Chester County PA Archives Obituaries.....Benjamin H. SWENEY, 1912

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Daily Local
West Chester Pennsylvania
July 15 1912

CAPTAIN BENJAMIN H SWENEY

At his home on South High Street, where he had been ill for about two months, 
Captain Benjamin H Sweney, a veteran soldier, died early yesterday morning in 
his 83rd year. He had been gradually failing for a year or more but retained 
his genial disposition and was interested in current affairs and meeting with 
his friends until within a short time of his death. Kidney trouble caused him 
much suffering.

He was of a family of soldiers his great-grandfather, Lieutenant James Sweney, 
having served in the Revolutionary War. James lived in Northampton Township, 
Bucks County and November 8 1778 married Mary Worthington of the County. In 
the Revolution he was a lieutenant of a company in the corps of artillery 
artificers, under Col Benjamin Liones, of Philadelphia, raised under personal 
direction of General George Washington.

The grandfather Thomas Seweny, born 11 died 1858 was a soldier in the war of 
1812. He married Elizabeth Hineman, May 27 1802.

The father John Sweney was born October 10th 1805 and died March 26th 1881. He 
married Ann Hodgson November 27th 1828. During the Civil War he was a soldier 
as was his son the subject of this sketch. He was also a class leader and a 
member of the official board in the Methodist Episcopal Church here for many 
years.

Captain Benjamin H Sweney was born September 10 1829 and spent the greater part 
of his life in West Chester, where he was well and favorably known to a large 
circle of friends. From his parent he inherited a decided taste for music and 
this has long been a characteristic of the family. A brother the late Prof John 
R Sweney of Chester, was for years a celebrated choir and chorus leader and 
composer of many hymns.

When a young man Capt Sweney spent some time in the West and while in the state 
of Illinois he was brought into prominence through his musical abilities playing 
the fife on various occasions and also singing.

At that time the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A Douglas both 
aspirants for the United State Senate were in progress and at one of these famous 
debates the music before and between the speeches was supplied largely by Mr Sweney 
who occupied a chair on the platform and did his full share in the way of 
entertaining the crowd afterwards dining with the speakers.

At the outbreak of the civil War he had the honor of commanding the first recruited 
company which left West Chester for the front. His military experience was remarkable 
in that he was captain of companies in three different regiments.

He enlisted April 20th 1861 as captain of Co G, Second Regiment, the sixty-day men, 
and on the 27th of July in that same year enlisted for three years as captain of 
company F, 49th Pennsylvania Volunteers, servicing until November 19th, 1863, when 
he was honorably discharged. Later he enlisted as a lieutenant in company G, 20th 
Cavalry and was promoted to captain serving to January 1 1865.

For his gallant services he was presented with a handsome sword by the citizens of 
West Chester and this is in possession of a daughter in Bethlehem mother of his only 
grandson.

Long ago Captain Sweney conducted a bakery and confectionery on West Market Street 
where the Simons building now is and later he had a bakery on West Gay Street where 
Andrew Kauffman is now located. In baking as in other lines he had superior skill 
and twenty years ago Sweney's home made bread was especially popular among the town 
families. With advancing years, however he was obliged to give up this vocation and 
latterly had been a tipstaff in the Courts, attending to his duties regularly as 
long as he was able to be out.

For a time he served as Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue in this county, but 
retired from that office when this and Delaware County were consolidated into one 
revenue district.

He belonged to General George A McCall Post No 31 G A R, seldom missing a meeting 
and never if this could be avoided and he was also in good standing in West Chester 
Lodge No 322 F & A M and Howell Chapter, No 202 R A M having served as Taylor of both 
for a number of years.

He married Mary Ingram of West Chester, sister of W Torbert Ingram of East Bradford 
and she died leaving him a daughter Hester, who afterwards became Mrs. Savage of 
Philadelphia, and died in the city leaving in turn a granddaughter of Captain Sweney, 
Mary Sweney Savage.

After the death of his first wife he married Jennie E Taylor, in 1878, who survives 
hime and is the mother of his tree living daughters: Carrie a successful teacher in 
the public schools of Atlantic city: Katherine wife of Edward C Riddle, Eavenston, 
Wyoming and Sarah wife of J B Everhart Gheen of Bethlehem. Of the second marriage 
there are three grandchildren: Mary and Catherine Riddle of Wyoming and Benjamin 
Sweney Gheen of Bethlehem.