Santa
Clara County
Biographies
PETER SWANSON
The cultivation of fruit in California,
especially in Santa Clara county, which lies in the heart of the prune and
apricot district, has grown to be not only a business but a science, and a
thorough knowledge of the most successful methods is worthy of careful study. In
Mr. Swanson we have an example of one who has made a study of this branch of
agriculture since 1892, the date of purchasing one hundred acres of land a few
miles northeast of Morgan Hill. He was born in Sweden March 24, 1852, and his
parents, Sven Nelson and Benta (Nelson) Swanson, were
natives of the same country. They reared a large family, comprising nine
children; all are living except one child. Mrs. Swanson passed to her final
rest in the home land, and after her death, the father came to America, joining
his sons in California in 1889. He has lived here ever since.
The third in the family and one of
four sons, Mr. Swanson was fitted for the battle of life in the common schools
of his native land, and he also learned the profession of a civil engineer. In
connection with the latter occupation he took up railroading and spent four
years in government service. At twenty-four he left the land of his nativity
and immigrated to the United States. Proceeding at once to California he
arrived in San Jose, October 24, 1876, and for a few years worked at anything
he could get to do. In 1880 he became connected with the mines as an
amalgamator and for the nine years following he gave his attention to this
business, and during this time he worked in various mines in New Mexico,
California and Arizona, and finally worked in the Paymaster mines, on the
Colorado river near Needles. Returning to San Jose in 1889 he purchased the
Scandinavian Hotel, which he operated successfully for three years.
About 1892 he sold his hotel and
turned his attention to fruit raising and farming. The same year he purchased
one hundred acres of choice land, about four miles northeast of Morgan Hill,
among the foothills, and planted some of it to fruit. He has lived here ever
since, but from time to time he has sold a part of his land and now has but
twenty acres. This is all located in the frostless belt and devoted to fruit.
Mr. Swanson has a fruit dryer of the most modern design located upon his place,
and its use facilitates the handling of the crops expeditiously. By his
marriage in San Jose he was united with Miss Josephine Johnson, a native also
of Sweden, and their family consists of three children: Ella Bernadino, Frank Elder and Eva. The family
are all members of the Lutheran Church. Politically Mr. Swanson is a
Republican, but he can hardly be called an active politician; as a citizen he
is highly esteemed.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: History of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast
Counties, California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1353-1354. The
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Cecelia M. Setty.