Christian Swanson was born August 6, 1859, in Härjedalen, Sweden. He moved to the United States ca. 1880 with his brothers Peter and Sven and settled in New Effington, South Dakota. Christian married Julia Johanneson the following year in Sisseton, South Dakota. In 1910, they moved to Hankinson, North Dakota. Two of their children died of illness in February 1913. On May 15, 1913, the Swansons and their remaining three children arrived at their new homestead 15 miles south of Cadillac, Saskatchewan. After Julia and their youngest daughter settled in Swift Current, Christian continued to live on the farm with his son Emil but moved in with his eldest son John and his family in Milestone, Saskatchewan, after Emil’s death in 1937. He would spend summers with his daughters in Swift Current. Christian died on January 31, 1955, and is buried in the Beaver Valley Cemetery.