There were supposed to have been some Swallows women who lived alone near the site of Raven's Bluff in 1864. They carried the dead men off the mountain in an ox cart according to family legend. I would not dare say these were the women you seek, but I thought you might keep this in mind.
The bodies of the dead were placed on the floors of the Hill - French
cabin.
The old cabin still stands and the blood stains caused dark spots on
the floors. The stains are still visible today.
Gary
They died in an ambush in 1864. I think the odds were about 77
to 7 against the Rebels. This information comes from an eye-witness account
written by Jacob Shelton in 1931.
The Yanks told the Swallows women to take an ox cart up the mountain
and help themselves to all of the pork they wanted. They claimed
to have just killed some fine hogs. The women went up the mountain and
found the four dead Confederates. Some of the dead are buried nearby in
the Austin Cemetery at Hickory Flat.
There are a few graves around the road from the Hill-French cabin
to Highland. Those Swallows women are supposed to be buried there
according to old timers I talked to years ago. I have no other proof than
word of mouth from the families in the area.
Gary
Mahala Swallows was the illegitimate daughter of Jemima Swallows (sister to Jake Swallows). Mahala had siblings but I have been unable to find out their names ( one of the rumors is that two of her sisters ran a house of ill repute after or during the Civil War, and someone has told me there are records of this in the Overton Co.., courthouse). Mahala's daughter Celina had seven children all with different fathers and was never married, she too appears and disappears on census lists. Mahala was born abt. 1814 - From: Terry
One of the daughters of Andrew and Catherine Kinder Swallow was Jemima who was born 1800 and she had several illegitimate children. Illegitimacy seems to run in this family as there are several instances of this for the next 100 years (I descend from Swallows through both of my parents and my mother's side has 2 generations of illegitimacy). I have had a hard time piecing this all together but finally succeeded in doing so after camping out in the courthouse until I found the proof I needed. - From: Paula in Overton Co, TN
Jacob W. Swallows and his wife Anna Bilbrey ran a "boarding house" in Overton County, rumored to be the a house of ill repute. Their daughter, Martha Jane Swallows b. 1859, was said to have had a number of illegitimate children, one being my husband's grandfather's first wife. This woman used both the names of her mother, and her father, William Jasper Phillips, at different times. Frances, "Frankie" had several illegitimate children by ____Miller then married John Hall and had several more children. Jacob and Anna raised John Swallows AND Waymon Swallows who were illegitimate children of Frankie. - From: Melody
Jemima Swallows had several illegitimate children but it was 2 of her nieces, Rachel and Polina (daughters of Jacob) who were prostitutes. I descend from Jacob through his son Isaac on my father's side and daughter Rachel on my mother's side. This has been a hard line to prove but I have found records in our Overton Co Archives proving they were arrested for prostitution. I even have a picture of Rachel! Rachel had 3 illegitimate daughters and each of those 3 daughters had illegitimate children! Thankfully, they changed their ways long before my time.... life is interesting and so is research!! - One of the documents found dated 1857 show Rachel Swallows had taken a JESSE HARRIS to court for support of an illegitimate child (that would have been her last daughter, Ardelia).- From: Paula in Overton Co, TN
The State
vs.
Polina Swallows,
Bawdy house,
The Grand Jury this day returned into court
a bill of indictment against the defendant. Endorsed not a true bill.
A J. Gully Forman of the Grand Jury. It is then for considerance
by the court that the defendant go hence and that the County of the Overton
pay the cost of this prosecution when properly taxed and certified.
-----------------------------------------
The State vs Sarah Baker
Bawdy house
The Grand Jury this day returned into court
a bill of indictment against the defendant. Endorsed not a true bill.
A J Gully Forman of the Grand Jury. It is then for considerance by
the court that the defendant go hence and that the County of the Overton
pay the cost of this prosecution when properly taxed and certified.
-----------------------------------------
The State vs. America Low
Bawdy house
The Grand Jury this day returned into court
a bill of indictment against the defendant. Endorsed not a true bill.
A J Gully Forman of the Grand Jury. It is then for considerance by
the court that the defendant go hence and that the County of the Overton
pay the cost of this prosecution when properly taxed and certified.
-----------------------------------------
The State vs. Jemima MCormick, Winifred
West, Elizabeth Wests
Bawdy house
The Grand Jury this day returned into court
a bill of indictment against the defendant. Endorsed not a true bill.
A J Gully Forman of the Grand Jury. It is then for considerance by
the court that the defendant go hence and that the County of the Overton
pay the cost of this prosecution when properly taxed and certified.
-----------------------------------------
The State vs Rachel Swallows
Bawdy house
The Grand Jury this day returned into court
a bill of indictment against the defendant. Endorsed not a true bill.
A J Gully Forman of the Grand Jury. It is then for considerance by
the court that the defendant go hence and that the County of the Overton
pay the cost of this prosecution when properly taxed and certified.
The explanation below is from Paul Carden, a lawyer.
It appears from the information you have supplied that this grand jury returned a "not
a true bill" which means the case was dropped, apparently on payment of costs. Therefore, nothing happened in court. A "No True Bill" means the grand jury finds there is no probable cause to suspect a crime or to continue with prosecution.Below is Mary Lee Carden's explanation, she is a court clerk.
Someone apparently complained; the grand jury looked into the matter and decided nothing warranted prosecution. Had it been a "True Bill" the court would have been responsible for prosecuting them. It appears that the County had to pay the costs--not the ladies.
A house of ill-fame, kept for the resort and unlawful commerce of lewd people of both sexes.
Such a house is a common nuisance, as it endangers the public peace by drawing together dissolute and debauched persons; and tends to corrupt both sexes by an open profession of lewdness.
The keeper of such a house may be indicted for the nuisance; and a married woman, because such houses are generally kept by the female sex, may be indicted with her husband for keeping such a house. One who assists in establishing a bawdy house is guilty of a misdemeanor.