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- Niagara Gazette - 11/11/1932
WILSON, Nov. 11-Among the thinning
ranks of the G. A. R. veterans
can be found one who has the double
honor of being not only a survivor of
the Civil War but also of the Oregon
gold rush. Such a colorful and Interesting
character Is George Swick,
Who tomorrow will be 92 years old.
He was born In Hector, Tompkins
county. His parents were John Swick
and Maria Fulkerson. He came to
live in Niagara county at the age of
eight, living first in Newfane and
later on the Town Line road here, on
what Is known as the William Rohring
farm at the corner of Chestnut
street and finally on South Ridge.
Mr. Swick has one daughter. Mrs.
Frank Smith, twp grandchildren,
Lloyd Smith and Mrs. Herman Schultz,
and five great-grandchildren.
Suffers Injury
About ten years ago Mr. Swick had
the misfortune to break his left leg.
The member never properly knitted
and It has-been necessary for him to
use crutches since. He drives his own
car, however, and gets a great deal of
pleasure out of life. He will tell you
In his own whimsical way as he hooks
the unknltted left leg over his right
shoulder, that he -had to be examined
by 13 doctors before he was given the
merited pension.
At the age of 20 Mr. Swick entered
the Union army and for 26 months
saw active duty in the 28th N. Y. Infantry,
which left from Lockport. He
testifies to the well known fact that
war Is no playtime. He did learn to
live out-of-doors, however, and that
proved a handy accomplishment when
he started for Oregon. Mr. Swlck's
company practiced strict economy, living
In Albany on 24 cents a day.
Turn In Food
It reflected great credit upon his
company to be able to receive a $100
refund from the government for surplus
rations returned in one month.
Mr. Swick was also granted $7.50 for
rations while on a month's furlough.
What to him was one of the longest
days ever spent- was when he was on
that particular furlough and had to
wait over all day Sunday because no
trains were run on the Sabbath.
In 1864 Mr. Swick married Martha
Rogers. He says she received $1 a
week for doing house work and arose
at three on Monday so as to get the
family's wash out before dinner time.
He contrasts that with conditions four
years ago when he paid a woman $25
a week to do the work for Mrs. Swick
and himself and that did not Include
the laundry.
Start West
One of Mr. Swlck's neighbors went
to Oregon, became conscious of the
possibilities open there, came east for
his wife and induced several, including
Mr. Swick, to return with him. In
April of the year that marked Lincoln's
assassination, with his covered
wagons and three saddle horses as
their equipment, they started along
with many others to make, their fortunes.
The Journey took three months
and they passed over 14 states. Mr.
Swick takes great pride in saving his
wagon was hand made by a Lockport
wagon-maker. They covered 25 miles
as a good day's travel. When asked If
they had to wait over because of Illness,
he said. no.
Mr. Swick said the party bought 10
gallons of whiskey, five gallons of gin
and five gallons of wine before leaving
Lockport. This did not worry him.
however, and he Is. and always has
been, strictly temperate. They followed
the Overland Stage Route, but
those stages often had four or
six horses. Each night brought
ward the duty of finding unstable lodging,
where water and fuel could be
obtained easily.
Near Disaster
What might have proved a disaster
came to them when they attempted
to cross the Mississippi river on a
horse-boat A big tree, floating down
stream became entangled and carried
boat, horses and all down the river
It took them all day and all night to
get righted. They found places
where the railroad tracks were torn
out by the rebels and met Indians of
many tribes. The Snake Indians,
contrary to their name, were fine looking,
good dressers and their chief
could talk "white." Along the route
were buffalo bones, a reminder of
their former presence.
The caravan had sort of misjudged
their financial dexterity and when
they reached Idaho they, to use Mr.
Swick's words, "were broke and had
to borrow $1,000 from a Brother Mason."
This was occasion for Mr. Swick
to stop In his narration and pay tribute
to the Masons. In Utah they met
some, but not serious, trouble with
the Mormons, who resented their intrusion.
Had Graft Then
Even then graft existed. An amusing
incident of it was found when the
fortune hunters came to a stream
with a bridge part way over and a
swamp on the other side. A fee of
$10 was charged to use the bridge and
another $10 fee to be helped over the
swamp. They decided to wait until
the whole thing dried rather than pay
the price. While putting their time In
they discovered farther up stream a
complete bridge with no fee whatever
attached to its use and they went on
rejoicing.
And this covered wagon was not
without its romance. An old maid
and bachelor of the party had Just
entered matrimony when they attempted
to cross a stream. Midway
the box of the buggy, containing the
bridal couple, moved off the frame
and floated away. "Then," Mr. Swick
said, "we had to stop and fish them
out." Nevertheless, after all their
stops and drawbacks they were able
to overtake those who started out
traveling every day. The horses could
not endure such steady traveling.
When they came to cross the Wood
River they saw two very frightened
Chinese stranded In the center.
Neither could swim. In Mr. Swlck's
party was a horse that could. It was
ridden out and the grateful Chinese
grasped its tail and were dragged
ashore.
Stolen Horses
Acquaintance with the Wood Indians
was unusual to say the least.
Two of them had beautiful horses that
they wanted to swap for shirts like
the white man wore. This was done.
Later It developed that the Indians
had stolen the horses, for their owners
were found and the animals returned.
Mr. Swick is not in a position
to state as to whether the shirts
were ever returned, but he believes
not.
They finally reached Oregon and
settled near the Snake River. Mr.
Swick and his partner bought and
paid $30 for a log cabin. And as far
as he knows they own it yet. The
next morning after they arrived they
began work. Gold was the article of
exchange. Not even a tax could be
paid In greenbacks. The gold was
weighed and used on a scale of $20
an ounce. Idaho gold was worth only
about $14. Those who were accustomed
to handling It could tell at a
glance If It were Oregon or Idaho
gold. It was dug with a pick and
shovel and looked like yellow sand.
Slow Process
The washing process was a tedious
but interesting one. One day as Mr.
Swick and one of the men were visiting
during a rest time, the man suddenly
Jumped down and picked up. a
chunk of sand. Upon close Inspection
It was found to be natural gold worth
$20. Such pieces were not common,
although Mr. Swick had two smaller
ones. He had one made into a neck
tie pin and the other into a lady's
breast pin. Unfortunately, both these
have been lost.
The postofflce was 40 miles away
so that home folks were not heard
from very often. Mr. Swick says that
had his family been there he would
have remained. But when after two
years the others came away he, too,
became restless and returned east. He
Intended to go back, but never did.
Recently he found a package of old
letters, written by him, and sent to
Mrs. Swick while he was in Oregon.
He admits enjoying to the fullest ex
tent reading and reliving events that
had been long forgotten.
Dangerous Journey
The journey home was a long and a
perilous one. He traveled 160 miles
by stage and then down the Columbia
River to Portland, and by steamer to
San Francisco. Here he missed the
boat and had to wait ten days for
another. It was a fortunate miss because
neither that boat nor anyone
on board were ever heard from again.
Mr. Swick measures time by saying
he was seven Sundays on the home
Journey. There was no Panama Canal,
so the Isthmus was crossed on a
mule. The heat was intense.
When near the North Carolina state
coast a terrible storm broke. The
boat was small, yet was 16 feet above
water. The wind took the wheel
house off and they were left to drift
for 30 hours. Mr. Swick hung with
his arms clasped around a projector
on the boat. He said he vowed then
and there If he ever got off the water
he'd never go on it again. However,
he did come up from Florida a few
years ago, but how different were the
appointments on that boat. Grateful,
Indeed, were they when they finally
landed in New York City. The remainder
of the distance was traveled
by rail.
Some Were Robbed
When asked how much of a fortune
he gathered. Mr. Swick said, "That's
something I never tell anyone." He
added, however, that more than one
was robbed before reaching home.
This happened mostly to those who
foolishly showed their gold or money.
Mr. Swick never heard from his
Oregon companion until recently
when In Washington on business with
regard to his pension. There he
learned that the man had married,
lived and died In Idaho. Strange as
It seems this same man had been his
partner during service In the army.
That was when his fate was so readily
found out by those In charge of
the pension office because he, too,
had been granted one.
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1840 - Yes, date unknown