The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-03-06
Col. Swallow, of the Barnes House.
he subject of to days illustration a

The subject of days illustration
sELF-MADE MAN.
is gentleman whose facial development and al
dermanic physique have only equaled his pro-
verbal qualities for urbanity and integrity. We
refer to Col William Kendall Swallow, the pop.
ular proprietor of
THE BARNES HOUSE,
located on the corner of Randolph and Canal
streets.
Col Swallow was born in Dunstape Mass
Dec s, 1896 and during his boyhOod, clearly in
dicatng an aptness, coupled with ambition, for
scientific position. the acme of which the states
men of the Hub had attained, young Swallow
reached out, and with the limited means at his
command, made rapid strides towards the goal
of his aspirations; but the tide OF currency which
sometimes refuses to how checked his educa
tional pursuits, and he secured
CLERKsHIP
in wholesale grocery. in Charleston, Mass. Al
the end of one years service in that capacity he
accepted the position of passenger conductor or
tlc Fitchburg Railroad, leading out of Boston
he then being only 10 years Of age. During eight
years of faithful service in that position, foul
years of which he had the General Superintend
cncy of the Middlesex Hotel, at Concord, young
swallow rose in the esteem of his fellow citizens
and upon leaving the Railroad was presented
with the finest
SILVER TEA SERVICE
that Boston could produce--l1 pieces in number
In the year 1858 he married the highly inteli
gent aud accomplished Miss Elizabeth " alcott
the bosom friend and pupil of Ralph Waldo EN-
erson Col. Swallow resigned railroadng to nc
Ccpt most lucrative position as General Super
ntendent of two cotton mills at East Jatfrcy
\. H. BE it here said that of the eight years OF
the Railroad and three years in the Gotten mills
eleven years in all, he
NEVER LOST DAY.
By this time the Colonel had amassed yer,
handsome fortune, but through the crash of 1855
he lost upwards of $4,000. Nothing daunted
believing with Shakespeare that he who steals
my purse steals trash Col. Swallow
WENT TO MOBILE AND SAVANNAH,
where he spent the winter of 81 and IS shippin!
cotton, finding it highly remuneratve. Theme
he came to Rantoul, Champagne Co, His. wher
he was soon spotted and unanimously chosen
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE,
and became Notary Public and Councillor a
Law. As a Magistrate he never failed to ami
caby adjust all differences between the citizens
of that county, eXhausting every effort in tina
direction before cOnsenting to trial. His ef
forts in harmonizing misunderstanding won 10
him the
HIGHEST ADMIRATION OF ALL PARTIES,
and as an evidence of that Appreciation, siren
uous effort was made to induce him TO take
seat ia the Legislature, which honor Col Swal
low earnestly and peremtorily declined. Ih
second year of the war he was appointed
INSPECTOR OF CUSTOMS
ard Deputy Collector o. Internal Revenue, a
Memphis, by Hon. Hugh Mccullough, Secretary
Of the Treasury. This trust he faithfully per
formed for four years, retiring with the hes
wishes Of all with whom he had business rcla
tons,
He then became connected with the wei
known house of \. T. Mercer & Co., largely en-
gagged in the cotton traffic. The firm amassed
fortune,
\ IN ONE DAY REALIZING $4,000 PROFIT,
but through the contingencies of war and re
verses to Federal arms, lost all they had made
At the close of the war Col. Swallow was i
the Quarter Masters department, under Gen
Cleary. He then returned to Rantoul, and RI
manned there until 1870, when prompted TO a
Identification with Chicago and her interests; h
u CAME TO THE GARDEN CITY,
and sought the purchase Of the MassasOit HOus'
h While this negotiation was pending, he took
position as Clerk in the House, but Mt the exp
ration CT one year he secured the Barnes Hous
then very inferior retreat for stranScrs-an
worse yet for citizens at home" The Colon,
went to work and soon
I TRANSFORMED THE BARNES,
making extensive improvements, newly fittin
and furnishing throughout, that to-day
stands on an equal footing with the best hOte
OF Chicago. Col. swallow was alsoa
VICTIM or THE coSFLAGRATIoS
of October 9th, losing superb homestead on Il
North side. While the flames were still in pre-
gress, Col. Swallow opened his doors TO the hui
cry sufferers, without money and without prlc
crOwding his Hotel TO its utmost capacity wit
an incOngruOus crowd Of
GRATEFUL MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
In conclusion we may add that Col Swallo
has been urged to accept control of
NEW AND ELEGANT HOTEL
that Is TO be rebuilt on the south side this seasO
and partial promise in the affirmative has be,
gwen. Wherever he may 90 hi, well-earned po
lularity will 90 with him.
4 Insurance policies issued for fine fitting cIot
ing. Il 4. Frank * Co u In Sale 81.