Sutter-Yuba County Biographies


This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm



 
 CLARENCE EUGENE SWIFT
 
A native son who gave of his best efforts and energy to improve and build up his 
city and county was the late Clarence Eugene Swift, supervisor of Yuba County, 
who was one of the most prominent and highly respected citizens of the 
community.  He was born in Marysville, January 2, 1878, a son of John Pierce and 
Abbie (Camp) Swift, pioneers of Marysville, whose interesting life history is 
found elsewhere in this work.
Clarence Swift was reared and educated in Marysville, where his whole life and 
ambition seemed to center.  There was the chief scene of his activities; and 
there he became a successful business man, aiding in the building up of the 
city.  With his brother, the late Frank Swift, and his father, the late John P. 
Swift, he founded the Swift Brothers� planing-mill business in Marysville, which 
for many years was located at Second and E Streets but later moved into new and 
larger quarters at Third and Orange Streets.  He served as a member of the City 
council for two terms, resigning to run for the office of supervisor from the 
first district.  He was elected supervisor on November 5, 1918, and took office 
the following January.  He served as chairman of the board during the year 1921 
and was reelected supervisor in November, 1922.  Supervisor Swift was the 
champion of the American Legion in the Legion�s efforts to erect an auditorium 
as a monument to Yuba County�s soldier dead.  Mr. Swift was a man of kindly 
disposition and numbered his friends by his many acquaintances.  He was always 
ready to lend a helping hand and do his friends a kind turn whenever the 
opportunity offered.
At Spenceville, Nevada County, September 20, 1904, occurred the marriage of 
Clarence Eugene Swift, uniting him with Miss Elsie D. Bowman, a daughter of 
James Bowman and a niece of Gordon Bowman, who was serving as county clerk of 
Yuba County at the time of his death.  James Bowman was born in Lisbon, N.Y., 
crossing the plains to California when a young man, in an ox-team train.  In 
this State he was married to Miss Eliza Jones, a native of Wisconsin, who had 
crossed the plains with her parents when she was five years old, and grew to 
young womanhood in the Linda school district.  They were farmers, and on the 
Bowman ranch in the Rose Bar district they reared their family of eight 
children, seven of whom are still living; and there, too, the father died.  The 
mother survives him, and still lives at the old home, where the deference due 
her as a noble pioneer woman is duly accorded to her.  Elsie D. Bowman, the 
third of the family, in order of birth, was born in the Rose Bar district, Yuba 
County; and her education was obtained in the local school and at Wheatland.  
Three children were born of the fortunate union of Mr. and Mrs. Swift: Virgil 
Clarence, in Marysville High School, class of 1924; Emily May, also in 
Marysville High School, in the class of 1926; and Howard, who is still attending 
the grammar school.  Mr. Swift and his family had gone to Butte Meadows on July 
4, 1923, where they expected to spend a vacation of several weeks.  Mr. Swift 
was then in apparently good health; but on July 6, when he was working on his 
automobile preparatory to returning to Marysville, he was taken ill suddenly and 
dropped to the ground, dying immediately.  His death was a sad blow to his 
family and the people of Yuba County, who mourned his untimely taking away.  In 
an editorial published in the Marysville Democrat, July 7, 1923, appeared the 
following:
�In the death of Clarence Swift, Marysville and Yuba County lose one of their 
best citizens and one who will be hard to replace.  He was taken while in the 
midst of the task that was occupying his greatest attention and to which he had 
been for months devoted�the completion of the plans for building a memorial 
auditorium for the Yuba County heroes who sacrificed their lives for their 
country.  He was stricken even as he was at the task of preparing to return to 
Marysville for a meeting at which the auditorium project was to have been 
considered with the attorney general as to the final legal arrangements.
�Mr. Swift was a good citizen and a clean official.  No one who knew him had 
aught to say against his integrity.  All knew him for an honorable man.  All 
respected him, and all will honor his memory. . . .  Marysville and Yuba County 
. . . will remember him as one who was ever on the square in public matters.�
Prominent in fraternal circles, Clarence Swift was a member of practically all 
of the Masonic bodies, being a member of Corinthian Lodge No. 9, F. & A.M.; 
Washington Chapter, R.A.M.; Marysville Commandery No. 7, K.T.; and Marysville 
Chapter No. 55, O.E.S.  He was also a member of the Marysville Lodge of Elks and 
Court Pride No. 34, Foresters of America.
Since his death, Mrs. Swift continues to reside in Marysville, looking after the 
interests left by her husband and seeing to the education of her three children. 
 She is a member of the Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.
 
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 1057