For those Texas and Montana surveyors who may not have seen the news, Charles R. Swart of San Marcos, Texas and Bozeman, Montana passed away February 13, 2012 in San Marcos. Here is a link to his obituary:
For those unfamiliar with Charles, I'd recommend his website as a sample of some of his views:
Charles R. Swart Company, San Marcos, TX & Bozeman, MT
Beyond either, there is this small note that I wrote for his memorial service last Saturday in San Marcos:
There are barely enough licensed land surveyors in Texas to fill a small town, and we are spread across the entire state. I first became aware of Charles Swart thirty years ago when along Post Road in San Marcos I saw one of the aluminum-capped monuments he had set. There on the top of it, stamped in small letters was his name and professional identity. That made a big impression on me since the standard of the time was for surveyors to set anonymous rebar stakes that looked as if they cost little more than a quarter each. His was a mark of permanence, quality, and professional care. I’d never seen anything like it and it made a lasting impression upon me.
A few years after that epiphany, I myself became licensed as a surveyor and made a point of introducing myself to Charles. In the 27 years that followed, over gallons of coffee and cumulative days of conversations, I came to know him as a person and friend. I managed to steal a good many ideas useful for surveying from him, adapting them out of necessity or according to my own understanding, but with the same objectives of permanence, quality, and professional care. That list of stolen items would include:
· setting 2-inch stamped aluminum caps,
· giving spikes and nails a center punch mark of a millimeter or so in diameter,
· stamping point numbers on monuments, annotating those numbers on maps, and giving them in written descriptions,
· describing survey markers in full detail,
· photographing survey evidence with a small chalk board in the photo to identify the thing,
· using a gasoline-powered drill to set long markers in rocky ground, and
· searching for buried stones and old fence post holes with a tile probe
These are all minor technical details, but each a significant improvement. Beyond them was Charles the person :
· well spoken man of deeply held convictions,
· reader of great piles of books,
· skillful writer,
· feeder of deer,
· servant to the cats who owned him,
· drinker of dark roast coffee,
· avid flea market hunter,
· collector of various things, including the coins of classical antiquity, surveying instruments, and Navy officers’ chinaware.
· philosopher with a hat full of aphorisms, none of which were cliché.
There are barely enough licensed land surveyors in Texas to fill a small town, but in that small town to my mind Charles lived on the best lot in the nicest house.
Mr. Swart was a true gentleman and an excellent surveyor. I enjoyed knowing him many years ago in Montana.
Jerry
I consider myself very fortunate to have met and known Mr. Charles Swart. A true professional if there ever was one.
GB
I had some brief correspondence with him a few years ago about some obscure iron survey monuments he had found. He also had a branding iron with his name on it that he could brand wood with. Thanks for letting us know.
Nicely done.....a fitting tribute.
R.I.P., Mr. Swart.
Hi Kent,
I remember you introducing this Gentleman 10 or so years ago. I was impressed then and I'm still impressed.
May he Rest in Peace.
Ralph
sounds like a truly original person who has left a rich legacy.
Somhow, I can always trust a biblophile, no matter what direction that they are heading.
RIP Mr. Swart
Mr. Swart's habit of setting good, identifiable monuments is a great legacy. It sure would be nice if more Land Surveyors did so.
I always wonder about the Surveyors I follow around. I can't hold a candle to most of those guys because I have it relatively easy. I googled one that worked way up north from roughly 1930 to 1960; I actually got a hit, an old newspaper article that said he was a board member on the local Chamber of Commerce. Dave Ryan sent me some scans from one of his files; it seems he was a Civil Engineer, Land Surveyor and he also did property appraising (on his letterhead). Anything to pay the bills, I guess.
I followed one around an older subdivision here in Sacramento. He set t-bar with Bathey cap (1950s) and it was amazing, none were further than 0.01 off from the perfect math.
I think I remember Kent posting about Mr. Swart within the last few years, IIRC. I do remember the photo of him.
Well written tribute, Kent, and indeed, R.I.P. Mr. Swart.
Brad
Good tribute.
I also like that picture; the jacket and tie, surrounded by hundreds of books, and work-boots on.
He sounds like a great man.
I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie not long after I first started surveying back in the '70's in Helena, Montana. I concur with Kent's sentiments regarding the stature of both the man and his monuments. His surveys were a true testament to the care he provided to his clients and his profession. His footsteps will be easy to follow for generations to come.
JBS
Went I met RADU in 2004 he told me about meeting Mr. Swart with Kent and how Swart wore a shirt and tie and puttees on his boots.
Kent, if you’ve got a website, perhaps Swart’s information could migrate to yours. I just took a cursory glace at his site and it appears to be a goldmine of information and sage musings. It’d be a shame to see it all disappear into the ether. Like when Ellis Veatch’s “Ask Ellis” Leica and survey related site finally went away after his death.
