Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
EMIEL SANDERS. America has always held the gates of her entry ports ajar to the sons of Sweden, and having thus extended them a hearty hand of welcome and given them every opportunity to advance themselves after they got within our borders, they have come in large numbers, from year to year, and their substantial homes now dot the hills and plains of nearly every agricultural community of the Union, and there is hardly a city of any importance in which we do not find their homes and places of business. Thus they have aided us in developing this vast and comparatively new western hemisphere and we have in turn improved their condition. They were reared in a land where Mother Nature is somewhat unkind, where the winters are long and the country rugged and none too fertile and where business and professional opportunities are not so extensive as in our own country, so that they have as a rule, had to battle hard for the right to live, had to exert every energy for the food and clothing necessary to keep aglow the little flame of life. But this all has helped them to win success in America, where there are unlimited opportunities, for they have inherited from their forebears those sterling qualities of energy, persistence, fortitude and tact, and they do not halt at any obstacle or permit any adversity to swerve them from their course. One of this number was the late Emiel Sanders, as was also his father-in-law, Peter Swanson, men who came to this country of ours with little to start on, but forged to the front and became possessors of a competency and comfortable homes in due course of time.
Mr. Sanders, who was for many years a well known furniture dealer in Springfield, was born in Stockholm, Sweden, May 7, 1845. In an early day he came to the United States, first locating in New York, and there he was first married to a lady of English birth. They were the parents of three children, two of whom died in infancy and John, who survived, is now in Ponka City, Oklahoma. Subject's first wife died in 1876, and subject again married, this time Marie Swanson a daughter of Peter and Gustava (Lawson) Swanson, both of Sweden. Mrs. Sanders was one of six children, three boys and three girls, the youngest born in America and the rest in Sweden. This last marriage occurred May 10, 1880.
Emiel Sanders grew to manhood in his native land and there received his education and learned the cabinet maker's trade, and when a young man went to Germany and spent three years, then emigrated to the United States, first locating in New York, as before stated. He came on to Springfield, Missouri in an early day and here remained the rest of his life. He had continued working at his trade, at which he was quite skilful, and after he had become well established in Springfield he started a furniture factory, which he operated a short times, then owned and conducted a large furniture store at 309 Boonville street, where he built up a large and satisfactory business, carried an extensive and up-to-date stock of everything commonly found in the best furniture stores of the large cities, and this line of business he continued until his death, at which time he was one of the oldest furniture dealers in the city. He dealt in an honest and courteous manner and his hundreds of patrons remained his friends.
Mr. Sanders was married May 10, 1881, at Marshfield, Missouri, to Marie Swanson, who was born in the central part of Sweden, April 21, 1857. She is a daughter of Peter and Gustava (Lawson) Swanson, both natives of Sweden also, and there they grew to maturity, received common school educations and were married. Mr. Swanson was a farmer by occupation, which he followed in his native land until 1869, when he emigrated to the United States and located at Salem, Missouri, and after he got a good foothold in the new country he sent for his wife and daughter, Marie, who made the long trip from their native land to this state in 1872. The family moved from Salem to Mountain Grove, Missouri, but the death of Mr. Swanson occurred at Salem. His family consisted of five children, all living at this writing. Mrs. Sanders grew to womanhood in Sweden and received a limited education in the common schools, but she has educated herself and is a well informed and intelligent lady, with affable manners. She is a member of the Congregational church, and has a pleasant home on East Grand avenue.
Four children were born to Emiel Sanders and wife, one of whom is deceased, namely: Emma C., born February 16, 1882, was educated in the schools of Springfield, married Gorden Coil, and they live on a farm near Fair Grove, Greene county; Mary Hattie, born June 25, 1884, died in February, 1886; Nellie A., born June 29, 1886, was graduated from the Springfield high school and the state normal here, and she is a successful teacher; Ada G., born July 29, 1888, was also graduated from the local high school and the state normal here and taught in Wyoming one year, where she made a good record.
Emiel Sanders was called to his rest on July 8, 1892, at the age of forty-seven years, when in the prime of life.
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