My Genealogy Hound

Willis Swarthout, an educator known all over Oakland County, and a prosperous farmer of Holly township, where he owns a farm of 100 acres in section 30, was born at Barrington, Yates County, New York, August 28, 1828, and is a son of George F. and Rowena (Russell) Swarthout. Both these families are old and honorable ones in New York, where their founders settled prior to the Revolutionary War, coming to that State from Holland and England. General Swarthout, who is mentioned in the early military records, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and on account of disability incurred in the service drew a pension from the United States government. Anthony Swarthout, the grandfather of our subject, reared his family at Wayne, Steuben County, New York.

George F. Swarthout was born October 28, 1796, and died at Milo, Yates County, New York, July 13, 1853. He belonged to the active wing of the Whig party. His widow was born May 25, 1799, and died at Milo, March 29, 1876. They were parents of 10 children, of whom William R., Willis, Anthony, John, George, Nancy Ann and Heman are living, all having their homes in New York except our subject, who has been the only member of the family to come to Michigan.

Willis Swarthout located in Oakland County in 1855, living in Holly township from April 30 until the autumn, when he removed to Grand Blanc, Genesee County, and took charge of the school there, continuing to teach the following summer and the two following winters. In the fall of 1857 he moved to Fenton, Michigan, where he taught one season and then returned to Grand Blanc. There he continued to follow his profession until he settled on his farm in the northern part of Holly township. This property he later sold to Ira D. Parker, and on October 21, 1864, bought 80 acres of his present farm in section 30, adding 20 acres at a later date. Mr. Swarthout has one of the finest homes in the township, complete in every particular, and still engages in general farming.

Mr. Swarthout was married, first, in New York, to Esther McCoy, September 14, 1854, and then taught school in Wayne, Tyrone and Milo. One son was born to them, Gauin E., who is a resident of Union City, where he is engaged in the musical instrument business. He is a man of superior education, spent seven years in the schools of Albion and is a graduate of the University of Michigan, in the class of 1880, receiving the degree of A. M. He taught school at the following places: Monroe, one year; Peoria, Illinois, two years; Muskegon; Flint, one year. He later started a Normal School in Flint, which he conducted for four years. He also taught in Virginia two years. On September 12, 1858, Mr. Swarthout was married to his second wife, Julia McCoy, who died September 13, 1867, in Holly township. In 1868 Mr. Swarthout was married to his third wife, Mrs. Melinda (Butts) Parker, who was born in Genesee County, October 20, 1836, and is a daughter of David and Paulina Butts. In 1861 she married Ira D. Parker, who died in 1866, leaving one daughter, born in 1862, who is now Mrs. Frank Plum, of Fenton, Michigan. Mrs. Swarthout is a valued member of the Fenton Methodist Church. In former years Mr. Swarthout was identified with the Republicann party, but has changed his political faith and now supports Democratic doctrines and candidates. He is a man of high standing in his locality, both personally and financially.