Notes |
From the book, "One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families", by John Osborne Austin:
"Nantucket, Mass.
He and his sons John, Joseph and Benjamin, and son-in-law Joshua Sevolle, lived on farms in that section of Nantucket, called Polpis. There also lived with him another John Swain, who came from England when young, and who to avoid confusion of names, was always called "John England."
1714, 2, 9. Will, proved 1717, 1, 27. Executors, sons John, Joseph and Benjamin. Witnesses, William Worth, John Folger, Robert Long, Moses Giles. To sons John, Joseph and Benjamin, and daughter Elizabeth Sevolle, his stock of cattle and sheep, equally; according to their two portions of land given each of them by me. To son Benjamin, a barn. To daughter Mary Nason, 5s., and to daughters Sarah, Hannah, Patience, and son Stephen, each 5s. Dwelling house and household goods to rest of the children, with all money and plate to be divided equally between them, viz., all my children, "I mean to give it to John Swain, Joseph Swain, Benjamin Swain, and Elizabeth Sevolle."
1718, 7, 9. Inventory, oe309, 11s. 6d., less charges oe16, 10s. 10d., of which the funeral was oe1, 16s. 4d."
Notes for John Swain:
John Swain is the progenitor of all the Nantucket Swains of this line. He was one of the ten original purchasers of the Island.
The John Swain house was known as the oldest house on the Island. It was struck by lightning in 1905 and partly burned so it was eventually torn down. There were three houses in the Polpis area at one time. John Swain, Sr. built a house after he moved from the Hummock Pond area where he first lived near his father. The original dwelling was on land later owned by Donald Craig, and once the Chadwick Farm. John Swain, Jr. built a house near his father, north of the site of the old Polpis schoolhouse. Then John Swain, Sr. erected another house almost opposite the site of the land he gave to daughter Elizabeth, wife of Joshua Sevolle. Most of the authorities consider the date of the SWAIN house as being built around 1771. The last to live there was Mrs. Love (Swain) Smith, who moved into town in her later years.
In 1641 Lord Sterling, a representative of Charles II, deeded the island to Thomas Mayhew and his son, whose family had first settled on Martha’s Vineyard and grazed sheep out on Nantucket. By 1659, the Mayhews sold shares to nine proprietors and by 1700, the island population consisted of approximately 800 Native Americans and 300 European settlers
Christopher Hussey was one of the nine purchasers of Nantucket in 1659, and in 1671 sold his land to his sons John and Stephen. The Starbuck and Macy (from Salisbury) families and John Coleman also spent the first winter on Nantucket in1659. John Gardner came to Nantucket in the 1660s and found himself limited by the existing population to one-half a vote. He appealed to the Island's governor in New York and the area was renamed Sherburne after Gardiner's English homestead. This name was used until after the Revolutionary War when the name Nantucket was restored in 1795. In 1641 Lord Sterling, a representative of Charles II, deeded the island to Thomas Mayhew and his son, whose family had first settled on Martha’s Vineyard and grazed sheep out on Nantucket. After about 15 years, the Mayhews sold shares to nine settlers; by 1700, the island population consisted of approximately 800 Native Americans and 300 European settlers. Tristram Coffin is considered the patriarch of the island
Surnames of Nantucket
Tristram and Dionis Stevens COFFIN - settled in 1659
John GARDNER - settler in 1660s
Thomas MAYHEW -
Richard SWAIN - proprietor of the 1600s
John SMITH - partner of Thomas Mayhew
Richard SMITH - an artisan circa 1661
Richard SWAIN - proprietor of the 1600s
John TROTT - settler in 1665
Nathaniel WYER - early settler
[Folger genealogy by Lucy Folger - 2537872_GM.GED]
One of nine persons who purchased the Island of Nantucket in 1659.
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