Rev William McSwain
Gender Male
Birth Date 28 Feb 1806
Death Date 18 May 1881
Cemetery Beaver Dam Baptist Church Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina, United States of America
Has Bio? N
Father
William McSwain
Mother
Judith A. McSwain (1757-1831)
Spouse
Judith McSwain
Children
Judith Margaret McSwain
Sarah Hamrick
Mary Lovelace
Berryman McSwain
George N McSwain
Elijah McSwain
Ensley McSwain
URL
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34386959/william-mcswain
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William "Singing Billy" was the son of David and Susanna Hamrick McSwain. Willaim and Judith Moore McSwain had a son, William, who married Nancy Bridges. "Singing Billy" married Judith Hamrick.

"On a cold day in December, halfway through the 1800s, a small group of Baptist leaders and 43 residents of Beaver Dam community met on the south side of Rutherfordton Highway to organize a new church.

For some time before this, several members had been conducting services at a grove of trees nearby. It was after several such meetings and considerable interest that the decision was made to organize.

And so it was that on December 23, 1850, a presbytery composed of deacons and ministers from Sandy Run, Boiling Springs, Mt. Sinai, and Zion was assembled. Some members of the new church came by letter from Double Springs, Zion, and Sandy Run; others joined by profession of faith desiring baptism.

Among the charter member were 24 males and 19 females."

Source: A History of Beaver Dam Church

William "Singing Billy" McSwain was one of those founding members. He was born on February 20, 1806 in Rutherford County, North Carolina and was the son of David and Susanna Hamrick McSwain. He was the grandson of William McSwain, the Revolutionary War Patriot. McSwain's service as "a private Soldier in Capt. Brevard's Company of the 10th Regiment" was documented by "William Hill, Secretary of State, in and for the State of North Carolina." (Reference the Revolutionary War Pension Application of William McSwain, W2409, at revwarapps.org.) The daughters of the American Revolution honored McSwain's service and designated him DAR Ancestor Number A076504. (Reference the DAR Genealogical Research System at dar.org. Membership is not required to access the GRS.)

McSwain married Judith Hamrick on May 8, 1828. The two were double first cousins. Judith Hamrick was the granddaughter of the Patriot William McSwain through her mother, Mary McSwain Hamrick. Her father, Elijah Hamrick, was the brother of Singing Billy's mother, Susanna Hamrick. The brother and sister were the children of Samuel and Mary Hamrick who were, themselves, first cousins through their Hamrick line.

William and Judith McSwain had several children:

Mary "Polly" McSwain {married William Lovelace}
David Achella McSwain {married Delphia Street Harrill}
Susannah McSwain { died in infancy}
Elijah McSwain {married Susanna Hamrick}
George McSwain {married Hannah Hamrick}
Ensley McSwain
Berryman McSwain {never married}
Benjamin McSwain
Sarah "Sallie" McSwain {married James Louis Hamrick}
Judith McSwain (married Reubin McSwain}

Sources: 1850, 1860, and 1870 Census Reports of Cleveland County, North Carolina

William and Judith were both buried in this cemetery as were several of their children and many descendants. Their children buried here were:

The widowed Mary McSwain Lovelace
Elijah and Susanna Hamrick McSwain
Berryman McSwain
Sarah and her husband, James Hamrick
Judith and her husband, Reubin McSwain

Reverend William McSwain was a well-loved Baptist preacher. He travelled around the county spreading the Gospel. At different intervals, he conducted services at Beaver Dam Baptist Church, the church he helped establish. It was appropriate that his grave was the closest to the front door.
Bio added by the Master Genealogist Vonnie Cantrell Contributor#47192880