John Swain (abt. 1634 - abt. 1717)

Born about 5 Oct 1634 in Easthampstead, Berkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Weare) Swain — married 15 Nov 1660 in Hampton, , New Hampshire

Descendants

Died about 9 Feb 1717 at about age 82 in Nantucket, Massachusetts

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Biography

John Swain immigrated to New England as a child during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640).

John Swaine, son of Richard Swain and his wife "Basill" (per Bishop's transcript) was baptized at Easthamstead, Berkshire on 5 October 1634.^[1]

He married at Hampton on 15 November 1660 to Mary Weare, daughter of Nathaniel Weare of Hampton.

Richard Swaine, his wife Jane, and sons John and Richard apparently removed to Nantucket by October 16, 1661, when Richard "late of Hampton," sold several parcels of his Hampton lands to Benjamin Swett of Newbury in July 1663. (p. 247) ^[2]; married Mary Wier or Weare, daughter of Nathaniel Weare . John Swain died in 1717. The family were members of the Society of Friends at a very early date . (p. 66)

We find on record that in July of 1659, a deed was given by Thomas Mayhew, confirming the sale of the island of Nantucket to nine purchasers, including Richard Swain or Swayne, and John Swain or Swayne. (p. 4) [Copy of Indian deed of Nantucket Recorded for Mr Tristram Coffin and Mr Thomas Macy ye 29th of June 1671 aforesaid] see p. 9. ^[3]

He died at Nantucket, before 27 January 1717/8, when his will was proved.

• Births, Marriages, Deaths

New England Marriages

SWAYNE, John ( - 1715, 1717) & Mary WAERE/WYER? (ca 1633-1714) 15 Nov. 1660, 15 Sep. 1660: Hampton, NH. (p. 721) ^[4]

Nantucket Births

Children: SWAIN

Benjamin (Swaine), s. John, July 5. 1679. [Swain, h. Mary Taylor, s. John and Mary (Wyer), PR38.]

Elizabeth (Swaine). d. John, May 17, 1676. [Swain, w. Joshua Sevolle, d. John and Mary (Wyer), PR38.]

Hannah, w. Dr. Joseph Tallman, d. John and Mary (Wyer), _____, PR38.

John (Swaine), s. John, Sept. 1, 1664. [Swain Jr., "the 1st white male child born at Nant," h. Experience (d. Peter Folger and Mary), s. John and Mary (Wyer), 1st, 9 mo., PR38.]

Joseph (Swaine), s. John, July 17, 1673. [Swain, h. Mary Sibley of Salem, s. John and Mary (Wyer), PR38.]

Patience, w. Samuel Gardner (s. James and Mary), d. John and Mary (Wyer), ____, PR38.

Stephen (Swaine), s. John, Nov. 21, 1666.

Sarah (Swaine), d. John, July 13, 1670. [Swain, w. Joseph Norton, d. John and Mary (Wyer). PR38.]

Nantucket Deaths

SWAIN, John Jr., h. Mary (d. Nathaniel Wyer and Sarah), s. Richard "1st of Nantucket" and first w., ––– ––, 1715. PR38 (p. 568)^[5]

Burial: Founders Burial Ground, Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts

• Find A Grave: Memorial #123008839

John Swain Death: Feb. 9, 1717 Nantucket ^{[6] [7]}

• Will of John Swayne: see ^[8]

[Note 1: The baptism of Richard's Swain's son John in Easthamstead: Bishops' Transcripts. Although not stated in the parish register entry, the Bishops' Transcripts confirm that John' s mother was Basill. The wife of immigrant Richard Swaine had the same unusual given name.] ^[9]

[Note 2: Additional dau. listed on findagrave: Mary Swain - 1661-1714 Married: Joseph Nason not found in Nantucket births, year 1661 - may have been born in Hampton?]

Burial: Founders Burial Ground, Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA ^[10]

Notes from Helen Sharpe: "John moved to Nantucket from Hampton, NH about 1661. This followed the purchase of Nantucket Island by John Swain, his father, and eight other men. ...lived first near his father at the South Head on the west side of Hummock Pond. About 1684, he purchased land at Polpis on the east side of the Island where he built the house previously shown. There is a brief reference to John Swain and his relation to the Quaker movement on Nantucket when he and Stephen Hussey were reported to have attended a meeting, and even though he perhaps was a Quaker like his father, it appears that he also was disowned for lack of participation or other reasons. He was a highway surveyor, assessor of taxes four terms, assistant magistrate and was licensed to operate a fulling mill to make woolen cloth. He seems to have been a man that was mechanically inclined having been called upon by the townspeople to assist with repair of machinery."

Sources

1. ↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. Link at AmericanAncestors ($); citing "The English Origins of Richard Swaine of N.H. and Nantucket," in The American Genealogist, 74 (1999):249, which itself cites LDS FHL film #1279456, item 23
2. ↑ The American Genealogist Whole Number 296 Vol. 74, No. 4, October 1999, THE ENGLISH ORIGIN OF RICHARD SWAINE OF HAMPTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND NANTUCKET By Clifford L. Stott, CG. FASG
3. ↑ Early Settlers of Nantucket: Their Associates and Descendants Lydia Swain Mitchell Hinchman Ferris & Leach, 1901 - Nantucket
4. ↑ New England Marriages Prior to 1700 By Clarence Almon Torrey, Elizabeth Petty Bentley Genealogical Publishing Com, Jan 1, 1985
5. ↑ Vital Records of Nantucket Massachusetts Published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society Boston 1925
6. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 123008839
7. ↑ Source: 'The History of Nantucket County, Island and Town" by Alexander Starbuck. ISBN 0-8048-0250-5
8. ↑ Nantucket Co., Mass., Probate 1:31 [FHL film #906,832]
9. ↑ The American Genealogist Whole Number 296 Vol. 74, No. 4, October 1999, THE ENGLISH ORIGIN OF RICHARD SWAINE OF HAMPTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND NANTUCKET By Clifford L. Stott, CG. FASG
10. ↑ Find A Grave http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=123008839&ref=acom

See also:

• Barney Genealogical Record, Nantucket Historical Association Research Library. Personal page - 785.