James Vincent Swift

"James Vincent Swift, postmaster of Redwood City and editor and proprietor of the Redwood City Democrat, is one of the county's best known and respected citizens. Born in January 1862 at West Union, a few miles from Redwood, Mr. Swift has lived and wrought his career in San Mateo County.

After receiving his early education in the Redwood schools Mr. Swift entered the printing office of the Times-Gazette at the early age of seventeen. He soon mastered the mechanical and editorial ends of the paper and in 1898 he had advanced  sufficiently to buy a half interest in the Democrat. In 1902 this paper became his sole property and has so remained. Mr. Swift has succeeded well in his ambition to make his paper one of the most progressive and enterprising in the county; and no move for civic betterment or the public good has failed to find a staunch supporter in Mr. Swift and his paper.

Mr. Swift's deep interest in Redwood's progress has caused him to serve four terms as city assessor, three terms as city trustee and five terms as trustee of the Redwood school district. Although San Mateo was recognized as a strong republican county, Mr. Swift has worked untiringly and fearlessly for the democratic party. As a fitting tribute to his party loyalty came Mr. Swift's appointment as postmaster this year. No appointment to public office ever received more genuine approval.

Mr. Swift has been married and has a son, Arthur and a daughter Eileen (Mrs. J.J. McCormick). Arthur is head of the mechanical department of the Democrat, the editorial being in charge of Mr. James Hedge, since Mr. Swift took over the duties of postmaster. Mr. Swift belongs to the Native Sons, and the Eagles." Biographies of Representative Men p 181-119,  History of San Mateo County, California: Including Its Geography, Topography, Climatography and Description, IC Steele  

 Sunday, February 21, 1915 

San Francisco Chronicle p.14

He bought the Democrat with W.L. Davis in 1898.  The partnership dissolved in Mar. 1903. 

This is a partial reconstruction of the family using census records and entries in SMCGS indexes.

Miles (Myles) Swift bn @ 1827 Ireland d. 1880-1900  m. Mary @1830 Ireland -1906

1. Elizabeth M. (Lizzie)   1858 SM - aft 1933 - unmarried in 1900

2. William J.   Jan 1860 - 1887

3. James Victor 1862 West Union - 1933   m. Emma Haferkorn 1 Jan 1885 Menlo Park

1. Arthur  15 Mar 1885 - 7 Mar 1965 married Josephine Nicholas who died in 1927
2. Eileen --- Swift, girl 27 Nov 1886 b. 23-Nov J. V. Swift - Times Gazette  m. J.J. McCormick

4. Morris A (Maurice)  1864 - 1914 m. Emma Derry -  living in Twp 3 in 1910

1. William
2. George 
3. Leland V. 22 Jun 1898 - 2 Aug 1968 SM
4. Olivia 6 Feb 1903 - 13 Apr 1987 Sacramento m Peter Christian Zinsli
5. Mary Catherine (May) 29 Apr 1902 - 16 Dec 1994 SM  m1 Arthur L. Bowman m2 Wootten
6. Maurice August 1905  m. Louise Alfreda Slater    

5. Rosa E.   1864 - 1933 unmarried  

By 1870 the family had moved to Redwood City.

Read more:

• A History of the New California: Its Resources and People James V. Swift p.1033
• Numerous entries in Schellen's Collection 
• Redwood City Democrat was in production from 1889 to 1931.

San Mateo County Records: Estray Notices

Estray, in law, is any domestic animal found wandering at large or lost, particularly if the owner is unknown.

The Estray Act of 27 Mar 1897 provided that anyone that found any estray or domestic animal upon his property or on the roadway adjacent to his property may take the animal into possession and have a statutory lien on the animal for all the expenses incurred for its care.

The person who is holding the estray must file a notice with the Department of Agriculture within 5 days of impounding it.

An authorized inspector could take possession of the animal.  The inspector must try to find the owner and turn the animal over in exchange for the handling expenses.  If the owner did not come forward within 14 days the animal could be sold with the net proceeds (after paying the expenses) going to the Dept of Agriculture.  The owner could claim the net proceeds within a year.

Some of the Estray Notices filed in San Mateo County can be found in various drawers in the County Record Depository.  Here is an index of those found to date.

Dr	Date	Found by	Where	Description
5	1910	Barron, Andrew S	Owl Dairy - Beresford 2nd township	4 calves
5	1907	Conti Bros.	Colma	one mare, 2 yr old colt, 6 m old colt held for damages to yard
5	1909	Corey & Rease	Pebble Beach Hotel Pescadero	1 sow 2 barrow black
5	1909	Cramer, Charles	Belle Air Park San Bruno	Roan Colt
5	1902	Dotta, Louis	Ranch north of Pescadero	2 year old heifer
5	1910	Emhoff, Frank	Ranch Pescadero	dark bob tailcow
5	1905	Enos, Manuel	South San Francisco	2 wk calf
5	1898	Gillogley, Peter	San Pedro	bay mare about 8
5	1903	Greene, B S	Colma	bay mare
5	1903	Griffin, M S	Colma in potato field	3 heifers
5	1897	Hall, Asa	San Carlos	bay colt
5	1904	Marceau, F	Lake San Andreas	sorrel colt
5	1908	Picaso, Andrew	Ranch Pescadero	Bull and Heifer
5	1902	Regley, CP	Twelve Mile House	black horse about 8
5	1897	Silva C	Ranch near San Bruno on mission road	red milch cow
5	1896	Wilber A		appraisal of lost property - Bicycle
61	1918	Holberton, George	NW Side of Whipple 1 mile from RC	55284A and 55325- 43 Holstein
61	1940	SF Union Stock Yards		81441

Learn more about Estray laws:

• Animal Law in California  Michigan State University Animal Legal and Historical Center  
• Statutes and Amendments to the code 1897
• Prior to 1897 Estray Law in San Mateo County was governed by the Estray Act of Apr 27, 1868 - Section 2637 General Law of California  .

San Mateo County Cemeteries: Hills of Eternity

In Judaism death is viewed as a natural part of life. 




In 1850 the Congregation Sherith Israel established a cemetery in the area now known as Pacific Heights (Vallejo St. between Gough and Franklin) in accordance with the two basic principals that are part of the natural life cycle: k’vod ha-mayat — the dignified and respectful treatment of the dead — andk’vod he-chai — the honored treatment of the mourners.


Ten years later they dedicated a second cemetery the area that is now Dolores Park.  On 22 Jan 1867 the San Francisco Bulletin (V.XXIII I.89 P. 3) reported the incorporation of the Hills of Eternity Cemetery Association.....  

Twenty one years later, on 30 Nov 1888 the Bulletin (V.LXVII I.47 P. 3) reported the opening of a new cemetery in San Mateo County..

Click here to read entire article

Hills of Eternity Memorial Park (Giboth Olam ) consists of twenty acres of  the foot of the San Bruno Mountains.  Endowed care helps keep the landscaping throughout the cemetery.  In addition to in ground burials, the Portals of Eternity Mausoleum, which was designed in neo-Byzantine style by Samuel Hyman and Abraham Appleton in the early 1930s, and the Gardens of Eternity Mausoleums offer above ground burial and niches for cremains. 


Hills of Eternity has designated sections for several Bay Area synagogues including: Congregation Beth Am, Congregation Beth Jacob, Congregation Kol Emeth, Congregation Or Shalom, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav, and Peninsula Sinai Congregation.

Three of the four Jewish Cemeteries in Colma, Home of Peace, Hills of Eternity, and Salem Memorial Park, share staff and record-keeping.  Contact the office for help in locating burials within the cemetery.

Hills of Eternity Memorial Park

1301 El Camino Real
Colma CA 94014
(650) 755-4700

Hours   8:30 to 4:00, Sunday through Friday.

For more information:

Congregation Sherith Israel
FindAGrave 13032 Burials listed 80% photographed
Cemetery Travel: Week #116
Roni & Jerry's Genealogy - Portals of Eternity shows a map for the mausoleum as well as some pictures inside and out.
American Jewish Archives - Congregation Sherith Israel - San Francisco 1866-1900
International Jewish Cemeteries Project