Arthur Swift

Arthur Swift
Texas House, First Congress
In office 1846–1847
Personal details
Born	1812 Virginia, USA
Died	1855 Seguin, Texas
Political party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Margaret Baker, Philadelphia Borden
Co-founder of Seguin, Texas

Arthur Swift (1812–1855) was a 19th-century Texas merchant, surveyor, political and military figure. He along with Rangers Mathew Caldwell and James Campbell were founders of Seguin, Texas and a member of Callahan's Gonzales-Seguin Rangers and a participant in the Texas–Indian wars. He served as a Texas State Representative for Gonzales-Guadalupe County.

Early life and family

Arthur Swift was born in 1812 in Virginia. He moved to Tennessee as a young man, but walked all the way to Texas, when the real estate market turned sour. In 1837,^[1] he ended up in Gonzales, Texas.^[2]

Career in Texas

In 1838, Swift became one of the founders of Walnut Springs,^[3] a new town in Gonzales County, Texas.^[4] During this time, he was able to purchase large tracts of land in the area. In Gonzales County, he assisted in legal matters and represented clients and was soon appointed Tax Collector, Constable and Clerk in 1841.^[5] He was performing surveys as early as 1838 and later was Gonzales county surveyor from 1840-1844.^[6]

Texas Republic Ranger

In 1841, Swift would serve under James Hughes Callahan,^[7] as a Gonzales Ranger^[8] during the Texas-Indian wars and again with Benjamin McCulloch's volunteers the same year.^[9] His partner James Campbell, had been killed by Indians the previous year.^[10] Caldwell would go on serving the city of Gonzales, while Swift, although serving Gonzales, concentrated his efforts in Seguin; purchasing the lands of his partners. In 1842, San Antonio would be overrun twice, by Santa Anna's forces. During March 1842, the citizens of San Antonio would seek refuge at Manuel Flores Ranch in the city of Seguin, Texas.^[11] Here, a counterattack was planned and Arthur Swift was a Captain of the party that pursued the army of Ráfael Vásquez.^[12] Again in 1842 when Adrian Woll invaded Texas, Arthur Swift would participate at the Battle of the Salado as Second Lieutenant with Mathew Caldwell's resistance forces.^[13]

Businessman and politician

In 1846, Guadalupe County was organized through efforts by Swift.^[14] Swift would serve as the first Texas State Representative^[15] for Gonzales-Guadalupe County and had introduced the bill that organized the new county.^[16] He was married to Margaret Baker, daughter of Judge James McCulloch Baker,^[17] and they soon had 4 children. They had a limecrete style home built in Seguin, Texas, operated a ferry on the Guadalupe River and ran a general store in the town. He was also influential in the organization of the schools and First Baptist Church of Seguin.^[18] In 1855, his real estate and merchandise holdings were estimated to be worth around $250,000.

Later life

Swift's first wife died around 1853 and in February 1855, Swift would marry Philadelphia Borden, the daughter of Gail Borden, however tragedy struck again and a month and ten days later, in April, his life was taken by a fever. James McCulloch Baker^[19] was appointed as administrator of Swift's estate, by the Guadalupe County Court.^[20] The Baker family would care for and raise the Swift children. Arthur Swift was buried in the Northwest corner of Vaughan Cemetery, in Seguin, Texas.^[21]

Citations

1. The Texas Democrat, 5/20/1846, pg 3
2. Sowell (2010), p. 414.
3. Sowell (2010), p. 415.
4. John Gesick, "SEGUIN, TX," Handbook of Texas Online , accessed June 02, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
5. Gonzales City Officials 1836-1841
6. Gonzales County Surveyors 1825 to Present
7. Russell Woodall, "CALLAHAN, JAMES HUGHES," Handbook of Texas Online , accessed September 30, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
8. Moore (2007), p. 337.
9. Moore (2007), p. 67.
10. Moore (2007), p. 222.
11. de la Teja (1991), p. 116.
12. TAMU, Gonzales Residents, Arthur Swift
13. Moore (2010), p. 63.
14. Vivian Elizabeth Smyrl, "GUADALUPE COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online , accessed September 08, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
15. Texas Legislative Reference Library
16. Sowell (2010), p. 430.
17. Ross Boothe, Jr., "BAKER, JAMES MCCULLOCH," Handbook of Texas Online , accessed September 21, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
18. Gesick, Under the Live Oak Tree
19. Ross Boothe, Jr., "BAKER, JAMES MCCULLOCH," Handbook of Texas Online , accessed January 11, 2012. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
20. Portal to Texas: The Texan Mercury, 1855 newspaper
21. Weinert (1976), An Authentic History of Guadalupe County

References

• del la Teja, Jesus (1991), A Revolution Remembered: The Memoirs and Selected Correspondence of Juan N. Seguin, Austin, TX: State House Press, ISBN 0-938349-68-6
• Gesick, E. John (1995), Under the Live Oak Tree: A History of Seguin, Seguin, TX: Tommy Brown Printing
• Hardin, Stephen L. (1994), Texian Iliad – A Military History of the Texas Revolution, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, ISBN 0-292-73086-1, OCLC 29704011
• Moore, Stephen L. (2006), Savage Frontier: Rangers, Riflemen, and Indian Wars in Texas, Volume II, 1838-1839, Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, ISBN 1-57441-206-X
• Moore, Stephen L. (2007), Savage Frontier: 1840-1841, Volume III, Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, ISBN 1-57441-229-9
• Moore, Stephen L. (2010), Savage Frontier: Rangers, Riflemen, and Indian Wars in Texas, Volume IV, Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, ISBN 1-57441-294-9
• Sowell, Andrew Jackson (orig. 1900; reprint 2010), Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas, General Books LLC, ISBN 978-1-4590-6750-9 Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Weinert, Willie Mae (orig. 1951; reprint 1976), An Authentic History of Guadalupe County, Seguin, TX: Seguin Conservation Society, ASIN B0006YNCNC Check date values in: |date= (help)