Anyone with an interest in this person should read the interview with his youngest child:


" Course when he was a deputy marshal he had to arrest polygamists."

"HF: That’s interesting um let’s describe your father as you remember him. First of all
what was his approximate height?
SS: About six feet
HF: Weight
SS: 165 lbs.
HF: Was he a thin rugged type of individual?
SS: Well no he wasn’t.
HF: Not to thin well he’d be kinda thin though if he was 165?
SS: He wasn’t fat no he wasn’t skinny either he was a pretty solid built.
HF: Yeah. What color of hair?
SS: White ever since I knew him.
HF: Is that right?
SS: White as could be and curly.
HF: And he had quite a lot of hair a full head of hair?
SS: No he was bald on top, but he had a pretty good head of hair except right on top.
HF: Right on top. Now what color eyes.
SS: Grey
HF: Grey eyes, was he kind of full faced or thin faced.
SS: He was thin faced I’d say.
HF: Kinda thin faced.
SS: Quite a large nose.
HF: Complexion, what kind of complexion?
SS: kind of long nosed, light complexioned.
HF: light complexioned. Do you recall him having a kind of a boomy voice? Did he have
a loud voice was he how ‘bout his voice do you remember?
SS: It wasn’t too loud no
HF: Soft spoken kinda
SS: Yeah mostly
HF: Mmhmm. Do you think he was quite a strong willed man?
SS: Yeah
HF: Quite strong willed, was he a disciplinarian?
SS: Yes
HF: He believed in applying the rod?
SS: No, he didn’t need to.
HF: Didn’t need to?
SS: He said something, why you better do what he said.
HF: I see.
SS: But he never was you know, he never went around whipping kids or nothing.
HF: Was there quite a close relationship between himself and his sons and daughters?
SS: No, not too close no.
HF: After the kids grew up and moved away they didn’t come back to much?
SS: It wasn’t a very close nit family no"

https://content.byui.edu/file/a87ca025-2846-46a2-a035-565d2fb541e7/1/mssi50_126_SterlingCSwanner.pdf


Samuel Swanner, d. 1941

Two Substantial Obituaries (Utah and Idaho)


The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake City Utah 12th January 1941 page 19 Death Claims Colorful Idaho Pioneer Rider who Warned of Indian Raid Dies at Tetonia. Tribune Intermountain Wire. Tetonia, Idaho-- Idaho's rapidly dwindling ranks of pioneers who fought Indians, guided Travelers, and carved a rich Empire out of an almost trackless Wilderness have been thinned again. The death several days ago of Samuel Swanner 88 removed one of the most colorful characters from the ranks of those few survivors who witnessed Chief Joseph's Uprising, who charted routes for other Pioneers into Northeastern Idaho, and who freighted supplies to the mines of Montana. He had lived in Idaho 72 years, locating at Rexburg soon after coming to the state from Smithfield Utah in 1868.

Picturesque in his big cowboy hat, Mr. Swanner in late years often recalled his experiences as a youth. Warned Settlers. He rode through the Upper Snake River Valley in Paul Revere style to warn settlers and trappers of Chief Joseph's uprising. He was among the first to guide visitors to Yellowstone Park, and he often pointed out trees Still Standing which were rope-burned when the parties were forced to let wagons and supplies down over Cliffs. Mr. Swanner had great admiration for the fighting ability of Chief Joseph and believed the Indian leader was justified in attacking the settlers who insisted on infringing on land granted the tribe by the government. He said the uprising began when white men turned pigs loose on the Camas Meadows. The pigs destroyed camas roots, principal source of food for the Indians during the winter.

Mr. Swanner one of the first Freighters in Idaho himself knew most of the Freighters who were massacred by Indians in the Birch Creek section. He said the Hayden Freight outfit which was destroyed refused to obey warnings and charged the massacre to the bullheadedness of their leaders. A wooden sign now marks the place where the Freighters were slain.

Born in Iowa

Born at Council Bluffs Iowa on January 28th 1852 a son of Mr. And Mrs. Samuel Swanner, Sr, he accompanied the family across the plains in 1861 with an LDS handcart company and located at Smithfield. Funeral services for the Pioneer who saw Idaho grow from a few scattered settlers struggling for existence to a prosperous state, were conducted Friday in the Tetonia LDS Church. Bishop Theodore Ted Phillips officiated. Interment was in the Community Cemetery under direction of the Hansen Mortuary of St. Anthony. Survivors include his widow Mrs. Rose Shafer Swanner whom he married in 1906, six Sons and Daughters Willard Swanner of Colorado, Harold and Sterling Swanner of Tetonia Mrs. Elvira Griffiths of California, Glenn Swanner of Felt, and Shirley Swanner of Maine. A brother Heber Swanner of Ogden Utah a sister Mrs. Addie Staker of Bingham Utah, 12 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. His first wife, Mrs. Callie Eliza Morel Swanner, whom he married at Smithfield November 20, 1873 died at Tetonia on November 22 - 1901.






____________

Colorful Settler Ends Longest Career in Teton.

Samuel Swanner, 88, lived among Indians for years.

(Special to the Post Register)

Tetonia, Jan 13 -- Samuel Swanner, 88, who died last week, friends recollected Saturday, was the oldest resident in Teton County and one of the country's most colorful settlers. Mr. Swanner was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa while his parents were crossing the midwestern Plains with Mormon pioneers. After a several-year stay in Iowa, the family continued its Western trek and settle at Smithfield, Utah. Here Mr. Swanner worked at farming and odd jobs until 16 years old when he was employed by a freight outfit that work through Utah, Idaho, and Montana. Indians
Deeply interested in Indians Mr. Swanner often lived among tribes in Idaho and Utah, studying their habits and customs learning their languages. He was voluble in his description of what he frequently termed foul treatment of the Indians by Whites. Mr. Swanner married Cecilia E Morrell August 31st 1873 at Smithfield. She died in 1901 and he married Ruth Shaffer in 1906. He settled in the Teton Basin in 1889, one of the first white men to move into the region with his family.

Active in the country's Civic life, Mr. Swanner at times served as postmaster, justice of the peace, and probate judge. He was a gifted musician, speaker, and writer.

Samuel Swanner 88 Teton County Pioneer was mourned Monday by friends who remember the aged resident as one of the most colorful settlers in the valley. He was an accomplished musician.

The Post-Register (Idaho Falls, Idaho) 13 Jan 1941 Monday

He was also married at least briefly to Ella Blanche Perkins Mooney between the death of his wife Cecilia and his marriage to his surviving wife, Ruth.

Samuel Cole Swanner marriage certificate to Eleanora Blanche (née Perkins) Mooney. 1903.