ERICSDALE COLONY

ERICSDALE

(Severin)

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

The Swedish community in Jones County, where the Swedish Church is located, is called Ericsdale, and it stretches a few miles south-east from Stamford around the railroad communities of Avoca and Lueders. As the community has grown and the Swedes have spread, many now live both in and around Stamford. Jones County was created by the Texas legislature in 1858, but until the 70’s, there were no permanent colonists living there. The cowboys were the dominant group and they moved unhindered across the wild prairies with their herds of cattle. This county was organized in 1881, and at that time it had a population of 546. At the census of 1890, we find 3,797 inhabitants; an increase of more than six hundred percent during the first decade. The reason for this rapid growth was the building of railroads. There was no railroad in Jones County until 1900, but around 1881 the first railroad, the Texas & Pacific, was built and it went through Taylor County, which borders on Jones County to the south, and therefore it ended up in the same region that was served by the new means of communication. Stamford got its first railroad-connection through the Central Line which was built in 1900. Another line, the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient, was built in 1905, through the northwestern comer of Jones County. Around the same time the Wichita Valley line from Seymor southward was built, and the Abilene & Northern was started from Abilene northward. The two railroads met in Stamford in 1907. With the continuation of these lines, Jones County got a good transportation connection, which has been of great importance for its rapid development. The county seat is located in Anson, but Stamford has become best known. At the census of 1910, the inhabitants were 3,902. The town is beautifully laid out with large modern business buildings, churches, schools and homes. The first sale of town lots began in 1900, and the rapid growth which has taken place since then is best understood by the following statistical information: In 1900 the estimated number of buildings were 820, with 78,000 acres of cultivated land. Ten years later, in 1910, there were 2,907 buildings and 246,000 acres of cultivated land. According to the same 1910 statistical data, there were in Jones County 15,970 cattle, 14,900 horses and mules, 9,796 hogs, and 101,028 fowl. In 1909 110,458 acres were planted with cotton; 36,049 with kaffir corn and milo maize; 12,463 acres of hay for fodder; 4,076 acres with corn; 1,792 acres with wheat; 2,252 with peanuts, in addition to all the land for growing fruit and vegetables. The reason for this rapid growth is without doubt the Swedes great contribution in agriculture. About sixty Swedish families moved here at the beginning of the 1900’s and settled around Avoca and Lueders.

Most of them came from central Texas where they had learned and grown accustomed to cotton-farming. It was as they arrived that Jones County seriously concentrated on farming and and cotton-growing. The Swenson brothers, sons of the first Swede in Texas, who owned land where Ericsdale is now located, and an additional half a million acres in Jones and neighboring counties, had been using these vast grassy areas for cattle-grazing. The Swedes date back further than the name Jones County, or, in other words, Swedes had settled here before the county was organized. John Swenson, a nephew of S.M. Swenson operated a cattle-ranch in the 70’ s, and in 1882, he sent for four “cowboys” from Sweden. One of them was C.G. Seth, who has lately settled as a farmer in Ericsdale. John Swenson who later sold his ranch to S. M. Swenson, settled in Abilene, where he died in 1885. S. M. Swenson’s great interests in the city of Stamford in Jones and other counties in northwestern Texas, were taken care of by his nephew, Mr. A. J. Swenson. The Swedish community of Ericsdale is Swedish Lutheran with a big church and parsonage. Like other new communities, Ericsdale has had its pioneer history. Despite all the toil and trouble of the time, we find a cheerful and hospitable group of people who look towards the future with hope for a brighter time.

In addition to the Swedes mentioned in the biographical description, we need to mention some of those who are working on the S.M.S. Ranch, and who have been outstanding in their profession through skill and duty to their jobs: Joe Erickson, foreman, employed with S.M.S. for over 35 years and with the nick-name ‘Judge’; Oscar Gustafson, foreman, another faithful old servant, has worked for S.M.S. for over 30 years and goes by the name ‘Casey’; August Holmberg, with the ranch-name ‘Dippe’ is one of the foremen and has been employed with S.M.S. for over 25 years. We should not forget old Soderstrom; he has been with the S.M.S. for over 20 years. Another who has won a respected name at S .M.S. is A. A.Gustafson with the ranch-name ‘Dock’.

Extracted from: Swedes In Texas In Words and Pictures,

English Translation, 1838 - 1918