5th Sergeant WILLIAM SWIGART JR., Co. F, 86th Illinois

William Swigart Jr., from what we know about him, was born about 1842/43 in Wyandot County, Ohio. From his name, William Swigart Jr., we can be fairly certain that William Jr's father was also named William Swigart. Some believe that William Swigart Jr. was the son of William Swigart and Eliza Jane (McHenry) Swigart. However, William Swigart Jr. was born c. 1842/43, while Eliza Jane McHenry was born in September of 1829, so Eliza would have only been at most 14 years of age when William was born and there is a six year gap between the birth of William Swigart and his next oldest known sibling, John Swigart, who was born in 1849. Also, it is now known that William Swigart Sr. was married to Eliza Jane McHenry on October 21, 1847, so William Sr. MUST have been married before his marriage to Eliza, one child being born to that union, William Swigart Jr.
William Swigart Sr. was born on August 15, 1822 in Pickaway County, Ohio, the son of Daniel Swigart, who was a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth (Conrad) Swigart, who was born in Greenbrier County, Virginia.
William Swigart Sr. and his 1st wife, __________ __________, were the parents of;
1. William Swigart Jr., born c. 1842/43 in Wyandot County, Ohio. See his biography below.

William Swigart Sr. was married 2nd to Eliza Jane McHenry on October 21, 1847 in Wyandot County, Ohio. Eliza Jane McHenry was born on September 20, 1829 in Ohio, the daughter of John McHenry (1797 - 1888) and Harriet King McHenry (1805 - 1885). William and Eliza were the parents of;
2. John Swigart, born January __, 1849 in Ohio. John Swigart was married to Almira Morss/Moss c. 1876/77. Margret Almira Morss/Moss was born on December 15, 1860 in Illinois, the daughter of Benjamin Morss/Moss and Caroline Uarner/Varner. The children born to John and Almira include;
A. Lilly M. Swigart, born c. 1877/78 in Illinois.
B. Carrie Swigart, born c. 1878/79 in Illinois.
C. John G. Swigart, born November __, 1880 in Knox County, Illinois.
D. Mollie B. Swigart, born June __, 1883 in Knox County, Illinois.
E. William Swigart, born February __, 1890 in Knox County, Illinois.
F. Benjamin B. Swigart, born February __, 1892 in Knox County, Illinois.
G. Arthur Lake Swigart, born August __, 1897 in Knox County, Illinois. Arthur was married at the age of 20 on September 4, 1917 in Knox County, Illinois to Ohnah Mae Flinn. Ohnah, who was 17 at the time, was born c. 1900 in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois, the daughter of Charles H. Flinn and Emma (Downey) Flinn.

At the time of the 1880 census, John and his family are found in Haw Creek Township of Knox County, Illinois, where he is farming;
John Swigart Self M 31 Ohio
Almira Swigart Wife F 19 Illinois
Lilly M Swigart Daughter F 2 Illinois
Carry Swigart Daughter F 1 Illinois
Sarah Morss Sister-in-law F 22 Illinois

At the time of the 1900 census, John and his family are found in Maquon Township Maquon village, Knox County, Illinois, where he is farming;
John Swigert Head M Jan 1849 51 Ohio
Margret A Swigert Wife F Dec 1860 40 Illinois
John G Swigert Son M Nov 1880 20 Illinois
Mollie B Swigert Daughter F Jun 1883 17 Illinois
William Swigert Son M Feb 1890 10 Illinois
Benjaman B Swigert Son M Feb 1892 8 Illinois
Arthur L Swigert Son M Aug 1897 3 Illinois

Margret Almira (Morss) Swigart died on November 25, 1926 in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois. John Swigart died on __________ __, 1941. Their mortal remains were laid in the
Maquon Cemetery in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial# 35547771.

3. Jane Swigart Cook (1851 - 1929). Jane, now the wife of O. D. Cooke, of Hinsdale, Illinois.

4. Daniel Swigart (1853 - 1936). Daniel, now living in Chicago.

5. Alonzo Swigart (1855 - 1874)

At the time of the 1850 census, the Swigarts are found in Antrim Township, Wyandot County, Ohio, as follows;
William Swagart M 27 Ohio
Eliza Swagart F 20 Ohio
William Swagart M 7 Ohio
John Swagart M 1 Ohio

It appears that in the 1850's, William Swigart Sr. came west to Illinois, perhaps to check out a site for a future home for his growing family. At the time of the 1860 census, a William Swigart is found in Haw Creek Township of Knox County, Illinois as follows;
Elisabeth Olmstad F 27 N Y
Lauria Olmstad F 7 Ills
John Olmstad M 5 Ills
Theodore Olmstad M 3 Ills
Velunder Olmstad F 1 Ills
Wm Swigart M 37 Ohio

Eliza Jane (McHenry) Swigart and the children can not be located in the 1860 census, though the family is known to have soon followed, settling in Haw Creek Township, near Maquon, Knox County, Illinois. Eliza Jane (McHenry) Swigart died there on January 23, 1861 and her mortal remains were laid in the Maquon Cemetery in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois. See her Find A Grave Memorial# 35549108.
William Swigart Sr. was married 3rd to Susan Stewart, who was born in Indiana, and died in 1875. She was the mother of six children;
6. Elizabeth Swigart, born in 1862 in Illinois. Elizabeth was married to Charles Hartsook of Haw Creek Township. Elizabeth died in 1902.

7. George Swigart, born in 1864. died in 1865.

8. Lincoln Swigart, born October __, 1863 in Illinois. Lincoln was married to Laura E. ___________ c. 1888/89. At the time of the 1900 census, Lincoln and his family are found in Galesburg Township (incl. Galesburg Sanitarium) Galesburg city Ward 6, Knox County, Illinois;
Lincoln Swigart Head M 37 Illinois
Laura E Swigart Wife F 33 Illinois
Harry Swigart Son M 11 Illinois
Charles Swigart Son M 8 Illinois

Lincoln died in 1944.

9. Sarah Swigart, born in 1868 in Illinois. Sarah was married to F. C. Bearmore, of Maquon. Sarah died in 1957.

10. Mary Swigart, born in 1872 in Illinois. Mary was married to ____________ Allen. Mary died in 1896.

11. Eliza Swigart, born August 17, 1874 in Illinois. Eliza died on May 23, 1884 and her mortal remains were laid in the Maquon Cemetery in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois. See her Find A Grave Memorial# 35548641.

William Swigart Sr. was married 4th on May 16, 1876 to Elizabeth A. Bull on May 16, 1876 in Knox County, Illinois. Elizabeth A. Bull was born on September 20, 1838 in Fairfield County, Ohio.
In 1878, William Swigart Sr. opened a general grocery store in partnership with J. B. Boynton. At the time of the 1880 census, the Swigarts are found in Haw Creek, Knox County, Illinois, where William Swigart Sr. is a Grocer. His father is listed as having been born in Pennsylvania, while his mother is listed as having been born in Virginia;
William Swigart Self M 57 Ohio
Elizabeth Swigart Wife F 42 Ohio
Elizabeth Swigart Daughter F 17 Illinois
Lincoln Swigart Son M 13 Illinois
Sarah Swigart Daughter F 11 Illinois
Mary Swigart Daughter F 8 Illinois
Eliza Swigart Daughter F 5 Illinois
Arlina B Bull Niece F 21 Illinois

Elizabeth A. (Bull) Swigart died on September 18, 1904 and her mortal remains were laid in the Maquon Cemetery in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois. See her Find A Grave Memorial # 35549429.
William Swigart was married 5th to Louise (_________) Huggins Swigart (1864 - 1935). At the time of the 1910 census, William, Louise and her son, Earnest Huggins, are found in Haw Creek, Knox County, Illinois;
William Swigart Head M 87 Ohio
Louise Swigart Wife F 44 Illinois
Earnest Huggins Stepson M 14 Illinois

William Swigart died on April 24, 1913 and his mortal remains were laid in the Maquon Cemetery in Maquon, Knox County, Illinois.

Now to continue with what we do know about William Swigart Jr;
On July 26, 1862, William Swigart Jr. was one of the very first to volunteer to serve in a company which was being raised in the Maquon, Illinois area by a local Carpenter, Contractor and Businessman by the name of James L. Burhalter for service in the Union army. At the time he volunteered, William Swigart Jr. gave his residence as Maquon, Illinois.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name SWIGART, WILLIAM JR
Rank SGT Company F Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence MAQUON, KNOX CO, IL Age 19 Height 5' 8 Hair BROWN
Eyes HAZEL Complexion FAIR Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity WYANDOTTE CO, OH

Service Record
Joined When JUL 26, 1862 Joined Where MAQUON, IL
Joined By Whom J L BURKHALTER Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED OF TIPHOID FEVER AT NASHVILLE TENN NOV 18, 1862

When Burkhalter had about 100 volunteers, he led the Maquon company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. There on August 27, 1862, Burkhalter was elected by the men of the Maquon company to be their Captain and Captain Burkhalter and 93 of his volunteers were mustered in as Co. F of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Though only 19 years of age, William Swigart Jr. was elected by the men to serve as their ____ Sergeant.
On September 6, 1862, the men of the 86th received their very first uniforms of blue, frock coats and forage caps. The very next day, September 7, 1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched of the gates of Camp Lyon, Capt. James L. Burkhalter leading Co. F, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, down to the railroad depot. There they were joined by the men of the 85th Illinois, who had been mustered into service at Camp Peoria. Together, at the depot, the men of the 85th and 86th boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. Three weeks later, the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the coming years.
After the Union victory at Perryville, the Confederate forces withdrew from Kentucky and the men of McCook's Brigade, of which the 86th was a part, marched on toward Nashville, Tennessee. However, even before the 86th reached the Tennessee line, many of the green troops were already having difficulties with the diet, living conditions and their new way of life as soldiers. By the time they reached Gallatin, Tennessee, where they was a Union Army hospital, quite a few members of the 86th Illinois were sick.
The 86th remained at Gallatin, Tennessee several days, but when they finally pulled out, heading on toward Nashville, quite a few members of the 86th were left behind in the Army Hospital. The men of the 86th arrived in Nashville on November 7, 1862. During this march,many more men came down sick with various illnesses. Quite a few men arrived in Nashville sick. One of these is believed to have been Sergeant William Swigart Jr, who almost certainly went straight to the hospital with what was diagnosed as Typhoid Fever upon arriving in Nashville.
Sergeant Swigarts condition deteriorated rapidly in the hospital and on November 18, 1862, just 11 days after arriving in Nashville, Sergeant William Swigart Jr. died of Typhoid Fever. His earthly remains were buried in a Union burying ground in Nashville, Tennessee in what is today the Nashville National Cemetery. His grave is grave #5204 in Section A of this cemetery.
On November 3, 2015, I received the following email from Dave Thomas, whose email address is [email protected];
"Hello Baxter,
I recently purchased a few Civil War photographs and this was one of them. I thought you might want to use it on your find a grave site for him. Photo is Sergeant William Swigart, (written on back) Company F, 86th Il. Inf. Taken at Hawkins & Philpot, Photographers, S. E. Corner, Public Square. Macomb, Ill.
Regards, Dave Thomas."

The photograph is found here on William Swigart Jr.'s Find A Grave Memorial. The only problem is that I don't think this is William Swigart Jr. First of all, the photograph was taken in Macomb, Illinois where there was a Swigart family. However, this is 90 miles west and south of Peoria. William Swigart Jr. received his first and only uniform on September 6, 1862 along with the rest of the 86th. It included a frock coat and a forage cap. This soldier is wearing what is called a "sack coat." The next day, they were on a train bound for southern Indiana, no time for a trip to Macomb, Illinois, even if officers would have allowed it. The following few weeks were spent drilling at Camp Jo Holt, then they were on the march into Kentucky, participating in the Battle of Perryville. After the Battle of Perryville, was the long march to Nashville, during which Sergeant Swigart came down with Typhoid Fever. Most of the photographs that we have of members of the 86th Illinois were taken in Nashville. However, Sergeant Swigart spent most, if not all, of his 11 days in Nashville on his death bed. Sergeant William Swigart died on November 18, 1862. Members of the 86th Illinois did eventually receive "sack coats" as replacements for the "frock coats", but not until the summer and fall of 1863, long after Sergeant Swigart had died. Unless he sat for a portrait before he entered the service, I believe that there is a good chance that he died never having sat for a portrait. As much as I want to say this is Sergeant Swigart, I don't believe it is. However, until I can say beyond any doubt that it isn't him, I'm going to hope it is.

by Baxter B. Fite III

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Swigart family, who might be able to tell us more about the Swigart family.)