Hannah (Lanier) Sweetnam (abt. 1629)

Born about 1629 in Greenwich, Kent, England

Ancestors

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Biography

Hannah Lanier was baptized on 13 February 1629/30 in Greenwich, Kent County, England. (Greenwich is now part of the city of London.) She was the daughter of Clement Lanier and his wife Hannah (Collet) Lanier. ^[1]

Hannah was about 24 years old when her mother died in 1653. Being the eldest daughter, she helped her father raise her younger siblings, and when he wrote his will in 1658/9, he recognized her help and the sacrifices she had made: ^[2]

I give and bequeath unto my affectionate and Well deservenige Hannah Lainere my Eldest Daughter whose care and Indulgent Travell [travail], obedient Regard Expressed to mee and Tender Respecte To my little and Smale children her brothers and Sisters hath beene soe indefatigable Proper [?] and good to them and mee, That her merritts might challenge my prayers to the Kinge of Glory, that hee will bee pleased to conferre and Shower downe blessinges upon her in this world and in the world to come Eternall Glory.

He left to her the house where they lived in East Greenwich, including a garden and stable, and all of his personal estate. He directed her to sell the house, and from the proceeds she was to receive 40 pounds, with her siblings receiving smaller amounts. He made her the sole executrix of his will.

On 16 November 1665, Hannah Lanier married the "citizen and haberdasher" Thomas Swetnam. Both were living in Greenwich, and it was the first marriage for each. According to the license, Thomas was 26 years old, and Hannah was 30, although her actual age was 35. ^[3]

On 13 March 1665/6, four months after their marriage (at that time the new year began on 25 March), Thomas Swetnam "of East Greenwich" signed his will, leaving 20 shillings to his unmarried sister, and the remainder of his estate to his wife, Hannah Sweetnam. In the will he described himself as "of East Greenwich in the County of Kent and now Steward of his Majesties Ship the Dreadnought being bound out to sea in his masters[?] service." He probably figured that just before beginning a voyage was a good time to write his will. The will was probated in East Greenwich in October 1667. ^[4]

Hannah was apparently still living in 1675 when her maiden aunt, Mary Lanyer, included Hannah in her will.

Further Research

Hannah was only 37 years old when her husband died. What became of her after that? Did she remarry? Were there children from her marriage to Thomas? When and where did she die?

Sources

1. ↑ The Greenwich Parish Registers: 1615-1636/7, published in the Transactions of the Greenwich and Lewisham Antiquarian Society, 1920, page 29. (Kent, England, Tyler Index to Parish Registers, 1538-1874. Ancestry.com)
2. ↑ England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858. Ancestry.com
3. ↑ Marriage License Record. thegenealogist.co.uk
4. ↑ England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858. Ancestry.com

• Lanier: A Genealogy of the family who came to Virginia and their French ancestors in London, by Louise Ingersoll, 1965, 2nd printing 1970, page 8. FamilySearch.org
• "Clement Lanier," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, (accessed July 23, 2020).