Rachel Fleming
Maternal Grandmother
Leona Cleota (Tompkins) Harrell Swearengin was my maternal grandmother. She was married to my grandfather, John Harrell, when my mother, Cleota Harrell was born in Springfield, MO on 24 January 1928 (I have a copy of official birth certificate). She apparently divorced John Harrell and later, at the age of 40, on 14 June 1945, she legally married Joseph Samuel Swearengin, who lived from 11 January 1881 to 6 June 1954. Leona Harrell, with several children, and Joseph Swearengin moved to Salina, OK in 1939. He purchased 13 acres of land in the hills of Salina and they were mostly farmers. My mother was then raised as Cleota Swearengin though I don’t think her name was ever legally changed from Harrell. Leona’s parents were Mary Ellen Fleming and Thomas Franklin Tompkins (who went by David), both from Ava, MO. Mary died when Leona was three years old and she was then raised by her widowed maternal grandmother, Rachael Rebecca (Anders) Fleming. Leona’s maternal grandfather was James Alexander Fleming. Rachael changed her granddaughter’s last name to Fleming. Leona attended elementary school through seventh grade in Ava, MO. Then she dropped out to help out at home as her grandmother became frail and ill. Rachael Fleming died in 1923 when Leona was 18 years old.
