My great great grandmother is Nancy Swearingen b. 1836 whom I believe may be the daughter of Thomas Van Swearingen and Pevina Walston. Is the name Pevina? It looks more like Penina in census reports and I've been struggling to decipher it. The 1850 U. S. Census for St. Francois Co. shows Penina to have been born in N.C. as head of household with family members: Sarah 20, Benona 10, Nancy 13, Mary 12, Thomas 10 and Silas 4. In 1860 Pevenina is 49, head of household, farmer with family members Mary E. Menteen 22 and Thos V. 18. In 1870 Penina is in the household of Thomas age 28 and Mary F age 19. If Dr. William A. Swearengen was her son born in 1871 Penina wuld have been 59 years old when he was born. The 1870 Census was taken in June and William was born in November so he would not have been shown with Pevina. It seems more likely that Dr. William A. Swearingen would have been the son of Thomas Van Swearingen who was born in 1841 and Mary F. This Thomas Van Swearingen was the son of Penina making Dr. Swearingen the grandson of Pevina.

I have only recently been seriously working on the Swearingen line. There are many Thomas Van Swearingens and any info on proven lines to Thomas and Pevina would be greatly appreciated.