David and Margaret Swanson

David Ivar Swanson was born and reared near 57th Street and Sheilds Avenue (531 West 56th Place) in Chicago (September 14, 1884) to John and Beata Swanson who were immgrants from Sweden.

His father was a carpenter working on railroad passenger cars.

David was the oldest of five children. His brothers and sisters were Ruth, Almeda, Henry and Joel. The family's home was at 531 West 56th Place, Chicago. Their immediate neighbors were mostly Swedish immigrants or children of Swedish immigrants.

In 1900 at age fifteen David was working as an errand boy.

1900 United States Federal Census for John Swanson
1900 United States Federal Census for John Swanson original

In 1910 David at age 25 was still living with parent, brothers, and sisters (except for Ruth who had married John T. Holmquist) and working as a clerk in a packing company.

1910 United States Federal Census for David I Swanson
1910 United States Federal Census for David I Swanson original

Later while working at Swift's (?) as an assistant buyer, David attended John Marshall Law School nights where he graduated in 1912. On 29 June he married Ruth Agnew. Ruth was 19.

David Swanson and Ruth Agnew marriage

The following year, 1913, David was admitted to the bar. He then worked for Lumberman's Mutual Casualty Company after which he set up his own law practice.

In 1918 Dave was nominated for the state legislature on the republican ticket, but lost. Four years later in 1922, after a brief army career, he ran successfully for the Illinois state legislature.

Ruth and David were divorced. At this time we do not know when.

In 1923 David married Margaret Carlson.

Margaret Carlson and Sons

In 1920 a woman by the name of Margaret Ulreka Carlson (Nana) was living with her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Alfred and Mathilda (not Mililan as at least one document says) Carlson, her sister-in-law Mabel, a boarder by the name of Charles Carlson, and Margaret's two sons, Stanley, age 9, and Wilber, age 6. Margaret was 30 years old by this time.

Their address was 622, 62nd Street, Ward 31, Chicago, Illinois.

Margaret's father-in-law, Alfred at age 67, was apparently still working - as a clerk in a clothing house. He probably needed to considering the number of people in his household.

Both he and his wife had been born in Sweden.

1920 United States Federal Census for Margaret Carlson

1920 United States Federal Census for Margaret Carlson original

Nana's husband, Harry A. Carlson (March 2, 1883 - February 16, 1915) died about five years earlier. Cause of death was pneumonia according to Kathy (Carlson) Goncalves [iPad text message to Lennart Homquist on April 27, 2017.] Harry's sister, Amelia, died two year earlier in the Great Dayton Flood of 1913.

Nana's and Harry were married on October 6, 1909.

In the 1910 census Harry's occupation is given as 'materials man' for an electric company. Harry was 28 years old at the time, and Margaret was 20.

Harry and Margaret Carlson - Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index

1910 United States Federal Census for Harry Carlson

He was a switchboard operator.

The family lived at 633 West 62nd St, Ward 31, Chicago, just down the street from Harry's parents' place.

Harry Carlson - Cook County, Illinois, Deaths Index, 1878-1922

In 1923 things changed for Nana (about 1890 - ????) and her two boys. In June Nana married David Swanson, and in time David adopted Stanley and Wilbert. We don't know anything about how Margaret and David met. Again according to Kathy (Carlson) Goncalves, Nana requested that the boys keep the name Carlson because the Carlson line would end if they had changed their name to Swanson.

Wilbur and Stanley remained close to their step-father. They were with him on the day he died.

David's Political Career

With the exception of one term between 1946 and 1948, he remained a State of Illinois Representative until his death. Of his work one person said that:

Dave knew how to get things done in the legislature. He worked to weed out bad proposals and got behind good ideas and pushed to make them into laws.

David Ivar Swanson: Illinois State Representative by Professor George W. Smith, M.A.

In addition to his political career he built a good reputation as a lawyer in Southtown specializing in real estate transactions.

David also found time stamp collecting - United States stamps - and read American civil war history. He was an enthusiastic fisherman, and liked to travel. He traveled down the Mississippi on a steamboat five times to observe the south first hand. He smoked cigars.

He was noted for his friendliness. In a resolution adopted by the city council of Southtown it was written that David I. Swanson:

endeared himself to many of the citizens of the city of Chicago by his kindly and generous disposition, his sincere charity and his devotion to the cause of justice and right . . .

The family lived at 542 W. 57th Place in the year 1920 where "holidays were spent at Nana and Grampa Swanson's where after dinner the men would play cards and he would smoke his cigars". According to Kathy (Carlson) Goncalves, David and Margarget's granddaughter:

Nana [Margaret Swanson] and Grampa [David] Swanson lived in a two flat that was co-owned by Nana's sister Oget and brother-in-law George Wagner. This was on Marshfield [Chicago]. Generally holidays were with family so the card playing group would be Dad [Wilbur Carlson] and [his brother] Stan [Stanley Carlson] and George and sons Georgie and Edward. Believe Grampa Swanson was the only cigar smoker, Both Stan and Georgie were cigarette smokers. Dad and Edward never smoked and do not recall if Uncle George did.

Later, by 1939, the family lived at 7842 Marshfield Avenue or 11404 Bell Avenue.

The 1940 United States Federal Census records that David is a legislator. He is 54 years old and Margaret is 50. Their son, Stanley, at 29 years of age is living with them, which he was to do the rest of their lives. Stan is a teller at the National Bank. Though a legistaor David, apparently, does not have a huge salary because they were not living in a ritsy neighborhood. The occupation of their neighbors includes fireman, reporter, janitor, office clerk, wheat inspector, sewing machine operator, milkman, sales lady, telephone operator, chemist, guard and auto mechanic. None of the neighors appear to be of Scandiavian origin. The David Swanson family was an element of the melting pot that Chicago and American was already and was becoming.

1940 United States Federal Census original

On March 15th, 1950 the Daily News said of David:

He has fought machine politics - both in the Democratic party and in his own party, the Republican. He has worked diligently for efficiency in government. Throughout his long career Swanson has been a real leader in the House.

David died of a heart attack in the headquarters of the 18th ward Republican organization in the Englewood Masonic Temple on 64th and Green Streets on election night, April 8, 1950. Seventy-five people were present when he died. During the day voters had chosen him by a wide margin again as one of the two men who would represent the Republican party in the November election for state representative at Springfield, Illinois - the state's capital.

The last biographical entry for David Swanson was:

DAVID I. SWANSON (Deceased) Representative, Republican Born September 14, 1884, in Chicago. Educated in public schools and John Marshall Law School and admitted to the Bar in 1913. Served as Representative from the 53rd through the 66th General Assemblies, with the exception of the 60th and 64th legislative sessions. Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th, 62nd, 63rd and 65th Assemblies. Was Secretary Illinois Judicial Advisory Council. During session of 1945 was Legal Adviser to Speaker. During 65th session was Republican House caucus chairman and member of Policy Committee. Has served as Hearing Referee for the Division of Correction. Member Masons, I.O.O.F., Viking, Svithiod Fraternities, and Nordic Law Club. Legislative Chairman Englewood Business Men's' Association and South Side Real Estate Board. Member Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity, Chicago and Illinois Bar Associations, American Judicature Society, Thoburn Methodist Church. Married. Business: Lawyer. Address: 7842 South Marshfield Avenue, Chicago. 155 [1]

His funeral was held at the Thoburn Methodist church 1708 West 64th St. David was well respected. Present at the Masonic funeral services were men representing both major political parties as well as hundreds of neighbors and friends. His funeral was a big affair.

He was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

David had two stepsons, sons of his wife Margaret. Margaret had been married previously to a Carlson. The sons, Stanley and William, were adopted by David.

Newspaper articles mentioning David Swanson:

G.O.P. Block Plot to Steal Speaker's Job (1928)

G.O.P. Block Plot to Steal Speaker's Job (transcribed)

Slum Clearing Bill is Studied by House Group (1941)

Slum Clearing Bill is Studied by House Group (transcribed)

Grave of David Swanson, courtesy of John Swenson, at Oak Hill Cemetery, Chicago.

Grave of Margaret Swanson, courtesy of John Swenson, at Oak Hill Cemetery, Chicago.

1930 United States Federal Census for Wilbur A Swanson

1930 United States Federal Census for Wilbur A Swanson original

David also appeared in Swedish-American newspapers such as Svenska Tribunen-nyheter, February 18, 1920, page 11.

David's step-sons were Stanley and Wilbur. For more information on this branch of the family see:

Swanson Family: Descendants of David and Margaret Swanson

Footnotes