Elgin

Elgin

(Severin)

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

Elgin, a railroad community with about 2,000 inhabitants, is located on the border between Travis and Bastrop Counties, where the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the Houston & Texas Central lines cross each other. The prairies in Travis County, between Austin and Elroy are almost exclusively inhabited by Swedes. That area ends with Elgin to the east and you do not find any Swedish communities until you get to the coast, and to the south is Kenedy, in Karnes County. To the north are the Swedish communities of Lund, Type and Post Oak Island.

Elgin is an important commerce center and there are a large number of Swedish customers from the rich black-soil belt to the west and north. The city has considerable trading in cotton. From September to January its market and streets are filled with cotton wagons. On Saturdays the black-skinned population leave the white cotton-fields and come to make their purchases in the city. Their purchasing power is considerable during the cotton season, because as long as the cotton-season lasts, Saturdays are a days of celebration for these people.

East of the city there are large brick-factories where the famous Elgin brick is made. The city has its own electrical system, waterworks and ice-factory, a progressive weekly newspaper, the “Elgin Courier,” two lumberyards, an oil-press and several other important industries.

A large part of the business is controlled by the Swedish businesses; the Sellstrom Hardware Company, the Sandahl Mercantile Company, the Sponberg & Bengtson Grocery, the Sponberg & Bengtson Automotive Supply Company and the Arthur Morell Automotive Workshop. The Swedish photographer N. P. Smith’s studios are worth mentioning. Even though there are quite a few Swedes in the city, no Swedish church has been built; but the people attend the worship services in nearby church congregations.

Extracted from: Swedes In Texas In Words and Pictures,

English Translation, 1838 - 1918