Frances Harriett Swalwell Oswalt 1874-1959

OSWALT, SWALWELL, VORE, HALVORSON, MCGUAN, STEULAND, PATTERSON, BARK

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/2/2014 at 19:18:42

Pioneer of Dolliver Area Dies at 84
Mrs. Andrew J. Oswalt, 84, well known pioneer resident of the Dolliver community, died today at 6 a.m. at her home near Dolliver. Mrs. Oswalt had been in failing health since undergoing major surgery several years ago.

Mrs. Oswalt and her late husband, who died in 1955, had farmed in Emmet County since 1894, first on the farm northeast of Estherville now owned by Dr. C.E. Birney, and from 1918 until time of their retirement on the 240-acre farm northeast of Dolliver where Mrs. Oswalt still maintained her home although the farm land is rented to George Holl.

Frances Harriett Swalwell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Swalwell, was born Sept. 20, 1874 in Jasper County and was the eldest of 12 children. She also had one half-brother.

She attended the Jasper County schools and lived there until her marriage on Nov. 30, 1892 to Andrew J. Oswalt at the home of an old family friend in Nevada.

Mr. and Mrs. Oswalt lived at Collins the first two years of their marriage and then moved to Emmet County, arriving here March 17, 1894.

Mrs. Oswalt served on the first jury in Emmet County which included women jurors. She was active in community life when time and her health permitted and her 11-room house near Dolliver at one time was described as a “regular hotel” when all of the Oswalt children were at home. She was a member of the Dolliver Methodist Church.

Mrs. Oswalt is survived by three sons, Morris, at home; Lawrence of Milwaukee, Wis.; and Andrew Jr. of Sioux City; and five daughters, Millie Oswalt of San Francisco; Mrs. H.E. (Kittie) Vore of Ames, who has lived at home the past three years to care for her mother; Mrs. Art (Mary) Halvorson of Rake; Mrs. F.A. (Violet) McGuan of Mesa, Ariz.; and Mrs. Alveda Steuland of Fairmont, also 17 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Other survivors include five brothers, Thoams V. Swalwell of Mattoon, Ill.; George and James Swalwell of Newton; Charlie Swawell of Maxwell and Christopher Swalwell of Framington; five sisters, Mrs. James (Ruth) Patterson of Storm Lake; Mrs. Hilmer (Eve) Bark of Des Moines and Belva, Iva and Ada Swalwell, all of Collins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, one daughter, Tillie, who died in 1940; her parents; two brothers and one sister.

Funeral services are to be held Friday, a family service at the Oswalt home at 1 p.m. followed by services at 2 p.m. at the Dolliver Methodist Church, the Rev. Cloyd Bishop officiating. Interment will be in the Dolliver cemetery. Friends may call at the Sandin-Fuhrman Funeral Home from tomorrow afternoon until 9 a.m. Friday when the body will be taken to the Oswalt home to lie in state until time of the services. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, February 25, 1959)