Matthew Swann (abt. 1620 - abt. 1702)

Born about 1620 in Surry, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 5 Jan 1702 at about age 82 in Surry, Colony of Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Linda Plummer [send private message]

Biography

Boddie's book 'Southside Virginia Families, Vol 2, 1956, p 350-356, has Matthew Swann born in 1620 s/o William Swann and Judith Greene.^[1]

Question: Was there only one Matthew Swann, or two Matthew Swanns, one the father and one the son. If there was only the one Matthew born in 1620, he would have been in his fifty's when he married Mary Harris Spiltimber, and in his 80s when he died. Yet, records do not show two Matthews'. The birth year given to Matthew stems from the first record of him in 1668, but this was the first year these records were taken. 1668-age 18=1650. At the same time in the Tythables, same location, Thomas Swann and Samuel Swann are found.

Time-Line

1668 Tithables Surry Co. All males natives of the county & imported free persons above 16. All male white servants, all female white servants who worked the ground, & all male & female negro & Indian servants, whether above or under 16:^[2]

20 December 1668, Lawnes Creek Tythables: Mathew Swann--01 [also Coll. Tho. Swann himselfe--05]

10 June 1669: Mathew Swann--01

A List of Tythables from Sunken Marsh to Lower Chipoakes 1670: Mathew Swann--01

Matthew Swann married Mary (Harris) Spiltimber, widow of Anthony Spiltimber (will dated 30 March 1672)

Anthony Spilltimber will dated 30 March 1672. Names wife Mary, dau. Patty and dau. Martha, brother John. Speaks of a debt due from Capt. Jennings. In the same records Anthony Spiltimber is mentioned as son of Mr. John Spiltimber, dec., who died abt 1656, leaving James Mason overseer of his will.^[3][4][5]

Matthew Swann was the ring leader against the British before the Revolution in 1674 (Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial VA p. 367:^[6]

[Incident begun 12 December 1672, 1st court appearance January 1673]

Matthew Swann's testimony: "Matthew Swan being this day brought before us the subscribed and being asked why he and others met at the Church, the 12th xber, last he said it was to agree about a redress from their taxes which were heavy. He was asked how he knew their taxes were unreasonably laid, he said Mr. Mason (Francis Mason, one of the justices) told him and also Mr. Goring said the same, and that there were some extraordinary taxes, he being demanded what recourse he and Mr. Goring had about the meeting, he said Mr. Goring said he would be there if he did not go from home, and the said Swan have also very obstinately persisted in the Lawlessness of the meeting, and said that all or most of the Country were of his mind."

The case of Matthew Swan: Council and General Court of VA on the afternoon of 6 April 1674: "It is ordered that the order of Surry Court Against the mutinuss psons he confirmed and that Mathew Swan the ringleader of them, who was bound over to the Court be Fined Two Thousand pounds of tobacco and caske and that all fines of the Psons go towards the ffort at James Citty and that they pay all Just Costs and Charges. [Because of public opinion Gov. Berkeley remitted the fines on 23 September 1674. 'By the Gov. Capt Genll of VA 'I do hereby remitt the fines of Mathew Swann; and also the fines of the other poore men that were fined in Surry County Cort, provided they acknowledge there faults in the said County Cort, and pay the Cort Charges, dated this 23d Sept 1674.']^[7]

Surry 9 June 1677 Capt. Swann's list: Mathew Swan & Jn.o Berry--2

Surry Co 8th June 1678, A List of Tithables belonging to Lawnes Creeke Pish: Mathew Swann Jn.o Berry--2

Surry Co, VA, A List of Tithables 7th June 1679: Mathew Swann Jn.o Berry---2

Surry Co, VA Tythables 28th of May 1680: Mathew Swann, Jn.o Berry--2

Nov 1684 from Robert Crawford and wife Elizabeth Crawford to Matthew Swann con 8000 lbs tobacco 200a whereon Matthew Swann now lives, part of a patent of William Carter dtd 18 May 1638 adjoining Carter's Bridge, Chipoaks, Col Philip Ludwell & Carters Swamp. Wit. Robert Ruffin & John Berryman---

1686, Lawnes Creeke Pish: Mr. Mat: Swann and David Rice--2 [6/10/1678: Hogg Island, Lawnes Creeke: Capt Samill Swann + 4 men=5

A List of ye Tythables in Lawnes Creek Parrish taken June 1687: Mathew Swann, Geo: Rawlinson, Jno. Brittane--3

1687: Militia Meeting for County of Surry (Oct) xber 19th 1687 present Major Samuel Swann, Mr. Robert Ruffin, Mr. Francis Mason, Mr Robert Randall. In obedience to an order of Council dated Aug (8br) ye 24th 1687 requiring that the colonels and Justices of every county doeth take an account of all the ablest Freeholders & inhabitants in their respective counties that are qualified either in Estate or person to find and maintain a Man & Horse to be Listed in a Troop for that county or go themselves when occupation shall require & likewise an account of all other Freeholders & Inhabitants that are fit to be Listed per foot----. For horse: [Note 52 names listed] included: Thomas Drew, Matthew Swann, Thomas Tias.^[8]

:9 June 1688, Lower p[re]cincts of Lawnes Creeke pish: Mathew Swann--1

:2 January 1691 will of Robert Caulfield----'To Mary his daughter where John Sugars lives."

Sept 1691---Mr. Mathew Swann, Mr. Robert Lancaster, Mr. William Newitt and Mr. Robert Crafford or any three of them are ordered to appraise the Estate of Mr. William Newsome,---

:June 1692 Lawnes Creeke Parish: Mathew Swann-1

1693 Lawnes Creek Parish by Thos. Swan: Math. Swann-1

10 June 1694 Lawnes Parish: Mr. Math Swann & Mr. Ri. Harding--2 [In 1694 the other two Swann's mentioned: Tho. Swann and Maj. (Samll) Swann]

:Sept 1694----Mr. Mathew Swann, Mr. Thomas Hart & Mr. William Chambers or any two of them are ordered to appraise the Estate of Thomas White, deceased----

:June 1695 Lawnes Creek Parish: Mr. Matt Swann--1

1696 Lawnes Creek by Henry Toaker: Mathew Swann--1

1697 Lawnes Creek Parish by Wm. Newsum: Mathew Swann--1

June 1698 Lawnes Creek Parish: Mathew Swann--1

June 1699 Lawnes Creek Parish: Mathew Swann--1

June 1700 Upper Part of Lawnes Creek Parish: Mathew Swann

June 1701 Lawnes Creek Parish: Mathew Swann, John Harris--2

Will of Matthew Swann

Matthew Swann's will was dated 14 December 1702 and probated January 1702/3.^[9] WILL: Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia 1671-1750

Abstracted and compiled by Eliza Timberlake Davis, 1955 p. 158 Book 5, Page 260, Sury CO VA Leg. - to daugher, Elizabeth, wife of John Drew, and to daughter Sarah, bed valance, curtains, negro, to son-in-law, John Drew, six barrels of corn. To daughter Mary, wife of William Phillips, and to grandson John Phillips my house and plantation where I now live; and to my daughter Sarah, all the remainder of my land lying adjoining daughter, Mary, when 18 years old.

Made 14 December 1702. Probated 5 January 1702. Executors were John Drew and Sarah Swann.

Wit: Ar Allen, Jno.Allen, Robert Ruffin.

• Note: In Boddie's book, there was a transcription mistake, someone put ;Elizabeth, daughter of John Drew; into the will of Matthew Swann, which makes it seem that John Drew had a daughter Elizabeth, which wasn't true. Boddie made several mistakes in his book, he also said that John Sugar and Elizabeth Swann didn't have children, but dates and records show that the three daughters born to Elizabeth Swann Sugar were John Sugar's children. AS you can see in the above transcript there wasn't a mention of a daughter of John Drew, only Elizabeth his wife.

^{[10] [11]}

Researcher John Bennett Boddie wrote that this Matthew Swann is the one who married Mary Harris widow of Spiltimber. ^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Southside Virginia Families, Vol 2, by John Bennett Boddie 1956, p 350-356, www.lfeldhaus.com/philipsofearlyvirginia/id3.html
2. ↑ Surry County Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, by Edgar MacDonald, Richard Slatten: includes all the Tythables listed on this page
3. ↑ [Boddie & IOW Will Book]
4. ↑ date of Anthony Spiltimber's will: page 226, "Isle of Wight County Records," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr., 1899), pp. 205-315 (Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture)
5. ↑ See her profile for sources and additional information, including question about whether the widow Spiltimber was named Mary or Elizabeth.
6. ↑ Colonial Surry by John Bennett Boddie, p102, 104, 106, 107
7. ↑ Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial VA, p 367
8. ↑ Militia Meeting for County of Surry October 19, 1687
9. ↑ Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia 1671-1750, Thomas Harris
10. ↑ http://ajax.lva.lib.va.us/F/V9ILPY7NGIGHKIH6H1X9FQXIUGLXCEI3... Title Swan, Matthew. Publication 1702 Gen. note Part of index to Surry County Wills and Administrations (1652 - 1850) - Surry CO. Deeds, Wills, Etc. 5, 1694-1709, p. 260b, 261a, 261b & Surry Co. Deed, Wills, Etc. 5, p. 264a, 264b
11. ↑ ALSO SEE Will of Title Lunsford, Swan. Publication 1791 Gen. note Part of index to Surry County Wills and Administrations (1652 - 1850) Note Will Book 12, 1783-1792, p. 310-311
12. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett, Southside Virginia Families Vol 2, 1956, p 350-356

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Linda Plummer for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Linda and others.
• The WikiTree profile profile for Matthew Swann (Swan-125), husband of Mary Harris (Harris-1860), was created through the import of LaBach Family TreeApril28_2011.ged on 05 May 2011. It included the user ID: A792CCE507ED499BB0ACAB47234EE6BF2631.
• WikiTree profile Swann-67 created through the import of FISCUS Family Tree.ged on Jun 6, 2011 by Liisa Small. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Liisa and others.