Mike,Steve & Joe Swartwood 

 

 

 

James Swartwood   (Great Grandfather)

 

                                                                  

1841: Jan.1 – James Swartwood was born in either Barton,Tioga Co..,N.Y. or in Vestal, Broome Co., N.Y. He was the son of Benjamin Swartwood and Hanna Degues. Benjamin and Hannah moved to Vestal 1844.

 

1850: age 9 years. Living with parents in Vestal Twp., Broome Co., N.Y.                      

 

 

1860:  age 19 years.

 

1860:  married Kate Truesdale. On a CW pension file, James Swartwood said he was married to a Kate Truesdale and that she died in               Wisconsin.

 

1861:  James Swartwood and Kate Truesdale or Truesdell had  a daughter Hattie. I discovered a 1910 deposition from his daughter Hattie Brown in his Civil War pension file.

 

CIVIL WAR SERVICE

 

      I do not know  where  he serve  between April 1861 and September 6, 1864. The newspaper article describing the cannon explosion says he was in 32 battles. The pension file contains only information about his injuries and his requests for his pension and pension increases .

 

1864   Feb. 1 – He re-enlisted to serve another 3 years while stationed at Brandy Station, VA. Per his Certificate of Disability for Discharge dated March 29, 1865. This document says he was 24 yrs. Old and 5’9” tall, dark complexion, gray eyes, brown hair, and by occupation was a farmer. He had been unfit for duty for the past 60 days. He was at the General Hospital in Central Park, N.Y. He was disabled due to the amputation of his right forearm as a result of premature discharge of a cannon while firing a salute at Elmira,N.Y., on September 21, 1864. He was discharged from General Hospital on April 6,1865.

 

1864  Sep. 6 -  A battery of  44 men left for Elmira, N.Y. Why these men were sent to Elmira, from Brandy Station was not on the deposition.

 

1864  Sep. 21 – A cannon blew up prematurely on the inland at Elmira, N.Y. James Swartwood was taken to the Elmira hospital where his arm was amputated below the elbow and half way to the wrist that same day. He also lost the sight in his left eye. Sight in his right was impaired. He had 3 broken ribs on his right side.

 

1864  Sep.21 – Dr. Dwight Dudley was a doctor on wards 1 & 2 at  Elmira hospital when James Swartwood was brought into the hospital. He was under Dr. Dudley personal care for care for about 3 months (to Dec. 21, 1864). He must have been transferred from Elmira  hospital and went to General Hospital in Central Park, N.Y.

 

1865  April 6 – Discharged from military service at his request from General Hospital , Central Park, N.Y.

 

1866 – He received an artificial arm called a  “Lincoln arm”.

 

1910  April 20 – James Swartwood 79, died at Tracy Creek, buried in Crumm Hill Cemetery.