Minnesota Governor. He is remembered as the third Governor of Minnesota, serving as a Republican from July 10, 1863 to January 11, 1864, which was a six month term. He was the father-in-law of Gideon S. Ives who served as mayor of St. Peter, Minnesota in 1885 and as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 1891 to 1893. Swift was the second governor from St. Peter, with the others being Willis A. Gorman, Horace Austin, Andrew R. McGill and John A. Johnson. Swift served in the Minnesota Senate from 1860 to 1868. He became Lieutenant Governor in 1863 on the resignation of Ignatius Donnely, and succeeded to the Governorship in July of 1863 on the resignation of Governor Alexander Ramsey. His main concern as governor was the care of the veterans of the Civil War. Declining a second term as governor, Swift returned to his senate seat in 1864. In 1867 he was appointed to head the U. S. Land Office in St. Peter by President Andrew Johnson. Swift contracted typhoid fever and died at his home. He was buried in Ravenna, Ohio at the request of his parents. After graduation with honors from Western Reserve College in Ohio, he was the private tutor to children on a plantation in Mississippi, which had slaves. From this experience, he was committed to freeing slaves. He earned his law degree and married before beginning his career in politics. Swift County, Minnesota was named in honor of him in 1870.
Minnesota Governor. He is remembered as the third Governor of Minnesota, serving as a Republican from July 10, 1863 to January 11, 1864, which was a six month term. He was the father-in-law of Gideon S. Ives who served as mayor of St. Peter, Minnesota in 1885 and as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 1891 to 1893. Swift was the second governor from St. Peter, with the others being Willis A. Gorman, Horace Austin, Andrew R. McGill and John A. Johnson. Swift served in the Minnesota Senate from 1860 to 1868. He became Lieutenant Governor in 1863 on the resignation of Ignatius Donnely, and succeeded to the Governorship in July of 1863 on the resignation of Governor Alexander Ramsey. His main concern as governor was the care of the veterans of the Civil War. Declining a second term as governor, Swift returned to his senate seat in 1864. In 1867 he was appointed to head the U. S. Land Office in St. Peter by President Andrew Johnson. Swift contracted typhoid fever and died at his home. He was buried in Ravenna, Ohio at the request of his parents. After graduation with honors from Western Reserve College in Ohio, he was the private tutor to children on a plantation in Mississippi, which had slaves. From this experience, he was committed to freeing slaves. He earned his law degree and married before beginning his career in politics. Swift County, Minnesota was named in honor of him in 1870.
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