Anyone submitting corrections/updates to this family history MUST submit it in writing to The Jefferson County Chapter, OGS. They MUST include their name and address and all proofs of corrections/updates. If submissions aren't sent in this format, they will not be accepted as true and accurate. From first hand knowledge, given from the Swickard Family of the sixth generation, listed below, this information is true and accurate. The chapter is in no way attempting a complete listing of all Swickard descendants, just those listed as living on the farm.

The Swickard family homestead is owned by a direct descendant of Martin Swickard, William M. and wife, Pamela Parsons Swickard. They purchased the family farm in June of 1992. Since the purchase of the property, they have endured many renovations and improvements to the old family homestead. The front of the house, as pictured above, was changed before they purchased it. All signs of the gingerbread front are long gone. The house has taken on some updates and improvements inside and out.

This beautiful farm is located on State Route 152 north, in Knox Township, outside of Richmond, just beyond the entrance to Austin Lake. There are five barns, the oldest of which is still standing with wooden pegs connecting the joints. The property includes 63 acres of sprawling beautiful farmland. {Photo above courtesy of Wm. & Pam Swickard taken abt. 1910. Unknown family – could be Samuel Swickard with his son, Wm. Robert Swickard and his wife, Betha Dodds Swickard. Dates & ages would match}

SWICKARD FAMILY HISTORY

FIRST GENERATION IN JEFFERSON COUNTY - Martin Swickard was born in French occupied Germany in 1746. He came to this country Sept. 19, 1765, arriving at the Port in Philadelphia, PA on the ship, the “Betsy.” He married Christina Dague (Tage) abt. 1805 then living in Somerset Twp., Washington Co., PA. Martin fought in the Revolution serving under Col. Crawford and was captured in Trenton, NJ. He later moved to Knox Twp., Jefferson Co., OH. He married Margaret Bartholomew in 1806. He was 95 years old when he died. Martin and his 2nd wife, Margaret are buried in the Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Island Creek Twp.

SECOND GENERATION - Mathias Swickart, son of Martin, was born July 15, 1801 in Washington Co., PA. His first wife was Deborah Maple. His 2nd wife was Mary Ann Maple (cousins). Mathias died Jan. 6, 1884. He and Mary Ann are buried in the Osage Cemetery across the road from the Swickard farm.

THIRD GENERATION – Samuel L. Swickard, son of Mathias,was born Oct. 6, 1851. He married Amelia Wilson. He died Apr. 18, 1918. They are both buried in the New Somerset Cemetery, Knox Twp. Samuel’s three children are listed in his will as; John R., Wm. R., & Jennie V. Swickard Clark.

FOURTH GENERATION – William Robert Swickard, son of Samuel L. was born Jan. 14, 1886. He died Feb. 25, 1971. Wm. married Bertha Dodds. They are both buried in the Richmond Union Cemetery, Salem Twp.

FIFTH GENERATION – Robert Cooper Swickard, son of Wm. R., was born in East Liverpool July 18, 1928. He married Elizabeth J. Nemitt in Apr. of 1952. Robert died January 9, 1998 and is buried in the Toronto Union Cemetery.

SIXTH GENERATION – William Michael Swickard, son of Robert Cooper Swickard now owns the farm. William (Mike) &wife, Pamela Parsons (of Marshall Co., WV) Swickard have one son, Michael William Swickard. When 7 year-old Michael was asked about living on the farm when he grows up, he stated, “ Yes, I want to live on the farm so that I can make hay and make money.” If Michael decides to live on the family farm, he will represent the seventh generation from his original ancestor, Martin Swickard, the German Hessian. (Photo’s courtesy of Pam Swickard)

Martin Swickard, Mt Tabor Cemetery

Mathias Swickard, Osage Cemetery

Samuel Swickard, New Somerset Cemetery

William Swickard, Richmond Union Cemetery

Michael Castner was the original owner of the tract of land which Martin Swickard purchased from him. (Original county deed records reflect this fact.) Michael Castner was a Revolutionary Patriot and received the patent for this tract of land originally on October 8, 1805.

Martin Swickard purchased the property from Michael Castner in 1807, which included the tract of land for the Osage Church & Cemetery. The Church is known as: The Good Hope Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church at Bowling Green or Osage Church at Town Fork, on Yellow Creek. It is located in Township 8, Range 2, Section 25. Martin donated a portion of land, in the center of Section 25, for the purpose of building the Good Hope Church.

Mathias Swickart purchased the land from his father, Martin in July of 1829 for $816.00 Since that time several portions of the original tract have been split up and sold to various parties, including, where the church and cemetery are now located.

William and Pamela Swickard now own sections adjacent (across the road) to the Church and Cemetery. The homestead is listed as a Jefferson County Historical Landmark, built ca. 1875, register no. 138. Since then, the homestead has celebrated over 197 years of farm family ownership. For the contributions to the agricultural community made by the members of the Swickard family living on the homestead over the last century, and for their commitment to preserving the agricultural heritage of the Great State of Ohio, on December 15, 2004, they were presented a certificate and are listed with the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture, Ohio Century Farm Association. This certificate was signed by Governor, Bob Taft.

One of Martin Swickard’s sons was Daniel Swickard. He is buried in the Shelley Cemetery, Knox Twp., Jefferson County, Ohio across from where the Shelley schoolhouse once stood. Daniel was born in 1789. His tombstone reads, “Died, 21 Feb 1856, 67 yrs.” He served in the War of 1812. Some tombstones are sunken in the ground and most tombstones are missing from this cemetery.

Unidentified Swickard Family Photo Album

This family album is in excellent condition. Man above possibly Samuel L. Swickard.

Historical Notes on Martin Swickard

• Martin & his brother Daniel are both listed on the Washington Co., PA 1790 federal census, pg. 255 prior to arriving in Jefferson County.
• Some Swickard surname variations are Swickart, Zwickert, Zwuedert.

Charter Members of Good Hope

Organized 12 September, 1806

Charter Members of Good Hope

Organized 12 September, 1806

Note - A photo of CARRIE DODDS SWICKARD is also in the Swickard family album as well as others.

First Ordained Ministers of the Good Hope Church were: John Stauch, Balthasar Kolb, and Andrew Alt. John Reinhart, deacon, Jonas Nothstein & Valentine Sommerladen elders. David Reidenauer & George Weil were elected to council. Daniel Zwickert & Jacob Bender were appointed wardens.

Three Centuries of Swickards, Compiled by the Swickard Family Roots Center, 7335 E. Orchard Rd. #400D, Greenwood Village, CO 80111.

Church History

{Swickard History, written by Paul Miller Ruff, published in 1999 titled, Good Hope Lutheran Church Records.} A log church was built in 1807 on land secured from Martin Zwuedert. Mr. Zwuedert, whose children spelled their names Swickard, was one of the Hessians captured at Trenton. His services as a teamster in the Sandusky Expedition of Colonel Crawford were such that he was given a section of government land as a reward.

Martin was a member of Good Hope until 1816, when he helped the Methodists to found Tabor Church. In Dr. Schilling’s Historical Notes of Knox Township, he states the following; “It was at this time that Martin, under the preaching of Rev. James Finley, and his wife, Christina, helped to organize and then become charter members of the Mt. Tabor Methodist Episcopal Church and were buried in its cemetery.” Schilling’s also states that Martin could speak only the German language.

A Memorial History of the Pittsburgh, PA. Synod of the Evangelical Lutherans Church – Dated 1925. {References to the Good Hope Church, Osage.} Martin Swickard was a member of Good Hope until 1816, when he helped the Methodists to found Tabor Church. “The devil entered Martin Swickard and the church doors were closed against him” was the comment of Pastor Reinhard. The year 1816 seems to have been a year of trouble in Good Hope. Up to this time the Reformed and Lutherans had worshipped together in the old log church located in Bowling Green. Then a question of land title arose, and the Reformed moved the church to a new site near Shelly’s schoolhouse, while the Lutherans raised a fund of $429.25, and built a small frame church in the cemetery. The old records list the names of the first subscribers to this fund. This frame church was moved and converted into a copper shop in 1852, and a new church was built on the old site where the cemetery grounds are located at a cost of $500. Pastor Dennis Swaney dedicated the new church on June 20, 1852. The church is still standing within the cemetery.

Swickard Deed Search

{Conducted by Flora L. VerStraten}

• 1805 - Michael Castner received a patent for his Military Service for Twp. 8, Range 2, Section 25.
• 1807 – Michael Castner sold this land to Martin Swickard. (no sum recorded).
• 1829 – Martin Swickard deeded to his son, Mathias Swickart July 8 for $816.00.
• 1882 - Mathias Swickard sold this land to his son, Samuel L. for $1,100.00.
• 1922 – Samuel L. willed the land Apr., 1922 to his heirs, John R., Wm., R.., daug., Jennie V. Swickard Clark.
• 1922 – John R., and Jennie sold their shares to Wm. R., for $1.00 each in May.
• 1969 - Wm. R. Swickard deeded land to his son, Vance.
• 1990 – Vance Swickard willed the property to his son, Thomas D.
• 1992 – Upon Thomas D. Swickard’s death, his wife, Martha S. Dunn Swickard’s owned property.
• 1992 – Martha S. Dunn Swickard sold the property to William M. and wife, Pamela Parsons Swickard, in June. They began renovations to homestead. Wm., Pam, and their son, Michael, live on the family farm as of June, 2005.

The Following taken from Jefferson County Newspaper files:

LAW NOTICE

{Steubenville American Union Daily - Wed. April 2, 1851, pg. 3}

Jacob Swickard vs. Mary Swickard - Petition for Divorce – MARY SWICKARD, of Meigs county, Ohio will take notice that on the 31st day of March, A.D. 1851, Jacob Swickard filed in the office of the Clerk of Court of Common Pleas, of the county of Jefferson, State of Ohio, his petition praying that the marriage contract now subsisting between them, the said Jacob and Mary Swickard, may be dissolved and a divorce, the wilful absence of the said Mary, for the space of three years, and will be for hearing and decree of the Court at the first term thereof after the May term. STANTON & McCOOK, his solicitors.

Executor’s Notice

American Union Daily, Sat. Oct.2, 1841, pg. 4

Notice is hereby given in all persons, indebted to the estate of Martin Swickard of Island Creek twp. dec. to make immediate payment to the undersigned. Executor of said estate. All persons having claims will please present them, legally authenticated, within one year from this date. SAMUEL SWICKARD, Exr. Sep 18 1841.

Herald Star Newspaper, 18 Aug. 1928

Rail Crossing at Broadacre Tragedy Scene Man and Girl Instantly Killed by Fast Express - Chester Wiley, 25, of Broadacre and Mary Lee Swickard, 17, who lived midway between Richmond and Osage were killed at 4:26 p.m. Sunday by eastbound passenger train No. 88… The car in which they were riding was dragged a distance of about 35 yards and was torn to splinters. Their badly cut up bodies were hurled about 30 yards farther…they were on route south to Bloomfield. Their view of the railroad crossing was blocked by the station building… no watchman was on duty at the crossing, he having been taken off duty some time ago…

Steubenville Herald Star, Nov., 1997

Former owner, operator of Home Restaurant dies. RICHMOND – Edith L. McLaughlin, 86, of Richmond, died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 1997 in Presbyterian Hospital, Pitts. Pa. following a sudden illness. ..taught at Bacon Ridge school…She was born Mar. 12, 1911 in Richmond, a dau. of the late William R. and Bertha Dodds Swickard. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean “Mac” McLaughlin who she married in Mar. 17, 1934… one brother, Vance Swickard in 1990; and one sister, Mary Lee Swickard in 1928, one brother Robert Swickard of Toronto… burial in Richmond Union Cemetery. Daughters of the American Revolution will hold services on Friday…

Steubenville Herald Star January 9, 1942

Death Takes Oldest Resident of County – Mrs. Christina Leatherberry, 97, the oldest living native resident of this county, died this morning at 5 o’clock at the home of her niece, Mrs. Carl Baker at Bloomingdale. She had only been ill for three days… She was born April 4, 1844 on the farm at Osage, Knox Twp., where her grandfather, Martin Swichard was one of the first settlers. He and a brother came from Germany in 1764. He was with Crawford’s expedition to Upper Sandusky and escaped on his horse never stopping until he reached the Ohio river. He received several sections of land in Knox Twp., for his services in that expedition.

Mrs. Leatherberry was the daughter of Matthias and Mary Ann Maple Swickard. She was married to John B. Leatherberry in Feb 1885 and he is deceased. She was the last surviving member of her family. Deceased brothers and a sister are Martin M., Samuel, Charles, and Jason Swickard and Mrs. Emma Swickard Moare.

Mrs. Leatherberry was a member of the Disciple Church at New Somerset founded by her ancestor…

Herald Star, Feb. 26, 1971

WILLIAM SWICKARD

TORONTO – William R. Swickard, 85, of 1101 Federal St., a retired employee of the Toronto Plant of Ohio Edison Corp., died Thurs. at 3:02 p.m. in Ohio Valley Hospital, Steubenville.

Mr. Swickard was a member of the New Somerset Christian Church. His wife, Dessa, preceded him in death in 1965. He leaves a dau., Mrs. Dean (Edith) McLaughlin of Richmond; two sons, Vance of RD, Toronto, and Robert of Toronto; 10 grandchildren and one great great grandchild. Mr. Swickard was born Jan. 14, 1886, in Knox Township… Rev. Mr. Roger Bush will conduct services on Sunday; burial at Richmond Union Cemetery.

Herald Star, Fri. Aug. 30, 1991

Thomas Swickard owned auction service. TORONTO – Thomas D. Swickard, 63, of Toronto, the owner and operator of Swickard’s Auction Service, died Aug. 29, 1991 at OVH… He worked for Ohio Edison for 41 years…Army veteran of the Korean War…a member of the Hilltop Presbyterian Church…wife was Martha S. Dunn Swickard… preceded in death by his father, Vance D. in 1990 & mother, Ethel Cooper… burial in Island Creek Cemetery…