Denise, I descend from many families who came to west/northwest Lewis Co in early 1800's - no Swearingen- at least not yet discovered. Applegate, Adams, Mackey, Hendrickson, Gill, Himes, Graham, Grimes, Tanksley, Rednour, Rowland, James Barkley(b.?1750 d. 1826Lewis, came to Lewis Co from SW PA)----just to name a few. In a number of records I find such words as "below Swearingen[?r] mill" or other references to this landmark. In the case of James (?Chambers) Barkley, who was in 1810 the overseer of theroad from East Fork of Cabin Creek to South Fork, reference was made to the crossing of this road with one that lead from Washington to Swearingen mill. Therefore, knowing the exact location of this mill will help me to better identify where several of my ancesters lived. Barbara Applegate Richards > From: "DeniseC" <dcmeta@interx.net> > To: KYLEWIS-L@rootsweb.com > > I am descended from Lewis County Swearingens! Are you, Barbara? > > My last direct line ancestor was Elizabeth Searingen born 28 December > 1839, married to Squire Ruggles on 20 September 1858 in Lewis County. > Elizabeth was the daughter of James Swearingen and Elizabeth Montgomery, > and James was the son of John Swearingen (born in Maryland) and Jane > Barkley (born in Pennsylvania maybe)/ > ~ DeniseC > :-----Original Message----- > :From: BA [mailto:barich@fuse.net] > :Could any county historians or Swearingen descendants tell me exactly > where > :Swearingen's mill was in the early 1800's? > : > :My best guess is that it was "midway" up Cabin Creek. > :

Barbara, I am related to McKees, Himes, & the Applegates & Gills through marriage. Also have others in Lewis Co. so if these are your lines, I'd like to compare info. Thanks a lot. June ----- Original Message ----- From: BA <barich@fuse.net> To: <KYLEWIS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 10:39 AM Subject: [ KYLEWIS] Re: Swearingen's mill > Denise, > I descend from many families who came to west/northwest Lewis Co in early 1800's - no Swearingen- > at least not yet discovered. > Applegate, Adams, Mackey, Hendrickson, Gill, Himes, Graham, Grimes, Tanksley, > Rednour, Rowland, James Barkley(b.?1750 d. 1826Lewis, came to Lewis Co from SW PA)----just to name > a few. > In a number of records I find such words as "below Swearingen[?r] mill" or other references to this > landmark. > In the case of James (?Chambers) Barkley, who was in 1810 the overseer of theroad from East Fork of > Cabin Creek to South Fork, reference was made to the crossing of this road with one that lead from > Washington to Swearingen mill. Therefore, knowing the exact location of this mill will help me to > better identify where several of my ancesters lived. > Barbara Applegate Richards > > > > From: "DeniseC" <dcmeta@interx.net> > > To: KYLEWIS-L@rootsweb.com > > > > I am descended from Lewis County Swearingens! Are you, Barbara? > > > > My last direct line ancestor was Elizabeth Searingen born 28 December > > 1839, married to Squire Ruggles on 20 September 1858 in Lewis County. > > Elizabeth was the daughter of James Swearingen and Elizabeth Montgomery, > > and James was the son of John Swearingen (born in Maryland) and Jane > > Barkley (born in Pennsylvania maybe)/ > > ~ DeniseC > > > :-----Original Message----- > > :From: BA [mailto:barich@fuse.net] > > > :Could any county historians or Swearingen descendants tell me exactly > > where > > :Swearingen's mill was in the early 1800's? > > : > > :My best guess is that it was "midway" up Cabin Creek. > > : > > > ==== KYLEWIS Mailing List ==== > > Messge Board: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.st ates.kentucky.counties.lewis&o=1&maxrows=25&dir=next > >

Dear Subscribers to the Lewis County, Kentucky Mailing List, Reverend O.G. Ragan's ~History of Lewis County, Kentucky~, Jennings and Graham Press, Cincinnati, 1912 (reprinted by the Lewis County Historical Society in 1990) contains a passage that mentions more than one mill whose builder was a Mr. Swearingen. The quotation is from page 23. "After this (after 1808) a grist and saw mill was built near Clarksburg by Rowland T. Parker, and a horse mill was started near Bethel Church by William Cordingly. A horse mill was started by Mr. Swearingen, and a grist and saw mill on Cabin Creek by Swearingen, and one near what was known as Old Union Church." The above passage by Rev. Ragan is not easy to understand. There are several questions raised by the vagueness of the writing. The location of the horse mill that was started by Mr. Swearengin was not named, but might have been Salt Lick, since that was the community that was being discussed in the context. Mr. Swearingen's given name was not included, leaving his identity in question. In addition, the Swearingen who built a grist and saw mill on Babin Creek might not have been the same man who started the horse mill. The third Swearingen enterprise, a mill near what was known as Old Union Church, might have been built by a third Swearingen. The passage does not clarify these matters. I do not know where the Old Union Church was (or is) located in Lewis County. I presume that "a grist and saw mill" was ONE mill which served the dual purpose of cutting lumber and grinding grain. If that assumption is correct, there were a total of three Swearingen mills mentioned in the Ragan passage, which were built by one, two or three Swearingens. The first mill on the list was the horse mill that was started by a Mr. Swearingen. The second mill was the combination(?) grist/saw mill on Cabin Creek. The third mill was either a combination(?) grist/saw mill or a simple mill, located near what was known as Old Union Church. I do not have enough knowledge about the design and functions of mills to know if "a grist and saw mill" was one mill or two mills, although I am leaning toward the dual-purpose idea. This provides more information on the subject of "Swearingen's Mill", but it also adds questions. Two of those questions are HOW MANY Mr. Swearingens were residents of Lewis County, Kentucky in 1810 and how many of those were mill-builders. Sincerely, Randal "Randy" W. Cooper Lorain, Ohio P.S. It must be borne in mind that Cabin Creek flows into the Ohio River in Mason County, Kentucky, at the community of Springdale, which is about five or six miles east of Maysville. Cabin Creek enters Mason County about three miles from its mouth. I do not know the route of the road which in 1810 connected the community of Washington, Mason County and a Swearingen Mill. Washington now adjoins Maysville, but in earlier years, it was separated from Maysville. Washington is situated inland from the Ohio River by about two miles.