Jones County Texas Archives - History of Ericksdahl - 1927 *********************************************************** Submitted by: Dorman Holub Date: 19 January 2020 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/jones/jonestoc.htm *********************************************************** The Stamford American Thursday, June 30, 1927 Ericksdahl Community Was Organized in Fall of 1925; First Settlers Came From Travis and Williamson Counties by Theresia C. Newquist The Ericksdahl community in Jones county was organized in the fall of 1905 when a large number of Scandinavians from Travis and Williamson counties came and purchased land from Swenson Bros. They purchased the land that is usually called the Swede settlement. It extends from Lueders to Avoca from the Clear Fork to California Creek and from Stamford east about 7 miles. Before the New Colony was organized, a few families were living here, either farming or working on S.M. Swenson Ranches. The very first ones were C.H. Seth, who came to Abilene in 1882 and who worked on S.M.S. Ranches; A.J. Swenson in 1883; John Lunn 1902 and N.M. Segerstrom in 1904. Ericksdahl, the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church, was organized January 25, 1906, with Dr. J.A. Stanbife and Rev. L.J. Sundquist, who have done quite a bit for the upholding and uplifting of Bethel Lutheran Church in its early years. Owing to the vast number of farmers who came here from Central Texas and their influence of raising cotton the Ericksdahl community blossomed up quite a bit and prospects were very bright and now after 25 years of hard work, the early settlers can look back and think that victory is theirs. This community has had its drawbacks, but now we have a large congregation, one of the best pastors and various organizations of the church such as Luther League, Willing Workers, LadiesŐ Aid and a Junior Mission Band, an up-to-date school and two stores: Olsburg and Olson-VIll.