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Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890

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The Biography of George Hunt SWITZER 

Pages 494-495, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins 

[Surnames: BROWN, HILL, HULL, HUNT, KING, LAW, SWITZER, VOSE] 

    
GEORGE HUNT SWITZER. The journalistic profession is one of such a peculiar nature, so complicated in its literary and business channels, that to call a man an editor has become equivalent to saying that he is apt in speech, acute in perception and well versed in mind. In this age of the world an uneducated man cannot conduct a paper even in what might be called the "backwoods," and much less in the midst of an enlightened community, who demand that their local papers shall be spicy, newsy and readable. All these characteristics are true of the London Times, a weekly paper edited by the subject of this biographical notice. 
    
Mr. Switzer is a grandson of William Switzer, who was born in Clermont County, Ohio, and became a farmer there. He made an early settlement in the Hoosier State, whence he came to Illinois in 1843, locating in Chestnut Township, Knox County. He pursued his vocation of agriculture until his death in that township. In politics he was a Republican, and in religion a believer in the doctrines laid down in the creed of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John W. Switzer, the father of our subject, was born in Indiana, near Covington, but reared in Knox County, this State, from the age of eight years. He adopted the calling of his father and became the owner of a good farm, which he sold in 1867 to remove to Macon County, Mo. there he purchased land on which he lived a twelvemonth, when, the family being ill, he returned to Knox County, Ill., finally buying the old homestead. On it he still lives, now engaged in fruit growing and the nursery business, having abandoned general farming in 1880. 
    
Mr. Switzer is an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and gives his suffrage to the Republican party. His estimable wife bore the maiden name of Phoebe Hunt, and is a native of the Buckeye State. Their family included out subject; Elizabeth B., now Mrs. B. F. Brown, of Orange Township, Knox County; William I., still at home; Jane who died at the age of eighteen months; John E. and Peter P., who are yet at home. 
    
The maternal grandfather of our subject was George Hunt, a native of Kentucky, who located on a farm in Ohio and later removed to this State. He was a pioneer of Indian Point, Knox County, and at one time owned a large amount of land. He was very liberal and gave a site for a schoolhouse, himself also putting up the building. In the War of 1812 he was wounded by a ball passing through his side. His commander was Gen. Hull, by whom he was given up as a prisoner of war, afterward spending nine days without food. In addition to his farm Mr. Hunt carried on a large sawmill on cedar Creek. He was quite a hunter. When called hence he was over seventy years of age. 
    
George Hunt Switzer opened his eyes to the light of day in Cedar Township, Knox County, May 22, 1862. He was given the advantages of the common schools in the different localities in which he passed his boyhood and youth, and when twenty years old entered Hedding College at Abingdon. In that excellent institution he spent three years, pursuing a literary course two years and then taking up the commercial course, from which he was graduated in 1885. He secured a teacher's certificate and in the fall began teaching in Maquon Township. There and in Chestnut Township he carried on his pedagogical labors a year, after which he became traveling manager for the firm of Law, King & Law, of Chicago, for whom he established agencies in the northern half of the State. 
    
After spending a year in this manner Mr. Switzer engaged in the insurance business in Knoxville under the style of Hill & Switzer, handling fire, life and accident policies. Owing to unforseen circumstances the partnership was dissolved by Mr. Switzer, who in February, 1890, came to London Mills. Here he entered the employ of W. W. Vose in the office of the Times, and after working two months leased the plant and personally conducted the publication. It is a five-column quarto whose increasing circulation indicates that the new editor has ability for journalism. The paper is conducted as a neutral political sheet, the editor believing that in this way he can exert a greater influence and better meet the wants of the people than under a party banner. Mr. Switzer, personally, is a Republican. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is regarded as one of its most efficient young members.