Margaret was born as Margaret Welles Barron in Bath, Steuben, New York on 30 September 1865.  She received Bachelor and Master of Laws degrees from New York University and lectured on law to women's clubs, but never practiced.

She was married around 1899 to Fred Joel Swift, a realtor originally from Herkimer, New York. The couple remained childless and by 1900 were living in Brooklyn, New York and they later settled in Nyack, New York. She was widowed on 21 October 1907.

Following a tour of Europe Mrs Swift boarded the Titanic at Southampton as a first class passenger (ticket number 17466, which cost £25, 18s, 7d) together with friends, Dr Alice Leader, and Mr and Mrs Frederick Kenyon. She shared cabin D-17 with Dr Leader.

The three ladies were rescued in lifeboat 8. Mr Kenyon went down with the Titanic. Following her arrival in New York aboard Carpathia she stayed with her sister Ella Ford at 3 East Sixty-first Street.

In years after the disaster Margaret seldom spoke about her experiences but those who did hear her recount her story never forgot her graphic description of the events.

Mrs Swift spent her last days living in Nyack, New York close to her sisters Mrs Harry Smith (Ella) Ford and Mrs Barron (Bertha) Berthald. She died at her home, 219 North Broadway, on 29 April 1948 aged 82 and was buried in North Tarrytown, New York. Information and pictures courtesy of Madeline Guynan.