History behind New Sweden Co-op Gin revealed.

New Sweden Co-op Gin is one of the lesser known and forgotten cotton gins of Manor, Texas. This news article will explain and explore the history behind this particular cotton gin.

New Sweden Co-op Gin operated on property that was owned by New Sweden Gin Company off Axell Lane in Manor, Texas from 1954 to 1965.


A branch of New Sweden Gin called New Sweden Co-op Gin was incorporated and established in 1954. New Sweden Co-op Gin was established as a separate entity of New Sweden Gin Company. According to bizstanding.com, New Sweden Co-op Gin was registered on May 18, 1954 as a domestic nonprofit corporation. (Ref: https://bizstanding.com/p/new+sweden+co-op+gin-7863191)

The Austin American wrote a news article about the opening of the new New Sweden Co-op Gin on the date of Friday, August 6, 1954. Austin American reported that New Sweden Co-op Gin was operated all electronically. A state of the art Super-Mitchell cleaner and 4-80 saw gin stands were installed for the cotton gin. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/384906042/)

[There is practically a new gin going in at New Sweden. The modern New Sweden Co-op Gin was recently organized, buying the old plant from the New Sweden Gin Company. It will start operating not later than early next week. Cotton is now taken through a big reel drier which cleans as it dries; a seven cylinder cleaner; 14 foot bur machine; another five cylinder cleaner; a Super-Mitchell cleaner and 4-80 saw gin stands. The stands once did all the work. Gins really cost money now-a-days. The New Sweden Co-op Gin is all electric. Officers and directors of the co-op are, president, Lawrence C. Nelson; vice president and assistant manager, D. A. Axel; treasurer, E. O. Lundgren; secretary-manager, Lawrence R. Olson and directors, Thure Johnson, Lee Anderson, Rudolph Magnuson, David Samuelson and Henry Munson]

According to the Austin American newspaper, New Sweden Gin Company gift deeded (donated) 2 acres of their land to New Sweden Co-Op Gin Company (New Sweden Co-Op Gin Co/New Sweden Co-Op Gin) on the date of June 11, 1954. “New Sweden Gin Co. to New Sweden Co-Op Gin Co. 2 acs. Thomas Sharp Survey. $9.90 rev. Stamps.” (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/384899127/)

On September 17, 1954, New Sweden Co-Op Gin had undergone a modernizing process where modernizing of the gin was performed. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/384882188/)

“L. R. Olson, manager of the New Sweden Coop Gin, says more than 90 per cent of their crop is harvested. His gin early this week  had ginned 967 bales this season as compared with a total of 100 bales ginned last year. This indicates growers in the New Sweden area are making as much cotton as last year but the facts are the newly organized Coop attracted a lot of new business this year, as well as the modernizing of the gin.”


For whatever reason(s), New Sweden Co-op Gin was involuntarily dissolved on September 1, 1965. That led to the closure and dissolution of New Sweden Co-op Gin. (Ref: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_tx/0011994101)

New Sweden Gin Company and New Sweden Co-op Gin both dissolved in 1971. Jon Axell took back control and full ownership of the property in 1971 right after New Sweden Co-op Gin dissolved. 1974 was the year Jon Axell would dismantle the New Sweden Gin.

New Sweden Co-op Gin was located at the intersection of Axell Lane & New Sweden Church Road, Manor, Texas, US 78653.