"History of Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties of Minnesota, 1916"



Alex Swanson was born in Sweden, May 15, 1849, and is a son of Andrew and Margaret Swanson, both natives of Sweden, the father born in 1819 and the mother in 1823. There they grew up and were married. In 1873 they came to Watonwan county, Minnesota, the father dying at the home of his son, Alex, not long after coming to the New World, but the mother survived to a ripe old age, passing away in 1905. To these parents but two children were born, namely: Carrie, the widow of Swan Englin, and Alex, the subject of this sketch.

Alex Swanson grew to manhood in Sweden and there attended school. He came to America in 1869 and located in Watonwan county, Minnesota, taking tip a homestead of eighty acres in Adrian township. He worked hard and managed well and subsequently added to his original place until he had two hundred and twenty-four acres, well improved, including a substantial set of buildings. The first shack he erected was of lumber hauled from Lake Crystal, in Blue Earth county. He carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale on his place until 1911, when he sold out and moved to St. James, buying his present residence. He was president of the Sveadahl Creamery Company. During the grasshopper years Mr. Swanson turned his attention to railroading, which he continued about ten years.

Alex Swanson was married on November 21, 1874, to Anna Anderson, who was born in Sweden on July 12, 1853. She is a daughter of Andrew and Kersten Jensen, who came to America in 1869, locating on a homestead of eighty acres in Watonwan county. To this they added another eighty. This land Mr. Jensen improved and lived on until his death, in 1897. His widow survived until 1909. To these parents two children were born, namely: John Anderson, who lives on the old home farm in Nelson township, this county, and Anna, wife of Mr. Swanson.

Politically, Mr. Swanson is a Republican. He cast his first vote for General Grant at his second election. He has been more or less active in the party ever since. He has served as a member of the township board, also the local school board for several years, and was one of the county commissioners when the present court house was built. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran church and is a charter member of the West Sveadahl church, of which he has been secretary and deacon for the past twenty years.

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