Howard Llewellyn Swisher

Howard Llewellyn Swisher
Born	Near Levels, West Virginia, U.S.
Died	27 August 1945(1945-08-27) (aged 74) Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, real estate developer, orchard owner, editor, author, historian
Years active	Late 19th century – mid-20th century
Known for	Entrepreneurial contributions to Morgantown's commercial and residential development; co-author of History of Hampshire County, West Virginia

Howard Llewellyn Swisher (September 21, 1870 – August 27, 1945) was an American entrepreneur, real estate developer, orchard owner, editor, author, and historian. As a leading figure in business, he established multiple enterprises that contributed significantly to the commercial and residential growth of Morgantown, West Virginia.

Originating from near Levels, Swisher commenced his career as an educator at the age of 18. He later graduated from Fairmont State Normal School and West Virginia University. Settling in Morgantown, he launched a prosperous bookstore and stationery business. Leveraging this achievement, he created the Main Street Building Company, the Howard L. Swisher Company, and the Morgantown Building Association, which were instrumental in developing many housing projects throughout the city. Additionally, he served as the inaugural secretary-treasurer of the West Virginia Real Estate Dealers' Association.

Swisher also held the position of secretary at the Royalty Oil Company, which owned mining rights over roughly of prospective oil territory nationwide. His leadership extended to roles in the Valley Wood Working Company, Monongahela Valley Posting and Distributing Plant, Federal Savings and Trust Company, and West Virginia Tri-Products Company. In Hampshire County, he oversaw fruit cultivation operations and was president of the South Branch Merchandising Company. Politically engaged, Swisher represented the West Virginia Democratic Party as a delegate at the 1936 Democratic National Convention.

In collaboration with historian Hu Maxwell, Swisher co-wrote History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present in 1897, marking the first thorough historical account of Hampshire County. His literary contributions included publishing Briar Blossoms, a compilation of poetry and short stories in 1899; editing The Ghourki, a literary journal featuring poetry and aphorisms; and issuing Book of Harangues in 1908, which contained selected pieces from The Ghourki.

Family background

Howard Llewellyn Swisher entered the world on September 21, 1870, near Levels, West Virginia. He was born to David Warner Swisher and Mary Katherine Bonnifield Swisher. David, who was born in Augusta County, Virginia in 1822, descended from Swiss German and French roots. In 1838, he relocated to Preston County, West Virginia before acquiring farmland near Levels in Hampshire County where he founded a farm known as "The Levels." The Swisher family operated one of the largest orchards within the Levels area. In 1846, David wed Mary Katherine Bonnifield, daughter of Dr. Arnold Bonnifield from St. George, West Virginia.

Early life and education

Swisher's formative years were spent on his father’s farm prior to beginning his teaching career in Hampshire County at age eighteen. He completed his studies at Fairmont State Normal School (present-day Fairmont State University) in 1892 and became a member of Sigma Chi fraternity’s Mu Mu chapter. Following graduation, he traveled throughout northwestern United States regions as well as Canadian provinces including Alberta and British Columbia. Subsequently, he taught public school in Fresno, California for two years before returning home to attend West Virginia University in Morgantown. With ambitions toward journalism, he served as editor of the university's student newspaper The Athenaeum, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1897 after three years of study.

Business career

Swisher emerged as a leading entrepreneur who established multiple companies that significantly influenced both commercial and residential real estate development in Morgantown. After completing his studies at West Virginia University, he initiated the Acme Book Store in 1897 with an initial investment of $700. The store prospered, which led to the formation of the Acme Publishing Company in 1898, where he held the position of president for several years.

He was instrumental in creating the Main Street Building Company, which developed Morgantown's Strand Building commercial district. In November 1914, Swisher founded the Howard L. Swisher Company and subsequently launched the Morgantown Building Association in 1918 with an authorized capital of $250,000, acting as its general manager. This association concentrated on large-scale residential construction projects within Morgantown. That same year, he was appointed secretary-treasurer of the West Virginia Real Estate Dealers' Association, an organization established to advance the state’s agricultural assets, real estate opportunities, and investment prospects in cooperation with various state agencies.

In addition to his real estate ventures, Swisher co-established and served as secretary for the Royalty Oil Company, which controlled mining rights over approximately across southern and southwestern regions of the United States. He also owned and managed the Swisher Theater in Morgantown. Furthermore, Swisher held a director position at the Valley Wood Working Company, proprietor of the Monongahela Valley Posting and Distributing Plant, and acted as secretary for the Federal Savings and Trust Company before 1903.

By 1913, Swisher had become president of the West Virginia Tri-Products Company, which invested in coal and oil extraction, glass production, timber harvesting, and fruit cultivation. He maintained fruit-growing operations on South Branch Mountain (also known as Jersey Mountain) located in Hampshire County and presided over the South Branch Merchandising Company.

Writing career

Throughout his travels, Swisher contributed poetry and articles to newspapers across the Northwestern United States. While a student at West Virginia University, he published a modest volume containing roughly 600 lines of poetry dedicated to his fellow students. In 1897, he collaborated with historian Hu Maxwell to produce History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present, marking the first comprehensive historical account of Hampshire County. In 1899, through his Acme Publishing Company, Swisher released Briar Blossoms, a compilation of poetry and short stories. He also edited The Ghourki, a literary magazine featuring poetry, short fiction, and aphorisms; each issue began with "Harangues to the Ghourki," where he referred to himself as "Chief of the Tribe." In 1908, he published Book of Harangues, a curated selection from The Ghourki.

Politics

Swisher was actively involved in the West Virginia Democratic Party. In 1900, he secured the nomination for State Superintendent of Free Schools. During the 1902 election for West Virginia State Senate representing the Eleventh District, he ran as the Democratic candidate and garnered the highest number of Democratic votes ever recorded in Monongalia County up to that point despite not winning. He participated as a delegate at the 1936 Democratic National Convention held in Philadelphia and served as an alternate delegate in both 1912 and 1924.

Personal life

In August 1897, Swisher united in marriage with Mary Dering of Morgantown, who was the daughter of Edward A. and Cordelia Walker Dering. Both the Swisher and Dering families traced their heritage back to early settlers of the Virginia Colony.

Swisher engaged actively in numerous civic and fraternal organizations. His affiliations included Morgantown Union Lodge No. 4 of the Free and Accepted Masons, Morgantown Lodge No. 411 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, as well as participation in the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, the Country Club, and the Old Colony Club. At the Old Colony Club, he contributed as a member of its National Advisory Council.

On August 27, 1945, Swisher passed away at his home in Morgantown due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused by hypertension. His burial took place on August 30, 1945, at Oak Grove Cemetery located within Morgantown’s Chancery Hill Historic District.

Selected works

• History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present. Published in 1897, co-written alongside Hu Maxwell.
• Briar Blossoms: Being a Collection of a Few Verses and Some Prose. Released in 1899.
• Book of Harangues. Issued in 1908.