Charles Luther Swain
Charles Luther Swain was born August 19. 1866, in Fincastle, Brown County, Ohio. His father was Samuel L. Swain, now a resident of West Union. His mother was Agnes N. C. Heberling. He attended the District schools of his home until he was thirteen years of age, when his father moved to West Union. There he attended the Public schools three years. Then he attended the Normal University at Ada, Ohio, from 1883 to 1886. He begun his career as a teacher of Public schools in 1886, when he taught a Summer school at Harshaville, and in the Fall he taught one term at Island Creek and two terms in the Ellison district in Monroe Township. In 1889 and 1890, he taught in the Whippoorwill district, east of West Union. From 1800 to 1892, he had charge of the schools at Peebles. He taught a Summer school at Locust Grove in 1891. He was a County School Examiner from 1889 to 1893. when he resigned. He was President of the Teachers' Institute of Adams County from 1890 to 1892, and in that period there was a larger attendance than ever before or since. Mr. Swain distinguished himself and made quite a reputation as an educator in Adams County from 1886 to 1892. He became a law student in 1890 under George W. Pettit, of West Union. In the Fall of 1892, he entered the Cincinnati Law School and attended there that Fall and Winter. On March 30, 1893, he was admitted to the bar. He began practice in West Union and remained there eighteen months. He located in Cincinnati as a practicing lawyer on September 4, 1894, and has been there ever since. His office is No. 57 Atlas Bank Building. In 1897, he was elected a member of the Lower House of the Ohio Legislature. In 1898, he was nominated by the Democrats as their candidate for Congress in the Second District of Ohio and defeated by Jacob H. Bromwell, the Republican candidate, by five thousand majority, the normal Republican majority being twice that number. He was married August 23, 1894, to Miss Anna N. Burkett, of Hartwell, Ohio. He is a member of the Fifth Presbyterian Church.
A gentleman who has been acquainted with Mr. Swain for a number of years says that he is remarkable for his sound judgment of men and affairs. He is honest, energetic, enterprising and useful; he was an excellent teacher, he is quite a reader, a fair talker, and always ready to make a speech. He has a good opinion of himself and one of those men who seem to be destined to gain great distinction. He keeps himself well informed on the current events of the day. He is always a very pleasant and agreeable companion. He has been re-elected to a second term in the Legislature from Hamilton County.
From "History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time" - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900