The Swifts

L. P. wore so many different hats

L.P. Swift, Gertrude Swift, Caretaker, Lewella Swift and Ella Swift

This ticker tape is for Harveys broad

based business understanding

and investment.

Harvey Swift

1605 L St.

Harvey and Minnie move to California permanently after Lewis’s death in 1901. When they came out, they bought out Lewis’s interest from Ella and Harvey became a partner with C.B. He and Minnie then moved to Fresno and Minnie built her beautiful house. The Fresno newspapers published many accounts of the marvelous parties and weddings that took place at 1605 L St. Minnie was a bright, stylish, funny, loving and generous human being.

Minnie also built a cabin at Pine Ridge and spent her summers there. The beautiful painting of the first cliff house came from Aunt Minnies cabin. The cabin is also memorable for the line of Milk of Magnesia bottles that lined the porch of her cabin 30 years after her death in 1935. It is said that the doctors gave her five years to live in the late 1927, so she divided up her money and spent a portion each year, but she lived another 8 years! She managed, gracefully with Lena’s help.

Burr Craycroft, Minnie Swift and Marian Craycroft

Auto Tour DeLux

Minnie Swift

Lena Shaver

The close relationship between C.B., L.P. and Harvey extended to the Shaver and Swift families, included and embraced the communities that surrounded them.

Above we see, on the far right, Ella Swift standing next to Lena and, very possibly Harvey (see inset at the top of this page) with L.P. and C.B. in the center behind the fountain. They are on an outing together in an unknown location (any thoughts where this might be? ) The double exposure at the bottom of this print is really curious. One of the unknown women, Ella a ghosted image (Lena?) and C.B. This is simply fantastic. Classic Victorian spiritualism, Freudian/Jungian illusionism? What the heck!!!

I talked about the relationship between the kids and the print series below in The Shavers section. In all the photos that we have with Ella, she appears to be very happy, supportive and content. I have not been able to find a thing written about her and would love to know more. Like Truman Shaver, L.P. was born early enough to have participated in the Civil War and I do have a copy of her application for his pension but that’s it.

Lewella and Gertrude’s lives are documented in the press. Both women lived long and productive lives and raise large and remarkable families, contributing generously to the Shaver and more significantly to Fresno and its surroundings.

Gertrude Swift

Lewella Swift

Gertrude Swift

Grace Shaver

Lewella Swift, Unknown Boy, Ethel Shaver and Doris Shaver

A. B. Long, Doris Shaver, C. B. Shaver and L.P. Swift

The Swifts lineage is deep, strong and interesting. It was an Ah Ha moment to encounter Eli Whitney in their tree! The article below gives testimony to the diverse business interests of Harvey.

Harvey Swift

By the time Harvey died in 1916, his interests and investments had expanded even more broadly, including extensive investments in the oil industry. His will is over 200 pages long and is fascinating to read.

Hats of to the descendants of Ella and L.P. for their donations to the Museum of the Sierra.