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Swinford, S. C.
The following data is extracted from Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois - East Oakland Township.
S. C. Swinford, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 7; P. O. Oakland; born in Harrison Co., Ky., Oct. 4, 1825, where he attended school until 13 years of age, when he emigrated with his parents to Putnam Co., Ind., where he engaged upon his father's farm until 1844, at which time he engaged for two years farming on shares, and early in the winter of 1847, employed a team to transport himself, family and such goods as he was possessed of to Illinois, where he arrived upon the 17th of February, 1847, having paid out his last dollar to defray expenses on the trip, his only capital then being an old blind horse and two colts; with this capital he commenced farming, renting of Robert Graham what land he could work with one team, in what is now known as Ashmore Tp.; in the spring, he walked back to Indiana, and obtained of his father the loan of a wild horse, which he worked to get in his crop, when he returned the same well broke, and for four years was obliged to splice teams to put in his crop; the second year, he rented a farm in what is now known as Oakland Tp., near where he now lives, and in this neighborhood rented land until 1855, since which time he has had all the land of his own he could work; in 1852, he purchased thirty acres of prairie land, upon which he then removed, and where he has since continued to live during a period of twenty-seven years; he has added to the same by purchase as he has been able, until his home farm now contains 200 acres, upon which he has erected good buildings; he also owns upward of GOO acres in other parts of the county; upon commencing housekeeping, he had neither table, chairs nor bedstead; his household goods consisted of a feather bed and some dishes; his first bedstead, for which he paid twenty-five cents, being carried home, a distance of one mile, upon his back. He married Dec. 2, 1844, to Mary A. Rush; she was born in Tennessee Oct. 31, 1824; they have eight children now living, having lost three by death; the names of the living are Coleman T., Francis M., Henry, James M., John W., George R., Sarah E. and Thomas J. Mr. Swinford was first Assessor of East Oakland Tp., which office he has filled for several terms, as well as the office of School Director and Trustee.
Source: Biographical Sketches, Coles County, Illinois - East Oakland Township
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