SWEDISH COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS

HUTTO

(Severin)

Biographies Alf. L. Scott and T. J. Westerberg

This community in Williamson County, best known for its fertile black loam, lies between the San Gabriel and Brushy Rivers. Hutto is one of the youngest Swedish communities in Texas, and it has no pioneer history to speak of. There was no lack of communications, because the International & Great Northern Railroad was laid through the area around ten years before the Swedes started settling here. To the west, at a distance of only a few miles, were the Swedish communities. Palm Valley and Brushy. We can still find some of the old pioneers here, people who have later moved here from the older communities, and who bought land here while land was still inexpensive. The Swedes were not the first settlers in the area, but the majority of the land was still grazing-land. Ther was no immigration of Swedes to this area until the 1880’s. Among the first Swedes in the area, between 1880-1890, were August Swenson, one of the immigrants of -67, who earlier had lived in Austin; the brothers, John, Carl and Claus Peterson, and their parents, P. A. Olander, A. W. Swenson, AdoIph Johnson, C. A. Grek, C. E. Rydell, C. J. Johnson and A. G. Gustafson. The broom-maker, Nels Jacobson, who was one of the first Swedes in Texas, has lived in Hutto for many years.

Little land was sold to Swedes before the 90’s, when a lively immigartion began. From that time the Hutto community has grown in all directions. The vast grazing-areas are now well-tended fields, and the old ranch houses, are replaced by nice light-painted farmhouses, who are witnesses of pleasant home-lives and prosperity.

The town of Hutto is a nice little country town with about 1000 inhabitants. Of those, many are Swedes, who have moved from the country and left the farming to the younger generation. Many of the Swedes are in business and among the Swedish businesses we can mention: the City Water Works, the Electric Company, the Ice Factory, which was established and is owned by Hanstrom & Tinning, the Swedish Banking firm, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, the Johnson Pharmacy, the Hyltin & Son Grocery, F. O. Johnson’s Hardware Store, and Oman & Carlson Automobile Shop.

Hutto has an excellent school system. The Methodists and the Lutherans share the religious activities and they each have their own church-building in the town.

Extracted from: Swedes In Texas In Words and Pictures,

English Translation, 1838 - 1918