SEVENTH GENERATION

There are only traces of David out there, possibly because he died so young. If he is, in fact, the David Wright who is the brother of James S. Wright and son of John Barrett Wright, than the family is well documented, as they were quite interested in civic life. If that is the case, we can piece together the following biography.

David was born in 1815 in Kentucky, or possibly Ohio or Indiana or Virginia. He was raised in a Quaker family in which his father spoke with thee's and thou's and wore proper Quaker clothing. His family, consisting of his mother, father and as many as 5 children, settled in Randolph County Indiana in 1817. His schooling was 3 months of the year in the winter and was overseen by a Scottish schoolmaster who practiced corporal punishment and sometimes tippled. His mother died in 1825. In 1830, the family moved to Champaign County, Illinois near Homer, where John B. bought a farm of 160 acres. John B. also remarried to Anna Stanfield in 1831, providing David and his siblings with a stepmother. David married Eliza Swearingen in 1837 at age 22 in the single most well-documented event of his life. in 1839, His nephew Randolph (through his brother Jesse B) came to live with him for a time in 1839 in order to attend school. In the 1840 Census, he and Eliza had one female child under the age of 5, which would have been Elizabeth Ann. He an Eliza later had three other children: Mary in 1841, John in 1843 and Phoebe in 1846. And then, in 1847, David died at the age of 32. His is buried in Bodkin Cemetery, and his widow went on to remarry 7 years later. Eliza lived with her new husband, John Bruner, his four children, as well as three of her four (Elizabeth Ann had married in 1856), and their two in Vance township at the time of the 1860 census. Later, the Bruners moved to Exira, Iowa.

All of this is based on a lot of assumptions, except perhaps for his marriage, children and death. ______

97. Eliza Swearingen (Florence Elizabeth Ann Swearingen?) was born on Oct 16 1814 in Lewis (or breckinridge) County, Kentucky.   She was either the daughter of John Swearingen and Elizabeth Meyers or Van Swearingen and Margaret Robinson.   If her parents are John and Elizabeth, their roots are well traced.

After David died, she married again in 1854 in Homer, Illinois  to John A. Bruner.

She died on Jan 27 1904 (age 89) in Exira, Audubon, Iowa. She was buried after Jan 27 1904 in Exira, Audubon, Iowa.  Her cemetery record is listed as Eliza Bruner.  Audobon county Burial Records A-Z Vol 1-2 pg. 29.

Obituary

Rec'd from Find a Grave member #47927883

"Obituary."
Eliza Sweanen was born in [Le]wis county, Ky., Oct. 18, 1811, and died in Exira, Iowa, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1904, at the advanced age of 89 years, 3 months and 11 days."

"Aunt Eliza as she was familiarly known, moved to Vermillion county, Ill., where she was married to David Wright in 1836. Mr. Wright died ten years later. Four children were born to this union two of whom are still living: John S. Wright of Freeport, Nebraska, and Mrs. Samuel Minser also fo Nebraska, but has resided there several months looking after her mother until the end came."

"In May 1854, she was married to John Bruner, who died about one year ago. To this union two children were born, one of whom W.H.Bruner of the "Big Horn" basin still survives her, but was not able to be here in time for the funeral."

"They moved to Iowa in 1865 being among the very early settlers in Audubon county, and spent the remainder of their lives in and near Exira."

"Mrs. Bruner united with the Christian Church at the age of twenty years and has been a zealous and consistent member of the church until death. Thus having continued steadfast unto the end, she has that promise of a rest where sorrow and sadness never enter."

"The funeral services were held at the Christian church Jan. 28, conducted by the pastor, E.C. Whitaker, after which the remains were laid to rest by the side of her companion in the Exira cemetery."

"And once again we are reminded of the fact that the old pioneers are rapidly passing away; and we will not long be permitted to hear from the lips of those in person, who were among the first to settle the western plains and uplands of Iowa. Peace to their ashes."