The Swift Family of Dorchester, Dorset and Dorchester, Suffolk, MA

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ROBERT SWIFT

Parents:

Children of Robert Swift:

  1. Thomas Swift 1 married Elizabeth Capen.

RUTH SWIFT

Parents: Thomas Swift 4 and Rachel Stockbridge

Ruth Swift married Thomas Barnes.

THOMAS SWIFT 4 (m. 1711)

Parents: Thomas Swift 3 and Elizabeth Tomson

Thomas Swift 4 married Rachel Stockbridge on 28 Jun 1711 in Scituate. [Ref]

Children of Thomas Swift 4 and Rachel Stockbridge:

  1. Ruth Swift married Thomas Barnes.

THOMAS SWIFT 3 (b. 1659)

Parents: Thomas Swift 2 and Elizabeth Vose

Thomas Swift 3 was born on 30 (5) 1659 in Dorchester. [Ref]

He is problematic. He died before his father and, in his will, his father appears to suggest that his son Thomas, might not really be his son. Vose [Ref] says that he was unmarried, but is usually claimed that married Elizabeth Tomson. Some, however, suggest that Elizabeth married a William Swift.

Children of Thomas Swift 3 and Elizabeth Tomson:

  1. Thomas Swift 4 married Rachel Stockbridge.

DEA. THOMAS SWIFT 2 (1635 - 1718) of Dorchester, MA

Parents: Thomas Swift 1 and Elizabeth Capen

Thomas Swift 2 was born on 17 (4) 1635 in Dorchester. [Ref] He died on 31 Jan 1717/8 in Milton. [Ref] He married first Elizabeth Vose on 9 (10) 1657 in Dorchester. [Ref] She died on 15 Jan 1675 in Milton. [Ref] He married second Sarah Clap on 16 Oct 1676 in Milton. [Ref] She died on 4 Feb 1717/8. [Ref]

Thomas Swift was a yeoman. [Ref]

On 23 Feb 1663, Mr. Vose signed a deed formalising a 1659 gift of 19-3/4 acres to his son-in-law Thomas Swift. [Ref] On Mar 1663/4 Thomas bought 16 acres of upland and meadow in Dorchester from his father. [Ref] Before 3 Mar 1671/2, he bought three acres bounding his own land from George Badcock. [Ref] In 1693 he bought five acres bounding his land from Nathaniel Pitcher and built a house on it. [Ref] This was his residence for the rest of his life. [Ref] His son Samuel later lived there. [Ref]

Thomas was a quarter master and cornet during King Philip's war. He was a Selectman in Milton every year but 1677 from 1668 - 1707. [Ref] He was deputy to the General Court in 1692-3. [Ref] He was a founder of the the first church in Milton, signing the covenant on 24 Apr 1679. [Ref] On 20 Aug 1682 Brother T. Swift was ordained as a deacon of the church in Milton. [Ref]

He left his land to his sons John and Samuel and £100 to his daughter Elizabeth Pratt and her children. His son Thomas had already died. He left Thomas, the "reputed" son of his son Thomas 20 shillings, plus the £20 pounds that he had already promised him, saying, "... and he shall have no more of my estate." [Ref]

Children of Thomas Swift 2 and Elizabeth Vose:

  1. Thomas Swift 3 was born on 30 (5) 1659 in Dorchester. He married Elizabeth Tomson.
  2. Samel Swift
  3. Elizabeth Swift was born on 21 Aug 1662. [Ref] She died on 25 Dec 1736 in Weymouth. [Ref] She married, as his second wife, Lieut. John Pratt of Weymouth. [Ref] John, the son of Samuel and Hannah (Rogers) Pratt, was born on 17 Aug 1663 in Weymouth. [Ref] He died on 8 Feb 1744 in Weymouth. [Ref]
  4. William Swift was baptised on 15 May 1670. [Ref] He was lost in the expedition against Canada in 1690. [Ref]

THOMAS SWIFT 1 (abt 1600 - 1675) of Dorchester, Dorset and Dorchester, MA

Parents: Robert Swift

Thomas Swift was born about 1600 and died on 30 May 1675, aged 75 years. [Ref,Ref says he died on 4 May] He is buried in the Old Dorchester burial ground. [Ref] His gravestone says "Thomas Swift / Aged 75 Years / Dyed May ye 30 / 1675". [Ref] He married Elizabeth Capen on 18 Oct 1630 at Holy Trinity, Dorchester, Dorset. [Ref]

Thomas was a freeman on 6 May 1635 in Dorchester. [Ref][Ref]

Thomas is on a 1641 list of inhabitants of Dorchester. [Ref] He or his son Thomas signed a petition in Dorchester on 19 Oct 1664, as did an Obadiah Swift. [Ref]

He wrote his will on 26 Apr 1675. [Ref]

Children of Thomas Swift I and Elizabeth Capen:

  1. Thomas Swift 2 was born on 17 (4) 1635 in Dorchester. He died on 31 Jan 1717/8. He married Elizabeth Vose.
  2. Obadiah Swift was born on 16 (5) 1638. [Ref][Ref] He died on 27 Dec 1690. [Ref] He married Rest Atherton on 15 (1) 1660/1. [Ref] She died on 13 Nov 1708. [Ref] His estate was appraised on 4 Mar 1690/1 and amounted to £189.2.8. [Ref]
  3. Elizabeth Swift was born on 26 (12) 1640. [Ref][Ref]
  4. Ruth Swift was born on 24 (6) 1643. [Ref][Ref] She married William Greenough of Boston on 10 Oct 1660. [Ref]
  5. Joan Swift, the daughter of Thomas Swift, died on 21 Jul 1663. [Ref] She married John Baker on 5 (9) 1657. [Ref]

A James Swift died in Dorchester on 9 (9) 1657. [Ref]

Elizabeth Swift died on 6 (9) 1657 in Dorchester. [Ref]