Known as "Kentucky Van" he was born ten miles from Hagerstown, the son of John Swearingen and Catherine Stull. His parents moved to what was known as Monongahela (now Fayette) County, Pennsylvania in 1770.
Van married on February 24, 1780, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to his first cousin Susanna Greathouse.
On February 15, 1777 Van was appointed a First Lieutenant for service during the Revolutionary War. Between 1777 and 1778 he served in two different Companies, as well as taking part in quelling Tories in western Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1778 he began serving in Colonel William Lynn's Regiment. In April they rendezvoused at a place called Muddy Creek, in western Pennsylvania. From there they marched, under the command of General George Rogers Clark, on expedition against the Illinois Indians. He was at Forts Saint Pierre and Kaskaskia when they surrendered. On the return trip Van remained at the falls of the Ohio River (Louisville, Kentucky) for two months assisting the war effort as a spy for the American Army. He then entered Colonel Bowman's Regiment. They rendezvoused at Louisville and marched to the Little Miami River, in what is now Ohio. Here they fought the Shawnee Indians at Shanenys Town, in what became known as the Battle of the Little Miami. Afterwhich Van joined a company of volunteers rendering his services as a scout upon the frontier settlements, remaining in this capacity until the fall of 1783, when the war ended. Van received a lot of 100 acres of land lying near the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville) as compensation for his service in the Illinois Indians expedition, as well as a military pension.
Van moved his family to Shelby County, Kentucky in late 1790.
Only one of Van and Susanna's children has not been located:
Harmon Swearingen, born April 28, 1783, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He is last found in the 1860 Federal Census for Missouri as living in Mississippi County, Tywappity Township, being a farmer. His son was living with him. This same son returned to Kentucky, where he is found living with his sister in Ballard County. Harmon was married on June 11, 1827, in Henry County, Kentucky, to Ann Coleman (born in 1796, in Virginia, died in 1854?), the daughter of Stephen Colman.
The memorials listed as being half siblings are ABSOLUTELY wrong. These individuals are the children of Van "Middletown Van" Swearingen and Margaret (Stull?) Swearingen. The correct listing for Van's siblings is:
Daniel Swearingen, 1749-?
Elizabeth Swearingen, 1751-?
John Swearingen, 1752-1844
Druzilla Swearingen-Wilson, 1758-1826
Sarah Swearingen-Larsh, 1760-1849
Marmaduke Swearingen, 1763-1810
Joseph Swearingen, 1764-1836
Charles Swearingen, 1767-1848
Isaac Stull Swearingen, 1769-1845
Samuel Swearingen, 1772-1847
Andrew Swearingen, 1773-?
Thomas Swearingen, 1775-1851
Van married on February 24, 1780, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to his first cousin Susanna Greathouse.
On February 15, 1777 Van was appointed a First Lieutenant for service during the Revolutionary War. Between 1777 and 1778 he served in two different Companies, as well as taking part in quelling Tories in western Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1778 he began serving in Colonel William Lynn's Regiment. In April they rendezvoused at a place called Muddy Creek, in western Pennsylvania. From there they marched, under the command of General George Rogers Clark, on expedition against the Illinois Indians. He was at Forts Saint Pierre and Kaskaskia when they surrendered. On the return trip Van remained at the falls of the Ohio River (Louisville, Kentucky) for two months assisting the war effort as a spy for the American Army. He then entered Colonel Bowman's Regiment. They rendezvoused at Louisville and marched to the Little Miami River, in what is now Ohio. Here they fought the Shawnee Indians at Shanenys Town, in what became known as the Battle of the Little Miami. Afterwhich Van joined a company of volunteers rendering his services as a scout upon the frontier settlements, remaining in this capacity until the fall of 1783, when the war ended. Van received a lot of 100 acres of land lying near the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville) as compensation for his service in the Illinois Indians expedition, as well as a military pension.
Van moved his family to Shelby County, Kentucky in late 1790.
Only one of Van and Susanna's children has not been located:
Harmon Swearingen, born April 28, 1783, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He is last found in the 1860 Federal Census for Missouri as living in Mississippi County, Tywappity Township, being a farmer. His son was living with him. This same son returned to Kentucky, where he is found living with his sister in Ballard County. Harmon was married on June 11, 1827, in Henry County, Kentucky, to Ann Coleman (born in 1796, in Virginia, died in 1854?), the daughter of Stephen Colman.
The memorials listed as being half siblings are ABSOLUTELY wrong. These individuals are the children of Van "Middletown Van" Swearingen and Margaret (Stull?) Swearingen. The correct listing for Van's siblings is:
Daniel Swearingen, 1749-?
Elizabeth Swearingen, 1751-?
John Swearingen, 1752-1844
Druzilla Swearingen-Wilson, 1758-1826
Sarah Swearingen-Larsh, 1760-1849
Marmaduke Swearingen, 1763-1810
Joseph Swearingen, 1764-1836
Charles Swearingen, 1767-1848
Isaac Stull Swearingen, 1769-1845
Samuel Swearingen, 1772-1847
Andrew Swearingen, 1773-?
Thomas Swearingen, 1775-1851
Known as "Kentucky Van" he was born ten miles from Hagerstown, the son of John Swearingen and Catherine Stull. His parents moved to what was known as Monongahela (now Fayette) County, Pennsylvania in 1770.
Van married on February 24, 1780, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to his first cousin Susanna Greathouse.
On February 15, 1777 Van was appointed a First Lieutenant for service during the Revolutionary War. Between 1777 and 1778 he served in two different Companies, as well as taking part in quelling Tories in western Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1778 he began serving in Colonel William Lynn's Regiment. In April they rendezvoused at a place called Muddy Creek, in western Pennsylvania. From there they marched, under the command of General George Rogers Clark, on expedition against the Illinois Indians. He was at Forts Saint Pierre and Kaskaskia when they surrendered. On the return trip Van remained at the falls of the Ohio River (Louisville, Kentucky) for two months assisting the war effort as a spy for the American Army. He then entered Colonel Bowman's Regiment. They rendezvoused at Louisville and marched to the Little Miami River, in what is now Ohio. Here they fought the Shawnee Indians at Shanenys Town, in what became known as the Battle of the Little Miami. Afterwhich Van joined a company of volunteers rendering his services as a scout upon the frontier settlements, remaining in this capacity until the fall of 1783, when the war ended. Van received a lot of 100 acres of land lying near the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville) as compensation for his service in the Illinois Indians expedition, as well as a military pension.
Van moved his family to Shelby County, Kentucky in late 1790.
Only one of Van and Susanna's children has not been located:
Harmon Swearingen, born April 28, 1783, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He is last found in the 1860 Federal Census for Missouri as living in Mississippi County, Tywappity Township, being a farmer. His son was living with him. This same son returned to Kentucky, where he is found living with his sister in Ballard County. Harmon was married on June 11, 1827, in Henry County, Kentucky, to Ann Coleman (born in 1796, in Virginia, died in 1854?), the daughter of Stephen Colman.
The memorials listed as being half siblings are ABSOLUTELY wrong. These individuals are the children of Van "Middletown Van" Swearingen and Margaret (Stull?) Swearingen. The correct listing for Van's siblings is:
Daniel Swearingen, 1749-?
Elizabeth Swearingen, 1751-?
John Swearingen, 1752-1844
Druzilla Swearingen-Wilson, 1758-1826
Sarah Swearingen-Larsh, 1760-1849
Marmaduke Swearingen, 1763-1810
Joseph Swearingen, 1764-1836
Charles Swearingen, 1767-1848
Isaac Stull Swearingen, 1769-1845
Samuel Swearingen, 1772-1847
Andrew Swearingen, 1773-?
Thomas Swearingen, 1775-1851
Van married on February 24, 1780, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, to his first cousin Susanna Greathouse.
On February 15, 1777 Van was appointed a First Lieutenant for service during the Revolutionary War. Between 1777 and 1778 he served in two different Companies, as well as taking part in quelling Tories in western Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1778 he began serving in Colonel William Lynn's Regiment. In April they rendezvoused at a place called Muddy Creek, in western Pennsylvania. From there they marched, under the command of General George Rogers Clark, on expedition against the Illinois Indians. He was at Forts Saint Pierre and Kaskaskia when they surrendered. On the return trip Van remained at the falls of the Ohio River (Louisville, Kentucky) for two months assisting the war effort as a spy for the American Army. He then entered Colonel Bowman's Regiment. They rendezvoused at Louisville and marched to the Little Miami River, in what is now Ohio. Here they fought the Shawnee Indians at Shanenys Town, in what became known as the Battle of the Little Miami. Afterwhich Van joined a company of volunteers rendering his services as a scout upon the frontier settlements, remaining in this capacity until the fall of 1783, when the war ended. Van received a lot of 100 acres of land lying near the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville) as compensation for his service in the Illinois Indians expedition, as well as a military pension.
Van moved his family to Shelby County, Kentucky in late 1790.
Only one of Van and Susanna's children has not been located:
Harmon Swearingen, born April 28, 1783, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He is last found in the 1860 Federal Census for Missouri as living in Mississippi County, Tywappity Township, being a farmer. His son was living with him. This same son returned to Kentucky, where he is found living with his sister in Ballard County. Harmon was married on June 11, 1827, in Henry County, Kentucky, to Ann Coleman (born in 1796, in Virginia, died in 1854?), the daughter of Stephen Colman.
The memorials listed as being half siblings are ABSOLUTELY wrong. These individuals are the children of Van "Middletown Van" Swearingen and Margaret (Stull?) Swearingen. The correct listing for Van's siblings is:
Daniel Swearingen, 1749-?
Elizabeth Swearingen, 1751-?
John Swearingen, 1752-1844
Druzilla Swearingen-Wilson, 1758-1826
Sarah Swearingen-Larsh, 1760-1849
Marmaduke Swearingen, 1763-1810
Joseph Swearingen, 1764-1836
Charles Swearingen, 1767-1848
Isaac Stull Swearingen, 1769-1845
Samuel Swearingen, 1772-1847
Andrew Swearingen, 1773-?
Thomas Swearingen, 1775-1851
Gravesite Details
Re-interred October 17, 1858 after the Grove Hill Cemetery was established.
Family Members
Siblings
Children
-
![]()
Catharine "Caty" Swearingen
1781–1850
-
Mary "Polly" Swearingen Cardwell
1784–1830
-
![]()
Drusilla Swearingen Cardwell
1786–1865
-
Sarah Swearingen Eastin
1789–1866
-
![]()
Rachael Swearingen Van Cleave
1791–1851
-
![]()
Charles Swearingen
1795–1877
-
![]()
Matilda Swearingen Carson
1797–1861
-
![]()
Susanna Swearingen Bell
1799–1861
-
![]()
Dr Van Swearingen
1802–1870
Advertisement
Advertisement
