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Richard Swain
chr.26 Sep 1595 Binfield, Berkshire, England
d.14 Apr 1682 Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States
Family tree▼ (edit)
m. Bef 1619
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m. 15 Sep 1658
Facts and Events
Christened Richard Swain on 21 September 1595, Berkshire England , the name Richard Swayne was used until he moved to Natucket from the mainland. Other spellings of the name in England during the period 1500-1600's show Swaine, Swain, Swain, in addition to Swayne. His children, Francis, Nicholas, Grace, Richard and John are listed in christening records as either Swaine or Swayne. One son, the first Richard, Jr., died as an infant in England. In most instances the name Swayne or Swain(e) is derived from the Old Norse word sveinn which meant "boy, servant; peasant" depending on its use in the sentence. It came to England with Danes and Norwegians and was altered there to suein, suen, swan, etc. Svein was first used as a descriptive term before becoming a surname. Burke's Armory describes the Coat-Of-Arms for one Swain or Swaine, one Swaine and four Swaynes...each of them different. According to some authorities Richard Swayne of St. Albans, England who came to America aboard the TRUELOVE in 1635, living first at Rowley, Massachusetts Bay in 1635, and then at Hampton in New Hampshire. This was in line with William Swayne of Salisbury, England, who was granted the Coat-of-Arms, 20 June 1444, later confirmed by a descendant of the same name, of London, in 1612. This is the same Coat-of- Arms found in Scotland in 1100, but without the Motto. A record of the births of four of the children of Richard Swayne are found in Easthampstead County, England: Nicholas, Grace, Richard, and John Swayne. After Richard Swayne took his family to America in 1635, there seems to be no other family of that name living in Easthampstead for nearly 60 years. St. Albans, England is northeast of London. Richard spent about 20 years in Hampton, NH, where he held several civil positions, including surveyor and selectman. He was paid 18s. for taking the county votes to Boston in 1638. He also appears in court records in several disputes involving his neighbors. On 2 Jul 1659, Thomas Mayhew sold the rights to the island of Nantucket to a group of men including Richard Swaine, his son John, Tristam Coffin, Thomas Macy, Stephen Greenleaf and others. By 1661, Richard, his wife Jane and his sons Richard and John had moved to Nantucket. The Massachusetts General Court, on Nov. 12, 1659, enacted the following "That Richard Swayne for his entertaining the Quakers shall pay as a fine the some of three pounds & be disenfranchised." S2 References
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