Laura
Kate (Johnson) Swearingen
(1861-1955)
Laura
Catherine 'Kate' (Johnson) Swearingen was born in
1861 at Sego near Somerset, Perry
County, OH, the daughter of David
R. and Mahala (Miner) Johnson. She grew up on her parents' farm, but
as a teenager became a pioneer settler of Kansas.
In 1876, as a 15-year-old, Kate left Sego and traveled with her parents to Concordia, Cloud County, KS. She "made her home in Center township since that time [to the end of her life]," said the Concordia Kansan.
On Dec. 16, 1880, Kate married Thomas Jared Swearingen, an Ohio native who came to Kansas as a boy. He is said to have traded a mule and a horse for 80 acres south of Concordia when he was too young to qualify to homestead. A local newspaper later said he was "probably one of the earliest pioneer settlers of Cloud county."
Their children were Arley Zachariah Swearingen, Grace Maude Mansfield, Mabel Henrietta Ewing and Leslie Paul Swearingen. Sadly, Leslie died unmarried at age 27 when he was suffocated by swelling due to the mumps.
Pioneer days in Kansas must have been very difficult for the former Ohioans. Among other difficulties, son Arley later talked of Indians chasing him as a boy.
A old bird's-eye view of Concordia, looking south
Thomas was called "the oldest settler of Cloud County, reckoning years of continuous residence." The Kansan recalled an important moment in his life which shaped his character:
Circumstances brought the editor of The Kansan and Mr. Swearingen into intimate acquaintance and friendship many years ago. It was in August, 1868 that the Indians raided the Republican Valley, Benjamin White was killed by them in Buffalo township, and on the same day Gordon Winbigler was killed by a part of the same gang of marauders near where Republic City was since located.... Following that raid they left their claims, some going to Manhattan, others to Clifton, some left the country for good, our own family came to Oak Creek, in this county -- living in the dugout on the bank of the creek, on the claim now owned by Joe Naillieux. Their next door neighbors were the Swearingens, a bit farther up the creek. Mrs. Swearingen, Tom's mother, was an experienced pioneer woman -- a Christian woman to the very core of her. Without her inspiration and helpfulness many of the other women homesteaders would have given up in despair... [Tom] was a worthy son of such a fine pioneer mother and 'carried on' throughout his life in such a way as would have been in full measure of her hopes and aspirations for him, as a man of fine character, commanding the respect of all who knew him. Such a man was Tom Swearingen.
Thomas died in April 1932. Kate lived to the age of 93, and died on July 3, 1955, at the home of daughter Maude south of Concordia. They are buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery near her parents.
Copyright © 2000, 2003 Mark A. Miner