Swart Nutten Island

From: Conrad, Henry. 1908. History of Delaware

In 1667 Swart Nutten's Island, originally held by Vice- Director Hinijossa, came finally into the ownership of John Ogle who lived there some time, but in 1678 conveyed it for fourteen thousand pounds of tobacco, and cash to John Darby of Maryland. October 1, 1669, a patent was issued to Sergeant Thomas Wollaston for a piece of land " on ye South syde of Swarte Nutten island, being a hook of land called Bellye."

In 1729 Edward Blake and Jonathan Houston sold the island and " Bellye " to John Lewden who was living on the island at his death in 1744. His sons John and Josiah received this and other land by will, John building a large brick house on his land in 1770, opposite the Christiana bridge, and living there till his death. His son Jeremiah also lived there, and dying in 1840, left the homestead to his sons Josiah and John, who continued to occupy the old mansion and two hundred and fifty acres until about 1900. The original building was enlarged in 1815, and is now owned by John C. Singles. The elder Josiah Lewden lived opposite Newport where he built a big hip-roof house which is still standing. This Lewden tract is one of the few in the Hun- dred, whose possession in the family dates from the seven- teenth century.