Moses Swearingen is listed in Karel Whyte's book on the Swearingen family as the son of Van Swearingen & Rachel, possibly Rachel Cloud. She then lists 2 wives: Mary Cloud, dau/o Noah Cloud, and Martha Mims, dau/o Tarlton Mims & Beheathland Lang. Her justifcation for these two wives is that Noah Cloud lists a daughter Mary Swearingen in his will dated 6 Jul 1834 / proved 17 Aug 1838 & that Beheathland Mims will, dated 1836, lists a daughter Martha Swearingen. There is no doubt that Moses is married to a Martha in the 1850 census, and obviously both Noah's daughter Mary and Beheathland's daughter Martha were married to a Swearingen. However, for the life of me, I can see how Moses Swearingen was the husband of both women as the dates of the wills are in the same time period. To make matters even more confusing, Henry Van Swearingen is listed as a son in the will of Moses Swearingen dated 14 Feb 1852 and as a grandson in the will of Noah Cloud, dated 1834 / proved 1838. Can anyone out there help me sort this out?????
Thanks,
Carol Carmichael
Tennessee