William Swift (1589)[KN4X-KVM,L4BG-8FW,L4BV-BFJ,85SD-HH1]
WILLIAM SWIFT was probably born before 1596, based on the fact that he received his freedom as a member of the Company of Leathersellers on 26 September 1620. Thus, WILLIAM was a citizen and leatherseller of London, admitted as freeman in 1620. He was living in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, Surry at least by 1622. While this is in Surry, it is just across the river and for practical purposes is part of London.
His first wife, SARA was buried in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, Surry, on 24 Aug 1625, survived by at least two children, EDWARD and HANNAH, whose baptisms have not been found, and a baby daughter MARY, who died not long after her mother. Thus, he was a widower when he married JOAN, the widow of ROGER DIMBLENY, in the same parish on 3 January 1626. ROGER DIMBLEBY’s will proclaims that he too was a citizen and leatherseller of London. He was buried there on 15 September 1625. The marriage of ROGER and JOAN DIMBLEBY has not been found, but they were in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene by 1622 when their son ANDREW was baptized. They evidently had a daughter, HESTER, baptized elsewhere.
The picture that emerges from the records of St. Mary Magdalene, although very sketchy, is that both WILLIAM and JOAN lost previous spouses in the plague-ridden summer before their marriage. WILLIAM lost some of his children and JOAN evidently lost the last of hers. After the death of the youngest of three children born to them, in 1631, the family disappears from the records Bermondsey. They were there at least until May 1633 when WILLIAM apprenticed his son EDWARD in London. They apparently left soon after, and according to Savage, appearing in Watertown, Massachusetts by 1634.
There are records of land transactions and other activities starting 1635. In the summer of 1637, WILLIAM SWIFT appears to have returned to England on business. He was settled in Sandwich by 1640.
There are a number of court records present. In them is reference to Bocking England, as the place of business of a JOHN SMITHMAN and WILLIAM STACEY Jr, who owed a debt to WILLIAM SWIFT, which was probably what lead Savage to state that WILLIAM came from that parish. This assumption has been followed by people ever since. However, the apprenticeship record of SWIFT’s son EDWARD tells a different story. “EDWARD SWIFTE son of WILLIAM SWIFTE, citizen and leather seller of London, was bound apprentice to GEORGE ANDREWES for seven years from the day given, 8 May 1633. 2 Jul 1640 EDWARD SWIFTE apprentice of GEORGE ANDREWES made free upon the report of GEORGE STRETTON gave a white spoon and paid 3s. 4d.”
It is a safe assumption that the SWIFTs came to London originally from a country parish, but WILLIAM may have been born in Southwark, which was a center of the leather industry, drawing men into the city from many areas. He appears to have had contemporaries who were perhaps his brothers, ROBERT and RICHARD SWIFT, both of whom married in Bermondsey and died there prematurely, and all may have belonged to the family of RICHARD SWIFT who died intestate in1598.
WILLIAM SWIFT died at Sandwich, Barnstable, Massachusetts, prior to 29 Jan 1643, when his inventory was presented. JOAN survived almost 20 years, settling WILLIAM’s business matters, and staying involved in the affairs of the town of Sandwich. Her will was dated 12 October 1662,and inventory taken 25 Dec 1663,
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