SWATERS BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri ==================================================================== SWATERS, John source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - page: 480 residence: Deepwater Twp John Swaters. The little Kingdom of Holland has furnished thousands upon thousands of sturdy immigrants to this country since the first great immigration of the Hollanders occurred in the seventeenth century when the Dutch made the beginning of one of the world's greatest cities on the Island of Manhattan. The Hollanders make excellent American citizens, and are noted for their industry and proverbial thrift and honesty. John Swaters, wealthy farmer of Deepwater township, is a splendid type of American who was born in Holland. Since coming to Henry County in 1893, he has accumulated 909 acres of land. He made his first purchase of land in 1893 in Bear Creek township consisting of 320 acres, but he did not make his permanent home here until 1901, when he built a fine, large residence of nine rooms and erected other necessary buildings on the home place. 829 acres of the Swaters land is located in Bear Creek township. John Swaters was born in Holland, October 29, 1838, the son of John and Antoinette (DeHeer) Swaters, who came to America in 1848. The father of Mrs. Swaters, John DeHeer, died on the voyage. The Swaters family settled in Clinton County, Illinois, where the father died in 1853, and the mother died in 1873. John Swaters began life in humble circumstances in Clinton County, Illinois, and shortly after his marriage he removed to Effingham County, where he became owner of a farm of 320 acres which he cultivated until his removal to Missouri. Land was constantly rising in value in Illinois and Mr. Swaters with characteristic shrewdness and by the exercise of good, sound business judgment based upon the idea that a man could not lose money by purchasing good farm lands, bought and sold farms in his vicinity and thus made a great deal of money. Of late years he has deeded outright, three quarter sections to his sons. April 18, 1871, John Swaters and Elizabeth Wekamp were united in marriage. Mrs. Elizabeth Swaters is the daughter of J. B. Wekamp and was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1855, emigrating from her native land to America when fifteen years old. Her mother died in 1865. The children born to John and Elizabeth Swaters are as follow: Anna, Elizabeth, Henry, Bernard, John H., Margaret, Maria A., Rosa, George A., Francis Louis, and Ann Leonora. Ann married Fred H. Heiman and has children as follow: Regina, Cornelius, Leo, Martha, Rosa, Ferdinand, Loretta, John and Helen. Regina Heiman married John Nold and has one child, Loraine. Elizabeth, wife of H. W. Schmidt, lives in Illinois, and has six children: Gertrude, Clarence, Vincent, John, Loretta, and Lawrence. Henry married Elizabeth Richter and resides in Bear Creek township, has children as follow: Irene, Gertrude, Nettie, Bernard, Helena, Raymond, and Leonard. Bernard married Catherine Heiman and resides on his father's farm in the adjoining house, has four children: Mary, Hildegarde, Catherine, and Maurice. Francis Louis, married Caroline Cole and has one son, Robert Louis. John H., Jr. and Margaret Swaters are at home with their parents. Marie A. died in infancy. Mrs. Rosa Lee Nold lives in Bear Creek township. George A. is at home. Anna Leonora, married William Nold and lives in Bear Creek township. Mr. Swaters is a Democrat and he and all of his family are devout Catholics, being members of the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Montrose. He is one of the kindest of men, and he and Mrs. Swaters are jolly, wholesouled people who have good and just right to be proud of their accomplishments and of the fine family which they have bequeathed to their adopted country. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by the Henry County MOGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~mohenry/henryco.html Contact the Henry County Coordinator for comments or corrections. ====================================================================