Swenson family of Allamakee Co. IA generation II

3. Severt 'Seward' Swenson

He was born in Romerike, Nes Akerhus, Norway on April 4, 1836. He emigrated from Norway in 1869, aboard a steamship, his passage paid by brother Evan. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1894.

He married Andrea Gilbertson in Clayton Co. IA. Andrea was born in Norway onNovember 1854. She emigrated from Norway in 1869 or 1872. She was the daughter of Gilbert Arneson and Bertha Swenson of Norway.

He was known to family as "Old Seward". He and Andrea farmed in Franklin twp. Allamakee Co. IA. He was a bee-keeper, as evidenced by this 1883 newspaper article from the Postville Review: "I [E.R.A. Brainard] have wintered four swarms all right so far. Julius Oleson lost 36 out of 39 swarms; Seward Swenson 1 out of 9; G.W. Harris, 3 out of 5"

Seward Swenson died March 9, 1923 in Postville, Allamakee Co. IA. Andrea died December 9, 1938. Both are buried in the Postville cemetery.

Seward Swenson and Andrea Gilbertson had 5 children, the names of 4 are known to me:

8      i.    Mary Swenson
9      ii.   Sarrah Swenson
10    iii.   Carl Walther Swenson
11    iv.   Carrie Swenson

4. Anton Swenson

He was born in Romerike, Nes Akerhus, Norway on February 25, 1842. He emigrated to Post twp., Allamakee Co. IA aboard a steamship in 1870, his passage paid by brother Evan.

He married Anna Halvorson c1877. They were married in either Allamakee Co. or more likely in the vicinity of Clermont, Fayette Co. IA. She was born in 1850 in Norway. Anna's father was Halvor of Ekern; Ekern being the name of the farm where Halvor was born and died. It was located near the town of Gran in Hadeland Province in Norway.

Anton and Anna lived first in Franklin twp., Allamakee Co. and then in Post twp., Allamakee Co. IA. He owned and operated the old grist mill, the Myron Mill, in the village of Myron located in Section 3, Post twp. I have found evidence that Anton & Anna had 8 children, but I am able to find records of only 5. Anton's obituary names only 5, but the birthcertificate for son Robert states he was the seventh child born to Anna. Perhaps the others died as infants.

His obituary says of Anton: "Mr. Swenson was an unusually strong man, and of strong constitution and practically never had a sick day in his life. Two years ago, however, he was overcome by heat while working on the road and his mind began gradually to fail him. He was taken to the State Hospital at Independence for treatment"

Anna died April 15, 1889 in Allamakee Co. IA, at 38 years of age. Anton died October 23, 1920 in Independance, IA, at 78 years of age. They are buried in the Smith cemetery, near Postville, IA. I visited this cemetery in Sept. 2000 with V. Swenson. We found no grave marker, but perhaps there never was one, is covered with brush or is now down. Anton's granddaughter Ethel concurs and a genealogy essay by Verlyn LeRoy Hayes, states that Anton, Anna and eldest son Elmer and youngest son Gilbert are indeed buried in Smith cemetery, side-by-side in an unmarked grave. The Smith cemetery is in Section 2 of Post twp. Allamakee Co.

Anton Swenson and Anna Halvorson had 8 children, the names of 5 are known:

12    i.   Adolph Helmer 'Elmer' Swenson
13    ii. Seward L. Swenson
14    iii. Josephine 'Julie' Swenson
15    iv. Robert Swenson   1884/5 - ?
16    v. Gilbert Swenson

He was born in Romerike, Nes Akerhus, Norway on February 13, 1846. John's passage to America in 1871 was paid by his younger brother Evan. Father Swen came at the same time, as well as John's wife Bertha.

He married Bertha Oline Olson in Norway on December 27, 1866. Bertha was born in or near Christiania, Norway on July 23, 1844/45 They settled first in Franklin twp, Allamakee Co. IA, and later moved to Post twp. They farmed. John was a member of the United Workmen, supreme branch. The 1880 census indicates John was disabled in some manner.

Postville Review, 11/11/1879: "Letters remaining in the P.O. Postville, Iowa unclaimed Oct. 31, 1879: J.W. DeHaven, Henry Graham, Jas. H. Gasney, Wm. Hartrick, John Hart, P. Hathaway, Emma J. Jones, Lewis E. Larson, John Raufman, John Swenson and F. Schultz.
Postville Review, 10/2/1880: "Proposals will be received by the undersigned until Oct. 15th, for grading Sec. 2 on road No. 487. Specifications can be seen at John Swenson's near the work, or with N.J. Beedy, com."

In June 1890 John & his brother Evan bought 171 acres of the old Sizer place from Aultman, Taylor & Co. They paid $10 per acre.

After the death of John, Bertha lived with her son Sander.

John died of peritonitis on November 31, 1891 in Postville, Allamakee Co. IA, at 45 years of age. Bertha died May 19, 1901 in Postville, at 56 years of age. They are buried in the Minert cemetery, rural Post twp., Allamakee Co. IA.

John Swenson and Bertha O. Olson had 1 child:

6. Bertha Maria Swenson

She was born in Romerike, Nes Akerhus, Norway on February 3, 1839.

She married Andreas 'Andrew' Olson in Norway, bef 1867. He was the son of Andrew Olson and Martha Maen and was born in Norway May 14, 1831. They emigrated to Iowa in 1890. Their passage was paid by her younger brother Evan. Andrew's brother was Julius Olson, a traveling companion of Evan Swenson (Maria's brother) aboard a ship to America in 1868.

From the handwritten notes of Mrs. Hall [Florence Anna] Swenson, 1968, as told to her by Klarence Kenney of Waukon: "... 'Old aunt Maria' as we call her, married Andrew Olson and had one daughter Matilda Olson." The obituary of daughter Mathilda states that Marie & Andrew had other children, another daughter & a son. A genealogy written by Veryln LeRoy Hayes states that Maria and Andrew had 8 children, but that only 3 survived to adulthood, and that all 3 emigrated to the United States.

The Postville Review reported the following in 1909: Andrew Olson, a brother of Julius Olson, is very sick at his home in Franklin Township. His affliction is the asthma and at his advanced age it is a serious matter.

Andrew died in Franklin twp., Allamakee Co. IA on April 23, 1910 of a dilated heart. Bertha died in Franklin twp. on December 15, 1910 of general weakness and heart failure. Both are buried in the Minert cemetery.

Bertha Maria Swenson and Andrew Olson had 8 children, the names of 3 are known:

18   i.     Olena Olson
19   ii.    Sigvart 'Seward' Olson
20   iii.    Mathilde Olson

He was born in Romerike, Nes Akerhus, Norway on June 20, 1849.

Evan wrote a memoir "A Brief Story of Our Life. Dedicated to Our Children" on the occasion of his golden wedding anniversary Febuary 6, 1925. This autobiography gives a wonderful accounting of his early years, his passage to America, years in Iowa and his marriage. The following passages are extracted from this memoir and other passages can be found through-out this Swenson family genealogy:

"When I was 16 years old I hired out to a rich farmer for 18 months. My wages was to ba a suit of clothes and $6.00 in money......at the end of my time I was in debt to him eight cents.......I was a good reader and would often walk a mile or more to borrow a newspaper......I had read a great deal of America and had a faint idea that sometime I would get there."   Evan's plan to go to America started to take root and he worked for a couple of years to pay his passage on a steamship. He was unable to save enough money for the steamer, so he made up his mind to take a sailboat to Quebec. He finally left his old home on April 23, 1868. " There were 402 emigrants and 18 crew ....the ship, a small three-masted schooner with only one room below deck...I had just $1.25..." When we were only a few days out measles broke out and I was one of the first victims.....my sickness lasted about 5 weeks."   He tells of the 8 deaths among the passengers, 7 of them children. ".....late in the afternoon on te 20th of June, 1868, on my 19th birthday, we landed at the immigrant station at Quebec." From Quebec, Evan made his way to Chicago, IL then on to Madison, WI, to Black Earth and finally to Perry twp., Dade Co. WI. By late 1869 he removed to northeast Iowa, first locating in Postville, Allamakee Co. IA. "When I look back upon this trip, I wonder how many boys of my age would undertake it. I was practically penniless, never had heard a work of English, without a friend I could go to; I was a stranger in a strange land...For the first time in my life I began to feel homesick. I wanted to be alone as much as I could and thot of my father, brothers and sisters, 5,000 miles away."   He lived in this vicinity for a time, but removed to Rock Co. MN and took up a homestead claim. He broke 2 acres, dug a well and built a shanty before selling his title to the land and returning to Allamakee Co. IA. He lived the remainder of his life in the Postville area.   "I became a citizen of the United States as soon as the law allowed, taking out my first papers at Waukon in the fall of 1871 and my second papers at Elkader in the fall of 1873. My first vote was cast at the Grand Meadow school house in November, 1873."

He married Eliza McWilliams in Allamakee Co. IA, February 6,1875.   She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on December 5,1856.   Eliza was the daughter of Nathaniel McWilliams and Isabel Mederson. Evan's words: "As a general rule a women enters into the life of every man and I was not to be an exception. I met and became acquainted with Eliza McWilliams and were were married......and made our home with my brother John, on the farm we rented together......In the spring I bought my brother's interest as a renter in the farm and put in a lot of wheat, but that year the crop practically failed on account of the chinch bug......"

During the next 19 years Evan and Eliza lived on a farm north of Bethel church and worked and added acreage to the land. They bought a frame house in Myron and hauled it to their farm in sections. Six of their children were born on that farm. In 1891 they sold that farm and bought another near Postville, but they lived there only a couple years before selling. "But I wanted to sell and get back to my old home, for, after years of toil and hardship I had learned to love the place. I knew every foot of it and what it could do....."   They moved back to the Bethel farm in the spring of 1895 and lived there for another 22 years. He gradually gained financial success: owned stock in the Citizens State Bank in Postville, raised expensive hogs and had high-grade short-horn cattle. He was an active member of the Masonic order and interested in public affairs. He was Justice of the Peace in Postville for 30 yrs., and served on the school board. In 1918 they sold the farm and moved into the village of Postville, where they lived the remainder of their lives.

Glimpses into the life of Evan Swenson can be gleaned from the following Postville Review newspaper articles:
--1879: "The following fine list of subscribers have made us glad since our last report and have our thanks with the compliments of the season: From Postville. Walter Chriss, E. Swenson, W.M. Simpson, O.W. Owen, Mrs. Bettys, H.R. Wells, R.F. Hecker, A. Hart and Warren Stiles."

--1880: "NOTES FROM BETHEL. Evan Swenson, our efficient road supervisor, is circulating briskly among us, inviting out both great and small to mend their ways." and "Jas. Harris is altering and improving his premises; also Evan Svenson [sic]."

--1881: "There have been many on the sick list in the neighborhood of late: Nathaniel McWilliams wife and daughter; Evan Swenson, his father and two children; Reuben Brainard and others." and "W.J.A. Brainard has bought thirty acres of E. Swenson's place for which he is to pay $450 when the writings are made out." and "Evan Swenson has a barn almost finished, 16X24."

--1883: The Postville Review reported a list of constables for the county: Evan Swenson, of Post twp. was on the list. He also first served as J.P. in Post twp. in 1884, holding that position for many years.

--1886: "E. Swenson, Esq., is in Chicago and Milwaukee, taking in the sights and recuperating his impaired health." and "Esq. Swenson bought 40 acres of Harris' farm, William Harris, nephew of uncle Elisha, bought 80 acres and Thos. Folsom 80 acres with the house upon it. The sum paid for the whole being $6,000."

--1891: "Esq. Swenson had about 850 bushels of barley, 100 bushels of wheat and 200 or 300 bushels of rye threshed last week of good quality."

--1892: "E. Swenson has sold the old Sizer place owned by him and his brother, to S.A. Harris, for $2,000. A little more than a year ago they bought the same land for $1,700."
The purchaser of Evan's farm was Henry J. Kluss. Shortly after the purchase, Mr. Kluss committed suicide. It is a tribute to the integrity of Evan Swenson to know that he promptly made an agreement with the widow Kluss and took back the farm, thus saving Mrs. Kluss the responsibility of making payments she could not afford.

--1899: "Tuesday, Nov. 14th Geo. Harris, E. Swenson and A.W. Swenson started for "The land of the Dakotas." A.W. with a view of locating somewhere in Minnie-ha-ha county."

In March 2001, his granddaughter Florence remembered Evan: "Grandfather was a JP for many years. He always said he got a real kick out of marrying folks. He wasn't a big man, not real tall, I don't know where the sons got their height. He always talked with kind of an accent"

Seven years before his death Evan wrote: "We are living alone now, the birds have flown, the nest is empty, but our children are in our thots by day and in our prayers and dreams by night. We have passed that point in life when the skyline is getting low and we are facing the setting sun."

Evan died August 5, 1932 in Postville, Allamakee Co. IA, at 83 years of age. Eliza died on October 25, 1942 in Postville at 85 years of age. They are buried in the Postville cemetery.

Evan Swenson and Eliza McWilliams had 12 children:

21     i. Arthur William Swenson
22     ii.   Maria Lauree Swenson
23    iii. John F. Swenson
24    iv. Harry S. Swenson
25     v. Katie E. Swenson
26    vi. Amy B. Swenson
27    vii. Frank L. Swenson
28   viii. Alma M. Swenson
29     ix. Hall L. Swenson
30      x. Allison E. Swenson
31     xi. Ethel L. Swenson
32     xii. Lillian Swenson

Updated on 1/15/2002

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