JOSEPH W. SWAN.

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         Joseph W. Swan, who for more than twenty years has been engaged in general farming and stock-raising in Morning Sun township, was born in the house in which he now lives on the 17th of August, 1850. He is a son of James McConnell, commonly known as “Mack,” and Nancy A. (Rouse) Swan. The father, who was born in Pennsylvania on the 9th of April, 1815, migrated to Iowa in his early manhood, locating on one hundred and sixty acres of government land which he preempted in Morning Sun township, Louisa county, the deed for his land being signed by President James K. Polk.

         The country was very sparsely settled at that time and upon Mr. and Mrs. Swan devolved all of the hardships which usually fall to the lot of pioneers. Their nearest trading post was Flint, which was twenty miles away, and the prairie wolves were so prevalent at that time that often they approached the wagon so closely that it was possible to strike them with a whip. Mr. Swan, who improved his homestead as he was able, felled all of the trees from which he constructed his residence, which is the one now occupied by his son, Joseph W. He placed his land under cultivation as rapidly as possible and engaged in general farming and stock-raising until his death, which occurred on the 27th of March, 1867, at the age of fifty-two years. He was laid to rest in Elmwood cemetery, at Morning Sun.

         Mrs. Swan, who was born in the 20th of January, 1819, died on the 14th of November, 1875. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Swan were born ten children, namely: Rachel, the wife of J. B. Linney, of Linn county, Kansas; John A., who is deceased, Eliza Jane, who married William Buffington, of Wapello; Ellen C., the wife of E. P. Green, of Taylor county, Iowa; Martha, the wife of John C. Leeds, of Oklahoma; J. W., our subject; Wrilla, the deceased wife of J. Delong, of Morning Sun; Laura Bell, the wife of George Horn, of Fairfield, Iowa; and Mary and Arabella, both of whom died in infancy.

         In the acquirement of his education Joseph W. Swan attended the district schools until such time as he had obtained sufficient knowledge of the common branches to enable him to engage in his vocation, which he had decided should be that of farming. At the age of twenty-one years he rented the homestead, . . .

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. . . which he cultivated for two years. At the expiration of that period, however, owing to the state of his health, he was compelled to withdraw from agricultural pursuits. Coming to Morning Sun he became associated with S. T. McIntire in the implement business. He continued to be identified with this activity for ten years, and in 1889 he returned to the old homestead where he has ever since engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He is an enterprising man of progressive ideas and has met with success in his undertakings, especially in the cultivation of his land, one hundred and fifteen acres of which he is now operating. Last year he had twenty acres of the finest corn he has ever raised, the yield being one hundred and five bushels to the acre. Mr. Swan has always taken great pride in his stock, making a specialty of the breeding and raising of thoroughbred shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.

         On the 29th of June, 1871, Mr. Swan was united in marriage to Miss Diana Peasley, a daughter of S. N. and Sarah Ann (Savage) Peasley, who were natives of Athens county, Ohio, in which state her mother died. In 1858 her father came to Iowa, traveling by wagon, and located in Louisa county. His death occurred in Morning Sun in February, 1911. To Mr. and Mrs. Peasley were born three children, as follows: Ann Eliza, the widow of John A. Swan, of Morning Sun; Diana, now Mrs. Joseph W. Swan; and William, who is a resident of Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Swan have seven children, five sons and two daughters, in order of birth as follows: Iona, the wife of P. A. Yohe, of Morning Sun; Warren A., who is a resident of Pottawattomie county, Iowa; Wallace, who is living in Oskaloosa; Leah, who became the wife of Charles Peterson, of Des Moines; Walter, who is a resident of Morning Sun; Guy, who is at home; and Clinton, who is attending business college at Burlington.

         The family worship in the First Presbyterian church of Morning Sun, of which James McConnell Swan was one of the organizers. Mr. Swan, who has always taken a very active and helpful interest in all political affairs, gives his support to the republican party. He is now county constable, and during the period of his residence in Morning Sun served in the capacity of marshal, constable and street commissioner, in all of which offices he discharged his duties in a manner highly creditable to both himself and his constituency. Mr. Swan is one of the representative citizens of Morning Sun township, in the development of which his family has been actively engaged for over sixty years.