Early History of the Swayze Family in America

Early History of the Swayze Family in America

“The only comprehensive history of the Swasey family in America was published in 1910, authored by Benjamin Franklin Swasey. ” - Frances Mills, DJS Volume I

Example of original docs B. F. Swasey had available:

Example of what I had to read from after expert transcription:

The primary source of early history in our DJS books was B. F. Swasey’s book, but Frances Mills also relied on work done by Minnie Elmendorf of California, C. Eugene Swezey of Huntington, Long Island, as well as that of Dr. Kenn Stryker-Rodda in whom she had much faith. Unfortunately, all these secondary sources also based their research on the accuracy of B. F. Swasey’s research. Examples of B. F. Swasey’s erroneous assertions: • “In religious faith [John I] was a Quaker and came to Salem where many of that sect emigrated. ” [Quakerism didn’t exist before 1649 and didn’t come to America until 1656. Katherine King’s brother William converted to Quakerism in the 1660 s as did her teenage daughter Abigail, but these two and maybe a couple of Katherine’s sisters are the only known Quakers in the family. ] • “[Joseph] lived on the northwest corner of English Lane” on land “inherited from his father, ” meaing our John. [Our John never owned this property. Joseph was granted the land, built the house on the property, and willed it to his son John Swasey when he died. Our John Swasey had nothing to do with it. ] • “[Joseph] was one of the charter members of the first church organized in Salem… 1629. ” [No, he was not a charter member of the church. There is no record that Joseph was ever a member. ] • “[Joseph] subscribed to the Oath of Allegiance [sic – it was the Freeman’s Oath] in Boston, or rather Charlestown, in 1632…” [No, Joseph did not sign the Oath. I assume B. F. Swasey misread one of the names. ] • “[John I] moved to Setauket on Long Island, Suffolk County, N. Y. [prior to 1650], where he remained but a short time. ” [Wrong, Setauket didn’t exist prior to the 1660 s. His daughter Abigail and John Hallock moved to Setauket around 1680 so perhaps that’s the connection. ] • “In 1650 [John I] is rated in Southold for 2 men and 12 acres of land. ” [The record referred to was in 1656, not 1650. John Swasey didn’t move to Southold until 1652. This mistake, his thinking there was a John living in Salem at the same time a John was living is Southold, is a primary reason he thought there must be two Johns, father and son. ]

From pg. 21 of The Swasey Genealogy: In 1640 John Swasey, Sr. , had four acres of land in Salem allotted him on “ye Mayne road” (Essex street). This land extended easterly beyond and included English Lane (now English street) and subsequently land westerly beyond Daniels Lane (now Daniels street). Its southern boundary being “ye harbour. ”

Lot 104: John Swazey, 1652. Lot 126: Joseph Swazey, 1658.

Summing up: 1. IF it is true that John Swasey was granted 4 acres on land in 1640, then he arrived in America some time before that, perhaps 1639. Otherwise, the earliest dates we have for him are his acquisition of an apprentice, John Wooly, in 1651, in Salem, and his land transactions in 1652, selling his properties in Salem and buying land in Southold. 2. The earliest record we have of Joseph Swasey in America comes from his first child, Joseph Jr. , being baptized in 1653 so he arrived in America sometime prior to that, perhaps in the early 1650 s. In other words, there is no reason to think John and Joseph came to America at the same time. 3. There is also no reason to believe the legend of a John coming to America with his two sons John Jr. and Joseph. Through errors, B. F. Swasey had two Johns living in different places simultaneously so he assumed they must be father and son. Correcting the errors shows there was only one original John Swasey, the one who married Katherine King. 4. There is nothing in the records to indicate John and Joseph even knew one another, much less were brothers. Both came from the Swasey families living in and around Bridport in the West Country of England so most likely they were cousins, perhaps even 1 st cousins. 5. For almost four centuries now there have been two separate lines of Swaseys living in America, and there is no evidence to indicate the two families, that of John and that of Joseph, have ever touched one another.

The Swayze Property in Southold, Long Island