Listed under his father, William [82] Swett, Stackpole has: Benjamin b. 22 Sept. 1810; m. 25 Dec. 1840 at La Grange, Wis., Elvira Cornish, b. at Middlebury, Vt., 4 Mch. 1801, dau. of Gabriel and Eliza (Boardman) Cornish. He died at Wahum [Waupun], Wis., 26 Sept. 1891. She d. at Empire, Wis., 9 June 1879.
Benjamin Swett grew up in Amesbury, Massachusetts, and went west as a young man. He attended Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, in 1833-1836, but left during or at the end of his sophomore year and did not graduate [Office of the Secretary, Oberlin College]. He removed to La Grange, Walworth County, Wisconsin Territory, in 1837, and to Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin Territory, in 1846. [Wisconsin became the 30th State on 29 May 1848.]
The 1860 Census for Empire, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has: Benjamin Swett, 50, b. Massachusetts Elvira Swett, 59, b. Vermont Franklin Swett [son], 18, b. Wisconsin
The 1870 Census for Empire, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, has: Benjamin Swett, 59, b. Massachusetts Elvira Swett, 69, b. Vermont Franklin Swett [son], 28, b. Wisconsin Sarah Swett [daughter-in-law], 24, b. England Herbert Swett [grandson], 5, b. Wisconsin Nettie Swett [granddaughter], 4, b. Wisconsin Hannah Swett [granddaughter, 2, b. Wisconsin
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Commonwealth (Weekly), October 2, 1891 Died, at his residence in the town of Waupun, Sept. 20, of pneumonia, Benjamin Swett. He was born in Amesbury, Mass., September 26, 1811. He was one of the oldest residents of the State of Wisconsin, living in this Territory and State fifty-four years, of which nine were spent in Walworth county and forty-five in Fond du Lac. He was one of the pioneers in the temperance movement, was a member of the first Oberlin Abolition Club, which was organized prior to the killing of Lovejoy [7 November 1837] and the destruction of his printing press by an Illinois mob for publishing anti-slavery sentiments. Mr. Swett, then fresh from Oberlin college, labored zealously for free speech, a free press, and freedom for the slaves. He was also a pioneer in S. S. work and for twenty years of his life a Sunday school superintendent, and was always actively connected with educational and religious work. He was always a staunch republican from the birth of that party to his death and, together with his son and grandson, voted for Harrison in 1888. While very radical in his political and religious opinions and beliefs, he was not rabid, but was a man of whom it could be truthfully said he had no enemies. He lived an humble, sincere and devout christian life, and was a member of the M. E. church.[1]
Stackpole. Thank you Ben H. Swett
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Categories: Oberlin College