Brady

Brady

(Severin)

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

McCulloch County was separated from the Bexar district in 1856 but was not organized until 1862. Some settlers moved there and settled by the Colorado River before the Civil War. McCulloch County was at that time the border of the western civilization and was so distant from the older organized communities that the pioneers could not count on help or protection against the savage Indians, and the colonization halted. The general conditions gave so little protection of life and property during the Civil War, that they even gave up on the organization of the county, but it was restored in 1876. Meanwhile a fortification of sorts had been built, “Camp San Saba”, in the southern pan of McCulloch County. The pioneers settled around it, and a considerable settlement grew there.

There was no railroad in this county until 1902, when the Fort Worth & Rio Grande line was continued from Brownwood to Brady. As the railroad was not built further than Brady, that city became an important trade-center for large areas of surrounding counties: Concho, Menard and Mason. Trade suddenly flourished, modern and convenient businesses were built, and for some time Brady claimed to ship more cattle to market than any other city in the world; over one hundred thousand head were exported yearly. In 1900 Brady had only 690 inhabitants, compared to 2,269 in 1910. In 1900 there were only 531 properties in McCulloch County compared to 1,545 in 1910. During the same period the number of acres of cultivated land had increased from 27,000 to 120,000 acres, and the taxable value had risen from $2,080,960.00 in 1903, to $7,529,160.00 in 1913. The visible improvements made in this county between 1903 -1910, can be attributed to the settlement of Swedes here which happened at that time. The Swedes have made an important contribution here. The Swedish pioneer spirit and hard-working nature has been recognized and admired in McCulloch County as well as elsewhere. It was because of the first Swedes in this area that agriculture became important.

The first Swedes came to McCulloch County from Williamson County in the 80’s and they settled in the area just east of Brady. The community was known as “Sweden” for the first twenty years, but has been known as “East Sweden” since 1906, while the new community west of the city was called “West Sweden”. Among Brady’s pioneer families were the brothers Dan and Leander Heard, C. A. Johnson, C. C. Johanson, and Gust Nelin. Early in the 90’ s J. P. Samuelson, Carl Johnson, Frans Johnson, Carl Hendrikson and C. J. Nelin also arrived.

During the first years they mainly raised cattle, but as many had bought quite a lot of land, they did more and more farming each year. Cattle ranching is still an important industry.

When the first colony had been formed, the Swedish settlement almost stopped until 1906-10 when lively colonization began from Williamson and Travis County, mostly to West Sweden. Many bought land east of the city and East Sweden now encompasses an area ten miles from Brady to Rochelle.

The younger community of West Sweden is located eight miles west of Brady and is the second youngest Swedish community in Texas. In 1906 this area was a large cattle grazing area.

The land was beautiful and is still considered cheap at $15.00 and $21.00 per acre, and as the Swedes in the old colony that was already eighteen years old had done well economically, the new colonization was undertaken with certain confidence and encouragement. The settlement grew rapidly, and after just a few months attractive little pioneer-homes could be seen through the trees. The largest settlement came fromWilliamson and Travis Counties, and a few families came from El Campo. The first to buy land on the prairie were John Anderson from Hutto, Williamson County, and Felix Lundgren from Decker, Travis County. A Swedish Methodist Church was built in the first year of the settlement and a lot of land was cleared and cultivated. The new community’s pastor, Abner Hanson, was one of the pioneers in the area who made an important contribution to the land, handled the heavy work and the burdens of pioneer-life. He personally moved out on the prairie where he and one of his small sons lived in a covered wagon while he was building a barn for his horses and fodder. He then lived in that until he could build a home which served as a receiving place for the new settlers, long before it was finished. The house was never too full to receive another person. It is hard to say who was most hospitable, the pastor or his good wife. A sunny face, a warm handshake, food, money, a good sermon, a signature on a co-sign note, all was given with the same warm enthusiasm. When his horses no longer could handle the long preaching trips during the hot season, they were replaced with an automobile, a luxury article there at that time. But it took fire and water to get the speed by which Hanson wanted to travel by. The pastor’s preaching-trips now became more comfortable, and at first they gave a certain enjoyment . But the car was made from perishable materials and was not built for McCulloch’s stony roads. The pastor’s sack was now emptier because pastor Hanson worked without pay. Pastor Hanson was a farmer, builder, and preacher, and was loved and respected by rich and poor among his countrymen and by people in general. New Sweden is a pleasant community with nice and friendly people.

Extracted from: Swedes In Texas In Words and Pictures,

English Translation, 1838 - 1918