George Swain

"He was born in Roxborough, Mass, June 17, 1763, and on Sept. 1, 1784, he left Providence, R. I. for Charleston, S. C.; but as a storm had required that much of the cargo be thrown over board, Swain arrived at Charleston penniless.  He walked to Augusta, Ga. where he lived a year, then removed to Wilkes, afterwards Oglethorpe county, where he engaged in hat-making, and was a member of the legislature of Georgia five years, and of the Constitutional convention held at Louisville about 1795, in which year he moved to Buncombe county and settled in or near Asheville, soon afterward marrying Carolina Lowrie, a sister of Joel Lane, founder of the city of Raleigh, and...[sister] of Gen. Joseph Lane, Democratic Candidate for vice president in 1860.  She was widow of a man who had been killed by the Indians.... [They] lived at the head of Beaverdam Creek where, on January 4, 1801, David Lowrie Swain, afterwards judge, governor and president of the University [Chapel Hill] was born....In 1806, the post-office at Asheville was made the distributing office for Georgia, Tennessee and the two Carolinas, and George Swain became postmaster, the commission issuing in 1807. He was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church....He was a trustee of the Newton academy.  He afterwards carried on the hatter's business in the house now called the Bacchus J. Smith place in Grove Park, where his son-in-law, William Coleman, succeeded him as a hatter.  For some time before his death he was insane.  He died December 24, 1829." (1914. Arthur, John. Western North Carolina: A History... pp. 150, 151.)

"The residence of George Swain...was a log double cabin.  About 1805 a post route was established on the recently constructed road through Buncombe County, which soon became the thoroughfare for travel from the Carolinas and Georgia to the western States  In 1806, the postoffice at Asheville was made the distributing office for Georgia, Tennessee and the two Carolinas.  George Swain became in 1806, the postmaster at Asheville, although his commission did not issue until January 1807.  This office he continued to hold for twenty years or more.  In all tht time he was never absent at the arrival of a mail, and always distributed the letters with his own hands.  He was a large man with no claim to good looks, but possessed a most remarkable memory.  It is said that "he could repeat the entire book of genesis, and was so familiar with the sacred volume that on the first verse of any chapter being read he was ordinarily able to repeat the second, and if he failed to do so would turn to it in a minute."  For many years he was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church... (1922.  Sondley, F. A. Asheville and Buncombe County, p. 100.) 

"George Swain was a trustee of the Newton Academy.  While postmaster he resided at Asheville.  After his removal to that place he was engaged for a while in his old business of making hats, which he conducted at a place just beyond the corporate limits of the city, on the eastern side of Charlotte Street, known for many years by reason of the business there carried on by him and afterwards by his son-in-law, the late William Coleman, as the Hatter-shop, and which was occupied for many years by the late Baccus J. Smith, and now in Grove Park.  Mr. Swain owned much land adjoining this place, and also several town lots.  During his residence in Asheville he lived on the eastern side of South Main Street, where now stand the business buildings from that once occupied as Grant's Pharmacy....The old brick store house, years ago removed from the site of what was once Stoner's Rack Store, belonged to him and is said to have been the oldest brick building in Asheville ....George Swain lived long enough to witness the beginning of his famous son's career, but died before it reached its zenith, on Dec. 24, 1829 at Asheville, and is buried in the Newton Academy graveyard.  For some time before his death he was insane. (1922. Sondley, F. A. Asheville and Buncombe County, pp. 100, 101.)