BeddowTree

The Genealogy of the Beddow Family (and others)

Elizabeth Ann Lovelady

Female 1825 - 1916  (90 years)


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  • Name Elizabeth Ann Lovelady  [1, 2
    Born 27 Nov 1825  Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Female 
    Died 8 Feb 1916  Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Person ID I1187  Merged Tree

    Father Asa Lovelady,   b. 1798, S.C. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Ar. Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Nancy McWhorter 
    Family ID F516  Group Sheet

    Family 1 Jonas Sweazea,   b. 1820, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. ABT. 1862, Civil War in Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 42 years) 
    Married 1844  Jackson Co., Tn. Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Children 
     1. Mary E. Sweazea,   b. 9 May 1847, Jackson Co., Tn. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Apr 1919, Carter Co., Mo. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 71 years)
     2. Catherine Sweazea,   b. 27 Feb 1848, Jackson Co., Tn. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 14 Dec 1930, Carter Co., Mo. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years)
     3. Sarah E. Sweazea,   b. ABT. 1850, Jackson Co., Tn. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. BEF. 1900, Carter Co., Mo. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 49 years)
     4. Johnson Richard Sweazea,   b. Mar 1856, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location
     5. Allen Dewitt Sweazea,   b. Dec 1860, Carter Co. Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1931, Carter Co., Mo. Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 70 years)
    Family ID F507  Group Sheet

    Family 2 Anthony G. Gresham,   b. 1815, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married 22 Apr 1869  Carter Co., Mo. Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Family ID F515  Group Sheet

  • Notes 
    • [18212.ged]

      [sweeze~2.FTW]

      Elizabeth Lovelady and her husband, Jonas Sweazea left Tennessee after the New Madrid Earthquake and set out for Missouri. The little group traveled for miles over almost impassable roads and trails into inland Missouri. The rolling hills were covered with forests of magnificent pine, oak, and black walnut. The lumber thirsty crews of men, who a few years later slashed and slew the trees and fed them to glutinous saw mills, before the government saw fit it make laws to protect the forests, had not yet appeared upon the scene. The river valleys were rich and fertile soil, of which they could have any amount with a clear title. Elizabeth and her husband bought a farm, for they decided they had reached the land where they wished to make their home. They set about building a small house and improving their land on the head of Brushy Creek. Life in the new country was very hard, but each day saw new families settling in the country; before long they were enjoying neighbors, had established a church and school, improved the roads and were leading a life not unlike the one they had left in northwest Tennessee.
      Time has a way of passing rapidly when people are busy and happy. Very little news filtered into the backwoods settlements to ruffle the even tenor of their days. Now and then some traveler came through bringing news of heated political campaigns across the river and in the East, and of a young backwoods lawyer by the name of Abe Lincoln, who had been making a name for himself in the political world. Finally word came of his running for President, his election, and the declaration that all men are created equal and free. His call for volunteers for an army to preserve the Union, was answered by men from the backwoods settlements, as well as from cities, with the popular campaign song of the time, on everyone's lips--"We are coming Father Abraham, 60,000 strong". How different the entire way of life of the U.S. would have been, had men been able to see the extent of the most terrible of Civil Wars, where there was no compromise and men so lost sight of the teachings of Christ that fathers and sons, brothers and cousins and best of friends were lined up against each other.
      The Sweazea household was completing preparations for moving northward out of the way of marauding bands of men known as guerrillas, who made war on the countryside, belonged to neither army and fabricated excuses for taking men who had not joined their bands, prisoners, stealing, burning and plundering, no farm home or smallest supply of food or any necessity, was safe from their watchful eye. The last night at home found them happy in the knowledge that early the next morning they would be on the way to a safer home in a new locality where they would remain while the father and husband would join the ranks of men who were fighting the Civil War. But other ears had heard of the plans. In the night a call came to Jonas Sweazea. Elizabeth saw the group of shadowy figures on horses at the gate. Her husband must have known the fatality of the hours, but reassuring her, he went out to them and silently disappeared into the darkness. This was only one of many similar cases which were occurring daily throughout that part of the country.
      Elizabeth decided to remain where she was, and watched long hours daily for his return, but he never re-appeared. After a while she realized that she was a widow with a family depending on her for support. She took up practical nursing, accompanying the one remaining doctor on calls and learning to care for the sick. The war continued. The doctor went into the service of the army so Elizabeth found herself carrying on where the doctor had left off, doing all she could for the sick, watching over suffering little children and more than anything else ushering new life into the world. She was very proud of her record along this line, over a period of years, the groups of children of all ages were the best testimonials of her successful work, which had been carried on with the small insufficient aid at hand.
      Her experiences were many and required much courage and fearlessness. She walked many miles over rough roads to answer the call of distress very often reaching home or a place of illness followed by wolves, that howled around the place long after she had entered. The pay was small and usually in the form of a bag of corn meal, now and then a hen or chicken, or sometimes a few pounds of precious flour or salt, which were carefully buried far enough away from the house that searching parties of marauders would not find it.
      A daughter had married, but lived at home because her husband was in the army. The soldiers were paid a small salary at times, which was usually sent home. It was the habit of unscrupulous bands of men to watch all homes where they knew money would come, and take it. One day they came to Elizabeth's home and demanded money. She told them they didn't have any, but the men refused to believe her, and searched the house thoroughly, even tearing the paper from the walls. Mad, because of their failure to find the money, they decided to burn the house. Suddenly Elizabeth recognized one of the men. Calling him by name she asked if he would allow men to burn their home. He said, Mrs. Sweazea, if you will never tell that I was with them, I will see if I can stop them". He did, and Elizabeth carried the secret of the man's name to her grave. Incidentally, the money was buried beneath the ash hopper.
      The close of the war found the country absolutely destitute of livestock, all cattle had been driven away or died from lack of food and protection, and horses had long since disappeared. Even the cats had died from starvation. Elizabeth had acquired an old broken down mule, which they used about the place, trying to keep up a part of the work. The mule was so decrepit he was scorned by both armies and marauders. One of her best jokes, she would laugh and her black eyes would sparkle, as she would tell about deciding to ride the mule to a town some miles north, where she believed she could find a cat and purchase some much needed household articles. After a few days she has home, with a cat, which she had carried all the way in her arms, and two yards of calico for a sunbonnet which she had purchased at the unheard of price of fifty cents per yard. The trip had been slow and uneventful, except for once--when a group of soldiers on their way home had passed her on foot and made fun of her mule. She told them very emphatically that it was because of such as they, that she was forced to own such poor stock.
      Men who still lived returned to their homes, law was re-established and people went about the business of rebuilding a country devastated by four years of civil war. Throughout the period of reconstruction on and for many years following, Elizabeth took a keen interest in affairs connected with the building and improvement of the country. She witnessed the coming of the telegraph, telephone, the automobile, read stories in the fine modern newspapers of machines flying through the air, and often spoke of how much nicer such a way of travel would be, than being forced to depend upon the equanimity of a discarded mule.
      The long and useful life, the most of which was spent in the service of others,
      of one of Carter County's pioneer women, came to a close in the spring, when the country was alive with beauty and promise, after the sleep of winter, and the dogwood and red bud were in bloom.

      This account of Elizabeth and Jonas Sweazea was written by the great great granddaughter, Marion Curtis (while she was in high school). It was loaned to Mrs. Ola Morlen by Mr. A.N. Tucker and permission was given by him to copy it for recording by the Carter County Historical Society.

  • Sources 
    1. [S01648] sweeze.
      Date of Import: Aug 1, 1999

    2. [S12068] 18212.ged.
      Date of Import: Jun 7, 2001


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