Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Richard Swain

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Descendants of Richard Swain

Generation No. 1

1. RICHARD³ SWAIN (WILLIAM², WILLIAM¹) was born 21 Sep 1595 in Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England, and died 14 Apr 1682 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He married ELIZABETH ANN BASSELLE 1638 in Hampton, Rockingham, NH, USA. She was born 1605 in England, and died 15 Jul 1657 in Hampton, NH, USA.

Notes for RICHARD SWAIN:
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.

Children of RICHARD SWAIN and ELIZABETH BASSELLE are:

2.	i.	JOHN⁴ SWAIN, b. 05 Oct 1633, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. 09 Feb 1714, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
	ii.	WILLIAM SWAIN, b. 1618, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. 20 Oct 1657, Nantucket, Massachusetts.
	iii.	FRANCIS SWAIN, b. 1621, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. 1667, Long Island, New York.
	iv.	NICHOLAS SWAIN, b. 05 Mar 1623, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. 18 Aug 1650, Hampton, New Hampshire.
	v.	GRACE SWAIN, b. 23 Feb 1626, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. 14 Mar 1693, Hampton, New Hampshire.
	vi.	DOROTHY SWAIN, b. 1629, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. 1707, Essex County, Massachusetts.
	vii.	RICHARD SWAIN, b. 06 May 1630, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England; d. Bef. 1635, Binfield Parish, Berkshire Co., England.
	viii.	ELIZABETH SWAIN, b. 09 Oct 1636, Essex County, Massachusetts; d. 10 Feb 1711, Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.

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