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Joseph Swann (b. Abt. 1747, d. Abt. 1832)

Joseph Swann (son of Moses Swann and Jean Barnett) was born Abt. 1747 in Paxtang(Dauphin) Co. PA, and died Abt. 1832 in Mecklinburg Co. NC. He married Keziah Porter in Octoter 26, 1774.

Notes for Joseph Swann:
Lived: Dauphin County PA 1747-1774 Mecklenburg County NC 1774-1830
His tombstone says he died in 1827, but this is incorrect. He made his will April 8, 1829. He was living at the time of the 1830 census. He was dead by 1832.
The Joseph Swann family was in Mecklenburg County North Carolina by 1775.
The first deed for Joseph Swann in Mecklenburg County was in 1775.
They may have followed the Porter family to Mecklenburg County.
The Swann family and Porter family had intermarried.
Thomas Porter of Lancaster County Pennsylvania was in Mecklenburg County by 1765.

Will of Joseph Swann
April the 8th 1829.
in the name of God
I Joseph Swann of the County of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina being weak of body, but of sound mind and memory, thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind the mortality of my body, & knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die. Do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament. And as touching my worldly Estate which it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give & dispose of in the manner & form following.

That is to say.I give & bequeath to my beloved wife Keziah, & my two daughters Jane and Margaret all my household & kitchen furniture including all my Beds & furniture, and also all my Cows and Hogs, and an honorable & comfortable maintenance off all my lands during their Single State.

I give and bequeath to my son Moses the land he now lives on lying & being on the Southwest side of a well marked line, running in the following manner.
Beginning at a black oak on Porter's line near a small pond thence S E 56 poles to a Spanish Oak at the end of his line near his Spring, then along said lane near his house ________ E 52 poles to a post oak at his fence then S 69 E 42 poles to a Spanish oak and Dogwood then S 40 E 144 poles to a small blackjack on Joseph McRum’s line as will more fully appear by the enclosed Platt No. 1. To have and to hold the said land during his natural life, And should his Wife Jane survive her husband Moses Swann it is my Will that she shall have a comfortable maintenance off said premises during her widowhood and also all the family be raised and schooled off said lands until they are ______ raised.

I give & bequeath to my two grandsons Joseph Swann and William M. Swann, two eldest sons of my son Moses all the above mentioned land & premises at the decease of their father with the in cumbrance above specified for their only and proper use and their heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to Son James two Dollars.

I give and bequeath to my son John all my land on the south end of my plantation not above mentioned beginning on a small Hickory on McRum’s division line then S 58 W 93 poles to a small pine on Moses Swann's line before mentioned, during his natural life then to descend to his youngest daughter Susannah Swann and her heirs forever ( the premises will appear upon the enclosed platt No ___). And his wife Rebeca & family to be supported & schooled off said land in the same manner as Moses Swann's family.

And further I give to my son John my wagon & all my Gear.

I give & bequeath to my son William two Dollars.

I give and bequeath to my son Thomas two Dollars.

I give & bequeath to my son Joseph two Dollars.

I give & bequeath to my two granddaughters Mary K. Swann and Sally C. Swann two oldest daughters of John & Rebecca Swann all the remainder of my lands not before mentioned (as will appear by enclosed platt No 3 for their only & proper use forever with the encumbrance of the female part of my family before mentioned and further paying to my son Richard H. M. Swann one Hundred dollars when the (sic) arrive to the age of twenty one years & my son John shall occupy said. premises until said grand daughters Mary K. & Sally C Swann arrives to the age of twenty one years without being liable to pay any rent whatever.

It is my Will that my books be divided equally by my Executors between my beloved wife Keziah my two sons Moses & John and my daughter Margaret. And my body clothes between said two sons Moses and John, also my copper tools, log chain & planes I allow between them for their only use. And any other property belonging me and not specified in this will to be equally divided also between Moses & John by my Executors.

And I further Will that my son John pay all my just debts and by so doing he shall be acquitted of all the demands I now have or may have at the time of decease against him.

It is my will further that my funeral expenses together with expense of a monumental stone be defrayed by my Sons Moses and John.

And I hereby constitute and appoint my trusty friends Stephen McRum and Jno Haitt Executors of this my last Will and Testament.

And I do further ordain and appoint my worthy friends James Knox, Hugh McDowell and William B. Porter Guardians over all the female part of my family.
And I hereby utterly revoke and disavow all former will or wills by me before this time named or made, alefying? and confirming this & no other to be my last Will and Testament.
Signed, sealed, published and declared to be my last will and Testament in presence of:
Robert Knox
John Knox
James Wilson
John Carothers

In witness whereof 1 have hereunto set my ______ and affixed seal the day and year first above written. his
Joseph x Swann (Seal)
mark

Note: This will was not recorded in the Mecklenburg County Will Books but is filed among the
original documents which are arranged alphabetically.

Notes: Joseph Swann left all his property to his wife and to his two sons Moses and John. These two men were living in Mecklenburg County when he died. They both died there.

To his sons James, William, Thomas, and Joseph he left $2.00 each and son Richard H. M. $100.00. The fact that he gave only token bequests to four of these sons does not mean that he was disinheriting them. The records show all these sons were living in 1829, and none of them were living in Mecklenburg County. He had probably given what he was able to give them before they moved away. Thomas Swann had been living in Bedford County TN since at least 1812.

The bequest to his son Richard H. M. Swann is confusing. Richard could not have been underage in 1829. The 1810 Census shows no sons born after 1800.

One interesting fact is that Joseph Swann mentions books in his Will, but he was unable to write as he signed his will with his mark.

More About Joseph Swann:
Burial: Unknown, Steele Creek Presbyterian Cemetery Mecklenburg Co. NC.

More About Joseph Swann and Keziah Porter:
Marriage: Octoter 26, 1774.

Children of Joseph Swann and Keziah Porter are:

+Richard Hill McRae Swann, b. April 07, 1798, NC, d. July 26, 1857, Stewart Co. GA.