| John Swift Dies at Jennings, Kan.
Former Washington Resident Succumbs To Aftereffects of Influenza
John F. Swift, son of Mrs. John Swift, who lives in the
northwest part of Washington, died Saturday evening at his home near
Jennings, Kan., according to word received by Washington relatives. Two
years ago he had a severe illness of influenza, and it had left him
afflicted with tuberculosis, which caused his death.
Mr. Swift was born in this community January 25, 1875. He was
married August 30, 1898., to Emma Brock, and they have nine children,
Irene, Blanche, Madeline, Clara, George, Emmett, Catherine, Gladys and Linus.
Six sisters are living, including Miss Catherine Swift, Mrs.
Carlton Wilson, Mrs. Charles Ragan, Mrs. John Wheelan, Mrs. Leonard
Bailey of Washington and Mrs. Teresa Vastine of Davenport. One brother,
George Swift, and three sisters, Mrs. Mary Sullivan, Mrs. Margaret
Walker and Miss Agnes Swift, are deceased.
Mr. Swift and family moved to Kansas twenty-eight years ago, and
had lived on a farm in the vicinity of Jennings.
(Washington Journal, Washington, Iowa, Monday, March 14, 1927)
Word has come of the death of John F. Swift, at his home near
Jennings, Kan. He died at 8 o'clock Saturday evening of tuberculosis.
His illness began two years ago with a severe case of flu and shortly
after his recovery he contracted tuberculosis. Mr. Swift was the son of
Mrs. John Swift of Washington and he was born and reared in this
community. He was one of a family of 11 children, and he lived on a farm
here with parents thruout his youth. In 1898, he married Emma Brock and
they moved to Jennings about 20 years ago.
Mr. Swift leaves a family of nine children, all of whom are
living. The four oldest are girls and they are married. The next two
sons are 19 and 17 years old, and they live at home, and during their
father's illness have been running their big wheat farm. It is a
distressing thing to see this big family left, when their father was a
comparatively young man, but it is a fine thing that there are these two
boys who will be able to help keep their home together.
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Mr. Swift was here in August for about three weeks, and he
renewed all his old friendships and visited his relatives and enjoyed
the trip thoroly. He was quite exhausted when he returned home, but his
family are glad he has had that pleasant memory of his old home. His
death was unexpected, tho it was known that his condition was growing
rapidly worse. His sister, Mrs. Carlton Wilson, and a cousin who had
been his boon companion in boyhood, went to see him about three weeks
ago, and stayed a few days. But they were assured that the end was not
in sight and returned home.
Mrs. Martha Whalen, another sister who lives on a farm south of
Washington, went to the funeral and his cousins Abe Swift and John
Flynn. John is the fifth member of this family of children to go. Most
of them have left families of young children. He was a great worker for
the community in which he lived; during the war he was an ardent worker
for the Red Cross, and was interested in community enterprises of every
sort. He held a county office at one time, but aside from that his
interests have been mostly in his home. He is survived by his wife, his
children, his mother and his sisters, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Wheelan, Mrs.
Charley Ragan, Mrs. Leonard Bailey and Miss Katherine Swift of
Washington and Mrs. Teresa Vastine of Davenport.
(Washington Democrat, Washington, Iowa, March, 1927) |
