The Durant Weekly News
December 18, 1936
Sam Swinney Dies at Muskogee Home
Sam E. Swinney, pioneer citizen and first county clerk of Bryan County, now United States Marshal for the eastern district of Oklahoma, died at his home in Muskogee at 4:20 o’clock Wednesday following a prolonged illness lasting several months. The immediate cause of death was heart failure.
Funeral services will be conducted in Durant Friday afternoon from the home of the deceased’s brother, D. W. Swinney, West Elm Street, Hon. R. L. Williams, United States Federal Judge and former governor of Oklahoma will deliver the funeral address. Interment will be in Highland Cemetery.
At the time this is written further details are lacking. A more extended notice will appear next week.
The deceased is survived by his wife and one daughter, Francille, three brothers, Albert, of Ringling, Oklahoma, Dan, of Durant, and John, of Portland, Oregon, and three sisters, Mrs. V. M. Myers, Deer Park, Washington, Mrs. C. H. Price, Collville, Washington, and Mrs. R. C. Bowman, Kanawha, Texas.
December 25, 1936
Samuel E. Swinney, 58, United States Marshal in eastern Oklahoma and former Durant postmaster, died at this home in Muskogee Wednesday afternoon after a relapse from a heart ailment with which he has been afflicted for the past year.
The body was returned to Durant Thursday afternoon in a Holmes ambulance by Howard Holmes and Frank Powell, who left Thursday morning for Muskogee. Funeral services were conducted at 2:30 Friday afternoon at the Holmes chapel.
Federal Judge R. L. Williams, lifetime friend of Mr. Swinney, delivered the funeral address.
Presided at Gooch Hanging
Swinney received national publicity last summer when he presided at the hanging of Arthur Gooch, the only man in America to be executed for violating the Lindbergh law. He was ill at the time and left a sick bed to take over his official duties, scorning to assign the unpleasant task to any of his subordinates.
He was born in Fannin County, Texas in 1878, but moved to Caddo and later to Durant while a young man. At statehood in 1907 he was elected county clerk of Bryan County and was named a deputy in the office of the state examiner and inspector.
President Woodrow Wilson named him postmaster at Durant at the same time he appointed his lifelong friend, Gov. R. L. Williams, federal judge in the eastern district. Swinney served in the post office until the Harding administration.
He was named inspector for the HOLC early in 1934, resigning to accept the appointment as United States Marshal to succeed Clark Wasson of Antlers on July 17, 1934. His commission did not expire until 1938.
Swinney was active in affairs of the Democratic Party, serving several terms as Bryan County chairman and chairman of the central committee in the third congressional district. His selection as marshal was endorsed by U. S. Senator Elmer Thomas and T. P. Gore, and approved by Judge Williams.
Williams Pays Tribute
Judge Williams Wednesday night paid tribute to him as a “fine man and a good citizen”.
“He was level-headed and conservative, and every office he held, he held with distinction and honor,” the judge declared.
The deceased is survived by his wife and one daughter, Francille, three brothers, Albert, of Ringling, Oklahoma, Dan, of Durant, and John, of Portland, Oregon, and three sisters, Mrs. V. M. Myers, Deer Park, Washington, Mrs. C. H. Price, Collville, Washington, and Mrs. R. C. Bowman, Kanawha, Texas.
Active pallbearers were Clarence Dyer, L. F. Lee, G. W. Archibald, George C. Pendleton, Vige Steger, and R. F. Story.
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