Napa County Biographies
Swen Alstrom
Swen Alstrom - Was born in Carleshom, Sweden, October 5,1825, and there resided until he was
twenty-five years of age,
where he received a common school education. In May, 1851, the subject of this sketch came to America,
arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, July 10th of the above year, where he sojourned until March, 1852.
He then sailed for California on board the "T. B.Wales," coming via Cape Horn, and after a voyage of one
hundred and forty-five days arrived in San Francisco. He immediately found employment in the Rasset House,
where he remained only a short time, and then proceeded to the mines in Grass Valley, but by reason of the
Sacramento fire and the flood of that year he returned to San Francisco, and found employment as porter in
the Occidental Hotel, which situation he held for six years. He then, April 12,1859, became proprietor of
the above hotel, where he remained until the spring of 1861. In the meantime he purchased the White
Sulphur Springs property, in Napa County, and from 1861 to 1866 he was partner in the Lick House,
under the firm name of Alstrom & Co. In the latter year Mr. Alstrom moved to Napa County, and engaged
in running his hotel at the above mentioned springs. He owned this valuable property some twenty years,
and conducted the hotel for fifteen years, when it was sold in 1879. He then moved to St. Helena, and in
April, 1881, he erected the fine hotel he now occupies, the Windsor, which was opened to the public, June
11,1881. Mr. Alstrom is generous to a fault and is obliging and accommodating in his business relations,
and withal the right man in the right place. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage, in San
Francisco, in 1860, to Miss Mary Bremberg, a native of Sweden, by which union they have the following
children: Sophia, Josie, Annie, John, Mamie, Oscar and Herbert.
Page 370
History of Napa and Lake Counties,: San Francisco, Cal.: Slocum, Bowen & Co., Publishers, 1881
Transcribed by Julie Appletoft, February, 2007 Page 370
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Last updated February 1, 2007