About Helen Swift Neilson
Lived 1869 – 1945 (aged 75–76). Helen Swift Neilson was an American writer and art collector.
Helen Swift Neilson (1869 – 18 June 1945) was an American writer and art collector.
Biography Neilson was the daughter of Annie Maria (née Higgins) and Gustavus Franklin Swift, founder of the meatpacking company Swift & Co. Her first husband was Edward Morris, son of Nelson Morris, the founder of Morris & Company, a competitor to her father. In 1913, her husband died, and in 1917, she married British politician and writer Francis Neilson, with whom she founded the weekly paper The Freeman in 1920.
She is perhaps best known for her book about her parents, titled My Father and My Mother.
Neilson died in Chicago, Illinois. She bequeathed several notable paintings to the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Helen Swift Neilson?
American writer and art collector
When was Helen Swift Neilson born?
Helen Swift Neilson was born in 1869 in Barnstable County.
When did Helen Swift Neilson die?
Helen Swift Neilson died on 18 June 1945 in Ossining.
What was Helen Swift Neilson's occupation?
Helen Swift Neilson was a writer and art collector.
What nationality was Helen Swift Neilson?
Helen Swift Neilson was American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Helen Swift Neilson
· DBpedia: Helen Swift Neilson
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helen Swift Neilson. https://biography.guide/helen-swift-neilson/
MLA: "Helen Swift Neilson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helen-swift-neilson/.
Chicago: "Helen Swift Neilson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helen-swift-neilson/.
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