The Lamar register., 1899-12-13
BEATS ALL RECORDS.
A PROLIFIC FAMILY FOUND IN
PENNSYLVANIA.
Mother of Twenty s.'swartwood,
Married Twenty-seysn Years, Has
Twenty Living Chiidren--only Two
Sets of Twins in All

Mrs, Samuel Swartwood of Wilkes
barre, Pa, is the mother OF the largest
family in the United States Although
a comparatively young woman, being
only IL years old, she is the mother Of
twenty-five children, twenty OF whom
are living. The youngest is only 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,
obedisnt children. without the proven
biaI black sheep among them Mrs
Swartwood said: My children are my
joy. Though / have always had
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 l suppose all
babies seem interesting when they are
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 baby. These years were
1874, 1888. 1887. 1855 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 1898. One OF
each set OF twins is dead Mrs. Swart-
wood can recite the hour and day each
child was born. Regarding her mar
risd life Mrs. Swartwood talked freely.
81 was married when / was "A years
old. loved viii when l was girl,
since we have been very happy. and
would not change places with any rich
lady. Look at these childreni 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
1t does crowd us up bit. We haven't
got 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 a table to look at.
of generous width and very long. II
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,
Father makes about $40 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 iife?''
/ ventured to ask
We'll, ought to know, I guess
Who was 1t said married life was one
long, sweet dream? Grover Cleveland.
wasn't 1t? Well, agree with him. It
has been to me. Every woman should
get married. I think. l don't know
much about the new woman, but II 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 them2 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"
Mr.. Swartwood, who is an engineer
on the Jersey City railroad, has been
receiving the congratulations Of his
fellow-workman for several days upon