Laurits S. Swenson
Laurits S. Swenson (June 12, 1865–November 4, 1947) was an American diplomat who served as Ambassador to Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark.
Life and career
Laurits Selmer Swenson was born in New Sweden, Minnesota on June 12, 1865 to Norwegian parents. He graduated from Iowa's Luther College with bachelor's (1886) and master's (1889) degrees and became Principal of Lutheran Academy in Albert Lea, where he worked from 1888 to 1897.[1][2] From 1895 to 1897 Swenson served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.[3]
Swenson also pursued a business career, serving as Vice President of Union State Bank and President of the Wiprud Land & Colonization Company, an effort to attract European immigrants to settle in Minnesota.[4]
In 1897 Swenson started a diplomatic career when he was appointed Minister to Denmark.[5] He served in Copenhagen until 1905.[6] In this post Swenson negotiated the terms for the sale of the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands).[7]
In 1909 he was appointed Minister to Switzerland, and he served until 1911.[8][9]
Swenson served as Minister to Norway from 1911 to 1913.[10][11]
In 1921 Swenson was again appointed Minister to Norway, and he held this position until 1930.[12][13]
In 1931 Swenson was named Ambassador to the Netherlands, where he served until 1934.[14][15]
Swenson died in Oslo on November 4, 1947.[16] He is buried in Lake Prairie, Minnesota's Norseland Lutheran Cemetery.[17]
References
- ↑ Luther College, Luther College Through Sixty Years, 1861-1921, 1922, page 424
- ↑ Minnesota Historical Society, Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, Volume 14, page 763
- ↑ James Terry White, The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Volume 12, 1904, page 108
- ↑ Albert Nelson Marquis, The Book of Minnesotans, 1907, page 503
- ↑ New York Times, Presidential Appointments: Prof. Laurits S. Swenson for Minister to Denmark, October 6, 1897
- ↑ Hartford Courant, Minister Swenson Comes Homes, June 26, 1905
- ↑ New York Times, The danish West Indies: Report From Copenhagen of Agreement for Their Sale, December 13, 1901
- ↑ New York Times, No Serious Fight on Bacon for Envoy: Taft's Whole List of Diplomatic Appointments Recommended for Senate Approval, December 21, 1909
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, The Initiative in Switzerland and its Disappointments, May 13, 1913
- ↑ Christian Science Monitor, Mr. Taft Names new Diplomats, April 24, 1911
- ↑ Spokane Daily Chronicle, To Invite Swenson: Former Minister to Norway Will be Asked for the Seventeenth of May, March 18, 1914
- ↑ Baltimore Sun, Named for Norway Post, October 7, 1921
- ↑ New York Times, Philip is Appointed Minister to Norway: Veteran of Foreign Service Is Chosen by Hoover to Succeed Swenson, July 14, 1930.
- ↑ Boston Globe, Netherlands Post Given to Swenson, February 27, 1931
- ↑ New York Times, Emmet is Named Envoy to Hague, December 31, 1933
- ↑ American Foreign Service Association, The American Foreign Service Journal, Volume 24, 1947, page 44
- ↑ Laurits Selmer Swenson at Find A Grave, accessed December 13, 2012
External resources
- Laurits Selmer Swenson biography, Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State, accessed December 13, 2012
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John E. Risley |
U.S. Minister to Denmark 1897–1905 |
Succeeded by Thomas J. O'Brien |
| Preceded by Brutus J. Clay II |
U.S. Minister to Switzerland 1909–1911 |
Succeeded by Henry Sherman Boutell |
| Preceded by Herbert H. D. Peirce |
U.S. Minister to Norway 1911–1913 |
Succeeded by Albert G. Schmedeman |
| Preceded by Albert G. Schmedeman |
U.S. Minister to Norway 1921–1930 |
Succeeded by Hoffman Philip |
| Preceded by Gerrit J. Diekema |
U.S. Minister to the Netherlands 1931–1934 |
Succeeded by Grenville T. Emmet |