Obit for A. D. SWANSON (b.1847 d.1933), Watonwan Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Lynn ========================================================================= A. D. SWANSON 85, LAID TO REST IN EAST SVEADAHL Oldest resident of St. James Township Bids Farewell to Earthly Friends. REV. FRISK HAS CHARGE OF SERVICES Three Children, 12 grandchildren, Two Brothers Survive On Friday afternoon, January 20, old friends and neighbors and relatives met at the old A. D. Swanson homestead, Sec. 4, St. James township, to bid farewell to its oldest resident, who was living in state at the J. J. Swanson home. After brief services conducted by Rev. C. E. Frisk, of East Svedahl, the group proceeded to the East Svedahl church where Mr. Swanson had been a member for 62 years or since its organization. After a hymn by the congregation, a hymn which had been used very shortly before the departed one's illness, Rev. Frisk spoke in the Swedish language upon the text he had used at Mr. Swanson's bedside the Sunday before his death. An appropriate Swedish hymn by the congregation followed by a selection by a girls chorus under the direction of Alice Olson were rendered. Rev. Frisk then spoke again, this time in the English language and the girls chorus sang another hymn. Mr. Swanson was laid to rest in the East Sveadahl cemetery by the side of his wife who had departed from his life Feb. 23, 1899. Six nephews carried their uncle to the grave, namely: Otto and John Swanson, sons of J. M. Swanson of East Sveadahl, Charlie and Edward Swanson, sons of Peter O. Swanson of West Sveadahl: Axel Markley, of Minneapolis, son of Emma Peterson, Sweden; and Henry W. Beckstrom. The honorary pallbearers were the six grandsons, and the three grandaughters carried the floral tributes. Those who attended from out of town were: Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Swanson, St. Paul, a brother Mr. and Mrs. Axel Markley, Minneapolis. Miss Evangeline Peterson, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, and Lemuel Swanson, Minnesota Farm School, were among those from away who attended the funeral. Anders Daniel Swanson was born Aug. 6, 1847 in Ohr, Moheda, Kronoborgs Lan, Smaland, Sweden, ant at the time of death was 85 years and five months. He was baptized and confirmed in the old country. Not being satisfied with prevailing conditions in Sweden Mr. Swanson emigrated to America in 1869 arriving in Hastings, Minn. He worked there in the harvest field that summer and with his elder brother, John, new deceased, took a homestead in Section 4, St. James Township. He was united in marriage to Eva Kristian Karlsdatter, May 5, 1870, and to this union five children were born. They are: Anna (Mrs. Gust Anderson); Wiliam, who died of scarlet fever at the age of 12; J. Henry Swanson, residing on the old homestead; Ada, who died at the age of five in the same manner as her brother, also of scarlet fever; Ida (Mrs. August Peterson) of Kansas Lake. There are also nine grandchildren, namely: Irene, Lemuel, Vincent and Oscar Swanson, Paul, Elmer and Effie Anderson, Evangeline and Wendall Peterson. There is one foster daughter, Mrs. H. W. Beckstrom, and two brothers, Otto of St. James, and S. A. Swanson of St. Paul, who mourn his departure. Mr. Swanson we very active in church work, serving 12 years as a trustee. He loved his mother tongue and wil be missed in his place in the church. He was also treasurer of the School district No. 28 for about 28 years. Last Labor Day, Mr. Swanson hitched-hiked into St. James to call on friends. He visited some of the county offices and also encountered Sumner Brainerd, Plaindealer reporter, on the street and an interesting discussion of the pioneer days, an account which was published in the Plaindealer Sept. 8, 1932. Mr. Swanson worked five winters in Mankato woods to pay for see wheat during the scourge of the grasshoppers. Mr. Swanson had been hale and hearty up to about two months ago when he sustained a fall and was confined to bed for a while. He rallied from that and well enough to take an auto trip with Gust Anderson family to Kerkhoven. He was somewhat poorly at THanksgiving time but was up and about the place until less than a week prior to his death which occurred Monday January 16 at 9:15 a. m. The "Age of the Pioneer" is passing. The old familiar landmarks are going out of existence. We stand by, to see the scenes changed, but with a deep humility in our hearts, for the great things these grandshires have accomplished on these stark barren prairies. The fields they have tilled have blossomed and borne fruits, the trees they have planted will give shade and shelter to coming generations. The schools and churches they have founded are the marks of a memory of the homesteaders--they have truly been "Giants of the Earth" Watonwan County Plaindealer, Jan. 26, 1933 Died 16 Jan. 1933