Life History

Notes

• David Holden has great detail about the McSwain lineage, though little or no documentatoin.  He reports Sarah as the daughter of Thomas McSwain's second wife Frances Bridges.  But at the time Sarah was born, her father's wife was Jane McSwain. Jane died in Sept 1817, perhaps in childbirth with Sarah.
  
  Sarah McSwain
  Birth ABT 1816 in North Carolina
  Death AFT 1870
  Father Thomas McSwain b: 8 Sep 1796 in North Carolina
  Mother Francis Bridges b: 24 Dec 1794 in North Carolina
  Marriage William B. McSwain b: ABT 1815 in North Carolina
  Married 13 Nov 1833
  Children
  1. Robert McSwain b: ABT 1836 in North Carolina
  2. Louisa McSwain b: ABT 1840 in North Carolina
  3. Timmons McSwain b: ABT Jul 1842 in North Carolina
  4. Preior Edmund McSwain b: ABT 1846 in North Carolina
  5. William McSwain b: ABT 1849 in North Carolina
  --  David Holden, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dwh1951&id=I12987
  
  North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
  William, McSwain Jr
  Spouse Sarah McSwain
  Marriage 13 Nov 1833 Rutherford County, North Carolina
  
  North Carolina, Index to Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
  William McSwain Jr
  Spouse Sarah McSwain
  Bond 13 Nov 1833
  Bondsman William McSwain
  Rutherford County
  Record #01 207
  Witness W G Irvine, Justice of the Peace
  North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
  
  1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 4 September, page 315, Hse/Fam #573
  William McSwain 35 M  Farmer $460 Real Estate b NC Cannot read or write [b abt 1815]
  Sarah McSwain 34 F  b NC Cannot read or write [b abt 1816]
  Robert McSwain 14 M Farmer NC [b abt 1836]
  Luiza McSwain 10 F b NC [b abt 1840]
  Timons McSwain 8 M Farmer b NC [b abt 1833]
  Puryear McSwain 2 M NC [b abt June 1848]
  Burrell McSwain 22 M Farmer b NC [b abt 1828]
  
  Burrell apears to be a younger brother of William, reported in later censuses as Burwell and is reported in severzl genealogies as the son of Wililam McSwain (b 1792) and Mary Nancy Bridges.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 14 August, page 72, Hse/Fam #515
  W B McSwain 45 M Farmer $550 Real Estate $465 Personal  born North Carolina  Cannot read or write [b abt 1815]
  Sarah McSwain 44 F born North Carolina [b abt 1816]
  Louisa McSwain 20 F born North Carolina [b abt 1840]
  Timmons McSwain 18 M Farm Laborer born North Carolina [b abt 1842]
  Prior McSwain 14 M Laborer born North Carolina [b abt 1846]
  William McSwain  11 M born North Carolina [b abt 1849]
  
  By 1880, there is only one child still with them, their daughter Louisa, who has been widowed.  A 7-tear-old grandson named Floyd is also in the home.  He may be a son of Louisa.  If so, she apparently married a man also named McSwain, a common event in this heavily-populated county where McSwains had lived for generations.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 23 July, Rippys, District 67, page 32, Hse/Fam #285
  McSwain, William  W M 70 Married Farming Cannot read or write NC NC NC [b abt 1810]
  McSwain, Sarrah W F 65 Wife Married Keeping House NC NC NC [b abt 1815]
  McSwain, Louisza [sic]  W F 40 Dau Widow Farm Hand Cannot read or write NC NC NC [b abt 1840]
  McSwain, Floyed [sic] W M 7 Son Single NC NC NC Cannot read or write [b abt 1883]
  
  Next door is Preior [Puryear] McSwain and his wife Dulcenia [usually spelled Dulcinea].
  
  1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina, 23 July, Rippys, District 67, page 32, Hse/Fam #286
  McSwain, Preior  W M 34 Farmer Cannot read or write NC NC NC [b abt 1846]
  McSwain, Dulcenia  W F 38 Wife House Keeper Cannot read or write NC NC NC [b abt 1842]
  McSwain, Ida W F 9 Dau Single NC NC NC Cannot read or write [b abt 1881]
  McSwain, Edgar  W M 5 Son Single NC NC NC Cannot read or write [b abt 1885]
  McSwain, Willia[m] W M 2 Son Single NC NC NC Cannot read or write [b abt 1888]

Sources

• 1. 1850 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 4 September, page 315, Hse/Fam #573
• 2. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, page 72, Hse/Fam #515
• 3. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 4. 1880 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 23 July, Rippys, District 67, page 32, Hse/Fam #285
• 5. RootsWeb Trees
• 6. North Carolina, Index to Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
• 7. North Carolina, Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
• 8. 1860 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 14 August, page 72, Hse/Fam #513
• 9. 1900 Federal Census, Cleveland County, North Carolina
  • 29 June, Shelby, District 55, Page 21B, Hse/Fam #388