Hans Mattson

Hans Mattson (December 23, 1832, Önnestad – March 5, 1893) was a Swedish American politician. He served with distinction as a colonel in the American Civil War (1861–65) and in 1869 became the Minnesota Secretary of State. He later served as United States Consul General in India.

Biography

Mattson was born on a small farm in the parish of Önnestad in Skåne, Sweden. In 1851, he immigrated to the U.S. with a friend. He settled on a farm in an established Swedish community in Illinois in 1853 and brought his family from Sweden to join him. In August 1853, Mattson led a group of several hundred Swedish immigrants to settle in Goodhue County, Minnesota. The settlement was soon known as Vasa, and it became home to prominent Swedish Americans including Governor John Lind. Mattson left in 1856 for Red Wing.

Shortly after moving to Red Wing, Mattson was financially ruined by the panic of 1857. He and his wife, Christin (Peterson) Mattson (1837–1911) had to start over. After getting on his feet again, Mattson was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar and entered public life. He was elected city clerk of Red Wing in 1859 before becoming Goodhue County auditor.

At the start of the American Civil War in 1861, Mattson raised a company of Swedish and Norwegian immigrants to fight for the Union. Mattson earned the rank of Colonel for his leadership of the 3rd Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He returned to Red Wing at the end of the war in 1865.

After returning to Minnesota, Mattson began his work as an immigration booster. First, he worked for private railroad companies. He started with the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad, where he worked as a protection agent to greet Swedish and Norwegian arrivals in Chicago.