McKinney        Hamrick       McSwain       Harrill        Horn

(Note from Robert McKinney son of Clyde--I Can visualize my father as he told a story. He would pause for a moment, puffing on his pipe, leaving you in suspense at interesting moments. He would pause, then tamp down the tobacco in his pipe, relight the pipe and puff to get it going again. I can still hear the crackle and sizzle as he re-fired it. All the while you would be sitting on the edge of your seat, waiting for him to continue his story. He was a master story teller. He was also a gifted speaker. I have heard him speak to a large group and keep their rapt attention for several hours. Even through dinner hour. I have often had  people tell me he should have been a Senator.)

 
Authority:  James C. Harrill, Jesse Harrill and Nelson C. Harrill all of Greensboro, N.C.
“The Hamrick Generation” by S.C. Jones
“Hamricks of the Past and Present” by S.C. Hamrick
 Family Bibles, Cemetery Records, Census Records of 1970.
Rutherford County Courthouse Records.  Cleveland County Records, Old Courthouse Museum.

While a lot of work is involved in researching family trees, a history of one branch of the Harrill family just barely scratches the surface. There are, no doubt, some mistakes of which we are not now aware.

Our purpose is to make those descendants of Housand Harrill who came from the same branch as other Harrills in America, be more aware as to who they are and from whence they came.

Our hope is that someone, some day will be able to use this information, along with information from other branches and put together a complete work of the entire Harrill family.

We are  prompted to undertake this record for the descendants of John Laramie Harrill, for whom I have great affection and love like a brother.  John and I grew up together, worked together, went to school together.  We hunted together, fished and roamed the hills and woods, played up and down Beaver Dam Creek.  We seldom went alone as our brothers and neighborhood boys were always a part of our wonderful times.  All of us together built dams across creeks and branches in order to go swimming in the summertime.

I can see the woods and I remember hunting possums in hollow trees.  I hear the rustle of the leaves as we strolled through the woods. I can see the clusters of wild grapes and muscadines, blackberries, hazelnuts and persimmons.  I remember the taste of them and the smell.  I know how to tell when a watermelon is ripe without plugging it.  I know how inviting it is when it lies there, the other boys gathered around, their mouths watering.  I can see the halves lying there displaying the red meat and black seeds,  I know how a boy looks behind a long slice of that melon and I know how it feels, for I have been there.

When I was nine years of age, my parents moved from Polkville, N.C. to Lattimore, N.C. My father built a house diagonally across the dirt road from the Bob Harrill home.  My brother and I immediately became acquainted with the Harrill boys: John, Leary, Charlie, Colon and Howard.  They had three sisters: Alma, Garvy and Stella who were older.

In order to keep alive in the hearts of this family and the hearts of their posterity, their favorite birthright I give the information that I have found about the Harrills during this research.


In the matter of spelling personal and family names it should be remembered that until the publication of the English Dictionary in 1752, and even for years afterward there was not such thing (nor was it needed) as exact spelling and particularly that of family names.  A person spelled his name to suit his own fancy and changed the spelling at will.  For this reason many names had the same pronunciation but were spelled differently.



The first census of 1790 shows North Carolina to have 42 Harills, seven Harrells and one Harrill. Most of them lived in Edenton District of Hartie County which borders on eastern waters of North Carolina.  One of the exceptions was Housand Harrill, a member of the 11th Co., of Rutherford County, N.C. as head of a family of five over 16 years of age.  DAR records show Housand to have been a private in the Revolutionary War. (Ref. National DAR #3962233, Alice Edward Smart, Mooseboro, N.C.)

 Applications for Revolutionary War pensions show that other Harrills, James and Kidder of Wilmington District. Joel, John, John of Virginia, Loshia, Lt. Peter. This information was taken from the History of One Branch of The Harrill, by Jesse A. Harrill, James C. Harrill Family, by Jesse A. Harrill and Nelson J. Harrill, all of Greensboro, NC.)

Housand's will recorded in Rutherford County, NC, Book 88. Pages 87-88 and signed "Housand Horrell" was written in 1806, probated 1809 and lists five sons and four daughters. Records there also show that he served in the North Carolina Legislature in 1804 as a representative of Rutherford County. "History of Hamricks". says he rode horseback to Raleigh and there bought his first saddle.

Jake Harrill's information shows that Housand resided in Bedford County, Virginia with his family prior to 1790, about 1779-1799, when he moved to Rutherford County. He married Philadelphia (Delphia) Street, born in New Kent County, Virginia, in 1774, who was the daughter of Capt. John Street and Hannah Waddy, of New Kent. Editors note*(Housand and Delphia Harrill buried in Harrill Cemetery at Beaverdam )

Housand's father was Gilbert, born about 1714 in Virginia, son of James born 1692 and died about 1763 in Virginia. See James' will dated 1756 recorded in Virginia State Library, Richmond, Virginia, under file Accession #26223, 622112 and also County Office, Warrenton, VA., Virginia Will Book 1, pages 80 and 81 under Harrill. History of Hamrick Generation says Housand came to this country from England but gave no authority.

 There were many marriages of Hamricks and Harrills and "The History of The Hamrick Generation" says "The Harrills are a very good people and I have never found any of them in Court troubles. They are very good farmers but as a whole, they like public service and business."

Authority: Cemetery records, family bibles, church records, Rutherford County, NC records, Cleveland County, NC records, 1790 census, North Carolina Archives, Raleigh, NC Archives, South Carolina Archives, Columbia, SC Archives, "The Descendants of David McSwain" by Eleanor B. McSwain, "The Hamrick Generation" by S. C. Jones, "Hamricks of The Past and Present" by S. C. Hamrick and my personal memory.

In tracing the McSwain family name in Scotland a researcher would have a most difficult timeas there ae so many many ways to spell the name McSwain: McSwan, MacSwen, McSween, MacQueen, MacSwaine, and MacSwain.

The McSwains were never numerous and do not appear to have a Clan but rather to have been a sept of more than one Clan. Any search in Scotland would have to be undertaken by a person thoroughly familiar with the customs, records and geography of Scotland. At this time there are Genealogists in scotland who do research for a fee. However some of them may not be legitimate and their charges are enormous. At this time no such research is possible.

In America, as well as in Scotland, the name has many spellings, some of them are: MacSuine, MacSween, MacSwine, MacSwyn, MacSweun, McSwan, and McSwain.

It may seem strange to begin a story about the McSwains with an account of George Hamrick but the are two reasons for this. Some information has been preserved on the Hamrick family and the information on the McSwains can be found only reading about the Hamricks. Secondly, there has been so many marriages between the Hamricks and McSwains it is impossible to separate the two.

The information on the Hamricks is contained in the book "Hamrick Generation" by S. C. Jones to which many references have already been made.

George Hamrick was an officer under the Kaiser, something like the order of Examiner of Passports for those going and coming across the ocean. He left Germany in 1730 and arrived in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1731, after being on the water for seven months. He settled there and is said to have had 24 children. "Hamrick Generation" book lists only three sons: George II, Benjamin and Moses Richard. "Hamricks of The Past and Present" by S. C. Hamrick gives the names of 18: George II, Benjamin, Moses Richard, David, William, Hannah, Rebecca, Mollie, Mary and Sarah; Thomas, John, Elijah, Greenberry, James, Reuben, Jane and Susanna. He sailed from Rotterdam, Holland. on the same ship with him were the Blantons, Greens, Bridges, Champions, Washburns, Bowens and McSwains. Mr. Jones states that Hamrick left Germany because of his religion.

David McSwain and his family had come from Dover to make the trip to America. It was there on the ship "Snow Lauther" that the friendship between the two families was begun. David McSwain born in 1700, immigrated from Scotland to America in 1730 with his wife (unknown) and sons David II and Charles. A son, William was born on the boat enroute.

After living in Philadelphia for a short time the groups of friends moved to Virginia, living there for some years before moving into the wilderness of North Carolina. To the Highlanders the mountains were probably a beautiful sight. what tasks lay ahead of them -- no stores, doctors, supplies, neighbors or help of any kind. There were no churches so services were held in their homes. Wild animals and Indians roamed the woods. Game was plentiful and there were fish in the streams.

David McSwain came from Scotland and settled near the old McSwain graveyard on the east side of First Broad River at what is now called the Buck McSwain old place. He was the first person to be buried in the McSwain Old Graveyard in 1770.

These people had no money and few possessions. They were physically strong, bold, absolutely fearless, intelligent, honest, industrious, resourceful, and God-fearing. surely one can take pride in ancestors with such qualities. It is little wonder that in the ensuing generations a great many of their descendants have been outstanding and contributed much to the service of their country. Among them are numbered teachers, doctors, lawyers, ministers, educators, soldiers. and officers, some of them being of national importance.

Just before the group arrived the Cherokee Indians went on the warpath. In 1760 soldiers were sent from Charleston to Ft. Louden to quell the rebellion. Ft. Louden was taken through treachery and all but two or three of the settlers were killed. Stories of the Indian trouble must have reached the group in Virginia but that did not prevent them from going to North Carolina in 1765.

When these pioneers came to this section there was no white people in the country at this time. Vast tribes of Indians inhabited this section. One tribe six miles south of Shelby, near the Frank Young old place, one south of Boiling Springs, one near Grassy Pond and one tribe near Forest City. So the future looked very dark for these people. Some of the settlers herein mentioned were killed by savages. Some carried away and never heard of again. Long after the Cherokee Indian war, the pioneers had trouble with the Indians.

David McSwain II was born on the Isle of Skye about 1725. He arrived with his father on the "Snow Lauther" in 1730. It was David McSwain who has been confusing during this research. He too was an immigrant and most descendants did not realize there were two immigrants. To confuse still more, unfortunately in "Hamrick Generation" either Mr. Jones made a mistake or the typewriter made an error for there was a statement that William McSwain married Sousannah Hamrick. When the book was printed the error was discovered. A search was made to find what was wrong. It has been established that S.C. Jones, before he died wrote a letter to Joe Washburn stating that William McSwain and his wife should read David McSwain and Sousannah Hamrick. In compiling this record I am making this correction.

David McSwain II, was born in Skye, Scotland came to America with his parents in 1730, went to North Carolina in 1765, married Sousannah Hamrick about 1748 in Virginia, died in North Carolina between 1780 and 1790.

The issue of David II and Sousannah Hamrick will be found in the Pedigree Chart and family sheets which follow.

There is much more to be learned about the McSwains, Hamricks, Washburns, Bridges, Greens and McKinneys in copywrited publications: "Hamrick Generations" by S. C. Jones; "Some Descendants of David McSwain" by Mrs. Eleanor B. McSwain; "Hamricks of the Past and Present" by S. C. Hamrick, Shelby North Carolina.

We have searched records in Cleveland County, Rutherford, Tryon, Mitchell and Burke Counties, NC as well as NC State Archives in Raleigh, NC. Also in Cherokee, Laurens and York Counties, South Carolina. South Carolina State Archives, Columbia SC, Blount Co. TN and Monroe County, Miss. State Library, Richmond, Virginia and hundreds of cemeteries.

In the beginning we started out to search for family trees for Hamricks and McKinneys and McSwains. All put together we have records of more than 1200 families. I was happy and pleased to learn that a fourth cousin once removed of John Larmie Harrill. My mother was Roxanna Hamrick daughter of Abram Hamrick and Nancy McSwain.

This record would not be complete until I write giving the impression John Harrill made on my life. We were friends from the age of nine years until today, although he passed away 31 May. 1975. Our association continued all through our boyhood days untill we were grown. He and I were the same age.

John was an outstanding young man, having been reared up in a good home by honorable parents and taught from early childhood to live an honest, moral and God-fearing life. He had high moral standards and the courage to stand up for what was right. He was bright, energetic, industrious, upright, generous, quick to decide a matter, seldom wrong. He was unselfish and devoted to his family. He had character and good-common sense. Honestly, on numerous occasions John guided me in the right direction as we talked and watched the moon and stars sitting on the side of the dirt road that ran in front of our homes. He was always a mite better than I in school athletics, running through the woods, jumping over fences and streams, climbing trees to wrangle opossums from hollow ones. One thing I did excel him in, I won our horse races. John had a fine horse and I had a little red mule. After I left Lattimore, coming back at intervals to visit my folks, I never failed to visit for a few hours with John and Ruth. He never failed to mention that red mule. "That was the fastest mule I ever saw," he commented.

I think I am a much better person by having been associated with the Harrill family. I am proud to have had John Harrill as a friend. I miss him and cherish his memory.