Jack Swilling | |
|---|---|
 Jack Swilling with his Apache ward Guillermo Swilling, ca. 1875. | |
| Born | April 1, 1830 Anderson, South Carolina, US |
| Died | August 12, 1878 (aged 48) Yuma, Arizona Territory |
| Allegiance | Confederate States of America |
| Service | Confederate Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1862 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | Arizona Guards |
| Battles / wars | |
John W. Swilling (April 1, 1830 – August 12, 1878) was an early pioneer in the Arizona Territory. He is commonly credited as one of the original founders of the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Swilling also played an important role in the opening of the central Arizona highlands to white settlement. His discoveries resulted in a gold rush to the region, and this in turn led to the establishment of Arizona's first territorial capital at the mining town of Prescott.[1][2][3]
Swilling was both a Confederate States Army minuteman and a civilian aid to the United States Army during the American Civil War. He worked in a variety of disciplines throughout his life, including as a teamster, prospector, mine and mill owner, and saloon and dance hall owner, as well as a canal builder, farmer, rancher, and public servant. All of this was accomplished while he suffered from periods of excruciating pain resulting from major injuries he suffered in 1854. He took morphine to assuage the pain, which led to dependency problems for the rest of his life.[4][5]
- ^ "Jack Swilling". thenaturalamerican. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ Clay Thompson (May 12, 2011). "Jack Swilling, the father of Phoenix". Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ John W. (Jack) Swilling[permanent dead link] (Sharlot Hall Museum)
- ^ "John W. Jack Swilling". A History of the Salt River Project. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ Andrew Wallace (Spring 1961) John W. Swilling(Arizoniana. Vol. 2, No. 1 pp. 16–19. Arizona Historical Society)