Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Anderson, Swan 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com October 3, 2007, 1:50 am

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

SWAN ANDERSON, who is one of Joliet's reliable and experienced stone mason 
contractors, was born in Alingsaes, Elfeborg, Sweden, July 27, 1859. His 
paternal grandfather, Nels Swenson, who was a native of Breveskagen, bought 
the homestead "Kjartare," and there successfully followed farm pursuits. In 
his family were five daughters and three sons, the youngest being a successful 
cabinet-maker in Gottenburg. On the estate, "Kjartare" Andres Nelson, our 
subject's father, passed the years of youth, and from there after retiring 
from life's busy cares he came to America in May, 1887, joining his children 
in Joliet, where he has since resided. He married Johanna, daughter of Peter 
Johnson, who was a skilled cabinet-maker and resided at Holsberg; he died in 
Sweden in 1874, when seventy-one years of age. Of his seven children all but 
one are still living, the eldest son being Swente, or Swan, as he is commonly 
called. August, the second son, is employed as a shipping clerk  in 
Minneapolis, Minn.; and Gustav R. is a cabinet-maker in Little Falls, Minn. Of 
the daughters, Anna S. is the wife of P. Johnson, of Joliet, and Ada M. 
married O. Anderson, also of this city. Alma, who received a good education 
and was granted a teacher's certificate in Will County, afterward was employed 
in the county treasurer's office in Minneapolis. She graduated from the 
Minneapolis Training School for Nurses and is now in charge of a hospital at 
Seattle, Wash.

The first of the family to seek a home in the United States was the subject of 
this sketch. After having served for three years as an apprentice to the stone-
mason's trade, in March, 1880, he went from Gottenburg to Liverpool and from 
there crossed to New York, which he reached after a voyage of twenty days. Two 
days later he arrived in Chicago and on the 5th of April landed in Joliet. On 
the 6th he secured employment and began to work in the quarry of the Joliet 
Stone Company. After one month he began to work on a farm in Wilton Township, 
where he remained for ten months. Returning to Joliet in March, 1881, he was 
employed as a mason until 1885, since which time he has taken contracts in 
brick and stone. Among his contracts were those for the old street car 
buildings on Second avenue and the present street  car buildings on St. Louis 
street, the Burke livery stable on South Bluff street, etc. He is a member of 
the Joliet Builders' Association.

In April, 1892, he was elected assistant supervisor on the Democratic ticket 
and served for two years, meantime being a member of several committees. At 
the expiration of his term he refused the renomination. He is a member of the 
Swedish Lutheran Church. Since coming to Joliet he married Miss Hannah Nelson, 
who was born in Houf, near Engelholm, Skane, Sweden, where her parents still 
make their home. Mr. and  Mrs. Anderson have seven children, Anna C., Ida C., 
Julia M., Gustav Henry, Elmer Swente, Hilda F. and Ellen E.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900


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