Swenson family moves to Stephens County in 1879

The eldest brother, Selmar Torvald Swenson, was three when his parents and sister, Nellie Bergenia, age five, and Clara, age one, arrived in Stephens County in 1879, from Bosque County, where they had lived for two years. Originally, the family had come from Swedes Forest, Minnesota, where the couple had met and married and had Selmar and Nellie and a son who died in infancy, Theodore Parker Swenson, in 1874. Clara Josephine Swenson was born in Bosque County, where they had lived for two years after they had arrived from Minnesota, in 1877.

Peter’s beloved wife, Christina Torstenson Swenson, had died in 1922. When Christina died, the land was divided up among the four surviving children, Selmar, Nellie, Clara and Alma. Later, in 1935, Peter signed over his parcel of land to his sisters for tax purposes. Selmar retained the house and surrounding acres and barns on the property.

As time went on, Selmar married Annie Lee Braselton of Weatherford and they lived at the Burch Hotel for a period of time. He still took care of the ranch and his sisters, which now also included Alma Benneta Cecilia Swenson, who was born in Stephens County. Additionally, there was a son, Alfred Benson Swenson born in Stephens County, but he died in infancy.

As in the Swedish/ Norwegian culture, the men took care of the family property and finances and the women in the family acquiesced to the head of the family, the eldest male of the family.

Selmar or S.T. as he was called took care of all the family finances. He had leased most of the acreage as time went on and the lease checks went to Alma, who signed them as attested by Carroll Williams, who leased land from the Swenson family for 24 years. He was aware that Selmar had specified that the lease checks be made out to Clara and Alma. However, as time went on, Selmar’s health began to deteriorate at age 93, which was noticed by a friend, Mrs. Billie Culwell. At that time, it was agreed among the three surviving Swenson children to leave their money to Stephens County, since there were no heirs, for a library, Community Chest, United Fund and money for a historical museum. Their money would be placed in a trust, this way the government would not get at their money through taxes. Selmar had always protected the family from the Federal government getting their hands on their money or land. The Swenson trio also suggested that some money be set aside for scholarships for needy children.

By this time, the Swenson family had acquired 5,777 acres of land in the county and had a huge mansion for the whole family to live in with three fireplaces for heat. Coal oil lamps were used for light until electricity was installed in 1951. Eventually, a closed-in porch was added and an additional bathroom downstairs, since Clara had broken her hip twice and could no longer climb the stairs to the second-floor bedrooms and bathroom. Gas was added for heat and fuel after oil was discovered in 1917. A well was dug, which replaced hauling the water by wagon up from Little Cedar Creek, which ran close by the barns and house.

Additionally, money would be set aside to take care of Selmar’s wife, the two surviving sisters and the ranch until they all died. With that in mind, a local attorney, C. J. ‘Jack’ Eden drew up the wills of the three surviving Swenson children, Selmar, Clara and Alma, in 1967. The oldest sister, Nellie Bergenia Swenson, had died in 1950 at the age of 78.

Another attorney, Ross Elliott, suggested to Selmar that the family’s land be put into a ‘Living Trust,’ which would take care of any emergency health issues of the sisters and Selmar’s wife, Annie. It would also take care of any maintenance of the house or property. After the death of all four members of the Swenson family, the ‘Living Trust’ was to be used to support a historical museum in Stephens County and to maintain a library and the private Swensondale Cemetery, where the Swenson family was to be buried.

All of that sounded fantastic that the Swenson money and land would provide the people of Stephens County as benefactors in perpetuity, which was the original intent of the Swenson family. Unfortunately, something got lost in translation and some greedy hands got involved.

This all leads up to the court case in 1970-71, when the two sisters, Clara J. and Alma B. faced their aging brother, Selmar T. Swenson, in court.

By mid-1971, Selmar was admitted to the local Villa Haven Nursing Home in deteriorating health. The attorneys who were to administer the ‘Living Trust’ for the Swenson family included ‘Jack’ Eden, Patrick Thompson, Ross Elliott and E. R. Maxwell. The 5,777 acres of land and approximately $100,000 cash in the bank was to be placed in the ‘Living Trust,’ with the money to establish a museum.

At the time of their mother’s death in 1922, the Swenson estate was valued at least a half-million dollars, which only increased in value nearly 50 years later, in 1971. At that time, the two surviving sisters, Clara at age 91 and Alma at age 84, questioned if there was enough money to care for their needs as they got older with more health issues. It appeared obvious that someone had spooked the two sisters who never questioned their brother about the family’s finances, but since he was in failing health, that may have led them to begin questioning the financial arrangements for their care which led to the suit in District Court in mid-1971.

Next week, we will get to the seated jury and the trial in Stephens County, in October 1971, which was delayed until Monday, Nov. 29, 1971, with Judge E.H. Griffin presiding. He was a judge from Graham.