Andrew Swallow Revolutinary War

Andrew Swallows 1760-1843
Could read and write in German
Born in the same county and State as Daniel Boone (also a contemporary with) Some famous names associated with Overton, County, TN, include Davy Crockett, John Sevier, Joseph Copeland, and John M. Clements (father of Mark Twain).

From the Standing Stone Press article.
The Date is Fall-Winter 1981

Andrew Swallow was born April, 17, 1760 in Parks (possibly meant for Berks or Bucks) County, Pennsylvania. His name is also shown as Swallows in the pension claim. He lived there at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

He enlisted in September 1777, shortly before the Battle of Brandywine and served two months as a private in the Pennsylvania Troops, during which he was in the Battle of Brandywine/ he enlisted next and served two months in Captain Lesher's of Berk County, Pennsylvania, Company, engaged in vicinity of Philadelphia. Both of these tours were rendered as a substitute.

Andrew Swallow enlisted in 1779 and served one year as a wagoner hauling ammunition under Captain Archibald and Wagonmaster Turner, during which he was engaged in driving between Reading, Pennsylvania and White Plains, New York.

The soldier moved in the Spring of 1780 to Wythe County, Virginia. He enlisted that fall and served one month as a private in Captain Buchanan's Virginia company during which he was in an engagement with some Tories.

He enlisted in February 1781 and served two months as private underCol. Preston during which he marched to Gulliford, North Carolina and was in a small engagement at Haw River.

He enlisted subsequently in Wythe County, Virginia, and served two months as private in Capt. Ward's Company, engaged against the Indians on the frontier. He states that he frequently saw General Washington.

Andrew Swallow moved from Wythe County, Virginia to North Carolina, thence to Overton County, Tennessee. He is believed to have come to Overton County about 1818 or 1819.

He received a Revolutionary War pension beginning the 4th of March 1831 in the amount of $26.66 per annum. He was residing in Overton County, Tennessee at that time where he lived until his death on September 30, 1843.

Andrew Swallow married Catherine Kinder who was born May 10, 1755. In 1844, she stated that she was married in the spring of 1785, also, that she was married "about the year 1785."

Andrew Swallows wrote the family data which was submitted for obtaining a pension .....
He was apparently unable to write in the English language since he signed his name by mark on his pension application.

The following family data was shown which was originally written in Dutch (Deutsche or German) and translated into English:
Andrew Swallow born April 17, 1760
Catharine born May 10, 1755
Reuben born March 2, 1783
Jacob born February 11, 1786
Magdalena born January 19, 1788 (This was Mary Magdalena known as Polly Swallows who married Isaac West)
Elizabeth born January 18, 1790
Isak born February 7, 1792
Catharine born January 15, 1794
Rachel born February 18, 1796
Jemima born October 23, 1800

Catharine Kinder Swallow had a son named Reuben before she was married to Andrew Swallow. He was apparently illegitimate. He went by the name of Reuben Finley. On the 17th day of January 1837, Catharine Swallow made an affidavit that her maiden name was Catharine Kinder and that Reuben Finley mention in the will of Thomas Finley of Abbeville, South Carolina was her son. In the Revolutionary War Pension record Andrew Swallow lists him as one of his children. Catharine Kinder Swallow died March 16, 1847.

ANDREW SWALLOW PENSION APPLICATION
State of Tennessee
Overton Circuit Court
September Term 1832

On the 24th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court, it being a court of record, before the Honorable Nathaniel W. Williams, Circuit Judge in and for the said court in the State of Tennessee Andrew Swallow - a resident of the County of Overton and State of Tennessee aged seventy two years who being just july sworn according to the laws of the land doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of congress passed June 7th 1832. He entered the service of the United States as a private soldier under the following named officers and served as a private soldier.

He states that as he now recollects in the spring of 1778 he was hired as a substitute for a man by the .....
in the State of pennsylvania for the term of 3 months. Cannot state the Captain's name during the time he was in the Battle of Brandywine. Cannot recollect his officer's name. He was a rifleman. Soon after he returned home in the same year he again hired for two months as a substitute for a man by the name of Miller. Marched down near Philadelphia and concluded in t he neighborhood of Philadelphia until his time of service was out. He was in no battle.

Cannot recollect the name of his officer. Soon after he returned home he enlisted as a waggoner for one year during this time he went into Connecticut. Spent good part of our Summer in that state, and the Army of the United States was then at what was called White Plains. He states that her served our the whole year as a waggoner. He set out on this tour in the spring of 1778, and was principally engaged in hauling ammunition. He just set our with the wagons from a little town in Pennsylvania called Reddin and down to the Army at the White Plains aforesaid and kept in leadership with the army his Captain was name of Archilbald and his general wagonmaster was by the name of Turner. He states that he saw General Washington very frequently. He states that he served our this year as a waggoner.

He removed to Virginia in the Spring of 1780. He settled in the county of Wythe the succeeding fall he volunteered. Went with seventy six men into the State of North Carolina. His Captain was named Buchanan. The understanding was when he set out that they were to join General Green but for some cause unknown to him did not do so. But returned home in about one month during which time they had a small engagement with some Tories. Killed seventeen or eighteen Tories and had one killed. He understood when they set out that they were a volunteer company not called for. This engagement was near the Adkin River.

He the next February he volunteered. Col. Preston set out to raise volunteers and got about one hundred and fifty men, went to Guillford County, North Carolina. Joined General Green for some time. He with some more left the Army to pursue.... Tories, had a little engagement with them at Hawes River but was offered to retreat and was pursued by the British. This concludes his service as a soldier and he has found it impossible from old age and a bad memory, to give minute descriptions and more especially names and has been as explicit as he can from his present recollection. He has no documentary evidence of his services nor does he know any or by where he can prove them.

He hereby relinquishes all claims whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any clerk.

            His X Mark
            Andrew Swallow
            Sworn to in open court the 14th day of September 1832.
            George W. Irvin, Clk.
            by E. N. Cullom

1st--Where and in what year were you born? In Park County in the State of Pennsylvania and in the year 1760.

2nd--Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Answer: I have no record of my age.

3rd--Where were you living when called in the service? Where have you lived since and where do you now live? Answer: I was living in Park County, Pennsylvania, removed to Wythe County, Virginia. Moved to North Carolina and from that place to Overton County, Tennessee where I now and have ever since lived.

4th--How were you called into the service: Were you drafted? Did you volunteer and were you a substitute and if so when? Answer: As before stated I was twice a substitute. Once for a man named Read and once for Miller. Next as a waggoner and my last tour as a volunteer.

5th--State some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service. Answer: Owing to the badness of memory I can tell very few names. I knew Col. Preston and frequently saw General Green and Washington.

6th--Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it? Answer: I never got but one discharge and that is lost. I cannot recollect that name.

7th--State the name of some of the persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for verity and their belief of your service as a soldier in the Revolution. Answer: George Christian, Esq., Richard Copeland, Col. Stephen Copeland, Josiah Copeland, Fredric Deck, Col. John Gore and Isaac Gore, Esq.
His X Mark
Andrew Swallow
Sworn to in open court 24th September 1832.
George W. Irvin, Clk.
by E.N. Cullom

This day Henderson Bates and George Christian both citizens of Overton County in the State of Tennessee, make oath that they have for many years been aquatinted with Andrew Swallow and live in his neighborhood, and applicant.

CATHARINE SWALLOW
PENSION APPLICATION
State of Tennessee
Overton County
On the 13th day of February 1844 personally appeared before me, John Waltrip, as Acting Justice of Peace in and for the County aforesaid Mrs. Catharine Swallow a resident of said county aged eighty nine years and who after being dully sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by an act of Congress passed the 7th July 1838 entitled an act granting half pay and pension to certain widows to wit that she is the widow of Andrew Swallows who was a soldier in the war of Revolution and she thinks belonged to the Pennsylvania line of troops and who on account of his service as a soldier in the Revolutionary War and in said line received a pension of $26.00 per annum and to the evidence composing the matter of the application of her said husband for said pension she refers for such facts and particulars as are necessary in the investigation of her claim. She further declares that she has no documentary evidence in support of her claim except a piece of paper containing the ages of their children also their own ages which she herewith files and further states that it is in the handwriting of her husband. She further declares that she was married to the said Andrew Swallows in the spring of seventeen hundred and eighty five and that her said husband Andrew Swallows died on the 30th day of September eighteen hundred forty three. That she was not married previous to her said husband leaving the service but the marriage took place prior to the first day of January 1794 viz. at the time above stated and that she has never since the death of her deceased husband intermarried but still continues his widow.

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year aforesaid before me.
                    John Waltrip, J. P.
                    Her X Mark
                    Catherine Swallow

I just inherent magasta do hereby certify the declarant personally known to me and known to be a lady of respectability and truth and full faith and credit is due her statements and that she is half unable to approve in open court by reason of bodily disability see to do and she still remains the unmarried widow of Andrew Swallow deceased given under my hand and seal this 13th day of February 1844.
John Waltrip, J. P.

AFFIDAVIT
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress granting five years pension to certain widows which was prohibited their drawing by the Act of Congress of the 30th April 1844 but restored to them by the resolution of congress of the 23rd January 1845.

Whereas the Act of the 30th April 1844 prohibited me from drawing a pension for the same period during which my husband was a pensioner, I now make the following statement under oath to obtain the benefit of the Revolution above mentioned. I am the widow of Andrew Swallow who was a private of the Revolution and drew a pension at the rate of twenty six dollars per annum from the 4th March 1831 until his death which took place on the 31st day of Sept. 1843. I made application for the pension due me under the law of congress passed for the benefit of widows of Revolutionary soldiers and my papers were forwarded I suppose last spring which I have not received and now ask for the amount due me from the 4th of March 1836 to 31st day of September 1843, the day of my husband's death and for the benefit of such other causes, I am entitled to it. Affient further states that her claim was presented as she thinks by William Travis last spring claiming under the laws then existing and that the record of the ages of her children which was in her possession - going to show the time of her marriage was handed to Mr. Travis to be forwarded to the pension office. She makes the said record and other papers which were forwarded as she supposed a part of this declaration or affidavit. She further states that the record of the ages of her desceased husband and her age with the ages of her children were in the handwriting of her deceased husband and that he wrote in Dutch languages.

Sworn to and subscribed to the 18th day of March 1845 before me.
Phillip Copeland, Justice of the Peace.

Her X Mark
Katherine Swallow

I certify that the above named affiant is personally known to me and that she is the widow of Andrew Swallows who was a pensioner of this county and that she is the same individual who applied for a pension as stated by him in the foregoing affidavit that she is exceedingly old.

Phillip Copeland
Justice of the Peace

STATE OF TENNESSEE
OVERTON COUNTY
I John S. Daugherty Clerk of the County Court of said Overton County that Phillip Copeland is a Justice of the Peace as above, and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are genuine.

In testimony whereof I have herunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 18th day of March 1845.
John S. Daugherty, Clerk

Source: Standing Stone Press, Monterey, Tenn. Fall-Winter, 1981

I believe that Andrew Swaley and Andrew Swallow are one and the same person. In January 2001 in request for a Swallows query I recieved a word document Descendants of Hans Zwahlen. In it you can see the etymology of the surname from Zwahlen, Zwally, Swalley, Swallow. The family genealogy begins in Abt. 1555 in Switzerland. Johannes Zwalle, Sr. 1711 - 1773 b: Bef. 1711 in Switzerland d: Bef. October 17, 1773 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. I think this could be the family group that Andrew Swallow descends from. I don't know how he connects with them. But I do this his name became Americanized from Andrew Swaley to Andrew Swallow.

I also believe the Andrew Swaley shown in the Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File (Source: Pennsylvania Archives) is the same Andrew Swallow who was the Andrew Swallow who came to Putnam County, Tennessee. My reasons for believing this are:
1. The etynology of the Zwahlen to Swallow surname.
2. In Andrew Swallow's Revolutionary War pension claim he states that he lived in Berks County, PA at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The Card File below shows that Andrew Swaley is also from Berks Coutny, PA.
3. In Andrew Swallow's Revolutionary War pension claim he states that he enlisted in September 1777, shortly before the Battle of Brandywine and served two months as a private in the Pennsylvania Troops, during which he was in the Battle of Brandywine/ he enlisted next and served two months in Captain Lesher's of Berk County, Pennsylvania, Company, engaged in vicinity of Philadelphia. And on the Card File below Andrew Swaley served under Captain John Lesher. And the time frame is the same.

Don't know if there is any connection.

Valley Forge Muster Roll Data Sheet

Personal ID: VA26210
WILLIAM SWALLOW:
Ethnicity:
Rank: PRIVATE
Rank Type: RANK AND FILE
State: VA
Regiment: 10 VA
Division: 5TH DIVISION
Brigade: 2ND VA BRIGADE
Company: CAPT. THOMAS BLACKWELL
December 1777: SICK ABSENT
January 1778: DECEASED - JAN. 25, 1778

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