Short Biography

Birth: Johan Gustaf in Hjelmseryds moder (modern spelling is Hjalmseryd), Westra Harads, Jonkopings Lan, Smaland, Sweden on December 8, 1890; the record of his birth is in the birth records (Fodelsebok for Hjelmseryds moder) for Jonkopings Lan, Sweden for 1890 (see LDS microfilms 0341071 and 0341072). He was born and his family lived on a farm called Hakantorp near Rorvik, Sweden. 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. His father is listed as Sven Magnus August Johannesson and his mother as Anna Kristina Magnusdtr or Magnusdotter. His father's occupation was 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. His mother was 36 at his birth; she was born April 23, 1854. His father was 40 at his birth; he was born April 11, 1850.

Although Johan Gustaf apparently avoided conscription into the military in Sweden by emigrating, he entered the US Army as a private during World War I. It is likely he was sent to the European theatre but did not recontact his family in Sweden.

John Gust Swanson worked as the bartender and lived at the Sea Girt Inn in Orchard Lake, Minnesota, for many years before his death. His younger brother, Oscar (Frans Oskar), was also in this area from the early thirties through the first years of World War II. John Gust died in 1956 at the hospital in Farmington, Minnesota. His brother Oscar and nephews, Frank and Joseph, were with him at his death. He is buried in the veterans cemetery in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Death: He died on March 31, 1956 in the Sanford Hospital at Farmington, Minnesota of Hypostatic Pneumonia complicated by Delirium Tremens.

Interred: April 4, 1956

Military Information: Private in WWI. Enlisted July 26, 1918 and Discharged February 10, 1919. His service number was 4068904. He enlisted in Minnesota and was discharged in Montana. His military records were destroyed in the fire on July 12, 1973 which destroyed much of the information at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. Honorable Discharge.
Company #B
330th Infantry
83rd Division
U.S. Army

Buried: Grave #1333, Section G. Fort Snelling National Cemetery on 7601 34th Ave. South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55450.

His father's name was listed as Fran Johnson on the Death Certificate. The informant for this was Frank O. Swanson (his brother) living at 582 Canada Street, St. Paul, Minnesota. John Swanson's mother's maiden name was listed as unknown?

[GTS 071303] John Swanson found in online 1930 Census for Dakota Co., Lakeville Township, MN living as a boarder next to Emil and Annie Oberhoffer. He was 39, listed as emigrating from Sweden in 1911, worked as a odd-job laborer, and was a WWI veteran.

Emigration Institute: Possible departures: Johan Aug Svensson, May 6, 1910, Kyrkhuet, Sweden; Johan Svensson, September 27, 1910, Caronia or Carmania; John Swanson, Hellig Olaf, Feb 25, 1910.