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 12 Jul 1993.
3 November 1950.
Elimelech Swearingen
Elimelech SWEARINGEN (I), son of Thomas, grandson of John, great-grandson of Zacharias, and great-great-grandson of Garrett VAN SWEARINGEN, was born in Maryland in 1760. It will be noted that Garrett's descendants as they became good citizens of democratic America, discarded the Dutch title of nobility, "van." Elimelech married Elizabeth HIGGINS, perhaps a sister of his brother Samuel's wife, Martha. Elimelech and Samuel with their families came to Kentucky soon after it became a state and settled at or near Mount Washington. They became prosperous and prominent families of Bullitt, and their descendants still enjoy that distinction.
Verlinda SWEARINGEN, youngest child of Elimelech and Elizabeth, married Archibald MAGRUDER Jr., at the outbreak of the Civil War. Their son Samuel F. MAGRUDER married Rebecca Ann FORMAN and moved to Western Kentucky, settling near Paducah where they prospered. Their son, Philip Lee MAGRUDER, who died in 1938, left a widow and several sons and daughters; one of his sons, Phil Lee MAGRUDER, served in Gen. George Patton's Third Army in World War II, was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart and two Battle Stars. Verlinda SWEARINGEN MAGRUDER came into possession of her father Elimelech's family Bible and it has passed on down to Phil Lee MAGRUDER's family. The SWEARINGEN family record, written with a quill pen and black ink, now faded, is as follows:
Births: Sa (torn; probably Samuel), March 4th (date torn); Mary Higgins, Jan. 27, 1787; Thomas, 20th October, 1788, and died the second year of his age; Luraner, May 25, 1790; Elimelech, Dec. 28, 1791; Daniel, 3d Dec. 1793, died March 12, 1802; Geo. W. SWEARINGEN, Nov. 10, 1795; Sarah, March 9, 1798; Elizabeth, Feb. 15, 1800; William, Nov. 5, 1803; Verlinder, June 9, 1805. (She died Jan. 9, 1884,in Bullitt County.)
Of these children, Samuel married Margaret PEYTON; they moved to Texas, where their descendants are prominent. Mary married 1806, Charles DRAKE. Luraner married 1806, Levin WILCOXEN Jr. Elimelech, born Montgomery County, Maryland, died 1868, Bullitt County, Kentucky; married 1814, Alexandra S. CULVER. George W. marrie 1820, Elizabeth C. BRASHEAR. Sarah married 1816, William SIMMONS. Elizabeth married Griffin SIMMONS, son of Levi. William Wallace, married (1) 1823, Julia F. CRIST; (2) Mrs. Isabel KING. Verlinda married (1) 1824, Arch Jr., son of Archibald MAGRUDER; (2) John OVERALL.
Elimelech SWEARINGEN (II), according to the census record, was a farmer, born in Maryland. His wife, Alexandra (CULVER) was 45 in 1850, born in Kentucky; their children were Lewis C. 27, John T. 20, and Susan 17. Living with Elimelech was his nephew, Adkin WILCOXEN, 15; his niece, Henrietta WILCOXEN, 8, and also Thomas GATTEN, 16.
Wm. Wallace SWEARINGEN, son of Elimelech I, was born in Maryland. He came to Kentucky with his parents in 1805 and was 47 in 1850. His first wife was Julia CRIST, daughter of Henry; their children were Kate, Julia, and George W. SWEARINGEN (II), prominent in Bullitt aad Jefferson counties as a merchant, distiller, and banker.
Wm. Wallace SWEARINGEN married, 2nd, Mrs. Isbel KING; their children were Josephine and Will Jr.
Elimelech SWEARINGEN (I) and members of his family as well as other SWEARINGENs are buried in the SWEARINGEN family burial ground near Mount Washington.
1850 Census:
Census Page 120
[890/890] Henry F. KALFUS 53 (son of Henry F and Ann FISHER KALFUS; born 1798, died 1852; married 1824, Matilda (HARRISON) 53, Coumbus 20, Henry F. 18.
Census Page 121
[894/894] W. R. Thompson 39 lawyer (married 1838), Sarah (DUNN) 30, Emily 10, John V. 9, Mary 6, Ruth 2; James COLWELL 53. Household also shown on another page.
[897/897] William HARDMAN 41 farmer (married 1840), Ellen 37 (sister of Judge W. R. THOMPSON; their father was Valentine THOMPSON), Caroline 16, Theodore 9, William R. 5, Thompson 4. (The HARDMAN family moved to Nelson County.)
[898/898] Alexander HILTON 50 (married 1st, 1825, Mahala WILMUTH; 2nd, 1833), Nancy (BOLTON) 40, Ann 16, Perry M. 14, Malinda 7, Eliza 5, Julia 10 months.
[899/899] J. D. (Jonathan) PEACOCK 44, County Surveyor (son of Jacob and Mary DEAN PEACOCK; married 1842), Lucinda 26 (daughter of Samuel DAVIDSON), Jacob 7, Samuel D. 5, Will W. 4; Elizabeth STONE 55.
Census Page 122
[900/900] Thomas L. THURMAN 30 farmer, Emaline 24, Elizabeth 3, Mary 1, James 1 month.
[902/902] John HARDMAN 50 farmer (married 1824), Elizabeth (PATTERSON) 45, John 18, Kitty 13, Sarah 12, Squire 9, David 7; Catherine ASHBAUGH 82.
[903/903] James ASH 27 (married 1841), Elizabeth Mary 26 (daughter of James P. SHEPHERD), Joseph 5, Ben 4, John 1.
This project is presented here with the kind permission of Betty Darnell, and The Pioneer News.
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The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 14 Sep 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/bchistory/bd/50-11-03.html
