BIOGRAPHY: George W. R. SWOOPE, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, pages 547-548.

  GEORGE W. R. SWOOPE, Newton Hamilton, Mifflin county, Pa., was born in 
Huntingdon, December 27, 1846.  He is a son of Peter and Maria (Brumbaugh) 
Swoope.  His grandfather, Peter Swoope, was a native of Germany, and one of the 
early settlers of Huntingdon.  He was a farmer and merchant.  He had three 
children.  Peter Swoope was a member of the German Reformed church.  He died and 
is buried in Huntingdon.  His son, Peter Swoope, Jr., was born in Huntingdon, 
then called Standing Stone, in 1799.  He received an English education.  He 
owned a furnace in Bedford county, which he conducted for a number of years, but 
the latter part of his life was spent as a merchant in Huntingdon.  He was an 
old line Whig, afterwards an ardent Republican.  He was for fifteen years a 
justice of the peace in Huntingdon.  Peter Swoope married Miss Van Devender, of 
Huntingdon county.  They had twelve children, all deceased but Henry J., of  St. 
Louis.  Mrs. Swoope died, and Mr. Swoope married Maria Brumbaugh.  Their 
children are:  Cyrus, of Bedford county;  James C. keeps a shoe store in 
Huntingdon;  George W. R.;  Elizabeth (Mrs. Peter Gerlock), of Huntingdon;  
Benjamin, of Wayne township;  and ten who died in childhood.   Mr. Swoope was a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  He died in 1880.  Mrs. Swoope resides 
in Huntingdon, aged eighty-three.
  George W. R. Swoope received his education in the public schools of 
Huntingdon.  For three years he was employed by the Huntingdon and Broad Top 
Railroad company as ticket agent and express agent.  He then entered the coal 
business as an employee of Jacob & Company, at Broad Top.  He was also 
superintendent and clerk in Clearfield county for Harned, Ogle & Company for 
five years.  The following two and a half years he spent as superintendent of 
Elizabeth Furnace in Blair county.  He then came to Lucy Furnace, Wayne 
township, Mifflin county, and was partner with Mr. Whitehead for three years.  
On account of ill health he removed to Huntingdon, where he spent four years.  
Mr. Swoope then bought his present home, consisting of ninety-seven acres, and 
also another farm, both in Wayne township.  He had a half interest in the Lucy 
Furnace property, which has been divided, Mr. Swoope now owning about 2,500 
acres.  He has built a dwelling, and made many improvements on his property.  
Mr. Swoope served for seven months in the late war.  He enlisted in 1864, in the 
One Hundred and Ninety-second Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company B, under Colonel 
Stewart, and Captain Johnson.  He was detailed for guard duty most of the time.  
He is a Republican, and a Prohibitionist.  He has served as clerk of Wayne 
township.
  George W. R. Swoope was married in Huntingdon, in 1875, to Amelia, daughter of 
John Whitehead, of Huntingdon.  They have one child, Flora.  Mr. Swoope is a 
Methodist.  He was for several years steward of the church in Huntingdon, and is 
now a trustee of the church at Newton Hamilton.