R. D. Swisher
(1911 –)
Robert D. “Bob” Swisher, Ph.D., a research chemist, became active in fandom starting in 1935 and through at least the 1940s. He was a member of the Stranger Club in Boston and of FAPA and attended the Nycon. He was one of the charter members of the National Fantasy Fan Federation in 1941.
With his wife, Frances, he kept index cards on SF stories, authors, fanzines, and prozines. The result of this indexing was his SF Checklist, a listing of the titles of early fanzines. He is remembered today primarily for this Swisher Index, and his extensive correspondence with Astounding editor John W. Campbell, Jr.
In 1939, the Swishers attended the first Worldcon together. They went to the Second Washington Confabulation in 1941.
The Swishers hosted two of the early Boskones at their home in Winchester, MA. They brought their daughter, Frances Nevada Swisher II (July 3, 1940–November 7, 2006), to Stranger Club meetings.
Swisher also wrote scientific articles for prozines, including "Plan for a Universe" and "What Are Positrons?" in Astounding.
- Founding Member article in February 2019 issue National Fantasy Fan.
- Early short biography in Who's Who in Fandom 1940, page 13.
| Person | 1911—???? |
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