Charles Linn

Charles Linn
Born	Carl Erik Engelbert Sjödahl Pohja, Uusimaa, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died	August 7, 1882(1882-08-07) (aged 68) Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Occupation(s)	Mariner, merchant, banker, industrial entrepreneur
Known for	Founding the National Bank of Birmingham; captain in the Confederate Navy; early industrial enterprises in Birmingham

Charles Linn, originally named Carl Erik Engelbert Sjödahl (June 13, 1814 – August 7, 1882), was a mariner, merchant, banker, and industrial entrepreneur. He held the rank of captain in the Confederate Navy and significantly influenced Alabama's foundational economic development.

Early life

Born in Pohja (Swedish: Pojo) within the Uusimaa area of Finland, which was then part of the Russian Empire, Carl Erik Engelbert Sjödahl came from a family of Swedish-speaking Finns. His father was responsible for overseeing an ironworks facility owned by Billnäs Bruk. Linn pursued his education at the Royal Academy of Turku until the institution was disrupted by the Great Fire of Turku. He gained extensive experience as a sailor, completing 53 transatlantic voyages and circumnavigating the world three times before emigrating to the United States. In 1838, he established himself in Montgomery, Alabama, where he launched a retail trading enterprise.

Career

In Montgomery, Linn achieved financial success and expanded his assets by acquiring agricultural land. With the outbreak of the American Civil War, he divested from his commercial ventures to rejoin maritime service as a captain in the Confederate States Navy. He commanded vessels transporting Southern cotton to Liverpool to finance the Confederate war effort. On July 14, 1863, his ship, the CSS Kate Dale, was seized near the Florida Keys by the USS R. R. Cuyler. Following capture, Linn and his son were detained in Washington, D.C. but were soon granted clemency. Subsequently, he resumed commercial activities by operating a wholesale grocery warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he recruited Finnish laborers to support his enterprise.

Eventually selling his New Orleans interests, Linn retired back to Montgomery. Encouraged by local entrepreneurs including James R. Powell, he played a pivotal role in founding the National Bank of Birmingham (now known as Regions Financial) in 1872 with an initial capital investment of $50,000 in gold. That same year, he constructed a three-story edifice for the bank at 1st Avenue North and 20th Street—initially nicknamed "Linn's Folly" amid skepticism about Birmingham's prospects. This building served as the venue for the famed New Year's Eve "Calico Ball," symbolizing Birmingham’s recovery following a devastating cholera outbreak.

Venturing into manufacturing, Linn established two of Birmingham’s earliest industrial enterprises: Linn Iron Works and the Birmingham Car and Foundry Company. To staff these operations, he attracted skilled craftsmen from cities such as Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio. Linn passed away in Birmingham, Alabama and was laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Legacy

A major park in Birmingham, initially named after Woodrow Wilson, was renamed "Linn Park" during the 1980s to honor him. On May 29, 2013, a statue of Linn—commissioned by the Alabama-Mississippi Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and sculpted by Branko Medenica—was unveiled there. The monument also commemorated Arthur Henley, a descendant of Linn and chairperson of their "Legacy of Leadership" campaign. However, protestors toppled this statue on May 31, 2020. Additionally, the Linn-Henley Research Library carries his name as part of his enduring impact. In recognition of his contributions, Linn was inducted into the Birmingham Business Hall of Fame in 2005.