DANIEL SWICKARD, a prosperous shoe merchant of Monongahela, born November 26, 1816, in Somerset township, is a son of John and grandson of Martin Swickard who was born and reared in eastern Pennsylvania. Martin Swickard came to this county among the earliest settlers, and locating in a log cabin in Somerset township, assisted in clearing up and improving the land. He was twice married. To the first union were born the following children: Matthias, Daniel, Samuel, John, Lucy and Sarah. Mr. Swickard always followed farming, and in 1805 went to Jefferson county, Ohio, where he remained until his death. In politics he was a Democrat, and in religion a member of the Lutheran Church. John Swickard was born in 1783, in Somerset township, Washington Co., Penn., and passed his youth on the home place. When a young man he married Mary, daughter of John Smith. They continued to reside on the home place, where children were born as follows: Catherine, John, Samuel, Daniel, Mary, Barbara, Susan and Elizabeth. The father was a lifelong agriculturist, and a noted hunter and sportsman; in politics he voted with the Democratic party. The clothing for his family was made from wool carded by hand and woven by his wife, who died in 1860 and was buried in the Lutheran cemetery, where her husband was buried January 9, 1877. They were both members of the Lutheran Church. Daniel Swickard was educated in the subscription schools of Nottingham township, his text books being limited to the Testament and United States Speller. In 1840 he was married to Harriet, daughter of Abram Leyda, a native of Nottingham township, who has borne him the following children: John, married to Malissa Beatty, living in Colorado; Mary E., wife of Daniel Berry; Hester A., married to Harrison Leyda; Daniel, deceased; James L., married to Maria Woodward, of Monongahela, living at Meadville, Penn.; Alex. Y., married to May C. Coulter, of Venango, Penn.; and David M., married to Carrie E. Van Kirk, of Amwell, now living at Monongahela. Mr. and Mrs. Swickard resided on the home place for twenty years after their marriage, or until he purchased the Leyda Mill in Nottingham township. Conducting that enterprise for thirteen years, he continued to own the home place. In 1865 he opened a grocery store in Monongahela City, but five years afterward sold out, purchasing a furniture and undertaking establishment which he kept for thirteen years. At the expiration of that time he opened the shoe store where he is now carrying on a profitable business. He is a representative citizen, a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and has served in numerous capacities; in 1855 he was elected county commissioner, which office he held three years. In religion he is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Swickard died in 1872, and Mr. Swickard again married, in 1874 to M. L. McCurdy, of Allegheny county, Penn., daughter of Daniel McCurdy.

Text taken from page 735 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Karen Souhrada of Pittsford, NY as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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