Elvira and John R. Swain Obituaries
Transcribed by Spessard Stone from records of Bethany Baptist Church, Myakka City, Fla., courtesy of Vera Dupree (1910-93)
Obituary of Sister Elvirey Swain
Be it Resolved that whereas it has pleased our Heavenly Father to remove from our midst by
death our much esteemed Elvira E. Swain. Therefore, it is Resolved that in the death of Sister
Swain, our community has lost a kind friend and our church a faithful member.
Resolved that a page of our Church record be given to her memory and a copy of these
resolutions and obituary be furnished the family.
Sister Elvyra E. Swain was born in Decatur County, Georgia, April 20, 1845. She departed this
life, April 23, 1911. She was the daughter of Martha Rich and was married to John R. Swain in
1864.
Moved with her husband to South Florida, 1874. This union was blessed with a large family of
children. She was baptised into the fellowship of New Zion Church by Rev. John W. Hendry
in 1879 and came as a charter member to this church in 1888, where she remained a faithful
member up to her death.
Sister Swain was a consistent Christian, a faithful wife and an affectionate mother and a kind
friend. She leaves a husband and nine children, also one brother and two sisters and a host of
friends to mourn her loss and would say with the poyet (sic):
Mourn not the dead who calmly lie by God�s own hand composed to rest. For hark! A voice
from yonder�s sky proclaiming then blessed, supremely blessed. With them the toil and strife of
life are over. Their labor and their sorrows cease. For they have finished blessful shore where
dwells serene eternal peace.
James Corbitt
Nancy Bryant
E. L. Corbitt
A. R. Rich
Committee
Tombstone, New Zion Cemetery, Hardee County, Florida
Obituary of J. R. Swain Deceased
Be it resolved that it has pleased our Heavenly Father to remove from our midst by death our
much beloved Brother John R. Swain. Therefore be it resolved that in the death of Brother
Swain, our community has lost a kind friend and our church a faithful member. Resolved that a
page of our Church Record be given to his memory and a copy of these Resolutions and obituary
be furnished the family.
Brother Swain was born in Decatur County, Georgia the ______ 8, 1845. He departed this life
Sept. 29, 1911. He was a son of T. J. Swain and was married to Elvirey E. Rich in 1864 and
moved with his wife to South Florida in 1874. This family was blessed with a large family of
children.
He was baptised into the fellowship of New Zion Baptist Church by Rev. John W. Hendry in
1879 and came as a charter member of this church in 1888 where he remained a faithful member
of up to his death. Brother Swain was a consistent Christian, a faithful husband, an affectionate
father and a kind friend. He leaves nine children and a host of friends to mourn his loss.
E. L. Corbitt G. C. Rich Ben Bryant - Committee
Tombstone, New Zion Cemetery, Hardee County, Florida
December 5, 2001, March 9, 2011
