FAMILY STORIES

   Lars Anderson and his daughters helped organize the Grace Lutheran Church west of Swedeburg. Elin married Enock Hammer. Esther married Alvin Dewey and Emma never married. Augusta (my mother) married John Carlson who was born in Ostergotland, in 1870. John came to America in 1886 with his older brother, Charlie. Their parents, Carl J. and Fredricka Chell Hagstrom, followed them to America in 1889 with six other children. Their names were Gust, Oscar, Olaf, Pete, Axel, and Anna. David was born after they settled in the New Country. Charlie and John, my father, changed their Swedish name from Hogg to Carlson as they were the sons of Carl when they came to America.

   The John Carlsons were married in 1898 and farmed for several years northwest of Ceresco. They moved to Ceresco to join with Fred Mostrom and Charlie Erickson in operating a combination implement, furniture, and mortuary business. After partnership with Fred and Charlie, the John Carlson family purchased a hardware and implement business in Mead in 1913.

   John Carlson served in leadership positions in the Alma Lutheran Church, school board, and for the town of Mead. The Carlson children include: Rev. Roy Carlson, Mrs. Edward (Ruth) Henthorn, Fern Carlson, Mrs. F.H. (Amy) Larson, Mrs. Philip (Violette) Johnson, Mrs. Lloyd (Ethel) Swanson, Mrs. Oscar (Ellen) Lindquist, and Lloyd Carlson. Only Mrs. Lloyd Swanson lives in Saunders Co.

   Ethel was employed in the Mead Post Office for 3 years, and on Dec. 25, 1929, married Lloyd Swanson, the son of Gust and Lena Benson Swanson of Mead. They are the parents of two children, a daughter, Roma, and a son, Larry.

   Lloyd and Ethel farmed and lived on the Swanson farm a mile east of Colon for 50 years. There they took part in community activities, in the Marietta Presbyterian Church, and the Lothair Community Club. Lloyd was on the Lothair school board for 15 years. In 1978, we moved to Wahoo and our son, Larry, and his wife, Jean Wollen, from Valley and their family took over the farming. Russell now lives on the home place.

   After moving to Wahoo, we joined the Wahoo First Presbyterian Church. Our daughter, Mrs. Carrol (Roma) Engdahl, lives in Bayard, Nebraska, where she is a secretary at the Bayard Public School. Her husband, Carrol, is deceased.

   Our grandchildren, fifth generation of Lars Anderson and Carl Hagstrom, are Kent Carrol (K.C.) and Cara Engdahl; Mrs. Bill (Diane) Swanson Fromm; and Lisa, Russell and Roger Swanson.

   Loren Swanson has lived in the same house since he was five years old. He has been farming in the Swedeburg area for 25 years. Loren attended grade school at Dist. 48, the same district his father and grandmother attended. His parents are Emor and Bernice (Christenson) Swanson. He has a brother, Leland Swanson, and a sister, Joyce Heyen. He graduated from Wahoo High School. He served a tour of duty in the military and is a member of the American Legion. In 1963, he married a Kansas girl, Naomi Ricklefs.

   Naomi was attending Midland College at Fremont when they met. Her parents were Ed and Alma (Dutton) Ricklefs from a farming area near Bendena, Kansas. Their families originally came to America from Germany. Naomi's father died when she was ten years old and her mother raised Naomi and her younger sister, Donna (Caudle), on the farm alone. Donna and her family live on the home place near Bendena, Kansas which Grandfather Adda Manan Ricklefs purchased around the mid-1880's. Naomi attended a country school and graduated from Bendena High School. She graduated from Midland College and taught school in Troy, Kansas for three years.

   Loren and Naomi have two children: Mark, who is attending Wahoo High School; and Rhonda, who is attending Wahoo Middle School. Both children are active in athletics and band. They are 4-H members. Rhonda likes to play the piano and Mark likes to help with the farming.

   The family are members of Grace Lutheran Church near Swedeburg. Loren and Naomi are both active in church work.

   Forty acres of land near Swedeburg has been in the Swanson family for five generations. It was bought in 1878 by Loren's great-grandparents, John and Hanna Mattson, who came from Sweden.

   Magnus Swanson was the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Sven (Swan) and Ali Hanson, born June 18, 1879 in Östra Vammenhög Parish, Malmohuslan, Sköne, Sweden.

   He came to America with his mother in October, 1891 when he was about 12 years old, his father having come over in the spring of 1891. He resided with his parents on an acreage near Ceresco in Saunders County, Nebraska. He was confirmed April 22, 1894 at the Swedeburg Mission Church on Cemetery Hill south of Swedeburg, Nebraska in a class of 8 boys and 7 girls, the pastor being Rev. John E. Swanson.

   Magnus ran a threshing machine and steam engine with his brother, Hans, and did custom threshing of small grain. He also worked on a train near Sioux City. According to Oscar Boydston of Plainview, Nebraska, in his news article in the Ceresco News for April 16, 1963, Magnus and Hans Swanson owned the first threshing machine by traction steam engine in the area where they lived.

   On April 11, 1906, Magnus was married to Anna Louise Anderson, youngest child of John Frederick and Anna Charlotte Anderson, at their home northwest of Ceresco near Mt. Zion. Anna Louise was born August 13, 1885 near Ithaca, Nebraska.

   Mr. and Mrs. Swanson made their home on a farm north and west of Ceresco, and then later, 3 miles north of Ceresco. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson farmed, milked many cows and raised registered Poland China hogs. Mr. Swanson continued custom threshing of grain. A nephew, Nels Swanson, lived with them on the farm.

   In 1909, Magnus became interested in cars and sold Fords as a subdealer under Otto B. Tegelberg, Ford dealer in Wahoo.

   Mr. and Mrs. Swanson pioneered the automobile business, founding the Ford Garage in Ceresco, and in 1911, with his brother, Hans, built a small building of cement blocks where the present Ford Garage is now located. Hans Swanson sold implements. Magnus also sold Overlands for a while but turned the Overland franchise over to a nephew, Arvid Swanson.

The N.R. Pearson Place -- Taken in 1898. Magnus Swanson sitting on tool box on his Steam Engine.

   In February, 1912, Mr. and Mrs. Swanson had a farm sale, and in March, moved to Ceresco.

   Anna was always known as Grandma Swanson to everyone. She was always seen working in her yard and the community enjoyed her many flowers growing on the corner. After the death of her husband March 26, 1943, Mrs. Swanson continued ownership of the garage with the help of her sons, Roy and Russell. Later, Russell left the garage and went into the John Deere business. Son, Lester, continued on with the garage business. Mrs. Swanson passed away July 4, 1971.

   Mr. and Mrs. Swanson were members of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Ceresco. Their five children were; Evelyn, Mrs. Willard Johnson; Roy Edward; Lester Clifford; Russell Vernon; and Ernest Willard. Submitted by daughter Evelyn Johnson

   Martin Swanson, son of Swan and Cecilia Tuveson, was born in Torup Parish, Sweden, Feb. 29, 1864 and came to Saunders County in 1883. He first lived with a Cameron family by Ceresco and worked as a farm hand. He was always so grateful to Mrs. Cameron as she helped him master the English language and taught him many American ways. He clerked at the Killian Bros. Store for a number of years before entering farming. He lived on a farm south of Ceresco on the county line before moving to Dist. 70, north of Wahoo in 1904. He married Emma Helsing on April 9, 1890. Emma was the daughter of Abraham and Maria (Bostrom) Helsing and was born on Nov. 28, 1861 in Sofaras Parish, Sweden. Her family came to America in 1869.

   Their life was busy with the struggles of farming and the raising of children in those pioneer times. It took its toll when Mrs. Swanson died on Feb. 25, 1906, six months after the birth of twin sons, Ned and Noble. Besides these children she left Hilda, Mabel, Emfred, Elmer, Roy and Raymond. Noble died of pneumonia in the spring of 1913. The father kept his family together and the little boys grew up with their older sisters taking the place of a mother.

   Mr. Swanson was busy in county and district affairs. He was a county commissioner for four years, a precinct assessor, and a road overseer, director of the Dist. 70 School for several years, and on the Church Board of the Edensburg Lutheran Church in Malmo for many years. They transferred their membership to the Bethlehem Lutheran

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Martin Swanson Family. Back Row: Roy, Mabel, Elmer, Hilda, Emfred; Front Row: Ned, Martin, Noble and Jack.

Church of Wahoo in 1932. He died at the farm home on Sept. 4, 1938.

   Those who have departed this life are; Elmer in 1950, Emfred, 1963, Mabel, 1974, Hilda, 1978, and Roy in 1982. The survivors are Raymond and Ned, residents of Wahoo. Submitted by Vera Swanson

   Ned was born and raised on a farm northwest of Wahoo. He and his twin brother, Noble, were the youngest in a family of 8 children of Martin and Emma Swanson. Noble died at age 7. Ned went to District 70 to school, graduated from Wahoo High and took business courses to Luther College.

Verna Irene Swanson and Ned Swanson 1943

   I was born on a farm north of Yutan to Lewis and Phoebe Phillips Stamp and have a sister, Genevieve. I attended school in District 35 and 10 and graduated from Yutan High and Boyles College, Omaha. I still visit my 2nd grade teacher, Miss Emma Benes, at the Care Center. Threshing time was exciting when I was young. The big steam engine operated by Uncle John Lehnert would pull into the yard at a snail's pace. We worked hard to help Mom prepare lunches and meals for the crew, but reward time was at night when we slid down the big mountains of straw and blew the whistle on the steam engine.

   Ned and I were married May 16, 1942. Ned served 40 months in WW2, a large portion of the time in the European war area. Friendships were formed during those years in camp, and we still have close contact with several families with whom we share our joys and sorrows.

   In 1946, Ned ran for office of Register of Deeds and was elected, and successfully, thereafter, for 8 terms. He served 30 consecutive years and always appreciated the people of Saunders County for their faithful support. After Ned retired, I served as Deputy for 5 years and now daughter, Roma, is the Deputy.

   We lived in the District 70 area for 28 years on the place where Ned was raised. Our daughter, Roma, was born October 8, 1951 and went to school in District 70, and while growing up, enjoyed the country living with us. Ned liked to garden and to ride horseback. He saw that Roma had horses to ride and enjoy. We were active in the District 70 community, 4-H Clubs and Extension Club. Roma married Ken Smith October 24, 1970 and they have a son, Heath.

   Ned is a charter member and past commander of VFW Post 4502, a member of Legion Post 82. I am an auxiliary member of both. Ned is member of FOE 2971 and we are members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. I am also a member of the Welsh Society in Lincoln.

   My hobbies are collecting teapots, sewing and crocheting. At present we enjoy a quiet retirement here in Wahoo.

My roots are Welsh and German,
My husband's are all Swede.
Our daughter is American
What better roots does one need?

Submitted by Vera Stamp Swanson

   Roger Lee Swanson is the third child of Laurence and Florence (Hamilton) Swanson of Weston. Verna, his wife, is the third child of Lloyd and Martha (Hoffmann) Janovec, formerly of Cedar Bluffs. Roger attended Rural School District 28 and graduated from Wahoo High School in 1953. He helped his father farm and worked at various jobs until September 6, 1955, when he started to work for Western Electric, the manufacturing unit of Northwestern Bell Company in Lincoln, Nebraska. Roger and I met at a New Year's Eve dance in 1956. I attended school at Cedar Bluffs, and on my graduation day, Roger and I became engaged. We were married July 14, 1957 at the Lutheran church in Cedar Bluffs.

Roger Swanson family. Back Row, L. to R.: Randel and Mark Swanson; Second Row: Jeanette, Don and Sandra Armstrong, Vicki Behrens; Front Row: Roger and Verna Swanson, Roger and Stephanie Behrens.

   We lived in Lincoln and our oldest daughter, Vicki, was born in 1958. That summer Western Electric closed the Lincoln plant and moved to Omaha; so we moved there also. We lived in "downtown" Omaha a short time and then purchased a trailer house and moved to a trailer court on West Dodge Road. Sandra was born in 1960 and Randel in 1961. In November of 1962, we moved to Millard to be closer to the new W.E. plant.

   The day Jeanette was born, June 16, 1964, is a day we will never forget. A "freak" storm stalled over the Millard area and dumped over 9 inches of rain. When the creek by the trailer court overflowed, it took everything we owned. We thanked God that we were not at home and were safe. The next week, with the help of many friends and relatives, we set up housekeeping in a rented house. We started to build a house on a hill that summer, and moved into it that fall.

   Mark was born in 1967. Steven was born prematurely July 2, 1969 and died that night.

   As Omaha and Millard grew and became one, we decided to move to a smaller town. In 1971, we purchased an older home in Yutan. We did a lot of remodeling and moved in August, 1972. Our children have participated in almost everything at school and have a good education. With the four oldest already graduated, it seems strange to "just" have one in school this year!

   Vicki, has a degree in Commercial Art. She was married to Roger Behrens on May 14, 1978. Roger is in the Army and they are presently stationed in Colorado. Their daughter, Stephanie, was born three months prematurely and weighed only 1 pound, 14 ounces. She was hospitalized 6 months, but now is relatively healthy. Sandra is a legal secretary and was married to Don Armstrong on November 14, 1981. Randel is a Senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is studying to be a Math teacher. Jeanette is employed by a newspaper in Millard.

   Our family enjoys most sports, either to participate in, or to watch. We are active in the Lutheran church, as God is very important in our lives. Submitted by Verna M. Swanson

   It was January 8, 1910 when Roy first saw the light of day on a farm 3 miles north of Ceresco, Nebr., the oldest son of Magnus and Anna Swanson. A year later they moved into Ceresco, where his father had established the Ford automobile dealership. Roy grew up in a home filled with lively activity, with one sister, Evelyn (Mrs. Willard Johnson), and three brothers, Lester, Russell and Ernest.

   Roy was still in his teen age years when he began working for his dad and remained in the business until he retired in 1973. At the present time, he is employed by his brother Ernie at Ernie's Store, keeping the popcorn cleaned from the floor and other duties.

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