Shwayder Family Histories and Genealogical Material, 1967-2002

The Shwayder family of Denver, Colorado, is best known for the luggage company Samsonite Corporation, which was founded and operated by the family over the course of the 20th century. The Denver Shwayders can be traced to Abraham Kobesky and Miriam Rachofsky of Poland, who married and later migrated to Manchester, England (where the name "Kobesky" was shortened to "Kobey"). Their daughter Rachel Kobey married Isaac Shwayder, who had also migrated... to Manchester from Eastern Europe. Rachel and Isaac Shwayder had 11 children: Solomon, Dora, Jesse, Raschelle, Mark, Gertrude, Florence, Maurice, Hannah, Benjamin, and Liebe. Having been persuaded by his wife's pioneering uncle Abe Rachofsky and great uncle Alexander Rittmaster, Isaac Shwayder first came to Central City, Colorado, in 1879 to find work, and after two years the rest of his family joined him. The Shwayders later moved to Nevadaville (Black Hawk), Colorado, and in 1888 they settled in Denver, where Isaac Shwayder owned a grocery store and later started a second-hand furniture business. The Shwayders bought a six bedroom house at 637 Gallapago from St. Joseph Catholic Church to house their large family. The Shwayder children attended Franklin School and West High School in Denver, and Solomon Shwayder, the oldest brother, attended the University of Denver. In 1910, Jesse Shwayder opened a small luggage factory in Denver with his father, Isaac, and brothers, Mark, Maurice, Benjamin, and Solomon. The business became incorporated as the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company in 1912, and it eventually changed its name to Samsonite Corporation. Isaac Shwayder died of a stroke in 1916. Most of the Shwayder siblings held executive positions in the family business. In 1961, Jesse Shwayder’s son King Shway sder became president of the Samsonite Corporation. In 1973, the Shwayders sold the business and the headquarters was moved from Denver to Massachusetts.