Mills County, Iowa

Silver City Community History
1879 - 1979

GEORGE SWARTS

First Mayor of Silver City

George Swarts was born November 26, 1826 at Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, son of Peter and Susan Dolph Swarts. He lived in Erie County, New York, Wayne County, Ohio and Allen County, Indiana before settling in Mills County, Iowa.

In 1849 he married Margaret Johnson, who died 1868. They had one son, William C. and five daughters: Emma (Mrs. Best), Alice (Mrs. Asher), Laura (Mrs. Doner), Sarah (Mrs. Foster) and Clara (died young).

Mr. Swarts remarried in 1870 to Amanda Johnson Doner, a sister of his first wife. They had one daughter, Kate who married E.H. Scott of Council Bluffs. Mr. Swarts was a trustee of Ingraham Township and the first Mayor of Silver City.

In the first election, George Swarts and L.W. Huffaker tied for Mayor. They drew straws to determine which would become Mayor. George Swarts drew the winning straw so he became the first Mayor of Silver City, 1883. Mr. Swarts died June 9, 1902.

~submitted by Roseanna Zehner & Darlene Jacoby