Dallas Co., TX - Obituaries - John W. Swindells
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October 30, 1884, Dallas Weekly Herald

Death of John W. Swindells

The people of Dallas, and especially so, those of long residence,
will read with sincere sorrow the announcement of the death of
Mr. John W. Swindells at his home in Austin night before last.
When good men die, their friends sorrow. But, in a new country
when a man dies, who has been not only a long resident but the
whole time honorable and usefully connected with its growth,
its reverses and its prosperity--over maintaining unsullied the
attributes of a true and a pure manhood - the whole people mourn.

To Dallas, John W. Swindells was endeared by those, and those
other social ties which bind heart to heart. Incapable of duplicity or
malice, his heart pulsating in kindness to all his fellows, his nature
and daily walk for nearly a third of a century in this town won and
retained the confidence, respect and affection of this people and
they will remain as monuments to his worth in each breast so long
as his compeers remain.

Mr. Swindells was born in the north, but partly raised in Norfolk,
Virginia. He was a thorough, practical printer, and came to this
frontier village in 1852-3 and became associated with the lamented
Latimer in the publication of the Dallas Herald, then but about three
years old. On the death of his senior, he became the publisher and
editor of the paper and so remained, with occasional association with
others, until some few years ago. In that relation, his labor and
influence was ever on the side of private, public and political virtue.
Long the only paper in a large area of the state, he made to Herald
a welcome guest at every virtuous fireside. Its guiding star was the
public good.  Conservative by nature, his kindness of hear- his
tender regard for the feelings of others - sometimes bordered on
timidity, but his devotion to truth and right ever stood forth as a
polar star in guiding his conduct.  Ere long resident ere, he married
a daughter of the worth old pioneer, Thomas F. Crutchfield, now
long deceased, and reared several children to comfort and bless
him and his surviving widow. Feeble health and pecuniary
reverses some four or five years ago, caused his removal to Austin,
where he has since been connected with the departments of the
government in clerical capacities. The immediate cause of his death,
as stated in the dispatches, was a surgical operation, but exactly
wheat, we are unadvised.

The Herald, at this late hour, can only make this brief announcement,
to be supplemented by a more extended notice hereafter.

A number of old citizens, as elsewhere shown, request a meeting of his
old friends to the city hall at 3 P.M. to-day to take appropriate action
on the occasion.