Swicks Had Cameron Hill Grocery; Lived Nearby

Four Swick brothers made their way from Virginia to Hamilton County before the Civil War. They were sons of John Swick and were from Staunton in Augusta County. The brothers were William F., David P., Henry M. and Micajah T. Their trade was painting. Many of their descendants were residents of Cameron Hill.

 

William F. was born Jan. 13, 1826, at Staunton. He arrived in Chattanooga in the fall of 1847. He was first a painting contractor, then a merchant.

His house was at Seventh and Market, where Miller Brothers was later erected. He left Market Street in 1853 and acquired a house at 617 Poplar St. on the side of Cameron Hill from the Weavers. William F. was a bachelor for many years. But after his brother D.P. died at Chattanooga on Nov. 27, 1867, he married his widow, Mary Jane. D.P. and Mary Jane had a daughter, Sarah C. who married J.F. Carney in 1877. D.P. died of a “long chill.” He was buried at Citizens Cemetery, but the body was later moved to Forest Hills Cemetery.

 

William F. and Mary Jane were married April 6, 1869. They had a son, David P., who was named after the later brother and husband, and daughter Henriette E. who married William J. Moore. Mary Jane died in 1905. A native of Nashville, she was a member of Centenary Methodist. She was still residing in the old homeplace at 617 Poplar when she died. William F. Swick lived until 1912.

 

Micajah Swick arrived in Chattanooga in 1855. He was a painter, then he became a merchant. Civil War records show him in the Confederate conscript camp of instruction and as an enlistee in the Confederacy’s Co. F, 35^th Tennessee Infantry. Another source says he was neutral during the conflict and remained in business in Chattanooga during the four years of the war. On Jan. 15, 1861, he married Elizabeth Fyffe. She and her mother, Helen Fyffe, were schoolteachers. The ceremony was performed by the First Presbyterian pastor James N. Bradshaw. Micajah was “in very reduced circumstances” at the close of the war. He later became a contractor and he served as a director of several banks. Elizabeth died about 1886. Micajah was the oldest member of First Presbyterian when he died in 1911 of Bright’s Disease. He was then living with a daughter, Mrs. James J. Warren, at 803 McCallie Ave. He was 87 and had lived in Chattanooga 62 years. He had “a host of friends.”

 

Micajah’s children were Lillian, Helen, Frank Pendleton, Walter S., Roberta, Harry L., Clarence and Bessie. Lillian married John D. Patton, and Helen married J.J. Warren. Roberta married Charles W. Rowland. Bessie married Joe Schmidt. Frank was living with a daughter, Mrs. Charles Hicks, at 805 E. 14^th St., when he died in 1917. He was 52. Walter worked 30 years for the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad. He was 78 when he died in 1947. Harry followed the old family craft of painting. He died in 1922. Clarence moved to Memphis.

 

Henry was born at Staunton in 1833. He and his wife, Mary A., were early members of First Presbyterian in Chattanooga. They later moved to Dalton, Ga. Henry enlisted at Dalton May 15, 1862, in Avery’s Squadron of Georgia Dragoons. This was Co. E of the 12^th Cavalry. Henry rose to the rank of corporal. He was sick in a hospital at Dalton in November 1863, but rejoined the army. Henry and Mary Swick later returned to Chattanooga. They were at 512 W. Seventh St. on Cameron Hill when Henry died in 1915 and Mary the following year. They were buried in Dalton.

 

Henry’s children were Emma L., Mattie B., James H., John G. and Edward L. Emma married F.E. Hooper, and Mattie married A.J. Park. Henry helped out at a grocery operated by his sons in Chattanooga. Swick Brothers Grocery was at 404 W. Ninth on Cameron Hill. The grocery was in a block that also included a rival food store operated by William Logan, the dry goods store of Mrs. Annie Metz, a meat market, Hixson Brothers Furniture, the Diamond Max Saloon and the bar run by A.H. Silverman. The eldest son, James H., was the senior partner in Swick Brothers Grocery. He lived at the 512 W. Seventh address as well. He died in 1906 of kidney troubles when he was 48. He was buried at Dalton.

 

John G. married Lena Watson, who was from Monticello, Ga. They were divorced after they had a son, John Henry Swick, and daughter, Gladys. John G. Swick was a railroad man after he left the grocery. He lived at 714 Cedar St. on Cameron Hill. He was struck by a car driven by 17-year-old Claude Springfield Jr. on March 2, 1934. This was in the 500 block of W. Sixth Street, where he was living at the time. He died two days later at Newell Sanitarium. He was 66.

 

Gladys married John Hulbert Shields, a fireman. John Henry Swick served in World War II, then he married Virginia Johnson in 1946. John Henry was a civil engineer for TVA and was a deacon at the First Baptist Church. Virginia was a well-known organist and was the first person to receive a graduate degree in music at the University of Chattanooga. She also studied at Columbia University in New York. She was organist and choirmaster for many years at Pilgrim Congregational Church and also was the longtime pianist for the Alert Class at First Baptist. She also played at the Highland Plaza United Methodist Church. John Henry Swick died in 1991. John Henry had a son, Henry Hulbert Swick, a certified public accountant at Clarksville, Ga., and a daughter, Catherine Jeanne, a math teacher at Seattle, Wash.

 

Edward L. Swick married Jennie Frances Sain. He worked for the Tennessee Electric Power Company and Hamilton National Bank. He lived for many years at Cameron Hill in the 500 block of W. Seventh St. He was living at 514 Tremont St. when he died in 1943. He was 68. Jennie Frances Sain Swick died in 1963.