[p. 949] a well known citizen and successful farmer of North Beaver Township, residing on his valuable farm of 103 acres, was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, August 22, 1834, and is a son of Jacob and Jane (McGuire) Swisher.
Jacob Swisher brought his family to Lawrence County in 1852 and bought a farm in Little Beaver Township, but he lost all he put into this investment, as relatives of the man of whom he purchased claimed that he was insane, thus forcing Mr. Swisher to go to law to contest his claim. Later, he came to North Beaver Township and bought the farm which adjoined that of his son, Eugenio K., on the south, and lived there until within a few days of his death. He had started to visit a daughter in Missouri, and while on the way fell off the railroad car in the night and was accidentally killed. His wife had died in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Eugenio K. Swisher developed business ability long before he had attained his majority. He raised and bought and sold stock, also did considerable butchering and marketed his meat in Petersburg. Later he entered into the lumber business in connection with Miller and Failor and they operated a saw and planing mill and bending works at Petersburg. Subsequently he became interested in a grist mill business in Enon, which he continued for three years and then traded that for a farm in Portage County, on which he lived for one year. Mr. Swisher was always fond of a little speculating, and when opportunity offered he traded his Portage County farm for one in Milton Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, and resided there for the next five years. He then traded it for a farm in Berlin Township, also in Mahoning County. After about eight years on that farm he traded it for the one he now owns in Lawrence County. Mr. Swisher is considered an excellent business man and his investments are very likely to turn out profitably.
Mr. Swisher married Betsey Jane Hope, who died in 1901. She was a daughter of John Hope and a granddaughter of Adam Hope, who was one of the earliest settlers in North Beaver Township. One son was born of this marriage, William H., who resides with and assists his father. William H. Swisher married Elizabeth Cline. Mr. Swisher takes very little interest in politics. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Petersburg.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
Previous Biography | Table of Contents | Next Biography
Explanation/Caution | Lawrence Co. Maps | Lawrence Co. Histories
Updated: 7 Feb 2002