Among all the descendants of the Swedish emigrant, Sven Ganderson, who settled in Philadelphia in 1635, from whom sprang the Swansons of Virginia, none has more capably filled his station in life than William Graves Swanson of Danville, VA.
He was educated in the public schools of Swansonville, a community in Pittsylvania County, VA named in honor of John Swanson, an early settler.
This school, the educational home of all the Swanson boys, was then conducted by Celestia Susannah Parrish, the noted educator. After finishing the course of study there he entered the University of Alabama, where he completed his studies in 1880.
He began business life as a clerk in the dry goods store of Turner Brothers in Danville, later spending three years in business for himself at Swansonville as a merchant. He then accepted a government position as chief clerk at White Rock, Indian reservation in Utah, remaining there for four years.
He then moved back to Danville and entered the wholesale grocery and retail farmers supply business of the Swanson Supply Company, the latter dealing with farmers principally and under the management of John Pritchett Swanson. The Swanson Brothers Company, a strictly wholesale business, was under the management of William Graves Swanson, secretary, treasurer and general manager, although the brothers were mutually interested and harmonious in the management of both companies.
Both were prosperous companies, ably managed and filled important places in Danville's commercial life. William Graves Swanson was also secretary of the Park Place Mercantile Company, of which he and his brother, John Pritchett Swanson were the virtual owners, was largely interested in the South Atlantic Lumber Company of Greensboro, NC and in the Dudley and Clement Lumber Company of Greensboro.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Swanson, during President Cleveland's second administration, accepted the appointment of Indian agent, at the White Rock agency in Utah, but retained all his commercial interests in Danville. He continued in charge of the agency for six months, then resigned and returned to Danville.
He was a member of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Danville Country, Merriewold Country and Tuscarora clubs. He was unmarried.
Source - Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, edited.
Final rites were held at Swansonville Methodist Church in Pittsylvania County Friday morning for William Graves Swanson, 73, a brother of the secretary of the Navy, who died Thursday from a heart attack.
A large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends paid a last tribute by their attendance at the funeral and burial services.
The deceased was widely connected in Pittsylvania County and was well known in the eastern half of Henry County.
Burial was in the Swansonville Methodist Church near his home.
Source - The Henry Bulletin, edited, Martinsville, VA dated June 12, 1934.
He was educated in the public schools of Swansonville, a community in Pittsylvania County, VA named in honor of John Swanson, an early settler.
This school, the educational home of all the Swanson boys, was then conducted by Celestia Susannah Parrish, the noted educator. After finishing the course of study there he entered the University of Alabama, where he completed his studies in 1880.
He began business life as a clerk in the dry goods store of Turner Brothers in Danville, later spending three years in business for himself at Swansonville as a merchant. He then accepted a government position as chief clerk at White Rock, Indian reservation in Utah, remaining there for four years.
He then moved back to Danville and entered the wholesale grocery and retail farmers supply business of the Swanson Supply Company, the latter dealing with farmers principally and under the management of John Pritchett Swanson. The Swanson Brothers Company, a strictly wholesale business, was under the management of William Graves Swanson, secretary, treasurer and general manager, although the brothers were mutually interested and harmonious in the management of both companies.
Both were prosperous companies, ably managed and filled important places in Danville's commercial life. William Graves Swanson was also secretary of the Park Place Mercantile Company, of which he and his brother, John Pritchett Swanson were the virtual owners, was largely interested in the South Atlantic Lumber Company of Greensboro, NC and in the Dudley and Clement Lumber Company of Greensboro.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Swanson, during President Cleveland's second administration, accepted the appointment of Indian agent, at the White Rock agency in Utah, but retained all his commercial interests in Danville. He continued in charge of the agency for six months, then resigned and returned to Danville.
He was a member of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Danville Country, Merriewold Country and Tuscarora clubs. He was unmarried.
Source - Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, edited.
Final rites were held at Swansonville Methodist Church in Pittsylvania County Friday morning for William Graves Swanson, 73, a brother of the secretary of the Navy, who died Thursday from a heart attack.
A large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends paid a last tribute by their attendance at the funeral and burial services.
The deceased was widely connected in Pittsylvania County and was well known in the eastern half of Henry County.
Burial was in the Swansonville Methodist Church near his home.
Source - The Henry Bulletin, edited, Martinsville, VA dated June 12, 1934.
Among all the descendants of the Swedish emigrant, Sven Ganderson, who settled in Philadelphia in 1635, from whom sprang the Swansons of Virginia, none has more capably filled his station in life than William Graves Swanson of Danville, VA.
He was educated in the public schools of Swansonville, a community in Pittsylvania County, VA named in honor of John Swanson, an early settler.
This school, the educational home of all the Swanson boys, was then conducted by Celestia Susannah Parrish, the noted educator. After finishing the course of study there he entered the University of Alabama, where he completed his studies in 1880.
He began business life as a clerk in the dry goods store of Turner Brothers in Danville, later spending three years in business for himself at Swansonville as a merchant. He then accepted a government position as chief clerk at White Rock, Indian reservation in Utah, remaining there for four years.
He then moved back to Danville and entered the wholesale grocery and retail farmers supply business of the Swanson Supply Company, the latter dealing with farmers principally and under the management of John Pritchett Swanson. The Swanson Brothers Company, a strictly wholesale business, was under the management of William Graves Swanson, secretary, treasurer and general manager, although the brothers were mutually interested and harmonious in the management of both companies.
Both were prosperous companies, ably managed and filled important places in Danville's commercial life. William Graves Swanson was also secretary of the Park Place Mercantile Company, of which he and his brother, John Pritchett Swanson were the virtual owners, was largely interested in the South Atlantic Lumber Company of Greensboro, NC and in the Dudley and Clement Lumber Company of Greensboro.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Swanson, during President Cleveland's second administration, accepted the appointment of Indian agent, at the White Rock agency in Utah, but retained all his commercial interests in Danville. He continued in charge of the agency for six months, then resigned and returned to Danville.
He was a member of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Danville Country, Merriewold Country and Tuscarora clubs. He was unmarried.
Source - Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, edited.
Final rites were held at Swansonville Methodist Church in Pittsylvania County Friday morning for William Graves Swanson, 73, a brother of the secretary of the Navy, who died Thursday from a heart attack.
A large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends paid a last tribute by their attendance at the funeral and burial services.
The deceased was widely connected in Pittsylvania County and was well known in the eastern half of Henry County.
Burial was in the Swansonville Methodist Church near his home.
Source - The Henry Bulletin, edited, Martinsville, VA dated June 12, 1934.
He was educated in the public schools of Swansonville, a community in Pittsylvania County, VA named in honor of John Swanson, an early settler.
This school, the educational home of all the Swanson boys, was then conducted by Celestia Susannah Parrish, the noted educator. After finishing the course of study there he entered the University of Alabama, where he completed his studies in 1880.
He began business life as a clerk in the dry goods store of Turner Brothers in Danville, later spending three years in business for himself at Swansonville as a merchant. He then accepted a government position as chief clerk at White Rock, Indian reservation in Utah, remaining there for four years.
He then moved back to Danville and entered the wholesale grocery and retail farmers supply business of the Swanson Supply Company, the latter dealing with farmers principally and under the management of John Pritchett Swanson. The Swanson Brothers Company, a strictly wholesale business, was under the management of William Graves Swanson, secretary, treasurer and general manager, although the brothers were mutually interested and harmonious in the management of both companies.
Both were prosperous companies, ably managed and filled important places in Danville's commercial life. William Graves Swanson was also secretary of the Park Place Mercantile Company, of which he and his brother, John Pritchett Swanson were the virtual owners, was largely interested in the South Atlantic Lumber Company of Greensboro, NC and in the Dudley and Clement Lumber Company of Greensboro.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Swanson, during President Cleveland's second administration, accepted the appointment of Indian agent, at the White Rock agency in Utah, but retained all his commercial interests in Danville. He continued in charge of the agency for six months, then resigned and returned to Danville.
He was a member of the Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church, the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Danville Country, Merriewold Country and Tuscarora clubs. He was unmarried.
Source - Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, edited.
Final rites were held at Swansonville Methodist Church in Pittsylvania County Friday morning for William Graves Swanson, 73, a brother of the secretary of the Navy, who died Thursday from a heart attack.
A large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends paid a last tribute by their attendance at the funeral and burial services.
The deceased was widely connected in Pittsylvania County and was well known in the eastern half of Henry County.
Burial was in the Swansonville Methodist Church near his home.
Source - The Henry Bulletin, edited, Martinsville, VA dated June 12, 1934.
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