George Bell Swift

Who was George Bell Swift?

George Bell Swift served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois for the Republican Party. He was selected to replace the assassinated Carter Harrison, Sr. as Mayor pro tem in 1893 and lost his re-election bid. He was re-elected when he ran in 1895.

Swift was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Samuel W. Swift and Elizabeth Swift. His family moved to Galena, Illinois when he was young. By his teenage years, the family was living in Chicago. Prior to serving as mayor of Chicago, Swift served two terms as an alderman. From 1887 to 1889, he was the city's Commissioner of Public Works.