Letha Ruth (Clayton) Swallow (1930)

CLAYTON, HAWBAKER, MEYER, SWALLOW, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Kent Transier
Date: 11/8/2023 at 18:04:36

Dallas County News
Adel, Iowa
Wednesday, June 18, 1930
Page 5, Column 5

Letha Ruth Clayton, daughter of Charles and Alice Clayton, was born in Van Meter, Iowa, October 31, 1896, and died at her farm home near Earlham, Iowa, June 3, 1930; her age being 33 years, 7 months and 3 days.

She spent her girlhood and early married life in Dallas county, Iowa. She was married to Byron Swallow August 9, 1913. To this union there were born three sons: Nile, 16; Rolland 12, and Robert (deceased) 9.

Mrs. Swallow join the Methodist Church in her girlhood days.

She leaves to mourn her loss her two sons, Nile and Rolland; her father, Charles U. Clayton of St. Louis, Mo.; two sisters and three brothers. Her sisters are Mrs. Tom Williams of Ruthven, Ia., and Mrs. Floyd Hawbaker of Dallas Center, Iowa. The brothers are Ross and Jim Clayton, Graettinger, Iowa, and Tom Clayton of Mt. Vernon, S. D., and a large number of relatives and friends. One sister preceded her some years ago.

Mrs. Swallow was a good friend and neighbor. She was loved by her children and did her utmost to give them the comforts of a good home.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 12, 1930
Page 4, Column 4

VAN METER

Quite a number from here attended to funeral of Mrs. Letha Clayton Swallow, and her son, Bobby, at Earlham, Thursday morning. The burial was at the Van Meter cemetery.

Among the relatives who were here from a distance were her father, Charles Clayton, of St. Louis, Missouri; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Clayton, of Mitchell, South Dakota; Mr. and Mrs. Ross Clayton of Graettinger; James D. Clayton and Mr. and Mrs. Williams, of Ruthven, and Mr. and Mrs. Hawbaker, of Dallas center.
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The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 5, 1930
Page 1, Column 1

SWALLOW MURDERS HIS WIFE AND SON

Then Ends Own Life, Boy Dies in Hospital, Three Dead

Excerpt:

The murder and suicide occurred Tuesday at the Hindman farm two and a half miles east of Earlham where Mrs. Swallow, 35 years old, was living with her three small boys, Bobby, Roland, 12 years old, and Nile a boy of fifteen years, and Agnes Hindman, a girl of 10. The Swallows separated May 1 and Mrs. Swallow sued for divorce.

Excerpt:

The Swallows were married in Des Moines in 1915. Mrs. Swallow was a Clayton and was a sister of Mrs. Louie Meyer...
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Transcriber's note: The second article, from The Winterset News, is a lengthy, detailed description of the murders and suicide, not pertinent to genealogy, and has been excerpted. The family was living on a farm in Madison Township in the 1930 Federal Census.

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