Monday, May 13, 2013

Second great grandfather

Well, that's what they say.  He's 7 generations back from mine.
I'm not sure what "second great grandfather" means.  If I just counted the number of greats that I add to the grandfather status, he'd have four greats.  My father's mother's great-great grandfather (of all fathers.)  (I know many grandmothers names, but not as far back usually)

I wish to celebrate another ancestor born in May.


Jerathmel Bowers Swasey 

Birth 10 May 1752 in Somerset, Bristol, MA 

Death 4 Feb 1826 in Somerset, Bristol, MA

married to: Sarah Hellon born: 1752

Sarah Hellon - I wish this was legible, is it even in English?

I don't know that much about Jerathmel.  But Somerset MA became a town in 1790, during his lifetime.  It had been settled as early as 1677 on Shawomet lands.  It is on a river, and was a major seaport.

The Swasey's did have a nautical connection, with his son Alexander G. Swasey "a wood carver by trade but engaged for many years in command of ship to the coast of China."  There are others (probably my relatives) who compiled a publication about the Swasey family.  

"Geneology of the Swasey Family" 1910 by Benjamin Swasey, an ebook that is available on line.

The booklet gives more information on Jerathmel's father which is also of interest.

Joseph Swasey, shipwright, Bapt(ized) in Boston, Mass. Aug. 12, 1714; died in Somerset, Mass; bef. 1801; married,daughter of Jonathan & Ann Sylvester Bowers, of Swansea, Mass. She was of Spanish descent.   Joseph, removed with his family to Salem, where he lived until 1749.  He followed there the trade of hatter.  In that year he bought (in) Swansea of John Palmer, 10 acres of land on Taunton River for which he paid ~1300 O.T.

He put up a set of buildings, including a hat shop, built a wharf & engaged in shipbuilding, floating his craft down to Fall River.  The dwelling house occupied by the family for 3 generations was taken down several years ago.  The old cellar & the broad stone step still remain to mark the site.  The "Swasey burying ground" occupied about an acre of the original lot, upon which are many tombstones that mark the resting place of his descendants.


In 1758-9, he was a private in his Majesty's service from the Province of Massachusetts, in Capt. Stephen Whipple's Co;  Col. Jonathan Bagley's Regt; for the reduction of Canada.  In 1801, his estate was divided among his heirs which included the widow, sons Jerathmel & Joseph heirs of his son Samuel, & daughter Hannah.

 
323 Main St, Somerset, MA, (not sure the connection to the Swaseys, but this picture was included with ebook)

 

  

2 comments:

  1. The house on the right was home to Jane and Izannah Frankford Walker. Their mother was a Swasey. You really should Google Izannah!

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  2. Thanks Jennifer Berkeley! I did google Izannah Frankford Walker. What a talented woman, and I love that she made dolls that are so well respected even today. I'm not much of a doll or fabric (or even doll house) craftsperson, but I do enjoy seeing what others are able to make and use. It's like loving a hand made quilt, but not being interested in making one yourself. Thanks for letting me know about Jane and Izannah living in the house that Swasey's had built!

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