John George Mall, Sr.

Intro

John was one of the charter members of the home meetings that led to the creation of Irving Park Gospel Hall, which in 1951 sprouted Norwood Gospel Chapel and Portage Park Gospel Chapel, and eventually Arlington Countryside Church, Union Ridge Gospel Chapel, and the Norwood Gospel Assembly of Korean, which in the mid-1980's became Emmaus Gospel Assembly and the San Jung Korean Assembly, later known as Chicago Korean Bible Chapel.

It is not presently known how John was introduced to Paul Erickson and Sig J. Nelson, who were the earliest hosts of the home assembly that inspired the invitation of Harold Milton Harper to come from Moody Bible Institute to start Gospel meetings, but John was there, as was two of his sisters, Agnes and Barbara. Barbara served to play a portable organ at Harold's tent meetings.

Childhood

John George Mall was born July 20, 1898 to George and Julia E. (Satler) Mall, in Chicago. His father had emigrated to America when a child, and his mother as a young adult. His father was employed as a clothing deyer, for a print shop, and later as an elevator operator. John was born at 727 Belmont Ave., in the 26th Ward, but was raised at 5808 Warwick Ave.

John's earliest employment was as an electrician, including in 1918 at 3931 Irving Park Blvd., which is presently a Christian bookstore, "Chicago Bibles & Books", owned by Chinese disciples of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.

Marriage

On April 20, 1921, John married Ardale Violet Astrup, who was born Aug. 30, 1899 in Chicago to John C. & Emma Anderson Astrup.

Astrup family

Ardale’s father was born in Norway, and his mother in Illinois. She had five siblings: Valentine Emma Ruth Astrup (1895-1950), Carl S. Astrup (1897-1921), Marguerete A. Astrup Wolfsberger (b. 1903), and Lloyd Astrup (1905-1925), and John Astrup (b. 1909). In 1920, at the age of twenty, Ardale was employed as a stenographer for a local mail order house.

Children

John and Ardale had two children: Their eldest was John George Mall, Jr., born Jan. 16, 1922, and evidently earned rank of lieutenant by 1950. He died on Nov. 18, 2003 in Waukegan, Illinois. Their daughter was Bernice Laura Mall, who was born Aug. 4, 1927, married a Danielsen, and died Feb. 2, 2006.

Sources

• Ancestry.com
• Darlene Kopke interview 11-5-2019