William Joshua Swaim Family


The Swaim family as we know of it originated in the country of Holland. They came to America in 1706, setting on Staten island. In later years they moved southward to Rowan County, North Carolina. This part of the couutry became home for the Swaim families for a number of years, and in fact, many of the names still remain there.

William W. Swaim took his young family to Hamilton County, Indiana in 1860; there they remained for twenty-five years. The subject of our story, William Joshua Swaim was born In Hamilton County, Indiana to William Walter and Mary Ann (Davis) Swaim.

William Joshua Swaim moved with his family to Marshall County, Iowa in 1885, and in 1893, he married Bertha Jane Rash, daughter of Lewis and Rachel (Hammer) Rash. They became the parents of ten children, several of whom were also later Hopeville families. The Swaim family moved to a farm south of Hopeville about 1919.

Many of the Swaim children attended school in Hopeville. The country school was consolidated for one year and one of the older boys Wayne, drove a school bus. The people of the countryside were not ready for such a step as school consolidation, and after a heated argument and vote, the schools went back to their original buildings after only one year.

William and Bertha Swaim and descendants

The children of Wm. Swaim and Bertha (Rash) Swaim were 1.-Raymond Edward m. Cecil Smith. 2.-Inez Vivian Swaim m. Glen Smith, brother to Cecil Smith. Inez and Glen Smith's children: (Ralph, Robert, Morris). They lived northeast of Hopeville. 3.-Lillian Bernice Swaim was born in 1899, m. 2nd Harry Lamb, son of Clinton Lamb. (See Lamb family biography). 4.-Wayne William Swaim b. 1901 m. Mable Selsor, daughter of Stephen and Birdie (Gillette) Selsor. They lived southwest of Hopeville for several years, had 2 ch: (Bernice, Ross); Wayne md. 2nd Mable Pashek, and they lived in Creston. 5.-Dale Swaim b. 1903, d. in 1905 of pneumonia. 6.-Paul Swaim b. 1904 m. Lola Metts of Westerville. 7.-Bessie Swaim b. 1906, d. of spinal meningitis in 1907 8.-Edith Swaim b. 1908 m. Clayton Bevans, son of Jim and Cora Bevans... they lived east of Hopeville for a short time before moving to Osceola, had one son: (Lyle). 9.-Verna Pearl Swaim was born In 1910 m. Dennis Lamb, son of Clinton Lamb. (See Lamb History) 10.-Reva Rachel Swaim was born 1912 m. Loren Keith Benedict. They lived in Creston, Ia.

Joseph Albert Lamb was born June 28, 1856, Fulton County, Illinois, son of Issac William and Jane (Hall) Lamb. After the death of his mother, his father married Rebecca Sprys.

Joseph Albert Lamb married Emma Runnels in 1876. Born March 28, 1860, Fulton County, Illinois, and died at the age of twenty-five on November 14, 1885, Union County, Iowa, daughter of William and Anna P. Runnels. They left Illinois in the late 1800's, settling in Union County, Iowa, south of Thayer. To them were born five children:

William Issac b, 1877 and died November 11, 1896 when he was shot in an accident; Ollie Jane b. 1878 m. Bert Brown; Casper Newton b. 1881 m. Margaret Grace Carrel; Florence May Lamb b. 1883 m. Phillip Johnson and Margie Pearl b. 1885 d. 1974 Ritzville, Wash.

After the death of his young wife, Emma, Joseph Albert Lamb m. Nancy Isabell Miller 1886 Union County, Iowa. They left Iowa in the early 1900's for Ritzville, Adams County, Washington, where most of his large family was raised. Seven more children were born to Joseph and Nancy:

Ernest Carl b. 1887; Sarah Elizabeth b. 1890; Mable Ann b. 1892; Ervin Hugh b. 1894; Joseph LeRoy b. 1896; Lester Dewey b. 1898; and Martha Ellen b. 1901.

 

 

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Last revised October 22, 2013