History of Rodney Degrass Swasey, by GES

History of Rodney Degrass Swasey, by GES

RODNEY DEGRASS SWASEY

The New England States were apparently most appreciative of the help of the French during the Revolutionary war. They named a city Danville after Admiral D’anville. Joseph names his property in Iowa ‘Malmaison’. Malmaison was one of Emperor Napoleon’s residences. Napoleon’s Malmaison had a council chamber in which the negotiationss leading to the Louisiana Purchase were held. 1 [see end notes/sources] Joseph A. names his son Rodney Degrass. An interesting story. In 1781 George Washington met with the French Gen. Jean Baptiste Rochambeau who then sent a message to the French Adm. Francois De Grasse requesting military and financial help for the Americans. De Grasse had the military –29 ships and 3300 men– but not the money. He tried Santo Domingo and Haiti to no avail. He went to Cuba which was dominated at the time by Spain. Spain tolerated the Americans only because it hated Britain more. Cuban Creoles chafed under unfair taxation and sympathized with the colonists. Their influence encouraged the Cuban government to come up with the surprising sum of $6 million for Gen. Washington. 2

With Rochambeau’s urging he (Washington) turned his gaze south to Lord Cornwallis’s march through Virginia. Together they quickly identified an opportunity to use French naval support to trap Cornwallis. ... Washington’s decisiveness in executing his new strategy worked. And with French naval control of the Chesapeake by French Admiral De Grasse, the Americans soon had the British army Trapped at Yorktown. 2 1/2

Family tradition claims the Swaseys came to America through New Orleans with Lafayette, moved up the Mississippi and acquired Indian wives. Donna Moore asked her Grandmother Lona L Swasey Ellertson how Indian they were. She answered, “More than you might think.”

In a letter Lona wrote, “I know father’s (Rodney’s) grandfather & a brother came from France via New Orleans with Lafayette & were Revolutionary Soldiers. 3

BUT NOT SO. They came from Massachusetts via Orleans County, Vermont.

Rodney Degrass Swasey was born 4 Dec 1832, son of Joseph A. Swasey & Hannah Mercy Currier Swasey. 4 His birth is variously reported at Hillsburg, NY, Woodstock, NH and Montrose, IA. 5 It's likely he was born prior to their arrival in Iowa.

Joseph Swasey (as Joseph Swary) was on the Half Breed Tract, where Montrose is located, in the census of 1840. 6 Charles B Swasey & Charles Drown were noted in Nauvoo Property transactions in 1843. 7 Montrose was considered part of greater Nauvoo even though across the Mississippi.

Rodney's father died the summer of 1846 (July or August) when Rodney was about 13yo. The Mormon Migration had already passed by here. Many in the town were ill. Only 3 families (of 700 People) were unaffected with a bilious fever (? malaria or hepatitis; cholera was in the area).

In the midst of probate Hannah Mercy gathers all her possessions and children and abruptly moves, including moving his body, to Farmington where he is buried next to "Reverend" Joseph Swasey (as Joseph M. or perhaps a funny A.) 8

His mother, Hannah Mercy Currier Swasey, remarried very shortly, 13 Sep 1846, at Ft. Madison to Charles Drown, 9 who is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

There are many anecdotal stories about Rodney in the Nauvoo & Farmington area.

Marcela Swasey Allen, daughter, states that RDS's family were some of the fist people to takeup the LDS religion & stood by the prophet Joseph Smith & defended him. That Rodney's mother kept Joseph Smith in her home when people were after him. Also that RDS played a great part in the early days of Utah.

Paul Ellertson (interview Sep 1988) says that his mother, Lona, used to tell him stories as she had time. She told of G-gf Rodney sitting on his pony in Nauvoo watching the fire burning the Temple. The pony was given him by his father. He had saddle bags. A man ran to him with records, placed them in the bags, slapped the horse and told him to "ride for your life". He was cut off form the regular bridge by the mob & headed for a foot bridge, called the "manure bridge" (or dam). He knew his horse couldn't cross it but said a prayer and his horse "never touched its feet down," crossed the bridge and got away.

He definitely was hung by the heels for five minutes by the mob March 1847.

"Winter Quarters, Tues, Mar 10th, 1847. About 12 noon Bros Alexander McRay, Andrew Lawerans and Rodney Swasey arrived in camp from Charleston, Iowa.. They reported that the mob had hanged 8 of the brethren nigh unto death. Little Rodney Swazey they hanged by the heels in order to extort from him something as evidence against the remainder of the company but found the boy knew nothing or was too true to reveal it, they let him down. 10

Wm. H. Fulsome and Charles Drown [Rodney's step father] were 2 of the number that was hanged, also said Bro McRae was taken by the mob and carried to Madison jail from near Mount Rose (original name of Montrose), was in custody 10 days in all, 3 days of which he was confined in the penitentiary. Finally bailed out upon a writ of habeas corpus through the influence of the sheriff of the county. When released he broke for camp, brought with them Rodney Swazey, a boy about 14 year old whom Pres. B. Young counseled me to take care of him, fit and send him as one of the pioneers and keep his pony to chase buffalo. McRay taken Feb (1847). Stated that Nauvoo had run down and looked indeed like a city forsaken" 11

Andrew L. Lamoreaux, Alexander McRae and 14yo Rod Swazey arrived at winter Quarters bringing word concerning the latest activities taking place in Nauvoo. They also brought a packet containing 18 letters from the few Saints who continued to reside there. From these men Church leaders learned that several changes had taken place in the nearly evacuated community.12

Tues Mar 16, 1847 Rod Swazey came back and insisted on going with the Pioneers and in one of my wagons. Said that he had been persuaded away and wanted me to forgive him. 13

“Winter Quarters Sat 3 Apr 1847: Dealt out flour & meal, corn & brand to the pioneers of my company and to the women who’s husbands are in the army.... . About 9am Bro E. D. Wooley took some 5 sacks of flour & meal in his wagon up to the farm. About the same time I left Winter Quarters, took one of my pioneer’s teams & Rodney Swazey to bring it back. ....(met) Bro. Morley & Bro E. D. Wooley. We traveled on together to Mudd Creek where we were detained some 3 hours in consequence of my wagon breaking through the bridge, and come nigh crippling one of my mules. By the time we got out Bro. Pace came.... . We all camped here for the night. Evening cloudy & cold. Wind High. 14

Thurs 8 April 1847 (heading for Winter Quarters from Summer Quarters, about 3pm) “Stopped 6 miles N of Winter Quarters with the pioneers who had taken up quarters there for the night. Here I met some disagreeable feelings on the part of one of my pioneers, namely Rodney Swasey, who on hearing that his stepfather (Charles Drown) and his mother were out of jail wanted to return and meet them. I finally consented and let Thomas Woolsey take his place.”15

Summer Quarters (farm north of Winter Quarters) Sat 10 Apr 1847. “About 8 morning. R Swasey left Summer Quarters.”16

He was baptized 20 July 1847. 17

He moved to Utah about 1849. He married Loretta Scovil Dec 1849 18 in Salt Lake City She was his age, 17yo, born 17 Jan 1832 and the daughter of Lucius Scovil & Lucy Snow Scovil. They lived in Provo and the 1850 census shows one Daniel Drown (Rodney’s step-brother), age 14, living with them. 19

Lucius N. Scovil was born in Connecticut in 1806. He married Lura Snow 1828. They moved to Mantua then Kirtland, Ohio. They were baptized there by President Joseph. Then moved to Adam-ondi-Ahman, then Quincy, Illinois, then Nauvoo where he ad a bakery, each time experiencing severe persecution by the mobs but stayed faithful. In Nauvoo the state made provision for the orgaization of the Nauvoo Legion of which he was a member. Their dreams of peace in this locality, and the right to worship as they desired, was to be shattered, to be forced even farther west into the wilderness as predicted by the Prophet Joseph Smith. A second attempt of the conspirators to have the city charter repealed by the state legislature was successful. This became a signal for the mob activity starting Sep 1845. Lura had died in Jan of 1845 leaving 4 children, including Loretta. He remarried. Was called to England on a mission and on his return to Winter Quarters and St Louis, he tells of an encounter with a Missourian who told of the illness and decreased property values since the Saints were driven out. He left for Utah Territory in June 1848. Loretta was already there, coming with Brigham Young’s second company of pioneers. They stayed in Salt Lake about 1year. They moved to Provo in October 1850. He became the Supt of Public Works, member of the Prayer Circle, Clerk of the Supreme Court in Fillmore, Clerk of the Second Judicial Court, Notary Public and the 2nd postmaster of Provo.”20

Loretta was beautiful and quite a beautician with the local Provo paper doing an article about her.

They went to Placerville, California in the company of his step father, Charles Drown and his mother. 21 This was against the advice of Pres. Brigham Young.

“In a larger sense it is very difficult for most of us now living to fully comprehend what those courageous pioneers went through. First they were driven from their homes in beautiful Nauvoo after intense persecutions. Then they suffered the rigors of wagon or handcart travel across half a nation. And finally, we can only imagine the feelings of many when they were told that they were now ‘home’ on that July day when they saw only a lake of salt water and alkali desert soil.

“Discouragement set in, especially as reports began to circulate about the warmer weather in California and the rich treasures of gold being discovered there.

“ During Feb and Mar of 1849 many actually began preparations to leave. Pres. Brigham Young stood before the Saints and made what seemed to many an unusual prophecy.

“‘Some have asked me about going’ he said. ‘I have told them that God has appointed this place for the gathering of his Saints, and you will do better right here than you will by going to the gold mines.... . Those who stop here and are faithful to God and his people will make more money and get richer than you that run after the god of this world, and I promise you in the name of the Lord that many of you that go, thinking you will get rich and come back, will wish you had never gone away from here, and will long to come back, but will not be able to do so. Here is where the Saints will prosper; he will temper the elements for the good of his Saints; he will rebuke the frost and the sterility of the soil, and the land will become fruitful.’

Pres. Young then said the Salt Lake Valley was filled with the riches of the earth but before people sought for gold and silver they should first develop the agricultural resources of the area. He said if the mines were opened first, people would rush in & use up the resources and breed famine. “People would starve to death with barrel of gold. It is our duty to preach the Gospel, gather Israel, pay our tithing, and build temples. The worst fear that I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and his people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell. This people will stand mobbing, robbing, poverty and all manner of persecution and be true. But my greater fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth, and yet they have to be tried with riches, for they will become the richest people on this earth.”

The mining interests did discover the vast treasures Pres Young told of, but when the miners came, the agricultural backbone set in place by the pioneers sustained the area and it did become a very rich place.” 22

Paul Ellertson states he (Rodney) stole a horse from his new wife’s father and they headed for Sacramento, riding horseback all the way, and that her dad and brothers were after them.

Charles M. Drown and Rodney D. Swasey (as Rodney D. Drown) claimed 160 acres each in Pleasant Valley, El Dorado County, California 10 Apr 1852. 23 This was in the Dry Creek area. Placerville (then known as Hang Town) was to the east and Mormon Island (now known as Genoa on the El Dorado Co. and Sacramento Co. border, Mormon Hill and Mormon Ravine to the west. Charles Drown was appointed President of the Dry Creek Branch of the Church. Charles was an inn keeper and was given a liquor license. The date was 1852.

Sadie Swasey Goble stated that Grandfather RDS got his start by tearing up the floor of his cabin (where Charles was born) and sifted the dirt and got enough gold to get started on his “fortune” 24

They struck it rich in California, some say from gold mining, others say they bought horses and other stock in the gold mining areas, caught some wild horses, herded them to Victorville where they sold them to the Army. 25 There were several army posts in that area including Lt. Davis’ Depot later named Camp Cady, and no doubt others. 26

Their first two children were born in Eldorado Co., California, Charles and Sidney. They returned to ranch in Mona, Juab, Utah about 1857, herding many cattle. 28

If they (Rodney, Loretta and 2 children) returned to Utah from Victorville, as tradition has it, by way of the Cajon Pass, they had a frightening experience. There is a beautiful highway today. Then it was empty, dry and barren. This had been a hideout area for renegade whites and Indians. Cattle and horse stealing was common. Once in the interior of the vast area beyond Cajon, it was almost impossible to recover the animals. The groups which made the trip through this country between California and New Mexico were troubled by robbers. They were prime targets as they drove their animals over the trail. At one time a contingent form the Mormon Battalion was placed on guard at Cajon to stop the stock stealing thieves. 29 Along the route there was a place named Mormon Camp, named in 1857.

RDS was re-baptized in Provo 27 Dec 1857 by L.N.Scovil, his father-in-law, and confirmed by L. C. Snow. Interestingly David Drown, who was born in Pennsylvania, was also re-baptized the same day by L. N. Scovil and confirmed by Rodney Degrass Swasey. 30

He married his second wife, Martha York Carter, & was Sealed for time and all eternity to both wives 28 Dec 1857, the day after his re-baptism, in the Presidents Office, by Heber C. Kimball with George A. Smith as witness. He was Endowed by proxy. 31

Paul Ellertson stated that Martha York Carter Swasey was frail and beautiful.

Provo was laid out so that the 1st and 2nd wards were South of Center street with 4th West separating the two. The 3rd Ward was west of 4th west, the 4th Ward east of 4th west and north of Center Street. They were separated on the north form the 5th ward by 11th north. The Swasey home was located in the 1st Ward, near Center St.

22 July 1858 Swazey fined for cutting his stepfather with a knife, both were intoxicated. 32.

The People vs Rodney D. Swazey 22 July 1858. Assault with intent to kill one Charles M Drown. Prisoner brought into court by A. Williams, sheriff of Utah County without process by request of Messrs Hickman & Bullock. The Court proceeded to investigate the case. Josiah Arnold, Alvin Nicols and Wm Wall were duly sworn and testified. The following judgement was ordered to be entered: that the defendant pay a fine of $50 for breaking the peace and the costs of suit assessed at $10. The court decided that the charge of assault with intent to kill had not been sustained. Fine and costs paid and the prisoner discharged. 33

(Wilford Woodruff after he had retired 27 Aug 1859.) “Near 10 o’clock I heard firing in E Temple St. Some over 20 shots were fired in rapid succession. I dressed and went into the street. I went to the Historians Office and the Presidents Office and found all quiet. I made all inquiry I could and could not learn what had been done. Some thought a rowdy company had fired only for the purpose of creating an excitement. I returned and went to bed. 34

“ [The next morning at the close of his Prayer Circle] ...we learned.... something like: William Hickman had a difficulty with Charles M. Drown who had sued Hickman and got judgement against him. He, William Hickman, and his company were in town during the day. Rodney Swazey, son-in-law [actually step-son) of Drown called upon Drown during the day and told him he must settle it with Hickman or take the consequences. “In the evening several men came to Mr Martins house where Mr Drown and Eddy, the spiritualist, and Arnold were stopping, ....wished to come in.... They would not let them in. They then went away. Then Arnold took the only pistol in the company and went out to his wagon. Soon the men came back....they had on leggings and spurs. They came to the door and ordered them to open it.... Eddy and Drowns tried to hold the door but the men outside burst it in and commenced shooting at random at those within. They shot Mr Drown through the body and came near shooting Eddy and his wife. Mr Arnold, who was outside, ran to the mouth of the lane and shouted murder as loud as he could hallow. One of the party ordered him to stop his hallowing, it was all right. Another one of the party said, ‘shoot him, damn him, shoot him.’ They then shot at him several times and shot him through the thigh. He then returned the fire and saw a man drop.

“Mr Drowns died at about 11 o’clock. He gave his dying testimony that it was his son-in-law, Rodney Swazy.

“Aug 31, 1859: O Bates informed me that Wm Hickman told him that what he was doing was by the Council of the Authorities of the Church meaning crimes which was committing such as stealing cattle, etc. I told Bates it was false. There was not a righteous man in Israel who either counseled him to take such course or sanctioned his doings. I told President Young what he had said.” 35

The Governor (Cummings) made some inquiry (of John Kay) in relation to Charles M. Drown. President (Young) said Drown had trained Rod Swarzy to do just such acts. In 1849 Jas Warthen, C.M. Drown, Ike Hatch and others were engaged in cattle and horse stealing in the Territory; They all three have met the same fate. 36

“All attempts to pigeon hole William A. Hickman have failed, mainly because it is difficult to isolate his lawlessness from the violence of the Mormon frontier. In quieter times Hickman might have lived out his life in relative obscurity, but his fortunes took an abrupt turn when he joined the Mormon Church and moved to Nauvoo, where he won his way into the heart of Joseph Smith. He escaped anti-Mormon vigilantes in Illinois, killing his first man while escaping from prison. He followed the Mormon migration west to Utah, traveling over the California Trail to the gold fields four years later. .....Hickman blamed Church authorities for the violence in order to clear his own name. ....His son-in-law Jason Luce, one of his trusted lieutenants.

“Brigham relayed his disapproval to Hickman in a message delivered verbally by the outlaw’s brother...

“The Hickman affair faded from the public mind, but the winds of violence continued to buffet Salt Lake. Revulsion, fear and disgust followed in the wake of the murder of two spiritualists, Charles M. Drown & Josiah Arnold. Assuming that the spiritualists were victims of sectarian partisans, the ‘Valley Tan’ filled its pages with anti-Mormon accusations that appealed to the Gentile reader. ‘Charles Drown, Josiah Arnold and their wives met....27 Aug 1859, to conduct spiritualist services. The meeting was warm and cheerful and at the close.....they retired. Eddy was awakened by a loud knocking on the front door. He answered it and found a young man standing in the darkness asking for hot coals to start a fire. Eddy politely refused. The sleepy prophet was awakened a second time by the same caller, this time surrounded by armed men demanding to see Drown. Eddy slammed the door and placed his shoulder against it. Awakened by the confusion, Drown added his weight against the door, but the top hinges split from the door casing and then the door burst violently open. Drown fell to the floor with a fatal stomach wound. Eddy managed to crawl to safety, unaccountably escaping the murderous cross fire.... . Arnold, running from the stable screamed Murder, fired wild shots, ran for his life, stopped by a single rifle shot....

“The Dual assassination raised speculation about the identity of the men responsible for the killings. All through the difficult winter of 1859 3 names were most frequently associated with the crime, Brigham Young, ‘Billy’ Hickman, and Rodney D. Swazey. To further complicate matters, Hickman himself was Brigham Young’s prime accuser and, to camouflage his own involvement, carried out a long campaign of character assassination against the Church leader, charging that the killings were religious executions.

“Drown’s life in Utah that gave Young grave concern. Shortly after his arrival in Salt Lake City in 1855, he was disfellowshipped for involvement with a gang of horse thieves. After an un-accountable absence from the historical record , Drown returned to the territory with the arrival of the army in 1858. Fragmentary evidence suggests that Drown assumed the leadership of a gang of young outlaws largely recruited from the Mormon community among whom were Rodney Swazey, James Warthers and Ike Hatch. With Drown dead, Swazey was able to assume control of the brigands, a benefit which placed him high on the list of suspects with a motive. Swazey was arrested for Drown’s murder but was later released although there was a considerable amount of circumstantial evidence against him.

“ Hickman had the best financial reason for wanting Drown dead. Just before he was killed, Drown had obtained a judgement against Hickman of five hundred dollars. ....Eddy contradicted Hickman’s alibi.....(stating) ‘Billy’ Hickman and his gang brake into my cattage in SLC, fired off their pistols. In the same letter, however, he remembered, ‘Bill Hickman was so sorry at his orders that he, at Camp Floyd, offered to save my life when I started for California’. Thus the strange affair came to an end with Hickman escorting to safety the very spiritualist he claimed that Brigham Young had ordered him to destroy.

“The last link of this chain was forged by Jason Luce, shortly before he was executed for another murder.... . In a packed jail cell, filled with friends and peace officers, Luce swore to Wilford Woodruff that Hickman and two unidentified conspirators were responsible for the death of Arnold and Drown. 37

In another event the record shows that Jason Luce killed Joseph Rhodes who had come to see Hickman. Luce said he could not and Rhodes drew two guns, aiming them at Luce. Luce drew his knife and sprung at Rhodes and Ormas Bates grabbed both pistols and turned the muzles up. Luce stabbed Rhodes 11 times. At a later time Luce and Lot Huntington and party overpowered the police and Jeter Clinton’s Court. 38 In 1863 Jason Luce killed a man in the street by cutting his throat with a Bowie knife and was immediately arrested. He was examined before Orrelius Miner, Esqr. And was committed to be tried. He was sentenced to be shot on the 12th of January. He made a few remarks and tried to justify himself by claiming self defense. When taken to his cell he wept like a child. He hold his brother that if he was executed he must remember that Wm Hickman was the cause and that he was now deserting him. Hickman and party are holding out hope to him that he will be reprieved. He was visited by Wilford Woodruff several times in jail. Luce held out hope and was sure he would not be executed but had no idea how he would avoid it. In a visit on Jan 11 Luce said that Hickman had advised him to do many things that made his flesh crawl but he had not followed Hickman’s advice in these things. He told the jailors that Hickman once asked him to knock an old man in the head for no other purpose, only to obtain an old mare that was not worth more than 30 dollors. In the evening of the 11th Elder Woodruff told Luce there would be no commutation and that he should prepare to die. He spent more than an hour giving an account of what he had done and what he knew. He said Hickman was responsible for the deaths of Drown and Arnold and that he killed them with the help of one or two others. That Hickman had robbed Carpenters store. Further, Hickman told Furguson to kill Carpenter and that he would clear him, but Fugoson was hung for the murder. He said that Hickman murdered _______ for no other purpose than to obtain his gold watch and money. He said that Hickman was at the head of a band of thieves and that they had stole as many as 100 head of cattle at a time from Camp Floyd, taken them out on the prairie and divided them and taken them to different parts of the territory. At his execution he renounced Wm A Hickman as his betrayer, bid the people goodby and received 5 balls in or near the heart.” 38

Mona, Juab, Utah: the area was first settled in 1851 but abandoned 1853 with the Indian War with all 4 families moving to Nephi. Settlement was restarted 1859-60. The first settlers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One of their first duties was to their religion, hence one of the first buildings was a place of worship. 40

The new settlement consisted of dugouts clustered near a spring and the creek running through the bottom lands with R.D.’s dugout said to be located near the creek, about where the Keyte barn now stands. 41 Brigham Young latter suggested they move the community further east to a more healthful location which occurred with Erastus Snow’s help (layout and planning) in 1867. 42

The first log house (in Mona) was built by William Kay and William F. Carter. A grocery store was started by William F. Carter. The little town was first called Clover Creek and later Willow Creek, taking these names from the streams and canyons at the base of Mt. Nebo, under whose protection the settlement nestled. Later at a meeting in the ward meeting house, Dr McCune suggested the name of Mona....after his former home on the Isle of Man.....following named noble women cared for the sick and sorrowing as occasion required: Loretta Swazey....Lona Ellertson... . William W. Phelps (musician) settled early and was the first white man known to climb Nebo. Some of the bishops mentioned were John M. Haws, John L. Ellertson, Heber S. Olsen, Ephraim Ellertson and Alton Ellertson. John Molyneux was the first choir leader. 43

To guard their cattle and homes they constructed a box upon the chimney of the school house. A ladder led to it from the ground. There they stationed a man with spy glasses to keep watch and warn the town of any thing suspicious. 44

RDS is reported to have owned all the meadow bottoms from the bridge south to & including two mile or Swasey Spring. From this Spring, irrigation water was carried through a canal to irrigate the Swasey property (the Mona West meadows). It fed Swasey Pond which is located on the East of the Mona creek & West & North of the other ponds & is big. 45

The Spring was West and South from Sid’s house, down by the old Swasey Ranch. There are springs all over the place. There was a bridge to the ranch. 47

Swasey Pond used to drain to the North but now drains into Burison Ponds. Goshen claimed the water. They sent some men to cut the dam. Rodney D. Swasey, with gun in hand, sat on the dam, told the men to send those who hired them to cut the dam for they could then replace it. He stocked black bass in the Swasey Pond. The river used to be full of carp. 48

R.D. built a huge barn east of the Mansion where he kept & bred purebred race horses. He worked to build a herd of good breeding stock. He is said to have had 800 to 900 head on the San Rafael. Each Spring he & the boys brought in the yearlings to the lush meadows below Mona. He grazed them there until fall when he sold them. Deeds show he was still expanding his ranch in Mona between 1882 & 1888 with purchases from John Haws, John Green, & Henry Garfield. 49

When he went to Martha Y Swasey's home, in Mona, it was always too clean. He said, “everything is so damn clean you can’t sit down.” 50

The big barn had a long shed. It would hold 35-40 head of cows in there. It had a lot of stalls. We even put the calves in there. And then it had a hey loft and all. Their home was just above it (east). 51

He is said to have helped the widows, silently supplying coal, but they always knew who.

Rodney provided people of Mona with a cow to milk, would help some find a place to live, and supplied fuel for the widows.52

He took a veterinary course but never charged for his help.53

RDS was a great friend of the Indians. Blackhawk & his two wives came to his Mona home from Goshen Canyon, running from his own tribes warriors who wanted to kill him. RDS hid them in the cellar, the trap door of which was covered with a rug. RDS & the warriors sat at the table right over them, the warriors digging marrow out of bones to eat. RDS shamed them into not killing "the greatest chief they'd ever had” reminding them how much more good Blackhawk had done as their leader than he’d ever done bad. They promised not to kill him & left for Goshen. Marcel told Martha "that's where father hid the Indians", this was a small home where Lona was when her father died. The home became “Aunt Ems” & also Franks.

It is said that the Indians often stopped at his home, sitting outside, cracking bones & eating the marrow.

Lucius Swasey (L.R.) tells that an old Indian came & followed father around all day talking to him. At night Grand-father (RDS) asked the Indian what he wanted & he said, “a bullet to kill you with” & grandfather reached in his pocket & pulled out a whole hand full & handed them to him. The Indian hooted & ran.

Lucius was also told about Aparat (son of Louie Aparat), an Indian who was unable to speak who asked his son to take him to see the Swaseys there in Bonita, UT. His son communicated by sign with his father who told of coming to Grandfather Rodney’s home in Mona & telling of trading horses with them. “We never went to his place but we got what we wanted to eat even if he had to kill a beef to do it.” 54

24 Mar 1860 RDS indicted for larceny, horse stealing, by a grand jury, Hosea Stout his counsel, but released. Warm Springs case was mentioned. 11Apr1860 People vs Rodney

Swazey, indictment for larceny by Grand Jury. He was delivered to the court 24Apr Prisoner remanded in default of bail. 1 May1860 Prisoners Bail bond filed with Golding & Smities. He was represented by Hosea Stout. Case was continued to 11 June. H Stout, Esqr asked for the postpone of the trial to obtain the witnesses, which was granted. He was required to give bail for his appearance in the sum of $1,000 or be committed to prison. 11Jun1860 The case of The People vs Rodney Swazey was called up. Prisoner in court. Also H. Stout Esq. Atty for prisoner present. Prisoner filed a plea in abatement, praying the court to quash the indictment for the reason that his name is Rodney Degrasse Swazey. Mr (A. or Aurelius) Miner Pross Atty filed an answer to said plea--and issues being joined thereon. A. Dewey, D. B. Huntington & I.F. Allred were duly sworn & examined in relation to the fact set forth in said plea. Plea argued & held under advisement to 5pm till which time the court took a recess. At 5pm court resumed its session. The Court sustained the plea on abatement in the case of the People vs Rodney Swazey & ordered that the prisoner be discharged. 57, 58, 59, 60, 61

Thursday 9 Dec 1869: H Stout was still doing some legal business for RD Swazey.62

RDS was a veteran of the Walker War & Black Hawk (1865) War.63

He was ordained a Seventy 13 Feb 1866. 64

Martha York Carter Swasey died 25 Dec 1878, statedly from child birth, the birth of Pearl. Her daughter Estella could only remember her mother brushing her beautiful long red hair. RDS was now faced with what to do with his motherless children. For some reason he did not ask his first wife, Loretta, to raise them....RDS sent for his sister Mary Ann Martin from California. Family tradition says that she was an evil woman & the children were frightened of her. 65

Grandmother Lona (Loraina Swasey Ellertson) took 2 children to live with her and her new husband Ephraim. This was before RDS died. Later Marselle moved to live with Mary Ann Martin and also with Loretta at the “Mansion”. 66

Lona raised the family after Martha Y., her mother, died. Pearl was only 6 wks old & Rod 2yrs old. Pearl was taken to Mary Ann Martins home when she was a good sized girl & that is why Pearl became a Christian Scientist. The older girls were married & gone. Marcel bounced around. She spent time at the Mansion. Marcel was very particular & liked the table set properly. Once she threw a heavy (?gold) Salt Shaker at one of the boys for picking off the table early & hit him in the head. 67

Rodney Swasey was indicted for grand larceny 15Oct1887 (this could be one of his sons) for stealing 3 calves. 68 Charles A. Hyde testified in behalf of Rodney, stating that he was trustworthy & honest, giving facts on the case that suggested him not guilty, 9Apr 1891. 69 Letters from U.S. Attorney & Joseph R. Walker urging clemency for the son of Rodney D. Swasey, attesting to character of the family. Letter by Charles S. Varcace, US att. Indicating that RDS should not be pardoned. 2nd letter from same party indicating the case was being appealed to the Supreme Court. 70

Sometime before 1892 RDS seems to have felt some concern for his personal safety. Herbert Augusta Slade was 6 foot 1 inch tall and 201 pounds, a Maori from New Zealand of the Ngapuhi (Auckland) tribe. He was a boxer on tour with a boxing exhibition & had no place to stay in Mona save that ggf let them stay at the “Mansion” (that’s what they called RDS’s home). He had boxed John L. Sullivan in Madison Square Garden. He was known as the Maori Mauler. He went on with the tour only to return & was hired as a body guard for Rodney Degrass Swasey to protect his money & person. 71 He married Rodney’s daughter, Estellae Arminta.

This started a new thing for the Swasey brothers. The fancy horse barn was turned into a sparring ring. The brothers, the Bascoms, the Kays & others in Mona took up the sport. Herb Slade always seemed to get the best of them & he had a trick. He would stand against the wall of the barn then challenge them to hit him. He knew he could duck their blows & their fist would smash into the wall behind him.. The Swasey boys with their rough & ready natures were frustrated. One time one of them became so angry & frustrated that he drove his fist as hard as he could at Slade, he ducked, & the fist went through the wall of the barn. 72

It is said that GGF RDS said he could sit on his porch & make $1000 per day (even in those poverty days).73

Swasey Peak 74 was named for Rodney Swasey. This is located West of Delta, appears low from the east but is of awesome proportions on its west face. Swasey Mountains, part of the House Range 75 are part of the chain of mountains by Swasey Peak, where he raised his first herd of sheep. It was said he was crazy to take them out there. The animals kept there even today (1997), however, are fat.

Grandfather Swasey was very particular on how he looked, Lona Swasey stated. He even dressed well with a tie when on a horse. He was a great horseman.

One idiosyncrasy was that he wore a gold ear ring. It was said to be a family tradition and a mark of prestige among his ancestors. 76

He had a large gold vest watch and chain. Some think he made his money panning gold and some think he made money in the bank.

RDS was very fussy with his girls. He made sure they were dressed right. 77 When Rodney’s girls went out he checked on them to make sure they looked right & encouraged them to use a little bit of corn starch as make-up. But he interfered with several of their boy friends. They later married. He was maybe a little strict.

His (Loretta's) home in Mona was beautiful, 3 floors, with a place to dance & socialize on the second floor.78 There they held dances, anyone could come & there would be rows of food. The home had a large porch & also under the house was a spring which they piped allowing a good cold refreshing drink. Their’s was probably the first indoor plumbing in Mona.79 This house was known as “The Mansion” & was built of burned red brick--being over the spring turned the cellar into a spring house which was used as a refrigerator. --A pump was installed & the water piped into the house--. Perishable food was kept there. The first floor contained one room off the large kitchen. The kitchen was equipped with a gigantic cook stove. He loved to entertain. Twice a year he would throw a great party. He invited the whole town & provided a side of beef hanging near the big stove. Fiddlers played, people danced. When they got hungry, they cut off whatever beef they wanted, cooked it with onions, ate & went back to dancing. He loved to sit on his wide front porch & chat with his neighbors. The second floor was their sleeping quarters. 80 (Martha York had another home, small). A large house was needed as the older boys often came in with other men from the deserts where they herded the livestock, bedding down for the night. 81 There was a barn east of the Mansion. There was also a good spring West of the home used for culinary purposes. There was also a spring, we are told, in the basement of the Mansion.

He was an expansionist. He moved his livestock out into the west deserts of Juab & Millard Counties. Remnants of those days are still found on maps of that area: Swasey Mountains, Swasey Bench, Swasey Peak, Swasey Bottoms, Swasey reservoir #1,#2 & #3, & Swasey Wash. 83 Also Swasey Springs-several, & outlaws who hounded the stage through the area took on the name of Swasey (not R.D.’s boys!).

In 1872 or 1874 Swaseys expanded eastward into what is known as Castle Valley & the Sinbad Desert where many more Swasey landmarks are located. 83 These include Swasey Rapids named after a later generation, Sid’s wash, Joe’s wash, Sid’s Mountain, Sid’s Leap, Sid & Charlie (two very tall rock formations, alone, in a wide wash) Swasey Cabin & more. In the High Uintas are Swasey Lakes named after his grandson.

Emery was then one of America’s last unsettled frontiers. It was a very forbidding landscape--- Especially the area of the San Rafael Swell & the Sinbad. It was a no mans land, save an occasional outlaw or the Indians. It was a place where people wanted to cross in a hurry & not tarry. Four Brothers went there, Charles, Sid, Rod & Joseph Swasey. They & their many ancestors had always been on the frontier. And they seemed to prefer it. 84

Rod Jr & Grandfather Rodney Degrass, when in Castle Dale went on the East Desert with Charlie & Joe. When getting into bed Rodney Sr was stung by a scorpion through his stocking. They treated it with fresh meat or “otherwise it would have gone green.” He got better. They came home in a month. There were several large dark spots on his legs remaining. 85

Rodney had a memory that never ended. A school teacher borrowed $200 & gave him a note. "Did you read the note". "No". "I'm coming to collect." "By what authority". "Buy this one", patting his six shooter. The teacher had the money ready.

He also expanded,1898, into mining in Iron County with an interest (1/10th interest) in the Last Chance Lode Mining Claim and the Problem Lode (1/18th interest). 86 87 88

The histories of Provo fail to show it, but (probably) the first bank in Provo was “ The Swasey &

Martin Bank” which was located at about 75 N University Ave, just next door south of the present Central Bank of Provo. Proof of his banks existence are the pictures of the bank, pictures of him in the bank, letter head stationary & deposit bags with their names on it. 89, 90

The pictures show the “SWASEY BLOCK” in Provo. The projecting sign on Swasey Block says “assayer”. The printing on the second story windows say S M BANK (Swasey & Martin Bank). 91

RDS took Lona into big Bank vault and said there was enough money in the vault to keep "both my families in luxury".

RDS had sick spells, stomach, before he died. Every morning candy was place at his desk at the bank. Finally he ate one, had several stomach cramps, raced for the door of the Bank and collapsed. Therefore, the rumor that he had been poisoned. 92 (GES note: it could have been angina with upper abdominal pain).

RDS died 20 Dec 1898, 8:45pm at his home in Provo from an attack of acute rheumatism with which he had been ill for 3 months and from which he suffered for about a week. It affected his heart finally. His sister Mary Ann S. Jones had come from California 2 months earlier to faithfully watch by his bed side. Of late years he had been engaged in the banking & real estate business in Provo. He had been known throughout the State as a successful man. “He was a man of peculiar character in many ways but had noble qualities which endeared him to his family & a large circle of friends.” The last wish of the deceased was to be buried on his farm at Mona where the interment took place. 93

His nephew, Herman (who attended B Y Academy) had been in the banking business with him. Attorney Warwick left Provo as did Mary Ann & Herman Martin, by one history. 94 The State Bank of Provo property was purchased from the children of RDS by Ephraim Ellertson, (a s-i-l, who sold it to Brewerton). 95 This bank venture is surprising as Rodney could neither read or write. He did his math in his head.

It is said that Herman Martin left and was never heard from again and that Warwick was the attorney in the bank who skipped with Herman.

Personal & real property at probate was valued at $30,000 & included interest in the Last Chance Lode Mining Claim, Problem Lode Mining Claim & a ranch west of Mona. 96

The State Bank of Provo purchased the property from Mary Swasey Condon, Lona Swasey Ellertson, Marsell Swasey, Runnels and Ephraim Ellertson which deed was recorded 3 June 1902. 97

All the ranch property (Mona West Bench property), the North Burrison’s Pond, known as Swasey Pond, the cattle & thoroughbred horses were left to “Lorett's” boys. This included meadow he owned west of the river from Santaquin nearly to Nephi. The girls, & Rodney (Martha Carter's) were given the bank building, bank assets, and Provo building lots (where the lower BYU campus resided, they say) & the gold watch chain. Lona's portion of the gold chain was divided between her children. Ephraim Ellertson bought the bank building & sold it to Alvey Nielsen & Brewerton. Only 3 of their names appear on the deed at the time of the sale of the bank building. Paul thinks Brewerton was a body guard with Porter Rockwell & they had a Ranch at Cherry Creek, north of the Little Sahara. Alvie Weton said to Julian Greer, “Did you ever meet Paul (Ellertson). He's the son of Ephraim Ellertson who sold us the bank.” 98 According to Martha their Provo home was at 3rd East and South of Center Street.

Lona Loraina Swasey Ellertson’s portion of the watch chain was divided between her children. All got two links. That happened by the chain being divided by pieces between his 7 daughters. Uncle Rod got 2 links also & G-M Ellertson bought them from him. This allowed her to give 2 links to each of her girls. Also she obtained the two nuggets from each end of the chain. Alton & Paul were given these. The chain is reported to have been solid gold that G-F Swasey had panned and had made into the chain. Paul had his made into a ring that he wore.

The family of Estella had their link made into a block letter ‘S’ now in the possession of a g-gd Ina Kay. Elray remembers seeing the watch in his grandfather Frank’s home. Sadie Goble has a large mirror from the mansion. 99

Deseret News 15Sep1980 article by Marilyn Keyte:

A rusting iron fence encloses a private cemetery in fields (west) of Mona, a lonely plot, intriguing because of a large granite obelisk rising there.

The small graveyard marks the burial site of Rodney Degrass Swasey, an early Utah settler & one of the Mona area’s most illustrious citizens, who died in Dec 1898 from rheumatism.

Swasey’s story is one of success & some eccentricity, but, in the end, few of his final wishes survived & some duplicity spoiled his dreams.

A successful businessman, his later ventures included real estate sales & banking.

---His last wish was to be buried on his farm in Mona, & the burial will take place there.

It was said that Swasey could neither read nor write, but he was known as quite a wheeler-dealer & he gained control of much of the Mona Valley bottom land during colonization. On this he grazed cattle, & he was remembered as often saying, “I can sit on my porch & make money”.

But he was not a Scrooge. One story tells of how a group of marauding Indians rode into Mona yelling and screaming. The settlement had but nine families. Speared atop a pole they carried was the bloody head of a nearby homesteader. In halting English they demanded 800 pounds of beef & 300 pounds of flour or they would come back & do the same to the Mona residents. Swasey generously provided all the beef, leaving the other eight families to furnish the wheat, helping save the settlement.

Swasey was proud in later years that never a widow at Christmas time went without a load of coal & a piece of beef if he could help it.

Swasey established the Utah Bank of Provo (actually the Swasey and Martin Bank), the first opened there, which was at 75 N. University, known later as the Central Bank & Trust building.

One traveling stranger, Herbert A. Slade (a boxer) was hired as Swasey’s bodyguard.

One paramount Swasey wish was to have his land stay in his family name forever. To insure that his family would stay, he insisted on being buried on his own land.

One wife, Martha York Carter, preceded him in death & was buried (in the Mona Cemetery)---.

While still alive, Swasey ordered a large granite column shipped in to make his own grave. The stone was large enough to eventually have all his children’s names inscribed upon it.

But his plans went awry from the day he died.

No one ever said his sister was peculiar, but she must have been crafty. Her son was Swasey’s bank cashier, for he had never been able to interest his own children in the vocation. The day after Swasey’s death, the sister & her son & the assistant cashier all disappeared--leaving the bank broke.

The surviving children fared well, however. Each child of the first wife received about 60 acres of land & a share of the cattle. The offspring of the second wife were left the bank, its remaining assets & each inherited a full Provo city block, all located in the vicinity of what is now the lower Brigham Young University campus.

Swasey’s home proved too large for practical upkeep for a diminishing family, so his children elected to tear it down & use the materials to build several dwellings.

Swasey was buried in his plot, but no one else in the family followed his example & the family names have never been added to his headstone.

And, except for some land owned by a great-grandson ElRay Swasey, the property surrounding the plot is mostly owned by people not related to the pioneer.

Family members still remember the graveyard though, trekking to the burial ground every Memorial Day with flowers.

And, being human, they still speculate as to what may have become of all that lost bank money.

Jenette Ashby’s mother always said that the reason Rodney Degrass (Swasey) was buried out on the spot was that he didn't like mountains. He wanted to be buried far enough away that when the end came and Mt Nebo was leveled that he wouldn't be buried down under all those rocks of Mt Nebo.

Paul (a grand son) states Lona Swasey Ellertson, his mother, told him she had a visitation from her father after he had died & he stood at her bedside & told her where to find documents regarding his business dealings such that she could take care of the young sisters & brother in her care. She was young & left with much responsibility. The dog “Curl” knew he was there.

The Mansion home in Mona is reported to have been 3 floors high. It burned and the bricks were either pulled down with intentions to use them to build 3 other homes for 3 of the boys but were not used for this. Some bricks were used to build a chicken coop at the Keyte ranch. 100

He was Endowed by proxy 6 Feb 1918 101 & was sealed for time & all eternity to his parents, Joseph A. Swasey & Hannah Mercy Currier 13 Dec 1977 by proxy. 102

His death bed testimony was that “the Church (of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is true, but there are many scoundrels in it.” 104

Compiled by

G E Speakman

ggs of RDS

with many contributions by Elaine Speakman

from her findings by her voracious reading.

425 S Teton Ave

PO Box 59

speakmange@cableone.net

1/ Des News article, 4 July 1993, Section T3

2/ An article sent to me by Royal Swasey of Price, UT by Irving Wallace et al and published 8 Aug 1982

2 1/2/ Des News 19 Oct 2010 page A17, article by Paul S. Edwards

3/ I wonder if Lona L Swasey Ellertson’s letter to Ambrose Swasey (of Swasey & Warner) caused Ambrose to hire Benjamin Franklin Swasey to do the Genealogy & write the book “Genealogy of the Swasey Family”. Her letter is in my possession. Also see the Deseret New article regarding Ambrose 19 July 1924 that Lona had saved with her genealogy. A letter from Grandmother Lona Swasey Ellertson to her daughter Etta Miner stated “father’s grandfather & a brother came from France with Lafayett and were Revolutionary soldiers but said nothing about New Orleans.

4/ WRf pt 1 Seventies Quorum item 3, p369

5/ Finished File FGS by Etta Miner. Bk C p260 FHL F 183,395 Temple Records. 1870 census & 1880 census of Charles, his son, would suggest Missouri or New York as birth place. In the 1890 census Lona L Swasey suggested Ohio and Frank said Vermont. In the 1900 Census Lona and Sarah say he was born in Ohio. Another place says Hallsburg, NY.

6/ “ Nauvoo Social History Project”

7/ “Nauvoo Social History Project” buyer 8 7 1843, seller 25 7 1843

8/ Probate record

9/ Marriage record of Lee County, Iowa, original record FHL F 959,189 and 977.799 V25h

10/ noted twice in JH: 9 May 1847 and 9 Mar 1847

11/ “Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-7 & 1859” p115

12/ Church News 8 Mar 1997 “Camp of Israel”

13/ “Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-7 & 1859” p122

14/ “Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-7 & 1859” p142

15/ “Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-7 & 1859” p146

16/“Journals of John D. Lee, 1846-7 & 1859” p147

17/ WRf pt 1 Sev Q 1866 it 3, pg 369

18/ Journal of Lucius Nelson Scovil states Loretta’s marriage was Dec 1850. The census would suggest otherwise: Historian’s Office ms 6961, item 2, p103. See also item 1, p10&15. Lury Loretta’s mother was Lury Snow. All Loretta’s children listed with birth dates. P107 shows the grand children, etc. Scovil ancestors were Puritans: page 1 item 1. Utah County Census says “married with in the year”.

19/ 1850 census, Utah County FHL 979.224 x2pb #232 p269

20/ “The Life of Lucius N. Scoville, author not given. Also see index in HO

21/ 1852 CA census, indexed, Eldorado V2 (FHL F 558,285)

22/ Church News, Viewpoint, July 17, 1993: Pioneer Stories p44.

23/ “Eldorado Research News” Mar 1979, p68. D C Pinkham, County Surveyor record of Surveys 1851 to 1853. Original in office of the County Recorder, Placerville, CA. Dated 10 Apr 1852,no map, p41 Survey #16 p43 #17 FHL 979.441 B2e V1-2.

24/ Sadie Swasey Goble, daughter of Dudley, of Nephi, Utah

25/ as told by Ina Kay, telephone interview Feb 1984

26/ “Hinkley and Silver Valley Place Names” by Robert Gene William, Silver Valley Publications, Daggett, CA

28/ family Tradition

29/ “The Mojave River and Its Valley” by Erma Peirson p73

30 “Early History of Provo Stake” BYU Library F 979.2 Z99 v2

31 TIB # 715, p260, lvg-S FHL 183,395

32 J H

33 3944 reel 2, item 2, (A-2 Docket) p141: Utah State Archives

34 “Wilford Woodruff’s Journals” v5 pgs 377-9

35 “Wilford Woodruff’s Journals” v5 p379

36 J H 28 Aug 1859

37 “Camp Floyd and the Mormons, The Utah War” by Moorman, U of Utah Press 1992 p243

38 “Wilford Woodruff’s Journals” v5 p417 & 480m; v6 pgs 139-142 & 149-153

40/ “History of Juab County” (copies sent to me by Fred J. Sorensen

41/ History by Frank A. Swasey. PO Box 65, Carver, MA 02330

42/ pgs 139-140, History of Juab Co., copies sent by Fred J. Sorensen

43/ “History of Juab Co.

44/ “History of Juab County” by Alice McCune, FHL 979.244 H2m, Mona section pgs 137-149,

45/ History by Ina Kay

46 /June 1996 interview w Ina Kay.

47/ Response to questions at a Swasey Reunion

48/ 1979 tour & lecture by Alton Ellertson.

49/ “History of Rodney Degrass Swasey” by Frank Swasey

50/ Interview w Martha Speakman & Paul Ellertson, Aug 1988

51/ response to question by L R Swasey at Reunion

52/ Bill Dunn, s-i-l of Lona L Swasey, stated, “I don’t know what the people of Mona would have done if it hadn’t been for RDSwasey.

53/ Stated by Dudley Swasey, reunion 1979

54/ Lucius Swasey, 1979 Reunion

55/ A #1, Docket A-1 25 June 1852-1 Sep 1860.

56/ A #1, Docket A-1 25 June 1852-1 Sep 1860. Also “ On The Mormon Frontier” Diaries of Hosea Stout” pgs 711 & 735.

57/ Record A-2 to C18, Utah State Archives p349. Docket A-1, Probate Courts of GSL Co., Utah State Archives.

58/ Docket A-1, Probate Court of Great Salt Lake County, Utah State Archives

59/ “On The Mormon Frontier” Diaries of Hosea Stout v2 pgs 711 & 735

60/ “On The Mormon Frontier” Diaries of Hosea Stout v2 p711

61/ Series 3944, Reel 2, p349 A-2, item 2 on this reel: Utah State Archives [was near the state capitol in 1996 ] Also p499, item 1 pgs 489,493,499.

62/ “On The Mormon Frontier” Diaries of Hosea Stout v2 p737

63/ “Pioneers & Prominent Men of Utah”

64/ WRf pt 1 Sev Q 1866 item 3, p369

65/ “History of Rodney Degrass Swasey” by Ina Kay 67

66/ as reported to Donna Speakman Moore, g-d of Lona

67/ Martha Speakman & Paul Ellertson interview 20 Aug 1988

68/ #13177 First Judicial Court, Utah County, Utah State Archives

69/ #12963-6; TE-O 00.4 Box 20 #2130, Utah State Archives

70/ 12992, 12962, 12812-12815 “Territorial: Executive papers;Corr: Utah State Archives.

71/ Interview with Ina Kay the daughter of Hazal May who was the daughter of Herbert & Estelle (Swasey) Slade, 8 June 1996.

72/ “History of Rodney Degrass Swasy” by Ina Kay

73/ Ina Kay interview at the Swasey reunion of Aug 1988

74/ Heart Throbs of the West, vol 5 p30. BLM rounded up 170 horses from this area because of lack of feed & water 1978, Des News, 24 Aug 1978

75/ Picture from Des News 24 Aug 1978 The Swazey Mtn. Area in Western Utah. Named “House Range” now but the Swasey’s had a much more colorful name for it, like “Out House Range” or ...

76/ History of RDSwasey by Ina Kay.

77/ Interview with Martha Speakman & Paul Ellertson

78/ As told by Marcel Swasey Allen, Rodney, Sr’s daughter, to Martha Ellertson Speakman and Alton Ellertson.

79/ As told by Ina Kay, a g-gd, in an interview 1996

80/ History by Frank A. Swasey

81/ History by Ina Kay

82/ Map, on Wall of Millard Co. Court House Recorders Office on April 1989

83/ Histroy by Frank A Swasey

84/ Lecture by Wes Curtis 1985, College of E Utah.

85/ Story by Gean Syndergaard & Mary Olsen, this occurred when Mary was about 12yo.

86/ A History of Rodney Degrass Swasey by Frank A. Swasey, PO Box 65 Carver, MA 02330. (Notes of interest owned are in Probate record #836 of Utah County, City and County bldg, Provo.)

87/ Interview with Ina Kay

88/ History by Frank A. Swasey

89/ The originals are in the possession of Gay Kay, a great-gd, of Mona, UT

90/ Some original pages of ledgers from the bank and a copy of a deposit pouch, sent to me by Ireata Hansen of Springville, Utah, 1996

91/ The picture is found #15774 979.2 Listed under A Provo, UT, Academy Ave p1, Utah State Historical Society, located at the Rio Grande Railroad Depot, Salt Lake City.

92/ Interview of Martha Speakman and Paul Ellertson, 20 Aug 1988

93/ Obit, Des News 21 Dec 1898 p5 FHL F 026,944, BY Academy record.

94/ Interview w Martha Speakman, Dec. 1984 [see GES history of Mary Ann Swasey]

95/ Letter from Ina Kay, copy in my file.

96/ Abstract of Probate #836, Utah County Bldg, Provo, Utah [at the time, basement level].

97/ Letter from J. W. Randall, Chirman of the Board, State Bank of Provo, in pos of GES

98/ Interview of Paul Ellertson and Martha Speakman, August 1988

99/ A History of R. D. Swasey@ by Ina Kay

100 A History of RDSwasey@ by Kathleen Hansen Kay

101 TIB Manti, #24296 Bk B-2 p528. Proxy was Allen Rowe

102 Ref #7722701 56 Manti Temple, Dowie and Blance (Swasey) Van der Werff & GES as proxies.

103 Martha Speakman, interview related to her mother, Lona Loraina Swasey Ellertson, daughter of RDS Sr.