Soldier, prospector, entrepreneur, and gentleman John William (Jack) Swilling was born in South Carolina on April 1, 1830. He spent the formative years of his life in the South before enlisting in the military in 1848 when he briefly served in the Mexican-American War. He then entered a rather tumultuous period in his life where it is believed he traveled around the South, during which he sustained a painful injury, thought to be a fractured skull, which would affect him the rest of his life. He purportedly married and had a child in Arkansas before he moved West in 1858. Swilling joined the ox train of the El Paso-Fort Yuma Wagon Road at that time and later served as captain of the Gila Rangers, a militia formed to respond to Indian attacks within the Arizona and New Mexico Territories. In 1860, Swilling began his prospecting career in earnest, settling in the Pinos Altos area and joining the Arizona Guards. His unit was briefly integrated into the Confederacies' fighting forces during the Civil War, but Swilling deserted in June of 1962. Swilling continued prospecting in the Gila and Hassayampa River areas. He married Trinidad Escalante of Hermosillo, Sonora in April of 1864.
After numerous other mining and farming ventures, Swilling settled in the Salt River Valley in 1867, founded the first ditch company and constructed the canals that would feed the township that was to become Phoenix. In addition to ditch construction Swilling also served as Justice of the Peace, postmaster, and president of the counties' Democratic Convention. He later moved to Black Canyon and started a successful mining company before he retired, mainly due to the growing discomfort associated with earlier injuries and substance abuse issues. In April of 1878 Swilling went to exhume the remains of friend Jacob Snively for Christian burial. During this journey he and two friends were accused of an armed stagecoach robbery and imprisoned in Yuma. Although eventually found innocent, Swilling died in captivity on August 12, 1878 while awaiting trial.
From the description of John William (Jack) Swilling collection, 1830-1978 [manuscript]. (Scottsdale Public Library). WorldCat record id: 611045435
