Swedish immigrant donates over 10,000 books and images to University of Texas
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, science and 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.
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 in La Grange, performed the couple’s wedding ceremony.
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 was Secretary off and on between 1863 and 1869.
In Austin Palm became very involved in the school system and served several terms as Postmaster General in from 1869 – 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.
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 at Sir Swante Palm in other articles.
There are both a park and 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.
Palm donated his massive collection of books and images in 1897 to The University of Texas and increased their collection by over 60 percent. These books are 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 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.
Many thanks to the Fayette Heritage Museum and Archives and Texas State Historical Association for their assistance in completing this article. Sources also include Betty Hurst’s article from “The Junior Historian of Texas” published December 1968, Fayette County, Texas Heritage published January 1996, and Larry Scott’s The Swedish Texans published in 1990.
Resource: Photograph of Swante Palm from the Walter P. Freytag Collection in the Fayette Heritage Museum and Archives, La Grange.
