Carl Anton Swanson (May 1, 1879 – October 9, 1949) was the founder of the national food production company
Swanson.
Background
Carl Anton Swanson was born in
Karlskrona,
Blekinge County
Blekinge County ( sv, Blekinge län) is a Counties of Sweden, county or ''län'' in the south of Sweden. It borders the Counties of Skåne County, Skåne, Kronoberg County, Kronoberg, Kalmar County, Kalmar and the Baltic Sea. The capital is Karl ...
,
Sweden. He came to the United States in 1896 at the age of 17, arriving with a tag around his neck where it was written "Carl Swanson, Swedish. Send me to Omaha. I speak no English." He then settled in
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
's
community of immigrant Swedish-Americans.
Career
In 1899, Carl Swanson became a partner with John O. Jerpe in a small wholesale company. Jerpe Commission Company purchased eggs and cream from local farmers which they processed and sold. In 1905, Swanson bought the company from Jerpe under a partnership with John Hjerpe and Frank Ellison. They operated a commission business hauling eggs, milk and poultry they bought from local farmers and selling them to the grocery stores and hotels in
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
. The enterprise was eventually incorporated. Frank Ellison died in 1918 and John Hjerpe in 1928. After John Hjerpe's death, Swanson became the sole owner of the corporation.
By 1938, the Swanson enterprise was one of the larger creameries in the United States and during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
became a major supplier of poultry and egg products to the
U.S. military. In 1945, the company's name was officially changed to C.A. Swanson and Sons. After Carl Swanson died in 1949, his two sons, Gilbert Carl (1906–1968) and W. Clarke Swanson, took over the company.
Personal life
Carl Swanson was married to Caroline Swanson. He was the father of Gilbert Carl Swanson, Walter Clarke Swanson, and Gretchen Velde.
References
External links
Related Reading
*Allen, Gary J. ; Ken Albala (2007) ''The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries'' (ABC-CLIO)
*Smith, Andrew F. (2011) ''Eating History: 30 Turning Points in the Making of American Cuisine'' (Columbia University Press)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swanson, Carl A.
1879 births
1949 deaths
Businesspeople from Omaha, Nebraska
American food company founders
People from Karlskrona
People from Blekinge
Swedish emigrants to the United States
Swedish-American culture in Nebraska