Henry Bucher Swoope was one of the most brilliant and distinguished lawyers of Pennsylvania and as an advocate had few equals and was famous as a political speaker. His wife Susanna was a daughter of William Irvin, one of the pioneer lumbermen and business men of Clearfield county.

He was educated at the Academia Academy, read law with the late Hon. John Scott of Huntingdon and was admitted to the bar at Huntingdon in 1852. He came to Clearfield in 1853, where he resided and practiced law until 1869.

After being appointed by President Grant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in 1869, Henry moved his family to Pittsburg, Pa. He was reappointed by President Grant in 1874, and served until his death in February, 1874 when the family returned to Curwensville.

Famous as a political speaker he was prominent in politics and one of the leaders of the Republican party of his State having been chairman of the American party when that organization captured the state government and elected Pollock Governor. He was after the formation of the Republican party an active leader therein, a strong supporter of President Lincoln and the war to preserve the Union, organizing and commanding a company of soldiers to assist in repelling the rebel invasion of Pennsylvania, and using his voice, pen and means at all times for the benefit of the Government.

Mr. Swoope was the founder and first editor of the Clearfield “Raftsman’s Journal,” which under his able editorship assumed an important place in the newspaper field. He was also the founder and editor in chief of the “Pittsburgh Evening Telegraph,” (now the “Chronicle Telegraph”). As a prosecuting officer he became celebrated during his incumbency of the office of U. S. Attorney and his name was a terror to evil doers, as the acquittal of a defendant in a trial in which Mr. Swoope represented the Government was an almost unheard of event. Yet he was ever willing to aid the repentant criminal and use his influence and efforts to secure him a new chance in life. As a political orator he became famous and was one of the most eloquent and brilliant speakers of his time. He was also fond of literary pursuits and delivered many lectures and addresses upon such topics.1419
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Noted events in his life were:

• Residence, 1856, Curwensville, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, USA.

• Occupation: United States District Attorney, 1869-1874. He was appointed by President Grant.

• Book: Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, 1911.
Henry Bucher Swoope was born in Huntingdon, Pa. in the year 1831 and was a son of the eminent physician, Doctor William Swoope, of that place.

He was educated at the Academia Academy, read law with the late Hon. John Scott of Huntingdon in 1852. He came to Clearfield in 1853, where he resided and practiced law until 1869, when President Grant appointed him U.S. District Attorney for the district of Western Pennsylvania, when he removed to Pittsburgh. He was reappointed by President Grant in 1874, and served until his death in February, 1874.

H. Bucher Swoope was one of the leading lawyers of Pennsylvania and as an advocate had few equals. He was also prominent in politics, having been chairman of the American party when that organization captured the state government and elected Pollock Governor. He was after the formation of the Republican party an active leader therein, a strong supporter of President Lincoln and the war to preserve the Union, organizing and commanding a company of soldiers to assist in repelling the rebel invasion of Pennsylvania, and using his voice, pen and means at all times for the benefit of the Government.

Mr. Swoope was the founder and first editor of the Clearfield "Raftsman's Journal," which under his able editorship assumed an important place in the newspaper field. He was also the founder and editor in chief of the "Pittsburgh Evening Telegraph," (now the "Chronicle Telegraph").

As a prosecuting officer he became celebrated during his incumbency of the office of U.S. Attorney and his name was a terror to evil doers, as the acquittal of a defendant in a trial in which Mr. Swoope represented the Government was an almost unheard of event. Yet he was ever willing to aid the repentant criminal and use his influence and efforts to secure him a new chance in life.

As a political orator he became famous and was one of the most eloquent and brilliant speakers of his time. He was also fond of literary pursuits and delivered many lectures and addresses upon such topics.

• Honors, 1926, Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, USA. The Henry Bucher Swoope Carillon was first played by Anton Brees on the evening of October 12, 1926 at Mercersburg Academy. Now 49 bells, the original carillon; made in 1926, comprised 43 bells. They ranged in size from the 10 pound G bell to the 7,168 pound B-flat bell. The largest twenty bells bear inscriptions in Latin and English. Melted into their ore are copper coins collected worldwide by alumni and friends of the school, as well as pieces of shell gathered by alumni from the fields of France in World War I; metal from Old Ironsides and Admiral Nelson's flagship at Trafalgar, The Victory; and a shaving from the Liberty Bell.

• Henry married Susannah Patton Irvin, daughter of William Irvin and Jane Patton, on 6 Sep 1855 in Clearfield, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, USA. (Susannah Patton Irvin was born in 1830 in , Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, USA and died in 1880 in , Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, USA.)1420
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“When the "Raftman's Journal" was founded in [June] 1854, by the late Hon. H. B. Swoope, lumbering had become such an important business in the county, that the name of the paper was selected on that account, and Mr. Swoope, himself, drew the design of the rafting scene, a copy of which is still used as a part of the heading of the "Journal."1421,1422
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Serious Accident

On Saturday evening last [July 1854], while Drs. Loraine and Hartswick were in the act of emptying a Demijohn* filled with Sulphuric acid, it bursted and the contents scattered in every direction seriously burning H. B. Swoope and a little son of Mr. Richards, with considerable damage to the clothing of the bystanders.

Dr. Loraine however met with a serious loss besides losing the Acid, he lost half of his unmentionables, in addition to being seriously burnt on his limbs. A number of persons were standing around at the time and the only wonder is, how they escaped as well as they did.1423

[Is this the same H. B. Swoope?]
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Headstone photo appears at this source.982


*A demijohn is a large bottle having a short, narrow neck, and usually being encased in wickerwork.1424