author
Hans Mattson
1832–1893
A Swedish immigrant who helped shape early Minnesota, he went from frontier settler to Civil War officer, state leader, and diplomat. His life story spans immigration, war, politics, and the building of a new home in America.
1 Audiobook
Reminiscences: The Story of an Emigrant
by Hans Mattson
About the author
Born in Önnestad, Sweden, in 1832, Hans Mattson emigrated to the United States in 1851 and soon became an important figure in Minnesota's early history. He helped found the Scandinavian community of Vasa in Goodhue County and became a strong promoter of immigration, encouraging many fellow Scandinavians to settle in the state.
During the American Civil War, Mattson served in the Union Army and rose to the rank of colonel. After the war, he entered public life and in 1869 became Minnesota secretary of state, noted as the first Swede elected to a statewide office there. His later career also included service as U.S. consul general in India.
Mattson wrote about his experiences in Reminiscences: The Story of an Emigrant, a memoir that reflects both the hardships and opportunities of 19th-century immigrant life. He died in Minneapolis in 1893, remembered as a pioneer, soldier, public servant, and one of the most prominent Swedish Americans of his time.