The Skaggs-Files

Jesse Swetnam was the only child of George Swetnam and Mary Ellen Clement. Mary Ellen died from complications of childbirth when Jesse was three weeks old.

George Swetnam remarried about 1898. Jesse, age 6, is listed on the 1900 Indian Territory Census with his father, George and step-mother Ronda, and his half-brother Floyd, age 5 months.

When he was 13 Jesse ran away from home briefly. The following notice was published in the local paper: $10 Reward. I will pay the above reward for the return, or any information that will enable me to secure the return of my son, Jessey Swetnam, who left home October 24,1 906. He is 13 years old, has large gray eyes and light hair. When he left he was riding a black mare pony 14 hands high, pacer and fox-trotter, branded 101 on left shoulder and 101 on left thigh. Any information will be appreciated. Please notify his father. GEORGE SWETNAM, Non, I. T.

Jesse is listed on the1910 Hughes Co. OK Census with his father and step-mother.

He is listed on the 1920 Hughes Co. OK Census with his wife, Ida, and three children: Carl 8, Lorene 7, and Ina E. 4 & 3 months.

The following article was written about Jesse in the "Vernal Express" Vernal, Utah, Dec. 22, 1977. " Jake Swetnam raises mini-horses":

Jesse W. Swetnam, better known as "Jake" in the Vernal-Lapoint area left Oklahoma in May of 1920 with his wife and three children travelling in a covered wagon.

He worked in the wheat harvest at Wilmore, Kansas that summer, then went onto Laramie, Wyoming and worked in the hay that fall. Winter found him in Pierce, Colorado, where he was a member of the section gang for the Mo. Pacific Railroad.
The next spring he left there and worked in the hay at North Park near Colmont, Colorado. The family lived next at Milner, Colorado and he worked on the section again that winter, 1921, for Moffat Railroad.

He returned to North Park for the haying season the next summer and the Swetnam's fourth child, Billie, was born at Colemont.

In 1922 he moved his family to Maeser in Utah, and spent the winter there, where he fed a horse drawn baler from a stack for Warren Slaugh for 35 cents a ton.

Early the next spring he rented the Alf Johnson place and moved his family to Deep Creek, filing on a homestead in the spring of 1923.

That fall the three older children cut, piled, and burned sagebrush, while Jake plowed with three horses on a walking plow. Come the next spring, he planted a good sized truck patch which yielded well, so he cleared and plowed more land and the next summer planted a good-sized "spud" patch and some early corn.

In later years he hired spuds hauled to Roosevelt, and sold enough to pay up grocery bills, etc. Later he dug a pit 5' wide by 45' long and stored rutabagoes to feed cows. All this was raised by dry land-farming, without irrigation. He also herded sheep and went to North Park and worked in the hay for 10 summers, leaving his family to care for things at home.

The last child, Gale, was born in a log cabin on the Hayden Foster farm between Lapoint and Tridell in 1828.

Jake kept cows for a few years and raised corn, but due to unfavorable conditions got rid of them and went into the sheep and goat business. He ordered seed rye from Grand Junction, Colorado and began to plant it, utilizing every dip and valley that would catch extra rainfall, using it for spring pasture and latter cutting a hay crop. At one time Jake sold over a thousand dollars worth of goats to an Italian from Salt LakeCity to milk and make goat cheese. About two years later he sold another thousand dollars worth.

About this time, Mrs. Swetnam, who had a bad heart, was told she must make a change in climate. So Jake sold the homestead to Clive Sprouse who turned it to N. J. Meagher for sheep range. Before making the big move, the family spent another winter on the homestead and waited until the fall of 1945 for cooler weather to make the trip to Arkansas.

Mrs.Swetnam made the trip in good shape and lived until July 4, 1961. After her death, Jake sold the cattle, and having always liked horses, he bought some jennies and started raising minature mules, using a Welsh stallion.

He is also cross-breeding Shetland ponies and a Hackney mare with a Jack. His big aim is to get a colt at 30", but the closest he has come to this is 32".

He owns bigger stock, including an Appaloosa stallion, because he still likes to ride but, says he "doesn't find too much time."

At 84, he continues to plow his garden with Jennies and raises a fine garden. He says staying busy is what keeps him going. He enjoys showing his animals to the many people that come along, some just to visit and others to buy or trade.

He lives alone, with his three dogs for company and maintains he "plans to live to be 100." His two boys live in the community. Carl lives about 3 miles west of his Dad on 160 acres. Gail built near his Dad and works out. Ina teaches nursing at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. Lorene is in Lakewood, California. Billie is living at Lakeshore, Mississippi. All except Ina have married and raised families.

Jesse's granddaughter, Julie Graves, daughter of his son Carl, shared the following : "Grandpa had a great sense of humor. I have a letter that he wrote to a Singles Club at the age of 84 advertising for a wife, but didn't find one. He lived alone til he was past 85. He broke his hip at some time and was not able to live alone after that. I can't remember when it was exactly because I was just a little kid. He lived with my sister, Carolyn, for a while before moving to Gulfport, Mississippi to live with another granddaughter where he died. Gramp's favorite pasttime was talking. I wish I could remember more of his stories about his past."

Both Jesse and his wife, Ida are buried at Pilgrim's Rest Cemetery in the Monkey Run community in Baxter Co. Arkansas.