I lived in cuba as a child.I do not remember the name of the street I lived on. It was next to the tracks and the water tower. It was my maternal grandparents place. Their names were john swise and Bessie May swise. They lived there from 1940 to 1975 as i recall. Does this ring any bells for anyone? I understand that a cousin of mine still lives in Cuba. His name is John L. Swise.on n.9th.st.I would love pictures of cuba. the name of the street we lived on etc.I can't seem to find anything about any of my family from that area.
By any chance were you related to Carlete Swise of Lewistown? I cannot remember her husbands name if she had been married. Carlete was pretty much blind. I think she may have passed in the mid -late 80's. It's been awhile since I was in Cuba but go to Lewistown occasionally where I grew up. When was the last time you were in Cuba? Once in awhile I get a Fulton County Democrat newspaper that has Cuba Old Times as well as Fulton Co. Old Times. often there are pics . Whenever I get one I would be glad to save that part for you. Do you remember the stores owned by Fred Palin and cannot remember who else, but became IGA store? Also my dau. gr.grandmother would be Flossie Johnson of Cuba but I cannot remember her husbands name. He had something to do with the mine I believe.
thank you for your reply. I haven't been to cuba since October of '77 when my brother died. His name was Harry Leslie Beaird Jr.
The store was Palin and Day. I do remember it. My grandfather was always in there standing next to the "pot bellied stove" and chatting with the other farmers.
I don't recall a Carlete Swise but she must have been related. I have an older sister and I will ask her.
i would love to have articles and pictures. please save them for me. I will give you my name and address to send them to.laterLet me know when you have some.
I just talked to my sister and she didn't know Carlete but said she thought she might have been a daughter to our great uncle. She also didn;'t remember Flossie Johnson.
Hello- I am not related but I just checked on Ancestry.com for John Swise in Fulton County. This is what I came up with. I hope it helps. I have added census years I found him listed.
John Frank Edward Swise Born 05 Dec 1881
Name: John Swise
SSN: 328-16-2366
Last Residence: 61571 Washington, Tazewell, Illinois, United States of America
Born: 5 Dec 1881
Died: Sep 1969
I think I find him in 1900 living in Illinois > Fulton > Farmers > District 17 with the Wm. Chenowith (spelling hard to read) family as a farm laborer.
John is 19 years old born in December of 1880 or 1881.
Might his parents be Charles and Delilah Margaret White Swise?
John was born Illinois
1910 in Illinois > Fulton > Bernadotte Twp > District 65
Married about 7 years in 1910 Married Bessie Demoss --- Three children born 3 living
1920- Bernadotte, Fulton, Illinois children are-
Maud 15 Balma 13 Lloyd 16 years old.
1930 John & Bessie Maud Beard? Husband Harry Leslie BEAIRD ? b: Abt 1903
Harriett and Thela Beaird her children
Good luck in your research. Sincerely Karen Morlan
Karen, Thank you so very much for the information. I think it was so very generous of you to go to the trouble and do this for me, someone you do not know. There is no way I can tell you how much I appreciate it. The information is great. Once again , thank you. Are you from Fulton County?
You are right, Day and Palin. I knew that as I worked in the one in Lewistown in the 80's. But had thought was another name with Days. I don't know alot about Cuba, just people.. Flossie's husband was Leonard Johnson. Anything I come across I will be glad to send. Interesting the previous post.......yr connection to Benadotte and a Bessie Demoss. Look into the Ellsworth post here and she is connected to the Demoss family from Bernadotte...........
Am wondering if you are related to the Beards/Beairds I know in Lewistown. Two families......differ spellings.
Ald, the beairds in lewistown could be related to me. I spelled it with the (i) and my brother without it. It was put on his military records that way and he didn't change it.
Bessie demoss was my grandmother. My mothers mother. she was short (less the 5") and very round. Best cook in the world. I will check the Elsworth post. will let you know. Thanks berneita
Dear Berneita- No I don't live in Fulton County but have gone to visit gravesites and towns. My people first moved to the area in 1830's and all my dad's people lived there. I am related to dozens of Fulton Families by the intricate marriages that come about in small towns. I have research on many family lines and always enjoy sharing and helping people find their grandparents and relatives. Several Fulton County people helped me when I first started and it really made a difference in what I found. If you haven't visited this web page http://www.illinoisancestors.org/fulton/ you really should. Janine Crandell runs it and it contains a huge amount of information on Fulton County. Used along with this U.S. Gen web site it will really help in research.
I just checked and I have2 nephews in Lewistown(Michael Beard and Bradley Beard)They are the children of my brother(Harry Leslie Beard).Their sister Deborah Vacca lived there too . She died in1997 and is buried in Oak hill cemetery, where my mother is buried. Maud Leona Beaird.as well as my sister Thela beaird
Ok, I knew Debby Vacca, and Mike and Brad, and a brother Greg.There is also a sister Cindy. I went to school with Greg, Cindy and Brad. When I was little they lived with their mother Carol down the street from my grandmothers. I remember playing. Yes, Debby did pass a few yrs ago, left a little boy and husband, plus step-children. I believe they all still live there. Brads children must be in their 20's now. I don't know what became of Greg, but always was a nice guy. Not sure about Cindy either. I want to say she had a child yrs back. Small world.
ald,So glad to hear from you. Yes those are my neices and nephews. There is also a daughter(Dana) I haven't heard from Carol in a few years so I have no idea if she still lives there. Did you know my brother Leslie?He died in 1977>october.I would love to know about the kids.Hope to hear from you again
Thats right, there was also Dana. I am wondering if perhaps she went into the milatary. No I don't remember yr brother. I believe they lived in Lewistown only a short time, mostly lived in Bryant. As I am looking in a Lewistown phone book 2003-2004, I am seeing a Carol and Greg listed. Seems a friend had told me few yrs back Greg lived with his mom. Cindy is listed in Bryant also. Of course phone book is a bit outdated. Brad's address is there and he is still in Lewistown. They all spell their name Beard. Mike was in Lewistown last I knew and was married to a gal named Connie but am positive they are divorced. I believe he had been married a few times. Really nice guy, too nice actually. It's possible Debbie's little boy graduated from high school this yr or is close to it. Yrs certainly go by fast.
Hello,I am so pleased to get this information,all of it.
When I was born I was named after a girl that lived in Cuba. Her name was Berneita Ann Hagaman and my younger sister was named after another girl whose name was Annawayne Murphy. Anyone know of these ladies and if they are still alive?
The street My grandparents lived on was called water tower road, next to Cy Bishops house. I am told that this was the only address at the time.
I am also looking for a family, last name Moore. They were my aunt and uncle and had three kids. Donald Max and Ronald and a girl Katherine May. Mrs. Moore was my mothers sister. They lived in cuba also and mrs. moore was the librarian back in the late '30s and early '40s.. They lived close to the library. Does anyone remember them?
Bessie May DeMoss Swise was the daughter to my great-grandfather Jesse DeMoss.
Perhaps you can help me out with a couple dates. I have Maude marrying Harry on Wednesday, February 17, 1926 in Cuba, Illinois. Can you tell me the date they got divorced? I also have Maude marrying Clarence Short about 1940. Can you give me their wedding date?
craig,So very glad to hear fr0m you. You are related definitely. My grandmother would be your great Aunt. There is a picture of her and my grandfather on the forum under picture albums It was taken in the mid to late 60s.
My mother and father were divorced in about 1937 when I was 3 .I do not know the exact date. She never married Clarence Short as far as any of us know. We could be wrong.
My grandmother Bessie was a very short woman(4'10") and as round as she was tall. Could cook anything and make it taste great.
anything else I can tell you let me know. Berneita Beaird Ellis
I have a copy of the Fulton County Democrat, a few weeks old but you are welcome to it if you like. It has the Cuba old times in it. If you want the whole paper or just the Cuba part let me know and send me yr address to my email addy.happy to send it off to you!
I received word today that Carol Beard has died. Do not know the cause. she will have services at cuba funeral home and be buried in the marietta cemetary next to her husband Harry Leslie Beard Jr. I would like to have a copy of her death notice if some one would email it to me. I don't have addresses for her children and would love to have them. They are cindy, greg, brad, Mike and dana. Any help would be greatly appreciated My email address-berneitac@aol.com Berneita Ellis
I just happened to be browsing the internet today and searched for my mother's name, trying to get a copy of obituary and came across these forums. My mother, Debbie Vacca, did indeed pass away in 1997 on May 14th, but not only left behind a son (Robert) and husband (Richard), but 2 daughters (Wendy and Joanne), a stepson (David) and stepdaughter (Brandy). She was the daughter of Carol Beard, whom also had recently passed away, and had brothers Brad, Greg, and Mike... Sisters Dana and Cindy. I've not seen or talked with the family since my mother has passed away, and regretfully admit that I didn't find out about my grandmother's (Carol) passing until too late. My prayers go out to the rest of the family in dealing with her passing.
Robert did indeed graduate highschool, but it was this year not last. He's undecided as to what he'll be doing, but college in the computer programmers field seems to be a step he may be taking.
For those of the family that would like to know... I've married and divorced... I have 2 wonderful children from my exhusband... Ethan and Jasmine. Ethan will be turning 8years this September, and Jasmine will be turning 7years this October. They are wonderful children and speak of their grandmother Debbie as if they had known her all their lives. This brings me heartache, but much satisfatcion at the same time because just them talking about her brings a smile on their face and mine... They know she keeps a watchful eye on them and if that may be true... I gladly apprieciate it!!
So, in ending... Thank you all for keeping my mother and grandmother alive through talk, prayers, and well this forum.
John Swise Was the son of Charles and Delilah (White) Swise. Grandson of Christian and Luesa (Hency) Swise, and Great Grandson of Henry and Mollie Swise.
He married Bessie May DeMoss, daugter of Jesse and Sarah (Hale) DeMoss. Her grandparents were John and Melinda (Cannon) Demoss and Albert and Rebecca (Russell) Hale.
John and Bessie had 3 children and one adopted child. Their chidren were Lloyd Edward Swise Maude L. Swise Stella B. Swise Jack "Swise" Beard
Jack was actually a great grandson that John and Bessie raised as their own. He went by the name Swise until adulthood, then went by the name Beard.
My grandfather was Lloyd Swise. He married Kathryn Hughes and they had eleven children. Betty, Pauline, Norma, Shirley, James, Patsy, Peggy, Frances, John, Ray, and Allen. Nine of these children are still living. Shirley and Patsy both passed from Cancer.
Christian Americanized his name From Schweiss to Swise after moving to the United States. He and Luesa divorced in the late 1880's and remarried about 3 months later. Seems they didn't want to separate after all. Luckily for us they put the original spelling of their names on the marriage license, as well of the parents of both him and Luesa. Her parents were Charles and Louisa Hency.
Also it should be known that Maude Swise NEVER married Clarence Short. She did however have a relationship with the man.
Stella Swise was married to Ralph Moore. She worked at the library in Cuba, Illinois before World War II, then went to Caterpillar and was one of those Rosie the Rivetors, working in the Welding Dept. She retired from Cat. I remember her well. A very nice lady.
stella swise married to Ralph moore -had 2 boys and one girl. Oldest boy is Max and next is Ronnie. The girl(Katie) passed away a few years ago of uterin cancer (as I recall) Katie had 2 boys. Her husband has also passed. He was Jim Reisings.
You are right, Maud never married Clarence short. She was my mother and a sister to your grand father ,Lloyd Swise.