Individual Details
George Wallace SWANSON
(10 Apr 1850 - 24 Jul 1924)
1 Jun 1850, Salisbury, LaSalle Co., IL, stamped pg. 212:
Edward Swanson, 28 (1821-12) born Indiana, farmer; real estate $1500
Chloe A. Swanson, 25 (1824-25) born Ohio
Julius A Swanson, 9 (1840-41) born IL
John W Swanson, 7 (1842-43) born IL
Henry F Swanson, 2 (1847-48) born IL
George W. 1/12 (Apr-May 1850), born IL
Mary Swanson, 69 (1780-81) born Penn.
Andrew J Meyers, 14 (1835-36), born IL
John H. Swanson, 12 (1937-38), born IL.
Obituary in Porterville Evening Recorder July 25, 1924, said: "AUTO ACCIDENT ON NEARBY GRADE CAUSE OF DEATH" Three Rivers Man Passed Away Last Night As Result of Injuries Sustained On Grade On Foothill Road.J. W. Swanson of Three Rivers passed away last evening at 8:30 at the Porterville Hospital, as the result of injuries sustained Wednesday evening when the car in which he was riding left the grade on the Mountain Home Road, crashing into a tree. Although the injured man was rushed to the local hospital and immediate attention given him no hopes for his recovery were entertained, as it was known he was fatally injured.
Mr. Swanson, with D. A. Maxon of Three Rivers, were returning from Maxon's Ranch 14 miles above Springville when the gears on Maxon's automobile failed to work, losing control of the machine. Maxon attempted to stop it by running into the bank. The car was overturned and both men thrown out.
Maxon, whose injuries consisted mostly of cuts and bruises has been taken to his home in Three Rivers.
Mr. Swanson, who was a native of Illinois, came to California in 1852. Surviving him are his son, W. A. Swanson, with whom he lived at Three Rivers; a daughter, Mrs. Webb Ward, of Playto, Monterey county; a half brother, M. H. Tharpe and a sister, Mrs. Bernard Mehrten."
A funeral notice in the Porterville Evening Recorder 30 July 1924, said: "Funeral services for J. W. Swanson, aged resident of Three Rivers, who died in Porterville recently as a result of injuries sustained when the car in which he was riding left the grade a few miles above Springville, were held yesterday afternoon in Visalia. Mrs. Myrtle Townsend, Christian Science practitioner, conducted the services.
Even though the obituaries say J. W., it has to be G. W. The death certificate is more likely to be correct, and I can't believe that two brothers could have died in automobile accidents the same day and not in the same accident. There are some differences - the death cert said near Three Rivers and this, near Springville. Death cert doesn't mention Porterville Hospital. See the following, however, to support that it is the same man.
A book of obituaries in the Exeter Sun was found at the Exeter Library. It contained this: "THREE RIVERS NEWS - Aug 1 (in pencil is 1924) There are 5 paragraphs above this one.
The passing of Geo W. Swanson, who died July 24, from the results of injuries received in an auto accident, marks the passing of one more of the pioneers of the Kaweah, as he came here, a small boy, with his mother and step-father, the late Mr. and Mrs. Hale Tharp. Mr. Swanson was born, April 10, 1850, at La Salle, Illinois, and came to California when two years old, his immediate relatives in the immigrant train being his mother, three brothers and paternal grandmother. He was married in 1873 to Rachel Fancher, four children were born to this union, two of which died in infancy. He is survived by his son, W. A. Swanson of Three Rivers with whom he has made his home for the past ten years; a daughter, Mrs. Webster Ward of Pleyto, Calif., four grandchildren, a half-sister and brother, Mrs. Fannie Mehrten and N. H. Tharp, and friends legion. Geo. Swanson was one of the..... This article was apparently continued in another column and that wasn't included in this book.
The 4th paragraph says "D. A. Maxon is much improved from the effects of injuries received in his recent auto accident." He was the driver in the accident that killed George W. Swanson.
Edward Swanson, 28 (1821-12) born Indiana, farmer; real estate $1500
Chloe A. Swanson, 25 (1824-25) born Ohio
Julius A Swanson, 9 (1840-41) born IL
John W Swanson, 7 (1842-43) born IL
Henry F Swanson, 2 (1847-48) born IL
George W. 1/12 (Apr-May 1850), born IL
Mary Swanson, 69 (1780-81) born Penn.
Andrew J Meyers, 14 (1835-36), born IL
John H. Swanson, 12 (1937-38), born IL.
Obituary in Porterville Evening Recorder July 25, 1924, said: "AUTO ACCIDENT ON NEARBY GRADE CAUSE OF DEATH" Three Rivers Man Passed Away Last Night As Result of Injuries Sustained On Grade On Foothill Road.J. W. Swanson of Three Rivers passed away last evening at 8:30 at the Porterville Hospital, as the result of injuries sustained Wednesday evening when the car in which he was riding left the grade on the Mountain Home Road, crashing into a tree. Although the injured man was rushed to the local hospital and immediate attention given him no hopes for his recovery were entertained, as it was known he was fatally injured.
Mr. Swanson, with D. A. Maxon of Three Rivers, were returning from Maxon's Ranch 14 miles above Springville when the gears on Maxon's automobile failed to work, losing control of the machine. Maxon attempted to stop it by running into the bank. The car was overturned and both men thrown out.
Maxon, whose injuries consisted mostly of cuts and bruises has been taken to his home in Three Rivers.
Mr. Swanson, who was a native of Illinois, came to California in 1852. Surviving him are his son, W. A. Swanson, with whom he lived at Three Rivers; a daughter, Mrs. Webb Ward, of Playto, Monterey county; a half brother, M. H. Tharpe and a sister, Mrs. Bernard Mehrten."
A funeral notice in the Porterville Evening Recorder 30 July 1924, said: "Funeral services for J. W. Swanson, aged resident of Three Rivers, who died in Porterville recently as a result of injuries sustained when the car in which he was riding left the grade a few miles above Springville, were held yesterday afternoon in Visalia. Mrs. Myrtle Townsend, Christian Science practitioner, conducted the services.
Even though the obituaries say J. W., it has to be G. W. The death certificate is more likely to be correct, and I can't believe that two brothers could have died in automobile accidents the same day and not in the same accident. There are some differences - the death cert said near Three Rivers and this, near Springville. Death cert doesn't mention Porterville Hospital. See the following, however, to support that it is the same man.
A book of obituaries in the Exeter Sun was found at the Exeter Library. It contained this: "THREE RIVERS NEWS - Aug 1 (in pencil is 1924) There are 5 paragraphs above this one.
The passing of Geo W. Swanson, who died July 24, from the results of injuries received in an auto accident, marks the passing of one more of the pioneers of the Kaweah, as he came here, a small boy, with his mother and step-father, the late Mr. and Mrs. Hale Tharp. Mr. Swanson was born, April 10, 1850, at La Salle, Illinois, and came to California when two years old, his immediate relatives in the immigrant train being his mother, three brothers and paternal grandmother. He was married in 1873 to Rachel Fancher, four children were born to this union, two of which died in infancy. He is survived by his son, W. A. Swanson of Three Rivers with whom he has made his home for the past ten years; a daughter, Mrs. Webster Ward of Pleyto, Calif., four grandchildren, a half-sister and brother, Mrs. Fannie Mehrten and N. H. Tharp, and friends legion. Geo. Swanson was one of the..... This article was apparently continued in another column and that wasn't included in this book.
The 4th paragraph says "D. A. Maxon is much improved from the effects of injuries received in his recent auto accident." He was the driver in the accident that killed George W. Swanson.
Events
| Birth | 10 Apr 1850 | Illinois |  | ||
| Census | 1 Jun 1850 | Salisbury, LaSalle Co., Illinois | |||
| Marriage | 10 Apr 1873 | Rachel FANCHER | |||
| Voting Register | 3 Sep 1873 | #2707, 38. His name is shown as Geo. Washington Swanson (not George Wallace), age 23, born Illinois, farmer in Farmersville. - Tulare Co., California | |||
| Voting Register | 3 Sep 1873 | Geo. Washington Swanson, 23, born IL, farmer in Farmersville. | |||
| Census | 1880 | Kaweah & Mineral King Twp., Tulare Co., sheet 42 line 3. Soundex card. George W., 31, born IL, father born IN, mother born OH. | |||
| Voting Register | 12 Sep 1888 | #6342, George Swanson - Tulare Co., California | |||
| Marriage | 8 May 1891 | Tulare Co., California - Mary EWING | | ||
| Death | 24 Jul 1924 | Tulare Co., California | | ||
| Burial | Aft 24 Jul 1924 | Cremated | |||
| Reference No | 1591 |
Families
| Spouse | Rachel FANCHER (1858 - 1942) |
| Child | William A. SWANSON (1875 - 1961) |
| Child | Elizabeth SWANSON (1878 - 1924) |
| Spouse | Mary EWING (1842 - 1908) |
| Father | Edward J. SWANSON (1820 - 1852) |
| Mother | Chloe Ann SMITH (1822 - 1908) |
| Sibling | Julius Augustus SWANSON (1840 - 1919) |
| Sibling | John William SWANSON (1841 - 1910) |
| Sibling | Henry Francis SWANSON (1847 - 1920) |
Endnotes
1. Tulare County Death Records.
2. Tulare County Marriage Records, Bk E Page 527.
3. Tulare County Death Records, #571, 1924.