SWEATT, John 1827-1902

SWEATT, WOODARD, STOCKELL

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/10/2010 at 11:58:19

Mr. John Sweatt

1827-1902

Another one of our old settlers has passed quietly away, one whom I wrote up among the Fifties, Nov. 15, 1900. Mr. Sweatt was a native of Vermont, having been born April 15, 1827, at the old town of Thetford. In an academy in that old town Mr. Sweatt spent some of his early days. At the age of twenty-two he joined the great throng that pressed to California in search of gold. After remaining there two years he returned to Vermont, but he soon left his native state and came to Cooksville, Wisconsin, where for a few years he and the late Mr. John Chambers had a store.

In 1855 Mr. Sweatt was married to Miss Cordelia Woodard, with whom he came immediately to West Mitchell, Iowa. There he started the first store in Mitchell county. He continued in business for some years with his brother, the late Mr. Charles Sweatt. Later he sold his interest in the store to his brother William, now living in Riverside, California.

Mr. Sweatt has been a resident of West Mitchell and Mitchell since then, though he has been to California four times, and passed one or two winters in that state.

Mrs. Cordelia Sweatt died in 1881. She was highly esteemed as a beautiful Christian woman. In 1884 Mr. Sweatt was married to Mrs. Emma Stockell who died in 1893. Both of the Mrs. Sweatt's were consistent and helpful members of the Baptist church in West Mitchell.

Five years ago Mr. Sweatt began to decline, suffering from epilepsy; that disease caused his death, Sunday afternoon at four o'clock, January 12, 1902.

The writer has passed many pleasant hours in the hospitable homes of Mr. Sweatt. Mr. Sweatt, with Mr. John Chambers and Mr. John English, both of whom have passed away, were active businessmen in the early founding of our county, men of ability and business integrity. Of the members of Mr. Sweatt's boyhood home in Vermont three remain: Mr. Fred Sweatt of Fargo, North Dakota, Mr. Wm. Sweatt and Mrs. L. S. Frasy both of Riverside, California. Three are gone and three are living.

Mr. Sweatt left one son by his first marriage, Mr. Charles Sweatt, well known and highly esteemed in both Mitchell and Osage, who for months past has given his father tenderest care, leaving his wife and two little sons in California to come and minister to his aged parent.

The Reverend Jay A. Laphrm had charge of the funeral services, assisted by Rev. M. Green of Mitchell, and Rev. D. I. Coon of Osage. The text of the sermon was Job 14:14, "If a man die shall he live?" Mr. Fred Sweatt of Fargo, and Mr. Charles Sweatt of Minneapolis, a cousin, were present.

A very large audience from Mitchell, West Mitchell, Osage and Rock were present to pay their last respects to one of our oldest settlers. At the cemetery the Modern Woodmen, of which order Mr. Sweatt was a member, had charge of the burial.

Osage News

January 1902

[Transcribed by Kathy Pike, September 2, 2003]