Swanstrom was born on July 26, 1853, in
Brooklyn, New York, the son of
Swedish immigrants John P. and Anna B. Swanstrom. His father John did missionary work among the Swedish people in Brooklyn, and immigrated to America in 1840 with
John Ericsson. Swanstrom attended studied law at
New York University, graduating from there in 1878. He was also a student in the law firm Miller, Peet & Obdyke. The firm later became Bristow, Peet & Opdyke, headed by Secretary of the Treasury
Benjamin Bristow. After graduating, he quickly began a general practice. He shared a law office with John E. Miller at 20
Nassau Street and became a prominent Brooklyn lawyer. After becoming Borough President, he took on a partner and formed the law firm Swanstrom & Keyes. Swanstrom became a member of the board of education in 1888. He was elected president of the board in 1894, and held that office when the board of education became the School Board for the Borough of Brooklyn. He was also a member of the
New York City Board of Education, was elected its vice-president, and briefly served as president of the board in 1899. He left the board in 1900. Swanstrom served as
Borough president of Brooklyn from 1902 to 1904. He was nominated for the office under a
fusion ticket backed by the Brooklyn
Citizens Union. As borough president, he secured six million dollars appropriations for street paving, and managed to build the first public baths and comfort stations in the borough. His son
Arthur Swanstrom was a Broadway musical lyricist and producer. Swanstrom died at home from
pneumonia on February 15, 1911. He was buried in
Green-Wood Cemetery. == References ==