Untitled Document

CHARLES A. SAMUELSON

He was born in Haddorp , Sweden , Nov. 18, 1856 . He emigrated to this country at the age of 14 and came direct to his brother, Jonas Samuelson, who owned and worked a coal mine near New Windsor, Ill. After four years in the employ of his brother, he bought the coal mine and continued to operate it for a period of three years, when he sold out and engaged in farming. In 1881 he bought a farm near where Sherrard is now located and began farming and stock raising. In 1894, when the coal mines were opened up at Sherrard and the Rock Island & Mercer County Railroad built a branch in there, Mr. Samuelson quit farming and began dealing in lumber, hardware, grain and implements, in which business he is still engaged.

He has served his school district as a trustee for ten years, and has been road commissioner and treasurer of Richland Grove town ship for twelve years. In 1898 he was elected to the state legislature from the 35th district, corn prising Mercer, Warren, Henderson and Knox counties, and reelected in 190o. In 1902 he was again elected to the legislature from the new 33d district, comprising Mercer, Henry and Rock Island coun ties. As such representative he has served his constituents with credit to himself. During the session in 1903 he was appointed by Governor Yates as one of the committee to deliver the five thousand dollars donated by the state of Illinois to the sufferers of Northern Sweden and Finland . He has taken an active part in organizing and maintaining the Swedish-American Republican State League of Illinois, and was its vice-president in 1901. He is a member of the Swedish Lutheran Church of Swedona and has served the church both as a deacon and a trustee. He is also a member and one of the directors of the North Star Benefit Association of Moline, Ill., and of the M. W. A. and the K. of P.

Elected mayor of Sherrard in 1905, he was reelected in 1907.

Feb. 27, 1879 , he was married to Emma M. Lawson of Swedona, Mercer county. This union has been blessed with six children, of whom only two are now living, Florence and Chester .

Swedes in Illinois

Illinois Ancestors