Frants Gustav SWENSON (SVENSSON)

Blev 56 år.

Barn med Johanna SWENSON (PETTERSDOTTER) (1840 - 1929)

Noteringar

Birth: May 12, 1834
Ljuder
Kronobergs län, Sweden
Death: Feb. 2, 1891
Stark
Chisago County
Minnesota, USA

Frank Gustav Svenson was born on May 12, 1834 in Vida Norregård, Ljuder, Kronoberg County, Sweden to Sven Gunnesson and Margretha Svensdotter. His father, Sven Gunnesson, died in August 1842 when Frank was 8 years old. Frank began working as a dräng (unmarried farm hand) after his father died when he was only 8 years old to try to help support the family. This was the same year that Frank’s youngest brother, Andreas, was born. Frank became a beggar boy when he was young and would walk the neighborhood begging for food. He immigrated to America in 1864 with his future wife’s two brothers. The first year he spent in the state of New York and in Rock Island, Illinois before coming to the Chisago Lake settlement in 1865 at the age of 31. Frank worked on the drive (presumably this meant floating logs down the St. Croix and Missiissipi Rivers) when he first got to Chisago County, going to Stillwater and Red Wing. When coming home from work he had to walk all those miles and was often accosted by Indians, but he always carried a lot of tobacco on him which he gave them and they never bothered him. In 1866, Frank Swenson took out a homestead claim by Horseshoe Lake, which lies close by and to the north of Fish Lake. This is the original homestead of what became the Blomster home place. He had found a chosen bride in Peter Swenson's daughter, Johanna, who's father and brother had taken land at the same time at Goose Lake. He was wedded to her at Chisago Lake on the 9th of March 1867 and on March 13th of the same year the newly wedded couple walked on their honeymoon in wooden shoes to the untouched land at Horseshoe Lake. Ironically, Johanna's parents used to give Frank food when he was a beggar boy in Sweden. Frank and Johanna Swenson were charter members of Fish Lake Lutheran Church.

All surroundings consisted of forest and most of the human beings the young couple came in touch with were Indians. The closest white neighbors were the widow Berglund and a few Swedish settlers at Fish Lake and the Swenson family at Goose Lake. However, the couple went through their fight against loneliness. Year after year of hard work they opened the forest and over newly broken fields they could now see neighbors increasing in numbers. Frank Swenson's homestead was only 80 acres of land, but by buying more land from the railway company he soon doubled the area. In the beginning of the 1880s he built a bigger living house and, with this, his farm had the best house for its time. Frank Swenson's pioneering work ended when he passed away in his home February 2, 1891 of pneumonia at the age of 56. Frank Swenson is buried in the Fish Lake Lutheran Church Cemetery. His widow, Johanna Swenson, born in Herråkra Kronobergs County in 1840 still lives at the farm and together with her children she keeps it in best class. The children are: John A., at home, Carl E., at home, Emily C., Hilda S., Agnes J. and Mary M. are in St. Paul and Hulda L. and Esther E. also at home.


Family links:
Spouse:
Johanna Swenson (1840 - 1929)*

Children:
John Albert William Swenson (1868 - 1952)*
Charles Ernest Swenson (1870 - 1908)*
Emily C Johnson (1872 - 1973)*
Hilda Sofia Blomster (1874 - 1968)*
Agnes Josephine Swenson Colliander (1876 - 1940)*
Marie Magdalena Swenson (1879 - 1970)*
Hulda Lydia Swenson Hammer (1882 - 1973)*
Esther E. Swenson (1884 - 1973)*

Burial:
Fish Lake Lutheran Cemetery
Stark
Chisago County
Minnesota, USA

Maintained by: Galen Blomster
Originally Created by: Robert John Chudek
Record added: Jan 13, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 64178219

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