Rocky Ford enterprise., 1907-03-08

EDWARD ELtSvoRrh Ss!Nk.
Tho funeral Of Ed E. Swink. son Of sx-
Senator Swink. took place on Tuesday
afternoon last. tho eortege going from
the parents home to tho NJ. E. church.
and thence to Valley Wow eemstsry.
The family connections Of tho deceased
arc quite host in themselves. tho early
settlers arc all sympa,hising friends Of
the family. and Mr.. Swink was member
OF tho fraternity Of oddfellows. Thsse
and many other friends filled tho church
to It's full eadaeity. Tho prolonged and
painful illness OF tho deceased had made
his case ono Of general pity among his
frisads. who while rogrotting his untimsly
death saw mercy in the only relief that
seemed possible for him.
The Rev. Holionbaek. his pastor. con-
duesed . brief religious service. giving
data Of tho lifo Of tho young man and
paying a generous tribute to his moral
character and religious devotion. We
reproduce Il a. follows:
Edward Ellsworth Swink was the ssv-
enth child Of George W. Swink and Mary
J. Swink. He opened his eyes 70 the
light Of day on tho fourth day Of March.
1869. not far from tho village Of YER
mont, In Schuyler county, Illinois. When
tho lad was but five years Of age his par
ents heard and answered tho call to the
great west. Thi.ty-thrse years ago.
with their family Of eight children. they
landed in the vicinity Of the place where
the city Of Rocky Ford now stands. Then
nothing but virgin prairie stretched for
hundreds Of miles In every direction. BE-
cause the lifs-giving waters Of the Ar
kaasas had not yot been diverted TO the
wonderfully fertile but yet undsvslopsd
land. Practically. therefore. his whole
career as child and man has besn lived
In this place. Thirty-thrce years ago be
saw tho great valley Of the Arkansas
while yet desert, just as Il came from
the hand Of God. In those years no wit
messed tho remarkable Transformation. as
though by magic. Of a wilderness land
into what has come to be known as ono
Of the garden spots Of tho commonwealth.
He thus shares with his father. at least in
some measure. the high honors Of the
pioneer.
Edward received such advantages Of
education as were afforded by the school
system Of that early day.
On the twenty fourth day Of October.
1894. he was united in marriage to Miss
Roxis Conner. One child. son named
Walter. came to bless this union Of hearts
and lives. Edward Swink was a man
whose love for his home and the bless
inQs Of the homo life. was almost un-
bounded. In his home he took laudabls
sort Of pride, and was never so happy as
when within its sheltsring portals.
Naturally he was Of a quiet and even
retiring disposition. As child he found
employment with his own. not because he
was unwilling to share with his comrades.
but because he loved quietude. As man
he continued in his bent. Social life. ac-
eording to the modern code. was not
much To his liking, yet he made friends
easily, and without conscious. effort built
up wide circle Of friends. He was we'll
esteemed by the entire community. re-
call the casual remark made by a man
as long ago as two years. when he said
that he had never dealt with man more
scrupulously conscientious than Edward
Swink. After all every man builds his
own monument. And 1t does not con-
sis; in the eulogies which may be uttered
by the side Of his grave. but rather in Il
character Of the influence which still
abides after his voice is silent.
BY the winter Of the year 1892 the
structure now referred to as the old tab
ernacle. was erected. occupying the site
just opposite the corner upon which this
church now stands. That same winter
the first pastor, D. W. Burt began to
preach the unsearohable riches Of Christ,
and Edward Swink was one among the
sixty persons who were attracted BY the
magnetism Of the Cross. He accepted
the Christian faith, and at once bseams
. member Of the Methodist church. living