Clara A. Swain (1834 - 1910)

Born 18 Jul 1834 in Elmira, Chemung County, New York, United States

Died 25 Dec 1910 at age 76 in Castile, Wyoming County, New York, United States

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Biography

Clara Swain is Notable.

Clara A Swain was born on 18 July 1834 in Elmira, Chemung County, New York, the youngest of ten children born to John Swain and Clarissa Seavey.

Following the suggestion of a friend, she entered the Women's Medical College in Philadelphia in 1864 when she was 31 years old. As her training neared its end, she was recruited to serve as a volunteer in India with the Women's Union Foreign Missionary Society. She would go on to become known as the founder of the first women's hospital in all of Asia. She devoted her life in service to alleviating the suffering of women and children in Bareilly and later Khetri.

As her own body weakened, she returned home to New York^[1][2] where she died on Christmas Day 1910.^[3][4] She is buried in Grace Cemetery in Castile, New York.

Research Notes

Timeline from biography book by Wilson:

1849-Clarissa (mother) had a sister Elizabeth (Aunt Post) who lived in Michigan. Broke an ankle while Clara was visiting an Clara stayed nearly a year there to help.

1855-private teaching

1856-studies at Pike, N Y while visiting cousins

1857-paternal aunt in Canandaigua invited her to stay to continue studies.

led to public school position, 5 yrs^[5][6]

took position at Castile Sanatorium, 3 yrs

1865-began medical training

1869-leaves for India, arriving in 1870

1871-rec'd 40 acres with house (palace) as gift from a Nawab of Rampore for use as a hospital for women.

1874-new hospital building completed

1876-rec'd furlough to return home and rest as her own health was suffering from the weight of the work

1879-returned to India

1885-began work in Khetri, a region which had previously not had any missionaries

1896-she retired from service in India and returned to the US^[7]

1906-Jubilee celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Methodism in India. An ailing Clara returned to Bareilly for the celebrations, staying 18 months. It would be her last visit to India.^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSPZ-HQ6 : Thu Aug 03 04:30:05 UTC 2023), Entry for Clara A Swain and Martha S Goodale, 1900. Castile, Castile, Wyoming, New York

   Clara A Swain F 65 Single Head New York

   Martha S Goodale F 76 Widowed Sister New York

   Lucena W Thomson F 68 Widowed Roomer New York

2. ↑ "United States Census, 1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MP1T-PK1 : Wed Jul 19 18:24:41 UTC 2023), Entry for Mary T Green and Helen Devertt Justin, 1910. Castile, Wyoming, N. Y. Castile Sanatorium, boarder.
3. ↑ "New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGJQ-9JCH : 23 March 2023), Clara A Swain, 1910.
4. ↑ "United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W6NH-XB2M : 14 December 2020), Clara A Swain, 1910.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC72-7FD : Tue Jul 18 01:30:56 UTC 2023), Entry for Wm Tozer and Mary Ann Tozer, 1860. Canandaigua, Ontario, New York. If their is a paternal aunt in this house, it would have to be Catherine Doyle, 78, Ireland.
6. ↑ "New York State Census, 1865", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNN-8W7L : Wed Aug 02 00:30:00 UTC 2023), Entry for Benjamin P Frazer and Elizebeth Frazer, 1865. Canandaigua, Ontario, New York. Still teaching here.
7. ↑ "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JX7Q-NZ4 : 2 March 2021), C. A. Swain, 1896.
8. ↑ "New York Book Indexes to Passenger Lists, 1906-1942," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q232-T8D9 : 19 February 2021), Clara A Swain, 1908; citing Immigration, New York, United States, citing ship Queenstown, New York Passenger Lists, 1906-1942 NARA microfilm publication T612. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, RG 85 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll Roll 80 Cunard, Anchor, 1908 Mar-May; FHL microfilm 1,463,680.
9. ↑ "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JXPM-G2S : 2 March 2021), Clara A. Swain, 1908.

• "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCT3-Q26 : Mon Jul 17 23:01:30 UTC 2023), Entry for Daniel Babcock and Adelia Babcock, 1850. Castile, Wyoming, New York.

Daniel Babcock M 33 New York

Adelia Babcock F 28 New York

Clarissa Swain F 16 New York

• Find a Grave (has image), Find A Grave: Memorial #5634714, Memorial page for Dr Clara A Swain (18 Jul 1834-28 Dec 1910), citing Grace Cemetery, Castile, Wyoming County, New York, USA; Maintained by Marsha Redden (contributor 19682360).
• Wilson, Dorothy Clarke, Palace of Healing, The Story of Dr. Clara Swain, First Woman Missionary Doctor, and the Hospital She Founded McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1968.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Swain