August Lindbergh

Who was August Lindbergh?

August Lindbergh was a Swedish American farmer and politician. He was the father of the U.S. politician Charles August Lindbergh, and the grandfather of aviator Charles Lindbergh.

August Lindbergh was born Ola Månsson in Smedstorp, Tomelilla Municipality in Skåne, Sweden. His father, Måns Jönsson, married to Sara Carlsdotter, owned a small farm and worked as a parish tailor in Smedstorp. Through his marriage to Ingar Jönsdotter, who brought in a substantial dowry, and his own hard work, Månsson became a well-to-do farmer and in 1847 was elected to the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates, representing the farmers' estate. In the Riksdag, he distinguished himself as a brilliant orator and a champion of liberalism, who fought for equal rights for the Jews, for allowing foreigners to hold professorships at Swedish universities, for land reform and for extending the railway net. He also worked as a bank director. When accused of bribery and embezzlement, Månsson changed his name to August Lindbergh. He left his wife Ingar Jönsdotter and their seven children, and fled to the United States with his mistress and their illegitimate infant son Carl in 1859. Lovisa became Louisa and little Carl became Charles August. They settled in Melrose, Minnesota, where August worked as a farmer and a blacksmith. August became a widower in 1864 at the death of his first wife who had remained in Sweden. August and Louisa had six more children born in Minnesota; the couple married in 1885.