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The
Swezey
(Sweezey,
Swasey, Swazey etc.) of Long Island
New Text available for Online
Viewing: Genealogy of
the Swasey Family (Southold and Roxbury, NJ) by Benjamin Franklin
Swasey, 1910
Descendants of John Swasey
In 1640 John Swesey had four acres of land
in Salem, allotted him on "ye mayne road" (Essex St.). This land
extended
easterly beyond and included English Lane and subsequently land
westerly
beyond Daniel's Lane. Its Southern boundary being "ye harbor". Governor
Endicott,
the strictest of Puritans in a Puritan colony, expelled all Baptists,
Episcopalians,
and Quakers. John Swesey was obliged to leave the area. He moved to
Setauket
on Long Island, where he stayed a short time before moving to Southold
on
the end of Long Island. He bought land of Rev. John Young, Pastor of
the
first church founded there. The deed was recorded in Southampton,
Long Island.
John Swesey was later joined by his son John. He left his estate
in Salem to his son Joseph. In 1650 he had 12 acres or land in
Southold. Then in 1655 he went together with some other men and
purchased land from the Indians that would become the site for the town
of Brookhaven.
John
Swesey's oldest son, Joseph, who was born in England about 1611, died
in Salem in 1709. It appears he did not follow in his father's
Quaker faith. He was listed as a fisherman or mariner. He would
have been living
three during the witch trials in 1692.
John's (1) other son John (2)
was born in England about
1619,
so he was about 10 when he made the voyage to America. He married in
Salem
around 1648 to Katherine King. She was born in EnglAnd in
1625.
She was the daughter or William and Dorothy King of Salem.
William
King, an English Puritan, age 40, with his wife Dorothy age 34, and
five
children: Mary age 12, Katherine age 10, William age 8, Hannah age 6
and
Samuel age 2, sailed from Weymouth, Dorsetshire, England in March
1635.
They settled in Salem where Mr. King was a member of the First Church
at
Salem and took an active part in the religious controversies of the
time. He died around 1650-1651.
John (2) and his wife Katherine moved from Salem to Southold, Long
Island around 1650-1652. He sold his holdings, in Salem to his
wife's mother per records dated January 14, 1652. John and
Katherine became members of the first church founded in Southold in
1650 by Rev. Younge.
John and Katherine had three sons, John (3) born 1651, Joseph (3) born
1653 and Samuel (3) born about 1656, and four daughters, Abagail,
Mehitable, Sarah and Mary.
In 1667 John (2) traded part of his woodland and meadow with Barnabas
Horton for similar land. "Horton to pay as balance six pounds of good
sheep's wool at the next shearing time. In 1675 he is taxed for
one head of house, 10 acres, 2 oxen, two cows, one two-years old, one
yearling. His father, John (1) was taxed for 12 acres, 6 oxen, 6
cows, one three year old bull
five two year olds, one yearling, four horses, and 20 swine.
John Swesey (1) died around 1685 which would make him at least 90 years
of age. He must have survived so many hardships and
struggles. With the cold winters wild animals, religious
persecution, Indians and lack of medical services, he must have had to
rely on a lot of self determination and inner strength just to
survive. The truth in "survival of the fittest" is proven for
someone who lived to 90 in this early America. That many lines of
families dropped by the wayside and became extinct is only proof
of our assertion that those who did survive possessed the powers of
resistance
to every foe that beset their pathway
Indian Deed To The Town of
Brookhaven
Articles of agreement, and a
frime bargaine agreed and
confirmed betweene the Sachem or Setaucet, Warawacmy, by name, with the
joint consent or himself and the next or his kindred, have bargained
and sold unto John Scudder, John Swesey, Jonathan Porter, Thomas Mabbs,
Roger Cheston, and
Thomas Charles, a piece of land, with all medowes, upland, timber trees
or whatever benefite or privilege thereunto belonging next adjoining to
the bounds of Nesequagg, and from thence, being bounded by a river, or
great
napock, nearly nemankak, eastward, and bounded next unto Nesequakee
bounds,
as by trees being marked doth appear also the Sachem, with the consent
of
his next kindred, hath given free liberty and granted unto the said
purchasers
free liberty for ther catell to run beeyond the bounds, if occasion be.
or to cut timber as far east as they see fitt. And to come once
in
two years to renew the marks of the bounds and to give the said
purchasers,
for them, or who they shall put to live there, full free and quiet
possession
of the siad purchase, without molestation and, if, in case any of the
Indians
shall wrong the said English, either by their dogs hurting of their
catell,
or any other wayes that then the Sachem shall se that satisfaction be
made,
according to the wrong don. So allsoe, of the English doe any
wrong
to the Indians, that the English shall make them satisfaction.
Also
the Sachem shall not entertain any strange Indians, or others, near
unto
us, whereby to do us any wrong, but sha1l timely discover to us any
plotting,
or hurt, that shall be intended against us, and the like shall we do
unto
him to the end that Peace may be maintained among us. And for,
and
in consideration of the said tract, or purchchase or land, we, the said
purchasers doe hereby engage ourselves to pay unto the said Sachem the
goods
as in particular, are written following, within one month from the date
hereof,
and for the confirmation of the same, have set my hand with the rest or
my
kindred. Dated the 14 April 1655.
The mark X of Sachem
Warawacmy-Charels, Mahew, Foreket,
Westwak,
Profet,
Kelhellacwe, Yayanfysu, Calawancess, Uaskake, Callaven, Cataus, Ewbeca, Masachus,
Wetanek. Given for this purchase
were 10
coats, 12 Hoes, 12 Hatchets,
50 muxes, 100 needles, 6 Kettles, 10 Fadom of
wampum, 7 chests of powder, one pare childs stockins, 10 pounds of lead, one dozen
Knives
Witness,
George Tongue-John Cosby
Will of John Swesey
(2)
In the name of God, Amen:
I John S. of Southold, in
Long Island, in county of Suffolk and in ye Province of New York, being
of good and sound memory and calling to mind ye uncertainty of this
life, and that I must yield to death when it shall please God, do make,
constitute and
ordain this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and annulling
any
other or forms of wills by me made either by word or writing.
Imprimis: I give my soul
unto God who gave it and my
body being dead to be buried, and my worldly, estate (my just debts
being paid)- first I give and bestow in name and form following:
Item: I give and bequeath unto
my son John my dwelling house
and orchard together with the buildings, fencings and other
improvements on
my home stall and all ye land by me improved southward of ye landwhich
my
son John hath fenced in containing ye whole breadth of ye land as far
as
the South Bay-ye other lot westward of it being a second lot with half
ye
share of ye meadow commonly called "Horton's Meadow", and being another
share
of meadow at a place called ye "Great Meadow" and also ally my
implements
of husbandry and other tools.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Joseph S. one hundred acres of land
upon which he is settled lying westward of my son John's land and
northward of my son Joseph's home lot, and half of ye above of the
great meadow lying on the other side of the river which was formerly
John Younge's and also ye other half of ye lot westward of it and my
horses in ye woods to be equally divided between my three sons.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Samuel ye land now in the
occupation of my son John lying between my son Joseph's and the house
stall which
by these presents I have given to my son John; and ye other half of ye
above of ye meadow called "Horton's Meadow", with this condition or
limitation that my son Samuel shall not have power to sell or dispose
of any part or parcel of ye land hereby granted to him, so that if he
shall decease without issue ye right of inheritance of ye land shall be
to the next proper heir. Also I give to him half of my cattle and
the bed and furniture he lyeth on.
Item: I give to my daughter Aldridge and to the heirs of Peter Aidridge
deceased one hundred acres of land lying on the north side or the land
given to my son Joseph, if there be so much land there, be it more or
less.
Item: I give to my youngest daughters Sarah and Mary Swesey ye other
half of my cattle to be equally divided between them.
Item: I give and bequeath to my four daughters, Abagail, Mehitable,
Sarah and Mary, all my household goods to be equally divided between
them.
Item: My will is that consideration of ye lands given to my sons John
and Joseph they shall pay to my two youngest daughters Sarah and Mary
ye sum of 20 pounds current pay of the country; that is to say, 10
pounds apiece to each of my youngest daughters within two years after
my decease.
Item: My will is that Bessie my servant shall be free and set at
liberty at my decease and she shall have the bed she lyeth on.
Lastly: I do hereby nominate
and appoint John Tuthill of
Southold and John Hallett to be the Executors of this Will and
Testament.
In witness whereof I do
hereunto set my hand and seal ye 20
of May, 1692.
John
Swesey (Seal)
Witnessed by us
Thomas Hulse
Joseph Tooker
Swezeytown was founded in 1745 by Stephen Swezey who was born in
Southold in 1694. He had six sons, Stephen, Christopher, James,
Nethaniel, Daniel and Abel (another source adds four daughters whose
names have not survived). The letter seems to imply that Stephen was
the son of Joseph Swezey, born at Southold who died before 1717 and had
children Joanna, Mary, Bethia,
Joseph, Samuel, Richard and Stephen. Joseph was the son of our key
ancestor,
the John Swezey who came over in 1629.
An excellent source of
further Swezey information can be found at: http://www.winternet.com/~swezeyt/gene/Swezindx.htm
Proof defining the wife
of Barnabas Swayze Sr. 1771 from Mary Ellen
Swayze Payne
The family line of
Richmond Henry Sands & Susan Jane Houghton was supplied by Allan Rowe.
Please contact him if you
are researching this line and would like to share information.
Tabitha Sweesy
Born 8/26/1797
D: 7/1/1881
d/o Richard Sweezy (B:
6/10/1764 D: 5/15/1843 & Elizabeth Brainerd (B: 12/10/1772 D:
4/4/1844, both of Southold).
Tabitha married Elijah
Cady Stranahan Abt. 1821. Elijah (B: 1790 D: 8/22/1842) Photo submitted
by Sheila Pannitti
Daniel
Chichester & Chloe Sweezy. Chloe (B: Sept 20, 1790; D: Mar 4, 1872).
She was the d/o Enos
Sweezy & Susannah Fox. Daniel (B: Nov 9, 1785; D: Sept 6, 1860).
Photo submitted by Sheila Pannitti
