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DANIEL P. SWISHER,
who is successfully carrying on general farming
on section 16, Goose Creek township, was born on
the 9th of September, 1850, in the state of
Pennsylvania, and is a son of Jacob and
Catherine (Palm) Swisher, natives of
West Virginia and Pennsylvania, respectively,
the former born Apr. 25, 1803, and the latter
Jan. 11, 1805. The Palms were of German
descent, Mrs. Swisher's parents
having come to this country from the fatherland.
The birthplace of the father of our subject was
Stanton, West Virginia, and there he continued
to make his home until about 1840, when he
removed to Pennsylvania. Previous to this
event he had followed the blacksmith's trade,
but he now turned his attention to farming, in
which pursuit he engaged until called to his
final rest on the 11th of August, 1857. He
had nine children, who in order of birth, were
as follows: Sarah Ann Elizabeth,
born Oct. 3, 1824, died July 2, 1825.
William, born Dec. 3, 1827, was
graduated at the Allegheny Medical College at
Meadville, Pennsylvania, and was first engaged
in the practice of his profession at Elmwood,
Illinois, and later at Canton, this state, where
he died in 1881, leaving a wife and one child.
His son, Edwin S. Swisher, is
now a practicing physician of New Mexico.
Mary Eveline Amanda, the third
child of Jacob and Catherine Swisher,
was born Dec. 5, 1831, and died Aug. 17, 1850.
Elmus Josiah E., born Nov. 22,
1834, died in July, 1840. Julia is the
wife of Daniel Billig, who is
engaged in farming near Harper in Harper county,
Kansas. Emily L. is a
resident of Fairview, and the widow of
Jacob Wise, a carriage maker and
trimmer, who died about fifteen years ago.
Jacob James K., who was born in
1843, and died during his service in the Civil
war Mar. 2, 1863. Samuel is now engaged in
the harness business at Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Daniel P. Swisher received a
good practical education in the common schools
of his native state, and made his home with his
mother until reaching manhood, his father having
died when he was only seven years old. In
early life he learnd
the harness-maker's trade at Jamestown,
Pennsylvania, and continued to follow that
occupation until 1873, when he came west and
located a mile west of DeLand, Illinois, in
Piatt county. Here he rented eighty acres
of land which he afterward purchased in 1883,
and although he has since bought and sold a
number of farms, on which he has made his home
for a time, he finally returned to his first
purchase. The farm is well tiled and
improved and is divided into fields of
convenient size by well-kept fences. A
deep well has been made and a wind pump set up,
and the place is supplied with the latest
improved machinery for facilitating farm work.
The family residence ahs been remodeled and
improved and the fields are highly cultivated.
In connection with the operation of his own
land, Mr. Swisher has charge of
his father-in-law's farm of three hundred and
twenty acres.
In
1876 he was united in marriage to Miss
Sarah Ann Wilson, a daughter of
Joseph and Lucinda (Judy) Wilson, and
to them have been born three children:
Gertrude E., at home; Edith
Viola, wife of Charles Marvel,
a farmer of Goose Creek township; and
Grace Anna, at home. The family
are earnest and consistent members of the
Christian Church of DeLand, and Mr.
Swisher also holds membership in DeLand
Lodge, No. 740, I. O. O. F. In political
views he is a Republican.
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