SAMUEL SWARTZELL was born in Union County, Penn., October 10, 1825, and is the son of John and Elizabeth Swartzell, natives of Pennsylvania and of German extraction. The family came to this State in 1851, and settled in Cass County, but a few years later removed to Starke County, where the father died. His widow remarried, and came to live in this township, but died while on a visit to her daughter at Wolcott, Princeton Township. Samuel Swartzell was reared a farmer, but at the age of twenty learned coopering. In 1848, he came to this State, locating near Royal Center, Cass County, and entering 160 acres of land. In 1849, he married Miss Louisa Snethen, who bore him six children - Alvin B., Abraham, Lydia, Rachael, John M. and Hannah. After losing his wife, Mr. Swartzell, in 1859, married Miss Mary A. Burns, who was born in Union County, Ind., October 15, 1837, and to this union were born eleven children- Elizabeth, Adam, Marion J., Isaac W., Albert P., Jasper F., Martha M., Melissa J., Andrew J., Celestia M. and Ada A. In 1861, Mr. Swartzell sold his farm in Cass County, and came to White, renting land for the first two years, and then buying his present home of eighty acres, which he has greatly improved. Mr. Swartzell had been a Democrat, but on the breaking-out of the late war espoused the Republican cause, to which he still adheres.

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