Annotated Bullitt County 1850 Census

We continue the Bullitt County 1850 census written by Mrs. W. V. Mathis, Wallace A. McKay and W. C. Barrickman. Betty Darnell shared this in The Pioneer Newson 7 Jun 1993.

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27 October 1950

Two Quaint Documents

The immigrant ancestor of the SWEARINGEN family in America was Garrett VAN SWERINGEN who was born in Holland, 1636, immigrated to Maryland, 1657, and died in 1698.

In the Hall of Records at Annapolis, Maryland, there are two rare and interesting documents executed by a Garrett VAN SWERINGEN, one a marriage contract between him and Mary SMITH, St. Mary's County, Maryland, and the other his will.

The ante-nuptial agreement obligates Garrett to provide in his will for payment to Mary SMITH of 60,000 pounds of good, merchantable tobacco, in cask, over and besides such chains, bracelets, jewels, and apparels, which she shall fortune to have," at the time of his death. The consideration for this agreement was that Garrett VAN SWERINGEN intends by God's grace to marry and take as his wife the said Mary SMITH, and she shall and may at all times from the day of his death, peaceably, quietly and lawfully have use at her pleasure, without Lett or interruption of his Executors," etc., of said goods and chattels. The agreement is witnessed and signed by Henry CAREN, John QUIGLEY and John BLOOMFIELD.

Garrett's will, also of record at Annapolis, Md., is in part as follows: "I, Garnett VAN SWERINGEN, having considered the many years I have lived in this world, but a little time to remain, do will and require that when it shall be the Will of God to call me out of this mortal life, my body shall be buried if God doth permit according to the custom of the Roman Catholic

Church and Ye Priests that shall bury me, I do give him 1,000 pounds of tobacco, and do require my Executors to take care during the ensuring year that Mass shall be done for me wholly at all ye later days, St. Josephs Day, St. John of Evangeline, St. Mary Magdalen, in Holy Week, All Saints Day and in ye Christmas Holidays, I nominate my wife and my son, Joseph VAN SWERINGEN, executors. I give unto my two sons, Joseph and Charles, my now dwelling house and lands. In case any of them should come to die, then, to the surviving brother and if both should die, then it shall fall to my girls by my now living wife. I will that my estate shall be appraised. and not undervalued, as ordinary in this country, but to the real value. If my wife should come to die then those children left unmarried shall remain the guardianship of their brother Joseph, or if he should do them any injustice, God forbid, the offense shall be referred to Mr. John HALL, Mr. Charles CARROLL, Mr. Charles EGERTON, Mr. Thomas GOERING, or any two of them, and their decision shall be final." Will witnessed by Nicholas Croutch, Tom AISQUITH, and others.

Only two of Garrett Van SWERINGEN's children are named in his will, but it indicates there were others. Zacharias was born in 1862, and the Kentucky SWEARINGENs, are in his line. Zacharias' son John, born 1702, was the father of Thomas, born 1730; three of his sons, Samuel, Obed, and Elimelech, came to Kentucky in 1805, and settled in Bullitt County. Samuel, born 1762 married Martha HIGGINS; he remained in Kentucky but a short time and then moved to Missouri. Obed, Sr., was born in Montgomery, County, Md., in 1757. After, his death his widow, Rachel SWEARINGEN (1764- 1839) removed to Bullitt County, Kentucky, in 1809 with their children: 1. Jesse, listed in the 1850 census as a farmer, age 67; wife Zillah HALL, 52, daughter of William HALL and Ann STEVENS; children: David C. 30. William 25, Obed. (III) 23, Rachel 20, Mariah 18. 2. Ruth, born in Maryland, 1790; married 1817, Gabriel COX, son of David and Margaret 3. Joseph, married (1) Fanny CONGLETON, and (2) Mrs. Henrietta ?????. 4. Sarah, married Tom GREATHOUSE. 5. Thomas, married 1825, Margaret COLEMAN. 6. Louisa Rachel, married 1825, John MYERS. 7. Obed (III), born in Maryland, married 1830, in Bullitt County. He and his mother, Rachel SWEARINGEN, are buried in the Kings Church Cemetery near Mount Washington. 8. Nancy, married 1830, Isaac PURCELL. 9. Martha, born 1800 in Maryland.

Census, 1850:

[168/168] O. W. SWEARINGEN 30 farmer, Judith (BELL) 26, Joseph W. 4 James H. 3, Sarah F, 1. Household also shown on another page.

[970/970] Nelly SWEARINGEN 30, Elizabeth 20, Susan 14.

[646/646] Sarah SIMMONS (widow of William SIMMONS) 51, William 22 (her son). Sarah was daughter of Elimelech SWEARINGEN.

[881/881] John RICKERSON 58 carpenter (married 1847), Eliza 47, (daughter of Isaac PURCELL Sr.), Nancy A. 22, Laura V. 18, John 3, George FELKER 21 carpenter.

[882/882] James GONZALES 53 tinner, Jane 37.

[884/884] Francis SUMMERS 31 tailor, Mary 22, Lewis LOREK? 76 . Jane McCORMICK 29, James 8, Littleton 1 (all free blacks; Jane and James were born in France; Littleton in Kentucky).

[886/886] James DOYLE 41 tanner (married 1836 Mary TILFORD), Elizabeth 41, James 13, Suan 11, Permelia 9, Ware 7, John T. STRANEY 25, Ann VOULE 2.

[887/887] James CHASE 40 teacher, Mary 25, Benjamin 6, Mary 2.

[888/888] Samuel N. SMITH 45 merchant (marriid 1837), Eliza A. (MITCHELL) 35, Eli 12, Bayard 10, Mary 6, Clayton 3, Nancy 5, Samuel (Sr.) 82.

[889/889] Nicholas SIMMONS, hotel-keeper 50 (son of Mary; married 1832), Elizabeth 34 (daughter of William and Sallie YOUNGER LEE), Sarah 16, Mary 12, George E. W. 8, William 6; Samuel 4.

[896/896] David SIMMONS 60 (free black).

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This project is presented here with the kind permission of Betty Darnell, and The Pioneer News.

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