Notes for: William Emanuel Swiger
William E. Swiger's obituary states that he died in May 1938, exactly "two months and sixteen days after his 102nd birthday," that he was born on Feb 28 1836 near Center Point, that he enlisted in the Union Army in 1861 at age 25, and that he was wounded at the Battle of Bull Run, incurring a bullet in the leg and a bayonet cut on his hand. His death record and grave marker also show his birth date as Feb 28 1836. But this account is inconsistent with his 1865 marriage record, which gives his age as 19; with his 1924 marriage record, which gives his age as 77; and with all seven census records in which he appeared. While the 1900 Census specifies his birth date as Feb 1845, age 55, his ages in the three earliest censuses would put his birth date in about 1848.
1850 Census, Doddridge Co, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Oct 4 1850:
Daniel Swiger, 32, farmer; Mary, 44; John C, 13; Ann E, 12; Nancy E, 9; Andrew H, 7; Tabitha, 5; William H (sic), 2.
1860 Census, Doddridge Co, Virginia (now West Virginia), enumerated on Jun 1 1860:
D. Swiger (male), 44, farmer; Mary, 55; A. (female), 16; W. E. (male), 12.
(Note: The 16-year-old child identified as a female would appear to be son Andrew.)
1870 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (McClellan Twp), enumerated on Jul 21 1870:
William E. Swiger, 22, farmer; Alice A, 24; Sarah T, 3; John D, 1.
1880 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (McClellan District), enumerated on Jun 19 & 21 1900:
William E. Swigger, 32, farmer; wife Alice A, 31; dau Sarah T, 12; son John D, 11; dau Mary V, 8; son Benjamin B, 5; dau Louesa H, 3; son William H, 2.
1900 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (McClellan District), enumerated on Jun 7 1900:
William Swiger, 55, b. Feb 1845, farmer, married 34 yrs; wife Alice A, 55, b. Mar 1845, mother of 9 children (8 still living); son William H, 21, b. Nov 1878; dau Martha O, 15, b. Aug 1884; son Henry W, 10, b. Aug 1889.
1910 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (McClellan District), enumerated on Apr 18 1910:
William E. Swiger, 67, married 45 yrs; wife Alice A, 66, mother of 9 children (8 still living); son Henry W, 20, married 1 yr.
1920 Census, Wetzel Co, WV (Grant District), enumerated on Jul 17 1920:
William Swiger, 75, farmer; wife Alice, 74.
1930 Census, Harrison Co, WV (Sardis District), enumerated on Apr 24 1930:
William E. Swiger, 87, retired; wife Virginia, 65.
In the adjacent household was William's son Henry W. Swiger and his family.