MARGARET NINA BRINKERHOFF SWAPP
By Delna Swapp Winton

Margaret Brinkerhoff Swapp was the daughter of James and Rebecca Hawk Brinkerhoff. Her father was born May 22, 1816 at Sompronius, Cayuga County, New York, and died March 4, 1875 at Glendale, Kane County, Utah.
The Brinkerhoff family moved to Nauvoo in its early settlement, and still in answer to the call of Mormonism, Margaret Hawk our pioneer's grandmother, with her husband, four daughters, and one son were among the first pioneers to begin the journey across the plains, but this journey was rudely interrupted by an oxen stampede, which caused the death of Margaret Hawk - the Mother.
A call for men to fill the ranks of the Mormon Battalion to the son and father, so the four daughters were left to continue their journey of refuge into Salt Lake Valley, among friends.
Rebecca Hawk, the second daughter, married James Brinkerhoff and moved to Centerville, Utah. Here on May 1, 1859, Margaret Brinkerhoff was born.
At the age of four she too, began life as a pioneer. Her father was called to leave Centerville and aid in the settlement of Dixie at St. George, Utah. The Brinkerhoff family lived in St. George for six years, and worked to gain the comforts of a pioneer life. Their home was of sawed-dirt blocks, built with mortar. Later a board-floor added a new luxury.
Wool and cotton was carded, spun, and died to make clothing. The dyes were made from various weeds and chaparral.
The first school was held in a tent with Sister Averett as an instructor. There sitting on a rough pine bench, and equipped with a slate and crayon, Margaret Brinkerhoff began the mastery of the "Three R's."
Again in 1869 James Brinkerhoff was summoned to go to the Muddy, in Nevada to further the work of the Mormon pioneer. The small settlement on the Muddy was made under the constant fear of an Indian uprising. The Indians resented these new settlers and constantly harassed them either by stealthy stealing or boldly demanding food, clothes, and horses.
At one time the Indians demands became so hostile that the men were called from the lower settlements to aid in quieting them. It was decided to hold a mass meeting to treat for peace with the Indians. About forty men gathered at Bishop George Lovitt's home. The coming of these men incited the Indians suspicions, and the multiplying of their hostile faces cast a dark cloud over the threatened village.
The parley with the Indians was continued all day with the three Indian interpreters, two of whom were Andrew Gibbons and John Young. At sunset a treaty of peace was signed and the Indians went back to their camp and the men returned home.
The arrival of the news from the settlements into the village and the steady gathering of the war-equipped Indians made an indelible impression on the minds of our pioneer. She remembers distinctly the recurring visit of the painted Indians, with their bows and quivers of arrows as they demanded bread from her mother, and threatened to kill all the pale faces before night.
In 1870 James Brinkerhoff and family returned to St. George. They only remained there one year, for in the spring of 1871; they were called to Long Valley and settled at Glendale, Kane County, Utah.
Arriving in Glendale, they moved into the old log fort which had been abandoned seven years before by Latter Day Saints settlers, because of the trouble with the Indians. They began once more to secure the necessities of life. They built a home and began to farm. The nearest store was at St. George.
While the relating of this story seems filled with hardships Margaret Brinkerhoff, claims that the dancing to the tune of Homer Bouton's bass fiddle and Jim Watson's violin, the dirt floor was just as enjoyable as the popular jazz orchestra and was floor of today.
In 1875 on November 22, Margaret Brinkerhoff married James Swapp. In a covered wagon, they journeyed to Salt Lake City, where they were married in the Endowment House.
They returned to Glendale and during the summer months for a period of three years lived on a ranch in upper Kanab, where butter and cheese was prepared for the market.
While in Glendale eight children were born, five girls, and three boys. Again in 1890 the Swapp family answered the call for aiding in the settlement of Kanab. They were advised to come to Kanab when the dam was flooded out. So the Swapp family became permanent residents in Kanab, earning a livelihood in the sheep and cattle industry, and farming at Sink Valley in Kane County. Mr. Swapp also became Sheriff of the county and worked in that office for twelve years.
James Swapp spent many hours in the process of fighting, parleying, and striving to keep peace among the Indians and the Pioneers. In 1873, in the company with Jacob Hamblin, and others, he crossed the Colorado River when the alarm was brought that the Indians were going to kill some white settlers in vengeance of alleged Indian killing in Grass Valley. He also served during many other minor uprisings.
Thus the Swapp family furthered the pioneer development of Kane County in answer to the struggle for the necessities of life, and in fulfillment of their faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Margaret Swapp became the mother of 12 children, all of whom grew to maturity.

Margaret Nina Brinkerhoff Swapp was my grandmother. My Father was George Alonzo Swapp, her 7th child. I am the 2nd child of George Swapp and Vera Little.

Here is another version of the bios for both. jkd


James Hill Swapp
&
Margaret Nina Brinkerhoff
By Angus Spencer Swapp
James Hill Swapp was born 10 May 1853 at Salt Lake City, Utah. James along with his brothers was in on all the excitement of settling different places wherever the Church sent the family. He was real young while the family was in Mill Creek, Salt Lake City. He was eight years old when the family left Salt Lake to go settle the area at St. George, Utah. They encountered many hardships in breaking in new lands, clearing it for farming.
It seemed like they always had trouble with the wild redskins. The Indians didn't want to give up their lands to the white man and were always striking at them in some way or another. James & his brother were young but soon learned how to help ward off the Indian attacks. They became tough and able soldiers of the communities and none of their families were ever killed by the Indians. Their father William Swapp was a big, heavy, tall man and as true in heart as a man comes. He always tried to make friends with the Indians and taught his sons to do the same. There was always one group of Indians that didn't want to play their game and were always pulling something dirty on the white people.
They struggled at St. George for several years and finally the Church called them to go colonize the Muddy in Nevada. This was at Coleville and probably at Moapa Valley, Nevada. The young Swapp brothers probably took turns carrying the mail from St. George to Coleville and also to Cedar City, Utah. They got their farm in good shape and they told later of the beautiful wheat fields waving in the sun. It got so hot and they had so much trouble with the Indians the Church finally released them. They were asked to go to Long Valley, Utah and settle somewhere on the upper Virgin River which ran through Long Valley. The family had worked hard in these hot areas and survived and the boys were grown men by now.
They had spent many days at the saw mill, hauling lumber into the St. George area from Tumble Mountain. They used this lumber in building the St. George Temple. This put a lot of hardships on them and we can be proud of them and what they accomplished. Several of the sons took turns standing guard at Ft. Pierce. This was a stopping point southeast of St. George where was the only water in the area. The men hauling lumber would stop there and camp along the way, both coming and going. James Hill Swapp and maybe some of his brothers went with James Andrews to Tuba City to help Jacob Hamblin settle the Navajos who were getting quite restless and troublesome.
James was married 22 Nov 1875 to Margaret Nina Brinkerhoff. They took up a ranch at Sink Valley near Alton during the years from Glendale and on. They lived there quite a few years and raised most of their family there. Then later they moved to Kanab and built a home and spent their later years there. Here he was sheriff of Kane County for twelve years and a good one at that. He was a man of true character and all loved him that knew him. My father and uncles all said James H. Swapp was a good man as the earth created. They all loved Uncle Jim. James and Margaret had a very large family and they all turned out to be strong, stalwart people. Some of them might not care too much for religion but they were good solid citizens of the world. James and Margaret died leaving a great posterity. James died 17 Jan 1922 at Kanab. Aunt Nine died 6 Feb 1932 at Kanab, Utah. Margaret was known to all us children as Aunt Nine, a lovely person to be around.