Life History

Notes

• Willamette was first reported in the 1860 census at only 1 year old, but was reported as male.  With the ette ending, this was surely a girl.  But who knows what the enumerator heard?  The children may not have been present for viewing when the enumerator was given the names.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, 18 July, PO Albemarle, page 129 (scan 65), Hse #936, Fam #940
  Martin M McSwain 30 M Farmer $100 Real Estate $100 Personal born NC [b abt 1830]
  Sarah A McSwain 27 F born NC [b abt 1833]
  John McSwain 9 M born NC [b abt 1851]
  James E McSwain 6 M born NC [b abt 1854]
  Williamette [sic] McSwain 1 M born NC [b abt 1859]
  Albert Murrey 21 M Day Laborer born NC [b abt 1839]
  
  The 1870 enumerator either heard the name as simply William, or converted it to that by the time he got it on the paper.  Both censuses report this child as Male.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, 19 August, Center, PO Albemarle, page 8, Hse/Fam #54
  McSwain, M 41 M W Farmer $200 Real Estate $200 Personal born South Carolina [b abt 1829]
  McSwain, Sarah A 35 F W Keeping House b NC [b abt 1835]
  McSwain, Charles J 19 M W At Home born NC [b abt 1851]
  McSwain, James E 16 M W At Home born NC [b abt 1854]
  McSwain, William 12 M W At Home born NC [b abt 1858]
  McSwain, Nicey E 8 F W At Home b NC [b abt 1862]
  McSwain, Eldridge T 5 M W At Home born NC [b abt 1865]
  McSwain, George D 1 M W At Home born NC [b abt 1869]
  
  But in 1880, the matter seems to be clarified, when we have a  correlation of the name form and the gender report, with the individual reported as Mettie and Female.  Ancestry, however, muddies the waters with a mistranscription as Nettie, another similar nickname.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Stanly County, North Carolina, 2 June, Centre [sic], District 202, page 3, Hse/Fam #3
  McSwain, M  W M 50 Husband Farmer NC NC NC b abt 1830]
  McSwain, Sarah A  W F 47 Wife Keeping House NC NC NC [abt 1844]
  McSwain, Mettie W F 21 Dau At Home NC NC NC [abt 1859] [matches Williamette and William]
  McSwain, N E  W F 18 Dau At Home NC NC NC [abt 1862]
  McSwain, George W M 10 Son At Home NC NC NC [abt 1870]
  McSwain, Gabriel W  W M 7 Son At Home NC NC NC [abt 1873]
  McSwain, Nancy G  W F 3 Dau At Home NC NC NC [abt 1877]

Sources

• 1. 1860 Federal Census, Stanly County, North Carolina
  • 18 July, PO Albemarle, page 129 (scan 65), Hse #936, Fam #940
• 2. 1870 Federal Census, Stanly County, North Carolina
  • 19 August, Center, PO Albemarle, page 8, Hse/Fam #54
• 3. 1880 Federal Census, Stanly County, North Carolina
  • 2 June, Centre [sic], District 202, page 3, Hse/Fam #3