Swalwell, Jay B.

SWALWELL, KIMBERLY, RICHARDSON, OSWALT, VILAS, BARK, BALL

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/22/2009 at 18:32:06

Swalwell, Jay B.

One of the young agriculturists of Clear Creek Township, Jasper County, who is deserving of our special notice at this point is Jay B. Swalwell, for his record has been one of honor and industry and, while yet young in years, he has shown that he is the possessor of those qualities that seldom if ever fail to win in the battle of life, and it is not too much to expect that we will find him in future years as one of our leading citizens and most successful men of affairs in the line which he has chosen as his life work.

Mr. Jay B. Swalwell was born in this Township on March 8, 1883, and here he grew to manhood and received his education in the public schools and where he has always lived, being content to spend his life right here at home, knowing that there was no better place. He is the son of Thomas and Harriet (Kimberly) Swalwell, the family born in Yorkshire, England, March 19, 1845, and the mother in Herkimer County, New York, June 1, 1852. The father was reared in England, but emigrated to America when a young man and settled in Illinois, May 1, 1867, where he remained one year, then came to Jasper County, Iowa, and has been engaged in farming here ever since, owning two hundred acres in Clear Creek Township, three hundred and twenty acres in Emmet County and one hundred and sixty acres in New Albany Township, Story County. These farms are all well improved and are on an equal with any in their communities. Thomas Swalwell was first married to Jane Richardson, to whom one child, Thomas Vernon Swalwell, was born. The wife and mother died in Iowa in 1871 and in 1872 Mr. Swalwell was married to Harriet Kimberly and to this union thirteen children were born, namely: Lot, deceased; Harriet F. Oswalt, born in 1874, lives in Emmet County, Iowa; Nellie Oswalt, born in 1876, lives in Story County, Iowa; Ruth Vilas, born in 1878, lives in Madrid, Iowa; James Weaver, born in 1880; Jay B., of this review; Belva, born in 1884, is teaching at Ogden, Iowa; lva, born in 1886, is teaching in Jasper County; Eve Bark, born in 1888, lives in Grovont, Wyoming; Charles D. was born in 1890; Christopher, born in 1893; Ada, born in 1895; George, born in 1897. This family was reared in Clear Creek Township and was educated in the local schools.

Jay B. Swalwell was married October 25, 1911, to F. Myrtle Ball, who was born in Marshall County, Iowa, October 23, 1889. In politics he is independent.

Mr. Swalwell cultivates eighty acres of excellent land in Collins Township, Story County, and he has shown himself to be skilled in the art of modern agriculture. He raises grade stock and is making a success as a general farmer and stock raiser. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1183.