" Mental Hygiene " (New York. 1843 ; London, 1844) ; and " Human Life " (1867).
SWENEY, John Robson, musician, b. in West
Chester, Pa., 31 Dec, 1837. He received a common-
school education, and gave early evidences of mu-
sical talent. He was leader of a band during the
civil war, and upon the cessation of hostilities re-
sumed instruction in music at his native place,
shortly thereafter essaying his first attempt at the
composition of Sunday-school music. His songs
were first brought before the public by his teach-
ing them to the Sunday-school under his leader-
ship. The local reputation that he thus acquired
enabled him to find a publisher to issue them in
pamphlet-form. A demand for his music was
created almost immediately, and each year in-
creased his hold upon public favor. In 1874 the
degree of M. B. was conferred upon him by the
Pennsylvania military academy, where he has been
professor of vocal and instrumental music for eigh-
teen years. In 1884 he received the degree of
Mus. D. His Sunday-school songs are used not
only everywhere in the United States, but in the
missions in China, Japan, India, and Africa, and
his name as a composer of this kind of music is
widely known. He now (1888) has charge of the
music in Bethany Presbyterian church, Philadel-
phia. His publications are " Gems of Praise "
(Philadelphia, 1877); "The Garner" (1878); "Joy
to the World " (Cincinnati, 1878) ; " The Quiver "
(Philadelphia, 1880); "The Wells of Salvation"
(1881) ; "Anthems and Voluntaries " (1881) ; " Songs
of Redeeming Love " (2 vols., 1882-7) ; " Songs of
Triumph" (1882); "Our Sabbath Home" (1884);
"Melodious Sonnets" (1885); "Songs of Jov and
Gladness" (Boston, 1885); "Joyful Wing" (Phila-
delphia, 1886) ; " Infant Praises " (1887) ; " Banner
Anthem Book " (1887) ; " Glad Hallelujahs " (1887) ;
and " Showers of Blessing " (1888).
SWENSSON, Carl Aaron, clergyman, b. in
Sugar Grove, Warren co., Pa., 25 June, 1857. His
father was one of the pioneers of the Swedish Lu-
theran church in the United States, and labored
successfully among the widely scattered Swedes,
gathering them into congregations and organizing
them. At his death in 1873 he was president of
the Swedish Augustana synod. The son received
his classical and theological training in the Augus-
tana institutions at Rock Island, 111., being gradu-
ated at the collegiate department in 1877 and at
the seminary in 1879. In the same year he was
ordained to the ministry, and at once assumed
charge of the Bethany Lutheran congregation,
Lindsborg, Kan. He was the founder of Bethany
college and normal institute in that town in 1880,
and is its president. He was English secretary of
the general council in 1886, secretary of the synodi-
cal council of Swedish Augustana synod in 1886-'7,
and a member of the board of home missions for
Kansas in 1884-'7. He has been editor of " Ung-
doms Vaennen " in Chicago, 111., for six years ; of
" Framat," Lindsborg, Kan., which he founded in
1885 : " Korsbaneret," an annual (Rock Island, 111.,
1880-'6) ; and " Sondagsskolboken," a Sunday-
school book (Chicago, 1885). He has published
" Minnen fran Kyrkan " (Lindsborg, 1888).
SWETT, John Appleton, physician, b. in Boston, Mass., 3 Dec, 1808 ; d. in New York city, 18 Sept., 1854. He was graduated at Harvard in 1828, received his medical degree there in 1831, and after serving in the New York dispensary
studied in Paris and visited hospitals in Europe. From 1842 until his death he was one of the physicians to the New York hospital, and delivered courses of lectures there on diseases of the chest and kidneys. In 1853 he was appointed professor of the theory and practice of medicine in the
University of the city of New York. Several
years before his death he gave particular study to
Bright's disease. About 1840 he became associated
with Dr. John Watson as editor of the " New York
Journal of Medicine." His lectures were published
in the New York "Lancet," and afterward ap-
peared in book-form, under the title " Treatise on
Diseases of the Chest " (New York, 1852).
SWETT, Josiah, clergyman, b. in Claremont,
N. H., 4 Aug., 1814. He was graduated at Nor-
wich university, Vt., in 1837, where he was a pro-
fessor in 1840-'5, studied theology, took orders in
the Protestant Episcopal church in 1847, and has
been rector of churches in Bethel, Jericho, Fair-
fax, and Highgate, Vt. He was professor of
systematic theology in the Vermont Episcopal in-
stitute in 1865-'7, president of Norwich univer-
sity in 1875-'6, and since 1866 has been presi-
dent of the standing committee of the diocese of
Vermont. Trinity gave him the degree of A. M.
in 1856, and Norwich that of D. D. in 1864.
Dr. Swett has published "Citizen Soldier " (Nor-
wich, 1841) ; " English Grammar " (Windsor, 1842 ;
revised ed., Claremont, 1844) ; " Thomson's ' Sea-
sons ' and Pope's ' Essav on Man,' with Grammati-
cal Notes" (1844); "Primary Grammar" (1845);
" Pastoral Visiting " (1852) ; " Let us Pray, or
Prayers and Hymns for Family Devotion " (1861);
"The Firmament in the Midst of the Waters"
(1862) ; and various sermons.
SWETT, Leonard, lawyer, b. near Turner, Me.,
11 Aug., 1825. He was educated at North Yar-
mouth academy and at Waterville (now Colby uni-
versity), but was not graduated. He read law in
Portland, enlisted as a soldier in the Mexican war,
and at its close in 1848 settled in Bloomihgton,
111. He travelled the circuit in fourteen counties,
and was an intimate friend of Abraham Lincoln
and David Davis. In 1865 he removed to Chicago.
In 1852- : 61 he took an active part in politics, can-
vassing the state several times, and in 1858, at the
special request of Mr. Lincoln, was a candidate for
the legislature on the Republican ticket, and was
elected by a large majority. This is the only
official place he has ever held. When Mr. Lincoln
became president Mr. Swett was employed in the
trial of government cases, one of the most noted of
which was that for the acquisition of the Califor-
nia quicksilver-mines in 1863. In the course of his
practice Mr. Swett has defended twentv men in-
dicted for murder, securing the acquittal of nine-
teen, and a light punishment for the other one. He
has also been retained in criminal cases in nearly
every part of the country, though his professional
work has been mainly devoted to civil suits. His
success is attributed to his careful personal atten-
tion to details and his eloquence as an advocate.
He has rendered much gratuitous service to work-
ingmen, servants, and other poor clients. He deliv-
ered the oration at the unveiling of the statue of
Abraham Lincoln in Chicago, 111., 22 Oct., 1887, and
at the Chicago Republican convention in June, 1888,
in an eloquent speech, proposed Walter Q. Gres-
ham, of Illinois, as a candidate for the presidency.
SWETT, Samuel, author, b. in Newburyport, Mass., 9 June, 1782 ; d. in Boston, Mass., 28 Oct., 1866. He was graduated at Harvard in 1800, studied and practised law, and afterward became a merchant. During the war of 1812 he served on the northern frontier on the staff of Gen. George
Izard, with the rank of major. He sat for some time in the Massachusetts legislature, and also devoted himself to the study of military history. His
