Swante Palm: The Scholar Who Helped Preserve Texas History

From Sweden to Galveston

Swante Palm, originally named Swen Jaensson, immigrated to Texas from Sweden in 1844, arriving at Galveston following his nephew Swen Swenson, who was of similar age. These two men were largely responsible for the large number of Swedes who immigrated to Texas over the next few decades.

Palm — whose first name is sometimes seen as Svante — had a very studious life, from his early days buying books in Latin at an estate sale to amassing an impressive 10,000 volumes in his lifetime. Palm's library covered everything from history, art, and science to fiction and non-fiction writings.

These books were in Latin, Swedish, and English, showcasing his broad and varied interests. He was known to spend his leisure time reading and working in his library.

A La Grange Merchant

Within a few years, Palm settled in La Grange, where he entered the mercantile business and became the Postmaster on February 3, 1848. In April of the following year he bought two lots — which included a house, a well, and other structures — at the southeast corner of the intersection of South Washington and West Lower Line Streets.

Various issues of the 1850 *Texas Monument*, published in La Grange, include advertisements for Swante Palm, dealer in dry goods, groceries, etc., and also for his brother Gustavus Palm, a watchmaker.

In October 1850, Palm left La Grange for Austin, but he retained ownership of his La Grange property until 1888. In fact, La Grange is where he married Agnes Alm on March 11, 1854. Most sources state that Palm had sent for Agnes and that she immigrated with her sister, Laura. The couple settled in Austin, where their only son died in infancy in 1855.

The Rev. Charles W. Thomas, a fellow Mason who had opened the La Grange Male and Female Seminary, performed the couple's wedding ceremony.

A Charter Member of Lafayette No. 34

It appears Palm came to Texas as a Freemason. He was a Charter Member of Lafayette No. 34 here in La Grange and then joined Austin No. 12, where he served as Secretary off and on between 1863 and 1869.

Postmaster, Justice of the Peace, Meteorologist

In Austin, Palm became very involved in the school system and served several terms as Postmaster General from 1869 to 1875. He was also a Justice of the Peace and even served as a Meteorologist for the Texas Geological and Agricultural Society.

He was quoted about the Texas weather saying:

"The chief characteristic of Texas weather is not variety but surprise."

The writer thinks truer words may never have been spoken.

Knighted by Norway

In 1866 he was added as Vice Consul for Norway and was instrumental in helping Norwegians migrate to Central Texas. He was knighted as a result of his service, and you may see him noted as *Sir Swante Palm* in other articles.

There are both a park and an elementary school named after him in Austin. The first Palm Elementary closed in 1970, but a new Palm Elementary School opened elsewhere in Austin in 1987.

Ten Thousand Books

Palm donated his massive collection of books and images in 1897 to The University of Texas and increased their collection by over sixty percent. These books are now spread across several museums as well as the school. In his collection, he had many pictures of people as well as images of famous paintings from around the world.

Palm spent the last years of his life as an assistant librarian, helping to catalog and sort his own collection prior to his death in 1899.

I am left to wonder — at what expense did he move these books even just from La Grange to Austin.