As we all know by now there are many different spellings of the Surname. Rathar than use all the variables, I will use the common spelling of: "SWAFFORD" during the development of the over all historical cosmology of this most fascinating of families. If I am refering to a specific family line. I will identify it and spell the name as it was spelled by the family or as it is reflected in the records. I will be refering to the various spellings throughout the paper.

Let me first establish my historical footprint on this paper. My name is Rev. Jimmie Lee Robins, US Army [retired] [ordained minister - non-denominational of the Abby of Kirk Gramar, Ragnar Hall, Center for the Research of Ancient Religions], a graduate and post-graduate Historian. I am also a certified research field archeaologist. I trace my Swafford line through my mother, Emma Neoma Swaffar who is still living, [she is from one of the lines that the name was changed]. I searched the SWAFFAR line for many years until I got ahold of a box of old photos and several photo albums from my mother. One of the photos was of my uncle William Larkin SWAFFAR, my mother's brother. Upon examining the back of the photo, I found a very faded, crude and shaky script [my grandmother, Agness Anna Mae FORD's handwritting - she could not read nor write very well] the name "William Larkin SWAFFORD and his date of birth was written there- this was my uncle. That openned a totally new avenue of research which led be to the SWAFFORD line. That was many years ago.

My family line from both my mother and father is ancient Celtic [Clan Donald] from Northern Ireland, the Isles and Western Scotland [the Argyll's], the line is also Scottish and Viking.

*

On-going Historical Research of the Swafford Name

Confirmation of Historical Records

While studing the history of the piedmont as the area of the Carolinas were known as before the two states were formed. South Carolina formed as a state in 1788. The up lands of northern South Carolina was occupied by an encouraged influx of Germans, Scots-Irish and Welsh from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina.

The earliest records that I have found so far, that reflect the Swafford name that I can confirm myself that is our line, is the 1790 and 1800 census records for Greenville County, South Carolina. Using census, chancery court records and land records as a measurement and confirmation of migration or relocation, we can say with some degree of certainty that almost all of the Swafford's relocated from the general area of Greenville County, South Carolina to the area of Bledsoe County, Tennessee about 1810, since the 1810 census does not contain any reference to the SWAFFORD name.

There were several major events that occured in South Carolina that could cause such a massive relocation of an entire family.

Cherokee Land

Taken out of context from "A Brief History of Greenville County South Carolina."

While the lower parts of South Carolina had been settled for many years, Greenville County remained part of the old Cherokee hunting grounds and white men were strictly forbidden to enter the area. The Cherokee ceeded these lands to South Carolina in 1777. The Indians remained in their mountain homeland for several years after signing their grant, however, and not many white people ventured into the beautiful Cherokee country before the Revolution."

Complete up rooting of the entire Quaker Movement

"The Friends [Quakers]," around 1810 pulled up stakes from South Carolina and relocation up North. [I am atempting to determine the faith of the Swafford's during this period.]
It had to be something major to cause all eight brothers and their enxtended families to moce to Bledsoe County, Tennessee.

Swafford Clann Ties

The Swafford's keeping up the true Cletic tradition of maintaining a very tight clan relationship and inter-clan marriages. This relationship continued until the end of the Civil War when my gg-grandfather, Alfred Annison Swafford broke with tradition and married out side the clan. Intensive research shows that not all of Jacob's children married back into the clan. It is noted that Richard and Alfred's offspring did marry with in the family.

*

Any and all cousin's that have any records, documents or photos that you wish to share and would consider leting me dispay here on these pages. Drop me an e-mail at the link here. Be sure to give me a statement of release.

Jim Robins

McMinn County, Tennessee Deed Book

For the period between 1810 and the beginning of the Civil War 1860. We see an increase in the wealth and holdings of the entire family. Swafford family in Bledsoe County enmassed a large amount of wealth, if one measures wealth by land, slaves and improvements. One can also denoted level of importance and recogniation as demonstrated by the amount of landscape that bears the name of the family. Public offices helt and how they are dealt with in the history books.

The Civil War, I believe to be the bench mark that caused the entire break-up of the clan. Nothing within the family was the same after the war.