Husband Roland Davis Swoope, Esq. 1 2
AKA: Roland D. Swope Esq. 3
Born: 26 Aug 1856 - Curwensville, Clearfield Co, PA 1 4
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Father: Henry Bucher Swoope (1831-1874) 2 5
Mother: Susanna Patton Irvin (1835- ) 1 4
Marriage: May 1880 6
Wife Cora Arnold 1 3 7
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Father: Samuel Arnold (1822- ) 8
Mother: Mary A. Carlile (1825- ) 3
Children
1 M Henry Bucher Swoope 6
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2 M Roland Davis Swoope, Jr. 9
Born: 4 Jun 1885 - Curwensville, Clearfield Co, PA 9
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3 F Mary Swoope 6
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General Notes: Husband - Roland Davis Swoope, Esq.
He spent his boyhood days in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, where he attended the public schools and the old Clearfield Academy. In 1869 his father, having been appointed by President Grant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the family removed to Pittsburgh, where they resided until the death of Hon. H. B. Swoope, in February, 1874, when they returned to Curwensville.
In addition to the Clearfield schools, Mr. Swoope also attended the High School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Ayers Latin School at Pittsburgh, Phillips Academy at Andover, Massachusetts, and the Western University of Pennsylvania. While a student at Andover he founded and was the first member of the "K. O. A." Society, a famous school fraternity,
membership in which is the highest ambition of every Phillips Andover student. This society numbered among its alumni, many of the most distinguished men in the country.
In 1876 he entered the law office of Murray & Gordon, a firm, at that time, composed of Hon. Thomas H. Murray and Hon. Cyrus Gordon, afterwards president judge of the courts of Clearfield County. In order to support himself, while reading law, Mr. Swoope engaged in the insurance business, building up a successful business which he disposed of after his admission to the bar, and devoted himself to his profession. After passing a successful examination, he was admitted to the bar of Clearfield County in 1878. He is also a member of the bar of the United States courts, and of the Supreme and Superior Courts of Pennsylvania.
He took an interest in public affairs and served as chairman of the Republican County Committee for several years, being first elected chairman in 1888, which was the year of the presidential campaign when Benjamin Harrison was elected president over Grover Cleveland. So efficient was the organization and work of the Republican party under Mr. Swoope's chairmanship, that he reduced an adverse plurality of 1,501, which the Democratic candidate had received in the previous gubernatorial election, to 869, and in recognition of his efforts he received a medal of honor and a resolution of thanks from the Republican State Committee. Mr. Swoope also took an active part in many political campaigns as a stump speaker for his party, not only in his own county but throughout the state.
As a lawyer, Mr. Swoope had a large and successful practice and was engaged in many important and interesting cases. He argued the case of Jackson vs. the Pennsylvania Railroad Company before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and though opposed by John G. Johnson, Esq., the leader of the Philadelphia bar, and other eminent counsel, Mr. Swoope succeeded in having affirmed a verdict against the railroad company for treble damages for discrimination in failing to furnish coal cars to his client, thus sustaining the constitutionality of the Act of Assembly of 1883, giving the right to recover treble damages in such cases.
Among other important cases in which he was concerned, was that of the Central Trust Company of New York vs. the Clearfield Creek Coal Company, an action to foreclose a mortgage by a minority in number and amount of the holders of the bonds secured by said mortgage, although the mortgage contained a provision that it could only be enforced upon the written request of a majority in number and amount, of the holders of the bonds. This case raised a novel legal question in Pennsylvania, but after a vigorous contest, the plaintiffs were successful in obtaining a decree of foreclosure of the mortgage and a judgment for $540,000.00 against the coal company, thus establishing, for the first time in the courts of Pennsylvania, the right of a minority of the bond-holders secured by a corporation mortgage, to compel a foreclosure. As a lawyer, Mr. Swoope always refused to represent liquor license applications, and was active in the cause of temperance, having been one of the officers of the Constitutional Prohibition Amendment Association of Clearfield County, when that question was submitted to the voters of Pennsylvania, and, although the amendment was defeated in the state, it carried Clearfield County by a large majority.
Mr. Swoope was also largely interested in the development of the coal business of Clearfield County. In connection with other owners of coal property near Madera he was active in securing the construction of railroad extensions and he and his associates built part of the necessary railroad branches to reach their lands at their own expense and thus opened up the largest coal territory now being operated in Clearfield County. In the conduct of the numerous coal operations in which he was interested Mr. Swoope always insisted on recognizing organized labor. Mr. Swoope was a stockholder and one of the directors of the Curwensville National Bank and was also interested in other financial institutions.
Mr. Swoope was one of the founders of the Curwensville "Mountaineer," which was recognized as among the leading Republican country newspapers of the state. He was fond of literary pursuits. He was the owner of a fine library and prepared and delivered many lectures and patriotic addresses.
Mr. Swoope was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church of Curwensville, he was also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Union League of Philadelpia; the American Academy of Political and Social Science; the Historical Society of Clearfield County; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club and other organizations.