Robert Swain

Abt 1790 - Abt 1852  (~ 62 years)

• Name	Robert Swain
  Born	Abt 1790	Co. Wexford, Ireland?   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Research Overview	Caplin Bay, Newfoundland
  No written reference to Robert's birthplace has ever been found, however, there are several versions of family lore that relate to the circumstances of Robert's arrival at Caplin Bay. Although some details differ, most of this oral family history has a common thread. Some family tradition says that Robert Swain was a Protestant who came from either Co. Wexford or the province of Ulster, (Northern) Ireland. He purportedly converted to Catholicism when he married a girl named Betsy (or Mary) Bryan from Ferryland. Robert Swain settled on the northeastern headland of Caplin Bay, in the area known as Stone Island. His home was located on the eastern side of Stone Island River, opposite the property settled earlier by the Wade family. The earliest record of the Swain name in this area was in the Ferryland Supreme Court records. On Nov. 3, 1830, Robert Swain was "charged, with others, in erecting a stage at Stone Island shooting place which interfered with other people's nets which have been set there for 40 years". The charges were laid by Matthew Morry and Co. and Benjamin Sweetland and Co., fishing merchants of English origin whose fishing operations were based a couple of miles west, at the head of Caplin Bay. Robert is shown as a voter at Caplin Bay from 1840 to 1852. It is not known exactly when Robert died, however, his name does not appear on the voters' lists after 1852. It is likely that the absence of his name in the 1855 voters list indicates that Robert had died by the time the 1855 list was compiled.
  Died	Abt 1852	Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland   [2]
  Buried	Abt 1852	Non-denominational Cemetery, Ferryland, Ferryland District, Newfoundland, Canada   [3]
  Person ID	I16	Families of Calvert (Caplin Bay), Newfoundland
  Last Modified	18 Feb 2021

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth "Betsy" Bryan,   b. Abt 1800, Ferryland, Newfoundland ,   d. Yes, date unknown, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland
  Married	Abt 1816  [3]
  Family lore states that Elizabeth (Betsy) Bryan, from Ferryland, was the wife of Robert Swain. Although there were several Bryan (O' Brien) families in Ferryland in 1800, there are no matches with any females recorded in that census. However, there was one later event that may suggest some kinship with the Bryans (O'Briens) of Ferryland. One of the co-defendants, named in the civil suit against Robert Swain and "others" in 1830, was a Timothy Brien. We can speculate that this may have been Timothy Jr. who was recorded under his Irish name "Teague" at Ferryland in the 1800 Census. He married at St. John's in 1827, however, the marriage record states he was from Ferryland. His reason for being at Stone Island in 1830 is not known, but his presence there raises the possibility that he may have been fishing with, or assisting, (his "brother-in-law?), Robert Swain. From 1840 onward, the Voters Lists shows Timothy Bryan living on the north side of Ferryland in the area(s) known as Freshwater and Bark House.
  Children	1. Elizabeth "Eliza" Swain,   b. Abt 1817, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 15 Jun 1891, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 74 years)   2. Mary Swain,   b. Abt 1818, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 17 Feb 1902, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 84 years)   3. John Swain,   b. abt. 1825, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 3 Jan 1904, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 79 years)   4. Anne Swain,   b. Abt 1827, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 4 Sep 1908, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 81 years) + 5. Ellen Swain,   b. Abt 1829, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. Yes, date unknown   6. Robert Swain,   b. Abt 1830, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 9 Jan 1909, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 79 years)   7. Joseph Swain,   b. Abt 1832, Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland ,   d. 29 Jun 1906, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland  (Age ~ 74 years)
  Last Modified	18 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F12	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - Abt 1790 - Co. Wexford, Ireland? Research Overview - - Caplin Bay, Newfoundland Died - Abt 1852 - Stone Island, Caplin Bay, Newfoundland Buried - Abt 1852 - Non-denominational Cemetery, Ferryland, Ferryland District, Newfoundland, Canada  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S63] Family Tradition, (Information passed down orally through generations of descendants). [S4] Newfoundland Voter's Lists, Newfoundland's Grand Banks, (Online: http://ngb.chebucto.org/V1928/1dist-vl-idx.shtml, copyright © 1999-2015. Transcribed lists of eligible voters, by town and district, from 1832 onward). Caplin Bay, Ferryland District, 1840 - 1852 [S90] Approximate date based on another recorded event, Reddigan, Kevin, (A date calculated by using a recorded date and a person's age, or by estimating the most likely date, based on other recorded life events).