My Genealogy Hound

HENRY E. SWARTZ, the efficient Registrar and Recorder of Deeds of Carbon County, is one of the highly respected citizens of Mauch Chunk. He is both widely and favorably known in the community, and we feel assured that the record of his life will prove of interest to many of our readers, so we gladly give it a place in this volume. A native of Germany, he was born in Bavaria on the 16th of October, 1834, and is a son of John G. and Elizabeth (Weahr) Swartz, who were well-to-do people. His father was a physician in the town of Neustadt, and both parents died in Germany.

The subject of this sketch attended school in Noerdlingen, and completed his education in Nuremberg, where he remained until sixteen years of age, when alone he started for America, having determined to try his fortune in the New World. He now has one sister living in this country, a resident of Cincinnati. On landing in New York City Mr. Swartz made his way to Tamaqua, and thence went to Pottsville, where he secured a position as bookkeeper for David G. Yuengling. Subsequently he engaged in school teaching, being employed in this capacity in various places both before and after the War of the Rebellion.

At the time when some of the southern states attempted secession Mr. Swartz was clerking at Penn Haven, but laid aside commercial duties and enlisted in Company F, of what was known as the Irish Infantry on account of the greater part of its members being of that nationality. Mr. Swartz became Sergeant of his company, which has since become famous as the Buck Tail Rifles. After serving for twenty months he was disabled for duty and was honorably discharged. He then returned to the north, and once more engaged in teaching school for several terms, after which he became bookkeeper and shipper for the extensive lumber firm of Shortz, Lewis & Co. It was while filling that position that he was made Commissioners’ Clerk by Daniel Rouse, Henry Boyer and James Ash, who were then County Commissioners.

In 1882, while serving in that capacity, Mr. Swartz became candidate for Registrar and Recorder, but failed of election. His efficiency as a bookkeeper and penman was well known to the officials of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, and on the morning after the election he was offered a position on the coal auditing department by Harry E. Packer. Since that time he has been identified with the company as a trusted and faithful employe. He has also done considerable clerical work in county offices, and is now serving as Registrar and Recorder of Carbon County in a creditable and acceptable manner.

Mr. Swartz was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Rehrig, of East Penn Township, Carbon County. She died in September, 1891, leaving ten children, seven of whom are still living with their father. Mr. Swartz is a public-spirited and progressive citizen, ever alive to the best interests of the community, and all who know him esteem him highly for his sterling worth and strict integrity. It was a fortunate day for him when he decided to emigrate to America, for here he has found a pleasant home and many warm friends and gained for himself a comfortable competence.