Life History

Notes

• John's grave information gives an age of 63 years, but no actual date.  The transcription by W D Floyd reads:
  "McSwain, John  63 years  September 27, 1867  McSwain Cemetery, Cleveland Co, NC"
  --  http://www.rfci.net/wdfloyd/cemm5.html
  
  A birth year figured from the death date of 27 September 1867, yields a birth year of 1804.  But this cannot be, since the well-substantiated birth date of his son Louis Hobson is 3 October 1814.  The age in the grave marker cannot be right, since the 1860 census gives his age as 66!  Based on this census age, if he died in 1867, he should have been 73, not 63.  This may be an entry error.
  
  A source in One World Tree gives a date of 28 August 1794.  This is a reasonable date, which I am following.  This matches the birth year yielded by the August 1860 census age of 66.  This is also close to the September 1850 census when he is age 55, yielding a birth year of 1795.
  
  Similar problems occur with the reported birth dates and ages for Susannah.  The 1850-60 censuses provide a reasonable date of birth, also matching some genealogy sources.
  
  1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 4 September, page 158, Hse/Fam #591
  John McSwain 55 M Farmer $640 Real Estate  [b 1795]
  Susannah McSwain 64 F [b 1786]
  Nancy Morris 82 F [b 1768]
  John Roberts 21 M Farmer [b 1829]
  
  This Nancy Morris is Susannah's mother.  John Roberts is either a boarder or a worker on John's farm.  In 1850 John and Susannah are living 5 houses from their son Louis/Lewis in House #576.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 14 August, page 72, Hse/Fam #514
  John McSwain 66 M Farmer $1000 Real Estate  $7900 Personal Estate [b 1794]
  Susannah McSwain 75 F [b 1785]
  
  Note that even though the 1850 census is a month later than the 1860 census, they are comparatively one year younger.  They should be either the same or a year older if their birthdays were in August.  This is one of the cultural indications that people did not focus as precisely on ages as our more recent information culture does.
  
  In 1860 John and Susannah are living three doors down from their son Lewis Hobson McSwain and his family in House #511.
  
  A photo of two pages form the Moore family Bible clarify some birth dates for John and his wife Judith Moore.  The left page is hard to read.  The right page entries are transcribed below.
  
  -----------------
  "John McSwain was born 28th Day of august 1794 / Judith McSwain was Born 10th Day of august 1793 and was married the 16th Day of November 1813 / William McSwain was born the 22 Day of July 1762 / Judith McSwain was Born 10th Day of may 1758 / David McSwain was Born the 3 Day of March 1782"  --
  
  Bible from the records of the Moore Family;  in the possession of in the possession of Virginia Owens Long of Brevard NC, daughter of Otto P Owens;  Otto is the first son of Dove and Onze Owens.  Accessed 1 Feb 2016 on the Owens-Vurns genealogy, Ancestry.com
  -----------------

Sources

• 1. World Family Tree Vol. 129
  • Pedigree #809
• 2. 1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 4 September, page 315 (scan page 158), Hse/Fam #591
• 3. Rutherford/Cleveland County, NC, Burial Information
  • Name: Name: http://www.rfci.net/wdfloyd/cemm5.html;;
• 4. RootsWeb ID: I4728 -- John McSwain
  • Name: Name: http:/worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=prsjr&id=I4728;;
• 5. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, page 72, Hse/Fam #514
• 6. Moore Family Bible
• 7. RootsWeb Trees
• 8. Ancestry Trees
  • http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm-cgi?op=GET&db=*v133t0575&id=I1176&ftm=1
• 9. Will of William David McSwain
  • Rutherford County, NC, #489 written February 3, 1833
• 10. 1880 Federal Census, York County, South Carolina
  • 15 June, Cherokee Township, p 25, Hse/Fam #238
• 11. 1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 4 September, p 315 (scan 158), Hse/Fam #596
• 12. South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1955
• 13. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, page 72, Hse/Fam #511
• 14. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 15. McSwain Cemetery Transcription, by W D Floyd
  • Name: Name: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/nc/cleveland/cemeteries/mcswain.txt;;
• 16. Ancestry Trees
  • http://awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:ag919r&id=I0355
• 17. One World Tree (sm)
• 18. My Maternal McSwain Ancestors
• 19. RootsWeb ID: I374 -- John Elias Green
  • Location: No longer Online;
• 20. RootsWeb ID: I6287