Neil Hermon Swanson was born on June 30, 1896, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Hermon M. and Eda C. Swanson, who were both Swedish immigrants who had arrived in America as children in 1873. His father, Hermon, operated a fuel business in St. Paul, Minnesota, selling wood and coal, and later managed a fruit orchard in Minnetonka, Minnesota.
Following his service as a company commander in the United States Infantry during World War I, Swanson worked as an assistant city editor on a Minneapolis newspaper. He later rose to become the executive editor of the Baltimore Sunpapers from 1941 to 1954.
Neil Swanson is best known for writing several bestselling historical novels. His most popular books include "The First Rebel" (1940),which tells the story of a group of colonists who revolted against British rule ten years before the American Revolution; "The Perilous Flight" (1945),which remembers Major General Sam Smith's 1814 defenses of Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore; and "Unconquered: A novel of the Pontiac conspiracy" (1948),which tells the story of the uprising of North American Indians in the Great Lakes region who were upset with British policies after their victory over the French in 1763.
Neil H. Swanson passed away on February 5, 1983, at Baltimore County General Hospital after a long illness. He was interned at the Baltimore National Cemetery three days later. He was married to Katherine and had four children: Neil Jr., Jean, Robert, and Margaret.
