Quick Facts
Biography
Laurits S. Swenson (June 12, 1865–November 4, 1947) was an American diplomat who served as Ambassador to Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark.
Background
Laurits Selmer Swenson was born in New Sweden, Minnesota to Norwegian immigrant parents. His father, Swen Swenson, (1836–1905) was a Minnesota State Representative. 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. From 1895 to 1897 Swenson served on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.
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.
Diplomatic career
In 1897 Swenson started a diplomatic career when he was appointed Minister to Denmark. He served in Copenhagen until 1905. In this post Swenson negotiated the terms for the sale of the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands).
In 1909 he was appointed Minister to Switzerland, and he served until 1911.
Swenson served as Minister to Norway from 1911 to 1913.
In 1921 Swenson was again appointed Minister to Norway, and he held this position until 1930.
In 1931 Swenson was named Ambassador to the Netherlands, where he served until 1934.
Swenson died in Oslo on November 4, 1947. He is buried in Lake Prairie, Minnesota's Norseland Lutheran Cemetery.
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 |