My Genealogy Hound

Richard Sweeza. In giving a history of Randolph County, Ark., the name of Mr. Sweeza deserves honorable mention, for he has always been industrious and enterprising, and has ever aided enterprises which tend to the interests of the county. He was born near where he now lives, on the 1st of February, 1837, and is one of two surviving members (the other survivor being Nancy Jane, the wife of Joseph Thomas, a farmer of the county) of a family of nine children born to Richard and Matilda (Bigger) Sweeza, both of whom were born in Missouri, former’s birth occurring in Carter County. They were reared to maturity and married in that State, and after the celebration of their nuptials they resided in Carter County several years, then came to Randolph County, Ark., being among the very first settlers of the county. The country was full of Indians and wild animals at that time, but Mr. Sweeza began to clear a farm, and followed this occupation in connection with blacksmithing throughout life, accumulating thereby a large amount of property. He died in 1841, when a comparatively young man, his widow afterward becoming the worthy companion of Randolph Cook, of Illinois, and her death occurred in that State, in 1855. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sweeza were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and he was of French descent. Richard Sweeza, the immediate subject of this sketch, received his early education at home, and made his home with his stepfather, Mr. Cook, until the opening of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in Company C, of the Eighth Arkansas Infantry, Confederate States Army, and was on active duty east of the Mississippi River until the close of the war. He was in twenty-three regular engagements, among which were the battles of Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Perryville, Atlanta, Nashville, Missionary Ridge and many others. He was wounded by a musket ball in the upper lip, at Atlanta, and also at Ringgold Gap by a shell striking the lock of his gun and bursting. At Atlanta he was taken prisoner, but was re-taken by his friends ten minutes later, and in this engagement his whole command was captured with the exception of twenty men. He saw some very hard service, and after the war he returned home with the consciousness of having been a brave and faithful soldier. Like his father before him he has always been engaged in farming and blacksmithing; and although he commenced life for himself with little or no means, he has succeeded well, and now owns 200 acres of excellent land. In 1867 he was united in marriage to Mrs. Louisa Jane (Russell) Bigger, a daughter of Col. James G. Russell, and the widow of Ransom Bigger, who was killed during the war. She died in 1870, an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and three years later Mr. Sweeza wedded Mrs. Sarah A., the widow of Marion Russell. She was born in Lincoln County, Tenn., December 14, 1834, and both are now members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he being a steward in the same. He is a Democrat politically, and is one of the enterprising men of the county.