Life History

Notes

• 1840 United States Federal Census, Rutherford County, North Carolina, page 292, Hse #140
  David McSwain head of household
  Males 1 x 20-30
  Females 1 Under age 5; 1 x 5-10; 1 x 20-30
  Slaves, Male 2 Under age 10
  
  1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 27 August, page 294, Hse/Fam #457
  David McSwain 40 M Farmer $100 Real Estate b NC [b abt 1810]
  Lucy McSwain 29 F NC [b abt 1821]
  -- page 295 --
  Sally McSwain 15 F NC [b abt 1835]
  Jacinth S McSwain 13 F NC [b abt 1837]
  James McSwain 11 M NC [b abt 1839]
  David L McSwain 8 M NC [b abt 1842]
  George McSwain 7 M NC [b abt 1843]
  Elizabeth McSwain 7 F NC [b abt 1843]
  
  David is the son of David M, son of William David McSwain and Judith Moore.  By consulting some genealogies I figured out that David's wife is Lucinda McSwain, daughter of James McSwain, David M's brother.  David and Lucy were first cousins, as was very common in all the Rutherford/Cleveland County families.
  
  David and Lucy are living next door to his brother George Washington McSwain, son of David M McSwain.  The children are different enough that this could be two different Davids married to a Lucy.  But I do not have another David McSwain born about 1810 or 1811.
  
  Daniel L in 1860 matches David L in 1850.  I think the correct name is David L, which appears in some genealogies.  James is pretty close with only 2 years difference from expected age, aging 8 years between censuses.  The age of George in 1860 is only 6 years more than in 1850.  I have seen such variation in what is definitely known to be the same person.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 14 August, page 134, Hse/Fam #967
  David McSwain 49 M Farmer $850 Real Estate $1805 Personal  born North Carolina [b abt 1811]
  [The enumerator noted that David is his father, as he did for George W]
  Lucy McSwain 54 F born North Carolina Cannot read or write
  James McSwain 19 M Farmer born North Carolina Married within the year
  Unicy J McSwain 15 F born North Carolina Married within the year
  Daniel L McSwain 17 M Laborer born North Carolina
  George C McSwain 12 M Laborer born North Carolina
  William P McSwain  6 M born North Carolina
  Sarah McSwain 73 F born North Carolina [b abt 1787] Cannot read or write
  
  The enumerator has checked the box indicating that James and Unicy (Eunicy or Eunice) have married within the year.
  
  It seemed likely that Sarah was the mother of David, but the name I knew for his mother was Susannah Hamrick.  I found helpful details on the Hamricks of Ireland genealogy.  This genealogy does not have documentation, but it provides insider family information, and I have found this compilation reliable.  This genealogy knows David's mother as Sarah Susanna Hamrick.
  
  The age would match other reports we have, except that the Hamricks of Ireland have her born in 1783 instead of about 1788, as the Hamrick Data Pages.  Lucy's mother was Sarah Bostic.  I am inclined to think this Sarah McSwain in 1860 was Lucy's mother Sarah Bostic, wife of James McSwain, David's uncle.
  
  In 1880, Lucy and David's widowed daughter is with them, as well as their grandson, both reported only by initials.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 10 June, Sandy Run, Township 7, District 71, page 15 (576), Hse #143, Fam #144
  David McSwain W M 69 Farmer NC NC NC
  Lucy McSwain  W F 62 Wife Keeping House Cannot Write NC NC NC
  J C S McSwain W F 43 Dau Widow NC NC NC
  W T D McSwain W F 18 Granson [sic] Laborer NC NC NC
  

Sources

• 1. 1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 27 August, page 294, Hse/Fam #457
• 2. 1840 Federal Census, Rutherford County, North Carolina
  • page 292, Hse #140
• 3. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, page 134, Hse/Fam #967
• 4. 1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 10 June, Sandy Run, Township 7, District 71, page 15 (576), Hse #143, Fam #144
• 5. North Carolina, Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
• 6. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 11 August, page 129 (scan 381), Hse/Fam # 922
• 7. Ancestry Trees
  • Matt Cornwell, http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm-cgi?op=GET&db=fastdog30&id=I385&ftm=1
• 8. Ancestry Trees
• 9. 1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 27 August, page 295, Hse/Fam #455
• 10. North Carolina, Death Certificates, 1909-1975
• 11. Ancestry Trees
  • Hamricks of Ireland, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9887369/person/-728298716?ssrc=&ftm=1
• 12. Ancestry Trees
  • Hamricks of Ireland, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/9887369/person/-728279993