Swanson_Emma index

Emma Swanson (3/03/1867 - 6/16/1960) and John Swanson (ca. 1861 - 4/17/1942) were the foster parents of my mother Eleanor Ness. Emma was unmarried when she emigrated from Sweden at age 28 (see her emigration contract dated 10/11/1895). She eventually settled in Minneapolis and married John Swanson ca. 1899 (see their wedding photo). Swanson (or Svensson before she left Sweden) was both her maiden name and her married name.

After the death of Eleanor's mother Nellie Rubin on 4/30/1911, her father George Rubin sent my mother to lived with the Swansons, who had no other children. They first lived in a small house on Cedar Lake in Minneapolis. Later (starting ca. 1917?), they lived in the lower unit of a duplex at 2516 West 22nd Street built by Emma's brother Charles Swanson. My mother grew up speaking both English and Swedish; Emma spoke good English but with a strong Swedish accent.

My family (parents P. Norman Ness & Eleanor Ness, brother David Ness, and myself) lived in the upper unit of the duplex until the early 1950s. Emma remained in the lower unit until her death in 1960. The family pictures of Emma from the 1950s below, at her duplex and at our house a block away at 2415 West 22nd Street, are from my dad's slides.

I have a few other items related to my beloved Grandma Swanson:

• Emigration contract dated 10/11/1895 for Emma's emigration from Sweden, in Swedish and English. Göteborg to Hull by steamer, to Liverpool by train, to Quebec by steamer; steerage. $18 fare includes lodging while in England and provisions throughout travel. Baggage: one trunk not to exceed 10 cubic feet, 100 pounds. [My favorite family history document!]
• Wedding photo of John and Emma, ca. 1899; frame stamped Petri & Svenson, Minneapolis
• Plot map from Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, showing Emma's grave and John's grave. Charles Swanson was Emma's brother. Philip Ness (12/04/1945 - 1/21/1946) was my brother, who died in infancy. Now my parents Eleanor and Norman and Charley's wife Eda are also buried in this plot.

See also:

• Emma and John's US census data for 1900, 1930, and 1940.
• Emma's family tree page (password required).

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Photos:

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Errors:

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info.csv: file PNN/1957/1957_a/p20.jpg (/home/photo/pnn/1957/1957_a/p20.jpg) does not exist