In the last couple of months I have noticed several Swillings in the Censuses and Marriage lists of Forsyth County, and wonder if this is the family of John W. (Jack) Swilling who went west to Arizona in the middle 1860's. Is there anyone out there who is researching this family? And if so, are you aware that Jack Swilling founded the city of Phoenix?

The Phoenix newspaper reported the death of Jack Swilling's father, George W. Swilling, in Dawsonville about 1876. It is reported that Jack had a brother, Berry, which is one of the Swilling names on the 1850 census and a sister named Georgia, and there was a marriage between Georgia Ann Swilling and William G. Allen on Sep 9, 1847. Jack Swilling was born April 1, 1830 in either S.C. or Georgia.

I am doing a history of Phoenix and would love to correspond with anyone who is related to or is researching this family. I have a lot of information about Jack's activities in Arizona.