Shirley township

George Schwein's Six Farms

Did you know? George Schwein was born in Germany, near the line of France, on May 30, 1811, and his passport, or permit to leave the country, was dated May 2, 1832. He sailed from Havre de Grace, in France, and after a voyage of three months landed in America.

His uncle, Peter Schwein, had come to America before him, studied medicine in Lancaster and practiced at Petersburg, in Huntingdon County, before selling out and buying a farm in the Sinking Valley, in what is now Blair County. George had no means whatever, and he hired out to his uncle to work on that farm.

Peter later sold the Sinking Valley farm and bought a farm in Shirley township. The uncle was unable to pay for it, and he turned it over to George, who paid for it and received a deed for the same. Peter died on that farm in Shirley township.

Africa's 1883 county history says that from that start George became one of the most successful farmers and business men in the south part of Huntingdon County. He bought and paid for one farm only to buy and pay for another, until he had six fine farms, and in 1867 he bought the Aughwick grist mill, which he managed until his death. The family name changed as well: Africa says it was first changed to Swine, and that by 1883 the family spelled it Swane.

Checked and confirmed. CONFIRMED 2026-10-30 against the sources listed: every factual sentence was tied to a verbatim passage and a script confirmed each passage is in its source. Where sources disagreed on a number, the number was left out.

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