Carl A. Swanson
Encyclopedia
Carl A. Swanson was the founder of the national food production company, Swanson
.
, Blekinge County
, Sweden
. He came to the United States in 1896 at the age of 17 and settled in Omaha, Nebraska
's community of Swedes
.
. In 1905, Swanson formed a partnership with John Hjerpe and Frank Ellison called the Jerpe Commission Company which was eventually incorporated. By 1928, Carl Swanson was the sole proprietor. By 1938, the Swanson enterprise was one of the larger creameries in the United States and during World War II
became a major supplier of poultry and egg products to the U.S. military. In 1945, the company’s name was officially changed to C.A. Swanson and Sons. After Carl Swanson died in 1949, his two sons, Gilbert C. and W. Clarke Swanson, took over the company.
Swanson
Swanson is a brand of TV dinners, broths, and canned poultry made for the North American market. The TV dinner business is currently owned by Pinnacle Foods, while the broth business is currently owned by the Campbell Soup Company...
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Background
Carl A. Swanson was born in KarlskronaKarlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
, Blekinge County
Blekinge County
Blekinge County is a county or län in the south of Sweden. It borders the Counties of Skåne, Kronoberg, Kalmar and the Baltic Sea. The capital is Karlskrona...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He came to the United States in 1896 at the age of 17 and settled in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
's community of Swedes
Swedes in Omaha, Nebraska
The Swedes in Omaha, Nebraska are a long-standing ethnic group in the city with important economic, social, and political ties.- History :The first Swedes in Omaha came through Florence at the Winter Quarters of the Mormons...
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Career
In 1899, Carl Swanson became a partner with John Hjerpe in a commission business hauling eggs, milk and poultry they bought from local farmers and selling them to the grocery stores and hotels in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. In 1905, Swanson formed a partnership with John Hjerpe and Frank Ellison called the Jerpe Commission Company which was eventually incorporated. By 1928, Carl Swanson was the sole proprietor. By 1938, the Swanson enterprise was one of the larger creameries in the United States and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
became a major supplier of poultry and egg products to the U.S. military. In 1945, the company’s name was officially changed to C.A. Swanson and Sons. After Carl Swanson died in 1949, his two sons, Gilbert C. and W. Clarke Swanson, took over the company.