Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 86

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932

USA > Indiana > Memorial record of northeastern Indiana > Part 86

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

the maiden name of Elizabeth Rogers, and is the only daughter of George and Rebecca Rogers. She became the mother of five chil- dren, three sons and two daughters, name- ly: Alice, wife of W. C. Heckman, of Wash- ington, District of Columbia; Hessie, de- ceased wife of Charles Mccullough Bond, of Fort Wayne; Samuel D .; Horace W., now in the West; and Charles H., secretary of the Auburn Foundry & Machine Works.

From this brief mention of his parentage and family history we turn for a glimpse at the life of our immediate subject. He was born at the old Horace Hanna homestead in Fort Wayne, August 19, 1864, and was educated in the schools of that city. He was graduated at a German Lutheran school, and then entered high school, where he pursued his studies until within a month of the time of his graduation. In 1882, at the age of eighteen, he secured a po- sition with Combs & Company, iron man- ufacturers of Fort Wayne, and remained in their employ for five and a half years. During the two years and a half that followed this period he was in the em- ploy of Alderman, Yarnelle & Company, and in 1889 he severed his connection with that firm and came to Auburn, where he has since maintained his residence. Here he purchased stock in the Auburn Foundry & Machine Works, and at once became general manager of the establishment. While under his able supervision the business has increased to five times its volume of that of many years ago. This firm manufactures the Acme road graders, Ideal variable sawmill feed, sawmill machinery, pumps, engines and boilers, also deals in general sawmill supplies and carries on a repair shop.

S AMUEL D. HANNA, general man- ager of the Auburn Foundry & Ma- chine Works, of Auburn, Indiana, is an enterprising and thorough-go- ing business young man, and is a represent- ative of one of the oldest and most dis- tinguished families of northeastern Indiana. His grandfather was Judge Samuel Hanna, one of the venerable pioneers of Fort Wayne and Allen county. Horace H. Hanna, his father, was born in Fort Wayne and was one of the founders of the Bass & Hanna Foundry of that city. After a brief but active and useful life he died there, at the age of thirty-three years. Mr. Hanna was united in marriage with His wife, the mother of our subject, bore | Miss Minnie Kemp, daughter of Edgar Kemp,

789

NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

of Fort Wayne. They have had three children, a son and daughter now living, and one child who died in infancy. Mr. Hanna is a member in good standing of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the Masonic order, having taken the Knight Templar degrees in the latter. A young man of high moral integrity and more than ordinary business ability, he has won an enviable place in the estimation of the people of Auburn.

IEUTENANT-COLONEL WILL- IAM SWAIM, deceased, made for himself in life a record that is worthy of preservation in the an- nals of the country, a record in which his descendants may take a just pride. He was born at Jacobstown, Burlington county, New Jersey, March 4, 1819, the second son of James and Elizabeth (Turner) Swaim, His grandfather, William Turner, was a zealous patriot in Revolutionary days, and fought in the struggle of this country for in- dependence. James Swaim died in 1826, leaving a widow and five children: William, Martin, Tanton, Achsah and . Hannah. William Swaim was then seven years old; after his father's death he was sent to a farm where he undertook such work as usu- ally falls to a lad of his age. Desiring to master a trade rather than to follow agri- culture, at the age of sixteen years he was apprenticed to learn blacksmithing, the pe- riod of his apprenticeship not expiring until he had attained his majority. His oppor- tunities for acquiring an education were very limited, but he was a careful and faithful reader, and by this means gained a valuable fund of information. Having spent four years in acquiring a knowledge of his trade, at the end of that time he was competent to

undertake an independent business. He formed a partnership with his brother, Tan- ton, and turned his attention to the manu- facture of carriages at Pemberton, New Jersey.

Colonel Swaim was united in marriage December 28, 1844, at Wrightstown, New Jersey, to Miss Hannah Toy, a daughter of Thomas and Rachel Toy. The result of this union was five children: James, born November 28, 1845; Jennie Leona, Septem- ber 23, 1850, now the wife of Dr. A. H. Metts, of Ossian; Charles Edgar, June 30, 1856; David Hathaway, September 17, 1858; and William Thomas Toy, April 1, 1861; all are living excepting Charles Edgar, who died when an infant of nine months, and William Thomas Toy, who died October 6, 1895. The eldest son, James, was a soldier in the late civil war, enlisting September 21, 1861, and served faithfully as a member of Com- pany A, Thirty-fourth Regiment Indiana Vol- unteers; he was mustered out February 4, 1866, at Brownsville, Texas, and reached home February of the same year. He resides at Ossian, Indiana, on his farm, now engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Ce- linda Burnett, daughter of Joseph and Lucy Burnett, of Wells county, and they have four children: Lumley, Jennie L., Sidney William and Edna Hannah. Sidney and Edna are twins.

In 1846 the Colonel removed to the West and settled at Troy, Ohio, where he and his brother, Tanton, established a manufactory of plows. Caught in the enthusiastic sweep of western emigration, he made a trip to Kansas, in 1857, with the intention of mak- ing it his home, but on account of the border troubles returned to Indiana and set- tled on a farm near Ossian, Wells county, where he resided until the breaking out of the

790

MEMORIAL RECORD OF

Civil war. The nation's hour of need ap- pealed to him; noble, brave, and tender- hearted as a woman, his sympathies were quickly touched and brought quick response. Counseling with his wife about their affairs, resources and interests, they decided that he must be spared from his duties to his family and take his place upon the battle-field. He raised a company of volunteers at Ossian, Murray and Bluffton, which was organized September 16, 1861, as Company A, Thirty- fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was made Captain, and February 16, 1862, he was promoted to the rank of Major; he was made Lieutenant-colonel June 15, 1862. The company of men who enlisted under him were zealous patriots, giving their serv- ices to their country with utmost freedom. Colonel Swaim participated with his regi- ment in the battles of New Madrid, Riddle's Point, Yazoo Pass, White River, Grand Prairie, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Raymond and Champion Hills. His views of the sit- uation while in the service are most aptly given in letters addressed to members of his family, extracts from some of which are here appended:

To his wife:

HELENA, ARKANSAS, February 24, 1862.

I do not think things look so dark at this time. As far as I can judge, matters look very favorable to our side. Our forces are moving steadily forward toward Vicksburg at every available point, and sooner or later it must be ours. The rebels at this time, throughout the whole South, are giving back, and our army is on the advance toward their center. War is always slow and must be, to be sure. The Revolutionary war lasted seven years, but I have no idea that this will last half as long; but if it does I say, Fight it out, as this is the great struggle between freedom and slavery. If we fail Liberty will

take her everlasting flight from this part of the world, and leave us in turmoils and war that will not end in our days nor those of our children. I say, Fight them till death, or conquer. I am well aware that our progress is held back by traitors, both in the army and out of it; but they must give back to popular opinion, and to the force of 500,000 men with guns in their hands, determined that traitors shall not rule this country, which was intended for freemen. Our cause is just, and we have the sympathy of the whole Christian world on our side; and if the Almighty ever takes sides in war He cer- tainly is on our side. With such support as this how can it be possible for us to fail? I am tired of war, and a soldier's life does not suit me, as I have often told you; and no man would return home to his family more pleased than I would if the war was honorably settled; but as an honorable man I cannot leave the war at this time, or at any other while my services are useful to my country.

To his daughter Jennie:

RIDDLE'S POINT, April 4, 1862. I can not tell you how long a time it will be before I return home. I may never re- turn. If I do not, recollect that your father was true to the cause of freedom, and that he died in defense of your country. I never expect to return home to stay until the war is over, unless my health fails me (which I hope it will not). When you hear that the war is at an end, then look for me-and not until then.

To his wife:

RIDDLE'S POINT, April 9, 1862.

I think from what I learn that Island No. 10 has fallen into our hands. The next place will be Fort Pillow, about sixty miles below; when that is taken, then Memphis. I begin to think if our forces meet with good success, as they have of late, the war must soon end; but one defeat on the Po- tomac might lengthen it for another year. There are two very important battles yet to

791

NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

gain,-one at Richmond and the other at Corinth, Mississippi.

To his wife:

CAMP NEAR HELENA, ARKANSAS, September 9, 1862.

I must confess the war clouds look very dark; we appear to meet with defeat on every side. I think we have underestimated both our strength and courage, and we have been fighting them too much as though we were afraid of hurting them. Our com- manders will begin to see that they will have to handle them without gloves. If Congress had declared a general emancipation of all the slaves and had gone at them right, the war would have been over before this; but they delayed for fear of offending some few slaveholders in Kentucky and elsewhere.

To his wife:

CAMP WILMINGTON, September 23, 1862.

I sometimes think it will have to be a war of extermination before it can be ended; it is a desperate war, and nothing but des- perate means will in all probability termi- nate it. At this time nine-tenths of the army are for the immediate emancipation of the slaves, believing that it is the only thing that will save the Government from ruin. It must be done and will be, and the sooner the President and all others in command consent to it, just that much sooner will this war end.

To M. Platt, New Jersey:

CAMP NEAR HELENA, ARKANSAS, September 29, 1862.

We have received the President's procla- mation, and almost all are highly pleased with it. It is the only thing that will bring them to terms. The slavery trouble has been the whole cause of this rebellion, and nothing but the wiping out of slavery will ever settle the question permanently. Mark my words: if it is ever settled in any other way we will have the thing to settle in a few years by another war of a more bloody char- acter than the present one.

To his wife:

HELENA, ARKANSAS, February 1, 1863.

The talk is that I will have to be Colonel if he (Colonel Cameron) is promoted to Brigadier-General. God knows that I do not want the place. Would you take it if you were in my place, with all the respons- ibilities attached to it ? Sometimes I think I could fill the place with honor to my conn- try and myself; at other times I cannot have the first idea of accepting such a posi- tion.

To his wife:

IN CAMP NEAR HELENA, ARKANSAS, February 6, 1863.

We have been very busy to-day getting up a memorial to the Indiana Legislature in which we set forth our rights as soldiers and citizens, and ask of them to do nothing to stop the vigorous prosecution of this war, but to urge it forward with all the energy of a patriotic people. We insist that no terms of peace be agreed to that will not be honor- able and lasting, and if any other terms are agreed to we give them to understand that we shall look upon the movers of such terms with scorn and contempt. The document was signed by every officer and nearly every man in the regiment. All Indiana regi- ments are moving in this matter. We wish our friends to understand that we do not en- dorse the proceedings of Northern traitors any more than Southern rebels: of the two the Northern wretches are the worst. We think at this time we have a fair prospect of victory and the final overthrow of that mon- ster, slavery, which has cost us so many lives and so much trouble. Every sensible man and well wisher of his country now ad- mits that it must be destroyed to insure a lasting peace.

To his wife:

MILLIKEN'S BEND, April 15, 1863. I feel that we are in the most righteous war that ever anybody was in, and, if we fall, we fall in a good cause. If we get into

792

MEMORIAL RECORD OF

a fight I expect to do my duty as an officer, and have no stain upon my character nor disgrace upon you or my children. I wish you to act the part of a soldier's wife: take things as they come and be ready for the worst.

In the battle of Champion Hills, Missis- sippi, May 16, 1863, Colonel Swaim led his regiment, but with the shout of victory that went up from the Union side was mingled the hiss of the rebel bullet that took the Colonel's life. The wound was not at once fatal, as he survived until June 17, 1863, when he died on board a steamer on his way to the North. His remains were interred in the burial ground at Ossian, and the spot is marked by a monument that was erected to his memory by the officers and members of his regiment, a fitting testimonial of the af- fectionate regard in which he was held by his comrades.

The following letter from Colonel Cam- eron, with the resolutions of the officers, was sent to Mrs. Swaim:

CAMP THIRTY-FOURTH INDIANA, NEAR VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, July 2, 1863.

MRS. SWAIM, Dear Madam :- You may be assured we were most deeply pained to learn of the death of our esteemed friend, your husband, on the 30th ult., and paused amid the clamor and noise of war to reflect upon our deep loss. He was a true friend, a safe counselor, a generous, noble-hearted man. The more I knew of him the more I loved him, and he has left a place among us which we cannot fill. I deeply sympathize with you in your great loss, but I know our heavenly Father will be your friend and pro- tector.

Enclosed I send you a copy of the pro- ceedings of a meeting of our officers; and the sentiment which is there expressed is en- dorsed by all the men.

James is well and doing well as usual. I am truly your obedient servant, R. A. CAMERON.

At a meeting of the officers of the Thirty- fourth Indiana, June 30, 1863, the follow- ing resolutions were unanimously adopted:

WHEREAS, it has pleased Almighty God in his seemingly severe though just provi- dence, to remove from our midst by death our beloved soldier and companion in arms, Lieutenant-Colonel Swaim;

Resolved, That in his death the regiment has suffered the irreparable loss of a brave, efficient and faithful officer; the country a high-minded, unwavering patriot; the cause of liberty a mighty, uncompromising cham- pion, and society a jewel of sterling worth, whose unswerving integrity and dauntless courage stood out boldly as an example wor- thy of imitation;

Resolved, That in this affliction we sym- pathize with the bereaved widow, orphan children and friends, and with them drop a tear of love and sorrow over a patriot's grave;

Resolved, That while we mourn his un- timely death, we here pledge anew our fidel- ity to our bleeding country, and swear eter- nal vengeance against the infernal dogma of secession and all its upholders;

Resolved, That a copy of these resolu- tions be sent to the family of the deceased.

R. A. CAMERON, Colonel Thirty-fourth Indiana.

I. B. RUSI,

Second Lieutenant, Acting Adjutant.

RS. HANNAH TOY SWAIM, widow of Colonel William Swaim, and mother of the editors and publishers of the Bluffton (In- diana) Chronicle and Evening News, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. H. Metts, at Ossian, Indiana, February 28, 1895. She was born September 14. 1825, at Jacobstown, New Jersey, the daughter

D. H. Swain

795

NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

of Thomas and Rachel Toy. Her broth- ers, Daniel S. Toy, of Sidney, Ohio, and Thomas Toy, of Camden, New Jersey, are still living: her three sisters are deceased. She was united in marriage to William Swaim, at Wrightstown, New Jersey, De- cember 28, 1844. Two years later they removed to Troy, Ohio, where they resided until 1857, when they moved to Indiana and settled on a farm near Ossian.

The days and months, and even years, that followed the declaration of hostilities between the North and South brought many anxieties and hardships and trials to the wife of the soldier. Mrs. Swaim was a no less zealous patriot than her husband, and while he was at the front, exposed to all the dangers of the battle-field, she remained quiet and self-contained by her own hearth- stone, caring for her children and teaching them the lessons of duty to the nation. She was an earnest Christian and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1845. For more than fifty years she had lived in the blessed faith, revered by all who knew her, and was a member of the Women's Re- lief Corps, at Bluffton, Indiana. Although a sufferer for many weeks before her death, she found sweet consolation in her perfect trust in God and in her hope of immortality. Her response to all inquiries of the loved ones about her was, "All is well."

When the end at last came she passed peacefully to her rest. She was surrounded by her children in her last hours, and one brother, Daniel S. Toy, and her nieces, Mrs. Robert Hazlup and Mrs. Milton Ben- nett, were also present. Mrs. Swaim was buried from the Methodist Episcopal church at Ossian, the sermon being delivered by her pastor, Rev. S. C. Norris, and her re- mains being laid away in Oaklawn cemetery,

beside her husband. She was a woman of unusual force of character, and discharged all her duties with a grace and fidelity that won the affection of all with whom she was associated.

0 AVID HATHAWAY SWAIM AND WILLIAM THOMAS TOY SWAIM were so intimately associ- ated in their relations during child- hood and youth, and later in their school life and business undertakings, that to a great extent the history of the one is the history of the other, and the sketches of their lives are combined in one article in this volume.

Both are natives of Wells county, Indi- ana, and were born near the town of Ossian, the former September 17, 1858, and the latter April 1, 1861. They were reared to manhood at Ossian, and left there only when they were ready to embark in business for themselves. They were the sons of William and Hannah (Toy) Swaim, sketches of whose lives appear on pages in proximity. Their father's life was yielded up in the great struggle for the perpetuity of the nation, he receiving a mortal wound in the cruel fight at Champion Hills, from which he died June 17, 1863. Their mother died at Ossian February 28, 1895.

After their father's death, their mother, being desirous that they should have the ad- vantage of better educational facilities, moved to Ossian when the boys were quite young. There they attended the graded schools, completing the course of study in 1879. In the spring of 1879 David assisted Superintendent P. A. Allen in the manage- ment of a select school, and the following year

796

MEMORIAL RECORD OF

was engaged as assistant in the schools of the place, which position he filled with great acceptability. Both the brothers entered the Fort Wayne College in the fall of 1880, but David left before the end of the school to assist Mr. Allen again in a select spring term at Ossian. Thomas remained at the college till the end of the year and graduated in June, 1881. Both engaged in school work during the year 1881-2, David as superin- tendent of the Ossian schools, and Thomas as an assistant in the Bluffton schools. In the work of teaching both were highly suc- cessful and won merited praise for their con- scientious and effective labors.

In the fall of 1882 both entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and pursued the course there without interruption till the spring of 1884, when they graduated with the degree of B. L. With their mother they moved to Bluff- ton September 1, 1884, and engaged in the practice of law under the firm name of Swaim & Swaim. Their career in this line of work was successful and full of promise.

May 1, 1888, they formed a partnership with Asbury Duglay and purchased the Bluffton Chronicle, in connection with which publication both worked with signal success and brought it up to its present high stand- ing. Mr. Duglay died August 4, 1891, and the Swaim brothers then purchased his inter- est in the paper and continued in the work as editors and proprietors.

The Chronicle had its birth in a pub- lication known as the People's Press, Re- publican in politics, and founded in 1855 by John Wilson and Michael Karns. The first editors were Mr. Knox, James Bramegan and James Gorrell. In 1857 Nelson Kellogg became its editor and continued in charge until 1861, with Messrs. Bixler and F. N.

Kellogg as proprietors a part of the time. The first year of the war the paper was changed to the Wells County Union, with W. J. Bright as editor. After a suspension Cephas Hoyt became editor, and he was followed by J. H. Smith. The name of the paper was again changed in 1866 to the Wells County Standard, James Sewell edi- tor. Mr. Sewell was succeeded by A. Col- ton and J. Sewell, and in 1869 the name was again changed to the Bluffton Chron- icle, with S. Davenport as editor. In May, 1873, the publication was suspended for a short time, and was revived by J. W. Ruck- man. He sold it in 1877 to J. F. Pearson, and he in turn disposed of his interest to C. A. Arnold. In 1878 George Arnold and his son, C. A. Arnold, became editors and proprietors. During their ownership the paper was much improved and put on a solid financial basis. Mr. Arnold and his son, in May, 1888, sold the plant to the Swaim brothers and Mr. Duglay.

Since 1888 the paper has been greatly improved. October 1, 1890, the office was removed to its present commodious and convenient rooms in the Arnold block. At that time the paper was changed from a nine-column folio to a seven-column quarto. A new cylinder press and steam engine were added, also a large job press, paper cutter, new type and many other improvements. The paper has been placed upon a higher plane in every respect than it ever occupied before.

In September, 1892, the Evening News was organized by W. H. Tribolet and F. C. Dailey, and in March, 1893, it became the property of the Swaim brothers, and has since been issued from the Chronicle office. It is the only daily at present published in Wells county, is independent in politics and

797

NORTHEASTERN INDIANA.

thoroughly devoted to the best interests of Bluffton.

David H. Swaim was married September 16, 1885, to Miss E. May Gorrell, daughter of James and Mary Ann Gorrell. She was born April 14, 1861, and received her edu- cation in the schools at Ossian, graduating there in the spring of 1881. She entered the Bluffton schools as teacher, and taught continuously until June, 1885, and left her permanent impress for good upon a large number of those under her care during those four years. She is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church and a valued teacher in the Sunday-school. Their only child, Helen, a lovely and promising daughter, was born November 19, 1888.

Thomas Swaim was married July 16, 1891, to Miss Martha Ellen Wells, daughter of James M. and Catharine (Miller) Wells. She was born near Montpelier, Indiana, September 14, 1864. She is the youngest of five children, three sisters and one brother : one sister is dead. Her mother died when she was twelve years of age. She also is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their only child, a daughter, was born May 15, 1892, but died at birth.

In the summer of 1892 the brothers erected their attractive and commodious homes at the corner of Wabash and Bur- well streets. These two residences are counterparts of each other, nicely located, fitted with modern conveniences, and com- fortably, even elegantly, furnished.

January 8, 1890, David was appointed Postmaster at Bluffton, and served in that capacity for three years and two months, discharging the duties of that position to the great satisfaction of the public, while fidelity and promptness marked all his relations with the postoffice department.

David and Thomas both united with the Methodist Episcopal Church while law stu- dents at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and from that time were deeply interested and active workers in the church of their choice. Their connection and work with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Bluffton has been par- ticularly active and effective. Both have had places on the official board of the church, and both have been prominently connected with musical interests. With H. H. Deam and W. A. Marsh, they constituted a quartet, who sang in the church for more than a year with great regularity. Their singing was always an attractive part of the service, and was always highly appreciated by the congregation. The death of Thomas, mentioned later, inflicted an irreparable loss to the organization. Both brothers were active workers in the Sunday-school and oc- cupied positions of great usefulness. David at various times filled the offices of superin- tendent, chorister, teacher and enrolling secretary, which last position he now holds. Thomas filled very successfully the positions of chorister, secretary, teacher and enroll- ing secretary, the duties of which latter po- sition he was discharging at the time of his death.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Memorial record of northeastern Indiana, Part 86

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 932

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 932