Jeremiah Sweaney was born in Person Co., N.C. in 1794. His parentage is as yet unproven. The state census of N.C. 1784-7 has three counties where there were Sweaneys enumerated. Granville County has two men with families so one of these may be the grandfather of Jeremiah. They are:

       Thomas Swiney aged between 21 & 60 with 2 white males between 21 & 60 and 3 females

     Since the taxable men were aged 21-60, we have only those named who were head of; household in that age group listed in the state census. If the other males were their oldest children, that would make the two above men old enough to be Jeremiah's grandfathers.

     The Granville Co. Marriages show that William Swinney md Lizabeth Lasiter 15 Oct 1783 in Granville Co., N.C.

     The father of Jeremiah may be the Levi Swiney listed in the 1800 Federal Census of N.C. in Granville Co. or a John Sr. in Person Co., N.C. Since they named their first son Levi, it would follow custom that Jeremiah's father was Levi. The census shows this listing:

     Our Jeremiah would be six years old in 1800 so he may be one of these four sons aged under 10. Levi's probate record could prove it.

      Earlier records of the 1790s and earlier indicate that these families had immigrataed into North Carolina from Maryland.

      The earliest public record we find of Jeremiah was when he married. The Person County Marriage Bonds, p. 148 show that Jeremiah Sweaney married Nancy Griffin 11 Nov 1812. H. Haralson was witness and Stephen Crews made bond for the marriage.

     Jeremiah and Nancy began rearing their family in North Carolina but it was not long before the attraction of new lands opening in Tennessee beckoned to them. We find them in the 1830 census in Wayne Co., TN and in 1840 in the adjoining county of Lawrence. This was located in the western part of Tennessee where the Tennessee River moves back up from the Alabama line. No doubt they traveled this river to reach their home in that part of the state.

      The Jeremiah Sweaney family came to Missouri in the 1840s and settled in Dallas Co. We have been able to piece this family record together from the early censuses. Below shows the listing as it appeared in the 1850 Federal Census of Dallas co. and then to the right are the listings from the 1830 and 40 censuses from Tennessee. The 1850 census was the first to list the names of the people in the family besides the head of house.

CHILDREN: (births)	1850census	1830	1840
M) Levi Woodson	1813	1810-15	md.
M) William (A/D)	1815/7	1810-15	md
M) (Benjamin Franklin?)	-	1815-20	1810-20
F) Ann	1820	1815-20	1810-20
M) John	1827	1825-30	1825-30
M) Andrew	1830	1825-30	1825-30
M) Wile F.	1831	-	1830-35
M) James C.	1833	-	1830-35

     The first four children were born in North Carolina. The fifth as yet uncertain. John's birth is stated as in Tennessee (1850 Dallas Co. c). Most of this family came to Missouri in the 1840s but W. D. had married in TN and begun his family there before coming on to Missouri in the 1850s. The Plat Book of Dallas Co. shows a Geo. W. Sweaney taking up land north of the River and north of James Sweaney in 1858. This may be our William.

     During the gold rush fever, Levi Woodson and a brother they called "Buck" (possibly Benjamin Franklin) left for California.

      A letter from Carlo M. DeFerrari gives us this information: "A brother came out with Levi Woodson Sweaney. His name was Franklin Sweaney, and I have been told he was nicknamed 'Buck'. He died in 1865 and was buried in the cemetery at a small mining camp called Fiddletown. His tombstone was broken in pieces and I have it here now trying to figure out how it can be mended."

     Mr. DeFerrari is a resident of Sonora, CA and the County Historian. He is a grandson of Matthew who was son of Levi Woodson.

     The 1860 Census indicated that Jeremiah Sweaney did not own real estate. The Dallas Co. Plat Book shows that James first entered the land. They lived in Range 19, Twp 34, Sec 9 on land adjoining the Niangua River. The land is about a mile northeast of the Sweaney (or Riverview) Cemetery. This site is just off County Hiway K.