Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/1119

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HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 969 lii. L865, when ii was mustered out at Fort Snelling, .Minn. Assisted in establishing 'Svenska Amerikanaren' in Chicago. ';is in L867 appointed secretary of the Minnesota board of emigration, returning on his first visit to Sweden in 1868. "Was in 186!) elected secretary of state for Minnesota, !>nt left before the expirath I' his term with his family for Sweden, as general agent in northern Europe for the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany. Returned to the United States early in 1876. Was elected a presidential elector the same year. Helped establish 'Svenska Tribunen,' of Chicago, having previously commenced the publi- cation of the Minnesota "Stats Tidning,' at Minneapolis, with which latter he remained identified until 1881. On July 2, 1881, was appointed consul general to India. Filled this important position with greal credit for two years, when he returned home and tendered his resignation. Was appointed manager of a land grant company in New Mexico and Colorado. In 1886 was elected secretary of slate for Minnesota, and re-elected in 1888, serving two terms. In 1887 he organized the Security Savings and Loan Association, of Minneapolis, whose president he was at the time of his death. Two years later he formed a company for the publication of 'The North.' Was one of the principal pro- moters, in 1888, of the 250th anniversary celebration of the land- ing of the first Swedish settlers on the Delaware, and collected the addresses delivered on this occasion in a small souvenir. In 1891 wrote and published a volume of recollections, which in the Swedish version is known as 'Minnen,' while the English edition is entitled 'The Story of an Emigrant.' Mattson's knowledge was confined to no particular class of people. Swedish-Americans naturally looked up to him as a leader, for he possessed in an eminent degree many of the requirements of leadership." The "Valkyrian" for August, 1897, says of Mattson: "His character shows us, in general features, the product of the two factors, Swedish birth and education combined with a long and active life under the protection of the American flag. Very few Swe- dish-Americans have led such a romantic life as his. It was rich in sudden changes and new departures; and behind the outlines of this life lay an interesting world which at first sight looked less important, but which in fact is more instructive to him who desires to study it in the light of the spirit of the times in which he most vigorously appeared as the Swedish pioneer in America." Friedrich Busch was born October 8, 1839, in Reuthen, West- phalia, Germany. He attended the Catholic parochial school of his native place, later entered the Gymnasium of Brilon, at West- phalia, and afterward pursued higher studies at Muenster with the Jesuit Fathers. The opportunities of the ■ United States