George Burton MCSWAIN7,9,1,2,8,5,10

26th Aug 18841,2,3,4 - UNKNOWN

Life History

26th Aug 1884	Born in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.1,2,3,4
between 1900 and 1918	Resident in Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas.5,6
21st Feb 1917	Married Thelma MUSTIN in Arkansas County, Arkansas.10
Sep 1918	Residence2 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee.1
1919	Residence3: (might have been only his wife, gone home to have the baby) in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Arkansas.7
1920	Residence4 in Plainview, Hall, Texas.8
1930	Residence5 in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Arkansas.5
1942	Residence6 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio.3
about 1948	Death of son John William MCSWAIN in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio.7
Nov 1984	Death of Thelma MUSTIN in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee.11,12
BET APR AND MAY 1918	Birth of son John William MCSWAIN in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Arkansas.5,7,8
UNKNOWN	Died

Notes

In 1880, George's family are reported in the census for PrairieTownship of Arkansas County, Arkansas. Details about the location oftheir house and neighbours indicates they are near the settlement ofEthel. George's father William died before 1900, and details aboutthe family are sparse. I finally found the 12900 census record forSarah and two of her children. This gave us birth months for theSarah and the other children.

1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 20 June, PrairieTownship, District 7, page 15A, Hse #254, Fam #261
McSwain, Sarah Head W F Jan 1856 44 AR MS TN Farmer
McSwain, Edna Dau W F Oct 1877 22 AR NC TN
McSwain, George Son W M Aug 1884 15 AR NC TN

Note that the father of the children is now said to have been born inTennessee, not North Carolina. In 1930, George's parents are bothreported as born in Missouri. We know from other family anddocumentary sources that his father born in North Carolina and hismother in Arkansas, where his parents met.

George must have been in Stuttgart, since that is where his wife'sfamily was living at the time of the 1910 census. But they moved soonto Memphis, where we find in 1918 he was working as a machinist for arailroad company.

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
George Burton Mcswain
Birth Date: 26 Aug 1884 [no location stated
Residence 1029 Rayburn, Memphis, Tennessee
Occupation Machinist Helper, IC Railroad
Nearest Relative Thelma McSwain [wife], same address
Blue Eyes, Brown Hair; Tall Medium Build
Registration 12 Sept 1918 Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Signed George Burton McSwain

They may have moved to Stuttgart before 1919. Their grandson James BMcSwain says that his father John William McSwain was born inStuttgart. It may be that George's wife went back to Stuttgart tohave the baby at her parent's home, while George stayed in Memphis towork.

"My father, John William McSwain, was born in Stuggart, AR, in 1919;his father was George (Burton?) McSwain, also called "Slim." He hadsome brothers and sisters near DeWitt, AR. He was an oil/water welldriller, and died in Columbus, Ohio, in 1947-48."
-- James B. McSwain, McSwain Family Genealogy Forum 03 November 1999,http://genforum.genealogy.com/mcswain/messages/220.html

Notice that James is uncertain about his grandfather's middle name.But now the WWI draft registration card quoted above confirms thatGeorge's middle name was Burton.

They go to Texas over the next year or so, where they are inPlainview, Hall County, for the January 1920 census. But they areback in Arkansas County in 1930.

1920 Federal Census, Hall County, Texas, 28 January, District 107, p4B, Hse #63, Fam #64
McSwain, George B Head Rents M W 36 Mar AR NC NC Runs Cotton Gin
McSwain, Thelma Wife F W 22 Mar TN TN TN
McSwain, John Son M W 1yr 8 mos AR AR TN

In 1930, George and Thelma are back in Stuttgart, Arkansas. In thiscensus, both of George's parents are reported as born in Missouri. Icannot figure out why.

1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 14 April, District 8,p 9A, Stuttgart, 520 N Grand Ave, Hse #183, Fam #215
McSwain, George B M W 45 Married 13yrs AR MO MO Well Driller
McSwain, Thelma F W 33 Married 13yrs TN TN TN
McSwain, John W M W 12 AR AR TN

The next record I find for George is his WWII draft registration card,registered in Columbus, Ohio, in 1942.

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
George Burton Mcswain
Birth 26 Aug 1884 Ethel, Arkansas
Residence 117 Dakota Ave, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio
Employer Layne Ohio Water Supply, Columbus
Reference person Mrs. H A Kendrick, 1870 Gains St, Little Rock AR
Signed Geo McSwain

Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
G B McSwain
Age: 30, Est Birth Year 1887
Residence: Stuttgart, Arkansas, Arkansas
Spouse's Name: Thelma Musten
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse's Residence: Stuttgart, Arkansas, Arkansas
Marriage 21 Feb 1917 Arkansas County
Marriage License Date: 21 Feb 1917

Sources

1. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
2. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
- 20 June, Prairie Township, District 7, page 15A, Hse #254, Fam #261
3. U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
4. RootsWeb ID: I1425 -- William W McSwain
5. 1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
- 14 April, District 8, p 9A, Stuttgart, 520 N Grand Ave, Hse #183, Fam
6. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
7. James B. McSwain, McSwain Family Genealogy Forum, 03 November 1999
- http://genforum.genealogy.com/mcswain/messages/220.html
8. 1920 Federal Census, Hall County, Texas
- 28 January, District 107, p 4B, Hse #63, Fam #64
9. RootsWeb ID: I1425 -- William W McSwain
- http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jerryg&id=I
10. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
11. Ancestry Trees
- Loft Family, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/1540707/person/-1044199167
12. Social Security Death Index