SWAFFORD CHAPEL REUNION

Pikeville,TN  Aug 14, 2005

SWAFFORD CHAPEL REUNION

Pikeville,TN  Aug 14, 2005

Swafford Chapel Cemetery

Eric Swafford & family

Photos of Richard Swafford (Jacob Swafford line)

& Malinda Swafford

(Thomas Swafford line) graves.

   Wendell & Betty        Nail Castillo

(Swafford cuzzins)

Ms.Elizabeth Robnett (Swafford historian)

& Betty Nail Castillo

grandson, William Swafford & son

         Aaron Swafford line

    If you have PHOTOS from the

2005 SWAFFORD CHAPEL REUNION you'd like to share....

email them to us!

PHOTOS submitted by Mary Frances Caudill

PAGE 9 – The Bledsonian-Banner Newspaper, Pikeville,

Tennessee 37367

Thursday, September 8, 2005

                      “SWAFFORD REUNION”

  The CHURCH BELL was tolled 65 times, by Will Swafford,

to open the 65th annual SWAFFORD CHAPEL Homecoming,

REUNION and Cemetery Decoration on Sunday, August 14

at the Historic Church and Cemetery.  Johnnie Roberson

led the audience in Singing “SHALL WE GATHER AT THE

RIVER”, with Michael Boniol at the piano.  It was

noted the SWAFFORDS first settled near the SEQUATCHIE

RIVER almost 200 years ago.  The large Swafford Clan

moved from GREENVILLE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, soon

after 1800, first to SEQUATCHIE VALLEY, and after the

War of 1812 to the MISSISSIPPI Territory, before

moving back to BLEDSOE COUNTY in the early 1820’s.

Tom Swafford Sr. gave the invocation.  Will Swafford

let

The audience in the pledge to the flag.  Elizabeth

Robnett, CHAIRPERSON, a great-great-granddaughter of

Thomas Swafford Sr., the FOUNDER OF THE CHURCH, gave

the welcome and made the announcements.  Ronald H.

Swafford, VICE-CHAIRMAN, made the introductions of the

full house Melanie Swafford Loyd kept the register.

Eric Swafford, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, made a very

interesting talk on his recent term in Nashville.

Songs and Musical numbers were rendered by Blake

Roberson Jr., Johnnie Roberson, Nada Roberson Myers,

Connie Myers Campbell and Carrie Sapp.  The SWAFFORD

CHAPEL CEMETERY dates back to the 1820’s  Flags were

placed on the graves of Abraham Swafford, VETERAN OF

WAR of 1812; Frank Hutcheson and Jesse Segraves, CIVIL

WAR; Tollett Swafford and Carlos Hamilton, WOLRD WAR

II.  Thomas V. Swafford, AUTHOR of local History, made

a very interesting and informative talk, “How the

Civil War affected the Civilian population in Bledsoe

and Cumberland Counties”.  Thanks were extended to

Bobby and Sharon Swafford Anderson family, Johnnie and

Tim Evans, and Tom Frazier, Bledsoe County Road

Supervisor.  Frank Swafford Jr. and Frank Swafford

III, served as bursars.  Virginia Swafford was

recognized as “home-coming photographer”.  Special

recognition was given to:  the oldest person present,

Edna M. Swafford, 92; youngest person, Brady Hall,

eight months old; the longest married couple, Nace and

Sybil Swafford; the most recent married couple, Jeremy

and Carrie Swafford, two years; families or individual

traveling the greatest distance to attend the reunion,

Churcle Swafford, Texas; Bill Williams, Kansas; the

largest complete family, Tom Swafford, five; the

largest family, Walter Perry Swafford, twenty-four.

Each received a 5x7 photo print of the church by the

noted artist, Susan Wilhoit, of Dayton.  The original

print hangs in the BLEDSOE COUNTY COURTHOUSE.  Door

prizes were awarded to Ann Swafford and Bobby Sharp.

They were donated by Tim and Johnny Evans.  Taking

part in the Memorial Service with Tom Swafford Sr.

were Will and Christian Swafford.  Those remembered in

the service were Marie Wooten, Alien Swafford, Clara

Little, Claude Worthington, Eileen Kerley Pendergrass,

Mary Jo Swafford Beckham, Woodrow Oakes, John Coval

Swafford, Gene Kelly, Donnie Walker, Virginia Roberson

Thomas, Gordon Brown, Sara Farmer, Flossie Walker,

Thomas Lee Swafford, Joe Lee Swafford, Thomas Jacob

Swafford James Nale (Nail), Grace Swafford Doyal,

Johnny Hawkins, Carolyn Stephens Beyer, Lena rose

Tollett Aughney, and Allen Shugart.  Services closed

with the Audience singing “GOD BE WITH YOU”.  Jeremy

Swafford gave the benediction.  A BASKET LUNCH was

enjoyed at 12:30 at the church pavilion.  Signing the

register from Georgia: Lynn Little and Paula Swafford,

Elaine and Ellen Crane, Amanda Tollett Spencer, Lisa,

Nicki and Matt Wilmer, Judy and Mike Swafford, T.J.

Christy, Trey and Kearston Dixon James W. Thompson,

Nancy Swafford, Tom and Avis Swafford, Carol Miller

Maxwell, Charles and Judy Swafford Young.  SOUTH

CAROLINA:  Fannie Reno, Carrie Sapp, Suzanna

Schoolfield Sapp.  OHIO:  Nace and Sybil Adams

Swafford, Lorene Swafford Moone, Helen Swafford

Shelton, Brenda Keatan, Clifford and Sandy Swafford,

Joe and Nancy Bowman, rent, Holly and Nassow Bowman.

FLORIDA:  Cindy Taylor, Paul Abbey, Greg, Wanda and

Aaron Swafford, Walt Swafford.  ALABAMA:  Ben Farmer

and family.  TEXAS:  Chucle Swafford, and Mary

Swafford.  NORTH CAROLINA:  Edward and Margaret

Swafford Warren, Ed Warren Jr.  KENTUCKY:  Jim and

Arlene Swafford.  KANSAS:  Bill and Linda Swafford,

Pat Swafford Norris, Karen and Bill Williams.  The

following attended from TENNESSEE.  CROSSVILLE:

Michael Boniol.  Mary Frances Nail Reel, Betty Nail

Castello.  CHATTANOOGA:  Jamie Adams Agee, John and

Mickey Swafford, Theresa Ann Swafford.  William G.

Swafford, William G. Swafford III, Betty Swafford

Harrall, Fonza Swafford Barkley.  MEMPHIS:  Randy

Tremaine.  DUNLAP:  Don, Karrie and Christain

Swafford, Alice M. Swafford and Dion Swafford.

ATHENS:  Edna Pickens.  ATHENS:  Edna Pickens.

NASHVILLE:  Julette Swafford Duza, Warren Duzak.

COLLEGEDALE:  Chris Swafford.  MURFREESBORO:  DR. Carl

A. Swafford.  SALE CREEK:  David and Tabitha White,

Bobby, Angie and Kristen Sharp.  HUNTSVILLE:  Kevin

and Christy Hooks.  LEBANON:  Wilma Swafford Hall and

Aalijah, Kevin, Tina, Brady and Garnett Hall.  HIXSON:

Elsia Swafford Sharp, Joe and Ashley Sharp.

CLEVELAND:  Joe Williams III.  SODDY DAISY:  Carl

Parham.  KNOXVILLE:  Roy and Ernestine Hutcheson

Ingle.  CRAB ORCHARD:  Margie Swafford Kemmer.

DAYTON:  Elsie Swafford and Allen Leffew.  HELENWOOD:

Royce and Teresa Standy.  Those attending from BLEDSOE

COUNTY:  Frances Swafford, David Swafford, Bob S.

Swafford, Will Swafford, Ethan and Melanie Swafford

Loyd, Ronny H. Swafford, Wendell Walker, Johnnie

Roberson, Nada Roberson Myers, Connie Myers Campbell,

Judy Swafford, Virginia Swafford, Blake Roberson Jr.,

Rosemary Singleton, Eric, Tammy and Zachary Swafford,

Edna M. Swafford, Ray Swafford, Kathy Smith, Betty

Hamilton, Catherine Swafford, Teresa Swafford, Tommy

Swafford, Janice Swafford Frew, Edna Swafford Cope,

Helen Swafford, Sue Robnett, John and Betsy Swafford,

Nancy Stephenson Tremaine, Wally and Virginia

Reynolds, Stephen Sapp, Marie Akins Myers, Frank

Swafford Jr. Frank Swafford III, Tollett Farmer,

Thomas A. Farmer, and Elizabeth Robnett.

submitted by Peggy Levya-Conley & Ms. Elizabeth Robnett