Résumé

Swain received his architectural education apprenticing in the Office of Kenitzer and Farquharson, Architects, San Francisco, CA, c. 1867.

Draftsman, San Francisco, CA, 1873. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1873, p. 588.)

Draftsman, Peter R. Schmidt, Architect, 1874. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1874, p. 637.)

Draftsman, David Farquharson, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1875-1876. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1875, p. 700 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1876, p. 777.)

Edward Swain was not listed in the San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1877,(p. 829.). This omission could have been a mistake or it could have indicated that he was not in the city at the time.

Principal, Edward R. Swain, Architect, San Francsico, CA, 1878. In 1878, Swain operated his office at 309 Montgomery Street, Room #74. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1878, p. 815.) This was the same building in which David Farquharson had had his office in 1877. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1877, p. 920.) The architect was listed as an architect living in San Francisco in 1879 on Potrero Avenue (near his parents), but his office's name was not listed in the architects' classified directory (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1879,p. 839 and 936.)

He enlisted in the National Guard of California, Light Guard Company F, 1st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, on 08/12/1879 and was promoted to Corporal by 10/1879. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Military Registers, 1858-1923 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 10/06/2022.)

in 1880, Swain operated his solo architectural practice at 507 Montgomery Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1880, p. 871 and 972.) The following year, he had an office in Room #70 of the Saint Ann's Building. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1881, p. 1042.)

Partner, [Henry W.] Cleaveland and Swain, Architects, San Francisco, CA, 1882- 1884. Between 1882 and 1884, the Cleaveland and Swain office was located in Saint Ann's Building Room #70, where Swain's solo office had been. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1882, p. 1052 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1884, p. 1158.)

Principal, Edward R. Swain, Architect, San Francisco, CA, 1885-1902. In 1885, Swain and Cleaveland had separated their business, though they likely remained amicable. Swain continued practicing in Room #70 of Saint Ann's Building and Cleaveland worked in Room #72. (See Langley's San Francisco directory for the year commencing 1885, p. 1250.) Sain was not listed in In 1896, Swain maintained an office at Room #227 of the Crocker Building in San Francisco. (See Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 1507.)

Professional Activities

Member, Board of Architects, California Midwinter Fair, San Francisco, CA, 1893-1894.

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), San Francisco Chapter, 10/1899-04/1902.

Relocation

Edward R. Swain, the son of Rinaldo and Elvira Swain, had been born in NY State during the early 1850s, but resided in San Francisco by 1860. The US Census of that year recorded that Rinaldo owned $4,000 worth of real estate and had a personal estate worth $2,000, making him financially comfortable for the time. The 1870 US Census located Edward and his family in San Francisco's Tenth Ward. By this time, the census reported that Rinaldo Swain owned $24,000 worth of real estate and had a personal assets of $1,000, The value of the personal estate was not large by contemporary measures, but the real estate wealth was significant. it is possible that Rinaldo owned the building in which he operated his business, R.R. Swain and Company, in what is now the Belden Place neighborhood. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: San Francisco Ward 10, San Francisco, California; Roll: M593_83; Page: 140B, accessed 10/06/2022.)

By the mid-1870s, Edward lived on his own. He first had a place at 325 1/2 Bush Street in 1874. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1874, p. 637,) A year later, working as a draftsman for David Farquharson, he lived on his own in the Mission District at 17th Street and Mission Street. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1875, p. 700.)

In 1880, Edward likely moved back to live with his family who resided on Potrero Avenue at 24th Street. According to the US Census of that year, he lived in this residence with his parents, two brothers, a boarder, Cornelia Hausman (born c. 1859 in CA), and a household servant, Sick Lee (born c. 1855 in China). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 78; Page: 561A; Enumeration District: 189, accessed 10/06/2022.) San Francisco voter records of 1880 listed Swain's address as being on the east side of Potrero Avenue between Yolo and Nevada Streets. When this voter registration was done, Frank Swain did not live at the same address, but resided nearby on the east side of Potrero Avenue near 24th Street. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1880; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 50; FHL Roll Number: 977199, accessed 10/06/2022.)

In 1896, Edward R. Swain lived at 406 Sutter Street in San Francisco. (See Crocker-Langley San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 1507.)

Swain lodged with Vera Nilson (born c. 12/1873 in VA) at 1530 Taylor Street in San Francisco in 1900. This household had two other occupants, another lodger, Kennedy Porter Garnett (born c. 03/1871 in CA) and Caroline Beall (born c. 05/1864 in SC) and married, African-American servant. (See Ancestry.com, Year: 1900; Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Roll: 106; Page: 14; Enumeration District: 0253; FHL microfilm: 1240106, accessed 10/06/2022.)

Swain died of "cerebral meningitis" at Lane Hospital in San Francisco on 04/10/1902. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 10/05/2022.)

Parents

Rinaldo Rinaldini Swain (born 1819 in NY-d/ 05/22/1898 in Berkeley, CA) worked as a baker between at least 1860 and 1880 in San Francisco. In 1875, Rinaldo operated Swain and Company, a bakery and confectionery located at 140 2nd Street in 1872 and R.R. Swain adn Company at 213 Sutter Street in 1875. In 1872, he worked with someone named "Edward R. Robinson," who lived at 140 2nd. Perhaps this was Edward Robinson Swain, perhaps not. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1872, p. 629 and San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1875, p. 700.) By 1878, Rinaldo operated Swain's Bakery and Restaurant, a popular San Francisco establishment, at 213 Sutter. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1878, p. 815.)

R.R. Swain likely had a brother Revilo A. Swain, who operated R.A. Swain and Company, importers of wholesale crockery and glassware. Rinaldo likely named his business "R.R. Swain and Company" to differentiate it from his brother's. (See San Francisco, California, City Directory, 1877, p. 829.)

His mother was Elvira R. Swain (born 1819 in CT-d. 03/22/1890 in San Francisco, CA) who managed the household. She had at least four children: Edward, Emily T. Swain (born 1855-d. 03/04/1878 in San Francisco, CA), Charles Whiting Swain (born 1857 in San Francisco, CA-d. 11/06/1906 in Denver, CO) and Frank Allston Swain (born 04/29/1859 in San Francisco, CA-d. 10/31/1937 in Berkeley, CA)

In 1880, Charles Swain worked as a baker, likely with his father. In later years, Charles became a comedian performing across the US. Frank A. Swain was a bookkeeper.

Spouse

He wed Wilhelmina Carey Bolton (nicknamed "Willa," born 08/19/1863 in Bowling Green, MO-d. 09/27/1905 in San Francisco, CA) in 1888 in NY. They divorced before 1900.

Her parents were D. William Bolden (born 06/07/1820 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England-d. 04/09/1891 in San Francisco, CA) and Mary Margaret Short (born 06/13/1825 in Ireland-d. 05/08/1881 in Oroville, CA).

She died of food poisoning at age 42.

Biographical Notes

The precise year of his birth is not certain. His record in the Mortuary Record of the City and County of San Francisco listed his age at death to have been 50 years and 7 months, putting his birthday in 09/1851. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 10/06/2022.) The 1870 US Census taken on 06/20/1870 had his birthday as 18. If he had been born in 09/1851, this would have been correct. Likewise, the 1880 US Census taken on 06/06/1880 listed his age as 28. The 1900 US Census, however, listed his birthdate to have been in 09/1850.

Swain served as a witness for fellow architect Newton J. Tharp (b. 1867), when the latter sought a US Passport in 1897.

• San Francisco, CA (Architect's Death)
  San Francisco, CA

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