James Swan (1754 - 1830)

Born 1754 in Fife, Scotland

Descendants

Died 31 Jul 1830 at about age 76 in Paris, France

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jenn Lehr [send private message] and Patricia Della Piana [send private message]

Biography

Major James Swan served with Suffolk County Militia, Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.

James Swan is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 300680
Rank: Major

James Swan is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A111519.

"James Swan was a colorful personality based in Boston in the 18th and 19th century. He was a member of the Sons of Liberty and participated in the Boston Tea Party. Swan was twice wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill, he next became secretary of the Massachusetts Board of War and the legislature. During the time he held that office, he drew heavily on his private funds to aid the Continental Army, which was then in dire need of funds to arm and equip the soldiers who were arriving in Boston from all parts of New England. After the American Revolution Swan privately assumed the entire United States French debts at a slightly higher interest rate. Swan then resold these debts at a profit on domestic U.S. markets. The United States no longer owed money to foreign governments, although it continued to owe money to private investors both in the United States and in Europe. This allowed the young United States to place itself on a sound financial footing. On principles of loyalty, he spent 22 years, more than a quarter of his life in a Paris prison."

He had many business dealings, one of which was his 1786 purchase of the Burnt Coat Island group in Maine. The largest Island in the group, Swans Island, bears his name today. (Small's History of Swan's Island has an extensive biography)

Obit: Birth: ABT 1754 in Fifeshire, Scotland Event: Hepsibah Clark Spouse or Family Member Military Service: Officer who was a member of the Sons of Liberty, St. Andrew's Lodge of Freemason and the Scots Charitable Society of Boston Event: Boston Tea Party, MA (Dec. 16, 1773) Battle or Event Death: ABT 18 MAR 1831 in Paris, France Served in the Massachusetts Legislature & Board of War Commentary Worked as a clerk in shops and counting houses Society of the Cincinnati. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15][16]}

Sources

1. ↑ New-Hampshire Gazette (Portsmouth, NH) Publication 26 APR 1831
2. ↑ Newburyport Herald (Newburyport, MA) Publication 22 APR 1831
3. ↑ Boston Traveller (Boston, MA) Publication 22 APR 1831
4. ↑ Spectator (New York, NY) Publication 22 APR 1831
5. ↑ Gloucester Telegraph (Gloucester, MA) Publication 23 APR 1831
6. ↑ Newport Mercury (Newport, RI) Publication 23 APR 1831
7. ↑ Providence Patriot (Providence, RI) Publication 23 APR 1831
8. ↑ Charleston Courier (Charleston, SC) Publication 26 APR 1831
9. ↑ City Gazette (Charleston, SC) Publication 27 APR 1831
10. ↑ Eastport Sentinel (Eastport, ME) Publication 27 APR 1831
11. ↑ National Aegis (Worcester, MA) Publication 27 APR 1831
12. ↑ Farmer's Cabinet (Amherst, NH) Publication 30 APR 1831
13. ↑ Eastport Sentinel (Eastport, ME) Publication 25 MAY 1831
14. ↑ Charleston Courier (Charleston, SC) Publication 27 MAY 1831
15. ↑ Bunker Hill, MA, AKA Breed's Hill (June 17, 1775) Battle or Event Weekly Messenger (Boston, MA) Publication 19 MAY 1831
16. ↑ American (New York, NY) Publication 21 APR 1831

• Wikipedia: James_Swan_(financier)

• "1795 James Swan by Gilbert Stuart MFA Boston" by Gilbert Stuart - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - [1]

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/), "Record of James Swan", Ancestor # A111519.

• Drake, Francis Samuel. Tea Leaves, Being a collection of letters and documents relating to the shipment of tea to the American colonies in the year 1773, by the East India Tea Company (A. O. Crane, Boston, 1884) Page 167-8.

• Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary War, page 274.

Research

• The will for a James Swan of Boston, Massachussets, was recorded in the Will book, v 001, 1820-1858 for Kahawha County, Virginia, electronic pages 71-73, page 136 in will book. The will was written in Paris, where this James Swan died.
• A History of Swan's Island, Maine, p. 44-58.
• Small, H. W. 1898. A history of Swan's Island, Maine. Ellsworth, Me: Hancock County Pub. Co.

See also:

Boston Tea Party Participant Biographies (Original Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2023. James Swan