John Joseph Swint

John Joseph Swint (December 15, 1879 – November 23, 1962) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wheeling from 1922 until his death in 1962.

One of nine children, John Swint was born in Pickens, West Virginia, to Peter and Caroline (née Winkler) Swint, who were immigrants from Central Europe. He studied at St. Charles College in Ellicott City, Maryland, from where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1899. He then enrolled at St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore, later earning a Bachelor of Sacred Theology in 1904. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 23, 1904. After studying at the Apostolic Mission House in Washington, D.C. for a year, he returned to West Virginia and served as pastor of St. Patrick Church in Hinton (1905-1908). He was also head of the Diocesan Apostolate (1908-1914) and pastor of St. Patrick Church in Weston (1914-1922).

On February 22, 1922, Swint was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Wheeling and Titular Bishop of Sura by Pope Pius XI. He was one of the first U.S. appointments of Pius XI, who was elected on the previous February 6. He received his episcopal consecration on May 11, 1922 from Archbishop Michael Joseph Curley, with Bishops Denis J. O'Connell and Hugh Charles Boyle serving as co-consecrators, at St. Joseph's Cathedral. Following the death of Bishop Patrick James Donahue, Swint was named the fourth Bishop of Wheeling on December 11, 1922. Swint was given the personal title of Archbishop by Pope Piux XII in 1954.