Nancy E. (Myers) Swaggart (1856-1935)

MYERS, SWAGGART, CHANCE, TIGHT, COCKERHAM, KIRBY, ROGERS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/29/2021 at 22:46:02

From Nevada Evening Journal August 1, 1935 (page 3)

Funeral Services for Mrs. Nancy Swaggart

McCallsburg, Aug. 1--Funeral services for Mrs. Nancy Swaggart, who died at her home here July 27, were held Tuesday afternoon. There was a brief service at the home at 1:00, followed by the funeral at the Lutheran church at 1:30 with Rev. H. N. Bakke in charge. Burial was in the Berlin cemetery in Hardin county, by the side of the husband who died several years ago.

Pallbearers were her grandsons Ernest and Lloyd Swaggart and Myrl, Clair and Myron Cockerham and Lloyd Steelman. The floral offerings were many and beautiful and were cared for by Mrs. Martin Hauskins and Mrs. Jake Mien.

The music was in charge of Mrs. O. E. Ritland who sang as a solo "There will be no tears in Heaven." Then she and her daughter Charlotte sang "The Old Rugged Cross" as a duet accompanied by Mrs. John Helland at the piano.

Nancy E. Myers, daughter of Samuel and Charlotte Myers was born at Benton City, Ia., Nov. 14, 1856 and departed this life July 27, 1935, aged 78 years, 8 months and 13 days. At the age of six months she came with her parents to Story county settling on a farm four miles north of Nevada. In the spring of 1861 they returned to Benton county. After eight years the family came to Grundy county where the deceased grew to womanhood.

There she was married to A. N. Swaggart in 1874. They were the parents of five children, Herbert of Eldora, Bertha, now Mrs. Chance of St. Anthony, Maude, now Mrs. Tight of Marshalltown, Henry of McCallsburg, Ruth now Mrs. Cockerham of Union, eleven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Surviving also are two sisters Lillie Kirby of Junction City, Kan., Rachel Rogers of Sioux City, one brother William Myers of Westmoreland, Kan. One brother and one sister have preceded her in death.

After her marriage the family home was established in Hardin county southeast of Hubbard, where she resided for over 30 years. For over 20 years her home has been McCallsburg.

At the age of 14 years, Mrs. Swaggart became a member of the Melrose Methodist church in Grundy county later transferring her membership to Hubbard of which she remained a member until death.

Her last sickness covered a period of seven months during which time she was a great but very patient sufferer from heart trouble. Never complaining and never giving up hope even until the end.

Among those from a distance in attendance at the funeral Martin Erickson of Story City, Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Shore, Mrs. Megna, Mrs. I. N. Ruddick, Mrs. Charley Rubottom of near the old home in Hardin county, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Apple of Johnson's Grove, Mrs. Henry Steelman and son Lloyd of Hubbard.

Mrs. Swaggaret was born of pioneer parents and grew up in the pioneer environment. It had been mor than 78 years since she first became a resident of Story county making her one of the few real pioneers left. When the family first came here Iowa City was the closest railroad and life was hard. AT the outbreak of the war between the states her father took his family back to be near relatives before enlisting in the northern army.

Mrs. Swaggart carried the spirit of those pioneer days all through life. The care of her home and her flower garden were her greatest pleasures. She believed and taught her children to believe that an effort to apply the golden rule to the daily life was one of the greatest things in life. This she did not forget in the great suffering of her last months as she often worried because she was keeping her children from their homes and work.