Thomas Svenson Biography

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. 
	Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1898. Pages 494-495

	Scan, OCR and editing by Joy Fisher, jfisher@sdgenweb.com, 1999.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm

THOMAS SVENSON-An honorable position among the farmers of Volga township, 
Brookings county, is willingly accorded to this gentleman by his associates.  He 
occupies one of the well-developed farms of the county, and is greatly respected 
in the community in which he has lived ever since locating in Dakota.

Mr. Svenson was born in Norway, February 3, 1859, a son of Sven Thompson and 
Engebor (Johnson) Svenson, both natives of Norway, the former born about 1833, 
and the latter about 1834.  Our subject spent about five years in school in the 
land of his nativity, and then worked at farming until he started for America in 
the year 1881. He took passage in a sailing vessel across the North Sea to 
England, being two days en route, and at Liverpool embarked for the New World.  
After thirteen days on the Atlantic, and weathering a terrific storm which 
lasted two days, the vessel landed in New York harbor and from there Mr. Svenson 
immediately set out for South Dakota, purchased the farm which he now occupies, 
and began to improve it.  He now has about one hundred and twenty-five acres 
under cultivation, which is yielding him a comfortable income, has a neat set of 
farm buildings and a residence wherein he and his two little children have a 
cozy home. His stock consists of three horses, nine head of cattle and some 
sheep and hogs.

May 28, 1894, Mr. Svenson was united in marriage to Miss Mollie S. Peterson, who 
was born in South Dakota, December 10, 1875, a daughter of Sven and Mary 
Peterson, both natives of Norway.  Mrs. Svenson died August 26, 1897, leaving 
two children, Engebor and Tilda Mollie.  Our subject is a member of the Lutheran 
church. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party.