William C. Swartout Collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: 1998.121

Scope and Contents

Materials consist of photographs, primary and secondary sources relating to floods and railroads in the U.S. Included is information on floods of the Mississippi River Valley in 1897, 1913, 1927, and 1936-37; and the damage these floods had in regional areas, including Cape Girardeau and New Madrid, Missouri; Cairo, Illinois, Paducah, Kentucky, Northern Arkansas, and Pueblo, Colorado. Other materials consist of secondary information on railroad development and railroad company advertising/promotionals. The materials have been organized into two series, Flood Photographs and Correspondence, and Published Material on Floods and Railroads.

Dates

Creation: 1897-1950

Rights Statement

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Biographical / Historical

William Cornelius Swartout was born on Nov. 18, 1878 in Port Huron, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1902 with an engineering degree. William married Agnes Sybil Dole on Oct. 18, 1905 in Cuyahoga, Ohio. He worked as an Engineer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. He died on March 19, 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri at the Missouri Pacific Employee hospital. These are photographs, correspondence, reports, and general information on railroads and floods in the region that he collected.

Full Extent

1 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Books, pamphlets, photographs and reports on flooding in the United States, particularly in the areas of Cape Girardeau and New Madrid [Mo], Cairo, [Il], Paducah, [Ky], and northern Arkansas. Also includes general information on the development of the nation’s railroads.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated in March 1980 to the Southeast Missouri Regional History Center by Mr. Tom Seibert, and Mrs. Dorothy Swartout Seibert (daughter of W. C. Swartout). Additional photographs were added to the collection by donors in 1983. In 1985 the collection was relocated to Soutehast Missouri State University Special Collections and Archives.