Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Swanberg, Gustavus 1860 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 21, 2006, 9:54 pm Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) GUSTAVUS SWANBERG, of Worthington, is manager of, and one of the principal owners of, the Hub Mercantile company's store, and is chairman of the board of county commissioners of Nobles county, of which body he has been a member for the last eight years. The history of Mr. Swanberg's life is one that may be read with profit by many a young man starting in life without advantages and with small prospects of getting to the front. Arriving in Nobles county when a lad of 21 years, without money, without friends and without knowledge of the language of the country, he set to work to educate himself and to fight the battles of life. So well has he succeeded that today he ranks among the most successful business men of Worthington, and in a political way has been honored time and again by the electors of Nobles county. The subject of this sketch was born in Hardlund, Kail socken, Jemtland lan, Sweden, Dec. 8, 1860, the son of Stefen Stefenson and Igeborg (Grelson) Stefenson. His father was a farmer and store keeper, and died in his native land in 1888. His mother came to America shortly after her husband's death, and now resides with her son at Worthington. Gust attended the common schools of his native country until 15 years of age. He was then employed for a time on the government railroad, clerking in a place where the railroad furnished materials and supplies for the workmen. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the Swedish army, serving in Jemtland feltjagare corps, Lif company (consisting of 135 men), for two years and three months. The military post where he was stationed was located on an island called Froso, in a large inland lake called Storsjon, near the city of Ostersund. On leaving the army he received an honorable discharge. Up to the time of his enlistment, Mr. Swanberg's legal name was Gustavus Stefanson, and the change to Gustavus Swanberg was brought about in this manner: The laws of Sweden at that time forbade any man serving in the army to have a name ending in "son," giving the soldier the right to select any other name he might fancy, however. Gust Stefanson selected the name Swanberg, and thereafter that was his legal name. Mr. Swanberg still has a clergyman's certificate in his possession to show under what circumstances the name was changed. Shortly after leaving the Swedish army Mr. Swanberg set sail for America, arriving in New York Nov. 17, 1881. From the metropolis he came direct to Worthington. He at once started to go to school in Bigelow township that he might acquire a knowledge of the English language. The next summer he started working with a grading crew that was making the grade for the branch of the Burlington road which runs from Spirit Lake to Worthington. During the winter of 1882-83 he again took up his studies in the Bigelow township school where he had studied the previous winter. This term his teacher was Miss Hannah Peterson, who latex became his wife. In the summer of 1883 Mr. Swanberg went to Wahpeton, N. D., and secured work with a carpenter's crew on the C. St. P., M. & M. railroad. He worked there that summer, and the following winter chopped wood at Delano, Minn., 30 miles west of Minneapolis. In the spring of 1884 he went to Lemars, Iowa, where he worked until fall with a crew putting in switches in the yards for the C, St. P., M. & O. Railroad company. Then, not being satisfied with the practical knowledge he had acquired of the English language, in the fall of 1884 he hired out to an American farmer, where the Swedish language was not spoken, and remained there until the formation of the Swedish Mercantile company at Worthington in February, 1886. Mr. Swanberg then secured employment with that firm as clerk, in which capacity he remained until the spring of 1889. On the last named date he became manager of the company and conducted the store in Worthington until the spring of 1903. Then, together with J. P. Peterson and F. O. Peterson, he bought the majority stock and formed a company, the title of which is the Hub Mercantile company. Mr. Swanberg is now serving as secretary, treasurer and manager of that company. In August, 1889, Mr. Swanberg was married to Miss Hannah Peterson at Sioux Falls, S. D. Miss Peterson was born at Lansing, Allamakee county, Iowa, April 18, 1862J and her home was with her parents in Indian Lake township. Five sons and one daughter have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Swanberg, as follows: Stanley, Gwendolin, Edmund, Franklin, Lloyd and Lester, the last two named being twins. All the children are living. Mr. Swanberg first held public office in 1892, when he was elected a member of the city council. Three years later he was elected city recorder. In 1900 he was elected county commissioner on the republican ticket by the electors of the fifth district to a four year term. During two of the years (1903 and 1904) he served as chairman of the board. He was reelected in 1904, and was again elected chairman in January, 1907. In the spring of 1906 he was appointed a member of the Worthington school board to fill an unexpired term, and at the regular school meeting in July of that year he was elected to a three year term. In 1890 Mr. Swanberg joined the Baptist church of Worthington, and is still a member of that church, taking a prominent part in the affairs of that organization. Fraternally he is a member of the A. O. U. W. and K. P. lodges of Worthington. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/swanberg92gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb