Posted on: VanBuren Co. Ia Query Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ia/VanBuren/1240 Surname: Claflin, Swires, Swiers, Seviers, Robinson ------------------------- I have had quite a time with the Swires name. I have found it spelled many ways in different records ie. the 1860 Census Records has Swiers, the Van Buren County early marriages has my great grandmother's name as Maria Seviers but has her parents as John Swiers and Ellen Claflin in one place and Allen Claflin and John Swiers in another. I have the transcript of Ellen's 1891 diary with the dates of these things so I am quite sure they are the same people. In the diary, it speaks of May but it is not known if she was a child or not and there is no date of her birth. If there is more info some place, please let me know. Facts in the diary state the following: Maria was born 1/11/1856, daughter of Hannah Ellen Claflin, born 1/19/1837, and John Swiers, born 3/28/1829. They were married 3/11/1855. They had 6 children named, Maria, Annie, Susie, George, Dora, and May. All have birth dates but May. I am assuming this should be Mary as stated in the 1860 Census.