This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: RDCalhounEagan Surnames: Swain, Barrett, Evans, Simpson, Baine, Farnum Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.niagara/3423/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Niagara Falls Gazette, 19 Jan 1953; page 17 MISS SARA SWAIN, OF PIONEER AREA FAMILY, IS DEAD Historian, Retired Buffalo Teacher Dies at 93 in Newton, Mass., Home Youngstown, Jan. 19 -- Miss Sarah Sabrina Swain, 93, one of the area's best known former residents, died yesterday in Newton, Mass., where she had resided for the last two years. She would have been 94 on June 1. Miss Swain was a member of a pioneer family here, her forebears having played a prominent part in local history. She was born in the old Swain homestead, Cobblestone, in the River road, which was erected in 1836 on the site of the previous home which was burned in 1812. She had a long teaching career following graduation from Buffalo State Teachers college. She taught in Minneapolis and Great Falls, Minn. She entered the Buffalo school system in 1906 and taught history. She was the head of the department of history in Lafayette high school at her retirement in 1930. Miss Swain traveled extensively in this country and Europe. Well-known in this area as an historian, she published several small documents and a booklet on "Heroines on the Niagara Frontier." She was a member of the Niagara Frontier Buffalo chapter, Daughters of 1812, of which she was secretary for 22 years, and secretary of the New York State chapter for three years; a member of the Daughters of the American Colonists; New York State Historical Society; a member of the organizing committee for the restoration of Old Ft. Niagara; a charter member of the association and a charter member of the board of directors of the association. Her grandfather, Isaac Swain, came to the town of Porter in 1808. She was the daughter of the late William and Sabrina Barrett Swain. In the latter years of her life she was assisting the young author from Yale university in writing a book on historical lore in this section; and had placed at his disposal many priceless documents collected by her family during the last 150 years.* She is survived by two nephews, Dwight Simpson, Newton, Mass., and Claire Swain, Oregon, and two nieces, Mrs. Paul Baine, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., and Mrs. Earl Farnum, Duluth, Minn. She had been in fairly good health until shortly before Christmas. The funeral will be held Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. from the Johnson and Wilken funeral home, Buffalo. The Rev. Frederick W. Helwig will officiate. Burial will be in Oakland rural cemetery. NOTE FROM TRANSCRIBER: Sarah Sabrina Swain, daughter of William and Sabrina Barrett Swain, was a granddaughter of Silas Barrett and Lucinda Evans Barrett. *This became the book entitled, The World Rushed In, based primarily on the diaries of William Swain about the 1849 California gold rush Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.