Short Biography

Birth: Frans Oskar Georg in Hjelmseryds moder (modern spelling is Hjalmseryd), Westra Harads, Jonkopings Lan, Smaland, Sweden on July 25, 1893; the record of his birth is in the birth records (Fodelsebok for Hjelmseryds moder) for Jonkopings Lan, Sweden for 1893 (see LDS microfilms 0465694 and 0465695).

Jonkopings Lan is the district (administrative unit) and Smaland is the landskap (province or geographical unit). Hjalmseryd is close to Stockaryd and approximately 15 kilometers south of Savsjo at the south end of Vattern Lake.

Frans Oskar's father is listed as Sven Magnus August Johannesson and his mother as Anna Kristina Magnusdtr or Magnusdotter. His father's occupation was a small farmer or owner of a farm (hemmansegare). The location of the farm was Hakantorp, where a torp is a small farm similar to a share crop in the USA. His parents were married when he was born; he was reportedly the youngest of several children. Only his brother John was known in the USA. His father and mother were married for 17 years at his birth making their marriage approximately 1876. His mother was 39 at his birth making her birth year approximately 1854. According to the birth record he was 73 whatevers (years or generations) removed from nobility (Barnet adeligt).

Death: He died around July 21, 1957 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA by drowning in the Mississippi river near the Robert St. Bridge. His address at that time was 533 Broadway, St. Paul. At the time of his death he was a warehouse man for the St. Paul Terminal Company. Just prior to his death the Teamsters Union was attempting a takeover of the warehouse union from the AFL/CIO. At a union meeting he spoke up against joining the Teamsters; whether this contributed to his death is unknown. His death was listed as a "probable accident". His death certificate is from the Minnesota Department of Health, #2134. Tanner, Thomson & Bruer, Attorneys at Law, handled his estate on his death (File # 96259, Probate Court, State of Minnesota, County of Ramsey). Dora Dann Hanson was appointed general administratrix on April 28, 1958.

Physical Description: Frank Oscar Swanson was somewhere between 5' 5 1/2" and 5' 7" tall, blonde, blue-eyed and 150 to 180 pounds in his later years; he appeared much lighter in early pictures. He was a very solid, strong man. His grandson Aaron Swanson resembles him most closely of his descendants. He was in excellent health throughout his life; he had no particular marks of identification.

Immigration: He immigrated to the USA in 1914 arriving at the Port of New York on April 24, 1914 on the S. S. Mauretania (Cunard Line) by way of Liverpool, England on 18 April 1914. His brother, John Gust Swanson, was rumored to have come to the USA with him, but there is no record of John in the ship's Manifest of Passengers. Subsequent research revealed that John came to the USA in 1910. Information for Frank Oscar Swanson on the passenger list was, "Oscar Swensson, age 20, laborer, able to read and write, Scandinavian, from Hakantorp, Stockaryd, Sweden". His mother was listed as Anna Svensson. His final destination in the USA was Red Oak, Iowa; this was the farm of a friend, C. O. Engqvist (Engquist), Box 53, Red Oak, Iowa. John and Frans had an older brother, Karl Emil Hemming, who immigrated to the USA in 1900. All record of Karl Emil Hemming Svensson has been lost.

Entry in "EARLY IMMIGRANTS To Montgomery County, Iowa, Record Book 4, Declarations of Intent, 1869 -1926, Page 47-68, Compiled and Transcribed by Jeanette Lawson, Myra Damewood and Donna Smith": SWANSON, Oscar: Age 21 - Farmer - white - fair complexion - 5 ft 6 ½ in - 150 lbs - light hair - blue eyes. Born in Stockaryd, Hjalmseryd, Sweden on July 25, 1893. Now resides RR #3, Emerson, Iowa. Montgomery County, Iowa. Emigrated from Malmo, Sweden on the vessel MAURATANIA, landing Port of New York on April 24, 1914. Bk 4, Page 57, 5-15-1915. Note the following information from the same source for C.O. Engquist whose farm was listed as final destination for Frank Oscar on the Ship Manifest, "Engquist, Carl O Sweden 3-8-1894 Bk 2 P 133".

Naturalization: Certificate #14-48493, on 8/21/40 (505). The petition from the Department of Justice for Naturalization is #5414450. It lists him as fair-skinned, blue-eyed, light-brown hair, 5'7" and 150 pounds. Naturalization was in the State of Minnesota, County of Isanti, Cambridge, Minnesota on February 8, 1943. His address at the time of Naturalization was Route #2, Cambridge, Minnesota, USA. He declared an intention to be naturalized at Red Oak, Iowa District Court (#157) on May 15, 1915. An application for certificate of arrival in the USA (#14-48493) was filed on July 24, 1940 from Cambridge, Minnesota.

Marriage: Married to Dora Frances Dann on June 24, 1936 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dora Frances Dann immigrated to the USA from Manchester, England. She entered the country on January 21, 1935 in Noyes, Minnesota. They were divorced somewhere between 1950 and 1953 in Rosemount, Minnesota.

[Notes for Anna-Lisa's Narrative on grandmother Anna Kristina Magnusdotter] At Frank Oscar's baptism, his Godfather was Daniel Johannesson and Daniel's wife Inga Stina Carlsdotter from Klerebo.

[Notes from Naturalization Index of Scott County, Iowa] Frank Oskar Swanson: Scott Co., Iowas, 1917 2771 p. 199.