William C. Sweney

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

William C. Sweney

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Few citizens of Morris county have more to show for their efforts in a business way than William C. SWENEY of Kenvil. He started out in life by learning the trade of blacksmith, in a few years had mastered the art, and had bought the establishment owned by his employer, and from that time to this has been steadily prospering, and withal has born his share of the responsibilities that devolve upon citizenship in a democratic community. Mr. SWENEY is now proprietor of a large blacksmith and wagon-making shop at Kenvil.

William C. SWENEY was born at Sussex, New Jersey, April 10, 1859, a son of John and a grandson of James SWENEY. His father was born in Ireland, and was a boy when he came to America. The mother, whose maiden name is Hannah LITTLE, was born in Sussex county. Both parents are now deceased, and during their lifetime they were attendants at the Methodist church. The father was a fairly prosperous farmer. The children in the family were: Edward, William C., John Jr., and Andrew.

With a common school education only, William C. SWENEY started out in life as an apprentice under a blacksmith. For four years he worked industriously, learned all the niceties of the trade, and at the end of that time bought out the man he had worked for and under whom he had learned the trade. Since then he has developed his business, and at the same time has extended his interests outside of his immediate industry. Besides his connection with various financial and commercial concerns, as already noted, Mr. SWENEY is the owner of a fine farm of eighty acres in Roxbury township. On that place he keeps nine or ten horses, and about fifteen head of cattle, employs several men, and now has various sources of business prosperity.

In 1884 Mr. SWENEY married Anna HILL, a native of Warren county, and a daughter of Marquis D. Lafayette and Mary (FROANE) HILL. Her father was a farmer. Mrs. SWENEY is the only child. To Mr. and Mrs. SWENEY have been born the following children: Mary, who died at the age of twenty-four; Edna, who died when six years of age; Harry, who married Ethel BANKS; Floyd, who died when thirteen years old; Grace, who lives at home; Kenneth, William C. Jr. and Florence, all of whom are at home.

Mr. SWENEY takes much interest in Masonic and church affairs. In the Scottish Rite of Masonry, he has taken all the degrees beginning with the Blue Lodge up to and including the thirty-second. In politics he is a Democrat, but often exercises his choice independent of the party line. He and his family belong to the Presbyterian church, he is a trustee of the local society and has been its librarian for the past twenty-eight years.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)