REV. B. C. SWARTS AND FAMILY.

The special census of Cowley County made on February 10, 1870, lists B. C., C. L., C. M., Lizzie, and M. J. Swarts.

One of the early settler families was the B.C. Swarts family. The 1870 Federal census of Creswell Township lists:

B.C. Swarts age 43 born Illinois

Mary J. Swarts age 45 born Kentucky

Mary E. Swarts age 21

Carroll L. Swarts age 17 born Canton, Ill.

Charles M. Swarts age 15 born Abingdon, Ill

Eva Swarts age 13

Helen Swarts age 11 died in 1883

Ben Franklin Swarts age 09

Stella Swarts age 07 died in 1885

Samuel Swarts age 04 died in 1891

Adeline Swarts age 01

The family name is of German origin, but the family has been identified with America since colonial times. Abraham D. Swarts was born near Abingdon, Maryland, in 1782. He married Ann Bond Carrol, of the prominent Maryland family of that name, in 1816. Reverend B. C. Swarts was born in Jefferson County, Illinois, August 1, 1827. His parents were married in Maryland in 1816 and in 1820 crossed the Allegheny mountains in a two-horse wagon, following the old military road constructed several years before. At Wheeling, West Virginia, his father built a flat boat in which the family descended the Ohio River and pushed their craft up said stream to Chillicothe, Ohio, where they spent the winter of 1820-1821.

In the spring they descended down the Scioto and Ohio Rivers to Shawneetown, Illinois. Here the flatboat was sold and they moved to Jefferson County, Illinois.

After one year in Jefferson County, Illinois, they moved to Knox County, all of that part of the state being a wilderness, and acquired a tract of land from which he subsequently laid off the townsite of Abingdon, named in honor of his birthplace in Maryland. He did much to build up that town and give it its fine character as a place of homes, churches, and good schools. Both he and his wife died at Abingdon.

Benjamin C. Swarts was born August 1, 1827, in Jefferson County, Illinois. Mr. Swarts had a very distinct recollection of the Black Hawk War of 1832 and of a very hasty flight one June morning to the ‘Old Fort,’ which was then near where the city of Galesburg now stands.

Benjamin Swarts’ father’s house was a home for preachers of all denominations and many were the services held under its roof. He was converted in his sixth year and united with the church when 10 years old. Mr. Swarts was educated in the district schools and Cherry Grove Seminary, then under control of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was a licensed exhorter at seventeen and when he was twenty began the itinerant life.

Rev. Benjamin C. Swarts was married in 1848 to Mary J. Allison, with whom he lived happily nearly 51 years. She died in 1906 at Arkansas City. In 1855 he was the agent and founder of Hedding College.

In 1861 Rev. Benjamin C. Swarts volunteered in the 55th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as first lieutenant of Co. K., and a year later was commissioned as chaplain, where he remained until his health failed.

In September, 1864, he was appointed presiding elder of the Rock Island District of Central Illinois and then of the Monmouth District. Rev. Swarts came to Kansas in 1869 as one of the pioneers of his church in the West. For a time he was located at El Dorado, and in January, 1870, removed to Arkansas City, where he took up a claim. [This claim is now bounded by Sunset Street [?] on the west, Kansas Avenue on the south, Green Farm road on the east, and Radio Lane on the north.] He broke the first prairie sod in Creswell Township February 16, 1870, and planted his garden February 25; and having subsoiled his breaking, grew a fine crop.

T. A. Wilkinson wrote a letter to the editor of the El Dorado newspaper, Walnut Valley Times, which was printed in the March 18, 1870, edition.

“Our worthy minister, Elder Swarts, knows not only how to instruct us in the ways of truth and religious duty, but also makes his religion practical by his examples of honest industry, which, though they some-times soil his hands and outer garments, never seem to ruffle his well balanced mind; for under all circumstances, one is improved by his presence. He amuses while he interests, blending truth and good humor together in such harmony as to always please while he convicts. He holds a fine claim a half mile from the town site, and having just completed his house, he has offered it as a place of public worship each sabbath until a suitable house can be erected elsewhere. We understand that his standing as minister of the gospel was a very important one in Illinois, from whence he came, he having held the position of presiding elder for several years.

“His daughter, a very fine looking, intelligent young lady, proposes to open a select school as soon as the condition of the town demands it, and from the recent numerous arrivals, that time is not far off. She is also prepared to give instructions in music and painting, and brings a fine piano with her. Having had the pleasure of examining some of her oil paintings, I simply add my testimony to that of many others, when I say they manifest very much artistic skill and workmanship; not only in the choice and blending of colors, lights, and shades, etc., but in the design and general execution of the work. Painting, like poetry, is a natural gift, and those elegant and graceful touches which so much enhance the beauty of a picture, can only be accomplished when the brush is in the hands of one whose mind has an instinctive adaptation to the work.”

Some of Rev. Swarts’s most important work was done as superintendent of the missions of the Methodist Church in Indian Territory. He was a Republican and a member of the Masonic fraternity. In 1890 he was appointed to the Winfield and Arkansas City circuit, which was then in the Kansas Conference. And in 1886 he was presiding elder of the Newton district. In 1889 he was appointed to the Indian Mission Conference as superintendent, where he remained until the next annual conference was organized; at that time he was transferred to the West Kansas Conference. When Mary Elizabeth Swarts, the eldest of the Swarts children, was twenty-one years old, she was eligible to take a claim: and so she did! [Her claim was bounded by Kansas Avenue on the north, Eighth Street on the west, Birch Avenue on the south, and First Avenue on the east.] She is reputed to be the first school teacher in Arkansas City. She married a local attorney, C. R. Mitchell.

Carroll (Cal) L. Swarts found farming dull and turned to the life of a freighter. After six months of this life, he attended a three-month session of school under Prof. H. P. Norton in Arkansas City. He then taught school in Cowley County for five years. He also was a member of the first state militia organized in Cowley County and worked at scouting in the Kansas-Indian Territory. While teaching school he studied law under his brother-in-law, C. R. Mitchell, and became a lawyer in 1881. He was married November 3, 1883, to Miss Susan Lydia Hunt, of Estacado, Texas. They had two children, Mildred Swarts and Leila Swarts Guy, of Winfield. He served as city attorney and later as County attorney. He then served 12 years, 1903 to 1915, as a District Court judge. He died in Arkansas City February 19, 1939.

Charles (Charlie) Milton Swarts was born January 25, 1855, in Knox County, Illinois. He first went to work for the pioneer druggist, E. D. Eddy. He purchased Mr. Mowry’s half interest in the drug store of C. C. Sollitt and W. D. Mowry, in 1886. The drug store was first located at 113 South Summit Street. In 1901 it was moved to 201 South Summit Street (southwest corner of Summit Street and Fifth Avenue intersection). The firm became known as Sollitt and Swarts Drug Store. They were partners for over 33 years. Charles M. Swarts married Alma T. Easterday, of Arkansas City, on June 6, 1883. They had two sons, Ralph and Lawrence. C. M. Swarts died March 3, 1919, in Arkansas City.

Eva Swarts never married and lived in Lawrence, Kansas.

Helen Swarts died at the age of 24 in Arkansas City.

Stella Swarts died at the age of 22 in Arkansas City.

B. F. Swarts, Jr., went into the mercantile business in the state of Washington.

Samuel P. Swarts died November 15, 1892, at the age of 25 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was a printer by trade, having learned the trade years before on the Arkansas City Weekly Traveler.

Item re Samuel P. Swarts...

Arkansas City Traveler, January 21, 1885.

Sam. Swarts, who has been in the TRAVELER force as devil and compositor for over three years, left for Wichita last Wednesday, where he will take a case on the Wichita Eagle. Sam is one of the steady, painstaking young men who are bound to succeed. He has made a fast typo, and by miscellaneous reading of evenings, instead of running around on the streets, has become well posted on almost every topic. He made this change only to learn all branches of his chosen trade. We wish him abundant success.

Adaline married W. W. Burnett, agent for the Santa Fe Railway at Lawrence, Kansas.

To give you a clue as to the Swarts’ family, I went to the Arkansas City Traveler issues of 1878 for some entries...MAW

[PUBLIC SCHOOLS: ARKANSAS CITY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, January 2, 1878.

Friday, Dec. 22, closed the first term of the public schools at this place. The afternoon was very wet and the result was a small attendance, especially in the highest department. We were only confirmed in our first opinion as to the success of the schools. From all the circumstantial evidence produced, we are forced to acknowledge that Mr. Thompson has done well.

Declamations, essays, and the distribution of prizes were the exercises of the evening. We wondered if any of us knew the extent of delight those little presents occasioned. As each one received his or her prize, and marched back to their seat bearing their honors as bravely as possible, we noticed more than one little smile peep out of the corner of their mouths.

We spent just a few minutes in the lower departments. These two departments had edged themselves all into the intermediate department, and were having a fine time. Miss Ela has not mistaken her calling. Full of vim and ambition, she diffuses such a spirit through her school. A sprightlier, livelier set of children are seldom met with than those under the leadership of Miss Ela and Mrs. Theaker. Singing and declamations were the order here also. To the honor of the little ones, be it said, that not one blunder or hesitation occurred. The pieces were well chosen and well delivered, a thing of rare occurrence in common schools. We have thought in our Gypsy imagination that declaiming admitted into common schools ought to be taught as other branches are. Rev. Swarts talked encouragingly, and so passed the afternoon. Altogether, the public schools of Arkansas City are a success. Equal to any and second to none, under the present school system skillfully engineered by able, willing, and efficient teachers.

[THE METHODIST FESTIVAL.]

Arkansas City Traveler, January 2, 1878.

The festival given by the ladies of the Methodist Society, on Christmas Eve, was an occasion long to be remembered by those who attended—and it seemed as if “all the world and his wife” were there. The house was uncomfortably crowded with people, old and young, who had come to partake of the bountiful feast prepared for them, and witness old Santa Claus distribute his presents from the immense tree that stood at one end of the room, literally loaded down with handsome silverware for fortunate wives, valuable books for relatives and friends, besides an endless variety of dolls and toys to make glad the hearts of the little ones.

Supper was served from early in the evening until everybody was satisfied, when the distribution of presents was in order. Mr. Charles Swarts, in snow-white head dress and an overcoat liberally sprinkled with cotton, personified that mythical friend of the children, Santa Claus, and looked like a first cousin to a Polar bear, fresh from the land of the Esquimaux. It would be useless to attempt an enumeration of the presents. Nearly every man, woman, and child received something of greater or less value, to remind them that

“Christmas comes but once a year;

When it comes, it brings good cheer.”

The fancy table was well supplied with ornamental articles, which the fair ladies succeeded in selling to the bachelors and young men as particularly useful to persons situated as they were. The gentlemen in question had no other course than to hand over the cash and pocket the article, but just how an old woman hater was to be benefitted by paying fifty cents for an embryo apron made to pin around the neck, is a problem that remains unsolved.

On this table was a veteran law book, 131 years old, contributed by Judge Christian for exhibition.

Over the table hung a beautiful chromo, donated by Mr. E. D. Eddy, and to be given to the prettiest baby in the room. This question was decided by voting (ten cents for each and every vote, with the privilege of repeating ad infinitum), and resulted in favor of Claire, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Mitchell.

In the contest for the quilt, which was to be given to the handsomest old lady in the room (another dime affair), Mrs. Alexander came out victorious.

The charade was acted very creditably, but the noise of the crowd was so great that few could hear enough to enable them to guess the word. Miss Decou’s surprising efforts at harmony, however, were heard above the multitude.

We understand the Society cleared about eighty dollars altogether, which will be applied to finishing their new building.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 13, 1878.

A donation party will be held at the M. E. Church on next Thursday evening for the benefit of Rev. B. C. Swarts for his labors during the last fall and winter. An oyster supper will be held the same evening at the same place, besides music and other attractions. Any contribution will be thankfully accepted that is needful in a family. Mr. Swarts was the first minister at this place, and one of the first settlers, and has been almost constantly laboring for the good of the church and community since he came. We hope the donation party will be largely attended and freely contributed in.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 20, 1878.

EDITOR TRAVELER: Please say to all whom it may concern that our windows have been received, there will be Sabbath school in the M. E. Church next Sabbath at 10 a.m., and preaching at 11 a.m. No services at night. A general invitation is extended to all interested. B. C. SWARTS, Pastor.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 20, 1878.

Editor Traveler: Will you permit us through your columns to express our sincere thanks, to all who so kindly remembered us on last Thursday evening. The many valuables presented are received as evidences of kindly regard and sympathy. B. C. SWARTS. M. J. SWARTS.

ARKANSAS CITY, Feb. 17, 1878.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 6, 1878.

REV. SWARTS will deliver a sermon on the propriety of church members dancing, next Sunday evening, at the M. E. Church. We have heard a number express an anxiety to hear him.

[HONOR STUDENTS: HIGH SCHOOL.]

Arkansas City Traveler, March 6, 1878.

AM JUST GOING TO LIST NAMES:

GIRLS: Annie Norton, Mattie Mitchell, Emma Mitchell, Nellie Swarts, Mary Theaker, Linnie Peed, Linda Christian, Flora Finley, Laura Gregg, Susie Berry, Mary Wintin, May Benedict, Carrie Benedict, Carrie Cramer, Sarah Randall, Mary Holloway, Stella Swarts, Mollie Christian, Clara Morgan, Annie Brown, May Hughes, Emma Theaker, Albertine Maxwell, Annie Hutchinson, Belle Birdzell.

BOYS: Jerry Adams, Lewis Coombs, John Parker, James Lorton, Fred. McLaughlin, Peter Trissell, Charles Holloway, Harry Finley, Willie Edwards, George Berry, Benny Dixon, Alvin Hon, Sammy Swarts, Frank Randall, Charlie Randall, Linton Hunt, Frank Swarts, Charles Swarts.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 13, 1878.

The sermon announced to be delivered by Rev. Swarts last Sunday, on the subject of dancing, was not delivered on account of his sickness.

Excerpt...

[COMMUNICATION FROM “ANONYMOUS”—PLEASANT VALLEY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, March 13, 1878.

PLEASANT VALLEY, March 6, 1878.

Rev. Swarts preaches every alternate Sabbath at 2 o’clock p.m., at the Pleasant Valley schoolhouse.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 1, 1878.

REV. SWARTS, on Sunday evening, delivered his lecture on dancing, at the M. E. Church, but we have not heard of any violins being destroyed in consequence thereof. The Reverend in his discourse stated many things that no sensible person will deny: That boisterous excitement, reveling, lascivious conduct, and such like are inconsistent with the walk and conversation of a professed Christian and contrary to the Christian character. So is cheating, lying, jesting, and as Paul says, “are all vain, idle, and filthy conversation,” that a great many good men indulge in occasionally. It will not be denied that a voluptuous young woman in a low-necked dress and bare arms will create a queer sensation in the opposite sex, whether in a ball room, parlor, or even at a church festival or parochial visit, but dancing is not the cause of it. That anything can be carried to extremes, there is no question. The best and purest institutions or recreations can be made hurtful, and anything that is hurtful is wicked; and that which is wicked is sinful, by purity of reason. It is hard to put old heads on young shoulders, and young heels full of life and vitality will kick up once in a while. We say, let them kick.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 1, 1878.

Sweet Potato Plants in any quantity for sale. Orders for 5,000 delivered in any part of the county by Chas. M. Swarts.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 8, 1878.

C. L. SWARTS has commenced reading law under the instructions of Hon. C. R., familiarly known as “Bob” Mitchell, and we bespeak for him an honorable and successful career. We shall watch our friend’s progress with interest, and are confident that in after life he will be classed with the

“Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog

in public duty and private thinking.”

Arkansas City Traveler, May 15, 1878.

The Winfield Telegram says the majority of the young people of that place agree with Rev. Swarts on the subject of dancing, rather than with the editor of the TRAVELER. We are free to confess we may be in error. Winfield has a class of exemplary citizens, and while we may differ from the Reverend, there are many in our town and vicinity who believe him to be right. We are not a Pope by any means, and not infallible.

[CORRESPONDENCE FROM B. C. SWARTS: ABOUT SNAKES.]

Arkansas City Traveler, July 10, 1878.

Editor Traveler: Do you like to hear of snakes? I confess to a decided dislike for these slimy, disgusting reptiles. But there is one pleasant feature, at least, connected with this subject—that is, they are becoming less numerous each succeeding year.

They have not been so numerous in this county at any time since its settlement, as in many other parts of Kansas, especially west and northwest of us; nor have they been as numerous at any time as they were in the first settling of Central Illinois. Casualties are less frequent than in many other parts of the country.

While I resided in Reno County, Kansas, there were at least eighty persons bitten within a radius of about five miles of Hutchinson, three persons dying from this cause during one summer.

Since coming here, eight years ago, I have only known of two snake bites in the county, no death resulting.

One day last week, while C. M. Swarts was opening some shocks of wheat to dry, in taking up a “bundle” he caught hold of a “viper” or “spreading viper,” as it is sometimes called, from the faculty they have of flattening the head and near half the body.

It at once struck his hand with great fury, but seeing the snake in the act of striking, he withdrew the hand so quickly as to escape the intended blow, the snake seizing, in its rage, its own body, near where the hand had rested an instant before; and inflicted a severe wound, causing the blood to flow pretty freely from it.

It seemed infuriated by its failure to strike its intended victim, and maddened by pain, it at once assumed an attitude of battle, flattening its head and half the length of its body. It seemed the incarnation of evil, and might well have been selected as the figure of all that is malicious and hateful. It raised its head several inches from the ground, moving along upon the unflattened portion of its body almost half erect, struck boldly to the attack, hissing spitefully, its eyes glaring, and its tongue playing with almost the rapidity of lightning, its enormous mouth wide open, apparently intent upon wreaking vengeance upon its victim. This attitude and behavior continued about one minute and a half, when it suddenly rolled over upon its back, gasping two or three times convulsively, and then was still, apparently quite dead, the victim of its own venom. B. C. SWARTS.

Arkansas City Traveler, July 17, 1878.

WE’VE DONE IT AGAIN. This time it is a minister who seeks redress. In the snake story, published last week, the article as printed read that, within a radius of five miles eighty persons had been bitten by snakes, more or less poisonous, during a period of one year.

Well, that sounded pretty big, but when we considered the character of the gentleman who said so, we were content to let it pass. And now Rev. Swarts comes pitching into our sanctum and, “with blood in his eye,” declared he wrote it eight persons, and wanted to see the copy and compositor. We showed him the copy and when he triumphantly pointed out to us that there was nothing after the eight, we endeavored to prove to him that the printer was right, after all—that 0 after 8 made 80; but it was no go, and so we reluctantly take it back. There were only eight persons bitten (more’s the pity), and the Reverend may go to conference next year with a clear conscience.

Arkansas City Traveler, August 28, 1878.

A party of Rev. Swarts’ family with Mr. Tathum visited Kaw Agency last week. They had to drive about 15 miles without water.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 18, 1878.

Rev. Swarts preached at Winfield last Sunday.

Arkansas City Traveler, October 24, 1878.

There will be a meeting of the Ladies’ Society of the M. E. Church at the residence of Mrs. Gibby, on Friday afternoon of this week at 2 o’clock. A full attendance is especially requested, as it is the desire to re-organize the Society on a working basis. By order of the Committee. EVA SWARTS, Secretary.

One of the Swarts children was included in a book...

1901 BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

[JUNE 19, 1870] PAGE 502.

CARROLL L. SWARTS, an influential citizen of Arkansas City, gained considerable prominence throughout Cowley County as an attorney-at-law, and was a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of the county.

Carroll L. Swarts was born in 1852, in Fulton County, Illinois, a son of Rev. Benjamin C. Swarts.

Rev. Benjamin C. Swarts was born in Jefferson County, Illinois, near Walnut Hill, August 18, 1827, but his educational training was obtained in the schools of Knox County, Illinois, which he attended many years in his youth, his parents having moved to that county in 1829. After leaving the public schools, he attended Cherry Grove Seminary, pursuing advanced studies. On December 6, 1846, he commenced preaching, his first charge being in Mercer County, Illinois; in the following year he joined the Rock River Conference. After many years spent in the ministry in Illinois, he decided to locate in the West. Leaving Abingdon, he went by rail to Burlington, Iowa, and thence drove through to El Dorado, Kansas, which point he reached December 1, 1869. He remained at that place until January 19, 1870, when he moved to Winfield, and on the following day camped on what is now the park, at Arkansas City. On January 21, he staked out a quarter section claim, half a mile northeast of the city, in what is now Creswell Township, and there had his residence for many years. For the first three months he lived in a tent; this was succeeded by a log house, 18 by 19 feet in ground dimensions, and a story and a half high, which he built of cottonwood logs, obtained from the banks of the Walnut River. White settlers were very scarce at that early day, and on each side of him camped the Indians--250 being on the east, and 300 on the south of Mr. Swarts. On February 16, 1870, he plowed the first furrow in Creswell Township, sub-soiled a fourth of an acre of land, and planted a garden, consisting of beans, peas, potatoes, and other vegetables. He struck the first water in his community and helped to build the first house in Arkansas City, Prof. H. B. Norton being the owner. He was the first to conceive the idea of connecting the Walnut and Arkansas Rivers by a canal, to secure water-power for manufacturing purposes, a project which was fulfilled many years after he became a resident of the community. During all this period, he continued to devote much of his time toward preaching, and shortly after arriving in Kansas became a member of the Kansas conference, and also of the Southwest Kansas conference, that was organized later. He was the first pastor of any denomination in Arkansas City, where he located eighteen months before any other regular pastor entered the field. Although he subsequently occupied the pulpits of various churches at different points, he nevertheless, held Arkansas City, as his home. In 1889, he was transferred to the Oklahoma conference, and until 1892 served as superintendent of church missions of the Indian Territory. He then served as pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Kay County, Oklahoma, which was established in 1893.

Rev. Benjamin C. Swarts was married September 19, 1848, to Mrs. M. J. (Patrick) Allison, and they reared the following children: Mary E. (Mitchell), deceased; Carroll L.; Charles M., of Arkansas City; Eva; Helen, deceased; Benjamin F., of Red Rock, Oklahoma; Stella and Samuel P., deceased; and Adaline, of Arkansas City.

Carroll L. Swarts obtained his early schooling in Illinois, and later accompanied his parents to Cowley County. He resided upon a farm in Creswell Township until 1887, and during the winter months was engaged in teaching school. Having decided upon his present profession, he entered the office of C. R. Mitchell to pursue his studies along that line, and in 1881 gained his admittance to the bar. He began at once to practice in Arkansas City, where he soon came into prominence as one of the leading lawyers of Cowley County. He continued to reside in Arkansas City--with the exception of the period from 1887 to 1891, when he occupied for two terms the position of county attorney, which made it necessary for him to live in Winfield. In 1897 He was a candidate on the Republican ticket for district judge, but was defeated by Judge McBride, in a strong Fusion district, by but a small majority. He always adhered to the principles of the Republican party and was one of its most active leaders in Cowley County.

Carroll L. Swarts married Susie L. Hunt, and they had two children in 1901: Lena N. and Mildred A.