53. Gustav Albert Swenson

     Gustav Albert Swenson was Jonas Victor Swnson's younger brother.  He was the eighth child of Sven Jonsson and Greta Pehrsdotter.  He was born on September 17, 1848.  He was born in Lonningehult, Horn, Ostergotland, Sweden, the farm lived on by some of the family since 1787, until they bought Spakarp in 1850. All of his brothers and sisters except for the two youngest were born in Loningshult.  

Gustav Albert Swenson

     My daughter and I visited this farm in 2006.  It was mostly on flat land and had large wheat fields at the time.  The couple who lived there showed us remains of very old villages that used to be on the property.  There were perhaps ten homes in a circle for protection.   There were also wolf traps still visible on the property.  At that time, wolves were a danger to humans and animals alike.

     (Gustav) Albert is the brother at Spakarp who receives the letters written by Jonas Victor Swenson.  It is his descendants who finally inherit or buy Spakarp from the rest of the family.

Swenson Family Home at Lonningehult in Sweden

Most of the Swenson family used their second name rather than the first.  That must have been a Swedish tradition because my father and his siblings more commonly used their second names.  Many of the men used their initials as their first names.
     Albert gave some consideration to coming to America and asked many questions of his brothers who were already here.  It was a difficult time in Sweden and people were hungry for land and the ability to make a living.    
     He did stay in Sweden and his descendants have kept Spakarp, for which we are thankful.