John Lee Swaney (1779 - 1876)

Born 8 Dec 1779 in Virginia

Husband of Annie (Belote) Swaney — married 5 Feb 1806 (to 1828) in Sumner, Tennessee

Husband of Nancy (Gibson) Swaney — married 20 Jan 1829 in Sumner, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 30 Aug 1876 at age 96 in Sumner County, Tennessee

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Biography

SLAVE HOLDER

John was born in 1779. He passed away in 1876. John Lee Swaney BIRTH 8 Dec 1779 Virginia, USA DEATH 30 Aug 1876 (aged 96) Sumner County, Tennessee, USA BURIAL Gibson Cemetery Hendersonville, Sumner County, Tennessee, USA

His father was John Swaney and his mother was Ann Lee.

John Swaney was a riverboat captain

John came to Tennessee in the late 1700's by Sam Gibson and Joe Carver as a race-rider. when he became too heavy he got a job in Nashville,Tennessee carrying mail from Nashville to Natchez, Mississippi (550) miles on horseback. his estate was mostly made up of Negroes who, when freed, left him with a little land. he served as magistrate for 40 yrs in the Castalian Springs dist.-taken from ftm Vol. 4

stock marks and brands-John L. Swainey-Dec 1809

Will of John Lee SWANEY (This Will is said to be forged)

In the name of God, Amen: I, John L. SWANEY, of the County of Sumner and State of Tennessee, being in a bad state of health but of sound and disposing mind and memory and knowing that God has appointed for all men once to die, do make my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any other Will or Wills heretofore made by me in manner following:

1st Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth, one dollar and no more of my estate.

2nd Item - I give and bequeath to my daughter Caroline, one dollar and no more of my estate.

3rd. Item - I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary, one dollar and no more of my estate.

4th Item - I give and bequeath to my grandson John Carney, one dollar and no more of my estate.

5th Item - I give and bequeath to my daughters Patsy and Maria, the home place, and the Annie Harris place to be equally divided between them, and no more of my estate.

6th item - I give and bequeath to my son A. J. Swaney, the Lick place together with the building on it and Malone place and my stock in the Bledsoe Creek Turnpike Company and also my stock in the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company.

7th Item - I give and bequeath to my son B. P. Swaney, The Moore Place and no more of my estate.

8th Item - I give and bequeath to my son Charles Swaney, one dollar and no more of my estate.

9th Item - I give and bequeath to me son A. J. Swaney, the Burdine place to pay for settling the estate and if there's anything left after settling the estate he is to have it.

10th Item - I leave Polly the ten acres of land which I bought of Billie Malone at the same time I bought the home place from him, and that my son A. J. Swaney see that she is not imposed on in any way. She has not the power to sell or dispose of it without consent of A. J. Swaney.

11th item - I give and bequeath to my daughters Patsy and Maria, all of the household furniture made by my wife, Annie, and myself.

12th item - I give and bequeath to my Granddaughter Fannie Swaney, all household furniture made by myself and Nancy, my wife.

13th Item - I give and bequeath to my Granddaughter Ora Hamilton, one half of all my personal property may sell for .

14th item - I give and bequeath to my Granddaughter Fannie Swaney, one half of all my personal property may sell for.

15th Item - And I appoint A. J. Swaney my executor without giving any security for the execution of this my last Will and Testament.

signed: February 22, 1875

John Lee Swaney

In presence of: R. H. Baskerville, Richard Alexander, and W. R. Annglea.

"John Lee Swaney" died at the age of 98 years. My father told me "he was never sick a day in his life until two weeks before he died." My father, Miller, died at the age of 88 years.

When I once travelled to the Natchez Trace the local Park Ranger was quite excited to hear my name. He had a booklet about them post riders, and said that "John Lee Swaney was the most prolific writer who rode the mails." My father paid someone in London to look up any records they could find. They supposedly found John Swaney was "sent to the colonies" as punishment, after being found guilty in court of supposedly stealing a man's 1-shilling scarf. My father said John Swaney came to the colonies on the ship the "Laura" but I could never find his name on any ship manifests (using the Internet).

John SWANEY, rider of the Natchez Trace and later a river boat captain, built a house of poplar logs near Bledsoe's Lick in 1806. It stood for over 100 years. Soon after SWANEY built his log house, Mrs. Fannie GIBSON came to America and Sumner County from Ireland and settled near the Lick. The lands on which she settled were owned in 1906 by T.S. GLENN. She is reputed to have been a physician "at a very early day" in the community.

Editor's note: This history of historic Castalian Springs was written in 1906 by Mrs. Betty Chenault and Malvina Swaney.

The house now used by Mr. West as a stable was built by John L. Swaney in 1846 for James M. Clendening to sell goods.

The place where Vinson Hamilton now lives was settled by John L. Swaney, who built the house in 1806 which was of poplar logs, one hundred years ago on this date. The house is in a fair condition or state of preservation, and if not destroyed, bids fair to last another hundred years. John L. Swaney lived in this house until his death in 1876, a period of 70 years.

Since his death this property has belonged to his daughter and her children, no other person not a blood relative has ever lived in this house.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE Col. Isaac Bledsoe was one of the first magistrates appointed in Sumner County. He hen lived at Bledsoe's Lick. After his term expired John L. Swaney and Stephen Roberts served. Stephen Robert moved away and was succeeded by Col. Humphrey Bate.

John L. Swaney held the office for more than forty years. After the war, John L. Swaney resigned.

Sources

"Tennessee Marriages, 1796-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDQP-HYZ : 16 March 2020), Jno. L. Swaney, 1829.

Marriages of Sumner County, Tennessee, 1787-1838 Jan 20, 1829

Name: John L Swainey Age: 66 Birth Year: abt 1784 Birthplace: Virginia Home in 1850: District 3, Sumner, Tennessee, USA Race: White Gender: Male Family Number: 283 Household Members: Name Age John L Swainey 66 Nancy Swainey 54 Charles H Swainey 19 Andrew J Swainey 17 Fanny A Swainey 16 Bailey P Swainey 13 John B Swainey 11

• John L Swainey

in the 1850 United States Federal Census

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131975502/john-lee-swaney

"United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WKTT-MR3Z : 16 October 2019), John L Swaney, 1860.