Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-02-28
WASHINGTON Is HAILED Il.
/ As OF SWEDISH ANCESTRY
Men From Province Of Skane Bring
Out Proofs at Patriotic
BANQUET. #

Inc ancestors OF George wash.
ington came from the province Of.
Skane in southern Sweden. This
fact was brought out at Washing
ton memorial meeting held last night
at the Odin club, when about As men
whose ancestors were natives of the
province Of Skdne (Scania), gath
cred to do honor to the Father Of the
American republic.
Evidence was produced that indi-
Gated the Scandinavian origin Of the
first president. This evidence was in
the form of certificate from the
officers Of the Scandinavian Society
of Philadelphia, quoting from Mac
holds History Of the Scandinavians
in Pennsylvania. The excerpt told
Of farewell reception rendered in
1882 to Baron Axel Fersen, Swed-
ish officer who had served under
General Washington during the war
for independence. The reception was
to be given by the Scandinavian So
ciety and committee Of the society
invited General Washington to be
present. 90. f..
"This event was one of the most
glorious in the society's history" the
account continues. "The reception
was held at the City Tavern, Wednes-
day evening, Dec. II, 1882. The
president of the St. Andrews soci-
ETY., Rev. William Smith, D. D., laud~
ed the bravery of the baron and his
men at the battle Of Yorktown
whereupon General Washington, in
thanking the members Of the society
for their forethought in rendering the
reception to the noble officer (subse-
quently Washington decorated Fer.
sen with the Order of the Cincinnati
for valof displayed) expressed his
pleasure at being present among the
people If his forefathers' blood, as
he claimed descent from the family
Of 'Wass,' who emigrated from
Skane ,Sweden) in the year A. D
1870, and settled in the County Dur.
ham, England, where tn y built 6
small town, calling it Wass-in-g atar
(town Of Wass.)
"1n the first place." says the &C.
count, "the name was pronounced
Wassingatun; it soon became Yves.
syngton, then Washington, Weissing.
ton, washington, Whessingtun, Was.
engtone, Washington, and fnall,
Washington.
"In January, 1888, General Wash.
ington was elected an honorary mem
Der of the society on account Of hi
Norman ancestry" ...,.
At the meeting at the Odin Clul
last night, two or three guests wer'
from the Norden club Of St. Paul, ant
the others from Minneapolis. Onl!
those were present who were eth
er born in, or could trace their an
cestry back to Skane, where the an
cestors Of George Washington lived
The committee having the meeting il
charge was composed of P. P. Quist
Edgar L. Mattson and B. G. Benson
To show that not only has Skan,
contributed to the history Of tn,
world by giving it Washington, blu
is prominent today in commercial
affairs, it was said last night tina
the following were of Skane ances
try: A. V. Ostrum, Northwestern Ma
tional bank; Edgar L. Mattson
Scandinavian-American bank; E. A
Nelson, Union State bank; Ed Matt
son, Minneapolis Savings bank; H. F
Rosing, South Side State bank.
The POSTMASTER was Edgar L
Mattson. A humorous poem appro
pirate to a Skane celebration, wa
read by S. J. Carlin.-Minneapoli
Tribune.