Andrew and Anna Swanson
Swedish Immigrants to Anoka County, MN
ANDREW (ANDERS)2 SWANSON (SVENJEN1)1 was born November 04, 1856 in Malmo, Sweden, and died September 15, 1949 in Anoka County, Minnesota. He married ANNA OLSEN2,3 1878 in Stockholm Sweden, daughter of OLE PETERSEN. She was born November 26, 1853 in Mora, Sweden, and died March 01, 1923 in Anoka County, Minnesota4.
One of the Pioneer families to Anoka County.
Emigrated from Sweden in 1881. In 1882, he came to Anoka, Mn and worked at Reed & Sherwood Mill. Moved to Newport Farm, 700 acres owned by RR builder. He then moved to Clayton Farm, then rented the Trott Brook Farm. About 1901, he moved his family 9 miles north of Anoka, purchasing 80 acres from Negro Shepard where he sold farm products, potatoes, corn, hay, dairy cows, chickens, etc.
Swanson Farm-Burns Township
1914 Farmers' Directory of Burns Township: Swanson, A., living in county for 30 years on 781/2 acres, wife; Annie, Children; Richard, Gust, Manley, Agnes, Ella. Move to Anoka County approx. 1881. (Anoka County Genealogical Society) The Swanson farm was located west of Hwy 47 and what is today called Old Viking Blvd.
At the time Andrew and his family immigrated to Anoka and before they could put up the buildings, the family had to remove the Indians from the property.
During a large drought when Lake Fremont in Zimmerman dried up along with most of the County wells, farmers would cut the river bottom for hay, and the Swanson farm was one of the only spring fed wells in Anoka and everyone would come to the farm for water.
Andrew Swanson had a blacksmith shop on the farm. He shoed the horses and mules for the Railroad, neighbors and residents of Anoka County during the 20's & 30's. He continued to tend to their horses during the depression years when they were unable to pay for the work he did. He also plowed the roads during the winter months using a horse drawn plow. (The railroad still holds an easement on the property for any future railroad access.) He would also make the children’s sleds from his shop. Andrew was also on the Anoka County School Board as Treasurer. (Superintendents Record 1887-1915 for Anoka County) and President of the "Central Telephone Company" - 1904, Secretary - Daniel E. Shannon.
Andrew is now buried along with his wife Annie, sons, Gust, Manley, Richard and baby daughter Minnie, at Trott Brook Cemetery in Ramsey, Minnesota.
Anna (Annie) Olsen immigrated from Sweden in 1883 with her two young sons, to join her husband in Minnesota. She came on a "sailing ship", enduring many storms at sea.
She had tended dairy cows in Sweden and did factory work in Stockholm. She used to smoke tobacco in a clay pipe while tending cows to relieve her toothache.
She was born on the northwestern shore of Lake Siljan in Sweden
Church record from Anoka County Genealogical Society show a Church Membership record for the First Congregational Denomination: United Church of Christ for: Annie Swanson, May 19, 1889 through April 29, 1896. (I have copy) Church is located on corner of 3rd St. So. & Main Street in Anoka.
Anna suffered a massive heart attack and died in the grainery on the farm. Gust had told the story of how he watched his mother get up from the table and stumbled a little to the door. He watched her as she went outside and then went to find her. He found her in the grainery where she died in his arms. Her funeral was one of the first events held at the Burns Church.
OBITUARY FROM ANOKA UNION - March, 1923
Mrs. Andrew Swanson
Mrs. Andrew Swanson of Burns, died suddenly Thursday morning, March 1st, aged 69 years.
Annie Olson was born in Sweden, November 26th, 1853, and was married to Andrew Swanson in Sweden. They came to Anoka in 1883 and resided here a few years, and then moved to Ramsey and later to Burns, where they have since made their home. Mr. Swanson is one of the best known blacksmiths in this vicinity.
Mrs. Swanson was a member of the Lutheran church.
Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Swanson and her husband and seven children and eleven grandchildren survive. Her children are: John Swanson, Anoka; Mrs. Bert Hare, Burns; Mrs. John Diederick, Ladysmith, Wis.; Mrs. Russell Thompson, Faribault; Richard, Gus and Manly of Burns.
Funeral services were held from Thurston's parlors Saturday, Rev. Shawl officiating. Many attended the services and the floral tributes were very beautiful.
Mrs. Swanson was a woman of Christian living and example, beloved by her acquaintances and idolized by her family.
More About ANDREW SWANSON and ANNA OLSEN:
Marriage: 1878, Stockholm Sweden
Children of ANDREW SWANSON and ANNA OLSEN are:
2. GUSTAV A.3 SWANSON (ANDREW (ANDERS)2, SVENJEN1) was born March 12, 1882 in Stockholm, Sweden, and died January 26, 1962 in Anoka, Minnesota. He married VERONA CHRISTINE GRIDER11 November 15, 1927 in Minnesota12
Notes for GUSTAV A. SWANSON:
Gust would also travel to Duluth and work as a lumberjack coming back to Anoka to help guide the logs down stream.
More About GUSTAV A. SWANSON:
Burial: Trott Brook Cemetery, Anoka County Minnesota
3. JOHN OSCAR3 SWANSON (ANDREW (ANDERS)2, SVENJEN1)15 was born December 09, 1884 in Burns Township, Anoka County, Minnesota, and died July 06, 1973 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He married LETICIUS MARINDA MOLTUN.
Notes for JOHN OSCAR SWANSON:
Employee of Northern States Power. He spent the last 15 years of his life living in California and Milwaukee Wisconsin.
4. LILLIAN DORA3 SWANSON (ANDREW (ANDERS)2, SVENJEN1)16 was born March 17, 1891 in Burns Township, Anoka County, Minnesota, and died December 07, 1976 in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. She married JOHN DIETRICH 1910. He was born 1884, and died 1936 in Ladysmith Wisconsin.
Notes for LILLIAN DORA SWANSON:
Family Nickname "Dod"
More About JOHN DIETRICH and LILLIAN SWANSON:
5. AGNES CAROLINE3 SWANSON (ANDREW (ANDERS)2, SVENJEN1)17 was born June 30, 1894 in Burns Township, Anoka County, Minnesota18, and died December 27, 1985 in Wenatchee, Washington. She married BERTIE VOLUNTEER HARE July 08, 1916 in Nowthen, Minnesota.
1903-1904, attended Burns school.
Worked as housekeeper/cook for Leathers and Norris family, then as a dressmaker.
1916-1929, lived in Nowthen, Tony, Wisconsin; St. Paul, Tony again, Denver, Nowthen and finally Sultan. In May 1930, she moved to Wenatchee valley in Washington state-Monitor & Cashmere. In 1937, they purchased Pleasant Hill "Ranch" in Cashmere with inheritance from James Hare.
She worked at packing sheds for the fruit industry.
Notes for BERTIE VOLUNTEER HARE:
When Bert was 8 years old, the local Anoka paper reported:
Bertie Hare, of Burns, Minn., suffered a peculiar accident last week. He was barefooted and stood on the step of his brother (Lee's) bicycle to take a short ride. His toe caught in the chain and was entirely severed from the foot and dropped in the road. Dr. Scorboria of Elk River dressed the painful wound.
Marriage Notes for AGNES SWANSON and BERTIE HARE:
Married in Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka, MN
Marriage: July 08, 1916, Nowthen, Minnesota
Submitted by Marilyn Craine Anderson