GEORGE SWALL
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: HAINES, COLLILNS,
was born in La Salle County, Illinois, near Streator, March 1, 1858. His father, Matthias Swall, is a native of Germany, and came to the United States at an early date. He went to New Orleans, where he lived for some time, and was there married to Elizabeth Haines, also a native of Germany, who came to this country when she was a mere child. From New Orleans he moved to Illinois, and in 1865, with his family, moved to California. They sailed from New York via Panama to San Francisco. Mr. Swall located on a ranch near San Jose, where he lived one year; then he took up a quarter-section of government land in the San Joaquin Valley; also bought several sections of railroad land, and followed agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. He made his home there until 1870, when he moved to Salinas Valley, Monterey County, although he did not dispose of his interests in San Joaquin Valley until 1873. In the Salinas Valley he was engaged in stock-raising and in the butcher business, which he continued up to 1875, when he sold out and went South, and is now residing up on a farm in Los Angeles County. They raised a family of eleven children, of whom nine are now living—eight sons and one daughter.
George Swall, the subject of this sketch, was seven years old when his parents moved to this State. He was educated at the public schools and at Heald's Business College, San Francisco. In 1873, or while he was living at home, he learned the butcher business, and in 1875 came to Mountain View, where he hired out to a butcher and worked two years. He then went to Los Gatos, where he worked for L. Johnston one year, when he got the position of foreman and manager of the business. In 1881 he bought Johnston out, taking in a partner, under the firm name of Swall & Smith, which partnership continued two years. Mr. Swall then sold to his partner, and shortly after opened a shop by himself, doing business for one year. He then sold out and returned to Mountain View, in October, 1884, and bought out the same shop where he used to work nine years before. In February, 1888, Mr. Swall erected the building where he is now located, and in May of the same year built the dwelling-house where he now lives.
He was married, August 6, 1882, to Mary Florence Collins, who was born in Santa Clara County, daughter of Perry Collins, one of the old pioneers of the county. They have two children: Lester L., born December 20, 1883, and Mary Ellen, born June 28, 1885. Mr. Swall is a member of Ridgley Lodge, No. 294, I. O. O. F., of Los Gatos. He is a stockholder in the Olympic Hall of Mountain View; also a stockholder in the Mountain View Canning Company. Mr. Swall is one of the successful business men of Mountain View, and has built up for himself a large and extensive trade. He is kept busy nearly all the time, running two wagons, supplying meats, etc., to the community on every side for miles around. What he has is from his own earnings, having had to earn his own way in the world when he first started out, and by saving his earnings from time to time, and constant application to business, he has laid the foundation for a successful career.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 519
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