikan Pulp Company. In the 1960s, he settled in Seattle, Washington, where he wrote several accounts of his adventures in Alaska, some of which were published. Bufvers died in Issaquah, Washington on January 10, 1979.

John Bufvers was born at Buwenas in the Province of Bohuslän, Sweden. He served in a Hussar Regiment of the Swedish Cavalry and later in the U.S. 14th Infantry during the First World War. In 1913, Mr. Bufvers mined on the Yakataga beach and White River in Alaska during the gold rush. He left there for Valdez and the Nelchina stampede and prospected between Thompson Pass and Beaver Dam in 1914. From 1916 until approximately 1937, Mr. Bufvers worked at different mines and prospected through the area he reports on in his manuscripts. Although he writes about the history of the Alaska mines, Mr. Bufvers also wrote about some Washington State mines and their history. Later, he was employed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Ketchikan Pulp Company.