Venting about Enoch Reece

Don't you just hate when someone tells you your research is wrong, even though you have all the supporting documents and records to prove you are right, especially when that person refuses to show their documentation!

Well, that is what has happened to me over the last couple of weeks.  I have been trying to correct someone who has posted some incorrect information, but they refuse to correct it because they believe their info is right, even when shown numerous records and documents stating their position is incorrect or at least suspect.

It all started when I visited Find-A-Grave.com to update some links in my master file.  I was going back in my Reece line and noticed a change in the memorial for Enoch Reece.  It had a second wife and more children and parents linked.  I was a bit confused since the parents linked were not my Enoch's parents and I had never heard of a second family for Enoch.  So, I emailed the owner of the memorial and told him I thought he had two Enochs confused.  He replied that he did not and what he had was true.  I pointed out some obvious reasons first, both women were reportedly married to Enoch at the same time.  His response to that was that his dad had more than one wife at the same time so Enoch did too.  Well, without documents and proof I highly doubt that.  While it did happen, it was a rare occurrence.

I replied with a more detailed reason for why I believed that there were two different Enochs, one who married Sarah Halk and one who married Sophia Galloway and they were not the same.

First I noted census records.

Census Year	Enoch and Sarah	Enoch and Sophia
1830	Haywood County, North Carolina	Buncombe County, North Carolina
1840	Haywood County, North Carolina	Henderson County, North Carolina
1850	cannot find	cannot find
1860	Henderson County, North Carolina	Webster, Jackson, North Carolina
1870	cannot find	Eastatoe, Transylvania, North Carolina
1880	cannot find	Eastatoe, Transylvania, North Carolina

I also noted how every census record for Enoch and Sarah listed Enoch as being born in 1795-1796 while every census record for Enoch and Sophia (except 1860 which notes and 1800 birthdate) lists Enoch as being born in 1793. Also, Enoch who married Sarah was always listed as being born in North Carolina while Enoch husband of Sophia was always listed as being born in South Carolina. Since Enoch who married Sarah is not found after 1860, he mostly likely died before the 1870 census. This would be further validated with the fact that Sarah was reported as a widow in 1870 and 1880. In 1870 she is living with her son John and in 1880 she is living with her grandson, Bryson, both in Haywood County, North Carolina.

I had also noted that Enoch who married Sarah Halks was the son of Anthony Reece (who he had the Enoch listed with on Find-A-Grave) and Enoch who married Sophia Galloway was the son of Ambrose Reece.  He flat out stated I was wrong and he had never heard of Ambrose Reece.  I then noted that I have transcripts of estate records (transcribed by my grandfather's first cousin) which state: "State of North Carolina...
Buncomb County...  Know all men by these presents that we John Reese, Jane Thompson & Enoch Reese of the State and County aforesaid being the lawful heirs of Rose Reese late deceased of Hall County State of Georgia..."  This is not the only record that lists Enoch as son of Ambrose.  I have not found any for Anthony, but I do not doubt that there was an Anthony with a son named Enoch, just not the Enoch who married Sophia Galloway. The above document was recorded in January of 1829, which works very well with Enoch husband of Sophia since he lived in Buncombe County in 1830.

One reason I feel that these Enoch's were confused, other than their close age and location, is the fact that they both had sons named John who were born in 1825. John, son of Enoch and Sarah moved to Texas where he died in 1898. He married Allif Evans and had a number of children. John, son of Enoch and Sophia died much sooner in 1869 in the Carolinas. He married Clarinda Nix and also had children.

I feel that Enoch who married Sarah and the Enoch who married Sophia are two very different people. The records I found seem to support this. If anyone out there has proof that the above reason is incorrect, please let me know.

Harold Eugene Swayngham

My first entry will be about someone very dear to me, my grandfather, the one whose name inspired the search that began my journey in genealogy. His name was Harold Eugene Swayngham. He was born in Pickens County, South Carolina on August 19, 1930 to Wade Hampton Swayngham and Beulah Reece. He was the only boy born to his parents, as he had 3 sisters, Evelyn, Syble, and Frances. Early on, this family suffered tragedy when his father passed away when he was only 4 years old on December 26, 1934. It was unknown at the time what had caused his death, but after a daughter suffered and died from a brain tumor, the family believed that is what caused his death as well. His mother had to go to work in the mills to be able to afford to care for herself and her 4 children. My grandfather also helped to work once be became old enough. His mother eventually remarried to William Earl Smith on July 1, 1944, by whom she had a 5^th child, Betty.

In 1946, he met his future wife, Barbara Mae Dorr. At the time, she was only 14 years old and he 16. They courted all through school and were married on August 5, 1952 in Pickens County, South Carolina. It wasn't the wedding my grandmother had dreamed of having. My grandfather had been sent to Korea with the military. We will go into more detail on that in the next paragraph. When my grandfather returned home from Korea, my grandmother was excited because she could finally plan her wedding. She had already picked out a wedding dress pattern to make. He went to visit her the day he got home. He told her he wasn't going to wait for her to plan a wedding, they were going to the preachers house and getting married. They got their licenses and as soon as it was approved, they were at the preachers house getting married. My grandmother wore a powder blue suit. I have seen the pictures, but do not know where they have gotten off to.

Now, I mentioned my grandfather was in Korea. If he had not shown up when he was drafted, no one would have known, the records showed he had died at birth. Anyway, he was chosen to serve in the war as a private and left on Tuesday, March 20, 1951. He and my grandmother wrote everyday. My grandmother became very worried at one point when she did not hear from him for a week. She though he had been killed. She finally received a very apologetic letter stating that he could not write because he was on the front lines. He told her not to worry if he didn't write, it was because he couldn't. When he got home from war he told my grandmother that if he was ever drafted again he would go, but he would be kicking and screaming a lot harder. He did not like war and being away from his family. He once told my grandmother that he never wanted to go farther away from home than he could drive in a day.

After my grandparents were married, they lived in a small home hear her parents in a home that my grandfather and great-grandfather built. My grandfather was in construction and built parts of Clemson University and various plants around the area. My grandfather worked for Daniels construction. With his work, he and my grandmother moved around to many different locations. The first place they moved to was Rock Hill, South Carolina. This was when my grandfather was promoted to supervisor. He told my grandmother that she was not to work anymore. She was only 25 years old and she did not work anymore. She worried about how they were going to make it, but soon she learned how wise my grandfather was with money and did not have to worry anymore.

Some time later, they moved to Wilmington, North Carolina where my mother was born on January 28, 1961. Her name is Sandra Lynn Swayngham. Shortly thereafter, the new family moved to Waynesboro, North Carolina where their second child, Carol Jean, was born on August 20, 1962. The family later moved to Kingsport, Tennessee where their last child, Barbara Susan, was born on November 14, 1964. After all the children were born, they family moved some more with my grandfather's job until they ended up in Carrollton, Georgia in the early 70s. My grandmother wanted the girls to stay in one school until they graduated and so my grandfather bought an arrow stream trailer to travel with his jobs. He would come home every weekend to see his family. Once the girls were grown and the two oldest married, they family began to move around with his job again. His new sons-in-laws were employed under my grandfather and thus the whole extended family moved together, first to Murphreesboro, Tennessee then to Pawley's Island, South Carolina. My grandparents, two youngest daughters and their families moved back to Carrollton, Georgia. He then began to have back problems. He was told to take some time off to heal. After two weeks, he went back to work and they told him to go back home because he was not better. My grandmother talked to him about retirement and he said he wasn't sure he would like retirement. He had a years worth of time he could take off. He took his time and decided he enjoyed being retired and so he did. They lived in Carrollton for the rest of their lives.

In 2001, another tragedy struck the family when the youngest daughter, Susan, died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 37. She had been sick for some time as a result of her diabetes. My grandfather took the death hard. He never spoke about her to anyone after her death. My grandmother believes that his youngest grandson saved him from becoming overcome with grief. He was just 6 years old when my aunt died and he attached himself to my grandfather. My grandfather's “little buddy” kept him going for many years.

My grandfather passed away on March 16, 2009 in his building while working on the lawn mower. He had a massive heart attack. My grandmother had gone to town and had gotten him a milk shake. When she got home, she hollered to him that she was home and had bought him something. When he hadn't come inside, she went out to check on him and that is when she found him in the building. My grandmother was very thankful that he did not die in the house. She did not know if she could have managed if he had. He was buried near his youngest daughter in Carroll Memory Gardens.

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