Christian Swartz

Christian Swartz
6th and 8th Mayor of South Norwalk, Connecticut
In office
1880 – 1880[1]
Preceded by Walter C. Quintard
Succeeded by Edwin Adams
In office
1882 – 1882[1]
Preceded by Edwin Adams
Succeeded by Peter L. Cunningham
Personal details
Born June 15, 1846[2]
Wurtemberg,[3] Germany[2]
Died 1932[2]
Political party Democratic[3]
Spouse(s) Adora M. Flynn (m. February 4th, 1875)[3]
Children Charles C. Swartz, Helen M Swartz[4]
Residence 68 West Avenue, South Norwalk, Connecticut[3]
Alma mater Eastman's Business College (1867)[2]
Occupation cigar manufacturer, banker
Signature
Military service
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1864–1865[3]
Battles/wars American Civil War

Christian Swartz (June 15, 1846 – 1932) was a two-term mayor of South Norwalk, Connecticut, United States in 1880, and 1882. He was treasurer and general manager of The Old Well Cigar Company, of South Norwalk, and a Sheriff of Fairfield County.

Early life and family

He was born in Württemberg,[3] Germany.[2] He came to the United States with his parents in 1849[2] at the age of three.

His father's family were owners and editors of a newspaper in Germany and his father did newspaper work there and later on in the United States, as he was a skillful translator.[3]

Swartz attended grammar school in Newark, New Jersey until the age of fourteen and spent several winter terms at district schools in Ohio and Minnesota.[3] He went to high school in Hastings, Minnesota, and studied at Eastman's Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York where he graduated in 1866.[3]

On February 4, 1875, Swartz married Adora M. Flynn. They had two children,[3] Charles C. Swartz, the 22nd mayor of Norwalk, and Helen M Swartz.[4]

Business pursuits

He then went to work for cigar manufacturer, Jeremiah Bernd of Danbury.[2] In the spring[3] of 1868, in partnership with Bernd, he opened a cigar shop in South Norwalk named C. Swartz and Company. Bernd afterwards sold his interest to Reed Haviland. In 1880, Swatrz incorporated under the name Old Well Cigar Company.[2] The business grew steadily, and when the United States Revenue Department renumbered the factories in the district, they named Swartz' factory as "Factory No. 1."[2]

In 1882, South Norwalk had grown such that another bank was deemed necessary. In partnership with Hon. R. H. Rowan, Hon. John H. Ferris, Hon. Talmadge Baker, and other prominent men, Swartz was one of the organizers of the City National Bank.[3]

Swartz was president of the Volk Hat Company, a director of the Norwalk Lock Company, and the City National Bank of South Norwalk.[2]

Civic activities

He was city councilman in 1878,[2] mayor of South Norwalk in 1880 and again in 1882,[2] sheriff of Fairfield County from 1884 to 1887, and he was member of the state shell-fish commission beginning in 1893.[3]

He served on the Norwalk Water Commission for 16 years, was president of the board of Estimate and Taxation, and was president of the Norwalk Hospital.[2]

He served as commander of the Couglas Fowler Post in the Grand Army of the Republic. He was chosen state commander in 1921.[2]

He was chairman of the city water commission, president of the board of estimates and taxation of the town of Norwalk and President of the Norwalk Hospital.[3]

Memberships

References

  1. 1 2 of mayors of Norwalk, Connecticut
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 The Norwalk Hour - Christian Swartz
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Men of Mark This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. 1 2
Preceded by
Edwin Adams		 Mayor of South Norwalk, Connecticut
1882		 Succeeded by
Peter L. Cunningham
Preceded by
Walter C. Quintard		 Mayor of South Norwalk, Connecticut
1880		 Succeeded by
Edwin Adams
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.