Swan, Samuel

Swan, Samuel a Presbyterian minister, was born in the island of Dominica, Nov. 30, 1798. While Samuel was a child his father returned to his native country, Scotland. Here the son received a liberal education, completing his course at the Glasgow University. At the age of nineteen he came with the family to Philadelphia, from whence he soon went to Princeton Seminary. He was licensed to preach by the Philadelphia Presbytery April 17, 1823, and received as a licentiate in the Presbytery of Huntington, Pa. He received a call from the Sinking Valley Church, which he declined to accept, and was dismissed to the Redstone Presbytery. His next call was to the churches of Fairfield, Ligonier, and Donegal, which he accepted, and was installed June 17, 1824. He proved to be a devoted, self-denying, and successful pastor, and for seventeen years and a half retained the esteem and growing confidence of his three churches. Becoming seriously crippled by a shivered limb, he was compelled to relinquish so extensive a charge, and he accordingly resigned, and accepted a call to the Johnstown Church, Pa., where he was installed in 1841. Half of his time was occupied by the Church at Armagh. Here he continued until 1855. In 1856 he removed to Leland, La Salle Co., Ill., where he made an extensive purchase of land; and though he had no pastoral charge, he continued' to preach the Gospel as he had opportunity. From 1869 to 1871 he resided at Aurora, Ill. For the purpose of giving his children an education, he returned East, and, though advanced in years, continued to preach until the end of his pilgrimage, Aug. 5, 1877 (W. P. S.).