Generation 1

WILLIAM SWIFT

William Swift died before 7 Mar 1648. He married Joan Unknown.

The Court granted letters of administration to Joan Swift of Sandwich on her husband's estate on 7 Mar 1648. [Ref] Inventory was shown at court in Jan 1643 and amounted to £72.11.1. William had a house at Sudbury that was mortgaged to a Mr. Burton. [Ref]

Joan Swift of Sandwich died between 12 (8) 1662, when she wrote her will, and 25 (10) 1663, when inventory was taken. She mentions Daniel Wing's sons Samuel and John; her grandchildren Hannah Swift and Experience Allen; Martha Darby; Hannah Wing the elder and her daughters; Zebediah Allen; her son William and his children. [Ref]

Children of William Swift and Ruth Unknown:

1. William Swift married Ruth Unknown.
2. Esther Swift married Ralph Allen
   some descendants of Esther Swift

Generation 2

WILLIAM SWIFT (d. 1706) of Sandwich

Parents: William Swift and Joan Unknown [Ref]

William Swift died on 7 Jan 1705/6. [Ref] He married Ruth Unknown.

He is in the Sandwich section of the 1643 list of those between 16 and 60 able to bear arms in Plymouth Colony. [Ref]

On 20 May 1655 he pledged 15 shillings for the building of a meeting house in Sandwich. [Ref] In 1655 Thomas Tupper, James Skiffe, Thomas Tobey, William Swift, Edmund Freeman and Nathaniel Fish were among the 19 Sandwich residents who signed a letter entreating Mr Leveridge to continue at Sandwich. [Ref]

Jane Powell, a servant of William's, was presented to the Court on 4 Oct 1655 for fornication. She admitted that she had committed it with David Ogillior, servant to Edward Sturgis; that she was in a "sadd and miserable condition by hard service, wanting clothes and living discontentedly" and that she had hoped David would marry her. The Court cleared her and ordered her to go home again. [Ref]

William had an active public life. On 18 May 1660, 29 Apr 1673, 10 (3) 1676, 21 May 1678, 18 May 1681, 18 Aug 1681William was chosen selectman. [Ref] William was chosen constable on 10 (9) 1660, 15 May 1668 and 18 (3) 1680. [Ref] On 16 Jul 1662 the town of Sandwich chose Goodman Skef, Goodman Tupper, William Bassett and William Swift to arrange for Lieut. John Ellis to finish the town dock. [Ref] On 28 Jan 1664 William Swift was a rater. [Ref] On 15 (5) 1671 he was one of four people appointed to go with James Skiffe and look at upland and meadow that James wanted to exchange with the town. [Ref] On 13 (4) 167? all the men of the town were ordered to kill 12 black birds or pay a fine. The birds were to be brought before William Swift, Edmund Freeman, John Jenens and Stephen Wing. [Ref] On 21 (3) 1674, the last of Aug 1676, 10 (3) 1676 and 21 May 1678 William Swift was chosen Deputy. [Ref] On 22 (12) 1675 William Swift, Sr and George Barlow were empowered to collect all the money due to the town under an order of the Council of War, in reference to those who refused or neglected to serve. [Ref] On 12 Sep 1676 Mr Richard Bourne, William Swift and Steven Wing were chosen to take account of the charges since the last June Court. [Ref] On 21 Jan 1676 William Swift and Thomas Dexter were chosen to go to Yarmouth to Andrew Hallet's to meet with the Barnstable men to settle the business about scouting at Heron River. [Ref] On 6 Apr 1678 the town decided to improve 'Skawten Neck' over the next ten years. Mr Bourne and William Swift were chosen to take an account of disbursements by town agents for this. [Ref] On 18 May 1680 William Swift was chosen to view a parcel of land that Mr Dexter wanted to exchange with the town. [Ref] On 18 Aug 1681 William Swift, Sr and Ludowick Hawks were chosen to view a parcel of Willem Allen's land. [Ref] William and Jacob Burge were to view a piece of land that John Blackwell wanted. [Ref]On 19 Jan 1681 William Swift, Sr and John Blackwell were to take William Bassett's accounts as constable. [Ref]

On 18 (9) 1680 William Swift exchanged two acres of land with the town. [Ref]

William signed his will on 15 Dec 1705; it was proved on 29 Jan 1705/6. He names his wife Ruth; his daughters Hannah Tobey, Temperance Bourne, Hester Gibbs, and Dina Perry; his sons Josiah and Jirah; the sons of his son William, deceased; his son-in-law Timothy Bourne. [Ref]

Samuel, Ephraim and his wife Sarah, Moses, Samuel, Jr., Josiah, Jirez, Joseph, and Jabez and his wife Abigail were heads of families in Sandwich in Mar 1730. [Ref]

Children of William Swift:

1. Hannah Swift was born on 11 Mar 1651 in Sandwich. She married first Ambrose Fish. She married second Thomas Tobey.
2. William Swift was born on 28 Aug 1654. He died before 15 Dec 1705. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Unknown.
3. Ephraim Swift was born on 7 Jun 1656, probably in Sandwich. [Ref][Ref] He died on 17 Feb 1742 in Sandwich. [Ref] He married Sarah Perry. Sarah was the daughter of Ezra Perry and Elizabeth Burge. Sarah Swift, the wife of Ephraim, died on 13 Aug 1734. [Ref] Children of Ephraim and Sarah Swift, born in Sandwich: Elizabeth (29 or 30 Dec 1674), Elizabeth (29 Dec 1679), Joanna (7 Jul 1683 or 4), Samuel (9 Apr 1686), Ephraim (16 Dec 1688), Sarah (12 Apr 1692), Hannah (19 May 1695) Moses (15 Sep 1699). [Ref]
4. Mary Swift was born on 7 Apr 1659, probably in Sandwich. [Ref][Ref] She died on 1 Mar 1682 [Ref] in Sandwich. [Ref, 1 Mar 168[?]] She married Shubel Smith on 6 Feb 1677 [Ref] in Sandwich. [Ref]
5. Samuel Swift was born on 10 Aug 1662 [Ref], probably in Sandwich. [Ref] Samuel Swift, Sr made his will on 5 Oct 1730; it was deposed on 6 Jun 1733. [Ref, editor]
6. Josiah Swift was born about 1664, or perhaps after 1670. [Ref]
7. Temperance Swift was born about 1666. [Ref] She married Timothy Bourne.
8. Hester Swift was born about 1668. [Ref] She married John Gibbs, Jr. [Ref]
9. Jirah Swift was born about 1670. [Ref] He married Abigail Gibbs [Ref] on 26 Nov 1697. [Ref]
   some descendants of Jirah Swift
10. Dinah Swift was born about 1672. [Ref] She married Benjamin Perry [Ref], the son of Ezra Perry and Elizabeth Burge. [Ref]

Generation 3

HANNAH SWIFT (1651 - 1721)

Parents: William Swift [Ref] and Ruth Unknown

Hannah Swift was born on 11 Mar 1651 in Sandwich. [Ref][Ref] She died between 3 Mar 1721, when she signed her will and 6 Apr 1721, when administration was granted to her son Seth. [Ref] She married first Ambrose Fish. [Ref] She married second Thomas Tobey after 11 Sep 1691. [Ref]

William Swift of Sandwich named his daughter Hannah Tobey in his will. [Ref] In 1705, there were two Hannah Tobeys in Sandwich: the second wife of Thomas Tobey and the widow of Thomas's son Ephraim. Barclay [Ref] argues that William's daughter Hannah was the second wife of Hannah Tobey. [Ref] Brownson and McLean make a further argument. Hannah's son Seth Fish testified that Thomas Tobey was his father-in-law. It is known that Seth had only one wife, Mary Turner, so he was not referring to his wife's father. He must have meant his step-father. "Father-in-law" was a common way of referring to a step-father. [Ref]

On 31 (3) 1669 Richard Handy complained that Hannah's mare was on the Town Neck. The town found in favour of Richard and Hannah's father William was fined. [Ref]

In her will, Hannah mentions her son Seth Fish; her son Samuel Tobey and her daughter Abia, his wife; her son Gershom Tobey and her daughter Mehitable, his wife; her son Eliakim Tupper and her daughter Johanna, his wife. [Ref] Witnesses were Eliakim's brother Eldad Tupper, Hannah's sister Temperance Bourne and Elizabeth Tupper. [Ref][Ref, 3;398]

WILLIAM SWIFT (1654 - bef. 1705)

Parents: William Swift and Ruth Unknown

William Swift was born on 28 Aug 1654 [Ref][Ref], probably in Sandwich. [Ref] He died before 15 Dec 1705, when his father refers to him as deceased in his will. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Unknown.

On 18 May 1660 William Swift, Jr was appointed grand juryman. [Ref] On 16 Jan 1682 William Swift, Jr was appointed a supervisor of the highways. [Ref]

Children of William Swift and Elizabeth Unknown:

1. William Swift was born on 24 Jan 1679. [Ref] He married Keziah Unknown. Keziah Swift, the wife of William, died on 23 Mar 1735/6. [Ref]
2. Thomas Swift was born in Dec 1692. He married Thankful Morey.
3. Thankful Swift married Benjamin, the brother of Thankful Morey, on 3 Nov 1715 in Plymouth. [Ref]

Generation 4

THOMAS SWIFT (b. 1792) of Sandwich

Parents: William Swift and Elizabeth Unknown

Thomas Swift was born in Dec 169_ [Ref says 9 Mar 1692] in Sandwich. [Ref] He married Thankful Morey of Plymouth on 23 Jan 1718/9. [Ref][Ref]

Children of Thomas Swift and Thankful Morey:

1. Lydia Swift was born on 1 Sep 1720 [Ref] in Sandwich. [Ref] She was baptised on 26 Jul 1724 in Sandwich. [Ref] She died on 3 Apr 1807. [Ref] She married Job Bourne, the son of Eleazer Bourne and grandson of Job Bourne. Job was born on 31 Mar 1717 in Sandwich and died on 29 Jun 1790 in Sandwich. [Ref]
2. Deborah Swift was born on 28 May 1723. She married Jonathan Tobey 2.
3. Elizabeth Swift was born on 11 Jan 1724/5. [Ref]
4. Thomas Swift was born on 11 May 1727. [Ref] He married Rebecca Clark on 21 Oct 1746. [Ref]
   some descendants of Thomas Swift
   
5. Jerusha Swift was born on 25 Feb 1731/2. [Ref] She married John Morey on 17 Oct 1751. [Ref]
6. Phineas Swift was born on 10 mar 1733/4. [Ref] He married Rebecca Philips on 9 Apr 1752. [Ref]
7. Rhoda Swift was born in 1735. [Ref] She married Benjamin Cornish, Jr. on 22 Oct 1750. [Ref]
8. Thankful Swift (twin) was born on 26 Feb 1737/8 [Ref] in Plymouth. [Ref] She married Nathaniel Wing on 22 May 1755 [Ref] in Wareham, as his second wife. [Ref] Nathaniel probably married first Mercy, the daughter of Zacheus and Susanna Hardy. [Ref]
9. Lemuel Swift (twin) was born on 26 Feb 1737/8. [Ref] He married Rebecca Whitfield on 8 Dec 1756. [Ref]

Generation 5

DEBORAH SWIFT (b. 1723)

Parents: Thomas Swift and Thankful Morey

Deborah Swift was born on 28 May 1723. [Ref] She married Jonathan Tobey on 19 Feb 1740 [Ref] at Plymouth. [Ref][Ref]

References

Barclay, Mrs. John E., "Hannah (Swift) Tobey, Daughter of William² Swift and the Family of Ambrose Fish² of Sandwich, Mass.," The American Genealogist 35, 1959, 40-43.

Brownson, Lydia B. (Phinney) and Maclean W. McClean, "Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Mass. (1625-1689)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 115, 1961, 86-99.

Brownson, Lydia B. (Phinney) and MacLean W. McLean, "Michael Blackwell of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1620 - 1710)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 117, 1963, 180-194.

Brownson, Lydia B. (Phinney) and Maclean W. McLean, "The Rev. Richard Bourne of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1610 - 1682)," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 118, 1964, 83-.

Brownson, Lydia B. (Phinney) and Maclean W. McLean, "Richard Handy of Sandwich, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 125, 1971, 124-137.

Hook, James W., Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties: including the related families of Willets and Birdsall, New Haven, unknown, 1955.

Kardell, Caroline Lewis, and Lovell, Russell A. Jr., Vital Records of Sandwich Massachusetts to 1885, Boston, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996.

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850. Online Database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2007.

Swift, Eben, "William Swift and Descendants to the Sixth Generation," in Smith, Leonard H., Jr., ed., Cape Cod Library of Local History and Genealogy, v. 1, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., c. 1992.