Magnus Swenson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 439-440 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				MAGNUS SWENSON. 

	Magnus Swenson, a retired agriculturist still residing on his 
splendidly improved farm in Red Rock township, Minnehaha county, where 
he has now made his home for more than four decades, enjoys distinction 
as one of the early pioneers of South Dakota. His birth occurred in 
Sweden on the 27th of July, 1836, his parents being Swen and Permila 
Munson, both of whom are deceased. 

	In the acquirement of an education Magnus Swenson attended the 
common schools of Sweden, in which country he spent the first thirty-
two years of his life. In 1868, desirous of testing the truth of the 
many favorable reports which had reached him concerning the advantages 
of the new world, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States and took 
up his abode in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he worked on the railroad for four 
years. On the expiration of that period he came to South Dakota, making 
his way direct to Sioux Falls, where he arrived in 1873. He took up a 
preemption claim on section 9, Brandon township, and subsequently 
traded that property for one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 
18, Red Rock township, which is still in his possession. He also 
homesteaded another tract of one hundred and sixty acres on section 18, 
Red Rock township, and here devoted his attention to general 
agricultural pursuits throughout the remainder of his active business 
career. Mr. Swenson underwent all the hardships and trials of frontier 
existence, experiencing the grasshopper plague and droughts and 
suffering the rigors of severe winters. As the years have passed, 
however, he has enjoyed the comforts and conveniences that have come in 
the wake of advancing civilization, and he has long been numbered among 
the representative and substantial citizens of his community. He is one 
of the stockholders of the Corson Elevator Company. 

	On the 26th of December, 1877, Ml. Swenson was united in marriage 
to Miss Agnes Carlson, a daughter of Carl and Petronella Gilbranson. 
She is a native of Norway, born in 1853 and came with her parents to 
America in 1874. She was married in Luverne, South Dakota, but was then 
a resident of Flandreau. Mr. and Mrs. Swenson began their married life 
ill true pioneer style, their first home being a sod house of one room 
and its furnishings were primitive. For both heating and cooking the 
fuel used was twisted hay. Often in the early days the snow was so deep 
in winter that steps had to be cut for the cows to get into the sod 
barn. Money was very scarce and Mr. Swenson once walked to Valley 
Springs, a distance of seven miles, to buy a nickel's worth of tobacco. 
At that time he hauled grain to Worthington by ox team. To Mr. and Mrs. 
Swenson were born the following children who are still living, Albert, 
Emil, Samuel, Mabel, Esther and Nellie, while two sons and a daughter 
have passed away. Emil is now engaged in farming in Brandon township, 
and Samuel, who is a wide-awake, energetic young man, has charge of the 
home farm. 

	Mr. Swenson exercises his right of franchise in support of the 
men and measures of the republican party and has held a number of 
township offices, ever discharging his public duties in a highly 
satisfactory and commendable manner. His religious faith is that of the 
Lutheran church, to which his wife and children also belong. He has now 
passed the seventy-ninth milestone on life's journey and enjoys the 
veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one who has 
traveled thus far on this earthly pilgrimage and whose career has been 
at all times upright and honorable.