John Swain, Sr.

Swain arrived in Albemarle Territory around the year 1695. Indications are that he purchased land along the Yoppim River and may have established a homestead there. Hence:

• STEPHEN SWMNE - Born November 21, 1666; married Patience Gardner, daughter of Richard and Mary Austin; died Jan 24, 1712.
• PATIENCE SWAINE - Born June 29, 1675; soon after Stephen's death, possibly in 1713-14, married Henry Speller and removed to Bertie Precinct; died Feb 3, 1738-39. Their Children were:

1. JAMES
2. JOHN
3. RICHARD
4. ELIZA (Elizabeth)
5. MARY
6. PATIENCE
JOHN (2) STEPHEN (1)
John Swain, the second son of Stephen, was named his father's executor and pursued that duty until 1716 when he petitioned the court, acknowledged having received his portion of the estate, to allow Henry Speller (his step-father) to take the remaining portion of estate into custody for the benefit of the remaining heirs. John was the recipient of the Nantucket Bible given to him by his cousin, William Swain of Nantucket. This Bible is displayed in the North Carolina Hall of History, Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, and the Family Register has been compiled from it as follows:

• *JOHN SWAIN - Born -- - 1695; married Mary; died April 06, 1749.
• *MARY - His wife.

Their Children were:

1. 1. JEREMIAH - Born May 29, 1720.
2. 2. JOHN - Born October 1, 1722; married Elizabeth Lanier December 15, 1766.
3. 3. JAMES - Born February 4, 1728.
4. 4. WILLIAM - Born November 8, 1730.
5. 5. MARTHA - Born January 14, 1738.
6. 6. JOANNA - Born November 24. 1739; married John Newberry July 4, 1786.
7. 7. ELIAKIM - Born 1741; married Ann Jannett October 1783

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https://archive.org/details/WCGSJournalVol3No3Dec1995/page/n11/mode...

Levi Truewhitt to joyne with two members of Yor: house in order to reviue and consider of such laws as are necessary for the public good accordingly 162 Friday 18th 1709- An address from ye Lower House brot. by Caleb BUNDY and Mr. Swaine.

This chronology is followed by excerpts from "The North Carolina Historical & Genealogical Register" by J.R.B. Hathaway:

Vol I No. I, p. 76 - Stephen Swaine, of Chowan. Jan. 24, 1712; sons James, John, and Richard, daughter Eliza Spruill, wife Patience, daughters Mary and Patience.
From: "North Carolina Colonial Records":
p. 477 - Steph Swaine, deceased - 1713 Jno Swain - Executor. Patience Swain his wife asks that she have 1/3 of her husband's estate.
p. 138 - The year 1716 - Upon petition of Jno. Swain praying that Elizabeth Swain his sister an orphan girl bound by the precinct ct. of Chowan to Jno. Woorley Esq. may in the time of her service be taught to read by her said master.
From "Hathaway":
Vol I No. 4 p. 624 - John Swain, and wife Mary, to John Porter. A tract of land bought by my father, Stephen Swain, of Col. William Wilkinson, on the fork of Yoppim River; Dec. 3, 1718. Test, John Falconer, Jas. Ward, George Fordyce. Same to same. A tract of land on Creek Fork, of Yoppim River, 300 acres; Dec. 3, 1718. Test, same as the above deed.
p. 16 - John Swain. Book VIII, page 122, Oct 19, 1716; 300 acres on the creek fork of Yoppim River.
While with this much information it is possible to draw some conclusions, it is manifestly not sufficient to portray a living breathing existence. Perhaps more will come; a gravesite with engraved dates of birth and death, maybe even date of marriage; a Bible yet undiscovered with names and vital statistics of children; or letters to relatives or friends with bits of gossip or description of events. Should an educated guess be entered into this manuscript to fill in a void adjustment can easily be made if factual information is discovered?
Stephen Swain, recorded on Nantucket Island as the grandson of Richard Swain (Swayne) and as the second son of John Swain, was born November 2 L 1666, and thereafter remained anonymous. Also, another early settler, though not one of the First Purchasers, was Richard Gardner, whose son, Richard Junior's first child was named. Patience. This daughter was born on June 29, 1675, and thereafter also remained anonymous. Both instances were unusual because births, marriages, and deaths were kept and departures were likely noted, as well. The paradox leads to an assumption because Stephen Swain's wife was named Patience and it could very well have happened that they left Nantucket together and married elsewhere. If this can be true there is an interesting story involved, if we could but know it.
Stephen Swain's Genealogical Register is compiled, in part, as follows:
STEPHEN (1)
Stephen Swain, the second son of John Swain of Nantucket Island, the first Swain to settle in Albemarle County, which eventually became North Carolina and his wife Patience
Records of the Executive Council 1664-1734:
Page 95 - Read the petition of John Porter shewing that John Swain in the year 1716 obtained a patent for 300 acres of land which is lapsed for want of due seating and planting, praying that a lapse patent be granted to him for the same.
Page 182 - Read the petition of John Swain shewing that Jacob Blount sometimes agoe obtained a patent for 250 acres of land lying in Chowan which is not seated etc. Therefore prays a lapse patent to be granted to him for the same. Ordered that a patent issue as prayed for.
By the time of John Swain's death in 1749 Albemarle County had lost its distinction as a super county and a state, its precincts had themselves become counties and were being divided into other counties to provide a more orderly accommodation to the geography of the region; as well as other counties were springing up all around. John's brothers and his children followed the frontier as it expanded south and west.
Since compiling the above, several years ago, I have learned that "South Lancaster' was on the "South Shore", south of Albemarle Sound, in present Washington County. In 1706 this area was part of Chowan Precinct.
LLS
Editor's Note: We have been promised another installment of the Swain genealogy, bringing the family into, or near, the 20th Century.