Swearingen, Frank W.

SWEARINGEN, CHAPMAN, ALEXANDER, LANGWORTHY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/22/2009 at 18:37:26

Swearingen, Frank W.

Unique, in a way, is the life history of Frank W. Swearingen. Educated for the practice of law, which it did not take him long to discover would not be congenial to him, and now one of Jasper County's good businessmen, engaged in a general merchandise and private banking business in Killduff, he is a man of progressive ideas and good judgment, and is well and favorably known throughout the county.

His father, George Swearingen, born in 1843, was a native of Ohio, and his mother, Sarah (Chapman) Swearingen, was a native of Illinois. The father came in an early day to Illinois, and for many years engaged in general farming, but in March 1876, he brought his family to Iowa, purchasing eighty acres of land in section 4, in Buena Vista Township, Jasper County. This land today still stands in his name. Here he lived and farmed for many years, but in 1893 he retired from active labor and moved to Newton, where he purchased a home. This he still held at the time of his death, February 22, 1909, which occurred in California, whither he had gone in search of health, in 1908. He was a broadminded public-spirited man of progressive ideas, held in high esteem by all with whom he came into contact. He held many offices of trust in his home Township and at one time was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for County recorder. His wife, mother of the subject of this sketch, died in Newton in June 1902, at the age of fifty-five. Both were faithful and consistent members of the Christian Church at that place. To them were born six children, only two of whom lived to grow to manhood: George T., lived at Madison Lake, Minnesota, where he died May 15, 1912; Frank W., of this review.

Frank W. Swearingen was born August 24, 1871, in McDonough County, Illinois, and in early childhood came with his parents to Jasper County, Iowa, and there grew to maturity on the farm. He received a good education and graduated from the Law Department of Drake University in May 1895. After his graduation he opened a law office at Fonda, this state, and practiced his profession for three years, when he removed to Mitchellville. Here he continued the practice of law for about the same length of time, and then removed to Newton, continuing his profession at practice in that city for two years, at the expiration of which time he abandoned the law, and moved to Killduff and engaged in a general merchandise business, which enterprise proved to be very lucrative. In 1909 he started a private banking business, and he is now engaged in carrying on both of these branches of industry, being very successful in his undertakings.

On March 15, 1900, Mr. Swearingen was united in marriage to Ernestine Langworthy, daughter of Oscar and Jennie (Alexander) Langworthy, both natives of Iowa, having been early settlers of Dubuque County. Mrs. Swearingen is the only surviving child of a family of three, and was born July 30, 1879, in Dubuque County, Iowa. The family moved to Fonda, Pocahontas County, where the father engaged in the hardware business. Mr. Langworthy has been dead for a number of years, but Mrs. Langworthy still survives and resides at Fonda, this state.

To Mr. and Mrs. Swearingen have been born three children: Cecil, born December 28, 1900; Freeda, born April 3, 1904; George, born May 26, 1910.

Mr. Swearingen is a man of broad public spirit. He was elected mayor of Fonda and also of Mitchellville. He is interested in politics, although not a rabid politician, his sympathies being with the Republican Party. Fraternally, he is connected with the Masonic Lodge No. 59, at Newton, also a member of the Eastern Star and Modern Woodmen of America. Both Mr. and Mrs. Swearingen are identified with the Christian Church at Newton.

On the death of his father, Mr. Swearingen and his brother, George, came into possession of the old home farm and the property in Newton, which property they held in conjunction. Mr. Swearingen also owns a fine home in Killduff. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 788.