Leota (Whetzel) Swift
(1900-1954)
Leota
(Whetzel) Swift was born on May 11, 1900 in Fayette County, PA, the daughter
of Delmar
and Mariah J. (Minerd) Whetzel.
Leota married Sanford K. Swift Sr. (1897-1974), the son of Robert Jerry and Delilah (Ferguson) Swift, and a native of Pennsville, Fayette County, PA.
They had 12 children -- Wilbur Swift, Charles Swift, Kenneth Swift, Robert Swift, Leonard Swift, James Swift, Evelyn Reagan, Virginia Burke, Thelma Ware, Betty Huss, Sanford K. Swift Jr. and Donald Swift. Sadly, son Donald died as an infant circa 1927-1928.
In about 1927, the Swifts moved to the Carmichaels area of Greene County, PA. Said the Waynesburg Republican, he was a "mine foreman, having been employed by the Buckeye Coal Company. He was a member of the First Methodist Church of Carmichaels and an active member of the Nemacolin Citizens Club."
Leota's widowed mother came to live with them, and passed away in their home on April 11, 1933.
A rare old photographic postcard of Carmichaels'
famed "Sand Rocks" landmark is seen at right.
Sanford had a pet name for his wife -- "The Dutchman." The story behind the nickname is not known, but perhaps may have been due to her Pennsylvania-German heritage.
Sadly, Leota passed away in Nemacolin on Jan. 12, 1954. She was only age 54. The exact date and cause of death are not known. She was laid to rest in Hewitt's Cemetery in Rices Landing, Greene County.
Two years later, on May 19, 1956, Sanford married Goldie (Martin) Ruth (1894-1972), the widow of John L. Ruth. She had six adult children of her own -- Ralph Ruth, William Ruth, Dorothy Booze, Lottie Gwynn, Margaret Jacobs and Sarah Ruth. Goldie passed away at home on Oct. 17, 1972.
Sanford died at age 76 at home on June 11, 1974, "after a lengthy illness," said the Republican. He was buried with Leota in Hewitt's Cemetery. At the time of Sanford's death, he was survived by 31 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Circa 1974, the adult children of Leota and Sanford resided as follows: Wilbur in Carmichaels, PA; Charles in Robertsonville, NC; Kenneth in Ravenna, OH; Robert in Marion, OH; Leonard in Columbus, OH; James in Port Clinton, OH; Evelyn and husband James Reagan in Rices Landing, PA; Virginia and husband Robert Burke in Chester, OH; Thelma Ware in McKeesport, PA; and Betty Huss in Port Clinton, OH.
Daughter Evelyn married James A. Reagan (1910-1991) on July 31, 1937. They resided in Crucible and later in Rices Landing. There, James worked as a coal miner and "also was employed in the maintenance department of Greene County Memorial Hospital," said a newspaper. He was a member of the United Mine Workers, Dilworth Local 1980.
Tragically, grandson Sanford K. Swift III, a Waynesburg College graduate and an employee of Marriott Corporation, died at age 31 in 1992 in Arlington, VA.
Copyright © 2003 Mark A. Miner