Bio
Swante M. Swenson (1816–1896) was a Swedish-born American businessman and founder of the SMS Ranches in West Texas. He immigrated to the United States in 1836, working in New York and Baltimore before settling in Texas in 1850. There, he established a successful mercantile business with his uncle, Swante Palm, and became involved in land acquisition through Texas Railroad Certificates. Swenson also played a key role in Swedish immigration to Texas, arranging passage for families who later worked for him or purchased land.
Swenson’s business interests included banking, general merchandise, and land development. He also pioneered shipments of Texas pecans to the North and East. By 1860, Swenson had accumulated vast landholdings, including over 128,000 acres around Austin and nearly 500,000 acres in West Texas. His sons later leased these holdings and managed them as SMS Ranches, making the family one of the largest landowners in Texas.
Though Swenson lived in New York later in life, he maintained strong business ties to Texas, continuing to operate as a cotton agent and a clearinghouse for Texas products. He was also active in local politics, serving as Travis County commissioner and treasurer of the State Agricultural Society. Swenson passed away in Brooklyn, New York, in 1896 and is remembered for his contributions to Texas’ economic development and the state’s Swedish immigrant community.
