Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-04-06
I)ixAeld.
DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT.
JAMES PATTERSON

William Swan who died at the old home
stead, situated on the road leading from
South Paris to High Street, March %,
was one OF the oldest citizens OF Paris and
a representative of one OF the early fami-
lies In the town. lie was born in Paris,
May the 18th, 1892, and was therefore near
~ eighty -eight years of age. His parents
were William Swan, jr., and Bethiah Pratt,
who were Joined In marriage by lchabod
Bonney, esq, at Turner, October 10, 1870.
William Swan, the grandfather, was born
in Charlestown, and was descendant In
the fourth degree from John Swan, an ear
IL settler of that town. lie married Lucy
Robbins OF Boston, and settled in Woburn,
whence with his wife and six children he
came 10 Paris. Subsequently he with his
son, William, jr., who had married Bethiah
Pratt and four of his five daughters, NOV
ed TO Woodstock. His widow was living
at the date OF the Incorporation OF the
town In 1915, but he had died. When with
fathers and grandfathers' families, William
Swan, the subject of this notice, moved TO
Woodstock, he was but ten years OF age.
They settled in a wilderness, and their first
house was made Of logs. He worked with
his father clearing land and cultiyating II
until he was OF age, when he struck out
for himself, his only possessions being a
good constitution, good health and habits
and an axe. With these he commenced
a clearing west of Bryant's Pond, in the
town OF Greenwood, doing his own work
indoors and out. Then some one procured
a better title TO the land than he had, and
after three years, he left, no better of than
when he commenced. He then bought the
farm upon which Gideon Swan had COM
menced clearing in Woodstock, where a
frame barn had been built, the first in town.
Here he cleared up good farm. He was
one Of company that went to the defense
Of Portland during the war Of 1912. He
lived upon this farm until 1885, when he
sold out and moved to Paris, where he has
since resided.
In 1919, he was married to Hannah,
daughter Of Samuel B. and Hannah (Rus-
SELF Locke Of Bethel, and had the follow
ing children: Lodiska A, born Sept. 20,
1920, married James Penley Of Paris; she
died in Paris May IL, 1879; Urania B.,
born JAM, 1922, married Horace Edgerly
Of Paris; Lucetta Emma, born Nov. 80,
1925, died Sept. 10, 1927; William Russell,
born Nov. 22, 1927, married and resides
in Chelsea, Mass; Leander S., born Jan.
"a, 1880, married Harriet A. DeCostcr, and
lives in Paris; Lucetta NJ, born May 81,
1888, married j. II. WinslOw, resides In
Paris; Hannah E., born June 10, 1885, died
March ~, 1912. Mr.. Swan buried his first
wife In 1856, and the following year he
married Rebecca, widow OF the late Levi
L. Twitchell OF Paris, and daughter OF
John and Polly (ChurchilD Bird Of Nor
way. William Swan was the oldest Of a
family of ten children, seven sons and three
daughters. His brothers Oliver and Aaron
died in Paris, Moses in California, John
and Edmund, We think, in Greenwood, and
Samuel S., the only surviving son, resides
in Woodstock.
Mr.. Swan was an industrious and perse-
vering man, frugal In his habits, kind In
and out Of his family, honest In his deeds
with his fellow men, good neighbor and
much respected. He accumulated and saved
quite property for farmer, which he
disposed Of by will to the surviving MEM
bers OF his family. We believe he attend
ed the Centennial ut Paris Hill last Sep
TENDER, and II so, he must have been among
the oldest Of the native born citizens pres
ent. INDEX. :
Augusta, Apr, 1880.