Samuel McFerrin Sweetland

Brief Life History of Samuel McFerrin

When Samuel McFerrin Sweetland was born on 3 February 1820, in Buchanan, Botetourt, Virginia, United States, his father, Dr. Eleazer Sweetland, was 37 and his mother, Sarah 'Sally' Hawkins Van Meter, was 25. He married Martha Virginia Abernathy on 20 April 1847, in Shelby, Tennessee, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. He lived in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States in 1850. He died on 17 April 1856, in Virginia, United States, at the age of 36.

Photos and Memories (2)

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Family Time Line

Samuel McFerrin Sweetland
1820–1856
Mary Jane Abernathy
1828–
Marriage: 15 May 1854
Samuel Robert Sweetland
1856–1938

Sources (16)

  • Saml Sweetland in household of Geo Pattison, "United States Census, 1850"
  • Samuel Sweetland, "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950"
  • Samuel R Swutland in entry for Sam R Swutland, "Alabama Deaths, 1908-1974"

Spouse and Children

World Events (6)

1821 · Financial Relief for Public Land

A United States law to provide financial relief for the purchasers of Public Lands. It permitted the earlier buyers, that couldn't pay completely for the land, to return the land back to the government. This granted them a credit towards the debt they had on land. Congress, also, extended credit to buyer for eight more years. Still while being in economic panic and the shortage of currency made by citizens, the government hoped that with the time extension, the economy would improve.

1824 · "Mary Randolph Publishes ""The Virginia Housewife"""

“The Virginia Housewife” was published by Mary Randolph. It was the first cookbook published in America. 

1830 · The Second Great Awakening

Being a second spiritual and religious awakening, like the First Great Awakening, many Churches began to spring up from other denominations. Many people began to rapidly join the Baptist and Methodist congregations. Many converts to these religions believed that the Awakening was the precursor of a new millennial age.

Name Meaning

English: habitational name from Sweetlands Farm in Upottery (Devon), perhaps from Old English swēte ‘sweet, pure, pleasant’ + land ‘land’.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

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