Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-12-31
NUMBER 81.
The S,Oan Family of Woodstoci.

The StCdn FdWny or WOodSOch'
WILLIAM SWAN, an early settler in
Paris and among the first settlers Of
Woodstock, was born in Cambridge.
Mass. Sept. 4th, 1897, and ais wife, Lucy
Robbins, OF Boston, was born June q,
i740. HIS first American ancestor VS..
John Swan born in England in 1921, aud
came over as serv' Mt in the family II
Thomas Blttlestone OF Cambridge. In
Mr.. B!ttlestone's will, dated Nov. 3,
1910, ii is provided that bis wife Eliza
beth shall have the services of his boy
John Swan, and shall pay him five
pounds" In 1862 John Swan bad
grant OF 20 acres of land in Cambridge,
and January |, l650-l, ho married Re
becca Pslfrey. His children by this mar
rage were Ruth and GERSHOM. For
second wife he married, March I'd, 1856
Mary Pratt, and had Samuel, Mars
Elizabeth, Hannah and Ebenezer. john
Swan. The father. died June 3. 1908, and
his second wife died Feb. al. 1902.
GERSH0M Swan married Sarah Hold
en- Dec. 20. 1917, and had Sarah, Rebeccs,
JOHN born Oct. 8, 1858, Ruth, Abigail,
Lydia and Rebecca. JOHN. the son OF
Gershom Just named aud Sarah Holden
his wife, by wife Elizabeth had John,
Timothy, Elizabeth. Esther, GershOm,
Susanna and WILLIAM born Sept. 4th.
1887. Many OF these Swans became res
idents OF Woburn. and WILLIAM, Tho
last named, came from thence TO Msino.
My impression is that be first came TO PO-
land or Gray and then TO Paris In
letter written by Elder James Hooper he
speaks Of William Swan SIS being an early
settler in Paris. About the year 1902 he
moved into Woodstock accompanied bg
his married son William Jr. and his
grandson Gideon then ID years OF age
Two OF his daughters had preceded him
10 Woods OCk, viz: the wives of Christie
pher and Solomon Bryant, the first two
settlers 10 town. The family record Of
William Swan and Lucy (Robbins) his
wife is as follows: Lucy. born Nov. 16,
l76l, never married William, born July
Sd, l76j, married Bethiah Pratt OF Paris
Betsey, born -, -, married Calvin
Cole OF Paris; Emma, born Sept %,
1867, married Samuel Stephens of Wood
stock; Sally, born Aug. q, IVA, married
Solomon Bryant, Jr.; Susanna, born
March "A, l777, married Christopher
Bryant William Swan settled on LOT
upon which Luther Briggs had made
clearing and upon which his grandson
Samuel S. Swan has since lived. The
house which be built, and which is now
standing, is the oldest house 10 town
William Swan, Jr., was married Oct.
18th, 1890 by IchabOd Bonney, ESQ OF
Turner. to Bethiah Pratt he came g.
Woodstock with bis father and settled Or
IL lot since known as the Gilbert iarU
His barn. which is still standing, was the
first frame building in Woodstock. Mr.
Swan lived TO an advanced age and died
in Wood stock. His children born IL
Paris end Woodstock we're as follows
William Jr, born May Is, 1892, married
frs, Hannah Locke. and is still living
with his second wife in Paris; Oliver,
born Jan. Is, 1897, married Rhoda Bry-
ant; John. born June 8. 1899, married
Louisa Briggs; Moses, born Dec. /, 1901,
married Mary Locke; Aaron. born Dec.
l. 1901. died Feb. 16, 1915; Lucy. born
May 3, 1904. married John K. Briggs
Beihiah. born May s, 1904. married Lu-
ther Briggs; Emma, born April 4, 1907,
died young; Samuel s.. born April 10,
1911, married Sabra Dacy; Edmund.
born Feb. IA, 1914, married E.mirs Nor
gan Most of the above children are
dead
Gideon Swan, who was born May %,
1857 AID died in Woodstock ayear or two
ago, being the last survivor OF the early
settlers, was the illegitimate child ci
Lucy Swan, the oldes. daughter OF VIM.
Senior. He was a resident of Woods.ocl,
nearly IS years. His wife vas Katie,
daughter OF Joseph Clifford and Susanna
Trull his wife who came from the Prov
inces to Buckfield and thence to Wood
stock. They had six children most of
whom, if not all. have lett Woodstock.
william Swan of Cambridge and Wo-
burn before named, was a soldier in the
war Tor independence, and was at Bun
ker Hill. He died previous to 1915, and
his wife survived him. This family is no
relation 70 the Swans OF Bethel.
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