JULY 26, 1877 TO OCTOBER 29, 1958

Born July 26, 1877 in Burlington, Iowa.  Died October 29, 1958 in Arlington, Washington

Albert Swanson was born in Burlington, Iowa. His mother Ellen Anderson was born in Sweden. Details are sketchy. She spoke Swedish. His father was Charles Swanson. We found a picture of his aunt, Anna Sarah Anderson, a couple of postcards and letters. Albert Swanson was not into talking about his family roots. He taught us a few sayings in Swedish, but preferred English.

Ellen Swanson, Mother
Birth Certificate
Postcard from Ellen to Albert her son in 1908 from Burlington, Iowa (all in Swedish)
Burlington, Iowa
Anna Swanson (Albert's Aunt) Dec. 10, 1848 - May 31, 1930

Marriage of Ida Daisy Falconer and Albert Lewis Swanson

Ida Daisy Falconer & Albert Lewis Swanson

Albert and Daisy Swanson (Ida Falconer) were married July 5, 1905 in Wilton, N.D. where he owned a men’s clothing store for several years. Daisy and Albert had 3 children: Josephine, Elizabeth and Norman. Cousin Eddie speculated that the couple owned a theatre and restaurant while in Wilton. Daisy and Albert were married 53 years.

Marriage Certificate
Wilton, North Dakota 1905
Albert and Josephine
Albert & Elizabeth
Josephine, Norm, Elizabeth

Albert, Daisy, Josephine, Elizabeth and Norman moved to Seattle in 1921. The Swanson family found a home in Lake Forest Park, Seattle.  It was a vast improvement from North Dakota.

Albert & Daisy Lake Forest Park
Swimming at Lake Washington
Albert Lewis Swanson
Albert Swanson

During the Depression work was hard to find.  Albert worked as a security watchman  for Frederick & Nelson Department Store in Seattle for many years. 

Albert Lewis Swanson

Life would not be complete without a juicy scandal.  Mr. Clint Lundy from Lake Forest Park, an old friend of Norm’s told us about the SWANSON SCANDAL. Josephine , the oldest  Swanson child, appeared to have had many suitors. There was one sailor who was not so appealing. The belligerent “armed” suitor of Josephine’s came to the Swanson residence in Lake Forest Park, confronted and threatened the Swanson family. Albert Swanson according to the record, shot the fellow in self-defense. Evidently as the story goes, the sailor was threatening not only Josephine, but also the family. Mr. Albert Swanson was never charged with criminal conduct as he was acting in self-defense. All the neighbors stood up for his fine character. Even Aunt Jean Quistorff remembered the famous incident. Albert was found not guilty.

In 1946 Albert retired from Frederick & Nelson. Here is a picture of Elizabeth Swanson, Ed Larsen and Albert working at Frederick & Nelson's one Christmas Holiday. Three generations working at F&N!

Albert and Daisy Swanson moved to Arlington from 1950-1958 and lived at 509 Hillcrest, Arlington.   They enjoyed their grandchildren and neighbors.  Albert Swanson died at 81 suddenly from a heart attack.  

Norm Swanson, Elizabeth Sipprell, Albert Swanson, Josephine Larsen and Daisy Swanson
Art Sipprell, Daisy, Norm Swanson, Albert, Jimmy Swanson, Bill Swanson, Elizabeth Sipprell, Barbara Sipprell, Ed Larsen, Elizabeth Ann Sipprell

Information regarding the Swanson farm in Nebraska 

Anna Swanson (Albert's Aunt)

 

Anna Sarah Swanson  was born in Sweden. It appears from the information available that Anna was Albert’s Aunt. She lived in Burlington, Iowa and died at the age of 81 in Kearney, Nebraska.  She was married to Andrew M. Swanson and had a daughter Minnie Swanson. 

November 4, 1922 Andrew purchased property in Kearney, Nebraska for $8,000.  In 1941 the records show that Minnie Swanson (Albert’s cousin) gave the property to Albert L. Swanson and Daisy Swanson.   Legal Description of the property:  SW Quarter of Sec. 34, Township 10, Range 16 

Quit Claim Deed, December 1952 , Albert gave Ida F.(Daisy) Swanson the property in her name. 

In 1978,  Daisy Swanson gave the property to her three children, Josephine Larsen Wescott, Elizabeth F. Sipprell and Norman Swanson.  Elizabeth F. Sipprell and Norman Swanson’s property went to their children

 

Family Bible from Albert Swanson
Found in the Family Bible

Information found in the Family Bible 

Andrew Swanson  was born August 10, 1837 and died November 4, 1922 at 85 . (Anna’s Husband)

Anna Swanson was born December 10, 1848 and died May 31, 1930 at 82. (Albert’s aunt)

Minnie Swanson was born January 31, 1875 and died November 12, 1940 at 65.

Mrs. A.P. Erickson (Bettie Anderson) was born in Skane Sweden.

Came to America in 1867.  She was born May 18, 1851 and died Nov. 3?

Memories of Grandpa Swanson from Eddie Larsen

Grandpa was particularly tall and thin.  He always complained that his stomach bothered him rather than spend money for expensive meals.  Once on a trip to Las Vegas Eddie noted that if the food/breakfast was cheap Grandpa’s stomach miraculously improved and he ate everything.  Eddie remembers helping Grandma and Grandpa harvest fruit and vegetables from the Swanson garden in Lake Forest Park during the Great Depression.

Memories of Grandpa from Elicabeth Ann Sipprell

Grandpa Swanson was always looking at ads in the paper.  He would consult grandma before driving their old back Chevrolet to town for groceries.  He taught me to say “Father is getting old in Swedish”  “Four Honey Seqamma.”  He didn’t want us to talk Swedish.  What a sense of humor.  He would tease us saying, “smell this” and tweak my nose with his middle finger and thumb.

Don and I visited the Nebraska farm near Kearney.  It was very flat, perfect to raise corn, wheat and sorghum. When Albert and later Daisy Swanson died they left the farm to Josephine, Elizabeth and Norman which in turn went to their children.  I appreciated my inheritance from the farm.  It helped me buy my first home.