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I. JOHN M SWAGER - The earliest genealogical information I have, at this time, begins with John M. SWAGER. John was born in 1832 in Pennsylvania and worked as a "Boot & Shoe Maker" in Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois. He married Rebecca SMITH (b. Dec. 1826) and they had five children:
[John died in 1900 (according to a book titled "Cemeteries of Gallatin County, Il *** A History of the County, Vol. 2, pg.90, written by Glen Miner -first printed in 1979 ). The book also states that John SWAGER and his sons owned and operated a shop in New Haven in 1880 (from the author's possession of an interview, published in 1924) in E. St. Louis at 515 State St. Apparently, something happened to both John M. SWAGER and his oldest son, Warren Washington SWAGER, around the same time, which resulted in their deaths, because Federal Census records from 1990 in Gallatin County, IL. list both Rebecca and Nancy as "Widowed/Head ofHousehold", and the 1900 Ridgway Census list only Charles L. SWAGER (as a shoe repairman) and his wife and children. Although we have been unable to find a death certificate for John, we do have a death certificate for Rebecca, who died on 16 May 1905 and was buried at the Crawford Cemetery in Ridgway, IL.(Gallatin Co.)]. II.WARREN WASHINGTON SWAGER - Warren Washington SWAGER (first son of John M. SWAGER, and my great-great grandfather) was born in 1857 in Sciota Co., Ohio. He followed in his father's footsteps with a career as a "Boot & Shoe Maker" and was also a Farmer. He married Nancy Isabell MATHIS in (Gallatin Co.) Shawneetown, IL. on 9 Oct. 1882. He and Nancy (b. Oct. 1854 in Gallatin Co., IL.) had three children:
[Warren died on 1 Apr 1899 in (Gallatin Co.) Ridgway, IL., and Nancy died in (Zavala Co.) Crystal City, Texas]. II. CHARLES L. SWAGER - Charles L. SWAGER (second son of John M. SWAGER and Rebecca SMITH) was born in 1863 in OH. On 19 Mar 1882,he married Catharine CHAPPELL (b. 1865 in MO), and they had 6 children:
[Charles and Katherine's first son, Charles (Jr.) had a son (William), who lived in Alton, IL (Madison County) when his father (Charles W.) died on 07 Jan 1947. Agnes SWAGER, and her husband (Wm. HAWSIZER or HULSIZER), had a daughter (Helen) and a son (Frankie). Frankie married (?) Berger. Pearl SWAGER, and her husband (Wm. SNELLER), had a "Dray and Storage" business in St. Louis. They may also have had a son. Pearl was buried in the CHAPPELL family plot in Crawford Cemetery - buried near her is her sister, Ziela (1892-94), and a brother,Harry (1894-1910). Fern SWAGER, and her first husband (Oscar NEEL) had a daughter, and one son (killed at age 10 or 12 in E. St. Louis) - Fern, and her second husband (Ray CAPLINGER), had a son (Raymond). The 1850-60 Census of Cincinnati, OH (Hamilton County) lists "SWAGER family and sons" Warren W.(b. 1857) and Charles L.(b.1859). The 1910 Census of E. St. Louis, IL. (St. Clair County) lists Charles L. SWAGER and family as living in the "Village of Washington Park"]. III. PERRY PRICE SWAGER - Perry Price SWAGER (first son of Warren Washington SWAGER, and my Paternal Grandfather) moved to Texas sometime after 1883. He worked as a Carpenter & Painter, and married Maude Vivian STEWART (daughter of Joshua Van Lou STEWART and Lula May HENRY) on 4 Jul 1914 in (Atascosa Co.) Pleasanton TX. Maude (b.2 Oct 1899 in Atascosa Co., Val Verdi, TX.) worked as a Seamstress. Perry and Maude had four children:
[ In the Zavala County Sentinel - Vol.46, Section C, No.44 - dated Friday, Nov. 1, 1957, there is an article which states that Perry Price Swager was among the first settlers of Crystal City. Perry Price SWAGER died on 27 Apr 1969 in (Bexar Co.) San Antonio, TX. His wife, Maude Vivian (STEWART) died on 24 Aug 1964 in (Bexar Co.) San Antonio, TX. Both are buried at the Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in San Antonio,TX]. IV. IVA MAE SWAGER - Iva Mae SWAGER (sister of Perry Price) was born on 12 Mar 1889 in Ridgway, IL.(Gallatin Co.). On 11 Oct 1908, she married Joseph Lewis FORD in Crystal City, TX (Zavala Co.). She and her husband had two children:
[There is also an article (printed in the Nov 1, 1957 edition of the "Zavala County Sentinel", which states that Ivy SWAGGER (name mispelled) and her husband, Joe Ford, where the first couple to be married in Crystal City - and in celebration, the newlyweds were given "10 acres of land and a town lot from a land company". The article reports the fact that the couple were married "in a tent, home of the bride's parents, located near the present site of the City Office" because there was no church in town at the time. Iva Mae (SWAGER) FORD died on 26 Jan 1926 in Crystal City,TX (Zavala Co.)]. V. PERRY WARREN SWAGER - Perry Warren SWAGER (son of Perry Price and Maude) was born on 15 Oct 1921 in Yale, OK (Payne Co.). He worked as a "Handyman" and, on 3 Mar 1945 in (Bexar Co.) San Antonio, TX., married Louise J. McMAHAN (b. 16 Mar 1922 in Madagorda Co., Bay City, TX). Although they had no children of their own, Perry Warren was a step-father to Louise's daughter (Betty Louise) from a previous marriage. VI.ROBERT FRED SWAGER - Robert Fred SWAGER (son of Perry Price and Maude) was born on 7 Jul 1932. He worked as a Radar Electronic Maintenance Repairman at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, TX.(until forced to take a Medical Retirement due to heart problems). On 29 Jun 1951, he married Letitia Jane KING (daughter of Waitus Riley KING and Lola Mildred NUCKOLS) in San Antonio,Texas (Bexar Co.). Jane (b.1 Apr 1933 in Goliad Co., Goliad, TX) worked as an LVN at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, TX. Robert and Jane had four children: (all alive and well at this time).
[Robert F. SWAGER died on 26 Sep 1991 in (Bexar Co.) San Antonio, TX. He had survived nearly 5 years as a Heart Transplant Patient, so his death was sudden and unexpected. Per his wishes, his body was cremated and the ashes scattered around the Hill Country house that he had designed and begun building for his beloved wife. Jane later remarried. So, with the help of her son-in-law (Joel FANNING, husband of Lola Vivian SWAGER), Jane's second husband (Henry PERKINS) completed the house that Robert had started to build. Jane and Henry, along with one of Henry's daughters (Donna) resided in the house untile Henry's death on 28 Dec 1999].
"In Memorial of Robert F. Swager" This branch of the SWAGER line ends here since (to my knowledge) there were no males born after my father (Robert F. SWAGER), and his brother (Perry Warren SWAGER), to "carry on the family name". However, there is a possibility that John M. SWAGER had siblings that we know nothing of. (Please note: This information was originally compiled by Robert F. SWAGER and Letitia Jane SWAGER-PERKINS through Public records and personal knowledge. All the facts are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. However, I cannot vouch for the spellings of some of the cities and counties that are included in this "history".) This page was last updated on: 2:48 PM December 20, 2002 and will be updated as I receive more information on the Swager Family. |
