William Swim, Pana's Oldest Resident, Dead

Came to Illinois in 1862 and settled near Pana - Was Head of Five Generations

Pana, Illa., Dec. 31, 1906 - William Swim, Pana's oldest resident, died at his home in this city Sunday morning after an illness of but a few weeks, of general senility. Mr Swim was not only the oldest resident of Pana, but has for the last several years enjoyed the distinction of being the head of five generations.

Mr. Swim had been in remarkably good health for a man of his years, up to six weeks ago when he began to rapidly fail in health and took to his bed. His seven surviving children were summoned to his bedside. His age , he attributed to his strict adherence to the laws of health which he never violated.

Mr. Swim was born in Kentucky Aug. 15, 1815 and was the oldest of eight children and the last to die. He came to Illinois in 1862 and purchased 130 acres of raw land near this city from the Illinois Central Railroad Co. at $10 per acre on several years time at 6 per cent. His praise of the company was constant and he never failed to speak a good word for them which was attributed to the fact that he was unable to make the last payment on the note at the specified time and the Company extended the note.

Mr. Swim moved into the City in 1881 and embarked later in the coal business, introducing this city to it's first load of hard coal. In 1882, he turned his attention to the grocery business for a number of years.

He was the proud father of Eight children, one of whom, Mrs. Thomas P. Clark, died last October, and with whom he celebrated his 91st birthday in connection with her twenty fifth wedding anniversary. (This should read "Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary") Mr. Swim was married in Ohio in early manhood and celebrated his twenty fiifth marriage anniversary in this village in 1887. (This should be "Fiftieth" also)

He cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States, and with the exception of 1856 has voted at each Presedential election since. In Politics, Mr. Swim was a Republican and at the last presidential election his fourteen grandsons together with their seven fathers voted the Republican ticket with him.

He was a staunch member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and has during his connection with that church held various offices of trust and reared one son, J.C. Swim, into the ministry of that denomination. Mr. Swim had a group picture of forty one, representing the five generations of the family. He has forty one grandchildren, thirty six of whom still live, and he also had nineteen great grand children and one great great grandchild, Nellie Harrison of Springfield.

The funeral of Mr. Swim will be held from the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city on Tuesday, Jan. 1, at 10 o'clock a.m. The Pastor, Rev. J.F. Wohlfarth, officiating. Interment will follow at Mount cemetery follwing the ceremonies.