Carl Anton Svensson (1879 - 1949)
DID YOU KNOW...
Carl Anton Svensson 17 year old farm boy emigrated from the small village of Månasken (Moonlight) near Olofström in Blekinge County Sweden. In 1896 he came to the United States and created one of the largest companies in food processing.
Carl Anton was born on April 30, 1879. His father, Jöns Svensson, died in 1894, aged only 43. The sisters Carolina and Hanna already emigrated in 1893 and 1894 respectively. It is said that Carl Anton came to New York and Ellis Island in 1896 with a string and note around his neck that read "Carl Swanson, Swedish, send me to Omaha Nebraska, I don' ` don't speak English". Most certainly the address was that of his three year older sister Hanna Swanson who was already living in Omaha.
At first he worked on a farm in Wahoo west of Omaha Nebraska. He then came in contact with John O. Jerpe, in Omaha who owned a small commission business that marketed eggs, milk and cream on commission from local farmers. He worked part-time at Jerpe and took evening classes at Nebraska Business College, studying business administration. He eventually became a partner in 1905 in the John O Jerpe Commission Company.
In 1928, Jerpe retired and Carl Anton bought Jerpe's share in the company. The company grew over the next few years into one of the largest food processing companies in the United States.
At the end of the war the company name was officially changed to C. A. Swanson & sons. Four years after Carl Anton's death, his two sons took control of the company and made the world-famous introduction of the frozen TV dinner. The first product was Chicken Casserole which was introduced in 1951. The company was a great success in the US and abroad. Today, the brand is owned by the Campbell Soup Company.
Carl Anton Swanson (Carl Anton Svensson) died aged 70 on October 9, 1949 at a food conference in Chicago.
