BIOGRAPHY - Frans Seastrand
FRANS
A. SEASTRAND, Swedish Lutheran clergyman, was born at Sjoamalen, Askeryd
parish, Smaland, Sweden, March 8, 1867. Having finished common school in his
native place, he worked for a time, partly as a carpenter and partly as a
farm laborer. When he came over from the old country in 1887 he located at
Marathon, Ia. Here he was employed for two years in the real estate office
of C. A. Eckman. After another two years Mr. Seastrand entered Augustana
College in 1891. He graduated from the college in 1897 and from the
theological seminary in 1901, being ordained to the ministry at the
synodical meeting in Jamestown, N. Y., that year. While a student, Rev.
Seastrand taught parish school and preached in various places in Iowa,
Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and Massachusetts. After his ordination he
assumed pastoral charge of the Swedish Lutheran churches at Gibson City and
Sibley, Ill. He removed to another field at New London, Minn., in 1906.
May 14, 1903, Rev. Seastrand's marriage to Miss Beda Erickson took place at Laurens, Ia.
Extracted 28 Jan 2017 by Norma Hass from History of Swedes of Illinois, published in 1908, Volume 2, page 183.
