Person:Jonathan Swett (1)

The parents of Jonathan Swett, Sr. have been difficult to find.

The fact that Jonathan Swett, Sr. was 86 years old in 1820 and thus born about 1734 is verified by the pension application of his son Jonathan Swett, Jr. Therefore, he was not the same person as the Jonathan Swett born 16 May 1720 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, son of Benjamin Swett and Ann Davol (Stackpole # 50).

Professional research by Federick R. Boyle, Certified Genealogist of Springvale, Maine, 8 April 1994, found "There is nothing conclusive but there is much circumstantial evidence supporting the conclusion that Jonathan Swett, b. ca 1734, was, if not a son of Joseph and Hannah (Sayward) Swett of Hampton, NH and York, ME, at least related to the Swetts of Hampton Falls, NH. [Research commissioned by Nancy Porter, sent by Wanda Reid] He could be a late-born son of Joseph Swett and Hannah Sayward: she was 46 years old in 1734.

I have placed Jonathan Swett, Sr. as son of Joseph Swett and Hannah Sayward, pending positive proof that they were not his parents.

Professional research by Lineages, Inc. (Report #1301271 of 25 January 2001) used Stackpole as a starting point and concluded that Jonathan Swett, Sr. is the same person as John Swett born November 1735 in Newbury. "A copy of the actual birth record was found and it was determined that the first name of the son born to Benjamin and Susannah Swett is most likely a "J" ending with an "n", thus probably John, since the name "Jonathan" would be too long to fit in the space given. The statement in the published [Stackpole] genealogy of him dying young is no doubt on the presumption that his brothers are mentioned in his uncle's will in 1778." The researcher additionally notes that discovery of a deed of Jonathan (John)'s parents in January 1738/40 impacts the credibility of the [Stackpole] Swett Genealogy, since "it is obvious they were in the vicinity, i.e., Haverhill, and could certainly have had a child in Newbury, the old ancestral home, in 1735." [Research commissioned by Swett cousin Preston Williams, compiled by Margie von Marenholtz, sent by Kim Wagner]

1. The Vital records of Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, have Benjamin Swett, Jr, and Susanna Stockman of Salisbury married 7 June 1733 at Salisbury, and "Swett, (John C. C.), s. Benjamin 3rd and Susannah, Nov. (torn), 1735." [The C. C.. after "John" means "Corrected Copy"] The original must be the record found by Lineages, Inc.

2. The Vital Records of Salisbury, Essex, Masssachusetts, have Benjamin Sweat of Newbury and Susannah Stockman of Salisbury married 7 June 1733 at Salisbury, and John Sweat son of Benjamin and Susannah born 29 November 1735. [LDS Batch #C500411] It seems unlikely that both Newbury and Salisbury would have "John" for "Jonathan" but it might be a good idea to see if the Salisbury original is still extant.

The fact that Jonathan Swett, Sr. of Pearsontown (Standish), Cumberland, Maine, was the same person as Jonathan Swett, Sr. of Ames, Athens, Ohio, is verified by the pension application of his son Jonathan Swett, Jr., and by the records of his children, Mehitable, John, and Mary, who were married in Maine and died in Ohio.

Jonathan Swett, Sr.'s movements in Maine are fairly well documented by property records and town records, though many birth and marriage records are missing. He first appears in Phillipstown (Sanford) in 1754-1762. Most of the early settlers of Phillipstown were from York, Maine, and Hampton, New Hampshire. He moved on to Fryeburg and then into the Pearsontown (Standish) area. This was a typical pattern of movement north. He bought property for his sons Benjamin and John, 25 December 1788, and on 14 June 1790 he transfered the northern half of his land in Flintstown "for love and good will I bear to my beloved son John of Standish." He and his family, including his married children [except Benjamin], removed from Maine to Ohio in 1796-1797. [Research by Nancy Porter.]

The 1790 Census for Standish, Cumberland, Maine, has Jonathan Sweet with 1 male over 16 [himself], 1 male under 16 [Stephen], and 4 females [wife Keziah and daughters Keziah, Sarah, and Arvilla].

The 1800 Census for Washington County (later Athens County), Ohio, lists Jonathan Swett, Jonathan Swett, Jr., and John Swett. Family tradition is that they were the original owners of land on Bear Creek. They built a corn mill on their farm, and it was the only one in Athens County for eight years, until another mill was built near Athens. [Research by Janet Russell. Letter from Wanda Reid.]