Knox County IL Archives Biographies.....Gustafson, Fank Oscar January 6, 1855 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Robison normadeplume@wmconnect.com July 22, 2008, 12:33 am

Author: Albert J. Perry

rom: HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY, ILLINOIS by Albert J. Perry 1912:

         FRANK OSCAR GUSTAFSON

     Frank Oscar Gustafon is living retired in Altona.  His birth occurred on 
the 6th of January, 1855, in Sandstad, Ydre Harrar, Linkoping Lan, 
Ostergotland, Sweden, his parents being Gustav and Maria (Israelson) Johnson.  
The father's birth occurred in 1812 in Sweden and throughout his life he 
engaged in farming.  Mrs. Johnson was a daughter of Ian and Eva Israelson and 
was born in 1822.  They both passed away in 1877, Mrs. Johnson having died very 
suddenly on Sunday while going home from church on account of a violent 
seizure.  Mr. Johnson's death occurred a few weeks later and both were laid to 
rest in the same cemetery.  They were the parents of a large family, three of 
whom survive:  Gustav Adolph, who is a carpenter of Hunter, Oklahoma; Anton L., 
of Holdrege, Nebraska; and Frank Oscar the subject of this review.
     After attending the common schools in his native land, Frank Oscar 
Gustafson began at the age of fifteen years to work on his father's farm and 
until his emigration on the 21st of April, 1875, was engaged in farming and 
railroading.  He made the trip to America in company with his sister, who later 
died in Monroe, Nebraska, coming directly to Altona, where he arrived on the 
11th of May.  On the same day he hired out to Andrew Main and the next year was 
in the employ of William Main for one season.  Upon his arrival in America he 
had almost no financial resources and because of his inadequate knowledge of 
the language and of the customs of the country, was forced to accept any work 
that offered.  In the fall he engaged in husking corn and cutting broom corn 
and for fourteen summers was engaged in tiling.  During the intervening winters 
he worked in the Clifford coal mine, in Walnut Grove township, and for five 
years was employed in Culbertson's meat market and for an equal length of time 
was employed by S. M. Whiting.
     On the 17th of March, 1902, he left Illinois and removed to Clark county, 
South Dakota, where he took up farming on his own account.  Having always saved 
his money carefully he was now able to purchase one hundred and sixty acres of 
land and subsequently acquired an additional quarter section, and had five 
hundred acres in crops under cultivation, all of which gave good yields.  While 
there Mr. Gustafson served as juror in the United Sates court of the Black hill 
division.  He was elected to the school board and served as chairman until 
1910.  In 1906 he was a central committee man from his division and also was 
appointed judge of election of his district in that year; in 1908 he received 
the appointment of superintendent of election for his precinct.  In that year 
he sold one of his farms dividing the proceeds between his sons, and returned 
to Altona, where he now lives retired.  Prior to his departure for the west he 
was elected repeatedly constable of Walnut township and served as such for 
eight years, or until 1889.
     Mr. Gustafson has been twice married, his first union occurring on the 4th 
of August, 1884, to Miss Emma Carolina Nelson.  She was a daughter of Swan and 
Bangda Nelson, and was born January 3, 1858, in Galesburg, Illinois.  Her 
parents were among the pioneers of Knox county and she was one of ten 
children.  Her death occurred September 15, 1892, in Altona.  To Mr. and Mrs. 
Gustafson three children were born:  Anthony Leonard, who is a teacher in 
Brown's Business College of Peoria; Arthur Paul, who is residing in Clark 
county, South Dakota, where he is engaged in farming; and Edward Cline, who is 
married and is engaged in cultivating his father's farm in Clark county, South 
Dakota.  Mr. Gustafson's second union was to Miss Sigrid Swanson, whose birth 
occurred October 8, 1854, in Christianstad, Sweden and who is a daughter of 
Swan and Eva (Anderson) Olson.  Her mother died when she was but three years of 
age and she was reared by her father and his parents.  In 1882 she left her 
native land for America and settled first in Genesco, Illinois, but later came 
to Altona.  Mr. Gustafson is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and also 
of the Modern Woodmen of America of Altona.  In America Mr. Gustafson found the 
opportunity he sought in the freedom and appreciation of the growing country.  
Born in a foreign land and proud of his native land and sturdy ancestry, he is 
patriotic and sincere in his devotion to the land of his adoption.  His career 
is actively identified with the history of the development of the middle and 
far west, and as a result of incessant labor and application he now lives in 
retirement at Altona in most comfortable circumstances.  He arrived there years 
ago practically penniless but is now numbered as one of the honored and 
respected citizens.

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