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Genealogical Research on William Arch Swain Sr. (1929–2017)
Introduction
William “Bill” Archibald Swain Sr. (1929–2017) was a distinguished African American printer and community figure. He was born in 1929 in Dale, Caldwell County, Texas to parents Cardie B. Sneed and August Novel (Novell) Swain Sr. In his youth he moved from Texas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, following his mother, and went on to build a legacy as one of the first Black union-certified printers in Philadelphia. He died on September 6, 2017 in Philadelphia at the age of 88, leaving behind a large family and a rich ancestral heritage.
Early Life in Texas
Birth and Family: William Arch Swain Sr. was born in 1929 in the rural community of Dale, Texas (Caldwell County). His parents were August Novel Swain Sr. (often called “Gus” by family) and Cardie B. Sneed. William’s father August was born March 26, 1905 in Caldwell County. His mother Cardie was born May 23, 1908, also in Caldwell County. William had an older brother, August “Gus” Swain Jr., born in 1927. Gus Jr. was the first-born son of Cardie and August Sr. and later became notable as one of the first Black graduates of Tillotson College and a social work pioneer in Texas (he died in 2006 in Austin).
Tragedy in 1929: In October 1929, when William was still an infant, his father August Swain Sr. died at age 24 in Lockhart, Texas. This left Cardie a young widow with two small sons. William’s upbringing thus took place largely in his maternal family’s care in Texas during the 1930s. He attended local schools – notably Lincoln-Ball High School in Seguin, Texas, from which he graduated.
Military Service: After high school, William enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served during the Korean War, where he learned the printing trade in the service. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant, an experience that provided him with skills and discipline that would shape his career in printing.
Move to Philadelphia and Career
In the late 1940s, Cardie Sneed Swain decided to move north to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the Great Migration of African Americans seeking opportunities outside the segregated South. William “followed his mother to Philadelphia” after his military service. This move proved pivotal for his career.
Settling in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, William Sr. applied his printing skills and soon made history. By the mid-1950s he became one of the first African-American printers in Philadelphia to be granted the Allied Printing Trades Council’s union label (union imprimatur). This union certification was significant – at that time, having a union label was an official mark of a master printer’s skill and allowed access to larger contracts. Gaining it as a Black printer in the 1950s was a groundbreaking achievement, as the printing trade unions had long been difficult for African Americans to enter. “He felt it was an extraordinary acknowledgement... He had reached the summit of his trade,” his daughter recounted of this accomplishment.
William Swain Sr. went on to a long career in Philadelphia’s printing industry. From 1956 to 1988, he was the founding supervisor of the reprographics (printing) department at the Free Library of Philadelphia. In 1977, William and his wife even opened their own business, Swain’s Printing & Accounting in Germantown, which became a popular community print shop. His contributions to trade access and community service earned him a distinguished service citation in 1971 for promoting minority access to trade unions, and other awards for civic work (such as mentoring youth through the Boy Scouts and recreation programs).
Marriage and Children
In 1951, William A. Swain Sr. married Ena Veronica Lindner, a Philadelphia native. Ena Swain (1931–2020) was herself a notable figure – the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, she later became an author and historian of the abolitionist movement in Germantown. The couple settled in Germantown and were married for 66 years. They raised four children in Philadelphia. According to William’s obituary, he is survived by two daughters – one of whom is Dr. Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, and Gail Swain Harrison – and two sons, William A. Swain Jr. and Brian Anthony Swain. (Notably, some family records reference a “Michelle Barr” as a child of William Sr.; however, none of the official sources or obituaries list a child by that name, suggesting that Michelle Barr may be an extended relative or a misidentified family member rather than one of William’s immediate children.)
William and Ena’s family grew quite large. By the time of his passing, William Sr. had 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren in his family tree – a living legacy spread across the generations. Many of his descendants remain in the Philadelphia area and beyond, representing the continuing story of the Swain family.
(William Arch Swain Sr.’s funeral was held at his beloved church in Germantown, and he was laid to rest at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, a detail confirmed by cemetery records. His wife Ena was later buried in the same city in 2020.)
African American Ancestral Lineage
William A. Swain Sr. was proud of his heritage as “a descendant of Southern sharecroppers,” a phrase noted in his obituary. His lineage is deeply rooted in the African American experience of Texas, tracing back to the era of Reconstruction and beyond. Below is a summary of both his paternal and maternal ancestry, based on historical records and genealogical sources:
Paternal Line (Swain Family of Caldwell County, TX)
Father – August Novel Swain Sr. (1905–1929): William’s father August (often recorded as August Novell Swain or Novel August Swain) was born March 26, 1905 in Caldwell County, Texas. He married Cardie B. Sneed on July 3, 1926. August worked as a farmer/laborer (likely a sharecropper, like many in his family). Tragically, he died on October 14, 1929 in Lockhart, Texas at only 24 years old, leaving behind his wife and two young sons. A Find a Grave memorial for August N. Swain Sr. confirms his birth and death dates and notes that he was buried in Dale Cemetery in Caldwell County [1] (https://sv.findagrave.com/memorial/190331912/august_novel-swain).
Paternal Grandparents – William “Archie” Swain & Lizzie Baker: William Arch Sr.’s grandfather (for whom he was likely named) was William Archie Swain, born August 27, 1882 in Caldwell County, TX. His grandmother was Elizabeth “Lizzie” S. Baker, born in 1884. Archie Swain and Lizzie Baker were married on September 17, 1902 in Caldwell County [2] (https://www.txgenwebcounties.org/caldwell/marriages/ml2.htm). They appear to have been part of the African American farming community in that area. According to family records, William Archie Swain died in 1939 and Lizzie (Baker) Swain died in 1943, both in Caldwell County. They are buried in Dale Cemetery, the same rural cemetery that holds many Swain family members.
Paternal Aunts/Uncles: Archie and Lizzie’s children (the siblings of August Swain Sr.) illustrate the family’s generations in Texas. Effie Lee Swain (born 1906) was August’s sister; she married Homer Crenshaw in 1927 and later William Johnson, but died young in 1939 [3] (https://sv.findagrave.com/memorial/28164896/effie-lee-crenshaw-johnson). Another sibling was Henderson Collins Swain, born much later in 1919 – a younger uncle of William Arch Sr. Henderson Swain lived until 2006. These relatives are recorded in local family history archives and Findagrave entries, which list Effie, August, and Henderson as siblings, all children of William “Archie” Swain and Lizzie Baker. This suggests the Swain family had at least those three surviving children over a span of nearly 15 years. It’s likely the family had other infants or children who did not survive or are not well-documented, given the era.
Earlier Generations (Swain): Research into records from the late 1800s shows several African American Swain men in Caldwell County who could be William Archie’s kin. For example, a Frederick Swain married Victoria Williamson in 1889 and an H.B. Swain married Ella Harbert in 1895 in Caldwell County. There was also a Hannibal Swain noted in local records of that period. While we have not confirmed the exact parentage of William Archie Swain (1882–1939), these names could represent his father or uncles. It’s possible that William Archie was the son of a formerly enslaved family or first-generation free Black family in Texas – an inference consistent with the “sharecropper” background. Further research in the 1880 census and Freedmen’s Bureau records of Caldwell County could shed light on William Archie’s parents. For now, the Swain surname in that county during the 19th century clearly ties into a network of Black families navigating the post-Civil War era in Texas.
Maternal Line (Sneed Family of Caldwell County, TX)
Mother – Cardie B. Sneed (1908–1979): William’s mother Cardie Belle Sneed was born May 23, 1908 in Caldwell County, Texas. She grew up in a large African American family in the Lytton Springs/Dale area of Caldwell County. On her side, William’s heritage connects to the Sneed and Franks families. Cardie married August N. Swain Sr. in 1926 at about age 18. After being widowed in 1929, Cardie eventually remarried; Caldwell County marriage records show that Cardie Swain wed Edward Boulware on November 8, 1943 [4] (https://www.txgenwebcounties.org/caldwell/marriages/ml2.htm). (It’s not clear if that union lasted; by the time of her death she still bore the name Swain on her records.) In the 1940s, Cardie joined the migration to Philadelphia, where she lived near her son. She died in Philadelphia on December 18, 1979 at the age of 71, and was laid to rest there. Cardie B. (Sneed) Swain’s Find a Grave memorial likewise notes her birth in Texas and death in Philadelphia [5] (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190331912/cardie-b-swain).
Maternal Grandparents – Luke Sneed Jr. & Ellen Franks: Cardie’s parents (William’s maternal grandparents) were Luke Sneed Jr. and Ellen Franks. Luke Sneed Jr. was born December 27, 1879 in Dale, Caldwell County. He married Ellen Franks on September 24, 1903 in Caldwell County [6] (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190342143/luke-sneed). Ellen Franks was likely born around the early 1880s (exact date unconfirmed) and was from a local African American family as well. The Sneed family can be found in Texas records; a biographical note on Findagrave indicates Luke Sneed Jr. was the “son of Luke Sneed and Anna Bonner” [7] (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/250099556/luke-sneed), identifying William’s maternal great-grandparents. Luke Sneed Jr. was a farmer in the Dale area and died on July 24, 1944 in Caldwell County at age 64.
It appears Ellen Franks Sneed may have lived beyond that; some secondary sources suggest she might have later remarried (the name “Ellen Sneed Shannon” appears in one family reference), but details of her death are not yet confirmed in the records accessed. Both Luke Jr. and Ellen are very likely buried in Caldwell County, Texas, where the family had deep roots.
Maternal Aunts/Uncles (Sneed siblings): Cardie was one of at least five children born to Luke and Ellen Sneed. Her siblings – who are William A. Swain Sr.’s maternal aunts and uncles – were documented as follows: Birdie Lee Sneed (who married and became Birdie Lee Johnson), Ben Troy Sneed Sr., Lonnie Sneed, and Lida May Sneed (who married a Walker). Lida May Sneed Walker (1912–2008) was the youngest of the siblings and her obituary provides a valuable snapshot of the family: it states she “was the youngest of five children” and lists her older siblings by name – Birdie, Cardie, Ben Troy, and Lonnie – all of whom predeceased her. In that obituary, it even mentions “nephew August Novel Swain Jr.”, confirming that Cardie’s son (William’s brother Gus) was recognized by the Sneed family as part of their next generation [8] (https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/15810366/lida-may-sneed-walker). The Sneed children were raised in Lytton Springs, TX, a community in Caldwell County, and they attended local schools there.
Earlier Generations (Sneed & Franks): The Sneed family line extends at least one generation further back in Caldwell County. Luke Sneed Sr. (William’s maternal great-grandfather) was born in January 1835 in Missouri and died in 1899 in Texas [7] (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/250099556/luke-sneed). He appears in the 1900 census in Caldwell County as a 65-year-old black farmer, with a wife Anna (Bonner) Sneed. This suggests that the Sneed family’s move to Texas might date to the post-Civil War era (Luke Sr. was in Missouri during slavery and came to Texas by the late 1800s). Luke Sr.’s wife Anna Bonner (William’s great-grandmother) likely has roots in Texas; unfortunately, detailed records of her birth and death were not immediately found in this research, but her name survives in family memory.
On the Franks side (Ellen’s family), there is less documentation in the sources we accessed. It is possible that Ellen Franks was related to other Franks families in Caldwell or neighboring counties – further research in marriage and census records of that area could illuminate her parents and any siblings. What is clear is that William Arch Swain Sr.’s maternal lineage through the Sneeds and Franks connects him to the broader history of African Americans in central Texas, from slavery (Luke Sr. born 1830s in slave-holding Missouri) through sharecropping times and into the 20th century.
Notable Records and Findings
- Obituaries and Articles:
The Philadelphia Inquirer published a detailed obituary for William A. Swain Sr. in September 2017, highlighting his accomplishments as a printer and his family life [1] (https://www.inquirer.com/philly/obituaries/william-a-swain-sr-88-distinguished-printer-20170911.html). The obituary confirms many personal details, including his Texas birthplace, his parents’ names, his military service, and his surviving family members. William’s wife, Ena Veronica Lindner Swain, also had an obituary in 2020 which recounts their marriage in 1951 and her own achievements. Additionally, a local paper noted that his funeral took place at Christ Church and St. Michael’s in Germantown and that he was interred at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. - Census Records:
While full census transcripts were not included here, William would have been recorded as a baby in the 1930 U.S. Census likely in Caldwell County, TX. Given that his father died in 1929, it is probable that the 1930 census shows William (age ~1) living with his widowed mother Cardie (age ~21) and brother Gus (age ~2). In the 1940 Census, Cardie and her sons might still be in Texas (Cardie did not remarry until 1943). By 1950, William would have been in the Marines or recently discharged, possibly preparing to join his mother in Philadelphia. - Military Records:
William’s service in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War means he would have a military service file. While that file was not obtained for this research, his honorable discharge and rank of Staff Sergeant are noted in his obituary. Additionally, his brother August “Gus” Swain Jr. came of age at the end of World War II and registered for the WWII draft in 1945 [9] (https://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/North-Dakota/August-Swain_3h847v/amp). - Vital Records:
We located several Texas vital record indexes that illuminate the Swain-Sneed family timeline, including marriage records [2] (https://www.txgenwebcounties.org/caldwell/marriages/ml2.htm) and biographical notes [6] (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190342143/luke-sneed). - Grave Memorials:
The website FindAGrave.com has been invaluable for assembling this family history. Memorials include: - Family Trees:
Both FamilySearch and Ancestry contain user-submitted trees with entries for August Novel Swain Sr., William Archie Swain, and the Sneed line. These largely align with the verified records, such as those for Lonnie Sneed [10] (https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/results?firstName=lonnie&lastName=sneed) and Ben Sneed [11] (https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/results?firstName=ben&lastName=sneed).
Living Relatives and Ongoing Legacy
Today, the legacy of William Arch Swain Sr. lives on through his descendants and extended family. His eldest daughter, Dr. Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, has been a prominent educator in Philadelphia. Other descendants may remain connected with Texas family branches through the Sneed line – such as those of Birdie Lee Johnson or Ben Troy Sneed Sr.
William’s brother Gus Swain Jr. had lived in Austin, Texas, and his descendants (if any) may still reside there. Gus Jr.’s 2006 obituary in the Austin American-Statesman may offer contact clues. Online archives, Ancestry, and FindAGrave help maintain these family connections.
Conclusion
William Arch Swain Sr. (1929–2017) emerged from humble beginnings in Caldwell County, Texas, descending from families of Black sharecroppers and farmers, to become a respected union printer and community leader in Philadelphia. Through records from Texas and Pennsylvania, we traced his lineage: parents Cardie Sneed and August Swain Sr.; grandparents William “Archie” Swain, Lizzie Baker, Luke Sneed Jr., and Ellen Franks; and great-grandparents Luke Sneed Sr. and Anna Bonner.
We also mapped out his immediate family and living descendants – including his four children, numerous grandchildren, and the extended network of Sneeds and Swains. This genealogical exploration not only provides names but also historical context and pride in a family journey from emancipation to community leadership.
Sources:
- Philadelphia Inquirer Obituary for William A. Swain Sr. (Sept. 2017)
- Philadelphia Inquirer Obituary for Ena Veronica Lindner Swain (Apr. 2020)
- FindAGrave Memorials:
Cardie B. Sneed Swain,
August Novel “Gus” Swain Jr.,
August Novel Swain Sr.,
Effie Lee Crenshaw-Johnson,
Lida May Sneed Walker,
Luke Sneed Jr.,
Luke Sneed Sr. - Caldwell County, TX Marriage Index:
https://www.txgenwebcounties.org/caldwell/marriages/ml2.htm - Ancestry entries:
Ben Sneed,
Lonnie Sneed,
August Swain (1940 Census) - HT (Huston-Tillotson) Alumni StoryMap – bio snippet for August N. Swain Jr.
- Chestnut Hill Local (Philadelphia) – article noting funeral and Ivy Hill Cemetery burial
