The following biographical information on one of Pompano Beach's pioneer residents was written by Iola Swain Knowles and is excerpted from Making History Together at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, published in 1983.

Deacon [Jack] Swain was born [on August 6, 1880] in Jacksonville, Georgia, to Mr. and Mrs. Primous Swain. As a young man he worked as a lumberjack. As soon as they finished cutting timber in one area, they moved to another camp. He moved to Callahan, Florida. Here he met Nella Rhone, born August 14, 1885 and died March 11, 1963. In 1904 Jack and Nella were joined together in Holy Matrimony.

Deacon Swain first came to Pompano as a migrant worker in 1906. After being in this area he met Mr. Turner, a farmer, who asked him would he like to become one of his sharecroppers. He accepted Mr. Turner's offer and stayed until the end of the farming season. During the summer, he returned to Callahan where his family was living. After trying farming for several years, Deacon Swain in 1909 moved his family to Pompano.

He joined Mount Calvary Baptist Church in 1910, and was ordained a deacon in 1914 by the late Reverend J. T. Brown who was the pastor. Mrs. Swain was converted and baptized in 1915 by the late Reverend L. J. Ely, who also stayed with the Swains on those Sundays dedicated for service by the church membership.

Deacon Swain passed away on July 20, 1947.

The Swains had eight children: Iola, Earnest, Louis, Bernice, Rufus, Willie, Mildred and Myrtle.

Jack Swain followed a common practice among early settlers, both black and white, of working in the area for several seasons before moving to Pompano with his family.

The Mr. Turner referred to above, may have been A. W. Turner, Pompano resident and the first Broward County Sheriff.