No history of Tipton would be complete without extended mention of Charles Swartzlender, who, however, needs no introduction to the readers of this volume. He has spent his entire life here and he has no stancher friends than those who have known him from his boyhood, a fact that indicates that his record has at all times been one worthy of commendation and of respect.
He was born in Tipton, February 28, 1858. His parents were Reuben and Martha (Dale) Swartzlender, both of whom were natives of Union county, Pennsylvania, the former born August 22, 1821, and the latter on the 25th of June, 1831. In the year 1840 Reuben Swartzlender arrived in Cedar county. He lost his mother when very young, and, being one of a large family who must be provided for, he was bound out and thus served until eighteen years of age with a guardian, who removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio. From the latter state he made his way to Iowa and spent the remainder of his life in Cedar county. Several years passed before the state was admitted to the Union and the work of progress and development seemed scarcely begun here. He entered land from the government and with characteristic energy began its improvement. Later he bought and sold other lands, trading and speculating quite extensively in property.
In 1855 he established his home in Tipton, where he engaged in merchandising for a number of years. In fact he was connected with the commercial interests here at different times, buying and selling stores. He was a natural trader and in all of his business affairs met with success, owing to his sound judgment and unfaltering enterprise. He was recognized as a man of marked business ability and energy, and that he enjoyed the unqualified confidence and trust of the general public is shown in the fact that he was frequently called upon to administer estates for others. Probably no other man in the county did such an extensive service of this character as Reuben Swartzlender, and no one ever suffered the loss of a dollar at his hands. Moreover, he was a public-spirited citizen and cooperated in many measures and movements for the general good.
For his first wife Reuben Swartzlender chose a Miss Carl, who died leaving no children. For his second wife he wedded Martha Dale, who removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio with her parents in her early girlhood and in 1838 came with her people to Iowa, remaining a resident of Cedar county until she was called to her final rest in 1865. She was a daughter of Frederick and Katherine (Kester) Dale, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania and spent their last days in Cedar county, Iowa, the father passing away in 1854, while the mother reached the advanced age of ninety-four years, her death occurring in 1884. On coming to the west they settled on a farm five miles south of Tipton and there resided until Mr. Dale passed away, when his widow took up her abode in the county seat. Their family numbered six children: Katherine, the widow of Joseph Knott; Mary, the wife of King Hardman, now deceased; John, who died of typhoid fever in 1854 about the same time as his father’s death; Susan, who died in Tipton in 1904; Philip, who was married and at his death left a family; and Mrs. Swartzlender. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Swartzlender were eight children: Nettie, the wife of A. B. Maynard, of San Francisco; Mary, the widow of R. C. Whitson, of Santa Ana, California; Ella, the wife of C. E. Maynard, of San Francisco; Charles; Martha, the widow of J. H. Coutts, who was president of the City National Bank of Tipton, Iowa, at the time of his death; Walter, living in Wilton, Iowa; one who died in infancy; and Christiana, who died at the age of five years.
Charles Swartzlender has spent his entire life in Tipton and Cedar county, and at the usual age became a pupil in the public schools, passing through consecutive grades until he became a high school student. He afterward pursued a course in the Davenport Business College and, thus well qualified for life’s practical and responsible duties, started out for himself. Subsequently he began farming and at the time of his marriage, in 1883, took up his abode upon a farm on one hundred and eighty-one acres, partially within the corporation limits of Tipton in the southeastern part of the town. He resided there until 1904 and energetically, capably and successfully carried on agricultural pursuits, bringing his land under a high state of cultivation and gathering rich crops as the reward of his persistent, earnest and intelligently directed effort. Soon after the organization of the City National Bank he became one its directors and in January, 1906, was elected cashier, which position he has since filled. He has been active in the management and control of the bank and has proved a courteous, obliging and capable official whose personal popularity constitutes one of the attributes of success for the institution. He still retains the ownership of his farm and is treasurer of the Tipton Canning Factory, which he was active in organizing, becoming its first president. He has ever taken a helpful part in promoting agricultural interests in this part of the state and was president of the Tipton Fair Association, the predecessor of the Cedar County Association.
On the 1st of March, 1883, Mr. Swartzlender was united in marriage to Miss Temperance Richards, who was born in Linn township, Cedar county, April 11, 1863, and is a daughter of Frederick and Jane (Minto) Richards, natives of England, who, however, were married in this county. The father came here about 1840 and the mother arrived in 1846, making the journey in company with their respective parents. Mr. Richards died in 1870 but Mrs. Richards still survives and makes her home in Tipton with her children. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Swartzlender have been born a son and two daughters: Jean, the wife of Dr. W. M. Furnish, who is engaged in the practice of osteopathy in Tipton; Dale, who is a student in the Colorado State University of Boulder; and Elizabeth.
In his political views Mr. Swartzlender is a democrat but, aside from exercising his right of franchise, takes no active part in political affairs. He was secretary of the Old Settlers’ Society for several years and is numbered among the early residents of the county, having for more than a half century lived within its borders. He has therefore witnessed many changes as the work of progress and development has been carried on. His life record is as an open book which all may read. His attention has ever been given to his business interests and to the performance of those duties which each day brings. He has ever been found reliable and trustworthy as well as industrious in the management of his agricultural, commercial and financial affairs, and his many sterling characteristics have won him the unqualified regard and good will of his fellowmen.
