FIRST DEATH IN CITY

In October, 1839, ocurred the first death in Iowa City. It was that of Cordelia Swan, aged seven years.  Probably no dweller in the county at that time had failed to make the acquaintance of and admire the bright little daughter of Chauncy and Dolly Swan, and when it was known that she was dead all worked stopped in the city and from the distant parts of the county came the settlers to sympathize with the parents and bid farewell to their little friend.  Her death and burial caused a gloom to fall upon the dwellers in the city that left its impress for a long time.

Seven or eight years later the mother of Cordelia died broken hearted and was placed by the side of her child for whom she grieved away her life.  Some years later Chauncey Swan made the trip to California and having lost his health by exposure in the mines, he started to return as he stated to his comrades, to die and be buried with his wife and child.  Too feeble to make the homeward journey overland he chose the route by the Isthmus of Panama and as the ship upon which he sailed from Aspinwall entered the harbor of New York, he died among strangers, murmuring the names of his wife and daughter.

Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen, Iowa City, IA, 27 Sep 1903, Pg 3; Written by Gil. R. Irish, Article XLI