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Contributed by
Judy Carlson, 2000
Would you like to go to Sweden? You can be there in 20 minutes or less. The small community of Sweden, also known as New Sweden was located four miles west of Crofton. The only reminder of this extinct settlement is the Beaver View Cemetery.
In 1871 Erick and Christina Peterson and children left their native country of Sweden and sailed to America. They landed in New York and at once started for the west, going to Sioux City, Iowa. They then came to Yankton, S.D. where Erick bought a team of oxen and started for the homestead claim in Knox County. This was located in the SE4 of Section 19 in Eastern township.
Located nearby was the family of Ole and Christine Ruden who had arrived two years earlier. Other Swedish immigrants soon followed. Seeing a need for a post office, Sweden was established in 1882 with Ole Ruden as the first postmaster.
The children of the community needed to be educated. Erick Peterson donated a corner of his land for a school to be erected. This was located where the Community Bible Church is, west of Crofton.
The people of Sweden had their share of hardships and discouragements during their years of residence in this locality. It seems the grasshoppers had been awaiting the early settler’s advent to this country, as the first three years of crops were destroyed by the pests. Other years brought drought or hail storms.
The Erick Peterson family was devastated in 1876 when they lost two children, and a third followed in 1877. They selected a site in the northeast corner of their farm and buried the three little ones there. Soon other neighbors and friends were visited by the angel of death and were laid near the Peterson children.
In 1887 Erick Peterson deeded one acre of land to the Beaver View Cemetery Association. The cemetery is kept in very nice shape. It is located four miles west and ½ mile north of Crofton.
Several of the early Wausa settlers lived in this community of Sweden or had families that did. You always wanted to go to Sweden? Now you can.
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