Edward Swann is believed to have been born in 1795 in
Tennessee and then lived in the Pendleton District of South Carolina.
Pendleton District, South Carolina existed from 1798 to 1826. It is
now the present day counties of Oconee, Pickens and Anderson. In 1916,
the Alabama Department of Archives and History wrote a letter to
Edward Swann, M.D., the grandson of Edward Swann asking for background
on his grandfather. Dr. Swann replied that his grandfather lived in
Pendleton District, South Carolina, then Cherokee County, Georgia
before finally settling in Blount County, Alabama.
Edward married Hannah McCollum in 1830 in Campbell
County, Georgia. Born in Georgia were John in 1830, Edward K. in 1832
and Jacob in 1835. Later in Alabama, Martha was born in 1838, George
W. in 1840, Nancy in 1842 and Jeremiah (Jerrie) in 1845. Campbell
County had only recently been formed in 1828 from Indian lands.
Between 1831 and 1836, all of the remaining Indian lands were given up
in west Georgia and east Alabama opening the way to Blount County,
Alabama for westward expansion of settlers from Georgia. Edward moved
his family by covered wagon from Georgia to Blount County, Alabama at
that time. He made his first recorded land purchase at the Huntsville
Land Office in 1836 where he bought 40 acres for the sum of One dollar
and 25 cents an acre.
Edward Swann was a farmer. His land in Blount County
was bordered by land owned by Francis Swann, William Swann and Josiah
McCollum. William Swann is identified on the 1850 census as William
Leroy Swann. Both Francis, born 1826 and William, born 1819, are
believed to be sons of Edward from a previous unknown first marriage
around 1815 because Edward already had a family as shown by the 1830
Campbell County, Georgia census when he married Hannah McCollum in
1830.
The 1830 Campbell County, Georgia census shows the
Edward Swann household with Hannah and 7 children, 2 males 0/5 years
old, 2 males 5/10 years old, 1 male 30/40 years old, 1 female 0/5
years old, 1 female 5/10 years old, 1 female 10/15 years old and 1
female 20/30 years old. The oldest girl 10/15 probably is Edward's
since we know that Hannah was previously married to William Goddard on
15 October 1822. William Leroy Swann would fit one of the 2 males 5/10
being he is 10 years old. Francis would fit in the 0/5 category since
he gives his age as 24 on the 1850 Blount County census as well as
being born in Georgia.
We know from the descendants of William Leggette Lewis
that he married Rebecca Swann. On the 1850 census of Blount County, we
find Wm. L. Lewis, age 34, physician, as head of household residing in
dwelling #32 on page 122 of the census. There is next his wife,
Rebecca, age 34, born in South Carolina. Rebecca Swann's birthdate
1816 and place of birth SC makes her a perfect fit for Edward's oldest
girl, 10 to 15, on the 1830 census.
Edward apparently was a properous farmer. General Land
Office records at Huntsville, Alabama show he bought land in 1836,
1838, 1839, 1857 and 1858 in Blount County. Records show that Francis
M. Swann, his son, bought 80 acres next to Edward on the same day that
Edward made his last purchase on 1 March 1858. Records also show that
William L. Swann bought 120 acres the same day as Edward bought land
on 2 April 1857. This could all be just a coincidence or it could have
been friendly competition between father and sons. The acquisition of
land was known to be a measure of a man's worth.
It is said that Edward's wife, Hannah, died in 1857
and is buried in a Knoxville, Tennessee cemetery. Edward, at least 60,
marries Avaline Hodges, age 29, on 14 January 1859. On the marriage
certificate, it is written that Edward was "known to be a
widower" at the time. One can only speculate as to the reason of
this spring-fall marriage but on the 1860 census, there is a
3-year-old child in Edward's household by the name of Micajah Swann.
In later years, Edward K. Swann moves to Shelby
County, Texas in 1859, with his wife, Rhoda, and 3 kids, Jesse, age 5,
Louisan, age 2, Clark, age 1. Edward R. Swann is born in 1861 in
Shelby County. Records show that Edward enlisted as a Private, Co. H,
11th Regiment Texas Infantry, CSA, from Shelby County, Texas. He died
14 July 1863 near Trenton, Phillips, Arkansas and is buried in an
unmarked grave.
William Leroy Swann was a farmer. He married
Letitia Elms. Their children were William C., Rachel, Elijah A.,
Sidney Fielding, Hannah, Amelia, James, Vanhusen and Ulysses S. Grant
Swann. Records show that William served with the U.S. 1st Alabama
Cavalry from July 1862 to July 1865. William Leroy Swann was with the
U.S. 1st Alabama Cavalry when it participated in "Streight's
Raid". William became sick and was left behind where he was
captured by the Confederates at Day's Gap, 1 May 1863.
On the 8th of April, 1863, General Rosecrans notified
Col. A.D. Streight, Fifty-first Indiana volunteers, that he had been
assigned to the command of an independent provisional brigade,
including his own and the Seventy-third Indiana, Eightieth Illinois,
Third Ohio and two companies of the First Middle Tennessee Cavalry (
1st Alabama Cavalry USA) raised in north Alabama, with orders to
prevent troops being sent by that route to the Army of Tennessee.
Streight was supplied with a pack-train of commissary stores and
ammunition, and his command 1,700 strong was mounted generally from
horses and mules taken from citizens.
After elaborate preparations, Steight moved out from
Moulton, Alabama, on the night of the 28th of April. The next day he
marched to Day's Gap, 35 miles, and found himself in the midst of
"devoted Union people" with no foe to molest him. But very
soon an unexpected enemy attacked his rear guard and the "boom of
artillery was heard." "I soon learned," he said,
"that the enemy had moved through the gaps on my right and
left." Forrest was upon him. At Driver's gap, of Sand Mountain,
he fought the Federals day and night, with two regiments, with a loss
of 5 killed and 50 wounded. Streight left on the field 50 killed and
150 wounded, burned his wagons, turned loose 250 mules and 150
Negroes. On the 3rd of May, between Gadsden and Rome, after five days
and nights of fighting and marching, General Forrest captured
Streight's entire command with arms and horses. (Account taken from
"Confederate Military History" by Gen. Clement A. Evans)
Francis Marion Swann was a farmer. He married
Milly. Their children were William R, 1846, AL, Peter, May 1847, AL,
Rebecca, abt 1849, AL, Marion, 1852, AL, Jeannie, 1854, AL, Mary, Feb
1860, AL. Francis is said to have served in the war probably on the
Confederate side but records have not been obtained.
Jacob Swann was a farmer. He married Panning
Reed. His children were Reuben, born 1859, Clark, born 1862, Blount,
born 1867, Georgia, born 1867, Addie, born 1868, Adeline, born 1869,
George, born 1877, William and Sylvester. Records show that Jacob
enlisted in Co. K, 1st Alabama Cavalry, CSA.
The 1st Alabama Cavalry, CSA, was organized at
Montgomery, November, 1861 under Col. J.H. Clanton. It was ordered to
Tennessee and was at Jackson, Tennessee, March 6, 1862; ordered to
Monterey March 31st, 1862, and opened the battle of Shiloh. It moved
into Kentucky and was distinguished at Munfordville, Perryville and
the many cavalry battles fought by Wheeler's Corp in the Kentucky
campaign. It also fought with him at Nashville, Stewart's Creek bridge
and various skirmishes preceding and incident to the battle of
Murfreesboro. It was also part of the rear guard which protected the
retreat from Tullahoma and Chattanooga, losing severely at Duck river;
fought at Chickamauga, Clinton, and Knoxville and took a brilliant
part in the Sequatchee raid, in which nearly 2,000 prisoners and a
train of 1,000 provision wagons were captured. The 1st Alabama Cavalry
was daily engaged in retarding Sherman's advance in the Dalton-Atlanta
campaign. It was in fights at or near Middleton, Fosterville,
Lafayette, Marietta, Noonday creek and Big Sandy. (Source: Confederate
Military History by Gen. Clement A. Evans)
Rebecca Swann married William Leggette Lewis, a
physician. The 1850 census lists their children as: Mary, age 7, born
Alabama; Martha, age 2, born Alabama; Dixon H., age 1, born Alabama.
Decendants of William Lewis include other children, Marshall Dee,
Sidney, Leecy and Taylor.Rebecca is said to have had a sister
Elizabeth that also married a Lewis.
Martha Swann married James McMurry, a farmer.
The 1870 census shows their children as John, age 3, Alabama, age 2,
and Rhoda, age 2. The census also shows them living next to the Jacob
Swann family.
George Washington Swann was a farmer. He
married Elmira Jane Jett. Their children were Joseph, born 1861,
Coleman, born 1865, William, 1867, James Houston, 1869, Prudence 1871,
Thomas Clark, 1873, Julius 1873, George, 1877, Hannah, 1879, Rhoda,
1881, Carrie, 1885, Willis, 1888, and Willie, 1888. George enlisted in
Company A, Armstead Brigade, Cavalry Battalion in July 1862. George
continued in service until the surrender at Decatur, Alabama in May
1865. Lewis' battalion, Alabama Cavalry, served in central Alabama and
Georgia during the summer and fall of 1864, and until the close of the
war. It consisted of five companies under Captains Harrell, Brooks,
Morrison, Barnes and May. The gallant Major Lewis was killed while
leading the battalion at Lafayette, Georgia. He was succeeded by Maj.
William V. Harrell.
Extracts from official war records -- One killed, 5
wounded at Lafayette, GA, June 24, 1864. In Armistead's brigade,
districts of Central and Northern Alabama, commanded by Brig. Gen. D.W.
Adams, August 21, 1864. Present for duty, 104, Talladega, Alabama,
September 1st. In Armistead's brigade, under Maj. William V. Harrell,
central Alabama, November 20, 1864. In same brigade, Army of Mobile,
March 10, 1865. (Account taken from Confederate Military History by
Gen. Clement A. Evans).
Nancy Swann, age 34, born AL, appears on the
1880 census of Blount County, AL, with two children, Roxie, age 12,
born AL, and Vana, age 9, born AL. It is presumed that her husband has
died since there is no spouse.
Jeremiah Swann was a farmer. He was only 15
when he left home to join Nathan Bedford Forrest's Confederate Cavalry
as a scout. He entered service at Danville, Alabama and served until
the surrender at Decatur, Alabama in May 1865. After the war, he
walked to Perry County, Alabama where he went to work as a farm
laborer. At the age of 20, he married Virilla Rogers. Their children
were: Edward, 1869, Robert Francis, 1871, Tiletha Lee, 1873, Lucy
Elizabeth, 1875, Eugenia, 1877, Virilla, 1879, Julius Kendericks,
1880, Critt Seth, 1883, Clara Eunice, 1885, Melendez, 1887, Estelle,
1888, and Anna Inez, 1890. Jeremiah later owned a plantation. He is
buried in the family cemetery near Sprott, Alabama.
General Nathan Bedford Forrest was ordered on June
1862 by General Beauregard to assume command of the cavalry of north
Alabama and middle Tennessee. General Forrest took Murfreesboro, July
13, 1862; Lexington December 18, 1862; Trenton, December 19, 1862;
Rutherford Station and Union City on December 21, 1862. Throughout
1863 and 1864, Forrest was successful in preventing the Union Army
from raiding into Alabama to cut lines of communications. By January
1865, Forrest had been transferred to the Mississippi-Louisiana
department. In March 1865, Forrest was charged with the defense of
Selma, Alabama. He no longer had the divisions that he once had and
after a fierce battle, he had to withdraw from the city. (Account
taken from Confederate Military History by Gen. Clement A. Evans).
Of the remaining child, John, born 1830, little
is known about him. He does not appear in any of the later records.
One can only speculate that he must have died.
The Alabama Legislature enacted an old age pension for
its Confederate soldiers in 1911. George Washington Swann applied and
was awarded a pension for his Confederate service. William L. Swann
died in 1885. Letitia Swann, his widow, was awarded a pension in 1885
for his service in the U.S. Calvary. As of this date, research is
still continuing in what was the Pendleton District of South Carolina
to find records of the parents of Edward Swann.
Submitted by: Verbon
(Gene) Swann
PO Box 8891
Bossier City, LA 71113 gene33@softdisk.com
The Standwick Hays, Edward Swann, & Graves Family Home
Page
Updated August 19, 2001
|
Shelah
Dianne Crick
3694 Moon Bend Rd
Chapel Hill, TN 37034
A-United States
(931)364-7616
ccrick@united.net
|
The Swann family enetered the U.S. in 1616. Sir
William Swann, the King's Tax Collector, arrived in Virginia.
He had 10 children. Most of the Swann families can be traced
back to the ten children. Edward Swann and William Leroy Swann
(Brothers) started out in Pendleton District, South carolina
in 1805 to 1820. Their family moved to Tennessee and on to
Georgia. In Georgia Edward Swann met and married Hannah
McCollum in 1830. In 1836 Edward and Hannah bought land in
Blount County, Alabama. It is from this line that I descended
on my grandmother's (Rosa Swann Hayes) side. Her father was
Joseph (Joe) Swann. Her mother was Elizabeth Graves of Graves
Gap, Alabama. Any information on the Swann in Alabama or the
Graves family in Alabama will be appreciated.
My grandfather Burvey Richardson Hays was born in Hayden,
Alabama. His father was desended from Standwick Hayes who is
buried in the Hays cemetery in Hayden, Alabama. Standwick
Hayes was married twice and produced over 21 children. I would
love to have any and all information on the Hay(e)s family of
Blount County, Alabama, especially the names of the parents of
Standwick Hays and his brothers and sisters' names.
Any and all information on any of the people listed above will
be greatly appreciated |
