Swanson, W. S.

SWANSON

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 6/16/2008 at 21:50:47

W. S. Swanson

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.91, Crescent Twp.)
W. S. Swanson, farming, P. O. Crescent City, was born in Sturopokra, Sweden, January 25, 1850, and with his parents came to America in 1855, landing at St. Louis, Mo., March 22, 1855, where he resided two years, and came to Florence, Neb., May 25, 1857, thence to Crescent City, Iowa, July 15, the same year. There he attended the common schools and received his education, working in summer on the farm and attending school in winter. His father, Nelson Swanson, was born in Sweden August 14, 1821, and died January 12, 1881; his mother, Johannah (Jensen) Swanson, was born in Sweden December 27, 1824, and died October 11, 1874. In 1869, our subject went to Council Bluffs and worked at cabinet-making a year then to Illinois for several months. May 23, 1872, he went to Montana, and followed mining and prospecting for two years and six months, returning in November, 1874. May 16, 1876, he went to California, where he was for six months employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad as express messenger, which position he resigned for a position as foreman on a ranch. While there, he married married Augusta Buckman, November 15, 1879; she was born in Sweden June 27, 1847. Mr. Swanson came to Pottawattamie County April 6, 1880, and the same year he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died of consumption, contracted some time before. Mr. Swanson was married again, November 23, 1881, to Annie Johnson, born in Sweden April 28, 1856, and he has since his return from California resided here, and turned his attention to farming and stock-raising. He is a carpenter by trade. He joined the I. O. of G. T. in 1869. Mrs. Annie Swanson's parents are John and Stina (Magnuson Olsen, natives of Sweden, where he was born September 20, 1824, and she October 16, 1822.