by Donna Swagerty Shreve
I recently was lucky enough to meet with two of my second cousins in Hughson where my great grandparents lived, where my grandparents met and married and where my father was born. It is a town that has a lot of family history. Fortunately for us, Lois Ann Hunter at 95 is still able to recall memories from the past. I had so many questions for her. She warned me that she probably would not be able to answer all of them.
She also brought to our gathering her collection of old photos that dated back several generations. I was able to see some photos of relatives I had never seen before. As I was casually sorted through the photos, I suddenly stopped. I was looking of a photo of my dear departed younger brother, Grant. He was in two photos that just asked so many more questions.
Lois Ann was able to offer that Swagerty reunions usually took place in public parks and most likely this reunion was in Modesto as it was a convenient meeting place for all involved. Based on the look of Grant who was born in 1954, he looked about 4 or 5. The others in the picture are the seven surviving Swagerty siblings of Sampson C. Swagerty and Emma Underwood. The oldest daughter Belle had died in 1953 and the oldest son Harley had died in 1947. The next sibling to die was Alice and she died in 1961. Based on this information, the photo was probably taken in 1958 or 1959. After consulting with my siblings, we wondered why Grant was there with his grandparents but not with any other sibling or parent. What makes us ask this question is the presence of Grant in the picture with the seven Swagerty siblings. He is definitely not part of that group. Yet he sits there and our grandfather Elmer seems to have no reason to have Grant be out of the picture. Elmer has what I consider a proud look to have one of his 16 grandchildren sitting next to him.
My mother was all about appearances and I believe she would never had allowed Grant to remain in that photo. The previous photo is like a set up photo with various generations included. The second photo just has the seven siblings plus Grant. Curious. Why would Grant be there without the rest of us?
Jane, my sister, well remembers her ninth birthday on July 30, 1960 because she was turning nine and moving up into another age group in competitive swimming. Having a summer birthday is not good for a swimmer and now Jane had to compete against the excellent swimmer Pokey Watson who was anything but pokey and in the next age group. Mom and Dad took her to San Francisco all by herself for shopping and a show. It was her special day to distract from moving into a much more difficult swimming group. That left Brian, me and Grant. Brian and I can not remember where we would have been or who was in charge of us. However, I was babysitting neighborhood kids when I was 13 and I would now be almost 15. I could have been left alone. Brian had many friends in the neighborhood plus his special neighbors, the elderly Youngs, who unofficially adopted him on occasion. Where we were is up for speculation. Somehow, Grant was taken to his grandparents in Escalon and they took him to the picnic in Modesto.
If nothing else, this photos give a little window into our lives in 1960 even though we are not in evidence. The photo amuses me and I like to think it is proof of a good connection between Grant and his grandfather.
In the first photo Grant is on the far left with a cup up to his mouth. In the front row is Lucy Swagerty Morris, Stella Swagerty Repas, Helen Swagerty Hunter holding her grandchild. In the second row on the left next to Grant is Elmer Swagerty, Alice Swagerty Hutchinson, Iona Swagerty, daughter of Wilbur, Howard Morris husband of Lucy, Wilbur is on the far right. The back row is Pearl Aldrich Swagerty, wife of Elmer, John Swagerty.
The formal photo has Lucy, Stella and Wilbur in the front row. The second row is Grant, Elmer, Alice, Helen, John.
707 words, 6/30/2025
D. Shreve,
Children of Sampson Clayton Swagerty & Emma Jane Underwood
- A boy died at birth or before one year
- Mary Belle 1878-1953 married George Hamilton
Leo Clayton, Gladys,Clyde & Claude, Theodore, George Walter
3. Lucy Lillian 1882-1962 married Howard Morris
Humphrey, Frank,William, Walter, Emma, George, Carlin
4. George Harlan 1884-1947 married Pearl Russell
Zelpha, Dorothy
5. Stella Pearl 1886-1966 married William Repass
Clayton, William, Elizabeth Ann (Betty)
6. Freddy who drowned at age six
7. Ernest Elmer 1890 – 1978 married Pearl Aldrich
Elsie Irene, Clemett Lawrence, Floyd Elmer, Darrell Malcolm, Wilma Ardell, Jack Marvin
8. Isaac Wilburforce 1892-1973 married Lulu Aldrich
Iona Mae, Wilbur Leon, Laura Mae, Marion
9. Alice Emma 1899-1961 married Clarence (Bud) Hutchinson
10. John Clayton 1902-1967 married Gersa
Robert, Barbara Mae
11. Helen Elizabeth 1904 – 1985 married Ramon Hunter
Ray Burton, Jack Clayton
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 