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George N. Swallow

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George N. Swallow
Member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council for the 3rd District
In office
1898–1899
Preceded byEverett C. Benton
Succeeded byOliver H. Durrell
Member of the Massachusetts Senate for the 2nd Suffolk district
In office
1894–1894
Preceded byJohn Henry Dee
Succeeded byJoseph J. Corbett
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 5th Suffolk district
In office
1889–1891
Preceded byPatrick J. Calnan / Edward Gagan
Succeeded byCharles M. Dacey
Personal details
Born(1854-01-02)January 2, 1854
Charlestown
DiedNovember 23, 1931(1931-11-23) (aged 77)
West Roxbury
Resting placeMount Hope Cemetery
Political partyRepublican

George Newton Swallow (January 2, 1854 – November 23, 1931) was an American politician who served in the Massachusetts General Court and on the Massachusetts Governor's Council. He was the Republican nominee for Mayor of Boston in the 1903 Boston mayoral election

Early life

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Swallow was born in Charlestown on January 2, 1854. He entered the grocery business in 1872 and was the head of the A. N. Swallow & Co., a wholesale grocery firm.[1][2] He resided in Charlestown until 1901 when he purchased 137 Bay State Road in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood.[3]

Political career

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Swallow represented Boston's Ward 5 in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1889, 1890, and 1891. He was a member of the Republican state committee in 1892 and 1893. In 1894 he represented the 2nd Suffolk district in the Massachusetts Senate. In 1894, Swallow was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for the 3rd district seat on the Massachusetts Governor's Council.[1] He was elected to the council in 1897 and served from 1898 to 1899.[4]

In 1899, Swallow was chairman of the Boston Republican committee.[5] That year, the Republicans were successful in electing Thomas N. Hart Mayor.[6] Swallow campaigned vigorously for Hart and was alleged to have spent $13,000 of his own money on the campaign.[7] By 1901, Hart and Swallow had fallen out and some younger members of the Republican party who were dissatisfied with Hart's administration proposed Swallow as a candidate for the Republican nomination.[8] After six months of consideration, Swallow announced he would not challenge Hart in the 1901 Boston mayoral election.[9]

Swallow was a candidate for mayor in the 1903 Boston mayoral election.[10] He easily defeated Michael J. Murray and E. Peabody Gerry for the Republican nomination.[11] Swallow lost the general election to Democratic incumbent Patrick Collins 63% to 29%.[12]

Later life

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On January 27, 1904, Swallow's wife died at the home of a relative in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The cause of death was found to be suicide by morphine overdose. The Swallows had been separated for about a year prior to her death.[13] Swallow later remarried and moved to West Roxbury. He died on November 23, 1931, and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and three sons.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "George N. Swallow A Candidate". The Boston Daily Globe. August 14, 1897. p. 6. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ A Souvenir of Massachusetts Legislators. 1894. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "Real Estate Matters: Bay State Road Lot Bought by Mrs T. W. Lawson--Hon George N. Swallow Buys 137 Bay State Road". The Boston Daily Globe. May 7, 1901. p. 9. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Fight for Chairmanship: Hon George N. Swallow and Hon F. P. (sic) Hutchinson For Republican City Leaders". The Boston Daily Globe. January 11, 1899. p. 6. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Swallow Gets It: Chosen Chairman By The Republicans". The Boston Daily Globe. January 12, 1899. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Getting News: Crowds Out in Numbers at City Hall". The Boston Daily Globe. December 13, 1899. p. 4. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Set to Guessing: Politicians Concerned in Mr Swallow's Action. Old Story of the $13,000 He Spent in 1899 is Revived". The Boston Daily Globe. October 27, 1901. p. 17. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Named For Mayor: Hon George N. Swallow is Said to be a Candidate". The Boston Daily Globe. April 23, 1901. p. 14. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Doesn't Want the Mayoralty: 'I Am Not a Candidate for The Nomination.' 'And I Shall Not Be a Candidate,' Says George N. Swallow". The Boston Daily Globe. October 22, 1901. p. 1. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Swallow Will Run". The Boston Daily Globe. September 6, 1903. pp. 1, 7. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Collins Named And Swallow". The Boston Daily Globe. November 20, 1903. pp. 1, 3. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Annual Report of the Board of Election Commissioners". City of Boston. 1903. p. 192. Retrieved March 18, 2018 – via archive.org.
  13. ^ "Took Morphine: Mrs. George N. Swallow of Boston Dead". The Boston Daily Globe. South Framingham (published January 28, 1904). January 27, 1904. p. 2. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "George N. Swallow". The Boston Daily Globe. November 26, 1931. p. 23. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.