My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM SWINT is a native of Dubois County, Ind., born April 16, 1844. He is one of seven children born to Conrad and Adaline (Lechner) Swint, who were natives respectively of Germany and France. The father was a graduate of Heidelburg University, was married in 1830, and the same year immigrated to New Orleans, in the United States, where, for about fifteen or sixteen years, he was engaged in furniture manufacturing and merchandising. He then moved to Jasper, Dubois Co. Ind., where he remained only a few years, thence to Troy, Ind., where he died in 1859. His widow died ten years later at the same place, and lies buried by his side. She was a daughter of Franz Lechner, a soldier under Napoleon for twenty-four years, who died in this State. William Swint, at the age of thirteen years, began a three years’ apprenticeship on the Rockport Democrat. He was advanced to the foremanship of that periodical, but in July, 1861, discarded the pen for the sword, and was made a private in Company K, Twenty-fifth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was an active participant in all the movements of his company, was commissioned Sergeant-Major in 1862, and was honorably mustered out of service in 1864. Returning to Rockport, he was employed as clerk in the offices of the County Clerk and Recorder for a time, then resumed his position on the Democrat, remaining there until 1868. From that time until 1870 he was employed on the Journal and Courier-Journal, of Louisville, but in March, 1870, he purchased the Boonville Enquirer, which he has since ably conducted. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and is recognized as one of the leading advocates of that party in southern Indiana. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity of the Royal Arch degree, and of the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Swint’s marriage with Miss Kate A. Dreher, at Rockport, was solemnized May 18, 1867, and three children, named Anna K., Jessie A. and Curran D., blessed their union. The mother died of pneumonia, February 11, 1879, after an illness of only one week. His second marriage, which occurred April 19, 1882, with Elizabeth McMahan, is one of happiness and contentment.