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Biography For the family of Zetus Swartout and Harriet Cordelia Jennings
ZETUS SWARTOUT was born 24 Apr 1832 in Olive, Ulster County, New York, son of Andrew Swartwout and Juda Avery. In 1836 he came with his family to Michigan. He attended school in a log school house just east of his family’s double log cabin. He met Miss HARRIET JENNINGS, who was a teacher at the school from 1857-1858. She was born 14 Jun 1834 in New York, daughter of Joseph W. Jennings and Emiline Cleveland. Harriet came with her family to Michigan about 1834. Zetus and Harriet married on 31 Oct 1858 in probably Jackson County, Michigan.
They had 10 children, all surname SWARTOUT:
On 20 Dec 1859, his father died and Zetus either inherited the family house and land or perhaps purchased it. Because in the 1860 federal census we find Zetus with his new wife and their baby living in the same house as his mother and 3 brothers in Columbia Township, Jackson County, Michigan. Zetus is listed as a farmer, owning real estate with a value of $ 4,000 and personal property with a value of $ 935. (In comparison with other relatives in the 1860 census, this seems to be quite a bit of property considering that Zetus was only 34 years old and married 1 year).
In 1870, they are found still in Columbia township (without the mother and brothers, the mother having died in 1867). He is a farmer with a value of real estate of $ 8,000 and a value of personal property of $ 1,000. I also found him on an 1874 Woodstock township map (Lenawee County, Michigan) as the owner of some property about one mile west of Kelley’s Corner’s (or what would become Cement City). This land was on the border between Lenawee and Jackson Counties - it seems plausible to me that he could have lived in the family house in Columbia township and yet farmed another piece of land.
In the 1880 federal census they are found still in Columbia township, Jackson County, Michigan. He is a farmer. In 1893, I found him on a Woodstock township map owning 2 separate pieces of land. In 1891 he’s listed in a directory as a farmer of 40 acres in Woodstock, Columbia Twp, , Jackson County, Michigan. In 1898-1900, he’s listed in a directory as a farmer of 40 acres in Brooklyn, Columbia Twp, Jackson County, Michigan. Zetus and his wife and children continued to live in the family house until about 1900, when they moved to Woodstock township, Lenawee County, Michigan. In 1900, Zetus is listed in the federal census as a hotel keeper. In 1910, they are in Woodstock Township. His occupation is now listed as “own income”, suggesting that he is now retired.
On 08 Dec 1912, Harriet died at her home in Cement City, Woodstock township, Lenawee County. Her cause of death was listed as old age, with contributory cause of bronchitis.
In a 1916 Woodstock township atlas, Zetus is listed as owner of a section of land in Cement City. I have not found him yet in the 1920 census. It appears as though he sold or gave one of the parcels of land to his daughter, Mrs. D.C.Lewis (Carrie). I have an article from circa 1956 indicating that Mr. and Mrs. Dickie Lewis were still living on the same piece of land that was formerly taken over from the government by her great grandfather, Thomas Swartwout, a Revolutionary War veteran.
In 1923, Zetus (age 91) with his brother Andrew (age 86), were present at a D.A.R. ceremony marking the grave of their grandfather, Thomas Swartwout, in the Cement City cemetery. Thomas was a Revolutionary War veteran who enlisted 7 times.
On 04 May 1924, Zetus died at his home in Cement City, Woodstock township, Lenawee County, Michigan. Cause of death is listed as mitral insufficiency. (heart attack).
Zetus, his wife and many of his children are buried at the Cement City Cemetery.
Copyright 2003
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