Sally’s nine-great Grandparents:
“emigrated 1635 in “Elizabeth and Ann”
William Swaine ca 1585 – ca 1653 | his parents
of England,
1635 Watertown, Mass. & Wethersfield
& 1653 Branford. CT.
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
1635 — William Swaine, “gentleman,” aged fifty years, came from London, in the “Elizabeth and Ann.”
Received a grant of sixty acres at Watertown, Mass.
May 1636 – He was made a freeman and served as representative in Massachusetts in
Sept. 1636 – he held court in the new colony of Wethersfield, where he had acquired “adventure lands.”
1637 – He was a member of the Court which tried the first offender; enacted the first law, and declared war against the Pequots
1639 – He was appointed with Roger Ludlow and Andrew Ward as commissioners to govern the people until the adoption of the constitution.
Becoming involved in “divers grievances” pertaining to the adjustment of church differences, he was one of the foremost projectors of the scheme of removal from Wethersfield.
1644 – His name appears prominently in the purchase of the plantation of Totokett, where he settled. He was successively deputy, juror, and magistrate.
During the Pequot war, two daughters of William Swaine were captured by the Indians and taken to Pequot, now New London. Here they were rescued by a Dutch trading vessel and transferred to the care of Lion Gardiner, then in command at Saybrook, at a cost of ¬£10 to the latter, who writes in 1660: “I have yet to have thanks for my care and charge about them.”
His daughter Mary married in New Haven, name not known.
Mr. Swaine held an estate of 435 acres in Branford, which he did not occupy long,
ca 1653 – his death must have occurred in the first years of settlement of the colony, when his name disappears from the records.
Robert Atwater Smith 1902 “Supplementary Hist. and Personnel of the Colony of New Haven”
Children of William Swaine:
1. Samuel Swaine ca 1625 – 1681/82 Newark, NJ
married Joanna ? ca 1625 – 1694 Newark, NJ
2. Daniel Swaine – ca 1690 Branford, CT
married Dorcas Rose dau of Robert
3. Mary Swaine lived New Haven, CT
married a member of the Roxbury Church and went to New Haven
4. another daughter as TWO of his daughters captured by the Pequots ca 1637
I’m a descendant of the Huntington family, doing genealogy work. The very first family member, Simon Huntington, brought his family over from Norwich, Norfolk, England in 1633. He had a son named Thomas & all the genealogy books indicate that his first wife was a daughter of William Swain (Swaine or Swayne). No records of her first name.
The Bradford, CT Historical Society sent me some historical information, but it says the same about Thomas’ first wife. The “Geni” website tells the same story as yours but only listing one daughter, “Mary Swaine”.
I’ve been trying to find Thomas Huntington’s first wife & this is the closest that I have ever come, but of course no Vital Records are showing a marriage between Thomas Huntington & Mary Swaine. Do you have any thoughts on this? I would love to hear your point of view!