SULDON WRIGHT SWINNEA

     Suldon Wright Swinnea, b November 25, 1843 in Giles County, Tennessee, d March 14, 1925 at Blue Ridge and buried in the Blue Ridge Cemetery - was a son of John and Rebecca (Phegan) Swinnea of Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively. Suldon married ca 1868 in Tennessee to Mary Elizabeth Hunnicutt, b June 22, 1850 in Giles County, Tennessee, d October 12, 1901 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery -a daughter of Hiram T. and Pherabe (York) Hunnicutt and granddaughter of William and Joanna (Barber) Hunnicutt. Hiram T. Hunnicutt died in 1867 in Tennessee, after having served in the Confederate States Army as a Captain, and losing a hand in the battle at Murfreesboro. Mary Elizabeth's grandmother, Joanna (Barber) Hunnicutt, came to Texas with the Suldon W. Swinnea family, and three sisters of Mary Elizabeth, Ellen, Susan, and Josephine Hunnicutt, also came. Joanna (Barber) Hunnicutt died in 1871, and was buried at Blue Ridge.
     Suldon served in the Civil War, enlisting in Tennessee in the Confederate States Army. The family settled in the Blue Ridge Community of Falls County, Texas, where Suldon purchased land and farmed the rest of his life. They were members of the Methodist denomination, with their affiliation in the Methodist Presbyterian Union Church at Stranger.
     Suldon Wright and Mary Elizabeth (Hunnicutt) Swinnea were the parents of twelve children:
     Mildred Swinnea, b June 27, 1869 in Falls County, Texas, d January 24, 1938 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery-married Samuel Milton Cornelison, b September 16, 1862, d March 12, 1912 and buried in Blue Ridge. They were members of the Presbyterian denom ination, and were affiliated with the Methodist-Presbyterian Union Church at Stranger.
     James Percival Swinnea, b September 1870 at Blue Ridge - married ca 1891 to Polly Harris, b September 1873 in Virginia. Among their children were Oscar P., Oliver H., and Millard F. Swinnea.
     Asa S. Swinnea, b May 15, 1872 in Falls County, Texas, d September 1944 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery - married Emma Owen, b December 12, 1875, d March 27, 1897 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery daughter of W. J. Owens.
     Lena Swinnea, b April 26, 1874 at Blue Ridge, Falls County, Texas, d March 28, 1946 - married first to Thomas L. Gillespie, b January 16, 1861, d January 22, 1897 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery. They were the parents of Suldon J. Gillespie, b February 3, 1897, d November 7, 1897 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery. Lena married second to a Mr. Sowders.
     Martha Swinnea, b ca 1876 - married John Cordon. No further information.
     Margaret Stella Swinnea (called "Maggie"), b January 23, 1879, d February 22, 1964 at Edna, Texas married Fred Henry Woodland, b February 11, 1878 at Blue Ridge, d in September 1933 at Edna - a son of William Howell and Ella (Wright) Woodland.
     Hiram S. Swinnea, b February 27, 1880 at Blue Ridge, d May 16, 1948 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery-married Anna Pearl Elder, b October 14, 1881, d July 17, 1970 in Marlin, Texas and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery - a daughter of John David and Mary Elizabeth (Hughey) Elder. Hiram S. and Anna Pearl had twelve children.
     Samuel H. Swinnea, b May 4, 1882, d July 26, 1964 and buried in Stranger Cemetery - married first to Laura Belle Harlan, b August 22, 1887 in Falls County, d May 27, 1908 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery - a daughter of William A. and Sarah R. (Vernon) Harlan. Samuel H. Swinnea married second to Matilda 1. Brothers, b August 15, 1890, d July 29, 1964 - a daughter of Jesse Barzilla and Laura (Hufstetler) Brothers.
     Grover C. Swinnea, b August, 1884 - married Pearl Owens, a daughter of W. J. and Frances ("Fanny" Millerman) Owens.
     Ross S. Swinnea, b June 29, 1886 at Blue Ridge, d August 13, 1954 and buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery married Elizabeth ("Lizzie") Woodland, b March 19, 1889, d May 6, 1912 - a daughter of William Howell and Ella (Wright) Woodland. They had one daughter, Sibyl Swinnea, who married Peyton Burke.
     Susan Lorena Swinnea, b May 9, 1889, d March 10, 1924 - married Gordon H. Johnson, b May 25, 1885, d December 11, 1973 and both buried in Blue Ridge Cemetery.
     Effie E. Swinnea, b September 1, 1891, d March 1, 1961 and buried in Calvary Cemetery in Marlin married Fletcher A. Tate, b November 5, 1886, d February 6, 1953 and buried in Calvary Cemetery - a son of Edward and Mary Jane ("Mollie" Arnett) Tate.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 442 column 2 and page 443 column 1.  
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.