Menzo Swart Biography, Genesee County, Michigan

This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of 
Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman 
Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 1012-1013


This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.


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MENZO SWART, a resident of Flint, who is carrying on a farm in Clayton 
Township, has long been engaged in the lumber business, and of late 
years has acted as Tresspass Agent for the State, but is not now in 
that office. He was born in Shelby, Orleans County, N. Y., September 5, 
184(1, and is a son of Martin and Sarah (Smith) Swart. He came to the 
county in 1847 and took up new land in what is now Mt. Morris Township, 
but removed to Montrose, and engaged in milling and the lumber business 
until his death in 1853. His wife survived until February, 1890. Their 
children are as follows: Mary, Jeanette, our subject, William H., 
Rufus, Nancy, and Edgar.

   A good practical education was granted to our subject, and after 
first entering upon business he continued therein until 1861, when he 
enlisted in the second Michigan Regiment, but when it was re-organized 
he went into the Sixteenth Infantry, being there Sergeant of Company C, 
and serving in that capacity until April 27, 1863, at which time he was 
promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was wounded at Cold 
Harbor, Va., and was again promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant. He 
took part in the battles of Gettysburg and the Wilderness, and during 
the winter of 1862 and 1863 he acted as recruiting officer for the 
regiment.

   Upon being discharged from the United States service, Mr. Swart 
returned to Montrose and again engaged in farming. On the 26th of June, 
1866, he was married to Miss Sallie Wiggins, of Flushing, and soon 
after removed to that place and engaged heavily in lumbering in the 
counties of Midland and Isabella, adding to his business that of 
dealing in lands. In 1872, he went to Brunswick, Ga., and there entered 
upon the lumber business, and carried on a mill. At different times he 
has gone into the land business of the South and engaged as a land 
speculator until 1878 when he was appointed by Gov. Crosswell as 
Trespass Agent and continued thus under Govs. Jerome, Begole, Alger, 
and Luce. His duties took him over all the timber lands in the Northern 
part of the State, having his headquarters at the State Land Office.

   A brother of Mrs. Swart died, leaving an estate involving mining 
interests to be settled by Mr. Swart, and while doing this he became 
interested in mining matters in Colorado. He is a member of the Masonic 
order, belonging to the blue Lodge, and an active member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic. Elijah Wiggins, the, father of Mrs. Swart., came 
to this section from Tompkins Comity, N. Y. where his daughter was born 
in 1845. In 1852, the father engaged in the lumbering business in 
Flushing, but died the following winter. The mother continued to reside 
at Flushing until Mr. Swart removed to Flint, when she came with them 
and died here September 21, 1884. The three children of our subject 
are: Arza M. (who died at the age of fifteen); Viola, who is now a 
student at Olivet College; and Jennie A., who died at the age of three 
years




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