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Eli Sweny
Fraktur
Warren County Ohio
March 11, 1828
[look very closely to see the name]
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WILLIAM WALKER Jurrs (within elaborate calligraphy)
Late of Adams County State of Ohio
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred twenty eight
When this you see Remember me
_____ H. Rush (appearing to be a later signing)
Transcription
of back left
In casting of lots you felt to be mine, I choose thee for my Valentine
The young men when the drew, At every draught got something new
From others names I drew thine And Choose the for my Valenentine (sp)
When the drawing was quite over Around the fire we did hover
Altho the fire did but dimly shine I still retained my Valentine
Then they I carefully took, And put it in my pocket -book
And for thy sake still thou art mine, I will preserve my Vallentine
My dearest dear and lovely misf O design thou fair accept of this
And to my suit your heart incline And be thou my Valentine
Thy shape is handsome neat and trim In every feature and every limb
All happiness would be mine If you would but be my Valentine
Were I a prince or some great Lord or would my fortune it afford
I would dress you in silk so fine If you be my Valentine
But if my present you refuse Pray for my boldness me excuse
Or if to my suit you do not incline Return to me my Valentine
The rose is red the violet is blue The fillies fair with crimson hue
Or lovely pink can't you outshine 0 deign to be my Valentine
Not all the flowers of the field Nor all Persia inscence yield
As that sweet precious breath of thine O deign to be my Valentine
Thy looks are of the auburn hue Thy eyes of the liquid blue
Thy face is form'd by beauties line O were you but my Valentine
But now if you'll your eye remove Within those emblems of true love
Perhaps you may all suits resign And be my true love and Valentine
Had I all the riches of Peru I would share it all with you
all the gold of aphirs mine I would all if you'd be my Valentine
thou fairest do not me grieve O deign this present to receive
Condescend and be benign And please to accept this Valentine
Young cupid with her cunning dart, Has keenly pierced my poor hart
and stamped there in thy form divine O were you my Valentine
Consent my dear give me your hand Let us unite in wedlock band
Together let our hearts entwine And be each others Valentine
From wince this come Or where it goes
I will no names disclose The receiver knows, E Pluribus Unim
Combination Atlas Map of Warren County Ohio: Compiled, Drawn and Published From Personal Examinations and Surveys (Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1875), page 18 1/2
THE SWENY FAMILY.
WILLIAM SWENY.
This old pioneer was born in 1770, in the State of Pennsylvania. He married
Sarah Steel, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1772, by whom he had a
family of nine children, viz.: Robert,
Martha, James, Mary, Rachel, Lydia, Betsey, Eli,
and Nancy. He emigrated to Ohio in 1799, and settled in Clear Creek Township,
Warren County, where he resided till his death, in February, 1849.
Robert, the oldest son, served
in the war of 1812, and
was surrendered in Hull's army at Detroit. Only three children survive,
James, Lydia, and Eli. Nancy died
quite young. Lydia is Mrs. G. Coffeen, of Lebanon.
Mr. Sweny was a very earnest religious man. In his early life he united
with the M. E. Church, but subsequently, upon examining the works of Emanuel
Swedenborg, he embraced that faith, which was his belief the remainder
of his life, and of these doctrines he was a zealous and able advocate.
He was, nevertheless, a quiet, modest man, and a perfect gentleman.
About the spring of 1780, Mr. Sweny, then a lad of ten years, accompanied his father, Robert Sweny, and others, on an expedition into Kentucky, where the parties intended to avail themselves of the grants of land to those who would make certain improvements thereon. They selected their ground and began such improvements as they could make, and at the same time protect themselves against the Indians. But other parties stepping in and claiming the land, and Mr. Sweny and his associates having no recourse in law by which to hold their ground, and the Indians being very troublesome, Mr. Sweny and his company started back to Pennsylvania by way of Virginia, there being no other safe route on account of the Indians.
While on their way, when they were some two or three days' journey from any white settlement, they were attacked by the Indians, a portion of their number was wounded, and a large part of their baggage was captured and burned by the savages. It was a very desperate encounter, and Mr. Sweny and his party barely escaped with their lives. William Sweny, a mere boy at the time, retained ever afterwards vivid recollections of the fearful attack.
William Sweny died February 22, 1848. Mrs. Sweny died in 1838.
Combination
Atlas Map of Warren County Ohio: Compiled, Drawn and Published From
Personal Examinations and Surveys (Philadelphia: L. H. Everts,
1875),
page 18 1/2 - 18 3/4
COLONEL JAMES SWENY,
second son and third child of William Sweny, just noticed, was born near
Brownsville, Pennsylvania, September 21, 1796, and came to Ohio with his
father's famiy in 1799. On March 31, 1824, he married Clarissa Coffeen,
a native of Jefferson County, New York, who was born March 16, 1802. Mrs.
Sweny remembers hearing the fireing at Sackett's Harbor, on Lake Ontario,
in the war of 1812, a distance of eighteen miles from where she then lived.
Mr. Sweny has had a family of five children, three sons and two daughters.
One daughter died in infancy. The other is Mrs. Dr. Thomas G. Farr, of
Clark County, Ohio
Clinton, the oldest son, married Nancy Jane Stein, lives in Delaware County,
Indiana, and has three daughters. Edwin married Dorcas
page 18
3/4
Redman, lives on the old homestead in Warren County, and has two daughters
and one son. Clara, the oldest daughter, married John Maxwell. Munroe,
youngest son, married Clara Mathews, resides in Warren County, and has
two sons and four daughters.
Mr. Sweny served in the Ohio militia for some ten years, beginning as
Lieutenant, and being successively promoted to Major and to Colonel.
In Politics he was an old line Whig, and now a Republican. In religious
views he has always been a Swedenborgian. The Colonel, now in his seventy-eighth
year, is one of the most respected residents of Warren County.
On March 31, 1874, Mr. and Mrs. Sweny observed, with fitting ceremonies,
the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage. The golden wedding was participated
in by a number of the "friends of former years," as well as
by those of lesse age; and among the latter were children and grandchildren
of this venerable pair. Music, songs, hymns, and ancedotes enlivened the
occasion, and the sumptuous dinner was served with neither wine nor whisky;
but the native spirits glowed as if the old gends were no longer gray,
and below them beat the bursting heart of buoyant youth.
Combination Atlas Map of Warren County Ohio: Compiled, Drawn and Published From Personal Examinations and Surveys (Philadelphia: L. H. Everts, 1875), page 18 3/4
CAPTAIN ELI SWENY,
youngest son of William Sweny., was born in Warren County, Ohio, December
28, 1807. At that day schools were few and meagre. The highest number
of days that he ever attended in one winter was twenty. His spelling-book
was Webster's old (then new) edition, with wooden backs covered with paper,
and cost seventy-five cents. He has now in his possession a primer called
the "New England Primer," published in Philadelphia in 1811.
This primer was his reader and chief book at school. It is quite a curiosity,
and appears very odd compared with the school-books of the present day.
It originally had a paper cover, and contains sixty or seventy pages,
though the pages are not numbered. It is filled up with selections from
hymns, extracts from catechisms, religious maxims, etc. It contains also
an account of the burning of John Rogers at Smithfield, February 14, 1554,
the first martyr under the reign of Queen Mary.
In June, 1841, Captain Sweny married Mrs. Lucy Ann Lockwood, whose maiden name was Brasher. She was born January 23, 1807, in Cincinnati. Her father was a native of New York, and emigrated to Ohio about the year 1794.
Captain Sweny has had a family of five children, one son and four daughters,
of whom one son and two daughters survive.
Franklin Sweny married Annie Woolcot; has a son and a daughter. Hannah
Sweny married John Conover; has one son. Clarissa married William Robinson;
has two sons.
In politics Mr. Sweny is a Republican; and in religion a Swedenborgian,
as is also his wife. He has always lived a retired life upon the soil,
is a good citizen and an excellent neighbor. For a number of years he
was, at an early day, Captain in the Ohio militia. With this exception
he has never accepted any public trust, but has preferred the seclusion
of his quiet farm-life.