The Appeal., 1899-12-23
BEATS ALL RECORDS. j
a PROLIFIC FAMILY FOUND IN
PENNSYLvANIA.l
Mother OF Twenty-nvs-Mrs. swartwood.,l
Married Twenty-ssven Years, Hasi
Twenty Living Children-Only I've.
Sots OF Twins In All.

AVA .. 004AuCl oWoAI"ONO VI vvAAh00~t-
barre, Pa, is the mother Of the. largest
family in the United States. Although
a comparatively young woman, being
only Al years old, she is the mother OF
twenty-five children, twenty Of whom 1
are living. The youngest is only a few
days old, and gives promise of being
like his brothers and sisters, hale and
hearty. To be the mother of twenty
five children is no mean achievement, =
and Mrs. Swartwood is proud Of it. Her;
children are her greatest blessing, and,
singularly enough, they are all good,
obedient. children, without the proven
bial black sheep among them. Mrs,
Swartwood said: 'My children are my
joy. Though have always had a.
baby''-she laughed modestly-" and.
sometimes two to look after, they,
never seemed to be the trouble and
worry some babies are. My last lit,
tie one seems more cute and sweet than
any of the others, but I suppose all
babies seem interesting when they arei
just born" Mrs. Swartwood is a re-;
markably well preserved woman. She,
was married when very young, and
her first baby was born fourteen
months after her marriage. There
have been but five years since during.
which the household has failed to be-
blessed with a baby These years were.
1874, 1883, 1887, 1888 and 1896 But
two of them were in succession, and in.
the succeeding years twins were born
OF the entire twenty-five children there
were but the two sets of twins, which
were born in 1889 and 1893. One OF
each set Of twins is dead. Mrs. Swart-
wood can rec1te the hour and day each
child was born. Regarding her mar
ried life Mrs. Swartwood talked freely.
II was married when I was IA years
DID, I loved Will when was girl.
and I wanted to be married. Ever
since we have been very happy, and 1
would not change places with any rich
lady. Look at these children! Amt
they riches enough, and every one liv
ing at home except the two girls that
got married. It's nice for father and
me to have them all here, although
it does crowd us up bit. We haven't
got a big house, as you can see, and,
every bit of the space is used Walk
into the dining room there and look at
the table," It was table to look at,
of generous width and very long. It
bore plates and knives and forks for
twenty-five people. At intervals there
were great piles of bread. "It keeps
me and the girls pretty busy looking
after the eating and washing for our
big family" resumed Mrs. Swartwood,
when came out of the dining room.
Father makes about $40 a month and
the boys bring in about $50 a month.
and while we get along nicely we have
nothing to- spare. We've given all the
children as good schooling as they can
get around here
what do you think of married life?''
I ventured to ask.
'"Well, I ought to know, I guess
Who was it said married life was one
long, sweet dream? Grover Cleveland,
wasn't it? Well, I agree with him. 1t
has been to me. Every woman should
get married, I think. I don't know
much about the new woman, but if she
don't believe in married life I don't
want to know anything about her
What's as happy as having children to-
love you and you loving them? None
of my children has been source of
grief, trouble or anxiety to me, and
think God has been especially kind to-
give me so many. Yes, sir, you can
put me down as believing in the mar
ried woman who believes in having
children -a
Mr.. Swartwood, who is an engineer
on the Jersey City railroad. has been
receiving the congratulations OF his
fellow workman for several days upon
his wife giving birth to the twenty
fifth child.