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- Little is known of John and Katie Swope. They settled in Pennsylvania for a time where Andrew and Frederick were born according to census data. It is not certain that the third brother, George, existed however the popular opinion is that this is so. It may be that the family relocated or fled to eastern New York during or subsequent to the Revolutionary War if it is true that they lived in the Wyoming Valley region of Pennsylvania where the Battle of Wyoming occured in 1777. It has been cited that John Swope died in Cohoes Falls, NY however this death date is the same as the Revolutionary War soldier John Swope who lived, died and was buried in Bucks, Pennsylvania. Whether this man was our John Swope or not may remain a mystery.
"Lockwood, Leander S., born in the town of Westerlo (Albany Co., NY), November 4, 1833, is the son of Samuel and Margaret (Swope) Lockwood, both natives of Westerlo. The maternal grandparents were Frederick and Adrian (Whitmarsh) Swope. who lived in Westerlo and removed to Oneida county, where Mrs. Swope died, when he moved to Herkimer, then to Oneida county, where he died. The parents of Frederick, John and Katie (Teeter) Swope, came from Germany when young and settled in Eastern New York." - Landmarks of Albany County New York, Edited by Amasa J. Parker, 1897
"Great, Great Grandfather's name was John Swope. He and wife were born in Germany and came to this country on or about 1776 then served in the Revolutionary War." - Except from hand written testimonial of John Swope's Great Great Granddaughter Edna McCarthy in 1927.
John and Ezra Swope arrived in America with Peter Minuit, who came from Holland to found New Amsterdam. He landed on Manhattan Island June 6 1626. Minuit purchased Manhattan Island from the Indians for $24.00 and a keg of whiskey. The Swopes, always pioneers, finally settled in the Wyoming Valley in New York State. Tradition has it that there was a John and Ezra in almost every Swope family. After the Revolutionary War in which a Swope was a Lieutenant in Washington’s forces, there was an Indian Massacre in the Wyoming Valley (It is mentioned in history as the Wyoming Massacre) The Swope who was in the war was tomahawked and scalped. There were only two who escaped from the Valley that night. They were John and Ezra Swope. They separated. One went to Pennsylvania and the other to Kentucky. An Ezra Swope - a grandson of the one killed by the Indians - settled at Wellsborogh, Penn. It was here he met and married one Katrinka Van Valkinberg who fled from Holland to avoid marrying a German prince. Katrinka was a member of the Royal House of Holland - a cousin of the Queen. She bore the following sons- Lafayette, Byther, Darins, Miles, Leander and Ezra Jr., and daughters; Mary and Margaret. Katrinka died at the age of 52 with a cancer. Lafayette (or Lafe as he was called) went to California in the gold rush of ‘49. Miles and Leander to Wassau, Wis in 1857. Ezra in Lomar, Minn in the early 1900’s. Lafe died in Sacremento California. Miles in Oregon - buried in Merrill - Leander in Waussau. Ezra or Junie in International Falls, Minn. Byther & Darins in Penn. The girls Mary & Margaret came next. Margaret married E.H Newton and bore him 3 sons & a daughter. Two of the sons and their father enlisted in the Civil War. One son was killed in action. One (Collins) died in the Soldier’s Home in Levenworth Kansas. Lew, the youngest died in St. Louis at the age of 52 of cancer. Margaret died in Rockforf Ill. Mary Coneant made her home with Miles for several years & died at his farm home near Merrill and was buried beside her husband in Boston Mass. When the Civil War broke out Miles went back to Penn where his wife & family were still living & enlisted there. He was wounded in the Battle of Gettysberg. Leander was the first man in Manhattan County to enlist. He went 5th Wis Company G. - Provided from family documents by pattystrehlow@juno.com (Note: Interesting Swope Folklore tale handed down from older generations...it may have some truth amongst some inaccuracy and legend)
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1750 - 1800 (50 years)
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