Jacob Mountain Swisher Sr. (abt. 1769 - 1873)

Born about 30 Jan 1769 in Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Husband of Catherine (Bunner) Swisher — married about 13 Aug 1801 in Berkeley County, VA (now WV)

Descendants

Died 7 Dec 1873 at about age 104 in Marion, West Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Roy Lockhart [send private message]

Biography

Buried Swisher Cemetery, Fairmont, Marion County, WV. Served in War of 1812.

Born perhaps 30 JAN 1769. probably Pennsylvania. Note: This date calculated from age at death on death record, but he "aged" 16 yrs from 1850 to 1860 and 13 more years by 1870. Two censuses gave his birthplace as Pennsylvania, one as Maryland, his second marriage record as Pennsylvania, and his death record says he was born in Virginia.

Married Husband Jacob M. Swisher. Wife Catherine Bunner. 13 AUG 1801. Berkeley County, Virginia. ^[1]

Husband Jacob M. Swisher. Wife Margaret Miller. 18 JAN 1857. Marion County, Virginia. ^[2]

Military

War of 1812 ^{[3] [4]}

Notes

From The Wheeling daily intelligencer., April 25, 1870, Image 1, online at Chronicling America, "Old Mr. Swisher, residing at Winfield, is the oldest man in Marion county -- 105 years. The old gentleman walked from his home to Fairmont the other day -- a distance of seven miles."

From The Wheeling daily intelligencer., August 18, 1873, Image 2, "The Oldest Man. -- Barbour county must show better than 105 years for its oldest man, before she sets out for the belt. Marion county has a citizen -- Jacob Swisher, Sr., who is now 108 years old - hale, hearty and exceeding sprightly for an old man. He is much older than that Barbour boy! - West Virginian.

Census

1820 Tyler County, Virginia. ^[5]

Jacob Swisher

males: five under 10 yrs and one aged 26-45

females: one aged 26-45

Note: Is this the correct Jacob?

1830 Eastern Dist, Monongalia County, Virginia. ^[6]

Jacob Swisher

males: one 5-10, one 15-20, and one 40-50

females: one under 5, one 10-15, two 20-30, and one 40-50

1840 Eastern Dist, Monongalia County, Virginia. ^[7]

Jacob Swisher

males: 1 aged 15-20, 1 aged 60-70

females: 1 aged 10-15, 1 aged 50-60

next door to Joseph Swisher

1850 Eastern District, Marion County, Virginia. ^[8]

Jacob Swisher Sr M 75 Penna farmer $600 cannot read or write

Catherine Swisher F 68 Virginia cannot read or write

Note: Several related Swishers on the page.

1860 Marion County, Virginia. ^[9]

Jacob M Swisher M 91 Pennsylvania farmer $1000/300 cannot read or write

Margaret Swisher F 57 Pennsylvania

next door to Allen Swisher

1870 Doddridge County, West Virginia. ^[10]

Asa Harris M 63 Virginia farmer $2500/300 cannot write

Nancy Harris F 48 Virginia cannot read or write

Daniel Harris M 29 Virginia farmer $600 personal cannot read or write

Ellen Harris F 19 Maryland

Caroline Harris F 6/12 West Virginia b. Nov

Jacob Swisher M 104 Maryland both parents foreign born cannot read or write

John Sterling M 12 Virginia

Died 7 DEC 1873. Marion County, West Virginia. ^[11]

Buried Swisher Cemetery, Marion County, West Virginia.^[12]

Research Notes

The portion of Monongalia County, Virginia in which he lived became Marion County, Virginia in 1842 and became Marion County, West Virginia in 1863.

There was another man named Jacob Swisher also living in the Eastern District of Monongalia County, whose wife was Drucilla Morgan.

From the Monongalia County, VA personal property tax lists 1822 - 1850 from familysearch.org, it can be seen that in 1822-24, there were two men named Jacob Swisher who were on the tax list and indistinguishable. They even appeared before the tax collector on the same day in 1824. In 1825, the collector listed one as Jacob Swisher Bunner (he lived near Bunner's Ridge and his wife was a Bunner) and the other as Jacob Swisher Riv^r (he lived near the Monongahela River). In 1827 they were Jacob Swisher Mo^t and Jacob Swisher River. In 1832 they were Jacob Swisher mountain and Jacob Swisher river. In 1834 they were Jacob Swisher (mountain) and Jacob Swisher (river). In 1836 they were Jacob M Swisher and Jacob R Swisher. This seems to be the evolution of the middle initials or middle names for these men - simply to distinguish between the two based on where they lived.

[1822]

[1825]

[1827]

[1832]

[1834]

[1836]

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S4 from "West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970," at familysearch.com Name Jacob Swisher Spouse's Name Catherine Bonner Event Type Marriage Event Date 13 Aug 1801 Event Place Berkeley, West Virginia Affiliate Repository Type County Records - from the image at wvculture.org, this was a marriage bond, p. 136, and Jacob signed it by mark. No minister's return on record.
2. ↑ Source: #S4 West Virginia Marriages 1780 - 1970 at familysearch.org Name: Jacob M Swisher Spouse's Name: Margaret Miller Event Type: Marriage Event Date: 1857 Event Place: Marion Affiliate Repository Type: County Records GS Film number: 835626 , Digital Folder Number: 4230445 , Image Number: 00122 Note: original specifies 18 Jan and gives his parents names, says aged 86 b. PA.
3. ↑ from the U.S., War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815, at ancestry.com: Soldier Jacob Swisher Widow Margaret Swisher Military Service Location Virginia Pension Number - #1 SO 8202 Pension Number - #2 SC 16535 Pension Number - #3 WO 31386 Pension Number - #4 WC 22451 Roll number 90 Archive Publication Number M313 from the index card image: Pvt. Capt. James Hurry's Co. Va. Mil. [full pension file not yet available on Fold3 as of 9 July 2023]
4. ↑ In 1854 Jacob Swisher, 82, made his way 14 miles to Taylor County, Virginia, to give a sworn statement to the service of a comrade, Richard Nuzum, in support of his pension application. Image here [behind a paywall] or access through your library's Fold3 account.
5. ↑ Source: #S9 p. 86
6. ↑ Source: #S9 p. 370
7. ↑ Source: #S9 p. 72
8. ↑ Source: #S9 p. 131, taken Aug 2nd
9. ↑ Source: #S9 3rd magisterial district, p. 555, sht 109, P.O. Forksburg, taken July 10th
10. ↑ Source: #S9 p. 4, P.O. West Union, taken June 27th
11. ↑ Source: #S5 1:37 "aged 104 yrs, 10 mos, 7 days" image online at WVculture.org: Name: Jacob Swisher Event Date: 07 Dec 1873 Event Place: Marion, West Virginia Gender: Male Birth Date: 1769 Birthplace: Virginia Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Catharine Swisher Father's Name: Jacob Swisher Mother's Name: Ruth Swisher Occupation: Farmer Affiliate Repository Type: County Records GS Film number: 834815 , Digital Folder Number: 4229117 , Image Number: 312 , Reference ID: v 1 p 37 cause of death - old age.
12. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 04 February 2022), memorial page for Jacob Mountain Swisher (30 Jan 1769–7 Dec 1873), Find A Grave: Memorial #144169950, citing Swisher Cemetery, Fairmont, Marion County, West Virginia, USA ; Maintained by KAL (contributor 46967048) .

• Source: S5 death certificate/record

• Source: S9 census

• Source: S4 marriage certificate/record