DOB/DOD: January 30, 1831 (Mansfield Center, CT) – January 30, 1916 (Detroit, MI); 85 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married Mary A. Bradford (1836-1872) on November 6, 1855. Married Ella B. Hollbrook (1847-) on January 21, 1874, in Detroit, Michigan.
CHILDREN: With Mary: Four daughters, Ann “Annie” K. Swift Burt (1859-1939), Louise B. Swift Robbins (1867-1906), Mary (1869-?), and Caroline “Carrie” B. (1870-1951). One son, Frederick W. Jr. (1865-1865). With Ella: Two daughters, May R. Swift Dingwall (1874-1942) and Frederika W. (1891-1969). Two sons, Bradford H. (1877-1936) and Stanley H. (1878-1949).
ENLISTMENT: July 29, 1862, in Detroit, Michigan.
CAPTURED: May 12, 1964, at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, and held in Macon, Georgia.
DISCHARGE: June 3, 1865.
FAMILY: Born to Dr. Earl (1784-1869) and Laura Ripley Swift (1792-1870). Brothers, Albert E. (1811-1864), Ralph (1822-1879), James D. (1825-1842), Henry F. (1829-1899), and Rowland (1834-1902). Sisters Harriet B. Swift Adams (1813-1899), Alathea H. Swift Newbury (1815-1884), Laura R. Swift Southworth (1818-1874), and Sarah F. Swift Adams (1823-1903).
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING: Civil War
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Army
UNIT: 17th Michigan Infantry
DATE OF ISSUE AND PRESENTATION: February 15, 1897 (34 years later)
AGE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT: 31
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Lieutenant Colonel Frederic William Swift, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 16 November 1863 while serving with the 17th Michigan Infantry, in action at Lenoire Station, Tennessee. Lieutenant Colonel Swift gallantly seized the colors and rallied the regiment after three Color Bearers had been shot and the regiment, having become demoralized, was in imminent danger of capture.
From the Detroit Free Press January 31, 1916
COL F.W. SWIFT DIES ON BIRTHDAY; ONCE POSTMASTER
Heart Trouble Takes Detroiter at 85; Was Civil War Veteran
Colonel Frederic William Swift, one-time postmaster of Detroit and a resident of the city for 69 years, died Sunday at his residence in the Garden Court Apartments at 870 Jefferson Avenue.
Sunday was Colonel Swift’s eighty-fifth birthday. Until three weeks ago, he had been in fairly good health. Valvular heart trouble was the cause of death.
Colonel Swift was the Postmaster of Detroit from 1866 to 1874. This was almost immediately after he returned from the Civil War, in which he held the post of Colonel of the Seventeenth Michigan Infantry.
He was born in Mansfield, Connecticut, and came to Detroit when he was 16 years old. For many years, he was in the drug business in the city, being a senior member of the firm of Swift & Dodds. In later years, he was in the insurance business and, for several years, had been retired.
Colonel Swift was twice married, his second wife being Miss Ella Holbrook, a sister of Mrs. Franklin H. Walker.
He is survived by his widow, four daughters, and two sons. The daughters are Miss Caroline Swift, Mrs. Judson Burt, Mrs. Enos L. McMillan of Detroit, and Mrs. Har R. Dingwall of Walkerville. The sons are Bradford H. Swift of Fremont, Ohio, and Stanley H. Swift of Amsterdam, New York.
Colonel Swift was a member of the Loyal Legion and was the Recorder of the local branch at the time of his death.
The funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the chapel of Elmwood Cemetery, where the interment will be made.
Buried in Elmwood Cemetery, 1200 Elmwood Street, Detroit, Michigan; Section H, Lot 23. Photo from FindAGrave.com.
END