Charles J. Swasey

Charles J. Swasey was born on September 3, 1847 in Haverhill, New Hampshire to his parents Samuel and Edith Swasey.¹ His father was a State Legislator for New Hampshire, representing the people of Haverhill for 6 years and was also the Speaker of the House. In 1857, the family moved to Chicago, Illinois and later Boone County.² At the young age of 13, Charles began playing baseball in the greater Chicago area, but with the Civil War in full swing he enlisted into the war effort in 1864. He was a Union soldier in the 134th Vol. Regiment, Illinois Infantry. This unit was nicknamed the “hundred days men” as they were volunteers who served a one hundred-day enlistment and performed routine duties to allow veteran units to go to the front lines for combat.

In 1864, Charles put down the rifle and again shouldered the bat. He played second and third base for two of America’s early baseball teams: the Forest City team of Rockford, Illinois and the Excelsiors of Chicago, formed in the late 1850’s. At the time he was playing baseball, they would catch baseballs bare-handed. While playing with Forest City, Swasey had the pleasure of playing with teammate Albert Goodwill Spalding, the very Spalding that was the namesake for the sporting goods brand and inventor of the baseball glove.

By 1869, Charles put a temporary pause on his baseball career and moved to St. Louis, Missouri in order to study business at a commercial college. After completion of college, in 1873 at the age of 26, Charles along with his business partner G.H. Day, moved to Fort Worth.³ They traveled by “prairie schooner⁴ ,” which was a common nickname for a covered wagon.

In early 1874, Swasey & Day opened a liquor store downtown. Charles then partnered with Martin Casey and together they had Casey-Swasey & Co. (a wholesale liquor, wine, and cigar business) eventually located in a building constructed in 1893 (now demolished) at 1001 Jones Street at E. Ninth Street. He also became an investor in real estate and later in life sold cigars when prohibition laws prohibited the sale of liquor. 

Charles never lost his love for baseball, and, by 1877 he was back to playing baseball for the city of Fort Worth. However, later that season he broke his finger in a game against Weatherford, and the injury ended his baseball career at the age of 31. Just 10 years later, in 1888, he was instrumental in developing the Fort Worth Baseball Association in order for the city to participate in the newly formed Texas Baseball League.  The team would be called the Fort Worth Cats — Fort Worth’s long term, much loved baseball team.⁵

After being ill for several years, Charles passed away on March 24, 1939 at the age of 91. He was never married and has only indirect descendants.⁶