to the firm, the name being changed from J. Swank & Son to J. Swank, Son & Company, which continued until time of flood, 1559. The day following the great disaster the present members of the firm began the work of reconstruction and drove the first nail in the rebuilding of Johnstown; they conducted business that day, Saturday June 1, 1889, and the following days secured quite a creditable stock of new goods. This business was begun in a small temporary structure which they occupied for several weeks, at the expiration of which time they erected on the site of Greer's furniture store a building in which then conducted business for several years. They then erected a frame building at the corner of Main and Bedford street, which they occupied until 1898, when it was replaced with a five-story brick building, which was burned March 28, 1906, wherein the firm lost heavily. They are now building a modern six-story building, of reinforced concrete construction, and when completed they will have in their combined stores and warehouses over five acres of floor space devoted to the hardware and vehicle departments, with housefurnishing department. When the new organization was affected, June, 1898, they were associated under a partnership agreement until 1902, which included the three brothers--Morrell, Harry and George W.--and the brother-in-law, Charles R. Glock. In 1901, owing to the increased business, they incorporated under the firm name of Swank Hardware Company, with a, capital of $250,000, with Harry Swank as president, Charles M. Glock as vice-president and manager, George M. Swank as treasurer and Morrell Swank as secretary. In 1902 the Bantley Hardware concern was purchased and stock changed to housefurnishings. In 1896 Newton B. Swank withdrew from the firm and assumed the implement and vehicle end of the business, which he conducted independently until 1906, when the consolidation of N. B. Swank and Swank's housefurnishing department was effected, making it by far the largest mercantile concern between Pittsburg and Philadelphia, in fact in all western Pennsylvania. Almost since the business was founded its proprietors have given attention to the wholesale trade, but within the last several years the jobbing trade has become first in importance in the company's operations. Several traveling salesmen are now on the road, and the region covered by them includes all the territory of which Johnstown is the business center and even extends into the state of Maryland.
Besides being president of the Swank Hardware Company and manager of its housefurnishing department, which duties occupies much of his time, Mr. Swank is in many ways closely identified with industrial, commercial and financial interests in Johnstown, and is in all respects a successful, competent business man. At one time he was treasurer of the B. H. Campbell Brick Company of Johnstown, and is now vice-president and a director of the First National Bank; director of the First National Bank of Rockwood, Pennsylvania; trustee of Vigilant Fire Company, director of Johnstown Sanitary Dairy Company and of Johnstown Ice and Cold Storage Company. In each of these corporations he has a financial interest. In politics he is a Republican, but inclines to be independent in disposing his vote, favoring principles and men rather than party in the election of public officers.
Mr. Swank married, June 5, 1889, Sarah E. Hartzell. daughter of Napoleon B. and Jane (Penrod) Hartzell, formerly of Stoyestown, Pennsylvania, now of Johnstown. Children of Harry and Sarah E. (Hartzell) Swank: Luke Hartzell, born February 21, 1890; Anna Jean, born June 14, 1892.
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