Life History

Notes

• 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 14 August, pages 71-72, Hse/Fam #577
  W D McSwain 35 M Farmer $700 Real Estate $1368 Personal born North Carolina [b abt 1825]
  -- page 72 --
  Arelia McSwain 30 M born North Carolina [b abt 1830]
  Issabella McSwain 14 F born North Carolina [b abt 1846]
  Thomas McSwain 12 M born North Carolina [b abt 1848]
  Vina C McSwain 10 F born North Carolina [b abt 1850]
  William H McSwain 8 M born North Carolina [b abt 1852]
  Anonymous McSwain 6 M born North Carolina [b abt 1856]
  Francis McSwain 3 F born North Carolina [b abt 1857]
  Salena McSwain 2 F born North Carolina [b abt 1858]
  
  "My father's grandmother was Josina A McSwain Bridges the youngest child of William D and Arrenia Mcswain.  My dad has told me stories of talking to William Henry McSwain (Uncle Henry) and aunt Frank (Frances or Frankie McSwain) when he was a boy.  He is now 87 and I have some 1st hand accounts and other info I have found."
  --  David Bridges, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 2 March 2017
  
  The child reported as Isabella in teh census is called Isabell by the Hamrick pages.  The daughter Frances (spelled Francis in the census) is reported in the Hamrick genealogy under her nickname of Frankie.
  
  McSwain, William (*1826 - )
  father: McSwain, Thomas (1796 - 1872)
  mother: Bridges, Salena W "Frankie" (1793 - 1862)
  spouse: Gipson, Malissa (*1830 - )
  spouse: Ledbetter, Arrienia (*1829 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Thomas (*1846 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, William Anonymus (*1853 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Salena (*1860 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Vianna (*1860 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Henry (*1861 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Frankie (*1861 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Isabell (*1861 - )
  ----------child: McSwain, Josina (*1861 - )
  
  Note the unlikely approximate dates of birth, two childern born in 1860 and four in 1861!  This source does not tell us which children were born to which wives.  But from the death date of Frankie, they would all be hers.  None of these six can be the children of Frankie, however, since in 1860, she would have been about 70 years old!  But this is old even for Thomas to father children.
  
  I note additionally that the Hamrick information combines two children reported in the 1860 census, called William H and Anonymous.  This odd name is a given name for several individuals in Cleveland County in the 1800s.  Hamrick combines these two children in William Anonymus.
  
  Henry appeared to match the H of William H in the census, and Hamrick has combined the name William with Anonymous (Anonymus).  David Bridges cited above also gives us WIlliam's full name as William Henry.  The Hamrick listing adds one child not in the 1860 census, Josina.  This name is reported also by David Bridges above, in an email to this genealogist in March 2017.  He also refers to Josina as the youngest child.
  
  The child called Vianna by Hamrick matches the child reported in the census as Vina C.  This name is probably short for Levina, or Lavinia.  Many women with variations of this name were called Vina, Viney or other variations of this nickname.
  
  In 1900, Isabel and her husband Timmons McSwain were reproted in Shelby, with an adopted child and her unmarried sister Frankie in their household.
  
  Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 29 June, Shelby, District 55, Page 21B, Hse/Fam #388
  McSwain, Timmons Head W M  July 1842 57 Married 20 yrs NC NC NC Farm Laborer Rents
  McSwain, Isabel Wife W F Dec 1845  54 Married 20 yrs 0 children/0 living NC NC NC
  McSwain, Frankie Sis-in-law W M Jan 1864  36 Single NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Travice [Travis?], Evie Adopted W F Sept 1894  5 Single NC NC NC
  
  In 1910, the census reports Isabella as a widow living in her sister's household.  Her last name is still McSwain.
  
  1910 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 11 May, Sandy River, District 44, Page 19B, Hse #349, Fam #355
  Seaton D Bridger Head M 54 Married 28 yrs North Carolina Farmer
  Josie A Bridger Wife F 45 Married 28 yrs 13 children/8 living NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Clarence C Bridger Son M 24  NC NC NC Farmer
  Gerth J Bridger Daughter F 21  NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Minnie L Bridger Daughter F 19  NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Thomas A Bridger Son M 15  NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Seaton A Bridger Son M 14  NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Jasper N Bridger Son M 11  NC NC NC Farm Laborer
  Carver S Bridger Son M 8  NC NC NC No Occup
  Isabella McSwain Sister-in-law F 64 Widow 4 children/2 living NC NC NC No Occup
  
  1920 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 20 January, Shelby, District 60, Page 12A, Hse #207, Fam #210
  Bridges, Seaton D Head Rents M W 64 Married NC NC NC Farmer [b abt 1860]
  Bridges, Jocie Wife M W 58 Married NC NC NC [b abt 1861]
  Bridges, Minnie Dau M W 29 Single NC NC NC Farm Laborer [b abt 1890]
  Bridges, Arthur T M W 25 Single NC NC NC Farm Laborer [b abt 1894]
  Bridges, Newton J Son M W 20 Single NC NC NC Farm Laborer [b abt 1909]
  Bridges, spurgeon C Son M W 17 Single NC NC NC Farm Laborer [b abt 1902]
  McSwain, Esabelle Sis-in-law F W 74 Widow NC NC NC [b abt 1845]

Sources

• 1. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, pages 71-72, Hse/Fam #577
• 2. 1900 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 29 June, Shelby, District 55, Page 21B, Hse/Fam #388
• 3. 1920 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 20 January, Shelby, District 60, Page 12A, Hse #207, Fam #210
• 4. Hamrick Data Pages
• 5. 1910 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 11 May, Sandy River, District 44, Page 19B, Hse #349, Fam #355