Life History

Other facts

Notes

• In the 1850 census, the first census that reports more than the name of only the head of household, Elijah is 17 years old, in the home of his parents, Rev William McSwain and Judith McSwain.  William was a Baptist Preacher and a farmer.
  
  1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 17 August, Hse/Fam #295
  William McSwain 44 M Baptist Preacher $150 Real Estate born North Carolina
  Judith McSwain 41 F born North Carolina
  Elijah McSwain 17 M born North Carolina
  
  I note that Elijah's age here, 17, does not match the birth date reported in family genealogies, 4 January 1835.
  
  In 1860, Elijah was enumerated int eh U S census with his new bride Susannah Hamrick, listed in this census as Susan.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 14 August, page 133, Hse/Fam #956
  Elijah McSwain 25 M Farmer $204 Real Estate  $32 Personal  born North Carolina
  Susan McSwain 20 F born North Carolina
  
  Here the age matches the birth date in the genealogies.  In this census Elijah and Susannah are living next door to Elijah's parents and their children, who are in house #955.  His brother David Achella and family are living a few houses away in House #947.
  
  The Hamrick Data Pages report three children of Elijah's marriage to Susanna Hamrick:
  "child: McSwain, William Barnett (1868 - 1951)
  "child: McSwain, D Achella K (~1869 - )
  "child: McSwain, Ella J (1876 - 1930)"
  -- Hamrick Data Pages, http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hamrick/wga74.html
  
  I have not included these offspring in individual records in this genealogy tree, but include below the information on one line of descendants:
  ----------------------
  Son William Barnett McSwain also married a Hamrick, Amaretha (Ammie) Hamrick, b 10 July 1868 in Cleveland County, and died 1966.  They moved to Polk County, North Carolina, after their son Goff was born 29 Jul 1895.
  
  Goff married Mary Elizabeth Iona (Onie) McEntire, born 1 Nov 1899 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, daughter of Elphus Hamrick (b abt 1842 Cleveland County) and Lucinda Carpenter (b abt 1846 Cleveland County).  They lived in Polk County, where Goff died 7 Mar 1920.
  
  One son of Goff and Mary Elizabeth was Johnnie B McSwain, born 30 Mar 1923 in Columbus, Polk, North Carolina, and died Greenville, Greenville, South Carolina.
  --  LDS (FamilySearch.com) pedigree 1469942, record 6349904
  ----------------------
  
  The 1880 census confirms names from these other sources, even though the names in these census entries are given in initials only.  This family is on the same page with several other Hamrick and McSwain families we know are related, along with other names in the same group of lineages:  Blanton, Padgett and Harrill.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 7 June, Township 7, District 71, page 9, Hse/Family #82
  Elijah McSwain W M  45 Farmer NC NC NC [b abt 1835]
  S Hamrick  W F 39 Wife  Keeping House  NC NC NC [b abt 1841]
  W B McSwain  W M 10  Son Single NC NC NC [b abt 1870]
  D A K McSwain  W M 9  Son Single NC NC NC [b abt 1871]
  E J McSwain  W F 3  Dau NC NC NC [b abt 1877]
  
  The child D A K is fairly easy to figure out.  The first two names would be David Achella, the name of his uncle.The elder David Achella was Elijah's brother.  The K remains unexplained in documentation and family sources I have seen.  The Hamrick data provides additional details about the children.
  
  In 1900 Elijah and Susannah are without any relatives in their home.  They are living next door to Elijah's brother Berry (Berryrman) and their widowed sister Mary Lovelace.
  
  1900 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 15 June, Township 7, District 57, page 11A, Hse #177, Fam #182
  McSwain, Elijah Head W M Jun 1835 65 Married 40 yrs NC NC NC Farmer Owns
  McSwain, Susannah W F  Feb 1842 58 Married 40 yrs 5 children/3 living NC NC NC
  
  1900 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 15 June, Township 7, District 57, page 11A, Hse #176, Fam #181
  McSwain, Berry Head W M Sept 1841 58 Single NC NC NC Farmer Owns
  Lovelace, Mary sister W F  May 1830 70 Widow 2 children/1 living NC NC NC
  McSwain, William E Nephew W M Octo 1870 29 NC NC NC Teaching School
  McSwain, Lula Niece W F Feb 1874 26 Single SC SC SC
  McSwain, Pantha N Niece W F Jan 1877 23 Single NC NC NC
  McSwain, Elijah Nephew W M Nov 1880 20 NC NC NC At School
  McSwain, Lucy Servant B F Feb 1829 71 Single NC NC NC Cook
  
  Elijah was buried in the Beaverdam Baptist Cemetery, near Shelby, in Cleveland County, North Carolina, along with many other McSwains and Hamricks he was kin to.
  
  Beaverdam Baptist Cemetery, Shelby, Cleveland, North Carolina
  McSwain, Elijah January 4, 1835 March 23, 1913
  McSwain, Susannah September 3, 1839 August 4, 1916 w/o Elijah
  --    W D Floyd, http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/cleveland/cemeteries/bdamclev.txt

Sources

• 1. Rutherford/Cleveland County, NC, Burial Information
  • Name: Name: http://www.rfci.net/wdfloyd/cemm5.html;;
• 2. Beaverdam Baptist Cemetery Register, Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • Location: http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/cleveland/cemeteries/bdamclev.txt;
• 3. 1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 7 June, Township 7, District 71, page 9, Hse/Family #82
• 4. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, page 133, Hse/Fam #956
• 5. Hamrick Data Pages
  • http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~hamrick/wga74.html
• 6. 1900 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 15 June, Township 7, District 57, page 11A, Hse #177, Fam #182
• 7. RootsWeb ID: I4734 -- William David (Jr) McSwain
  • Name: Name: http:/worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=prsjr&id=I4734;;
• 8. RootsWeb ID: I4751 -- Ensley (Aisley) McSwain
  • Name: Name: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=prsjr&id=I4751;;
• 9. 1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 19 August, page 272  (scan page 137), Hse/Fam #295
• 10. North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998