Mr. Swift had been trained in the family business by his father, Gustavus F. Swift, the founder of Swift & Co. He was born in Sagamore, Cape Cod, Mass., and was a descendant some of the first American who landed from the Mayflower. At the age of 9 or 10, he used to help his father with the family business by holding a lantern for him. The family moved to Chicago in 1875 and there the packing business was begun. Eventually Mr. Louis Swift became the head of the pork division while his brothers, Edward and Charles, became heads of the cattle and sheep divisions, all under their father's supervision.
Louis Swift began serving as the company's treasurer after the company was incorporated in 1885. His dedicated work in those early years helped Swift and Co. develop their by-product division which was responsible for many of the Chicago packers' early successes. After his father's death, he became president of the company in 1903. Later in 1931 he became chairman of the board in 1931 until his retirement the following year. He and his brothers helped further expand their business by use of the railroads and the development of the refrigerator car which extended their business well beyond the Midwest. Swift & Co. were one of the first companies to build air conditioned office buildings at their company's headquarters at the Chicago stockyards.
In 1880 Mr. Swift married Ida May Butler, who predeceased him in 1922. Together they had six children, but only two survived him.
Mr. Swift had been trained in the family business by his father, Gustavus F. Swift, the founder of Swift & Co. He was born in Sagamore, Cape Cod, Mass., and was a descendant some of the first American who landed from the Mayflower. At the age of 9 or 10, he used to help his father with the family business by holding a lantern for him. The family moved to Chicago in 1875 and there the packing business was begun. Eventually Mr. Louis Swift became the head of the pork division while his brothers, Edward and Charles, became heads of the cattle and sheep divisions, all under their father's supervision.
Louis Swift began serving as the company's treasurer after the company was incorporated in 1885. His dedicated work in those early years helped Swift and Co. develop their by-product division which was responsible for many of the Chicago packers' early successes. After his father's death, he became president of the company in 1903. Later in 1931 he became chairman of the board in 1931 until his retirement the following year. He and his brothers helped further expand their business by use of the railroads and the development of the refrigerator car which extended their business well beyond the Midwest. Swift & Co. were one of the first companies to build air conditioned office buildings at their company's headquarters at the Chicago stockyards.
In 1880 Mr. Swift married Ida May Butler, who predeceased him in 1922. Together they had six children, but only two survived him.
Family Members
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Edward Foster Swift
1863–1932
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Lincoln F.C. Swift
1865–1867
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Annie May Swift
1867–1889
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Helen Louise Swift Neilson
1869–1945
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Charles Henry Swift
1873–1948
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Herbert Lincoln "Bert" Swift
1875–1911
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George Hastings Swift
1878–1951
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Gustavus Franklin Swift Jr
1882–1943
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Ruth May Swift Maguire
1883–1945
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Harold Higgins Swift
1885–1962
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