SWANSON, Gustave E. "Gus" 1872-1967

SWANSON, CARTER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/25/2010 at 17:04:09

#1:

The name of Gus Swanson was well-known a decade ago. He had many memories of Osage through he was not born here, and likewise, Osage has many memories of the late Mr. Swanson and his late wife, the former Jessie Carter.

Mrs. Swanson's niece, Mrs. Arnold Dieterich, the former Janette Coonradt, now living south of St. Ansgar, also has memories of her life at the home of her uncle and aunt, the Swansons.

Gus was born in Paxton, Illinois on February 20, 1872 and lived to be 94, passing away, October 9, 1967. The dates aren't as important as what transpired in the interim.

He was the second oldest in a family of six children, and their father died and Gus had to go to work after the fourth grade. He not only helped support his mother, but his brothers and sisters as well - and not just until the children were grown, but as long as Gus lived.

He learned the cigar-making trade as a very young man, and came west to Clear Lake and worked there at his trade for a time. He was located there during the Spanish American War. Later he moved to Austin and often told Janette of remembering the Hormel meat wagon as it traveled from town to town. He remained there only a short time, then in search of a cigar store to buy he found his place in Osage at the Editor Cigar Store in 2900. His first wife, Belle, died here in 1916, and is buried in the Osage Cemetery. He and Jessie Carter were married January 7, 1925.

Janette recalls that Fred Moss was a partner of Mr. Swanson in the cigar store and that Gus retired from the store in 1940.

He did his civic chores well, He served as Osage mayor longer than any person up to that time. His first hitch was two years before he was elected to serve as state legislator in Des Moines for one term. He then returned to Osage and resumed the office of mayor 12 more years, was on the original War Rationing Board in World War II, and was on the selective service board 10 more years.

He was an active member of the Osage Chamber of Commerce for many years, and after his retirement, continued to pay his dues to retain his membership.

Gus was also an established member of the Osage Masonic Lodge and had served as it's worshipful master.

Jessie Swanson was a busy person also, all through her younger years. She served as Osage's third switchboard operator, long before there was a Northwestern Bell connection to Osage. It was known as the Eureke Telephone Company and she was "hello girl" for about 20 years.

Having no children of their own, they reared a relative, Esther, and another niece, Janette Coonradt Dieterich, was like their own,

They gave her many happy memories that she is carrying into another generation.

[Mitchell County Press, Quasquicentennial Edition, July 1, 1981]

NOTE: The age, birthdate and death dates do not add up, but that is what the newspaper had.

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#2:

The Osage Cemetery listing on IaGenWeb shows:

SWANSON, GUSTAVE E. (bur. loc.) 1401 10 (death/burial) 09 OCT 1967.

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The photo below is from the above Mitchell County Press article.

Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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