THE VALLEY OF HEART's DELIGHT
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JACOB SWOPE, JR.
SURNAMES: LONG, HAUN
Bio-Pen Pictures
The subject of this sketch resides upon and owns a fine tract of 110
acres, situated at the junction of the Kifer and Coffin roads, in the
Jefferson District, three and one-half miles northwest of Santa
Clara. Thirteen acres are in strawberries of the Longworth and
Sharpless varieties, and onions are quite extensively raised.
These two products, with that of a small orchard, form a small part of
the yield of this large farm, the principal part of the yield of this
large farm, the principal part of it being in hay and grain. Mr.
Swope also pays considerable attention to the raising of stock
including some fine draft horses, among which may be noted a beautiful
stallion of the Percheron breed, which is but three years old and
weighs over 1,700 pounds.
Mr. Swope dates his birth in Boone County, Kentucky, September 27, 1829. (A sketch of the lives of his parents precedes this sketch.)
In youth he was trained in agriculture, and he has made it his life
work, taking in connection with it stock-raising. In 1849
he crossed the plains with his brothers, Thomas and John, and
soon after his arrival went to mining in El Dorado County. He
worked in the mines in various parts of the State for about two years,
and then returned to Platte County, Missouri, and purchased a farm, to
the cultivation of which he devoted a year or two. Removing to
Clinton County, Missouri, he there engaged in farming and stock-raising
until, in 1864, he again made the overland trip to California.
During the following year he became a citizen of Santa Clara County,
purchasing the property which he now owns.
While living in Missouri, he married, in 1853, Miss Polly H. Long, the
daughter of Reuben Long, of Clay County, Missouri. From this
marriage were born eleven children, of whom ten are living.
William T. married Miss Ella Haun, and lives in Montana; Margaret A.,
born in 1856, makes her home in Santa Clara; Edwin born in 1857, and
Harriet H., born in 1860, live respectively in Montana and Santa Clara;
Mary, born in 1864, and Clara, born in 1866, reside in Santa Clara,
while Jacob W., Emma, Susan, and Reuben K., born respectively in 1862,
1867, 1869. and 1872, are members of their father's household.
Politically Mr. Swope is a Democrat of liberal views.
SOURCE: 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. page 470-471
transcribed by cdf