My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

Thomas H. Swaim, M. D., and farmer of the Tenth District, is a son of Jeremiah W. and Melissa J. (Bobbitt) Swaim. He was born in Weakley County, Tenn., in 1849, and was one of nine children, six of whom are living. The father was of Irish descent, born in Greensboro, N. C., May 20, 1809. He came to Tennessee when about nine years of age and was a merchant and farmer by occupation, owning at one time nearly 2,000 acres of land. He was married in 1830 and flat-boated for nearly fifteen years. He died in 1880. Mrs. Swaim was born near Raleigh, N. C., March 1, 1817, and moved to Maury County, Term., in 1830. She died November 2, 1884. Our subject secured a practical business education, and in 1876 entered the medical department of the Vanderbilt University at Nashville, and graduated in 1877. After practicing some six months in a hospital, he returned home and has practiced his profession with the best of success to the present time. May 28, 1884, he married Mrs. Carrie (Brasfield) Boswell, by whom he has two children: Grover Cleveland and Thomas Hendricks. Dr. Swaim resides on a good farm of 200 acres, well improved and cultivated. Besides this he owns 700 acres in the Eighth District, 163 acres in another portion in the Tenth District and considerable property in Dresden and Union City. Mrs. Swaim was born in Weakley County, January 28, 1856. Her father, George R. Brasfield, died in 1881, and her mother in 1864. Dr. Swaim is a Democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Horace Greeley. He is Grand Master of the Masonic fraternity and his wife is an influential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 108 biographies included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Weakley County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

To view additional Weakley County, Tennessee family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.