The stone reads:
"John Swank
VA Militia
Rev War
1850
1893
Some genealogy is here: (
visit link)
"John Swank (original name Johannes Schwenk) born about 1750 in Pennsylvania, or more likely, he came over from Germany as a child with his parents Balthasar and Anna Margaret Schwenk.
According to Trinity Church records, on Nov. 28, 1769, John and Rosannah Summit (RosinaSammet) were married in Reading, Pennsylvania. Her father was Jacob Sammet.
John and Rosannah moved to Washington Co., Maryland in the early 1770's, and he took the oath of allegiance there during the Revolutionary War.
Later he moved his family to Hardin Co., Kentucky around 1780 where they became prosperous pioneers. John Swank owned slaves and had more than 2,500 acres of land.
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On August 12, 1794 as he and Rosannah were riding on horseback from Elizabethtown to Bardstown when they were attacked by Indians. John put his wife on his wounded horse and then fled on foot to a cave on the old Cofer farm two miles from the fort. While trying to conceal himself his dog betrayed him by barking at the pursuing Indians, and he was murdered, suffering nineteen bullet wounds. Tradition says John remained sitting upright with his back against the projecting rocks, and after many bullets were fired into his body the Indians became frightened and fled thinking he was a spirit.
Rosannah fled on her husband's horse until the horse collapsed. She then got away on foot and made it to a friends home on Rolling Fork. She was a big woman and her new linsey dress was slowing her down, so she took it off and carried it over her arm, but took care to save all the precious pins which she stuck in a neat row across her frock.
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John Swank lived in a fort of his own two miles northeast of Elizabethtown. It occupied the ground where their son-in-law, William Edlin, afterwards lived and died. John and Rosannah left a considerable family, most of whom became rich or comfortable and subsequently moved to Missouri.
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The 1795 KY census listed in Hardin Co. are: John Swank; John Swank Jr.; Rosana Swank; and Rosanna Swank.
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John Swank's father, Jacob Swank was probably born in Germany.
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In 1835 all of the Swank children except Elizabeth who married William Edlin, and Susannah who m. William B. Roll moved to Missouri and did well. His son Jacob, who married Elizabeth Van Meter, built a large brick home near Charleston, MO, which became a landmark. Daughter Susannah and husband William B. Roll moved to Harrison Co., IN. They had 3-4 small children."
Visit Instructions:PLEASE NOTE: This category is for American Revolutionary War Veterans only. Veterans of other revolutions are not part of this category.
I have allowed one entry for a grave of British solders, but it was an exception. Please only list graves for Colonial soldiers.
Simply visit the locations. Please provide as much information as possible. Pictures would be a great addition.