Swofford Family

Madison Elbert Swofford was born March 1^st. 1885 in Carroll Co. Arkansas.   

He was the son of John N. and Elizabeth Maria (Bettie) TippetSwofford. 

Madison married Docia Evaline Garrison, Oct. 9, 1904 Carroll Co. Ark.  

He was known as “Matt Swofford” and signed his name as “M.E. Swofford”.  He was ordained a minister in the Church of God on Oct. 20, 1924 and he preached in local one room school houses in the Williams Twp of Stone Co. Mo.  He organized the Church at the Carr Lane School/Church house.  In the 1950s,  the congregation from Carr Lane built a Church of God Church in Viola, Mo.

He was a kind, gentle man. He was intelligent and was interested in people and what was going on in the world. He died Jan. 28, 1971 and is buried at McCullough Cemetery, Stone Co. Mo.  Rev. Andy Duncan chose 2^nd Samuel 3:38 for his memorial service.

Docia Eveline Garrison was born Sept. 6, 1885 in Stone Co. Missouri.

She was the daughter of Francis Marion and Mary Elizabeth Moore Garrison. 

She and Matt had 11 children, three preceding them in death.

She was helpful in Matt’s ministry, visiting the sick, taking food, clothing or a home-made quilt to those in need. She was a hard working woman—not a lazy bone in her body.  She cooked, canned, sewed and cared for her family most of her life without the luxury of electricity or running water.

She was the great-great granddaughter of William T. Stone for whom Stone Co. Mo. is named.  Docia died Oct. 5, 1965 and was buried Oct. 9^th their 61^th wedding anniversary.

Descendants of

Madison Elbert & Docia Eveline Garrison Swofford

Madison Elbert Swofford b: 01 Mar 1885 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: 28 Jan 1971 in Barry Co. Mo. Cassville hospital

+Docia Evaline Garrison b: 06 Sep 1885 in Stone Co. Mo. 09 Oct 1904 d: 05 Oct 1965 in Greene Co. Mo St. John’s hospital

Children of Madison & Docia Swofford:

1.  Melvin Amos Swofford b: 01 Sep 1905 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: Feb 1979 in Greene Co. Mo

+Hattie Louella Bonham b: 21 Feb 1908 in Washington 18 Jan 1926 d: Nov 1988 in Wright Co. Mo. m. Jan. 26, 1926

2.  Elbert Martin Swofford b: 11 Oct 1906 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: Oct 1990 in Wright Co. Mo.

+Myrtle Blanche Plummer b: 04 Mar 1909 in Barry Co. Mo. m. 05 Aug 1926 d.Jan.24, 2002

3.  Oliver Wesley Swofford b: 12 Jul 1909 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: 04 Jun 1911 in Carroll Co. Ark.

4.  Bertha Bell Swofford b: 29 Mar 1912 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: 13 Apr 1913 in Carroll Co. Ark.

5.  Alta May Swofford b: 25 Nov 1913 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: 31 Oct 2007 in Mount Vernon Nursing home, Mt. Vernon, Mo m. June 30, 1931

+John Henry Scroggs b: 30 Jun 1911 in Stone Co. Mo. 30 Jun 1931 d: 19 Jul 1999 in Monett, Mo. m. June 30, 1931

6.  Mary Elizabeth Swofford b: 10 Dec 1915 in Carroll Co. Ark. d: 31 Oct 1998 in Webb City Mo.M. Aug. 18, 1932

+Homer Reynolds b: 12 Jul 1909 in Stone Co. Mo. 18 Aug 1932 d: 16 Jan 1977 in Lawrence Co.Mo.

7.  Madison Howard Swofford b: 29 Nov 1917 in Stone Co. Mo. d: 11 May 2003 in Denver, Colorado M. Feb. 24, 1938

+Lorean Kimberling b: Abt. 1922 in Stone Co. Mo. 24 Feb 1938 d: 17 Jun 2008 in Aurora, Colorado

8.  Nellie Gladis Swofford b: 15 Sep 1919 in Stone Co. Mo. d: 19 May 1985 in Carroll Co. Ark. M. Aug. 23, 1936

+Harold Matthew Hill b: Abt. 1916 in Stone Co. Mo. 23 Aug 1936 d: 1983 in Carroll Co. Ark.

9.  Docia Alma Swofford b: 23 Mar 1922 in Stone Co. Mo. d: 28 Jul 2001 in Pittsburg, CA.

+Jesse Meadows b: 1918 in Stone Co. Mo. 05 Nov 1941 M. Nov. 5, 1941

10.  Lena Irene Swofford b: 25 Nov 1925 in Stone Co. Mo. d: 12 May 1926 in Stone Co. Mo.

11.  Bettie Lou Swofford  b. Aug. 12, 1930, Stone co. Mo. M. Sept. 11, 1949 Porterville, CA.  

+Albert W. Heatherly b. Sept. 2, 1928, Whitewater, Ks

“Matt and Docia lived on the same farm in Stone Co. Mo. William Twp. from 1916 until Docia’s death in 1965 and Matt went to live with his children for a few years until he became too ill and was living in the Cassville, Mo. nursing home at the time of his death”.