Elizabeth Capen Swift was born about 1611, likely at Dorchester, Dorset, England, daughter of Joan Purchase (1578-1653) and Bernard Capen (1562-1638). Her death record stated she was in her 67th year and she died 26 Jan 1677 but we should not be too literal in assigning a specific birth date. A christening record has not been found so presumably she was born at or near Dorchester as she and several of her siblings were married there.
Elizabeth married 18 Oct 1630 Thomas Swift (1605-1675) at Holy Trinity Church, Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England.[1][2] Some of Elizabeth and Thomas Swift's known children were (list appears to be incomplete):
Ruth Swift, born 24 Aug 1637 at Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony[3]
m. 18 Oct 1634 Thomas Swift (1605-1675) s/o mother & Robert Swift of Rotherham, Yorkshire, England @ Holy Trinity Church, Dorchester, Dorsetshire, England.[7]
b. 17 Apr 1635 Deacon Thomas Swift Jr (1635-1717) @ Dorchester, Suffolk, MBC ,BCA[8]or 17 Jun 1638 Thomas Swift @ Dorchester, Suffolk, MBC, BCA[3]
m. 9 Dec 1657 Elizabeth Vose d/o mother & father @ Milton, Norfolk, MBC, BCA[8]
m. 16 Oct 1676 Sarah Clapp d/o mother & father @ Milton, Norfolk, MBC, BCA[8]
d. 31 Jan 1717/8 @ Milton, Norfolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay (PMB), BCA[8]
b. 11 Feb 1652 Susanna Swift Clap (11 Feb 1652-1732) @ Dorchester, Suffolk, MBC, BCA[17]
m. 18 Feb 1672 Hopestill Clap s/o mother & father @ Dorchester, MBC, BCA[3]
d. 2 Mar 1732 @ Dorchester, Suffolk, Province of Massachusetts Bay (PMB), BCA[17]
bur. Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA[17]
d. 26 Jan 1677/8 @ Dorchester, Suffolk, MBC, BCA[6]
bur. Dorchester North Burying Gournd, Dochester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA[6]
Research Notes
This profile stated:
Some time after July 1633, she and her father Bernard Capen, emigrated from England to New England, aboard the ship "Discovery of London" under the direction of her husband Thomas Swift.
This is wrong. Thomas Swift emigrated in 1634 on the Recovery. See the NEHGS Great Migration Project sources cited on profiles for her husband and father. Smith-62120 21:26, 27 May 2021 (UTC)
Sources
↑ Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009. Accessed online in Great Migration 1634-1635, R-S. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Volume VI, R-S, pp. 621 - 626. ($subscription).
↑ NEHGR 4:166; Text: Elizabeth Swift dyed January ye 26, 1677 aged 67 years (i.e., in the 67th year of her age)
↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #20741171 for Elizabeth (Capen) Swift, b: 1611 Dorset, England; d: 26 Jan 1677/8 Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts; buried: Dorchester North Burying Ground, Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA; (parents: Bernard Capen & Joan Purchase)
Capen Family: Descendants of Bernard Capen of Dorchester, Massachusetts edited by Jessie Hale Tuttle & Higginson Book Company of Salem, Massachusetts in 2012
Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633 volumes 1-3 by Robert Charles Anderson & published in 1995 by New England Historic Genealogical Society of Boston, MA; on ancestry.com
Is Elizabeth your ancestor? Please don't go away! Login to collaborate or comment, or contact
a profile manager, or ask our community of genealogists a question.
This week's featured connections are
Redheads:
Elizabeth is
13 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 12 degrees from Clara Bow, 21 degrees from Julia Gillard, 12 degrees from Nancy Hart, 10 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 13 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 16 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 16 degrees from Rose Leslie, 16 degrees from Damian Lewis, 14 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 21 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 30 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson
on our single family tree.
Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Searching in the Dorchester, Dorset parish register I see an Elizabeth christened 2 Dec 1611 but the father listed is Thomas. James White, Rector. Image 99 BY subscription https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2243/images/32435_239560-00174?pId=4890682