SWAN, ROBERT

SWAN, DUNE, TAYLOR, KELLY, BARGE, MERRILL

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 7/19/2003 at 21:44:20

Biography reproduced from page 268 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

The late Robert Swan, who was one of the enterprising agriculturists of Kossuth county, was born in Denmark on December 1, 1866, and died on his farm in Seneca township on the 27th of February, 1911. He was a son of Samuel and Marie Swan, also natives of Denmark, where they passed their entire lives, the mother’s death occurring in 1874 and that of the father in 1907. Samuel Swan, who was both an agriculturist and fisherman, far out-lived the Psalmist’s allotted span, having passed the venerable age of eighty years at the time of his demise. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Swan numbered nine, four sons and five daughters, all of whom are now deceased with the exception of three: Christian, who is a resident of Denmark; Otto W., who makes his home in Chicago; and Emma, the wife of Carl Dune, of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Robert Swan was reared at home and educated in the common schools of his native land. He assisted his father with the cultivation of the farm until he had attained his majority, when he left the parental roof and started out to make his own way in the world. In 1890, he emigrated to America, coming direct to Kossuth county. He first located in Bancroft, and for two years thereafter worked out on a farm in Swea township. At the expiration of that time he went to Seneca township, where he followed the same occupation until 1894, when he was married and began farming for himself. For three years thereafter he cultivated a tract of rented land on section 8, Seneca township, and then removed to section 2, of the same township, where he continued to farm as a renter until 1899. He had been diligent and thrifty and had managed to accumulate sufficient money to enable him to buy eighty acres of land on section 7, Seneca township, in the further cultivation and improvement of which he engaged from that period until his death. His widow and sons still live on the homestead but rent all of the land with the exception of the pasture and hay fields.

Mr. Swan was married on February 26, 1894, to Miss Anna E. Taylor, a daughter of W. F. and Samantha Jane (Kelly) Taylor, natives of Ohio, the father having been born near Findlay and the mother in the vicinity of McComb. They were married at Findlay, but subsequently removed from there to Wood county, Ohio, where they resided until 1855, when they came to Iowa and settled in Blackhawk county, this state, where the father, who was an agriculturist, continued to follow farming until he passed away on the 7th of September, 1906. He was survived by the mother, who died on July 12, 1910. They had eight children, all but four of whom are now deceased. Those living are as follows: Alice, the wife of James Barge, who is farming in the vicinity of Grantsburg, Wisconsin; Electa, who married Don Merrill, a farmer of Seneca township; Mrs. Swan; and W. W., who engages in farming near LaPorte City, this state.

Mr. and Mrs. Swan became the parents of three children; one who died in infancy; Arthur Franklin, who was born June 15, 1897; and Otto De Verd, whose birth occurred July 31, 1902. They are both attending school in district No. 3 and assist their mother about the farm.

Mr. Swan was for some time a member of the Swedish Baptist church of Swea township, and fraternally he was identified with both the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and the Modern Woodmen of America, of Ringsted. Mrs. Swan also belongs to the former organization. Mr. Swan was a democrat in his political views, and served for two terms as director of school district No. 3. His death, which was very sudden, resulting from heart trouble, caused profound sorrow in his community, where he was highly esteemed and had many friends, whose regard he had won and retained by reason of his high standards of conduct and upright principles.

Kossuth Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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