George Hamilton Swain (1883 - 1980)

Born 6 Mar 1883 in Georgia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Carrie Bell (Harris) Moseley — married 22 May 1918 (to about 1919) in Tattnall County, Georgia, USA

Biography

George Hamilton Swain was born March 6, 1882, in Georgia^[1].

He married Dora Henry Jenkins. Their children were Christopher C., Dill Quincey, and Desley^[2].

He married Carrie Harris May 22, 1918^[3][4].

He registered for the draft for World War I, naming Carrie as his next of kin. His physical description is given as medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair^[1].

Carrie and George Swain were married presumably without her father's approval or consent. They soon separated and she went home to her father's house. About 2-3 weeks later, George and his brother Nick came to see her, possibly to get her, Carrie getting someone to tell them she wasn't home. Her father, Dock, reminded George he'd been told not to come there. George rushed toward the house, his brother staying behind at a distance. Dock intervened, got his gun, but it jammed; as he got it working again he stepped forward into the doorway to shoot, causing George to turn and run. Dock, George, and Nick began shooting at each other. Dock was killed, Nick arrested and George escaped. ^[5]

Dock Harris obit

George Swain Gets Life Sentence For Killing of Harris

He was denied a new trial for the murder of Dock Harris in 1922 and it was determined that he should serve a life sentence, despite his claims that he shot his father-in-law in self-defense.

George Swain Must Serve Prison Term

George Swain escaped from a prison in Mitchell County, Georgia in July of 1925 and was at large for about three years, before being recaptured along with his brother Will (Nathan), who had escaped from a work camp in Montgomery County.

Pair of Escaped Georgia Convicts Recaptured in Florida

George and Will Swain recaptured

In 1930, he was an inmate at Mitchell County Correctional Institution, working as a laborer on road construction^[7]. By 1940, he was living as a boarder in Charlton County, Georgia^[8].

He died 10 September 1980 and was buried in Taylors United Methodist Church Cemetery, Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia^[9].

George Swain obituary

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
2. ↑ Tina Brantley Ancestry family tree
3. ↑ Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950
4. ↑ Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950
5. ↑ Personal account of Billy Moseley and information found in death announcement in newspaper
6. ↑ George Swain Must Serve Prison Term. (1922, April 21). Atlanta Journal, p. 3.
7. ↑ United States Census, 1930
8. ↑ United States Census, 1940
9. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #128658321

Bibliography

• United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZZ9-25V : 13 March 2018), George H Swain, 1917-1918; citing Wheeler County, Georgia, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,452,013.
• 'Tina Brantley Ancestry family tree
• Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXJJ-4N7 : 17 October 2017), G. H. Swain and Carrei Harris, 22 May 1918; citing Marriage, Tattnall, Georgia, United States, county courthouses, Georgia; FHL microfilm 206,425.
• George Swain Gets Life Sentence For Killing of Harris, The Macon News (Macon, Georgia), Friday afternoon, 17 January 1919, p.1.
• Pair of Escaped Georgia Convicts Recaptured in Florida, The Atlanta Constitution, 16 June 1928, pp. 9.
• United States Census, 1930, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:34TX-PW2 : accessed 31 August 2018), George Swain in household of Lee Sampson, Camilla, Mitchell, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 7, sheet 6A, line 33, family 104, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 376; FHL microfilm 2,340,111.
• United States Census, 1940, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K72Y-J7V : accessed 31 August 2018), George H Swain in household of William Deadwood, Militia District 1193, Charlton, Georgia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 24-7, sheet 6B, line 51, family 110, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 648.
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 August 2018), memorial page for George Harmon Swain (6 Mar 1883–10 Sep 1980), Find A Grave Memorial no. 128658321, citing Taylors United Methodist Church Cemetery, Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by Jerry Van Herrin (contributor 47086979) .

See also:

• Reports of Cases Decided in the Supreme Court of the State of Georgia, Volume 149