Hello. My name is Joe Swank. Quite by accident, I began a little geneological research and had the capabilities to post the results. It interests me to find others of my family tree. Most of my information came from the writings of Florence Puzey-Swank and from "The History of Carroll Township" plus conversations with several members of the family. If you find a link to your family tree, let me know (especially if I have something wrong). It's a pretty interesting story, even if you aren't related. I'll be updating this from time to time, especially on the younger Swanks, so check back if you're keeping a score card at home,...and here we go.
Written by Florence-Pusey Swank in 1927
If we could roll the curtain back to a scene of one hundred and ten years [now one hundred and seventy-six years] ago to 1820, we would see on the beautiful high school grounds here in Indianola a covered wagon train, the people weary and worn with weeks of travel from the beautiful Ohio Valley country, making camp for the night. This wagon train consisted of two brothers, Richard and William Swank, and their families. The brothers were soldiers of the War of 1812. They had come to enter and receive their land which the government would deed them in 1824.
After a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast the two brothers and Robert Trickle, Mrs. Richard Swank's brother, started out to prospect. William liked the location they had found and, of course, water was always the pioneers first thought and prospective object. Good running water or a spring was positively essential in those days and in a short time the woods rang with the shouts of William. He had found the famous spring of water, now located on Mrs. Michael Fisher's farm [Andy Stoaks' place, as of 1986] which is separated from the high school by Swank's Branch. This spring has never been known to fail in over one hundred and twenty years and has provided drinking water for stock and hundreds of travelers.
William right then and there told them that this was his choice and here he would enter his claim. His brother, Richard, the day before as they made camp for dinner at what is now known as Mt. Pisgah or Concord, had fallen in love with that location and expressed his desire of entering land there. William, by insisting, had persuaded them to go farther. They traveled four more miles to the present site of Indianola. They were late spring or early summer arriving and they built a lean-to, a three sided affair, in the side of a hill right by the spring. The families lived in this and their covered wagons until a garden and some food was raised. Then, in between times, Richard with his sons by his first wife, wended their way back to Concord and entered government land.
Richard and his sons built a good log cabin which is remembered by many people yet today. It was almost within a stone's throw of Concord settlement and where the first Concord Church and cemetery are now. Richard, the first, has been buried there one hundred and three [now one hundred and sixty-nine] years this February. Nothing is known of Richard Swank's first wife, the mother of those first four sons, but his second wife, Mary, was a sister of Robert Trickle, one of the main organizers of Vermilion County.
The Swanks are of Dutch origin and came from New Jersey to Ohio when it was yet the Northwest Territory. They went to Ross County, Ohio, Chillicothe being their hometown.
On arriving in Illinois, these brothers had no neighbors, other than Indians, any closer than at Butlers Point, God's Acre at Catlin, and the Salt Works close to Catlin. There were a few settlers there.
It is very possible that the men came on into Illinois earlier to look the land over and returned for their families and still were here in 1820. H.W. Beckwith in his 1879 book "History of Vermilion County" states, " There cannot be any doubt as to the date at which William Swank, the 'Father of Dallas,' came. His recent death deprived the writer of an opportunity to collect many interesting facts, but his neighbors all know that he was here as early as 1820. William Swank made his home where Michael Fisher lives, and his farm covered a part of the town of Indianola." William Swank was born at Ft. Cumberland, Maryland in 1783. We have not found his parents but family records say that the Swanks are of Dutch origin and came from New Jersey (by way of Maryland since
both William and Richard were born in that state) to Ohio when it was yet the Northwest Territory. They went to Ross County, Ohio, Chillicothe being their hometown. They left Ohio in 1819 and moved on to Indiana Territory and then on into Illinois. William was married to Mary "Polly" Lloyd on January 12, 1814 by Wm. Florence, Justice of the Peace in Pickaway County (part of the original Ross County).
Mary was born in Winchester, Virginia on December 27, 1796. As far as we know William only had the one brother, Richard, who was born in Maryland March 12, 1773. We are sure there were others in the family but at this time they are unknown as are the parents of Mary.
William and Mary had nine children, five daughters and four sons. Their first child was Mahala Swank who was born November 26, 1815 in Pickaway County, Ohio. Mahala was married to Thomas Boggess in Vermilion County, Illinois on July 9, 1840 by Abel S. Williams. She passed
away February 6, 1863. Their second child was Phebe Swank, also born in Pickaway County March 8, 1817. She was married to William Porter here in this county October 8, 1843 by
James Ashmore, a minister of the Presbyterian faith. William Porter was born near Lexington, Kentucky and came with his parents to Carroll Township around 1834. His father's name was Samuel and he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church. William Porter's name
appears as an early member of the Little Vermilion Baptist Church and later as trustee of the Indianola Baptist Church in 1851, and as a deacon in the church. The Porters lived about one mile southwest of Indianola. William and Mary's third daughter was Elizabeth Swank who was born October 11, 1818 also in Ohio. She was married to John Widner August 23, 1838 by
Barnett Weaver, Justice of the Peace. Both parties being minors had their parents sign for them. George Widner signed for John and William Swank signed for Elizabeth. Elizabeth died March 31, 1842 at the age of twenty-three years, five months, and twenty days. William and Mary's fourth daughter, Emily, was born and died in Knox County, Indiana in 1820. John Perry Swank, William's first son, was born five years after their arrival here in Carroll Township. John
was born December 18, 1825 on a farm on the present site of Indianola. On February 18, 1851 he married Phebe Dickson, whose mother, Elizabeth, signed for her. Phebe's parents were John and Elizabeth (Doyle) Dickson. John died June 8, 1894 at the age of sixty-nine years, five months, and twenty days. Phebe died April 1, 1913 at the age of eighty-three years, ten months, and sixteen days.
The second son of William and Polly was George W. Swank who was born March 1, 1828 in Indianola. We have no records or information on George. Andrew Jackson Swank was born March 28, 1830 in Indianola, the seventh child of William and Polly. Andrew married twice. His first wife was Sarah Elizabeth Black, whom he married March 15, 1855 and then on February 18, 1858 Andrew married her sister, Lucy "Lucinda" Black. Samuel Black, the father of both girls, signed so they could marry. Sarah evidently died shortly after they were married and later Andrew married her sister.
Rachel married Joseph W. Spicer on March 18, 1852. Rachel was underage so her mother, Mary Swank and William Porter, her brother-in-law, signed for her as William had passed away.
The ninth and last child of William and Mary was William Francis Marion Swank who was born February 7, 1842 in Indianola. He married Mary E. Sims March 10, 1861. A voucher has her listed as "Elizabeth Jane." A Nancy Jane Sims signed for her as she was underage.
William served in the War of 1812 as a private in Captain Thomas Renick's Company (from Pickaway County, Ohio) of Mounted Volunteers, Ohio Militia 2nd Regiment commanded by Colonel James Renick. The term of service was thirty days from July 26 until August 26, 1813. William was soon promoted to Captain. William and Richard were given the privilege of entering land under the "Military Tract" for services in" the War of 1812. Thus their move to the unclaimed lands of Illinois.
The first record of land purchased by William was March 13, 1823. There is another deed which reads "United States of America to William Swank, Patent dated July 27, 1824." This eighty acres was entered May 12, 1823 as shown by the Original Entry Book of Vermilion County, Illinois.
What was known as the old Michael Fisher place (where Andy Stoaks now lives) was the original farm where William Swank staked his claim and his descendants owned until they sold it to Michael Fisher August 23, 1867.
When William and Richard Swank first came with their families they had only Indians and wild animals for neighbors. When they decided to s.sake their claims William crossed what is known as "Swank's Branch" and located a spring of water and decided then and there that was where he would enter his land. The claim included most of present day Indianola.
He built a lean-to (a three sided affair) in the side of a hill right by the spring. His brother, Richard, built one in the hill close to the home owned by Elsie Moreland. The families lived in these shelters and their covered wagons until a garden and some food was raised. In between time, Richard with his sons wended their way back to Concord and entered government land there.
Before the town was formed William set up a stillhouse down in the bottom, south of where his log cabin stood, where he would make an occasional barrel of good pure liquor for his neighbors' use. The condition of this malarial country was one reason for this demand for whiskey, and this still insured a pure article. William provided for his neighbors in an even better way by the little corncracker he had attached, which was run by treadmill power, and he did all the neighborhood grinding.
William was a progressive man for the 1820's. With the help of his brother, Richard, and Richard's older sons, Richard, Jr., David, William or "Billy" and possibly, Robert, they laid out this town. Basil Lewman was a surveyor and he helped to survey the town.
On September 6, 1836 the village was platted with a public square and one hundred four lots. David Baird platted the west half of the village and William, the east half. Both Beckwith and Lottie Jones, early historians, say the town was named Chillicothe after William's hometown of Chillicothe, Ohio.
William and Mary gave the ground and the first donation to build the Baptist Church. William also gave the park to the town.
William died June 6, 1851 and Mary died June 15, 1854 and both are buried in Weaver Cemetery, Indianola.
Shirley Nesbitt was born May 26, 1936, in Indianola, the daughter of Clarence and Ethel (Swank) Gardner. She married John Nesbitt on Dec. 27, 1959, at Georgetown. He survives. Also surviving are two sons, John "David" (Sandy) Nesbitt of Georgetown and Richard "Douglas" (Lisa) Nesbitt of Burlington, Ind.; a daughter, Nancy Ann (Roger) Burris of Vermilion Grove; seven grandchildren, Chelsea and Haleigh Nesbitt of Georgetown, Lauren and Noah Nesbitt of Burlington, and Bryant, Megan, and Danielle Burris of Vermilion Grove. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Early in her life, Shirley had taught school in Ridge Farm, Danville and Indianola. That teaching experience carried over into her museum work, particularly in teaching the school children who visited the museum about the history of Catlin.
Shirley Nesbitt was a member of the First Church of Christ in Georgetown,
the Illiana Genealogical and Historical Society, Old Town Preservation and
the Antiquarians.
In addition to history and genealogy, she enjoyed collectibles, auctions,
painting and reading.
Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 25, 2002, at
Houghton-Leasure Funeral Home in Georgetown. Edwin Ross, a friend of the
family, officiated.
Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery in Indianola.
Billie Jean Coons
Billie Jean Coons is listed in the Social Security Death Index. Birthdate
04 Nov 1928, died 06 Nov 1998, last residence in Georgetown, IL.